SI Details for Faculty

How are courses chosen for SI?

SI targets historically difficult courses. These courses tend to be Gateway courses, possess a high number of students who do not earn a passing grade or tend to withdraw from the course. In other words, these subjects contain content that students consider challenging.

SI is designed to support faculty, and is assigned to a subject because of what is being taught, not because of the manner in which it is being taught.

What are faculty required to do?

SI is not intended to create additional work for faculty. Faculty can support SI by having an open line of communication with their SI leader. Allowing SI leaders time to introduce SI to the class at the beginning of the semester, followed by occasional in-class announcements is the minimum amount asked of faculty. We also ask that faculty encourage students to take advantage of SI, since data shows that more students attend when encouraged by faculty. We do ask that faculty avoid the suggestion that only those who do poorly will benefit from SI, especially since data indicates otherwise. Ideally we would like faculty to collaborate with the SI leader on a weekly basis to discuss the content for the week or areas students are struggling. These interactions can be very helpful to the SI leader as they prepare their SI sessions.

What can faculty expect from the SI Leader?

The SI Leader will:

  • Attend class lectures/labs
  • Maintain a professional attitude about matters such as class standards, grades, and student complaints
  • Discourage students from attending SI as a substitute for class
  • Share SI materials with the cooperating faculty member before use, if possible
  • Provide feedback to the cooperating faculty member if requested to do so.

What should I expect from the SI Program?

The Director of the Tutoring Center will:

  • Interview all potential SI leader candidates
  • Train all SI leaders according to established guidelines and standards
  • Provide supplies, training, in-service experience and consultation for SI leaders
  • Any administrative duties pertaining to SI
  • Approve monthly SI time sheets

What are faculty members doing?

Here are some things that faculty members have done in the past to help encourage students to attend SI sessions:

  • Allow SI leaders to have access to Blackboard
  • Post announcements on Blackboard / or their syllabus about SI sessions
  • Collaborate with the Director of the Tutoring Center to discuss ways to improve the program