OLLI at SOU accepts course proposals three times per year for our fall, winter, and spring terms, as follows:
In short:
Whether you are new to teaching at OLLI at SOU or a returning instructor, there are a number of questions that come up frequently. Here is a list of the most common ones.
How do I become an instructor at OLLI at SOU?
We welcome and appreciate new and returning instructors, and invite course proposals that range from academic subjects to skills and activities. We also encourage a variety of teaching formats, including facilitated discussions of books, films, or ideas; informational lectures; and hands-on instruction in the form of online demonstrations.
Do I need to be an OLLI at SOU member to be an instructor?
The majority of OLLI at SOU instructors are members, but we welcome non-members to submit a course proposal and become a volunteer OLLI instructor. While we do not pay instructors, instructors receive a discounted annual membership based on the number of courses they taught in the prior academic year. Please visit the Join OLLI at SOU page to learn more becoming a member.
How does the discounted membership work?
Instructors are offered a discounted full-year membership based on the number of separate course sections taught in the prior academic year: one course earns a $100 membership; two courses earn a $75 membership; three courses a $50 membership, and four or more courses earn a complimentary membership. The discounted annual membership is non-transferrable, must be redeemed in the academic year following instruction, and includes all membership benefits.
When are course proposals submitted?
The instructional year at OLLI at SOU has three terms of 10 weeks duration each. Proposals for fall courses can be submitted during the entire month of May (1-31), winter course proposals are submitted during August (1-31), and spring course proposals can be submitted from November 1 – December 3.
What happens after I submit my course proposal?
After you submit your proposal, you will receive an automatic acknowledgement of receipt. Your proposal will then go to the Curriculum Committee, and it will be assigned to a liaison who works within your chosen course category. Your liaison will contact you and offer any needed support, especially if you are a first-time instructor.
How will I know if my course has been accepted?
It takes four to five weeks after the end of a course proposal submission period for the Curriculum Committee to review the courses for a term. If there are any questions or concerns about a proposed course, someone from the Curriculum Committee will contact you during this process. You will be notified if your course has been accepted, and you will get a final version of the catalog description for review before publication. OLLI at SOU program staff will confirm all time, date, and venue arrangements. All new-to-OLLI instructors are strongly encouraged to attend the New-to-OLLI Instructor orientation, which is offered prior to the beginning of each term.
If your course has not been accepted, you will also be notified. Note that not all proposals are accepted as initially presented. You may be asked to refine the proposal to meet OLLI at SOU guidelines.
How are the courses scheduled?
The OLLI at SOU staff does its best to schedule courses to fit each instructor’s schedule. In-person courses are held weekdays. Online courses are held weekdays and Saturdays. Four time slots are available each day: 9–10:30 a.m., 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m., 1–3 p.m., and 3:30–5 p.m. PT. Variations in start time are evaluated on an individual basis. We strive to keep consistent end times so that members can attend other courses in a single day.
Courses can begin on any date during the term. Each course must have a minimum of two sessions and a maximum of 10. On five federal holidays, the OLLI office/SOU campus is closed and no classes are held.
Where are OLLI at SOU courses taught?
Most in-person classes are held at one of these three main locations:
Please visit the Contact Us page for addresses, driving details, maps, and parking information.
Walking and hiking courses are offered in local parks, trails, and neighborhoods.
Instructors may request courses to be held at locations outside the three main sites listed above. Specific venue information should be noted on the course proposal form. Approval of outside venues must go through the OLLI Administrative Director, as there are budget considerations and required paperwork. OLLI at SOU office staff will contact instructors to discuss details after proposal form submission.
Is there tech training for teaching in-person courses?
If you are a new-to-OLLI instructor or haven’t taught at the SOU Campbell Center since the classroom technology was updated in 2020, you will be contacted prior to the start of the term and scheduled for a mandatory in-person, hands-on training with a tech-savvy OLLI volunteer. You will receive training on the equipment you will be using to teach your course. Ideally this training will take place in your assigned classroom. Refresher training is also offered to instructors who have been trained previously.
Is training available for teaching online?
Yes! OLLI at SOU offers training and support materials to help instructors in using the Zoom platform. To support online instructors, the OLLI office can connect an instructor with a volunteer Zoom mentor. You can also refer to the Zoom Guide for Instructors.
How do my students get the Zoom link if I am teaching online?
Instructors are responsible for creating the recurring Zoom link and sending the Zoom link to their students and to the OLLI at SOU office.
What is a Zoom co-host and will my class have one?
Zoom co-hosts are optional but recommended. You can identify someone you know from your class roster, ask for a volunteer from the roster, or contact the OLLI office for assistance.
A co-host can help you manage your class by performing tasks such as checking student names on the roster if you have a waitlist, muting student microphones, recognizing raised hands, tracking questions/comments submitted via the “Chat” feature, and, in the case of a new-to-OLLI instructor, recording the number of attendees at each session for transmittal to the Curriculum Committee.
Can my in-person or online course include a field trip(s)?
Yes, where appropriate, OLLI classes do go on field trips. If you are interested in a class field trip, please contact the OLLI office to learn about the requirements and discuss the details. Activity Waivers must be signed by all students participating in an OLLI field trip. Please be sure to include details of the field trip in your course proposal submission. Both the curriculum committee liaison and OLLI program staff will work with you on the details.
May I use copyrighted material in my course?
SOU has provided guidelines for instructors to help them determine what qualifies as “fair use” of copyrighted material under Section 107 of the U.S. copyright law. Educational use alone is not sufficient to make a use in question a fair one. Please review this Hannon Library copyright page before deciding whether to use any copyrighted material in your class.
What are OLLI’s rules about self-promotion?
OLLI at SOU courses are intended to educate OLLI member-students, not to facilitate financial gain of the instructors, either directly or by increasing business opportunities. Instructors must disclose current business affiliations in the biography section of their course proposals and should reiterate this at the first session. The instructor may provide other business information and website references at the first session only. The instructor may provide a sign-up sheet for an email list or other promotion; the key here is that an individual is “opting in” to receiving information separate from the OLLI course. Subsequent classes should focus exclusively on principles and practices to enhance students’ knowledge of the material. Email addresses of OLLI members to be used by instructors solely for communication about their OLLI course.
How do I contact OLLI at SOU for more information?
Please send an email to olli@sou.edu or call the OLLI at SOU office at 541.552.6048 for assistance. You may stop by during office hours with general questions Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Please note that if the question is more involved, program staff may ask that you make an appointment and return at a later date. The office is located on the SOU campus at 655 Frances Lane, Ashland, Oregon. Parking is available on the street and in designated parking lots. Visit our Contact Us page for details.
What are OLLI at SOU’s office hours?
Find our office hours on the Contact Us page.
How do I access my course roster?
Two weeks before the term begins, instructors receive an email from the OLLI office that includes a link for accessing your latest course roster. The online course roster is accessible through the term and includes email contact information for your students. Rosters can frequently change due to members dropping and adding your course. The link is updated in real time with the live roster. Be sure to save or bookmark the roster link so you can access your current roster each time you are emailing your students.
How do I send my students an email?
Instructions on how to email your students are sent to all instructors about a month in advance of the start of classes. You may also obtain a copy of the instructions by contacting the OLLI office at olli@sou.edu or 541.552.6048 .
If you send your students a mass email, please use the BCC feature of your email program to prevent students from seeing each other’s email addresses when they get your email. This helps preserve students’ privacy.
How do I distribute class materials to my students?
Instructions on how to email your students are sent to all instructors about a month in advance of the start of classes. You may also obtain a copy of the instructions by contacting the OLLI at SOU office at olli@sou.edu or 541.552.6048 .
OLLI supports two platforms to share materials electronically: LearnerNotes and SOU Raider Moodle. For additional help or information, please contact the OLLI at SOU office at olli@sou.edu or 541.552.6048 .
What is a “waitlist” and how does the waitlist process work?
If the enrollment is greater than the maximum number of students specified by the instructor, a waitlist is created. If a student contacts the office to drop the course, the next person on the waitlist is enrolled in the course and then notified by email that they are now registered in that course.
My course has a waitlist. What should I do if some enrolled students are not attending?
Instructors of a course with a waitlist are encouraged to contact the office whenever they want the office to register the student(s) at the top of the waitlist for their course.
For example, if you notice that five fewer students than expected attended the first week of your course, you are encouraged to contact the office to request that the five students at the top of the waitlist be registered for the course. Another example: Let’s say you originally planned to teach a maximum of 30 students but after teaching your first class, you decide you could handle 40 students. In such a case, please contact the office and request 10 more students be added to your course.
Are guests allowed at OLLI courses?
OLLI at SOU policy states that members and instructors may invite a guest to one class, if there are seats available and if there is no waiting list. No one can attend on a regular basis without being a member. Students who wish to bring a guest are to ask for the instructor’s approval first.
Is there a form I use to solicit student feedback?
Instructors are encouraged to ask their students for feedback whether that be in person or via email. Students are always free to contact instructors with comments and suggestions. The following feedback form is available for instructors to use:
Also, the Curriculum Committee emails a survey to all students in courses taught by new-to-OLLI at SOU instructors once the course has ended.
What if I have to cancel a class session?
If you need to cancel a class session, you must notify the OLLI at SOU program staff in advance at olli@sou.edu or 541.552.6048 . Announce the change at the preceding class, if possible, and email your students notifying them of the change. OLLI at SOU staff keeps a list of changes for office volunteers to communicate with members who call or walk in with questions.
How will I know if classes are canceled or delayed because of weather?
The OLLI at SOU office and in-person classes follow the main SOU campus closures due to inclement weather. The OLLI at SOU inclement weather policy is as follows:
OLLI at SOU members and instructors will be notified by email of a closure or delayed opening. The OLLI at SOU homepage and Facebook page will announce inclement weather closures, as will the OLLI voicemail message. For confirmation of a weather-related closure, visit OLLI at SOU home page, or call 541.552.7672 . The campus will be open unless there is a recorded message stating otherwise.
What do I do if there is an emergency during class?
If there is any kind of medical emergency during a class – call 911 immediately. When in doubt of whether or not to call 911, play it safe and make the call. Then, notify the OLLI office right away.
If a fire alarm goes off during class, please vacate the building immediately and await instructions from the fire department or the police department before re-entering the building.
