Professors, Instructors, Teaching Assistants, OH MY!

There is a hierarchy in every college and university, and you should be wary of anyone who claims otherwise. You will often hear certain majors, academic departments, groups of staff, etc., routinely spoken of in derisive terms. If you are studying business, you may find that you hear the arts or literature always mentioned as if the joke were obvious, and you might also complain about the sciences doing the same to you. Sometimes the derision seems to run in circles or even figure eights with everyone being derided by someone while sneering at someone else. The hierarchy among staff, though, is not so chaotic. You don’t have to be at a college or university long before you know that teaching staff think of themselves as superior to non-teaching staff. Shortly after that, the differences between tenured professors, adjunct, instructors, and TAs, become crystal clear as well.

Sometimes, you will hear students saying that they take classes mostly from instructors or TAs because in their view those classes are easier. However, if you are at a big school, it’s important to take classes with professors in your department, not just TAs and grad students. If you have a TA or grad student teaching your class, treat them with respect, both because it’s the right thing to do and because they will likely be professors one day or other professionals in your field. No one has to take abuse or disrespect, but you should make sure that you aren’t delivering abuse or disrespect, either. These people are and will be your colleagues, be honest and trustworthy and it will be noted. Besides, being sincere has a way of making people who aren’t show themselves. Sometimes the quickest way to find out who you can’t trust is to be someone who can be trusted.

It’s important to be aware of the hierarchy, because if you aren’t you can put yourself in a bad spot, but that is no excuse to treat anyone badly. That kind of ungracious behavior is noted and remembered far more than anyone will remember that you got an A on that one paper. Non-teaching staff tend to be treated badly by teaching staff and students alike, but they work hard to keep the university and are the people who can help you settle all kinds of administrative problems. They can either remember you as someone decent and polite, or as haughty, demanding, and condescending. The same goes for TAs and grad students, if they are already teaching, they will probably become your slightly senior colleagues at some point. They can either remember you as a young student who was interested and engaged, or as someone who ignored them in a desperate effort to ingratiate themselves to professors.