Student Resources

LAs Assist Learning

What do Learning Assistants do?

Learning Assistants (LAs) are undergraduate students who are hired to support student learning through research-validated teaching and learning techniques. LAs are paid a stipend to work 8 hours per week. During this time, LAs:

  • Support students in various aspects of a course, including lecture, recitation, laboratories, office hours, and/or help rooms.
  • Collaborate with faculty and instructional team members in weekly prep meetings.
  • Prepare individually for student interactions by reviewing materials and planning approaches.

LAs work with their Lead Faculty to transform courses by creating environments in which students can interact with one another, engage in collaborative problem solving, articulate and defend their ideas, and explicitly discuss aspects of the nature of teaching and learning within their specific disciplines.

What do LAs find impactful about this experience? 
 

Why LA Figure

These words came from end of semester surveys from Fall 2019 and Spring 2020, and responses to the LA Graduation Survey from the past 5 years. Words are scaled relative to the frequency they were used.

How do I apply to be an LA?

Students who want to apply for LA positions need to create an account at the Learning Assistant Alliance website. Once you have an account, log in to see up-to-date information about which courses will be hiring LAs and to complete and submit an application during the application period.

See current application and hiring dates here. 

Applications for LA positions are open for approximately two weeks each semester, starting in late-October (for Spring positions) and mid-March (for Fall positions). See current application and hiring dates on the LA Calendar tab for the current semester.

The LA application period overlaps with next semester registration; we hope this helps you plan your own coursework in conjunction with the timing requirements of your desired LA position(s), plus the LA Pedagogy Course (if you're a new LA).

You will be able to apply for positions in up to three specific courses.

  • You must select at least one specific course to apply to as your "First Choice." Some courses and/or departments receive so many applications that they only review applicants from students who indicated that course/department as their "First Choice".
  • We highly recommend that you also select a "Second Choice" (and up to a "Third Choice") to communicate your interest and to broaden your opportunity to be hired as an LA. Of course, you should only select courses for which you have a genuine interest in being an LA. Don't apply to a specific course if you really wouldn't want to LA for that course. (Be considerate; don't waste faculty time by saying you're interested if you are not.) Most courses/departments consider applications from students who submit their applications as 2nd or 3rd choices.
  • We also recommend that you include your application in the “general pool”. By selecting “yes” to the question about whether to include your application in the general pool, this will enable your application to be considered more broadly (beyond your top three choices). Interested faculty will contact you about an interview and confirm your interest in their course before offering you a position. If you do opt-in to the General Pool, you might add a few lines in your application about which departments or courses you're interested in beyond your top three choices.
  • The day after the priority deadline, faculty will begin contacting applicants for interviews, although students can continue to apply after this date. Late(r) applications may still be considered, but mainly in circumstances where courses still have available positions. See below for advice from current LAs about the interview process.
  • EDUC 4610 (2 cr.) is the required LA Pedagogy course. After you have accepted an offer for an LA appointment, you will be sent more information about how to find, and enroll in, this required co-requisite course. Since this course is exclusively for New Learning Assistants, it is hidden within the main course registration, and you will not be able to register until we've provided the 5-digit registration number to you. We will begin assigning pedagogy course sections in mid-December for the Spring semester and mid-May for the Fall semester, so look for this email around then. See Hired LA Info for more details.
  • Students who are not hired will be contacted at the end of LA Hiring.

How advanced in my studies do I need to be to be an LA?

The only requirement is that you have taken the class for which you’re applying. This means, you could be hired as an LA as early as your second semester at CU. Many faculty will consider applicants who are transferring in a comparable course.

Note, students must be enrolled in at least 6 undergraduate credit hours during the semester they are involved in the LA experience. These 6 undergraduate credit hours may be on the main campus, Continuing Education, or a combination of the two. Graduate students are not eligible for this role.

Do I need to have earned an "A" in the course to be an LA?

No. All aspects of the application are taken into account when you apply, so a student with a lower grade may have other outstanding qualities that would complement the LA position, such as succeeding in the course after initially struggling, empathy for students who are finding the course difficult, enthusiasm for the subject, etc.

I'm not available for the LA Pedagogy Course. Can I still be an LA?

Participation in, and successful completion of, the LA Pedagogy Course is a required co-requisite of the first semester LA experience. The only exception to this rule is for students who are advanced in their CU Teach coursework. Contact Dr. McIntosh, the Associate Director of LA Development, at LAPedagogy@colorado.edu, for more information.

Does my LA position count toward the student employment maximum of 25 hours per week? Can I be an RA and an LA at the same time?

LA stipends do not count toward the maximum 25 hours per week limit for CU. The limit is 20 hours for international students. LAs do not submit a timesheet because it’s a fellowship, not a paid hourly position. Yes, you can be an RA and an LA at the same time.

Can you be hired as an LA if you are an International or undocumented student?

Yes. Please contact our Program Manager, Julie Blair at LAProgram@colorado.edu for steps to take to get hired.

How much time should I expect to spend in this position?

LAs should expect to spend 8 hours/week (on average throughout the 15-week semester) on all paid LA responsibilities, including weekly preparation meetings with faculty, individual content preparation, and LA-Student Interactions. This does not include time spent on the LA Pedagogy Course.

When does the LA Pedagogy Course meet? How do I enroll?

EDUC 4610 (2 cr.) is the required LA Pedagogy course. After you have accepted an offer for an LA appointment, you will be sent more information about how to find, and enroll, in this required co-requisite course (you will not be able to find it in Buff Portal). Currently the LA  Pedagogy Course is scheduled for:
                                 - MW 11:15 am - 12:05 pm
                                 - MW 12:20 - 1:10 pm
                                 - MW 3:35 - 4:25 pm

What is the LA Pedagogy Course?

All new LAs enroll in the two-credit pedagogy course EDUC 4610 'Becoming a Learning Assistant' to support their development, in which they will learn evidence-based, student-centered, inclusive teaching and learning practices. Previous LAs report spending an average of 3-5 hrs per week on the LA Pedagogy Course, including class time. This will involve a total of 100 minutes of synchronous Zoom and/or in-person class time, plus online reading assignments, and teaching reflections. The remainder of LA time on the Pedagogy Course is spent on student surveys (twice per semester), audio transcript analyses (twice per semester), and the LA Mentor observation (once per semester) and mentoring sessions (twice per semester). Finally, the LAs participate in an in-person poster session at the end of the semester to share what they have learned with the community.

Are there any additional meetings I need to attend?

All LAs (New and Returning) are expected to attend the LA orientation, which is typically held on the Friday before the first day of classes each semester (see this calendar for up-to-date time and location information). This orientation provides a more detailed overview of the program, and most importantly, will be the first time you will meet with the rest of your LA team. You will set your weekly meeting times, office hour schedule, learn more about your instructor's expectations, and have a chance to ask questions.

Additionally, all New LAs will present their growth at an end-of-semester celebration and poster exhibition that takes place during the Friday of the 14th week of the semester. See upcoming dates here.

Do Returning LAs need to enroll in a course?

No, Returning LAs, those who have already successfully completed the LA Pedagogy Course, do not need to enroll in a course, rather, they participate in Returning LA Professional Development communities as part of their paid individual preparation time, for an average of 30 minutes per week (7, 50-minute meetings throughout the semester).

These meetings are scheduled at a variety of times throughout the week, mostly in-person, with a couple of Zoom options available TBA.

Each Returning LA is expected to attend their assigned time every other week. Returning LAs are expected to attend LA orientation, deliver two student surveys, and respond to LA Program feedback surveys. 

After 1 semester of the LA Pedagogy course plus 2 semesters of Returning LA Professional Development (beginning in your 4th-or-later semester as an LA), you are expected to attend orientation and complete an end-of-semester survey, but are no longer required (but still welcome!) to attend Professional Development Meetings or deliver student surveys.

How much is the stipend?

The LA stipend is set at $2,050 for a full-time LA appointment during the upcoming semester. The stipend is not taxed for United States residents.

How much will the LA Pedagogy Course cost?

CU utilizes banded tuition between 12 - 18 credits. Students will not see an additional fee for the 2-credit LA Pedagogy Course (EDUC 4610) as long as their entire course load is in this range. When above or below this credit range, students enrolled in the LA Pedagogy Course are responsible for paying for this course at standard rates.

Faculty can begin contacting prospective LAs for interviews and sending offers from theday after the priority deadline through the end of LA hiring (see the LA Calendar for specific dates). You will be notified of an offer for an LA position by an email from Learning Assistant Alliance with the subject line “Offer Notice for Learning Assistant Position”. You’ll want to save this email because it contains your Lead Faculty’s name and often includes the scheduled weekly prep meeting time.

For more information about your next steps after receiving an offer email, go to: Hired LA Info.

How do you decide which classes to apply to LA for?

"I found that I applied to LA for classes that I wanted a better understanding of."

"Apply for classes that you find interesting! You will get to know the material well by teaching it (and learning it more in-depth yourself), so apply for a class that has material you want to interact with further."

What are the general qualities and qualifications of good LAs?

"Good LAs are approachable, compassionate, knowledgeable, and most importantly have a willingness to grow."

"Qualities that a 'good' LA possesses include being adaptive, communicative, collaborative, and someone that is willing to be challenged."

"From my experience, the best quality of an LA is to be prepared and understanding your limits. It is okay not to know every question that a student asks, however, never make something up! Additionally, a great quality of an LA is to be a problem solver, and the ability to think on your feet."

How do I prepare for an interview?

"I would prepare for the interview by first knowing why exactly you want to be an LA. Additionally, I would brainstorm what value you can add to the LA program. Everyone is unique and will be able to add value in their own ways, you just need to know what that value is."

"As long as you can answer why you are interested in becoming an LA, what motivated you to apply for the specific course, and what your experience was like in the class, if you took it, nothing should come as a surprise and it should be an easy, stress-free process!"

Should I only apply for positions within my major?

"Heck no! If I only applied for positions within my major I would not be an LA as none of my major classes have LAs. I think it is actually better not to LA your major as it allows you to get out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself to grow."  

"No, apply for any class that you're interested in and did well in! Some of the best LAs I've interacted with have been LAs for classes outside of their disciplines because they provided a unique perspective and could explain topics clearly to students outside of that discipline.”

Why do you have to take EDUC 4610 during your first semester as an LA?

"The LA pedagogy course teaches skills for effective teaching, helps you set goals to improve, and provides a support system of other new LAs, a mentor, LALA, and instructor."

"A better question is, how could you possibly LA without it! The course teaches you everything you need to know in terms of teaching techniques or 'pedagogy', in order to succeed as an LA. The class also provides you with an opportunity to problem solve with other LAs from various contexts."

What do you wish you had known when you first began your LA position?

"That it is okay not to know every question! You are human, it is okay not to know everything a student asks you."

"Between the pedagogy class, weekly meetings with your lead faculty / class LAs, and LA mentor, there were plenty of people to support me and help me improve."

"Don't Panic! Students and faculty understand that you are a peer instructor that has taken the course but nobody expects you to be perfect or know all the answers and luckily for you, it isn't your job to be an answer fairy!"

How do you manage your time as an LA?

"I plan my time as an LA by putting scheduled parts of my LA commitment (lecture, weekly meeting, LA sessions) on my calendar. I also set aside time each week to prep for the LA sessions I run. In addition, treat the pedagogy class like you would any other class - be diligent about attending and allow time outside of class for completing assignments."

"Having a routine was most effective for me. The time requirement for most LA positions is by no means overwhelming but having a routine in place can certainly help manage your time. I would also plan ahead for your LA position in heavy test weeks of the semester so that you have enough time to help your students and also stay on top of your own work."

What is the most challenging part of being an LA?

"For me, it was getting students to work in groups. Students are usually pretty timid about working within groups, however, as the semester progresses it becomes much easier!"

"Just like with any job, you will always continue to learn and improve your practice. This can sometimes be challenging because it also means that you need to set continuous tangible goals to ensure that you aren't becoming stagnant and can measure your progress which was certainly a challenge for me at first but is an incredibly valuable life skill that I gained from my LA position."

What is the best part of being an LA?

"I didn't expect that working with my lead faculty would be a key part of my LA experience, but getting to know faculty and learn about their careers and research has strengthened my sense of community at CU Boulder. Another great aspect of LAing is how it taught me skills that have made me a better student, teacher, and public speaker."

"All the opportunities to grow within the LA program! Additionally, you learn so much more about the topic you LA compared to when you took the class as a student."

Congrats! You’ve received an email from the Learning Assistant Alliance with the subject line “Offer Notice for Learning Assistant Position”! What’s next?

  1. Log in to your account at LearningAssistantAlliance.org and accept your offer!
  2. In the following weeks you’ll receive an email with the subject line, “LA Appointment Fall 2025...”. Follow these next steps to quickly work through the hiring process:
    • Complete the LA Contract google form, in which you will review and agree to LA Program Policies and RSVP for LA Orientation (See the LA Calendar for current date, time, and location). Once you have submitted your appointment contract to the LA Program, the LA Program and partner departments guarantee that you will receive your stipend during the term in which you are hired. In the event that the section/course for which you were hired is canceled, every effort will be made to find a suitable replacement position for you. At that point, you will have an opportunity to accept this new role or withdraw from the program.
    • Log in to your account at LearningAssistantAlliance.org and complete the "LA Survey".  All new LAs enroll in the two-credit pedagogy course EDUC 4610 "Becoming a Learning Assistant" to support their development, in which they will learn evidence-based, student-centered, inclusive teaching and learning practices. Students enrolled in the LA Pedagogy Course (EDUC 4610) are responsible for paying for this course at standard rates.
    • Complete the First Time LA Hire Form, a DocuSign eDoc will go directly to Julie Blair, LA Program Manager. The last 4 digits of your social security number must be on this form. International students, or anyone who does not have a social security number, please enter all 1's.
    • Make sure you’re aware of the day and time of your first weekly preparation instructional team meeting. These often occur a couple of days before the semester begins, so you'll want to pay attention to your email in the couple weeks leading up to the beginning of the semester. Your lead faculty, indicated in your “Offer Notice” and “LA Appointment” emails, is your point of contact for this information.
  3. Receive section assignment for EDUC 4610, “Becoming a Learning Assistant.” in an email from the Learning Assistant Alliance with the subject, “Learning Assistant Pedagogy Course Section Assignment.” Once we hear back from the majority of new LAs in the LA Survey on Learning Assistant Alliance, we will provide you with specific instructions for how to register for your section. Since this course is exclusively for New Learning Assistants, it is hidden within the main course registration, and you will not be able to register until we've provided the 5-digit registration number to you. We will begin assigning pedagogy course sections in mid-December for the Spring semester and mid-May for the Fall semester, so look for this email around then.
  4. Enroll in EDUC 4610, “Becoming a Learning Assistant.” If your assigned section time no longer works in your schedule, contact Dr. Betsy McIntosh at LAPedagogy@colorado.edu with a copy of your schedule and she’ll help place you in an alternative section. Previous LAs report spending an average of 3-5 hrs per week on the LA Pedagogy Course, including class time. For upcoming students, this will involve a total of 100 minutes of synchronous Zoom and/or in-person class time, plus online reading assignments, and teaching reflections. The remainder of LA time on the Pedagogy Course is spent on student surveys (twice per semester), audio transcript analyses (twice per semester), and the LA Mentor observation (once per semester) and mentoring sessions (twice per semester). Finally, the LAs participate in an in-person poster session at the end of the semester to share what they have learned with the community.
  5. Participate in LA Orientation. All LAs, New and Returning, are expected to complete a two-part LA Orientation:
    • Asynchronous Online: An online Sexual Harassment and Non-discrimination training called “Community Equity for Returning Students” (completed by all students during their first semester of attendance at CU Boulder) and an introductory Canvas module available the week before classes begin.
    • In-person: A three-hour in-person session typically the Friday, Saturday, or Sunday before classes begin. If you’re unable to attend this live session, there will be a late orientation on Zoom held during the first week of classes. See the calendar for upcoming dates.
  6. Meet with your instructional team and begin working with students!
  7. Learn morein the sections “Getting Paid” and “Frequently Asked Questions”, below.

Congrats! You’ve received an email from the Learning Assistant Alliance with the subject line “Offer Notice for Learning Assistant Position”! What’s next?

  1. Log in to your account at LearningAssistantAlliance.org and accept your offer!
  2. In the following weeks you’ll receive an email with the subject line, “LA Appointment Fall 2025...”. Follow these next steps to quickly work through the hiring process: 
     
    • Complete the LA Contractgoogle form, in which you will review and agree to LA Program Policies and RSVP for LA Orientation (See the LA Calendar for current date, time, and location). Once you have submitted your appointment contract to the LA Program, the LA Program and partner departments guarantee that you will receive your stipend during the term in which you are hired. In the event that the section/course for which you were hired is canceled, every effort will be made to find a suitable replacement position for you. At that point, you will have an opportunity to accept this new role or withdraw from the program.
    • Complete the Returning LA Hire Form, a DocuSign eDoc will go directly to Julie Blair, LA Program Manager. Your 6 digit employee ID number must be on this form.
    • Update your mailing address, if needed (but direct deposit is highly recommended):  https://www.cu.edu/employee-services/payroll/self-service/personal-information.
    • Make sure you’re aware of the day and time of your first weekly preparation instructional team meeting. These often occur a couple of days before the semester begins, so you'll want to pay attention to your email in the couple weeks leading up to the beginning of the semester. Your lead faculty, indicated in your “Offer Notice” and “LA Appointment” emails, is your point of contact for this information.
  3. Receive Returning LA Professional Development Meeting assignment. These assignments typically take place in the two weeks prior to the beginning of the semester and confirming your availability is often part of the asynchronous LA Orientation. Currently meetings are planned to be held:
    • Wednesdays 5:45 - 6:35 pm in-person
    • Thursdays 3:30 - 4:20 pm in-person
    • Additional times TBA will be held on Zoom
  4. Participate in LA Orientation. All LAs, New and Returning, are expected to complete a two-part LA Orientation: 
     
    • Asynchronous Online: An introductory Canvas module that will be available the week before classes begin.

    • In-person: A two-hour in-person session most likely the Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday before classes begin. If you’re unable to attend this live session, there will be a late orientation on Zoom held during the first week of classes. See the calendar for upcoming dates.

      Note: After 2 semesters of Returning LA Professional Development (beginning in your 4th-or-later semester as an LA), you are expected to attend orientation, but are no longer required (but still welcome!) to attend Professional Development Meetings.

  5. Meet with your instructional team and begin working with students!
  6. Learn more in the sections “Getting Paid” and “Frequently Asked Questions”, below. 

Important steps:

  1. Set up Direct Deposit on or after the first date of employment. Why and How? Answers are below in Frequently Asked Questions.
  2. Make sure your mailing address is "current" in your employee portal  https://www.cu.edu/employee-services/payroll/self-service/personal-information

During Fall 2025, you will receive 7 paychecks of $292.85, a tax-exempt stipend**, every 2 weeks over a period of 14 weeks for a total of $2,050.00. Your first paycheck will be deposited (through Direct Deposit) on Friday, September 12, and your last paycheck will be deposited on Friday, December 5. See payroll dates here. The average weekly commitment is 8 - 9 hours.

*If your LA appointment at CU Boulder is a 75% or 50% appointment, you will receive your stipend on the same schedule, just a smaller amount ($1,537.50 for 75% and $1,025 for 50%).

**Tax exemption status does not apply for international student employees. Please check with the International Tax Office IntlTax@CU.edu

Pay-related Questions
  • Hire Letter: Submit ASAP. Fill out carefully and submit it right away.
  • Personal Information Form: Submit ASAP. ONLY IF YOU ARE A NEW CU EMPLOYEE AND DO NOT HAVE A 6 DIGIT EMPLOYEE ID NUMBER. Submit the Personal Information Form (aka PIW) by 5 pm MT on August 18, 2025. This is part of your First Time LA Hire Form.
  • Mailing Address: Between August 25 and September 3, 2025 update your mailing address in your employee portal. This step cannot be done until you have access to your employee portal, which is on or after your first day of employment.
  • Direct Deposit: Set up Direct Deposit in your employee portal between August 25 and September 3, 2025. This step cannot be done until you have access to your employee portal, which is on or after your first day of employment.

During Fall 2025, you will receive 7 paychecks of $292.85, a tax-exempt stipend**, every 2 weeks over a period of 14 weeks for a total of $2,050.00. Your first paycheck will be deposited (through Direct Deposit) on Friday, September 12, and your last paycheck will be deposited on Friday, December 5. See payroll dates here.

  • Convenience! Direct Deposit is fast and easy. Even if you change your mailing address your checks always arrive in your bank account on pay day.
  • Checks get lost in the mail frequently. If you don’t receive your paycheck you have to wait 2 weeks to report it as a lost check and wait several days for it to arrive in the mail. That’s a lot of waiting!
  • You might forget to deposit your check or misplace it. If it’s not deposited in 90 days it goes “stale” which means you will have to ask for a new check. That’s even more waiting time than reporting a lost check.
  • Find instructions here. You must set up Direct Deposit through your employee portal, not your student portal.
  • Your employee portal is accessible only when you have an active appointment on the CU Payroll calendar. For Fall 2025, the active employment timeframe starts on Sunday, August 17th and ends on Saturday, November 22nd. These dates are for CU Payroll purposes and are only a rough representation of your fellowship commitment. Your fellowship commitment ends after the last day of classes.
  • In some cases, you will not have access to your Employee Portal until sometime after August 17. Please keep checking back and let us know if you're unable to access your portal by August 25, 2025.
  • The last day to update direct deposit and have it apply to the first paycheck will be September 3, 2025.

To confirm that your Direct Deposit was set up correctly, login to MyCuInfo > Navigate to My Info and Pay > Select Pay > select Direct Deposit. From there you should be able to confirm if your linked bank account shows up after you provide the necessary security credentials (typically a phone call or a text). It might take a day or two to become active.

The PIW is what generates your employee ID number, a necessary identification for receiving a paycheck from CU Boulder.

New CU Employees will receive a link to the Personal Information Form (also known as PIW) in their First Time LA Hire Letter if they answered "No" to the question, "Have you ever been employed by the University of Colorado?". This form should be submitted by 5 pm MT on August 18, 2025, in order to receive your first paycheck on time. If this is not possible, please submit as soon as you can. The HR Service Center will provide us with a final list of missing PIWs on September 4, 2025. We will contact you if your PIW form is still missing.

  • Go to “How do I complete the form?” (on the right side of the screen). Watch the Personal Information Form Video (2:31)
  • Note: Ignore the first 28 seconds of the video to prevent confusion.
  • Click on the link: Action Required

Complete the Personal Information Form (PIW)--This is only done one time when you are a new CU employee.

International LAs who do not have a Social Security Number have multiple steps to follow. Please contact the Program Manager, Julie Blair, at LAProgram@colorado.edu for further instructions.

For Fall 2025, the active employment timeframe starts on Sunday, August 17th and ends on Saturday, November 22nd. Outside of these dates you will not have access to your employee portal. These dates are for CU Payroll purposes and are only a rough representation of your fellowship commitment. Your fellowship commitment ends after the last day of classes. 

Within your hire dates, if you log into https://www.my.cu.edu you see messages like these: “No default homepage found” or “You are not authorized”
What to do:

  • Log out, log back in with only my.cu.edu. Then clear cache, try again.
  • Or contact the IT Service Center(OIT). Call 303-735-4357, email oithelp@colorado.edu

Short answer: Do not submit a timesheet.

The LA position is a tax exempt stipend (fellowship) that needs no action from you. It goes directly into your personal bank account via Direct Deposit (if you set this up). Only student hourly positions on campus require you to fill out a timesheet.

If you are employed in 2 student positions in the same semester and want to make sure you’re submitting your reportable hours on the right job line. You will know you are reporting work hours for the correct job in MyLeave based on the supervisor’s name. If Reporting To says Julie Blair, that’s your LA stipend, for which you do not report hours.

Pay for all positions (stipends, hourly, etc.) will be combined into one deposit every 2 weeks. Here's a link that will help you understand your pay.

  • Your six digit employee ID number can be found in 4 ways: 
     
  1. Go to your student portal, it should be listed there.
     
  2. If you are currently employed your number can be found on the top of your pay record in MyCUInfo. Log into the employee portal https://my.cu.edu/ > CU Boulder > Paychecks tile
     
  3. Email hcm_community@cu.edu
     
  4. If you are currently not employed or having difficulty finding your employee ID number you can call Employee Services during business hours. 303-860-4200, option 2.

You can update your mailing address and other personal information in the Employee portal. Here's how.

CU systems allow you to indicate your gender identity, name pronunciation, preferred name, pronouns and/or sexual orientation. Here's how.

 Tax-related questions

Learning Assistants and LA Mentors are paid with a fellowship which is tax exempt, therefore you will not receive a W-2. Exceptions may apply for international student employees.

Standard procedure is to receive your CU W-2  in the mail. If your mailing address is not current or you just want an e-copy of your CU W-2,  you will need to contact Employee Services at 303-860-4200, option 2, or email hcm_community@cu.edu

Contact LA Program Manager, Julie Blair, at LAProgram@colorado.edu, so she can help you get started with the steps for getting hired and getting a social security card (tax ID number, SSN.

No.

An I-9 does not need to be completed for LA positions because the job code for LA stipends does not require it. It’s a tax exempt stipend. Most other student positions at CU Boulder will require an I-9 form. Your payroll liaison for each job should give you that information.

The W-4 tile is set up by the IT team on the CU Boulder campus usually before the hire date. If this is not the case, you should contact the IT department (oithelp@colorado.edu) and find out the status.

Even though LAs are paid with a tax exempt stipend, they should still fill out the W-4 form in their employee portal. If an LA does not fill out the W-4 in time, they will still be paid. The system will automatically set them up as single and zero exemptions.

Verification of employment

Human Resources will provide start date, end date, position held and salary, if requested: https://www.colorado.edu/hr/records-employment-verification. They will not provide reference checks or comment on rehire status of former employees.

If you are not actively employed, you will not have access to your employee portal. Call Employee Services during business hours. 303-860-4200, option 2, email hcm_community@cu.edu.

Who to Contact for Help

For questions about:Contact:
Getting paid, direct deposit, updating employee portalJulie Blair: LAProgram@colorado.edu
LA Pedagogy course or Returning LA Professional Development  information, including scheduling and switching sectionsDr. Betsy McIntosh: LAPedagogy@colorado.edu
Questions/concerns about interactions with other LAs, lead faculty, and/or students

Dr. Betsy McIntosh: LAPedagogy@colorado.edu

Dr. Grace Rexroth: grace.rexroth@colorado.edu

Dr. Laurie Langdon: laurie.langdon@colorado.edu

Weekly prep meeting time and/or LA appointment times--the lecture, laboratory, recitation, office hours, and/or help room times in which you’ll be directly interacting with studentsYour Lead Faculty, as listed in the Learning Assistant Alliance with the subject line “Offer Notice for Learning Assistant Position”. 

Expectations for Learning Assistant (LAs)
University of Colorado Boulder Learning Assistant (LA) Program

Community
After a professor is awarded LAs, and selects you as a great fit, you become part of an instructional team, and a much larger community. Locally, you are supported by this instructional team, and other New and Returning LAs and LA Mentors in the LA Pedagogy Course or Returning LA Professional Development Meetings. Each semester, >230 LAs work with faculty in >70 different classes across 17departments at CU Boulder. Further, the International Learning Assistant Alliance consists of over 500 institutions across 28 countries, so you are connected to an international network. There are many models for how LAs are used in lecture, lab, recitation, help room, work group, office hours, etc., and through this diverse community, we continue to learn new and better ways for instructional teams to work together to support student learning. This was especially true amidst the transition to remote/online learning Spring 2020, and continued remote and physically-distanced learning during academic year 2020/2021.

LA Community

Effectiveness
In LA-supported courses, LAs facilitate group discussions and encourage interaction and collaboration among students. LAs apply pedagogical principles and are able to connect with students. By sharing their ideas and having their thinking challenged, students develop a deeper understanding of the content. The LA program improves undergraduate education and also expands the pool of qualified K-12 teachers. Research shows that LA-supported courses have better learning outcomes than comparison classes and have better retention in those classes, especially for students traditionally under- served by STEM disciplines (Pollock, 2009; Otero, 2015; Alzen, Langdon, Otero, 2018; Van Dusen & Nissen, 2020). Further, LAs who become K-12 teachers engage in more research-based instructional practices than their colleagues who came from the same teacher education program, but did not have the LA experience (Grey, Webb, Otero, 2017).

There are three essential aspects to the LA Experience for which LAs receive a stipend:

I. LA-Student Interactions (LA Practice): LAs are expected to treat all students with kindness and respect, and promote a safe, inclusive, learning environment. You will lead and facilitate discussions of small groups of students, requiring you to identify students’ ideas through listening and/or observing their written work, use good questioning skills, and work to involve all students in meaningful learning.

Expectations of LAs:

The LA Experience

A. LAs attend all sections and meeting times assigned to them. If unable to attend a class time (in person or remote), due to health or other emergencies, you should contact your Lead Faculty immediately, or as designated by their policies. 
B. LAs respond to all contact from Lead Faculty and LA Program Directors within 24 hours. Prompt and professional communication is essential for your success in this fellowship. 
C. LAs who participate in less than 75% of all expected duties will first be contacted by the LA Program Director and their Lead Faculty for a meeting to discuss remediation. If remediation is unsuccessful, the LA’s fellowship will be reduced or terminated. 
D. LAs may not solicit their students (i.e. sell products), nor work as a paid tutor for students from their current LA fellowship.
E. LAs spend at least 30 minutes/week individually preparing for their student interactions.
F. LAs are expected to follow and enforce all campus policies related to health, climate, and safety.

II. Weekly Preparation Meetings with Lead Faculty and Instructional Team: You and your fellow LAs (and perhaps TAs) will meet with a department faculty member (usually the Lead Instructor) to prepare for the upcoming week, reflect on the previous week, and sometimes analyze assessment data from previous terms.

Expectations of LAs:

A. These meetings should occur at least weekly for at least 30 minutes, but more typically 60-90 minutes. 
B. This is an essential, paid, part of your LA fellowship. LAs who miss more than 2 weekly preparation meetings (barring extenuating circumstances) will lose their LA fellowship.

III. LA Pedagogy Course (New LAs only): You will learn and practice evidence-based techniques for supporting and enhancing student learning, in a community designed to support you in your LA-student interactions. The LA Pedagogy Course (EDUC 4610) is a 2-credit course, and LAs are responsible for paying tuition for this course at standard rates. Previous new LAs report spending 3 - 5 hours/ week, including class time, on readings and assignments for this course.

Expectations:

A. Participation in, and successful completion of, the LA Pedagogy Course is a required co-requisite of the first semester LA experience. As such, if your grade is less than a C (74%) by the 4th week of the semester, you must meet with your LA Pedagogy Instructor and the Associate Director of LA Development in order for any subsequent late work to be accepted.
B. LAs who have a grade lower than a B- (80%) by the end of the semester, will not be eligible to be selected for a Returning LA or LA Mentor role.
C. If you have any questions or concerns about your experience in the LA Pedagogy Course, please contact the Associate Director of LA Development, Dr. Betsy McIntosh at LAPedagogy@colorado.edu, or LA Program Managing Director, Dr. Laurie Langdon at laurie.langdon@colorado.edu.

IV. Returning LA Professional Development Meetings (Returning LAs only): You will participate in Returning LA professional development as part of your stipend, including Orientation and seven 50-minute meetings. These meetings will take place on Zoom or in-person and be offered at multiple times throughout the week.

Expectations:

A. Participate in LA Orientation, Returning LA Community meetings, present your “getting to know your students” and “mid-semester feedback” surveys, and participate in mid- and end-of-semester LA Program surveys. 
B. If you are meeting < 80% of expectations by the 7th week of the semester, you must meet with the Associate Director of LA Development, Dr. Betsy McIntosh, to create a plan for meeting expectations moving forward. If you have met less than 80% of expectations by the end of the semester, you will not be eligible for a future Returning LA and/or LA Mentor fellowship, even if one has already been offered.
C. After 2 semesters of Returning LA Professional Development (beginning in your 4th-or-later semester as an LA), you are expected to attend orientation and complete the LA Program  end-of-semester survey, but are no longer required (but still welcome!) to attend Professional Development Meetings and LA Community Hours.

OVERALL, LAs should expect to spend 8 hours/week (on average) on all paid LA stipend responsibilities, including weekly preparation meetings, individual content preparation, and LA-Student Interactions. This does not include the LA Pedagogy course, but does include Returning LA Meetings.

Benefits
LAs report that they learn the content better, become better learners, and develop leadership skills. They also have the unique opportunity to develop close relationships with like minded students and with instructors at their institution. Most LAs put their LA experience on their résumés, since it points to their abilities to teach, to manage, to lead, and to communicate with others of varied experiences, and to learn. Most LAs report that they learn much from the LA experience, especially by tying their evolving understanding to particular principles addressed in the pedagogy course. During the Spring 2020 transition to remote learning, LAs reported a high sense of belonging to CU, departmental, and LA Program communities, and increased motivation due to their work as LAs, which translated to their roles as students, as well. Welcome (back) to the Program!

References
Alzen, J. Langdon, L., & Otero, V. (2018). A logistic investigation of the relationship between the learning assistant model and failure rates in introductory STEM courses, International Journal of STEM Education, 5 (56), https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-018-0152-1.
Gray, K., Webb, D., & Otero, V. (2016). Effects of the Learning Assistant Model on Teacher Practice, Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 12, 020126. 
Otero, V. (2015). Nationally scaled model for leveraging course transformation with physics teacher preparation, To be published in Effective Practices in Preservice Physics Teacher Education: Recruitment, Retention, and Preparation, edited by E. Brewe and C. Sandifer.
Pollock, S. (2009). Longitudinal study of student conceptual understanding in electricity and magnetism, PhysRev: Phys Ed. Rsrch 5, 020110, 1-8.
Van Dusen, B. and Nissen, J. (2020). Associations between learning assistants, passing introductory physics, and equity: A quantitative critical race theory investigation, Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 16, 010117 – Published 9 April 2020

Meet our LA Mentors 

Spring 2020 Mentor Project by Lily Chung and Tyler Wylie

Who are LA Mentors?

LA Mentors are experienced LAs who are trained to support first-semester Learning Assistants through the challenges and successes of their interactions with students. LAs meet with their LA Mentor as part of the LA Pedagogy Course through weekly group mentoring, and individually through an in-class observation and one-on-one mentoring sessions.

What do LA Mentors do?

  • Support new LAs by listening, providing feedback, and helping them increase their confidence and competence in their first semester of interacting with students.
  • Observe and meet with LAs one-one-one, to set goals, reflect, and help them develop long lasting positive habits in their LA practice.
  • Advocate for LAs and help them develop their own agency to improve undergraduate education.
  • Co-construct effective peer mentoring practices with other LA Mentors in the two-credit EDUC 4620/4630 LA Mentor Courses.
  • Collaborate on projects that impact the CU Boulder community.

How do LA Mentors Benefit from this Experience?

  • Practice listening, time management, and organization skills.
  • Participate in a supportive community of like-minded, motivated, individuals who are passionate about improving educational experiences of LAs, faculty, and students.
  • Develop leadership skills by balancing and supporting the needs of LAs, LA Faculty, and LA Programs around the world, along with your own goals and mental health.
  • Explore skills and experiences of personal importance to clarify your next steps after graduation.

What does it take to be an LA Mentor?

  • You have at least 1 semester of LA experience.
  • You are passionate about helping new LAs and improving undergraduate education experiences.
  • You have excellent accountability and promptly reply to communication.
  • You want to take on more of a leadership role in the LA program and at CU Boulder.
  • You want to learn within a community that values you fully and appreciates your uniqueness, strengths, and struggles.
  • You know that you have a lot to offer new LAs, but also a lot to learn, and you're willing to grow through your successes and failures.

Applications

Recruitment for LA Mentors typically occurs during the final month of the semester with interviews during finals week. Check #opportunities channel in Slack or contact Dr. McIntosh to learn more. 

Opportunities for LAs
  • How to find it? Talking to professors.
     
  • Why do it? Reinforces your understanding of Chemistry and builds a nice working relationship with professor and other IA's. The classes are also very small so you really get to know your students.
  • How to find it? Directly from the ATOC department.
     
  • Why do it? Additional income and involves similar responsibilities to LAing.
  • How to find it? IPHY Adverstising; Website; Emails, Professors.
     
  • Why do it? To learn more about the subject; connect with faculty; resume builder; to help students learn; earn credits for degree.
  • How to find it? Privately or signing up through your department.
     
  • Why do it? Additional income, resume builder. It's a good way to keep yourself fresh on material and also help others in the process!
  • How to find it?https://www.colorado.edu/sciencediscovery/.
     
  • Why do it? In a nutshell, TAs in this program get to teach K-12 kids about various sciences over the summer. LAs would be able to use their already acquired teaching skills while teaching for this camp.
  • How to find it?https://math.colorado.edu/marc/.
     
  • Why do it? Make money and meet a lot of cool people who know more about math than you. Or get better at helping students break down problems .
  • How to find it? Talking to Professors, getting in contact with the school you are interested in.
     
  • Why do it? Learn what it is like to teach an actual class of high schoolers. Understand the preparation work that goes into teaching.
  • How to find it? Physics Program Website & Contacts through lab website.
     
  • Why do it? Learn more about the subject I'm studying, connect with faculty. Gain a new experience into how the real world of neuroscience research functions. Help be a part of a team investigating important scientific questions.
  • How to find it? https://www.colorado.edu/urop/.
     
  • Why do it? You can either apply to open research assistant or independent research opportunities that are available from professors, or if you find a willing professor, can put in an application for a research idea of yours and your professor's idea. There is grant money involved and if you obtain the research grant, it's a huge resume builder and opportunity to do research of your own creation.
  • How to find it? https://ases.org/about/jobsvolunteer/.
     
  • ​Why do it? ASES is a great organization that focuses a lot on sustainability and how people can be more engaged with the environment. Gives students a hands on experience and gathers some research experience as well.
  • How to find it? https://abroad.colorado.edu/ CU's study abroad office will help connect you and set you up.
     
  • ​Why do it? You get placed in an internship in the area of your choice in the country of your choice! Housing and everything is set up and the process is not too complicated.
  • How to find it? https://www.colorado.edu/studentgroups/ambassadors/.
     
  • ​Why do it? Great way to help prospective students learn about the educational resources that CU provides. Can promote students to create relationships with their professors. Make the academic experience of college seem less intimidating and more approachable.
  • How to find it? Website : https://www.roamboulder.com/ Instagram handle : @roamboulder.
     
  • Why do it? It is a student organization so everyone involved in the process of publishing a print/magazine are students (photographers, videographers, models, editors, graphic designers, makeup artists, fashion coordinators, marketing team, journalists, etc). It is a great way to connect with other people and engage in not only learning about the various sides of publishing a magazine, but you can also easily take a leadership role and gain experience, build leadership skills, and add items to your resume or portfolio.
  • How to find it? https://www.tedxcu.com/.
     
  • Why do it? Connect to other students from a variety of backgrounds while helping speakers prepare for TED talks. Also, it is a pretty cool opportunity to be a part of the TED talk process.
  • How to find it? Computer Science Advising.
     
  • Why do it? Fun to try with friends.
  • How to find it? Program Websites or Graduate Advisors/Chairs, research faculty in your field of interest.
     
  • Why do it? Advance your career and development. Do something that fits with your research interests, interact with more students, and get yourself more academic and teaching training.
  • How to find it? CU catalog in the School of Education.
     
  • Why do it? Much deeper and more practical application of how we can effectively teach, and what the status of teaching theory is.