New Faculty Policy on Post-Midterm Student Requirements
BACKGROUND: What follows is required for TJSL'sfirst semester day classes(but not Legal Writing I and Lawyering Skills). I'mrecommendingit for the evening class (6:00 PM). Our objective is to assist students whose progress requires additional support. We aretaking on thisadditional work, with a view toward helping everyone reach their potential. Rachel will be working with the day class (1:00 PM), and I will work with the night class (6:00 PM). One reason for this division of labor is that I now have over 150 students. I would have preferred waiting until later in the semester to share this information, but the collective decision was to share itsooner, rather than later.
NEW POLICY:
1.Each first semesterstudent who ranks in the bottom 20% on themidtermmust attend a mandatory meeting with the professor in that course.A student who fails to meet with the professor may not sit for the final exam.
2.Each first semester student who ranks in the bottom 20%on themidtermmust rewrite it,and submit it to the professor(who willkeep track of individual submissions).Feedback will be provided by thelearning assistant (day class) or professor (night class), either orally or in writing.A first semester student who fails to rewrite and submit the assignment may not sit for the final exam.
3.Each first semesterstudent who ranks in the bottom 20% of themidtermmust attend the weekly office hours, offered by the learning assistant in that course, for the rest of the semester.Attendance at those office hours is mandatory and will be tracked by the learning assistant and reported to the professor.
4.Each first semester student who ranks in the bottom 20% on themidtermmust attend ASP programming for the rest of the semester.
FINAL COMMENTS: My sense is that---given themidterm due date of October 9 (as previously announced)---coupled withthe time it will take me to grade, that the required first semester student meetings will run from about academic week 10 or 11 to 14.We willdevelop a method for determining who is affected, in away that does not compromise yoursemesterexam number.
For those who might misperceive this as just more work, it's alsomore work for Rachel and me. The objectiveshould make it clear that wewant to assist/intervene, in a productive way, that will help those affected to improve their performance.
ProSlo
09/10/13