Academic Assistant (AA) Requests

CourseAcademic Build/RebuildAssistant Request Instructions for Faculty, Admins, and Chairs.                               

Effective Date: AugustJuly 11,31, 2025  
Revised Date: November 07,11, 2025                                             

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1. Overview

AllAcademic newAssistants builds(AAs) — also referred to as Academic Coaches — are highly qualified, experienced professionals with graduate-level credentials or higher. They function as an extension of the course instructor, providing grading support, communication assistance, and eligiblestudent rebuildsengagement mustwithin receiveAOS departmentcourses.

The chairgoal approvalof priorthe AA program is to submission.
Academicrelieve collegesfaculty areof encouragedday-to-day toclassroom reviewtasks so instructors can focus on course content, delivery, and evaluatestudent course build proposals to ensure they represent a strategic and effective use of departmental AOS revenue sharing funds.success.

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2. DefinitionsEligible Courses

AOS courses and their companion sections (CP1, CH1, and U0A) qualify for Academic Assistant (AA) support. Please do not merge sections that are not companion sections to the AOS courses that have an AA enrolled.
If you are unsure whether your course qualifies, please contact the AOS team before submitting a request.

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3. Requesting an Academic Assistant

NewTo Build:request an AA, submit the AA Request Form as early as possible.

? AA Request Form: Ahttp://www.jotformpro.com/ICForms/ASUJ_Request

Submission brand-newDeadline:
Requests must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the course developedstart fordate.

Important delivery in the AOS 100% online modality.Notes

• TypicallyInstructors:
  If associatedthere withis even a newslight chance that you may need an AA for an upcoming term, please submit the request as soon as possible, regardless of current enrollment numbers. Early submission ensures AA availability when the course begins.
• Program and Department Chairs/Coordinators: 
  If your program launchhas a course in an upcoming term that does not yet have an instructor assigned, please submit an AA Request early, even if enrollment numbers are still low. This allows Instructional Connections to begin the matching process and ensures AA availability for instructors who are assigned later.

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4. What Happens After You Submit

• Once submitted, the Instructional Connections (IC) team will begin reviewing qualified candidates.
• The IC team (Kristine or curriculumTricia) change.will send an email introducing the assigned AA after they confirm availability.
• AnDo existingnot courseemail thatAAs wasdirectly previouslyuntil offeredyou throughreceive traditionalconfirmation onlinefrom andthe IC team.
• The AOS team will manually enroll confirmed AAs into courses the week before classes start. Enrollment occurs only after:
  • The AA assignment is nowconfirmed, to be offered through AOS for the first time is also considered a New Build.and
  • The course mustmeets passthe Qualityminimum Mattersenrollment (QM)requirements reviewset priorby tothe beingdepartment.
  offered
  •  
  to
  students.

If enrollment exceeds the maximum load for one AA, a second AA may be assigned. Each AA must have their own group of students for compensation and billing purposes.

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Eligible5. Rebuild:What Academic Assistants DoA

previously

AAs/Coaches developedoperate courseunder that:faculty direction and may assist with:

• HasGrading: Discussions, assignments, quizzes, exams, and projects (with detailed rubrics provided).
• Email Communication: Responding to student inquiries within 24 hours; escalating issues that require faculty approval.
• Discussion Boards: Monitoring and facilitating discussions.
• Student Support: Answering logistical questions, posting reminders, and ensuring student engagement.
• Conference Calls: Holding pre-course, mid-course, and end-of-course check-ins with instructors.
  • Notes from these meetings are retained by Instructional Connections.
  • Coaches cannot modify course content, change due dates, or hold synchronous office hours.
  • They are not beenresponsible updatedfor indeveloping twocourse materials, assessments, or more years, andrubrics.
    
  • Is
  undergoing substantive changes equating to 70% or more of the course content.

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3.6. FundingCommunication Structure

New Builds

• Funded directly through the department AOS FOAP, as they are typically tied to new program launches with no existing revenue share.
• These are considered instructional/operational expenses and will be accounted for during the next revenue sharing cycle at the end of the term.

Eligible Rebuilds

• Funded through the department’s revenue sharing FOAP.
• The department admin must ensure this FOAP is listed on the Extra Compensation Form when submitted.

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4. Quality StandardsGuidelines

All coursecommunication buildsamong students, instructors, and rebuildsAAs must meetbe Qualityconducted Mattersthrough (QM)A-State standardsemail accounts to qualifymaintain for the stipend.
Each course must achieve a minimum score of 85%confidentiality and meetFERPA all essential standards, including ADA compliance and copyright requirements.

Faculty implementing Free Content/OER must:compliance.

• Completely remove any student costs for textbooks, learning materials, or paid subscriptions.
• Ensure all free materials are 100% ADA compliant and QM-aligned.
• Complete the build stipend before the OER stipend can be processed (OER stipend is optional).

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5.7. CompensationKey and PaymentForms

• BaseAA CourseRequest BuildForm: Stipend:
  $500 per credit hour for all approved course builds and eligible rebuilds.http://www.jotformpro.com/ICForms/ASUJ_Request
• OptionalFaculty OERReferral (No-CostApplication: Materials) Stipend:
  An additional $500 per credit hour is available if the course is developed using no-cost-to-student materials (OER or other free resources). This is optional, and the instructor needs to apply for the additional stipend.https://form.jotform.com/ICForms/faculty-referred-coach
• Example:Faculty Evaluation of Academic Assistant:
  For a 3-credit-hour course:
  • Standard build stipend = $1,500 total ($500 × 3)
  • If using OER = +$1,500 additional ($500 × 3)
  • Total possible stipend = $3,000https://form.jotform.com/ICForms/ASUJFacultyEval

Payment Requirements:
1. The department admin will receive a Formstack notification once the course build has been approved for stipend processing.
2. The admin must complete the Extra Compensation Form and prepare the EPAF, but the EPAF should only be submitted after the course has successfully passed the Quality Matters (QM) review.
3. Extra Compensation Form is not required for Adjuncts. 

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6. Standard Build Date Ranges

Dates correspond with the term in which the course will first be offered. Please use these dates when completing the Extra Compensation Form:

• Summer 1: March 1 – May 15
• Summer 2: May 1 – June 15
• Fall 1: July 1 – August 15
• Fall 2: August 1 – September 30
• Spring 1: October 16 – December 31
• Spring 2: December 1 – February 15
  (These date patterns remain consistent each year.)

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7. Submission Process

1. Obtain department chair approval for the proposed course build or rebuild.
2. Submit a TDX ticket to initiate the course build/rebuild stipend payment process.
   ? Submit TDX Ticket Here
3. Once submitted, the AOS Team will send the appropriate Formstack forms to the designated individuals.
4. The department admin will be notified through Formstack when it is time to complete the Extra Compensation Form and later submit the EPAF (after QM approval).
5. Workflow below:
   

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8. Questions

For any questions about the course build process, please contact:
? Vanessa Williams – vwilliams@astate.edu 
? Rachel Washam – rwasham@astate.edu