Facilitating EECS DeCal Classes

Process for Creating an EECS DeCal

1) create proposal, 2) meet with scheduler, 3) submit proposal, 4) submit paperwork, 5) list class on DeCal website, 6) first-time instructors: attend traing workshop

  1. Create a Proposal

    Visit https://decal.berkeley.edu/facilitate/start-your-own-course for detailed information about how to create a syllabus, find a faculty sponsor, and complete the Course Proposal Form (CPF).

  2. Contact EE or CS Scheduler

    Email your completed proposal(ca b unsigned) to either ee-scheduling@berkeley.edu or cs-scheduling@berkeley.edu to review class scheduling and enrollment needs. Be prepared to discuss proposed class days/times and any special classroom requirements.

  3. Submit the Proposal

    Submit your proposal to the appropriate Department Chair's Assistant  by the submission deadline October 26, 2020 .   Late or incomplete submissions will not be accepted. Your proposal will be returned to you after it has been reviewed by the Department Chair.

  4. Submit Signed Paperwork

    Submit SIGNED paperwork to the Academic Senate.   SPRING 2021: Submit your proposal electronically to the Academic Senate via this form. 

  5. List the class on the DeCal website

    To have class listed on the DeCal website, go to https://decal.berkeley.edu (if necessary, create an account) and submit your proposal. Be aware that the DeCal student organization has different deadlines and requirements than the Academic Senate.

First-time Facilitators: Attend a training workshop

All first-time student-facilitators must undergo training.  The Student Learning Center’s Undergraduate Course Facilitator Training and Resources unit (UCFTR) offers a number of workshops and one-on-one trainings each semester to support students. Additionally student facilitators may enroll in the Craft of Facilitating course (EDUC 197, Sec 12) in order to get on-going support and credit for their work. For more information please refer to: Undergraduate Course Facilitator Training and Resources.

Submission Deadline

The deadline to submit Spring 2021 DeCal course proposals is on October 26th.

Spring 2021 Remote Submission: All proposals should be submitted electronically to the Department Chair's assistants NO LATER THAN October 26, 2020.

** Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered. **

In future semesters, DeCal proposals for SPRING semesters will be due to the EECS Chairs' assistants no later than 2 weeks prior to the COCI deadline. DeCal proposals for FALL semesters will be due no later than 1 week prior to the COCI deadline.

Visit the Academic Senate website for more deadlines and more information.

Required Documents for the Course Proposal Packet

The course proposal form must be completed each semester by the sponsoring department for every student-facilitated 98 or 198 course offered for academic credit. The following must be submitted to the Academic Senate in hard copy (paper):

  1. Course Proposal Form, signed by your faculty sponsor. This form can also be downloaded from the Academic Senate website, under the Required Documents section.
  2. Fully developed syllabus including the following information:
    • an outline of course content
    • a reading list
    • a statement of frequency of class meetings
    • a clear description of assignments and requirements for passing the class
    • key learning outcomes
    • method(s) of instruction
    • method(s) of evaluation of student performance


    An example of a fully developed syllabus can be found at the Center for Teaching & Learning. Additional resources may be found at the website for Undergraduate Course Facilitator Training & Resources.

  3. Unit Value Worksheet. This sheet can also be downloaded from the Academic Senate website, under the Best Practices section.
    • When completing the unit value worksheet ensure that the minimum total work hours are equivalent to the unit value of the course (e.g.: there are at least 45 hours for a 1 unit course).
    • Also ensure that any requirements outlined in the worksheet are explained fully in the course syllabus.

  4. Faculty Sponsor Letter of Support. A letter of support from the instructor of record must be provided for each course the instructor is sponsoring. This letter is required for all student-facilitated course proposals starting SP 18. The letter should be written on department letterhead, signed by the instructor, and address the five questions explaining the role and relationship the instructor has with the course.

FAQ

How do I obtain Department Chair's approval, and when?

Once you have a completed proposal packet with the signature from your Instructor of Record and have sent it to the EE or CS Scheduler for review, deliver the pack to the appropriate Department Chair's Assistant in Soda or Cory Hall.  DeCal proposals need to be delivered to the Chairs' Assistants no later than the stated deadline.

How can I get a class time scheduled and a classroom assigned?

The EE and CS Schedulers are the people who reserve classrooms and set up the class information into the enrollment system for your class.

1. Once you have a completed a DeCal proposal(including faculty sponsor letter, unit-value worksheet, syllabus, etc.), provide a complete and fully signed copy to the EE Scheduler or CS Scheduler either in person or as a PDF by email.

2. Provide the following information along with the proposal packet to the EE or CS Scheduler:

  • # of seats needed
  • first choice of day(s)/time to teach,
  • an acceptable range of other options for day(s)/time in case your first choice is not available
  • any specific characteristics of the room you would like to teach in (e.g., movable chairs, specific a/v equipment, etc.).  If you already have a location reserved, let the Scheduler know that.

The Scheduler will create the course in the campus online schedule of classes and share the section # and the class # with you.

Campus Scheduling will be approached to reserve space for your class if there is no appropriate room in Soda or Cory Halls. You will be notified when a room has been found and a specific schedule has been set.

Note: Classrooms for DeCal classes are set up via CS Scheduling. Please do not request a room via bcal in Soda or Cory Hall yourself.

How can I publish my DeCal course?

Once your course has been approved and cleared through the review process, the Chair's Assistant will send you a copy of your approved course proposal form. To publish your course on the DeCal website, please log into the DeCal website and submit your approved proposal.

How do I handle DeCal course enrollment and roster?

The Enrollment Manager is the person who creates the enrollment capacity for your class and designates how students will be able to enroll. You will work with the Enrollment Manager for any enrollment-related issues as well.

Once the Scheduler has provided you with the section number and class number for your DeCal class, you can contact the CS Enrollment Manager to discuss how to handle enrollment.

There are three ways enrollment can be handled for a DeCal class:

  • Open enrollment – this is first come, first enrolled no matter who the students are. No priority is given by major, no distinction is made between lower div, upper div or grad students. This method requires the least effort on your part but also allows the least control over enrollment.
  • Permission code distributed by facilitators– this is the most popular choice because it gives you the most flexibility and control. Enrollment is restricted to ‘instructor consent’ on Cal Central. You can then create your own enrollment form outside Cal Central to help you determine who should get into the class. The Enrollment Manager provides you with SINGLE USE permission codes that you can distribute to approved students. They use these codes when they enroll into your class.
  • Student-specific permission codes – this option prevents students from applying to enroll in your class and then giving the single-use permission code to someone else. This method is secure but rarely used because it requires you to provide a full list of students (names and SIDs) to your class to the Enrollment Manager within the first four weeks of the semester. The CS Enrollment Manager then generates the student-specific permissions and you then must notify the students that they can enroll into the class.

Can I receive units for facilitating a DeCal course?

Yes. To get teaching credit for your DeCal, you need to enroll into the CS 197 or EE 197 section assigned to your faculty sponsor. To do this:

  1. Create a list of instructors/TAs who need this credit. The list should include names and SIDs.
  2. Provide and review this list with your instructor of record to ensure they know who they will be submitting grades for at the end of the semester.
  3. Email the list to the Enrollment Manager who will then create student-specific permissions for you and notify you when you can enroll for credit.

EE197 and CS 197 are offered for 1-4 units. Facilitators enroll in units up to the unit value of the DeCal course they facilitate.

How can I set up a bCourses course site?

Your faculty sponsor, who is the Instructor of Record for the course, will need to set up the bCourses site and delegate access to you.

Whom do I contact for help managing enrollments?

If you have a waitlist for your class and want to drop students who have enrolled but haven’t attended class, you can request a class roster from the Enrollment Manager to cross reference with your attendance records. The Enrollment Manager would need any list of students you wish to drop for non-attendance by no later than 5pm Wednesday of the third week of class.

If you plan to drop students for non-attendance, you need to have communicated (in your syllabus and/or the class website) from the beginning of the semester that this is something you will do.

Where can I get more information?

https://decal.berkeley.edu/

Lastly, a friendly word of reminder...

As a facilitator of a DeCal course, you will assume a lot of responsibilities resembling those of an instructor in order to create a positive experience for all participants. We strongly encourage you to review this webpage and links provided above, to maintain close contact with your faculty sponsor to ensure clear communication, and to seek help as needed. Happy DeCal facilitating!

Resources