Whether you are new to teaching at OLLI or a returning instructor, there are a number of questions that come up frequently. Here is a list of the most common ones.
Please look for the answer to your question here before calling, emailing, or visiting the OLLI office. Answers to questions about OLLI in general can be found by following the FAQ link on the OLLI Home Page.
Basics:
Where are OLLI courses taught?
Most OLLI courses are taught in Ashland at the Campbell Center, located at 655 Frances Lane. Approximately 10 percent of courses are taught in Medford at the RCC-SOU Higher Education Center (HEC), located at 101 S. Bartlett Street. Click here for detailed directions and parking information for both locations.
Other potential locations for OLLI courses include ScienceWorks Hands-on Museum (Ashland); Meese Auditorium, in the Art Building on SOU's Ashland campus; the Meese Meeting room, in the Hannon Library on SOU's Ashland campus; the Ashland Art Center (downtown Ashland); and The Grove (Ashland).
How do I contact OLLI?
The main OLLI office is at the Campbell Center in Ashland. The office phone number is 541-552-6048, and the email address is olli@sou.edu. See also: Contact Us page.
What if I have to cancel a class?
If you need to cancel a class session, you must notify the OLLI Office staff in advance at olli@sou.edu or 541-552-6048. Announce the change at the preceding class, if possible, and/or email your students.
What about parking?
For detailed parking information for the Campbell Center in Ashland and Higher Education Center (HEC) in Medford, please view the OLLI at SOU parking guide.
What do I do if there is an emergency during a class?
If there is any kind of medical emergency during a class -- for example, if someone has a heart attack, or a seizure, or any other kind of serious medical problem -- call 911 immediately. When in doubt 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.
Becoming an Instructor:
How do I become an instructor at OLLI?
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; hands-on instruction; and field trips. Click here for information about teaching at OLLI.
What is the deadline for course proposals?
The instructional year at OLLI has three terms of 10 weeks duration each: fall, winter and summer. Proposals for Fall Term courses are due in May; for Winter Term in August, and for Spring Term in December. Click here for the current year’s OLLI calendar.
How will I know if my course has been accepted?
It takes four to five weeks (after the deadline for course proposals) for the Curriculum Committee to review and schedule 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. 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 guidelines or resubmit it at a later time in order to balance course offerings in a particular quarter.
Can my class take field trips?
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.
Do courses ever meet off-campus?
Walking, hiking classes and dancing courses are examples of OLLI classes that meet off-campus. If you are interested in teaching a course that cannot be held in the Campbell Center or at the HEC building in Medford, please contact the OLLI office to learn about the requirements and discuss the details.
What are OLLI’s rules about self-promotion?
OLLI courses are intended to educate OLLI 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 class. Business cards, printed materials, and references to websites may be made available during the first class, but not actively distributed. Subsequent classes should focus exclusively on principles and practices to enhance students’ knowledge of the material. The email addresses of OLLI members are available to instructors but only for OLLI purposes.
Is any training available for teaching at OLLI?
The OLLI Curriculum Committee offers a six session course during each OLLI fall term to provide support and training for new and returning instructors. This course covers how teaching at OLLI differs from teaching younger students, how to prepare a course proposal, an introduction to the I.T. equipment in the classroom, examples of formats for large lecture classes and for small discussion classes, as well as tips on how to organize class presentations.
Teaching Your First Course:
How early can I go into my classroom to set up?
If there is a class before yours in the same room, you can get into the classroom about 20 minutes before your scheduled class starting time. A half hour has been set aside between class times to allow for classroom set up time. However, please keep in mind that the instructor and students leaving the class that just ended need time to gather their belongings and make their way out the door. Please allow at least five minutes for this transition to happen. If you find a class is lingering or carrying on conversations beyond that time, feel free to let the instructor and/or his or her students know that you need some time to set up for your class. You might suggest that they continue their conversations out in the courtyard or in the student lounge. If there continues to be timing issue, feel free to let office staff know so they can address the issue with the other instructor.
I need help moving tables and chairs in my classroom. Can someone help with this?
Normally this is handled on an informal basis. Students who show up early are often happy to help with re-arranging tables and chairs. Please feel free to ask. If you run out of student options, please feel free to come to the OLLI office and we will do our best to help you find some other way to get assistance. OLLI staff is not able to re-arrange tables and chairs before classes, but we will do our best to help locate someone who can help. NOTE: If you do rearrange tables and chairs for your class, please put everything back (or ask your students to do so) as it was before leaving. The default seating arrangement for OLLI classes is “lecture style,” not a circle, etc.
How do I see my course roster?
Before the term begins, instructors receive an email from the OLLI office which will include detailed instructions for accessing your course roster online. You online course roster includes phone and email contact information for your students, although a small number of OLLI members do not have email or computers. Note that your course roster may change daily, due to members dropping and adding classes.
Will I receive a paper copy of my course roster?
No later than a week before the term begins, rosters for courses that meet at the Campbell Center in Ashland or the H.E.C. building in Medford are printed out and placed in the appropriate classroom. The paper copy of the roster is not updated as students drop or add your course throughout the term, so please check CampusCE for the most up-to-date list of your course roster.
If you are teaching an offsite location such as ScienceWorks or Meese Auditorium, a copy of your roster will be available for pick up at the OLLI office before the term begins.
When I look at my course roster in CampusCE, what does it mean if a student’s email address is “olli@sou.edu”?
Approximately five percent of OLLI members do not use email. In such cases, the office uses “olli@sou.edu” as the member’s default email address. So if you see “olli@sou.edu” listed next to one of your student’s names on your course roster, this means this student will not receive any emails you send out to enrolled students. If you need paper copies of handouts made for students who do not use email, please contact the office for assistance.
What is the wait list and how does the waiting list process work?
If the enrollment is greater than the maximum number of students specified, a wait list is kept. If a student contacts the office to drop the course, the next person on the wait list is enrolled in the course and then notified by email or telephone that they are now registered in that course.
My course has a wait list. What should I do if some students are not showing up?
Instructors of a course with a wait list are encouraged to contact the office whenever you want the office to let a student(s) at the top of the priority wait list into your course. (If you need instructions on how to log into CampusCE to see whether or not your course has a wait list, please contact the office.) For example, if you notice that there are five fewer students than you expected to show up the first week of your course, you are encouraged to contact the office to request that the five students at the top of the wait list are registered in the course. Another example: Let's say you originally planned to teach to 30 students maximum, and there are 30 students registered, and 10 more on the wait list. But after teaching your first class, you decide you could handle 40 students maximum, and you are teaching in a room with plenty of empty chairs available. In such a case, please contact the office and we'll use the wait list to add 10 more students 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.
Communicating with 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 or stopping by the OLLI office in Ashland.
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. Click here for more information.
Course Materials:
How do I distribute class materials to my students?
In order to save paper and money, we prefer electronic distribution of any course materials you wish your students to have. 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 or stopping by the OLLI office in Ashland.
If you need paper copies made for any students who do not use email, please visit the OLLI office for assistance. Please try to plan ahead and give the office at least a couple of work days to fulfill your request.
For additional help or information, please contact the OLLI office.
How do I get hard copies of course materials made?
In order to save paper and money, we prefer electronic distribution of any course materials you wish your students to have. 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 or stopping by the OLLI office in Ashland.
If you need paper copies made for any students who do not use email, please visit the OLLI office for assistance. Please try to plan ahead and give the office at least a couple of work days to fulfill your request.
Is color printing available?
No. Due to the expense of color copying, OLLI cannot provide color copies for instructors.
Can I use copyrighted material to teach a course?
To help you sort through what is and isn’t permissible, we recommend surfing over to www.KnowYourCopyrights.org. The website is an educational initiative of the Association of Research Libraries, a well-respected authority on the topic. The short version: At a nonprofit educational institution like OLLI at SOU, whenever a book, article, movie, etc. is used for educational purposes, and the teacher receives no monetary compensation, the law allows a very liberal use of copyrighted materials for teaching purposes.
Can I reserve books for my course at the SOU Library?
Borrowing privileges (books) are available to SOU instructors. OLLI instructors may, if they wish, put books on reserve for their class in the SOU library. Just let the person at the Circulation Desk know that you are an OLLI Instructor.
I.T. Equipment in OLLI Classrooms:
How do I schedule a training session on the I.T. equipment in my classroom?
Please contact the OLLI office to make an appointment. We highly recommend you contact the office at least two weeks in advance of your first class meeting.
Who can help me troubleshoot a problem with the I.T. equipment in my classroom?
If you have equipment issues during class, please first see if one of your class members can help you out. Many can, including any that may be on the OLLI Instructional Media Committee or other instructors in your audience.
If none of your students can help and you are teaching at the Campbell Center in Ashland, please ask your class host or another student to request help from the office.
If none of your students can help and you are teaching at the higher Education Center in Medford, please call Skyler Sommer, HEC Computing Coordinator, at 541-552-8545.
Do I have to use the computer and I.T. equipment in my class?
It is each instructor’s choice whether or not to use the instructional media equipment in his/her classroom. Many OLLI courses are small discussion groups, in which there is no need for I.T. equipment. We only ask, if you do want to use the computer and projector as teaching aids, that you get trained on the equipment in your assigned classroom before the start of the term.
Paperwork:
When do I need activity waivers and where do I get them?
Whenever OLLI members attend a class that involves physical activity such as walking or dancing, each student must fill out an activity waiver. Please contact the OLLI office at olli@sou.edu or call 541-552-6048 if you need copies of waivers for your students.
What are the course feedback forms and where do I get them?
Please click here for more information.
Class Hosts:
What is a host and will my class have one?
Hosts are OLLI members who are enrolled in your class and who volunteer to help get your classroom ready before the rest of the class arrives.
The Host Committee will contact you the week before the term begins with the contact information for your host or to let you know that a host was not found. The Host Committee does its best to find hosts for all classes with over 10 students. However, this is not always possible.
If your class was not assigned a host by the Host Committee, you are very welcome to request that one of your students volunteer for the role. Usually, folks are more apt to volunteer when asked in-person by the instructor, than when asked by the Host Committee.
What do I do if a host has not been assigned by the Host Committee?
If your class was not assigned a host by the Host Committee, you are very welcome to request that one of your students volunteer for the role. Usually, folks are more apt to volunteer when asked in-person by the instructor, than when asked by the Host Committee.
