Welcome to the faculty resources page for the Center for Academic Success (CAS). We encourage faculty to invite students to visit CAS. From first-year writing to advanced calculus, a nudge in our direction from a caring faculty member shows students that learning is a collaborative process. For faculty professional development, review the resources we’ve created for you. We believe in succeeding together.
Please feel free to copy and paste or amend the following blurb to your syllabus:
The Center for Academic Success (CAS) supports all students throughout their educational journey. You are encouraged to visit a CAS tutor for STEM, social science, or writing tutoring early in the semester. The academic services CAS provides are inclusive, engaging, challenging, and impactful. CAS tutors offer a one-on-one opportunity to discuss your assignments and will provide you with tools to become an independent scholar. For our first-year students, PLUS sessions are available throughout the semester. Log on to Navigate LA portal to make an appointment online.
Unclear emails from students are an evergreen topic among faculty.
Feel free to copy, paste, or amend the following into your syllabus or CANVAS shell:
8 Tips for Emailing Your Professor
#1. Know your audience and purpose. Thinking about who will read your email and why you are sending the email will make writing easier.
#2. Create a searchable subject line. Adding your name, the course number and section, and the primary purpose of the email helps the recipient find and address the email quickly. Consider this example: Absence for Jane Smith ENGL 1010-02 for March 15, 2020.
#3. Address your professor in a professional manner. Including an appropriate title, such as Dr. or Professor, sets a professional tone.
#4. Stick to one or two topics per email. Reading long texts can be overwhelming; stick to the point.
#5. Ask for a response (if you need one). Using a question in the body of the email or adding a farewell line that simply states “a response is appreciated” is a way of requesting a response.
#6. Revise your work. Checking for proper spelling and punctuation is essential. Remember that an email doesn’t use the same conventions as a text.
#7. Think before you click. Check your syllabus or talk to a peer before sending an email. Sometimes the answer to your question is found in your syllabus. For sensitive issues, try your professor’s office hours instead of sending an email.
#8. Always use your Cal State LA account when sending an email.
A) Whether a tutoring session takes place virtually or in-person, CAS encourages faculty to assign a short reflection piece on the tutoring experience. Short, low-stakes writing assignments enhance writing abilities.
B) Students receive an email with their appointment date and time. This email can be forwarded to you as proof of the visit.
C) Students who use in-person tutoring services in the Writing Wing and Tutorial Wing of CAS may request a stamp from the tutor as proof of visit.
Do you have a student in your class with an academic success story? Do you want one of your students to become more engaged with the Cal State LA community? Do you work with a student who loves to help others?
Refer them to CAS.
Share their name and CIN number via [email protected] or simply refer them to our office, and we'll take it from there!
The Center for Academic Success is always looking for empathetic and intelligent Cal State LA students to join our cadre of math, STEM, and writing tutors. Thank you for partnering with us--one recommendation at a time.
Please visit the Center for Effective Teaching and Learning (CETL)