Embedded Tutor/Supplemental Instruction Request

An embedded tutor is a student who has previously taken a course or has demonstrated competencies in the subject area and who attends on regularly scheduled days as determined by the Tutoring and Learning Center Coordinator. An embedded tutor should, first and foremost, serve as a model student by actively paying attention to lectures, participating in class activities, taking notes on important concepts, and avoiding potential external distractions during the embedded time.

In addition to serving as a model student, the embedded tutor may take on additional peer-level roles. Some examples of these roles include:

• Lending a seasoned voice to class discussions
• Modeling how to ask questions that benefit the discussion and/or asking questions on behalf of other students
• Acting as the liaison between students and faculty
• Helping facilitate peer review workshops (if applicable) or small group discussions
• Conducting group review sessions outside of class
• Encouraging students to utilize tutoring and other campus resources
• Building rapport with students

Please note that the above list is not exhaustive and the embedded tutor should be adaptive depending on the needs of the students and the instructor. As such, embedded tutors are encouraged to be innovative and are welcome to develop and try out new activities with the support of the course instructor and tutoring coordinator.

Embedded tutors function at a peer level and should never assume a role of authority when working with students. Embedded tutors are not teaching assistants, nor are they teachers. Embedded tutors are strictly prohibited from taking on any of the following responsibilities:

• Grading student work
• Proctoring quizzes or exams
• Introducing content to students before their instructor has taught it in class
• Teaching or conducting lecture in place of the instructor
• Serving as a substitute for the instructor on days where the instructor is absent
• Providing accommodations for disabled students in lieu of DRC support

If the instructor is unsure about whether a role they would like their tutor to take on is outside of the scope of the embedded tutor’s position, they should notify the tutoring coordinator of their concerns and ask for clarification.

In general, the embedded tutors report to and are supervised by the tutoring coordinator. While it is necessary for the embedded tutor to participate in a working relationship with the instructor, all questions or concerns related to the embedded tutoring role should be first directed to the tutoring coordinator for further guidance. Approval for extra hours, time off, adoption of new roles, or anything else work-related must first be received in writing by the tutoring coordinator. Misuse of embedded tutors may result in the removal of embedded tutor(s) from the course.