Month: October 2024

You are at the grocery store selecting ingredients for a fall-themed soup you read about. You have found everything you need except for kale, then you spot some lovely looking organic kale, but there is no price. Asking an employee restocking the produce how much for the kale she responds, “don’t know, and you can’t find out until checkout.” You are confused. “That doesn’t seem right, what if it is really expensive, can I buy some non-organic kale instead?” Her facial expression is somewhere between indifference and judgment. “No, once you get to the checkout you have to buy it, those are the rules.”

This is not a perfect analogy, but it does highlight a difficult situation we sometimes put students in. Course material costs range from free to several hundred dollars and students often have to sign up for classes without knowing. When that information becomes available to them it is often too late to select different kale courses. This is even important if you are using a free resource or something that is not at the bookstore. Create the first step towards trust and transparency with students by selecting materials before 10/28. This process looks different for different people. 

• You know what you are teaching and the course materials you are requiring. Use the Canvas “Account” menu option in the upper left, and then click “Follett Discover”, or you can email your course materials list to wildcatstore@csuchico.edu, and you will be done in a flash. If you know what you are teaching, but have yet to be officially assigned your Chair can help or you can email the bookstore. 
• You know what you are teaching, but aren’t sure about course materials. Try to make the time to select something before the 10/28 cutoff. Talk to colleagues, make an informed decision, and give your students the information they need. 
• You aren’t sure what you are teaching. Talk with your Department Chair. Many courses assign the same materials every term, but the faculty change. In these cases, the Chair can take a moment and select materials for the course. 
• You are a Department Chair and know the agreed upon materials, but have not assigned classes yet. You have your own menu in Follett where you can make that selection.

Speaking of textbooks, if you are looking to find or develop a quality resource to lower costs for students, that also increases the likelihood they will have the materials and read for your class, be on the lookout for our CAL$ program in Spring. If you are looking to learn more now, check out this recent episode of Teaching in Higher Ed.

Finally a reminder, this Friday at 12PM is the second part of our Zoom webinar series on Free Speech and Inclusion (PDF). This week we are working with Juni Banerjee-Stevens on de-escalation in the classroom. All faculty and staff are welcome.

Zach Justus
Director of Faculty Development
Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences
Google Voice/Text: 530-487-4150

All past Tuesday Tips are curated on the FDEV website.