To the Editor:

Some courses have an extra one-hour recitation section over and above the regular three weekly class hours. These extra sections regularly are staffed by undergraduate students called Undergraduate Teaching Assistants (UTAs).

These UTAs register-and pay for-a three-credit "course," and are paid with course credit, but not in money. It is not clear whether they receive this credit for knowledge obtained or for services rendered. Recently, one department upped the ante from covering one recitation section to two if credit was to be given, an indication that services rendered take precedence over the UTAs' learning and time.

It is possible that the "course" consists of little more than being a glorified office boy or girl Friday. In such cases, it might be perfectly reasonable to require that two sections be covered, but it would be quite unreasonable to give credit for such a "course" with very little by way of learning.

If the "course" is meaty-involving class attendance, the recitation section itself, pondering test questions, grading, office hours, course administration and email responses-the credit is richly deserved. But in such a scenario, it is quite unwarranted to double the load.

The administration, specifically deans Grant, Stinger and Eagles, state that under the new regime, a UTA who only covers one section fails the course. It has not come to that, but the threat has been repeatedly stated verbally and in writing.

The administration also adamantly refuses to pay any money to the UTAs. This grates the more because the graduate TAs working side by side do get paid. It also grates because the recitation section makes it a four-credit course, so all students registered must fork over about $150 more than otherwise would be the case: in a class of 300, a pretty $45,000. But nothing for the UTAs.

Our university claims that undergraduate students rub shoulders with top researchers. In fact, they rub shoulders with underpaid, under-supervised, under-credentialed, undergraduates. It is the laboratory rat who rubs shoulders with researchers.

Having undergraduates serve as instructors is a tenuous construction from the word go. The CAS administration, hiding in a location that would give our well-trained rats a run for their money, is committed "to look into the matter."

So far, they have "investigated" in contemplation of "disciplinary action" a faculty member who objects to the two-section assignment. This came-months later-to nothing; in particular, it never led to a serious discussion of the serious substantive issues involved. For this purpose, a "study group" is to be formed, but it is now, again, months later, and nothing has been formed yet.

While we decry labor conditions in the Far East, we happily condone and even applaud similar situations in our very backyard.

For all but the rats, it is a sad state of affairs.