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Teaching FSUS

Helping Students Adapt to College

Who teaches Ferris State University Seminar (FSUS)?

FSUS 100 is taught by faculty members, academic advisors, full-time staff,  and administrative personnel who have a special interest in, and enjoy working with, first-year students.

What are the requirements for teaching FSUS?

  • A minimum of a Master's Degree
  • A minimum of one year of employment at Ferris
  • Completion of the new FSUS instructor orientation
  • Participation in regular FSUS instructor workshops throughout the academic year
  • Coordination with the instructor's supervisor
  • Exceptions to these criteria may be considered upon appeal to the FSUS Coordinator

What is the application process?

To apply, please send a resume or vita and complete instructor application to the FSUS program office - ASC 1048. The FSUS Coordinator will then schedule time to discuss teaching FSUS. Instructor assignments are made on the basis of qualifications and available openings.

How are instructor course assignments determined?

Course assignments will be made in collaboration with each college Dean or Department Head/Chair according to the following priority assignment process for individuals meeting the requirements for teaching FSUS:

  • Tenured Faculty (Professor > Associate Professor) within their college/department
  • Tenure Track Faculty (Associate Professor > Assistant Professor) within their college/department
  • Full-time advising faculty within their college/department
  • Full-time staff with FSUS teaching experience within their college/department
  • Qualified Adjunct Faculty within their college/department
  • Full-time faculty from other areas
  • Qualified Adjunct faculty from other areas
  • Full-time staff from other areas

How do instructors prepare to teach FSUS 100?

All new first-year seminar instructors participate in a one-day orientation before teaching FSUS 100. The orientation, which normally follows the spring semester in May, introduces new instructors to first-year seminars, the FSUS course objectives, assessments, teaching materials and strategies, course requirements, guest speakers, support services, and program goals. All FSUS instructors, veteran as well as new instructors, also participate in additional workshops throughout the year to support a professional learning community committed to excellence in teaching and learning during the first college year.

How are instructors compensated?

Seminar instructors are paid in accordance with the applicable collective bargaining agreement, or HR policy, whichever applies.

Full-time faculty may teach the seminar as part of load, overload, or spring determination as approved by their direct supervisor.

Payment for the course is distributed according to the standard payroll calendar during the semester the seminar is taught with the exception of spring determinations (in which case an identified overload is allocated in a single January payment).