The Division of Academic Affairs (DAA), Core Education, and the Center for Teaching and Learning have assembled guidance for the important role of GTAs in the successful implementation of Core Education. See details specific to the use of GTAs in DPO teaching below and visit the Core Education website for complete details for the use of GTAs across Core Education.
- Units that assign GTAs to teach Core Education courses in any category are responsible for ensuring enough advanced scheduling notice for the GTAs to complete all required training in advance of the term they are scheduled to teach a Core Ed course. In particular, GTAs should not be assigned to teach a Difference, Power, and Oppression (DPO) course for the first term of their employment to allow enough time to complete necessary training.
- Units that assign GTAs to teach Core Education courses in categories that have required training must ensure the weekly workload of the GTA is offset to accommodate the required training during the training week (for Teaching in Core, Seeking Solutions or Transitions) or weekly throughout the training term (DPO GTA Academy).
- We strongly recommend that GTAs teaching in any level of DPO take the 3-credit hour course GRAD 542: The Inclusive Classroom, which fulfills the training requirements for both DPO-F (DPO-Foundations) and DPO-A (DPO-Advanced) courses (this includes GTAs who will be assisting instructors of record, serving as graders, serving as instructors of record, and as recitation instructors).
- For cases in which taking the 3-credit hour course (GRAD 542) is not possible, the DPO Program offers an alternate format of training (DPO GTA Academy) in a hybrid format consisting of 3, 3-hour in-person sessions on the Corvallis campus (and approximately 1 hour of preparation time per in-person session) and 3 weeks of regular, timely asynchronous engagement via Canvas (approximately 3 hours per week) for an anticipated total of 21 hours of training. This fulfills the requirement for GTAs to teach DPO-F courses, as well as those serving as graders, assistants, and recitation instructors for DPO-A courses. This academy will be offered in Fall term.
- We discourage units from assigning GTAs to serve as instructors of record for DPO-A courses, and should a need arise to do so, that GTA must complete the GRAD 542 3-credit hour course training prior to teaching the DPO-A course. If a GTA feels that they have a strong foundation in DPO already, they may apply for a waiver.
DPO GTA Academy (Alternative to GRAD 542)
For those cases in which taking the 3-credit hour course (GRAD 542) is not possible, in fall term (see schedule below), the DPO Program will offer the DPO GTA Academy. The DPO GTA Academy is a hybrid 6-week training consisting of 3, 3-hour sessions in person and three weeks of online asynchronous engagement via Canvas.
Fall Term 2026
- Week 1, In-Person: Thursday, October 8, 2:00 - 5:00 pm
- Week 2, Asynchronous: Online participation week of October 12
- Week 3, In-Person: Thursday, October 22, 2:00 - 5:00 pm
- Week 4, Asynchronous: Online participation week of October 26th
- Week 5, Asynchronous: Online participation week of November 2nd
- Week 6, In-Person: Thursday, November 12, 2:00 - 5:00 pm