SI Leader Assignment

1) Why am I being assigned an SI leader?

The course you are teaching has been identified as a high-risk course. If your section is being staffed and others are not, this may due to one or more of the following reasons: your particular section has been chosen due to high enrollment; all of our SI leaders have schedules that conflict with the other sections; your section was staffed based on a recommendation from department leadership.

2) Can I opt-out of having an SI leader?

We understand that incorporating an SI leader into the classroom might lead to some concerns. SI leaders are supplemental tools that can be used as an extension of the students in order bridge gaps in student learning. You can opt-out if your class isn’t required to be staffed under a grant; to do this you can contact [email protected]. If your class is required to be staffed as part of a grant or project, please contact your department chair for more information.

3) Why didn’t I get the SI leader that I recommended?

While the program’s intention is to provide the faculty with the SI leader they requested, scheduling ultimately comes down to the SI leader’s class schedule. Part of the responsibilities of an SI leader is to attend class as a model student. Most likely, the SI leader you requested has a class that interferes with your class.

4) I had an SI leader last semester. Why wasn’t I assigned one this semester?

Inconsistency in SI assignments can be attributed to three possible reasons:

1. All current SI leaders have conflicting schedules with your section.
2. There is a lack of new SI leaders for the course. If there is a shortage of SI leaders, sections will be staffed based on highest enrollment, recommendation from departments, or the SI leader’s availability.
3. The course in question has been dropped due to funding constraints.

5) How can I request an SI leader for my class?

Generally, courses are staffed after they have been identified as high-risk or your department has received special funding from a grant. Contact your department for questions related to funding for SI assistance. You may also contact [email protected] for more information about adding an SI Leader to a new course.

6) What do I do if my student(s) or I have problem with my SI leader?

The SI Leaders are trained to build the most effective relationship with their assigned instructor and students. However, if you are having some concerns regarding your SI Leader, we strongly recommended that you contact [email protected]. It is difficult for the superiors to monitor an SI leader’s behavior in class without disrupting the classroom environment so we strongly encourage faculty to contact the SI program at any point during the semester.