Curriculum Representative

The overall goal of the curriculum representative is to serve as a liaison between the class and the faculty and administration. Duties may include but are not limited to the following:

Beginning of Term

• Introduce yourself to the professor and the class as soon as possible.
• Be active as early in the term as possible. Try to get feedback from the class within the first couple of weeks.
• Review the syllabus for the entire term. This will allow you to identify any issues and work on making any necessary adjustments.
• Meet with the professor at the beginning of the term. An informal lunch meeting with the professor.
• Discuss with the professor how he/she likes to receive feedback (what areas, method of communication, etc.) This may help make them more open to specific feedback.
• Professors may also have suggestions for you based on experience in past years. They may be able to outline some of the problems or complaints representatives have faced in the past.
• Identify the preferred method of communication for both the professor and the representatives. Email should work well for most professors, especially for logistical type communication.

Throughout the Term

• Act as a link between students and the professors and administration for scheduling (review sessions, labs, etc), information about topics causing the most concern, etc.
• Solicit Feedback/Survey Methods
    Good to get feedback early in term (within the first couple of weeks) to catch problems that can or should be addressed early in the term. It may help to survey the class several times during the term to gauge improvement.
    Email can be good for periodic checks throughout the term. One of the risks is that people start ignoring email. Avoid sending survey emails around exam or project times.
    Try to summarize comments for professors rather than presenting individual statements.
• Follow-up with professors several times during the term. Pass any feedback (positive feedback as well as constructive suggestions) that you have received. Also, ask if they have any issues that should be addressed.

Potential Issues to Watch For

• Teaching methods ­ clearly defining class objectives, amount of wrap-up/synopsis, clarity of class notes, etc.
• Class pace ­ both too fast and too slow (often a difficult issue to deal with in the core due to the wide range of backgrounds
• Scheduling of exams, review sessions, and classes

Resources

• Student Curriculum Representatives
• Dr. Nierenberg
• Dr. Nattie (Y1)
• Linda Martin (Y1), Rae Fountain (Y2)