2. University Support for Teaching and Advising

Center for Teaching & Learning (CTL)

The Center for Teaching & Learning offers opportunities and resources for professional development in teaching to enable student learning. Faculty members can use the Center's range of services to assess, enhance, and document their efforts as teachers. The Center for Teaching & Learning’s activities are wide-ranging and include: consultations with individual faculty and departments; award programs; teaching assistant training; annual campus-wide events; mentoring and fellowship programs; resource development and dissemination; faculty workshops; and funded grants. https://www.umass.edu/faculty-development/

Teaching Awards: The Provost’s Office and the CTL manage the selection process for the annual Distinguished Teaching Award for faculty and TAs. The Associate Dean for Undergraduate Academic Affairs and Associate Dean for Graduate and Professional Studies works with the SPHHS Curriculum Committee to manage the selection process for the School Outstanding Teaching Awards (Residential and Online) and Outstanding Graduate TA award. The CTL also sponsors the University’s nominations for national teaching awards such as the U.S. Professor of the Year Award and the Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching.

Professional development in teaching is further supported by several fellowship and grant programs. They include Lilly Teaching Fellows Program; mutual mentoring funding; Flex grants; TIDE Ambassadors (Teaching for Inclusiveness, Diversity and Equity); and Faculty Grants for Teaching. https://www.umass.edu/ctl/

Instructional Design, Engagement, and Support (I.D.E.A.S)

I.D.E.A.S provides assistance to instructors on a variety of instructional technology tools (including Blackboard and Moodle). They provide webinars and workshops to introduce technologies and technology enhanced pedagogies for teaching and research. One-on-one consultations are also available. https://www.umass.edu/online/ideas

Classroom Technology at UMass Amherst

IT offers many supports for using technology in the classroom, including computer classrooms, multimedia equipment, assistive technologies, lecture capture recording hardware and software, videoconferencing facilities, and audience response systems. https://www.umass.edu/it/classroom-technologies

Providing Student Support

The University offers many resources to support students and student wellness. Below are a few of the highlighted resources that are most relevant to faculty and staff.

Maroon Folder

The University developed a guide, the Maroon Folder, to help faculty and staff recognize and help students experiencing a crisis. Information is provided to assist students that are experiencing problems with substance use/abuse, acts of bias and hate, bullying or harassment, sexual misconduct, depression or suicide. It provides tips on how to respond to students as well as offices to contact for additional support. The last page lists offices on campus for emergencies and counseling.

Academic Alerts

For students that are experiencing academic difficulties including low exam grades, poor attendance, limited interactions on the course Moodle site, missing assignments, etc., instructors can submit an Academic Alert. Instructors of many large introductory courses participate in the early alert system (where they are prompted to submit academic alerts at specific points in the semester), but this program is available to all instructors. To refer a student who is experiencing difficulties, watch this one-minute video or read these instructions.

Dean of Students Office (DOSO)

DOSO helps to support a student who is experiencing hardship, crisis, or trauma. If you have a student who you are worried about or if there is a conduct issue, please submit a report to DOSO. A Case Manager in the Dean of Students Office will reach out to the student. For more information on when it is appropriate to submit a referral, please visit their website. DOSO also provides clear guidelines for classroom civility and procedures related to disruptive classroom behavior.

DOSO: https://www.umass.edu/dean_students/

Classroom Civility: https://www.umass.edu/dean_students/campus-policies/classroom

Center for Counseling and Psychological Health (CCPH)

CCPH is located at Middlesex House (telephone: 413-545-2337) and provides a broad spectrum of clinical and skills-related services to all students at the University. Services include psychological counseling and therapy, diagnostic assessment, suicide prevention, behavioral management, and stress management. Center for Counseling and Psychological Health website: https://www.umass.edu/counseling/

Single Stop Resources

UMass lists many of their resources on the Single Stop Resource page: https://www.umass.edu/studentlife/single-stop

Learning Resource Center

Learning Resource Center (LRC) serves as the central academic support unit for undergraduate students. The academic support programs are for all residential undergraduate students, not just those who are struggling academically. Peer Tutors, Supplemental Instruction (SI) Leaders, and ExSEL Leaders are model students trained to assist their peers in achieving academic success. Learning Resource Center (LRC) is located on the tenth floor of the W. E. B. Du Bois Library. Students should visit the LRC website for details about the programs. https://www.umass.edu/lrc/

Student Success

The UMass Amherst Undergraduate Student Success unit was established in 2016 through the active partnership of Academic Affairs and Student Affairs & Campus Life, recognizing the benefits of integrated, cross-functional approaches to student persistence and thriving. Student Success at UMass Amherst website: https://www.umass.edu/studentsuccess/

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