How to Apply
This is a posting for one Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) at 50% FTE. Please make sure you complete the application on UofM Careers (this website) by clicking the orange "Apply Now" button. You will need to have the following pieces of information combined into one document before you begin:
- a cover letter addressing interest and qualifications for the position
- a resume or curriculum vita
- copy of undergraduate and graduate transcripts (unofficial is fine); if transcripts are long or difficult to read, a list of relevant courses (number and title) and grade achieved should also be included to expedite the review process.
- teaching history (list course and department)
- any available teaching evaluations
Name the .PDF file as follows: LastName.FirstName.CourseNumber. For example: Doe.John.Environ222
Verify your own course schedule against the schedule for the course to which you are applying as a GSI. All GSIs are required to attend the lecture and discussion times as posted. In Winter 2025, the ENVIRON 222 GSI posting had 61 applicants.
Course Description
This is primarily a lecture course. Information in the course includes helping students understand the historic underpinnings of the EJ movement, how to build a theoretical EJ lens to examine environmental concerns, and helps them begin to think about how one might take action, be involved in, or collaborate to make change. Course topics vary each year, but may include
- Historical and contemporary diseases and epidemics.
- Urban and rural poverty.
- Residential segregation, housing, and homelessness.
- Toxic food consumption.
- Food insecurity, food access, and food justice.
- Health access to water
- Climate justice impacts
- Movement building
The course will focus primarily on the domestic context of historic and contemporary environmental justice issues.
Responsibilities*
- Lead discussion sections
- Provide tech support to guest lecturers
- Attend weekly planning meetings with instructor leading the course
- Read assigned materials
- Attend all lectures
- Keep attendance records
- Grade papers and keep records of topics students write on
- Develop activities for students to do in discussion session
- Hold office hours
- Help maintain course Canvas site
Required Qualifications*
- Prior completion of environmental justice, urban planning, social change or sociology coursework.
- Knowledge of / participation in off-campus environmental justice and/or community-engaged activities.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills - ability to edit other's writing.
- Knowledge of organizational change and development.
- Familiarity/comfort with assisting with technology in classroom.
- Willingness to be collaborative with students on topics that are new to them.
- Willingness to be collaborative with the instructor for lecture and discussion.
- Well Organized and have the time to commit to this position.
- Applicant must be in good standing as a graduate student at the University of Michigan. If the language of instruction at undergraduate institution was not English, student must be evaluated by the English Language Institute (ELI) for English proficiency and either pass the GSI-OET or have this test waived by the ELI before they can be eligible for a GSI appointment in LS&A.
Desired Qualifications*
- Prior experience as a GSI desired.
- Teaching/facilitation experience in related environmental field.
Modes of Work
Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.
Contact Information
Instructor: M'Lis Bartlett, [email protected].
If you have questions about how to apply for the position, please email SEAS Financial Aid at [email protected].
Application Deadline
Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.
Decision Making Process
Faculty will review applications and rank up to four candidates for each GSI position. In addition to selecting their top applicants, faculty can list those applicants whose qualifications are not sufficient to serve as a GSI in the course. The Faculty Director or his/her designate will review GSI assignments based on faculty and student preferences. Faculty preferences should be heavily weighted in the GSI selection process in order to satisfy course needs. Where there are similarly qualified candidates, the faculty member and the Faculty Director should be race and gender inclusive in the selection of the final candidates. Additionally, Ph.D. students should be prioritized for selection over master's level students. In the event, that the top-ranked candidate declines the position after accepting the position, an offer will be extended to the next ranked applicant.
Applications are NOT rolling. Faculty will not be provided with any applications until after the application deadline.
In the event that a student is ranked as the number one preference for multiple courses, they will likely receive multiple offer letters and have the opportunity to decide which offer they want to accept. However, the Faculty Director also can choose to work directly with the faculty to resolve any conflicting rankings.
We anticipate all offer letters to be sent by Friday, November 21st, 2025. However, in the event that a position opens back up due to unforeseen circumstances after being filled, applicant information will be kept on file to be contacted with a potential offer letter.
Selection Process
Instructors have access to their position description and selection criteria along with the applications for their course(s). Instructors review their applications and rank the candidates for each position. Once professors have submitted their top candidates, candidates are matched to the professors who selected them and sent offer letters.
GEO Contract Information
The University will not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, genetic information, marital status, familial status, parental status or pregnancy status, sex, gender identity or expression (whether actual or perceived), sexual orientation, age, height, weight, disability, citizenship status, veteran status, HIV antibody status, political belief, membership in any social or political organization, participation in a grievance or complaint whether formal or informal, medical conditions including those related to pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, arrest record, or any other factor where the item in question will not interfere with job performance and where the employee is otherwise qualified. The University of Michigan agrees to abide by the protections afforded employees with disabilities as outlined in the rules and regulations which implement Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Information for the Office for Institutional Equity may be found at https://oie.umich.edu/ and for the University Ombuds at https://ombuds.umich.edu/
Unsuccessful applications will be retained for consideration in the event that there are last minute openings for available positions. In the event that an employee does not receive their preferred assignment, they can request a written explanation or an in-person interview with the hiring agents(s) to be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time.
This position, as posted, is subject to a collective bargaining agreement between the Regents of the University of Michigan and the Graduate Employees' Organization, American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO 3550.
Standard Practice Guide 601.38, Required Disclosure of Felony Charges and/or Felony Convictions applies to all Graduate Student Assistants (GSAs). SPG 601.38 may be accessed online at https://spg.umich.edu/policy/601.38 , and its relation to your employment can be found in MOU 10 of your employment contract.
U-M EEO Statement
The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.