TAs Turn Against You
Your six teaching assistants have coordinated a sudden ultimatum, threatening mass resignation 48 hours before midterm grading begins. With 400+ student papers pending review and department leadership unreachable at a conference, you have exactly 60 minutes to negotiate. Your tenure track evaluation is next month.
Challenges
0
Survivors
0
Popularity
0
Difficulty
B1-B2
Scenario Overview
Your Role
Associate Professor of Economics, Pre-tenure
Conversation Partner
Dr. Maya Chen, Lead Teaching Assistant
Setting
Your office, late evening. The blue glow of multiple monitors illuminates stacks of ungraded papers. A single desk lamp casts harsh shadows.
Location
Stern School of Business, NYU
Learning Objectives
Negotiate reduced TA workload without compromising course quality
Find budget solutions for additional compensation
Establish clear boundaries and credit attribution policies
Prevent mass resignation before midterm grading
About This Scenario
Your six teaching assistants have coordinated a sudden ultimatum, threatening mass resignation 48 hours before midterm grading begins. With 400+ student papers pending review and department leadership unreachable at a conference, you have exactly 60 minutes to negotiate. Your tenure track evaluation is next month.
How It Starts
“Professor, we've submitted our collective notice of resignation, effective immediately unless our demands are met. The timing isn't ideal, I know. But neither is exploiting grad students who make your research possible.”
This is how Dr. Maya Chen, Lead Teaching Assistant's greeting will start.
Practice Details
Scenario ID
#1174
Category
General
Location Tag
Stern School of Business, NYU
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