Context at a Glance:

• Institution Description: Chicago State University is a public, comprehensive, predominately black institution (PBI) in Chicago, Illinois. CSU serves approximately 2500 undergraduate students and 1250 graduate students.

• LA Program Started in Spring 2011

  • 1 discipline- physics

  • 3 courses

  • 3 LAs

• Current LA Program

  • 6 disciplines- biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, math, and physics housed in 3 departments

  • 19 LAs

LA Program Description

• How was the program started?

  • The LA program started with funding from PhysTEC with the specific goal of increasing the number of secondary physics teachers. The initial LA program at CSU was in partnership with Harold Washington College.

• How is the program administered ?

  • The program is run by 2 program coordinators. Given the size of the program, department coordinators have not been needed.

• How is the program funded?

  • Initially the program was funded by PhysTEC. In between grants, the university funded the program from their tutoring budget. Currently, it is funded by NSF and Department of Education grants. The program at Harold Washington College has become self-sustaining and is funded by their tutoring and supplemental instruction office.

• Future plans for expansion?

  • The program started in the Department of Chemistry, Physics, and Engineering studies, and this is the department with the greatest number of faculty users. The CSU program is looking to increase the number of faculty users in biology, math, and computer science. The department of psychology has requested LA pending funding from non-STEM restricted sources.