Overview
Under extenuating circumstances, an academic unit may need to hire an Ineligible international graduate student who has not met the ELP Certification Requirement as a graduate assistant with curricular duties. In such cases, the employing academic units may request an Emergency Deferral of the English Language Proficiency Certification Requirement.
For consideration of an Emergency Deferral Request, a faculty member in the employing academic unit must be assigned to supervise the student during the semester of Conditional Eligibility, and a Faculty Supervision Agreement Form must be included with the Emergency Deferral Request.
Faculty Supervision Requirements
The following are minimum standards expected of a faculty member responsible for supervising an international graduate student provided with Conditional Eligibility to hold a Graduate Assistant Teaching (GAT) or Graduate Assistant Lecturing (GAL) position under an Emergency Deferral for one semester:
- Monitor the graduate assistant’s English language abilities (i.e. interaction/communication with students enrolled in the course(s) the graduate assistant is assigned to).
- Conduct periodic reviews – including in-class observations – of the graduate assistant’s performance, with the first review conducted during the first month of the semester, and making any necessary recommendations for improvement.
- Provide the graduate assistant with adequate time to consistently participate in the Center for Teaching Excellence’s English Language Proficiency Program.
- Ensure that the graduate assistant attains a Level 1 certifying score on an acceptable English language examination by the end of the semester of Emergency Deferral (if the student will continue employment in a subsequent semester).
The Faculty Supervision Agreement affirms that the assigned faculty member will provide supervision of the international graduate student, conduct the required performance reviews, and take appropriate action if the student’s performance is deemed unacceptable.
Please note: A completed Faculty Supervision Agreement Form must be provided with any Emergency Deferral request.
Instructions
- Administrative staff or faculty (as designated on the academic unit’s Authorized Signers Form) must initiate the form (agreements initiated by students will not be accepted).
- Complete all fields:
- Employing Academic Unit.
- Faculty Supervisor name and UIN.
- Student Name and UIN.
- Semester/Year of Emergency Deferral.
- After filling out all required information, the submitter must identify the name and TAMU email address for the
- the assigned faculty supervisor (as indicated on the form); and
- the department, interdisciplinary degree program, or college/school’s designated ELP Approver (as listed on the academic unit’s Authorized Signers Form.
- Please note: The agreement will automatically route to the English Language Proficiency Compliance Office for confirmation before the completed form is provided to the Submitter, Approver, and Faculty Supervisor.
- Use the “Click to Sign” button and complete all requested fields for required approvals. Please ensure that the contact information is correct as it cannot be changed once submitted.
- Attached a copy of the completed form with the Emergency Deferral of ELP Certification Request.
Please note: Any requests submitted by students, or approved by faculty or staff not designated on an academic unit’s Authorized Signers Form, will not be accepted.