INFO FOR AMERICAN STUDIES PART TIME FACULTY
Questions: call Shauna Lee Manning at 617 287-6776
This memo is a briefing for part time faculty (especially those new to UMB) on what to expect and tips on how to avoid problems in the UMB classroom. We want you to have a positive experience at UMass Boston and to get favorable course evaluations from your students. The following information is to help prevent misconceptions and misunderstandings that can lead to conflict in the classroom and a difficult semester.
Our Studentbody
The student population at UMass Boston is mainly comprised of adults who have a gap between high school and college as opposed to students fresh out of high school. As an urban commuter school, almost all of our students are juggling jobs and family responsibilities as well as an academic course load.
We
have many students with various disabilities: those in wheelchairs, hearing
impaired, vision impaired, psychological disabilities, learning disabilities,
head injured, etc. You can expect
to have at least one disabled student in your classroom (whose disability
may not be obvious). It is up to the
student to request accommodations for a disability.
The Lillian Semper Ross Center located in the Campus Center(ph. 617-287-7430)
can assist the student with accommodations and/or advise you on appropriate
accommodations for a student with a disability.
Other
factors that contribute to UMass’s diverse studentbody are veterans, foreign
students, ESL students, and senior citizens.
We have a very high representation of veterans (about 10% of our student
body are military veterans) and ESL (English as a Second Language)
students. This makes UMass a very
dynamic and interesting place in which to work and teach. Unlike some schools with a younger and more
homogeneous student population, an instructor can utilize the strengths and
experiences of their students to enrich their class.
When
creating your syllabus, think of it as a contract between you and your
students. We now have a syllabus
template that you can follow to make it easier to create your syllabus. You
should spell out all of the requirements and expectations of your course. Problems have arisen in the past when instructors
had attendance policies that were not mentioned on the syllabus. It is very difficult to enforce anything not
on the syllabus! Your syllabus should include:
ü
Your
attendance policy and any penalizations for absences
ü
Your
grading policy, including a breakdown of
what percentage of the final grade is attributed to papers, exams,
attendance, etc.
ü
How
to reach you: your office hours, office
location, office phone, and email. (Do
not put your home phone number on the syllabus!)
ü
The
textbooks and/or reading packets required for the class
ü
Include
the last date for class withdrawal and pass/fail option
A
good rule of thumb is that it is easier to start out stricter and loosen up
than to begin too casually and then try to use discipline.
Be
sure to have graded assignments or exams returned to students well before the
withdrawal pass/fail deadline so that students can make an informed decision
regarding their status.
Students
who are having trouble with writing assignments or grasping academic material
should go to the Academic Support Program in the Campus Center (tel. 617 287-6550)
and request a tutor.
It
is also a good idea to announce, in class, a week or two before the
withdrawal/pass-fail deadline, so that students can meet with you to assess
their academic standing in class before deciding to withdraw or sign up for
Pass/Fail instead of a grade. It is
important to have graded assignments/exams returned to students before the
withdrawal/pass-fail deadline so students can make an informed decision. Once a student has either withdrawn or taken
the Pass/Fail option, it is irrevocable.
Many
of our students are dealing with difficult life situations that may impede
their academic learning (caring for elderly relatives, long work hours, lack of
childcare, chronic illness, etc.). Some
students realize that they will not get an “A” in your class because they
simply don’t have the time to devote to studies—and they have accepted this
situation. Others may need extra
support to balance their multiple responsibilities.
You
can refer students to the Mental Health Counseling Center in Admin. 2-039
(tel. 617 287-5690) or to Health Promotions in M-1-613 (tel. 617 287-5685).
The Mental Health Counseling Center can help students with more serious
emotional problems; the Health Promotion office offers help with stress management,
time management, and offers group sessions for students around midterm and
finals time.
Incompletes are ONLY for good students
who have extraordinary circumstances at the end of the semester that prevent
them from finishing. Good students are
those that have come to class consistently, have turned in their assignments on
time, and are conscientious students. Extraordinary
circumstances are: death in the family,
injury, serious illness, car accident with injuries, etc. (You can ask for verification: i.e. doctor’s note, police report, Xerox of
plane tickets or obituary, etc.). An
Incomplete is NOT for a student who wants extra time to get a better grade, or
has not been to class all semester and doesn’t want an F, or is going on
vacation and will miss the end of school, etc. (you will hear all kinds of
excuses). Students who are not doing
their work or are not attending class should officially withdraw from class
before the withdrawal/pass-fail deadline.
If they do not, they should get an F on the grade roster.
Part-timers
should be very frugal about giving out Incompletes. Technically, the student has one year to make up the work—which
means that in 11 months and 3 weeks, we will probably be calling you (even if
you are not working here!) because the student has just realized that the year
is almost over. If you give an
incomplete, establish a written contract (a form is available for downloading)
with the student including exactly what needs to be completed and by what date
it must be turned in. It is best to get
Incompletes resolved within three months or less—the longer the student waits,
the harder it is to complete the work.
If you have any questions about a particular situation, please ask the
administrative assistant or program director before agreeing to an Incomplete
with a student.
How and When to Ask for Help
If
you have any problems in the classroom or with a particular student,
please let me know immediately. The sooner
you let me know what is going on, the sooner we can resolve the issue. You can call me on my direct line:
617-287-6776 (I have a private voicemail that only I access, so you can leave a
private message) or email me at shauna.manning@umb.edu
Other issues you should let me know about (so I can help resolve it) are:
ü
If
your classroom is too small (I can’t guarantee a larger space, but I will see
what is available)
ü
If
your classroom is too hot or too cold
ü
If
the classroom lacks chalk, erasers, or other teaching materials
ü
If
you need help to reserve media equipment
And
more personal issues:
ü
Direct
deposit for your paycheck
ü
Missing
or incorrect paycheck
ü
Any
questions or concerns on university policies or procedures