Deadline for Fall Classes: Friday, July 18, 2008
Summer Classes Begin: Monday, September 22, 2008
- Use the tab key or your mouse to navigate through the form. If you press enter the form is submitted
- If you haven't taught before please read the paragraphs below. You must schedule a interview with the Communiversity staff after submitting the form.
Click here for Communiversity Convener Guidelines & FAQ's
Click here for
the
Fall Convener Newsletter
FAQ's for potential conveners:
What Is Communiversity?
Communiversity is a non-academic adult education program, founded in 1971. It is affiliated with UMKC through the Department of Student Life. All Communiversity classes are non-credit, and all teachers are unpaid volunteers.
What Subjects Are Offered?
The main subject headings and subheadings in the Communiversity course catalog typically include: Arts & Crafts (arts & crafts, dance, music, performance, writing, photography); Skills & Studies (money, business & communication, home stuff, people's law, computers, science & technology, language, history); Food (food, ethnic food, vegetarian, drink, indulgences); Health (yoga, massage, nutrition, healing, fitness); Me & You (singles, relationships, parenting, self-development, self-healing); Inner Paths (spirituality, skepticism, meditation, psychic); Outer Paths (martial arts, recreation, trips & tours); and Social Issues (environment, peace & justice, volunteer). We always welcome new class ideas.
What Are the Benefits of Teaching?
Even though there is no pay for teaching through Communiversity, the benefits are many: community service, networking, socializing with others who have similar interests, and publicity for your company or service. Many conveners also find that they learn more about their own subject by teaching. If the subject matter of your class is related to business, we ask that you do no "hard selling," transact no business in class, and that you inform the students of other options for the same product or service. You may ask participants if they would like to be on your mailing list. If you are teaching a class about religion, we ask that you do not conduct any religious services during the class itself. You may tell participants when to join in religious services at a later date.
Class Location, Scheduling, & Audio Visual Equipment
If you have classroom space available (a large office or church space, for example) you are welcome to use that for class. However, Communiversity can also find space for your class to meet. Most often the rooms we provide are located on the UMKC campus, at Kansas City public libraries, or at community centers. To a limited extent, we may be able to provide audio visual equipment for your class. Please be sure to inform us on your course proposal of any special requirements you have in terms of facilities or equipment.
Course Fees and Money Matters
Class fees for students are $9 - $16 depending on number of sessions and total class hours. There is a one-time registration fee of $2, due each semester. This money goes to keep the Communiversity office open and pay for the catalog printing, mailing, and other expenses. Communiversity offers three sessions a year: winter/spring, summer, and fall.
If you need to charge a material fee to cover out-of-pocket expenses such as photocopying, please bring a sample of the handout or material to the interview. All material fees must be approved by Communiversity, and will be included in your catalog course description. Such fees can cover your costs only. With the exception of cooking classes, Communiversity does not collect the material fees; conveners may collect them from students at the first class session or may ask that the students mail them to the covener prior to the first class.
How Do I Get Started Teaching?
Call the Communiversity office at 816-235-1448 to schedule an interview with a member of the office staff. Interviews typically last between 15-45 minutes, and cover your background in the subject, how you plan to present the information, and other matters. Because we know we are asking you a favor to volunteer your time, we are extremely flexible about course date and time. You can pick any date and time between the beginning and ending of the semester. Please do not ask us to pick a time or date for you. We don't know your schedule. We will make whatever time and date you pick work for us.
The duration of your class is also up to you. You can offer a one-time two hour workshop, a weekly seminar, or an ongoing group. If you need Communiversity to find a location for your class, the schedule may restrict the kind of classrooms available. (For instance, public library meeting rooms are not available at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday.) Please keep this in mind when choosing the time and date of your class.
You may also choose to offer the same class more than once during a single semester. If you offer multiple sections of a class, you may either list all sections in the catalog, or open up later sections as the earlier sections fill to capacity.
Before you come for your interview, please completely fill out your course proposal form (an on-line version is available), including the 30-60 word course description. This will be printed in the catalog, so try to describe it in a way that will attract participants.
Communiversity does reserve the right to reject any class because of content or qualifications of the convener.
After Your Class Is Accepted...
You will receive a course catalog approximately three weeks before the beginning of the semester. Approximately one week before your class, you will receive a roster including the names and telephone numbers of all registrants in your class.
Class Size and Cancellations
You may set an upper limit on the number of people you accept in your class, but it is not required. The size of the classroom may also impose an upper limit. If fewer than 4 people sign up for your class, you may cancel the class if you wish, though we still encourage you to teach. If 4 or more people sign up, Communiversity expects you to teach the class.
If you must cancel, move, or reschedule your class for any reason, you must contact Communiversity as soon as possible before you contact the registrants.
Registration and Attendance
If you choose to have your phone number listed in the Communiversity catalog, you may receive phone calls from prospective students. They should be calling you only with questions pertaining to your class content and format. To register, they need to contact Communiversity.
Registration does not end when you receive your roster. Please call Communiversity a day or two before your first class session for an updated list of participants. Also, participants who have not registered often just show up. If there's room and enough materials, we ask that you please let them join the class, but they must write a check to Communiversity for the cost of the class and $2 registration fee. Please mail the checks to Communiversity. (You will be provided an envelope for this purpose.)
Parking on Campus
Non-metered lots require special, expensive parking stickers. However, the UMKC campus is rife with metered parking, which does not require a sticker. The most convenient lot for people unfamiliar with the campus is outside the University Center.
Advertising
One way to increase attendance is by doing your own publicity for your class. We encourage you to advertise your class by word of mouth, bulletin boards, the internet, and other means. However, we ask that if you do any advertising, you contact the Communiversity office first with a copy of your publicity. That way, when someone contacts us from your publicity we will know what they are looking at, and the risk of confusion will be minimized. All advertisements must include the course number and title, date and time of the class, class fee and $2 registration fee, and our phone number so participants can call and register.
