Getting Started Guide for CAs

Congratulations on your EE CA appointment! Please read the CA web pages very carefully and follow the instructions as indicated. If you have any questions at this time or in the future, please feel free to stop by the Student Services Office in the EE Administrative Suite and we will be happy to help. The first portion of this page contains administrative tasks you need to complete as well as information that you should be aware of. You can find items regarding "setting up shop" further down on the page.

1. Obtain an Email Address

If you do not already have a Stanford email account please open one as soon as possible. Since most correspondence will be via email, it is critical that you get into the habit of checking email frequently. Stanford accounts are opened online at https://accounts.stanford.edu/. Questions should be directed to the IT Help Desk at (650) 725-4357 (5-HELP).

2. Enter Contact Info

It is also required for all EE students to enter their email address, daytime office and mobile phone number (if applicable) in the "Address" portion of the student Axess system. The email address is added to the EE distribution list and it is the OFFICIAL means of notifying students. This email address will also be used to inform students of information ranging from registration requirements and holds to departmental parties. The office and phone information are used to create a departmental directory. For all but first-quarter students, failure to enter this information into the Axess system will prevent a student from submitting their study list online. This will likely result in late fees. To prevent this, students are strongly encouraged to open an email account and enter the data as soon as possible. It is essential that this information be up-to-date at all times.

3. Read the CA Webpages

Please read all EE CA webpages in full. Pay special attention to "Instructor and CA Collaboration Guide." It will help you to understand what will be expected of you and what you can expect from us. 

4. Complete Payroll Paperwork

To receive your paychecks on time, you must complete and file your new-hire paperwork by the end of the first week of the quarter. You are required to pay (or make arrangements with the Bursar Office to pay through payroll deduction) all non-tuition fees on or before the University deadline. Failure to take care of these fees will result in late fee charges. Here is a list of some important pay-related forms: 

Required: If you have ever received paychecks from working anywhere on campus, you may already have a W-4 and I-9 on file. In that case, you will not need to re-file unless you would like to make changes.

  • W-4 Tax Form 
  • I-9 form
  • International forms (required for international students): Your TA appointment is subject to the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 and specifies that you must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. You must go to Packard 164 to complete the necessary paperwork. These websites may help you get your paperwork figured out: bechtel.stanford.edu/engage-our-center;
    For international students: stanford.edu/group/fms/fingate/students

 Optional, but Recommended:

  • Direct deposit: axess.stanford.edu/. We encourage all of our employees to use direct deposit to avoid lost or stolen checks. The completed form should be given to the Financial Associate Jam Kiattinant in the EE department.
  • Payroll deduction: https://axess.stanford.edu/ 

5. Reserve an Office Hour Room or Review Session Classroom (if needed)

If you need to reserve a room for your office hours in the Packard building, please reserve the room(s) online at http://eeta.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/calendar.pl from any on-campus network, or over Stanford VPN when off-campus. Additionally, if you need to reserve a classroom for a course review and/or problem sessions, email ta@ee.stanford.edu with the classroom requirements (i.e. location, size, and equipment needs of the classroom).

6. Quarterly Workshops and Seminars

  • EE CA Orientation: If you are a new CA to EE, OR if you have not been a CA for the past 4 quarters, you are required to attend the EE CA Orientation.
  • CGOE Instructor/CA Information Session: TBA. For questions about CGOE classes and for RSVP to CGOE Instructor/CA Information Session, contact CGOE scpdscheduling@lists.stanford.edu
  • Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) CA Orientation: Please visit ctl.stanford.edu for the event date.

Setting Up Shop

Here is some helpful information about what to do next. These items should be taken care of as soon as possible to ensure that classes run smoothly.

Textbooks

If you need a text for the course you are CAing, please contact the EE Student Services office at ta@ee.stanford.edu to make arrangements to borrow one for the quarter in which you are CAing.

Problem Session Rooms

To reserve a room for problem sessions or if you need a large room for weekly meetings, email ta@ee.stanford.edu. If you are teaching a televised course, make room arrangements through CGOE.

You will need the course number, instructor, number of seats needed, preferred day and start/end times, alternate day/times and your email and phone number when requesting a reservation from our office. It will be very difficult to find rooms for 10:00AM-3:00PM because these are popular course times. It is easier to find rooms after 4:15PM. Also, requests for review session rooms made during the first week of classes are usually not processed until the second week of the quarter.  During the first two weeks of the quarter, many courses are changing classrooms; therefore, the Registrar gives courses priority for scheduling.

Midterm and Final Exam Scheduling and Seating

If your classroom is not large enough to accommodate alternate seating or if you prefer another classroom for your exam, contact ta@ee.stanford.edu EARLY to make arrangements.

Office Hours

To reserve rooms in Packard for office hours, go to http://eeta.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/calendar.pl from any on-campus network, or over Stanford VPN when off-campus. The CA's offer letter will provide the link to request an office hour room.

To reserve a room, click on "Add Event" (do not attempt to login), then follow the directions in the web form. Be sure to fill out page 1, then click Save and Continue to the scheduling page. If your meetings are recurring on the same day and time in a regular interval, click the "Recurring Schedule" button. Once submitted, the reservation will be reserved, but not visible until approved by John DeSilva, the Systems & Network Manager. No one else will be able to reserve that time period. (Calendar checks for overlap). After approval, you will be emailed a door code OR the reason why your request was not approved. If you have any questions, see John DeSilva (Packard 168; desilva@stanford.edu; 650-723-0460). To activate your Stanford ID, go see Kenny Green (Packard 115; facilities@ee.stanford.edu; 650-724-3310). This will allow access to Packard after hours. Rooms fill up quickly so sign up as early as you possibly can.

If the rooms in Packard are taken, CAs will frequently use their own personal office (if they have one) as a CA office, but this should be viewed as a back-up plan.  There are also tables on the second floor of Packard that can be used for an hour or two.  There is no way to reserve these tables.  Please note that it is first come, first served.

Photocopying

To photocopy materials for the course, you should get the course-related copy code from your instructor or his/her administrator. (It should not be the instructor's research code.) (See Copyright and Copying