Learning Community Instructors

Become a UC 1900 Instructor

Learning Community Seminar classes are taught by faculty and staff members who are committed to the success, transition and education of OHIO Bobcats.

Interested in teaching UC 1900? 

The Teaching Time Preference form will be available February 2, 2026 and will be due March 6, 2026. 

Testimonials

Testimonial
Josh Antonnucio

I have always enjoyed getting to engage with a community of first-year students at the very beginning of their academic and career journey. 

The learning community invariably becomes tightly-knit, providing a network of trusted relationships in this new phase of life. I find that that the intentionality and scope of our lessons empower students to make the most of the opportunities on campus. I learn so much from my LC each year, and the class gives me a forum to get new students excited and motivated about the possibilities in their time at Ohio University and beyond.

—Josh Antonuccio, Director/Associate Director, School of Media Arts & Studies; Director, Ohio University Music Industry Summit; Program Coordinator, Ohio SXSW, Music Industry & Production Masterclass Series; Faculty Advisor, Brick City Records & Women in Music Industry

Testimonial
Mary Beth Brown

One of my favorite things about teaching Learning Communities is getting to work closely with outstanding BSN students who serve as Learning Community Leaders. I love planning the course with them and hearing their fresh perspectives to help keep the class relevant and as valuable as possible for the new students. It is also incredibly rewarding when I see my former Learning Community students years later after they have realized their dream of becoming professional nurses; we always have great fun reminiscing about their very first semester in college and looking at how far they’ve come since then.

—Mary Beth Brown, MS, Director of Advising, School of Nursing

Testimonial
Valerie Young

Things that I love about being a Learning Community instructor:

  1. I love hearing from new students what they are interested in and excited about, and what they hope to do in the future.
  2. I feel good when I can help a student connect with a support resource, a student group, or the right major.  I like being part of making OHIO feel like home for them.
  3. I love knowing so many students in our program from their first week of classes all the way until their graduation. Seeing the transformation from high school student to engineer is motivating and fulfilling to me.
  4. I love working with the student Learning Community Leader, hearing their ideas and getting their insight and perspectives into the student experience, and seeing them grow in their interpersonal and organizational skills.
  5. I enjoy the chance to connect with people from across the university who are committed to a positive first year experience, to share and try different approaches and ideas.

—Valerie L. Young, Ph.D., Faculty Senate Representative, Russ College of Engineering & Technology; Co-Chair, Russ College Committee for Diversity, Equity, inclusion, Accessibility, and Belonging; Accreditation Coordinator, Bachelors Program in Chemical Engineering; Advisor, OHIO D2 Ice Hockey; Advisor, Anime Club of Ohio University; Associate Professor, Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Testimonial
Larry Hayman

I love being a part of first year students’ transition into Ohio University. The Pre-Law Learning Community gives me the ability to connect students with resources that will help them develop into successful college students, effective leaders, and engaged community members. 

It is rewarding to watch students adjust to their new environment, overcome challenges, find their passions and purpose, all while instilling in them that they have an advocate in their corner as they navigate the first year.

Testimonial
Ana L. Rosado Feger

t’s a question I get asked every year. I normally teach upperclassmen and graduate students, just because of my field within the CoB. I have three main reasons: 1. Freshmen are excited. They are experiencing lots of new things all at once and most of them come at the challenge with joy. The energy is different in a freshman LC vs an upperclassman class, where they are much more serious and focused on their post-graduation goals. The LC energy is uplifting.

2. LC is about welcoming our Bobcat and College communities and families. I joined OU because it felt like family. I want to share that belonging with our students.

3. Representation. As a Hispanic female, I know how important it can be to see oneself in those who lead us…but also how important it can be for those not in minoritized groups to see those who do NOT look like them be in those leadership roles.

Requirements

  • Prefer master’s degree or higher from an accredited institution, Learning Community Programs graduate assistant, or currently enrolled as a masters student and requesting to teach UC 1900 as a practicum
  • Ohio University employee
  • Approval by the instructor’s supervisor or department chair
  • Approval by the Executive Director of Learning Communities
  • Meet the expectations as identified in the Condition of Appointment form

Instructor Timeline for UC 1900

DateInformation
February 2Call for Instructors
March 6Interest Form and Teaching Time Preference Due
April 7Condition of Appointment Forms Issued
May 7Instructor Kick-Off session
May 15Condition of Appointment Forms Due
August 18Instructor In-Person Training
August 24First Day of Class

Syllabus and Weekly Schedule

Learning Community Programs provides a suggested syllabus and weekly topic schedule.

A Canvas course template will be provided. This contains lessons plans for each week as well as any additional resources needed, such as applicable videos, PowerPoints, etc.

A Canvas Instructor Resource Site is also provided which contains links to past trainings, procedural items and other reference materials. The sample syllabus as well as week-to-week schedule is also posted there.

Enhanced Experience Program is a fund that instructors and learning community leaders have access to request opportunity funding for events, field trips, tours, etc. that are associated with the learning community academic focus or exploring a major. Additional information can be found on the Learning Community Give Page. The funds for this program come from friends of Learning Community Programs through Development.

2025 Instructor Payment Rates

Instruction is paid out in the fall semester.

Professional Development is paid out May through August.

CategoryUC 1900 /1 credit hourWeekly Meeting with LCLTotal Possible
Professor2,9363473,283
Associate2,7383473,085
Assistant2,4943472,841
Professor of Instruction2,4633472,810
Associate Professor of Instruction2,4063472,753
Assistant Professor of Instruction2,3483472,695
Instructor1,2483471,595
CategoryMay-August Sessions
New Instructor

$262.50

10.5 hours

Returning Instructor

$125

5.5 hours

Training

CANVAS Training

The UC 1900 course is delivered through the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS).  We support first-year students launching their transition to OHIO and the Canvas LMS is part of understanding how things work on campus.

Instructors will need to be proficient in utilizing Canvas at the Instructor level.  OIT has materials available to support having a working knowledge of the system for instruction.

Core Professional Development

Instructors will be compensated for 10-hours of training. All training hours are recorded in the Canvas Instructor Resource site as "assignments". All instructors are paid for their professional development time.  All instructors should plan to attend the May Kick-Off and the August Training half-day.

May 7, 2025 All Instructor Kick-Off

Location: Walter Hall Rotunda

10:00-10:45 a.m. First-time instructors only

11:00-Noon All instructors

*This session is required and will be recorded for those who are not able to attend in-person or virtually on this date.

June Training Options- New Instructors

During the month of June, virtual training sessions are offered to support first-time instructor engagement with the Canvas instructor resources, lesson plan content and learn about student engagement strategies.   The trainings are recorded and loaded into the Instructor's class site for those who are not able to attend.

August

CANVAS template goes live.   There will be a session about transitioning the material to the Instructor's Canvas site.  The trainings are recorded and loaded into the Canvas Instructor Resource site

August 18, 2026 All Instructor Launch session

Please hold the day for instructor training, more details to come.

Deadline Date for Training Viewing

In order to receive attendance credit for the training hours, all training needs to be completed by the end of day on August 18, 2026.

Graduate Students Serving as Instructors

  • The department requests a graduate student to teach UC 1900 for their college, or
  • Student expresses interest in teaching UC 1900 for experience, or
  • Student expresses interest in teaching UC 1900 as their practicum.

Graduate student needs to maintain active standing

Graduate student needs to be active, enrolled graduate students with at least 1 credit (master's or doctoral).

Is instruction integrated into their position description?

If yes, then: 

  • The graduate student is instructing the UC 1900 seminar class as part of the core work of their graduate assistantship, within their 20 hours.
  • The equivalent to the pay of the course would be built into the graduate appointment.  We can work out details with the person who does the graduate appointments.  Example, the appointment would be split, including the account information for the Learning Community portion.

If no, then:

  • If the student has a 20-hour assistantship or sum total of all other work, they cannot teach as they have reached the maximum of 20 hours.
  • If the assistantship or sum of all other work is less than 20 hours, we can pay directly to the student.

Load Limitation

  • The graduate student is not able to exceed a total load of 20 hours, including any other work taking place on campus, in any capacity.
  • The UC 1900 seminar class is a 1 credit course, equivalent of 2.67 hours.