— OLLI University Park’s Curriculum Committee is responsible for planning a well-balanced curriculum each semester.
OLLI University Park’s program coordinator works directly with the curriculum committees through all stages of planning and catalog production.
Curriculum Committee Responsibilities
- Have a solid understanding of OLLI’s curriculum planning processes, procedures, and tools (production schedule; course forms, including instructor FAQs, course comment forms, instructor comment forms, and enrollment reports; etc.) and the role of the curriculum committees versus the program coordinator.
- Pursue course ideas and identify instructors from a variety of sources (local news items, community contacts, member suggestions, curriculum support subcommittee recommendations, etc.) and be prepared to discuss them at the curriculum committee meetings.
- Ensure prospective instructors have an understanding about OLLI and have the appropriate curriculum materials and information to plan their course(s). Refer instructors to the instructor support subcommittee, as needed.
- Ensure prospective instructors have submitted their course proposal form by the production schedule deadline and that the information provided is complete.
- Serve as the contact person for recruited instructors (i.e., ask them to teach again, answer their questions about teaching for OLLI).
Note: Curriculum committee members may attend their instructor’s courses to evaluate the effectiveness of the instructor. They must notify the instructor and office if they intend to do so. Also, if they intend to fully participate in the course (i.e., receive handouts, food, materials) they should register for the program.
Curriculum Committee Chair Responsibilities
- Maintain/update course tracking worksheet.
- Work with new, unsolicited instructors (submitted online, walk-ins, member recommendations, etc.) from the time OLLI first learns about their interest in teaching, through the successful completion of their first course.
- Contact the instructor to learn more about them and their course idea, and how they heard about OLLI.
- Upon request, assist with completing and submitting the course proposal form.
- Provide orientation about teaching for OLLI (scheduling AV equipment, getting handouts, role of the class assistant, etc.).
- Observe their first session to evaluate the effectiveness of the instructor.
- Tracking
Note: Once the instructor demonstrates success in teaching for OLLI, they will be assigned to a curriculum committee member who will serve as their ongoing contact.