Faculty and Staff Resources

Supplemental Instruction (or SI) is a voluntary academic assistance program that utilizes peer-led group study to help students succeed in traditionally difficult courses—those with high unsuccessful completion rates (Ds, Fs, Ws, and NCs). SI
targets historically difficult courses, regardless of the faculty member or instructor who teaches them or the material used. Each week, SI Leaders (peer students who showed competency when taking that course) offer regularly scheduled study sessions on campus in designated classrooms.

While it is important to know exactly what SI is, it is equally important to understand that SI is not a remedial program for
three important reasons:

1.  SI supports high-risk courses rather than high-risk students

2. All students enrolled in a targeted class are encouraged to attend SI

3. SI starts within the first week of classes and continues to the end of the term

All UPDs receive a Departmental Coverage form before the hiring period. They will contact faculty within the department and ask who would like coverage and if they have a student recommendation. The Dean or UPD must fill out the form on behalf of the department. Please do not send individual requests. 

SI Leaders serve as peer facilitators for SI session group study. This role requires SI Leaders to attend the targeted course (similar to auditing) to ensure constant and consistent knowledge of the lecture and classroom expectations. Responsibilities include:

• Attending all lectures, whether virtual or in person.

• Being a visible presence to the students in the class.

• Acting as a model student during lectures—listening and taking notes

• Reading assigned texts and supplementary materials

• Organizing and facilitating two to three hours of regular study sessions per week

• Designing and distributing SI promotional materials

• Communicating consistently with you and the SI Program Manager

No. While your SI Leader will inevitably receive guidance from you throughout the semester, they are doing so to facilitate further understanding of the material you teach. For the SI leader to be effective and well-perceived by the students, tasks such as test administration, grading, co-teaching, or any other responsibilities typical of a teaching assistant or graduate student must be avoided.

You can expect the SI Leaders to use 5-10 minutes on the first day of class to give their initial announcement, called the First Day Speech, to introduce SI and its benefits.

It is ideal to allot space on the board in the classroom for the Leader to write their SI schedule and any announcements before every class. At least once per week, we ask that faculty allow up to 2-3 minutes before the start of a class period to provide any updates about SI sessions, including topics and activities covered through the week.

SI is completely maintained and coordinated through the Center for Academic Success and Engagement. All we ask of faculty in SI-supported classes is that they provide the following:

• A few minutes at the beginning of the class for the SI leader to make weekly announcements

• Time to meet with the SI leader, allowing them to keep faculty apprised of what’s happened in the SI sessions. 10 - 15 minutes weekly, if possible. 

Immediately contact the Program Manager of Supplemental Instruction, Noah Harvey, at noah_harvey2@baylor.edu to discuss your concerns and to resolve the issue.