Don’t Cancel That Class!
Are you expecting to miss one or more of your classes this semester due to a professional or personal reason? If you must miss a class and you are unable to find another faculty member to cover your session, instead of canceling class, give the Center for Tutoring and Academic Support the chance to use that time by enrolling in the Don't Cancel That Class Initiative.
This initiative, a nationwide best practice, is a collaboration between campus partners to offer various workshops centered on holistic student success. Participation is not a requirement, but it is being offered as a way to enhance the students’ learning experience in the event that a faculty member is unable to hold class.
When a faculty member is unable to teach their classes, whether in-person or online, a member of the Center for Tutoring and Academic Support will be able to provide students with an interactive and informative presentation from a set of prepared topics that the faculty member can choose from. This turns an otherwise lost period into a platform for important conversations designed to help all students.
To Request a Presentation
- Determine which of the pre-designed workshops will best suit your needs;
- Determine a preferred date, time, and location, and an alternate date, time, and location for the workshop;
- Avoid any temptation to inform your students that you will NOT be present on the day of the workshop presentation (as your lack of presence may negatively affect the student attendance);
- Please complete the request form found HERE. If possible, please give our department a 1-2 weeks' notice if you know you will be absent ahead of time (i.e., meetings, conferences, vacations, etc.). A minimum of 3 days’ advance notice is required; less than 3 days’ notice requests will be accepted but may not be fulfilled. We cannot guarantee that we will be available for every request, though we will attempt to fill as many requests as our staff schedules allow.
How it Works?
A facilitator will meet with your class, take attendance, and present a topic of your choice from our list of options. The facilitator will distribute and collect a pre and post survey. The Center will then provide you with a copy of the attendance record and any handouts utilized for the presentation.
All workshops are approximately 50 minutes in length and are designed to be applicable to any student group.
Below is a list of the currently offered presentations the CTAS can provide.
- Syllabusted: Avoiding Surprises and Planning for Success (workshop on navigating a syllabus, understanding key parts of a syllabus, and providing information about CTAS support services; includes time for Q&A)
- Introduction to SQRRR: A Study Technique and Active-reading Strategy (workshop on pre-reading/active-reading strategies, study skills, and steps to self-monitor one's learning; includes time for Q&A)
- Essential Study Skills for the College Student (workshop on time management/goal setting as well as study habits/techniques; includes time for Q&A)
If you have any questions regarding the submitted submissions, please contact the CTAS Director, Stefan Spezio at sspezio@qcc.cuny.edu.
