CTL Graduate Student Advisory Committee

2025 Advisory Committee members

Co-Chairs

Committee Members

About the CTL Graduate Student Advisory Committee

Graduate Student Advisory Committee members are selected by application, and agree to: 

• Serve on the Committee for one academic year (fall and spring semesters), with the possibility for renewal up to 3 years
• Participate in a brief orientation meeting prior to their first Committee meeting, to be scheduled according to member schedules 
• Attend in person 2 two-hour Graduate Student Advisory Committee meetings each semester (4 meetings total, 2 per term), to be scheduled on dates to be determined at time of acceptance
• Communicate in meetings with CTL staff to share feedback, insights, and perspectives, and on occasion share CTL-related information with the community/ies with which they have a connection

2023-24 Advisory Committee highlights and accomplishments

During the 2023-24 academic year, the inaugural Graduate Student Advisory Committee convened four times. Highlights and accomplishments including the following:

• Mapping committee members’ collective representation and participation in communities across campus
• Helping the CTL rethink and refresh its Teaching Orientation for Graduate Students. This entailed learning about a range of orientation models, consulting with peers, and advising CTL on a number of changes to be made in 2024-25, including:
  • An expansion of the CTL’s in-person teaching orientation
  • Revisions to the CTL’s online, asynchronous orientation modules
  • The introduction of additional CTL supports, including themed office hours, a new workshop, and cohort-based emails with relevant programs and resources to further support first-time graduate instructors beyond orientation
  • Creation of recommendations for departments leading their own in-house teaching orientations for graduate students
• Recording an episode for the Dead Ideas in Teaching & Learning Podcast about the value of pedagogical development in doctoral programs
• Advising CTL on next steps for the Advisory Committee

2024-25 Advisory Committee highlights and accomplishments

A sign accompanying ‘pop-up’ office hours for graduate students, a new initiative undertaken in response to the Committee’s suggestions

Convening six times during the 2024-25 academic year, the Committee advised the CTL on strategies to expand programming and communications around its Office Hours for Graduate Students. Their work entailed learning about current patterns of student utilization and CTL strategies for communicating about office hours; identifying student needs that could be uniquely met through office hours; and recommending a number of changes to be made, including: 

• Creation of a website page dedicated to office hours, including why and how to access this unique service
• Making office hours more visible in existing communications, including a feature in CTL’s weekly emails, links to the office hours page in various locations throughout the CTL website, and the inclusion of testimonials in the CTL’s forthcoming annual report 
• Establishment of three “pop-up” office hours, staffed by CTL, held at locations across campus at different days and times throughout the week
• New signage and business cards to encourage participation and follow-up with relevant resources and supports 

Adoption of these recommendations led to an Increase in office hours visits in Spring 2025.

Additional insights from the Committee will shape additional initiatives during the next academic year and beyond:

• Creation of “resource spotlights” in the CTL’s weekly newsletter to that highlight resources, podcast episodes, and literature relevant to showcased CTL programming
• Definition of next steps for the CTL’s new ecopedagogy programming launched in 2024-25 (Climate Cafes in Fall 2024 and the Climate Wayfinding Seminar in Spring 2025)
• Advise to CTL on additional priorities for the Advisory Committee to pursue next year