Policy for Graduate Students with Non-English Medium Undergraduate Backgrounds Who Seek GSI Positions in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts

A. Policy for Graduate Students with Non-English Medium Undergraduate Backgrounds Who Seek GSI Positions in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts

The College of Literature, Science, and the Arts strongly supports the employment of Graduate Student Instructors (GSI) from diverse educational, linguistic and cultural backgrounds and values their contribution to the College community. In recognition of the particular challenges of working as a GSI in a different educational system, in potentially new classroom cultures, and perhaps in a different language, graduate students from non-English medium undergraduate educational backgrounds who are candidates for GSI positions in LSA have the opportunity to be part of a special training course sponsored by LSA and conducted jointly by the English Language Institute (ELI) and the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (CRLT).   The course, ELI 994 College Teaching in the U.S.: Pedagogy, Culture and Language, provides participants with practice in classroom English and in leading discussion sections and labs. It provides perspectives on aspects of the U.S. educational system such as office hours and aspects of the culture of the University of Michigan undergraduate classroom.

As part of the training, the College of LSA also requires that potential GSIs whose undergraduate medium of instruction is not English be evaluated for effective proficiency in classroom English. Effective proficiency includes fluent and intelligible speech, the ability to understand the English spoken by the undergraduate students, the ability to produce organized, coherent explanations, and the ability to contribute to the development of interactions with their students.

Graduate students are exempt from ELI 994 and the Graduate Student Instructor Oral English Test (GSI-OET) if they hold an undergraduate degree from a U.S. college or university, or an undergraduate degree from a college or university where English is the exclusive medium of instruction.  The Department Chair can also refer to the course potential GSIs who need additional language instruction and/or introduction and orientation to the American university classroom and community.  If referred, attendance and satisfactory completion is required as a condition of employment as a GSI.  Students who are exempt may take the training course on a space-permitting basis.

As part of the training and testing, graduate students are required to demonstrate their effective proficiency by taking the GSI-OET conducted by independent evaluators from the Testing Division at the ELI and a faculty representative from the department in which the prospective GSI will be teaching.

In the event that an examinee does not successfully complete the GSI-OET at the end of a course, it is incumbent on the department that made admission and support offers to identify alternative support resources that are not GSI positions and that do not require direct contact with undergraduate students. It is not required that these “backup” support systems offer conditions of support that are identical or comparable in level to that which would come from a regular GSI position, but they must be sufficient to meet Department of Homeland Security requirements that the international student be able to demonstrate the existence of financial support during the first year of study.

Such alternative support is contingent on the student’s concurrently fulfilling ELI course requirements identified in the GSI-OET.  This Test is provided at no cost to the student, and the ELI courses are available from the College to enrolled students. Although there is no limit to the number of times one can retake the GSI-OET, a student must complete the post-OET requirements to be eligible for a retest.

There are two options for the training course during the year.  There will be a Winter semester course (ELI 994) and an Summer course (both 2 credits), the latter only for new, first-term prospective GSIs. For LSA graduate students who are not required to attend the Summer ELI 994 course but who would like to, prior written approval from the appointing department is necessary.

Prospective employees who are not first-term GSIs may take a test of communicative skills in the Fall term for employment in the Winter term or in the Winter term for employment in the following Fall term.  If the prospective employee passes the test before training, the employee may choose whether or not they would like to participate in the training.  Students who are waived may take the training on a space-permitting basis.

For any LSA graduate student who is required to attend the Summer LSA ELI 994 course, the University provides housing in a designated University facility and a living allowance of $35 per day. For those who do not choose to live in the designated facility, there are no cash alternatives.   Please review the tax treaty information at: http://www.finops.umich.edu/payroll/forms/taxtreaties to see if you qualify for a tax exemption.

Matriculating students from a non-LSA school or college must be nominated by an LSA department to participate in the Summer LSA ELI 994 course. The Rackham Graduate School will provide funds for housing in a designated University facility and a living allowance of $35 per day, for non-LSA graduate students attending the Summer LSA ELI 994 course.  For those who do not choose to live in the designated facility, there are no cash alternatives.  Please review the tax treaty information at: http://www.finops.umich.edu/payroll/forms/taxtreaties to see if you qualify for a tax exemption.