Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (CRLT) -- University of Michigan
What if...? |
What to Do.../Who to Call... |
| 1. A student wants to turn in an assignment late because the due date falls on a religious holiday of importance to her. |
See "Information for Students Regarding Religious-Academic Conflicts". Preventable: Ask students to inform you of conflicts at beginning of the term. |
| 2. A student comes to your office and starts talking about difficult personal problems he is facing. |
Counseling and Psychological Services: 764-8312. |
| 3. A student wants to withdraw from the course two months into the term. | Talk about other alternatives. Suggest they consult with Academic Advising (LSA: 764-0332; Engineering: 647-7106; SNRE: 764-6453). |
| 4. A name shows up on your final grade sheet for a student you’ve never met. | See "Grades at U-M" |
| 5. A student gives you a letter certifying that he has a learning disability. |
Discuss relevant accommodations with student. Call Services for Students with Disabilities for more info: 763-3000. |
| 6. A student with a broken leg is having a hard time getting to your class on time. | Suggest that the student call Services for Students with Disabilities to arrange temporary transportation services. |
| 7. A student turns in a paper that seems familiar—you think it's plagiarism but you’re not sure from where. | Talk with faculty member. See “Academic Integrity in the Classroom,” and discuss with faculty. |
| 8. You witness two students cheating on an exam. |
Interrupt behavior. See #7. Preventable: Arrange seating to deter cheating. |
| 9. You get propositioned from a student, offering favors in exchange for a grade change. | Establish clear boundaries with student. Discuss situation with someone in your department. See #10 if necessary. |
| 10. You feel you are being harassed by a student, a fellow GSI, or a member of the faculty or staff. Or, you see harassment between students. |
Office of Institutional Equity, 763-0235 |
| 11. You feel overwhelmed by your own life. | Counseling and Psychological Services: 764-8312. |
| 12. You disagree with something the faculty member has said in class. | Discuss with faculty member. |
| 13. Grading is taking twice as long as you planned. | Consult with other GSIs and Sweetland Writing Center (see # 15). Discuss with faculty member. See also "Ten Simple Strategies for Grading Writing" and "Commenting Effectively on Student Writing". |
| 14. You issue an override—another student has dropped and you now have room—but a third student registers for the class in the meantime. | Discuss with your department. Preventable: Close class before issuing overrides. |
| 15. A student has clear difficulty with the mechanics of writing, more than you can address. | Refer her or him to the Sweetland Writing Center, 764-0429. |
| 16. An athlete or a musician requests a change in a due date because of a game/performance. | Discuss with your department, athletic department, School of Music. |
| 17. You realize your students have little or no experience with research libraries and they need these skills for their papers. | Call Darlene Nichols, Senior Associate Librarian and Coordinator, Instructional Services and Programs, 936-2362. |
| 18. You get to your classroom and the door is locked. | Call security: 763-1131 (you’ll need to show you are authorized for this classroom) or call your department. |
| 19. A large number of students turn in a paper late because it is a busy time at the computing center. | Preventable: Be sure students know of various computing resources. Work with drafts, allow papers to be emailed, and make clear at the beginning of the semester your policy on late papers. |