Orientation Information

One of the mandatory requirements that is a condition of employment is for all UMSI first-time GSI employees to attend CRLT and UMSI GSI orientation sessions. We are also inviting returning GSIs the option to attend the UMSI GSI Orientation afternoon session to share their experiences working as a Graduate Student Instructor with the School of Information. At this time we want to just inform you of the dates/times of these orientation sessions:

Please reserve each of these days in full. You will be required to attend complete and/or attend all programming sessions.

• • • CRLT GSI Teaching Orientation

      • The Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (CRLT) will offer Fall 2025 GSI Teaching Orientation (GSITO) as an online Canvas course. In addition to engaging with asynchronous modules, GSIs will have the opportunity to participate in an online, synchronous practice teaching session (GSIs will choose from practice teaching sessions offered from August 14 to August 22). Completion of online GSITO must occur by 5:00pm Wednesday, August 27, 2025.

      • The Fall 2025 GSITO will include:

• Introductions to equity-focused teaching, leveraging CRLT Players vignettes 

• A module on mental health and wellbeing focused on support for GSIs and their students

• Modules on a variety of teaching topics (GSIs select modules that best meet their needs)

• Key policy information (grading, plagiarism, academic integrity, and FERPA; religious-academic conflicts; and prohibited instructor-student relationships)  

• Opportunities for online synchronous practice teaching sessions

• GEO resources

• • • • The schedule for practice teaching sessions will be communicated by CRLT via email. Additional information about GSITO is available on the CRLT GSITO website. 

• • • UMSI GSI Orientation 

      • Fall 2025 New GSI Orientation is scheduled for Thursday, August 21, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

More specific details about orientation and ongoing training opportunities in the Fall 2025 semester will be communicated by UMSI’s GSI training coordinators in advance of orientation. If you have questions about any of the required orientations, please reach out to the GSI training coordinators (umsi.gsi.support@umich.edu).

If you are planning to apply for a GSI position and are a first-time GSI, please take this orientation schedule into account as you plan travel schedules.

(Note: "First-time UMSI GSI" = first time in a GSI position at UMSI, whether or not the person has been a GSI in other units at UM or elsewhere.)