Information to Include in a Letter to the Committee

The Course Substitution Committee appreciates the support of foreign language and mathematics instructors, tutors, and other support staff in helping us to better understand the difficulties a student may be having with foreign language or mathematics learning.  Letters can be addressed to the committee.  Each student’s request is considered on a case-by-case basis and a letter from an instructor or other professional is only one piece the committee uses to support its decision making.  If a student has asked you to write a letter and you have any questions about the process, the committee, or the substitution policy please contact Heather Thompson.

Letters can be provided directly to the student for submission with their request, or can be sent directly to the committee by emailing them to committee member Heather Thompson.  While digital copies of letters are preferred, hard copies can also be delivered to Heather Thompson.

Below is a list of information that is helpful to include if a student has asked that you write a letter to accompany a course substitution request.

For Foreign Language or Quantitative Instructors

• General attendance record
• Grades on assignments, quizzes, tests, and overall course grade (an estimate if the student is currently enrolled)
• The extent to which the student has sought assistance outside of class (your office hours, appointments, tutoring, etc.) and any additional resources used
• Your observations regarding effort, specific challenges, and the ability to succeed in future courses based on current performance
• Any accommodations currently available to the student

For Medical or Counseling Professionals

• Information that would speak to underlying issues the student is experiencing that negatively effect their ability to success in a foreign language or mathematics course specifically
• Your professional opinion regarding the student’s ability to succeed in a foreign language or mathematics course (given appropriate accommodations if applicable)
• Any history of difficulty with or exemption from foreign language or mathematics requirement that you are aware of

For Others

• Any of the above that is applicable and within your ability to disclose
• Your relationship to the student, particularly in relation to their experience in foreign language and mathematics courses
• Your observations of difficulties, perseverance, exceptional time spent to succeed, resource utilization, or other relevant student behaviors