<p>Jack, this a discussion forum where people express opinions in a conversational style. It is not a place where members posts essays and expect to have each sentence scrutinized for accuracy and completeness. </p>
<p>FYI, I did not answer to UCB request to discuss TAs with glee or eagerness. It is a subject that has been discussed ad nauseam on CC and one where nobody will be swayed into changing their stance. I believe that Alexandre and I discussed this more than five years ago, as well as exchanged numerous statistics borrowed from the Michigan websites. I am sure that the statistics produced by the GSI unions that claimed to teach more than half of the classes at Michigan is still around, just as the numbers used by Alexandre to reduce that number to single digits. Actually, despite its irrelevance to this discussion, here’s a quote of the past (read 1999) :</p>
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<p>Regarding the question you raised, please note that I did not write that TAs ARE a disgrace. I wrote that the practice of using inexperienced TA is a disgrace. Hardly the same thing! </p>
<p>As far as posting the resumes, this was in direct answer to Alexandre’s statement that ONLY doctoral students were engaged as TAs, AND your subsequent explanation about PhDs. </p>
<p>As far as making assumptions or speculating about the assumptions of others, I believe that it best to leave that slippery slope to your peers at Ann Arbor. It should be pretty clear that I understand the differences between merely leading a section and having much broader responsibilities such as grading … research papers, holding office conferences, and having a major influence on the curriculum and final grades.</p>