Disability Support Services (DSS)
For Note-Takers
Note takers are officially set-up through Disability Support Services (DSS), and are established as such for the current semester/term. The notes provided by the note takers are to help accommodate the needs of students with disabilities who have been approved for this specific service.
Who can be a Note taker?
Note takers are students who are in the course(s) for which a note taker is needed. DSS hires one note taker per class.
What does it mean to be a note taker?
Note takers are responsible to either hand-write or type their notes as record of what was discussed in class that day. Note takers convey all classroom material, presented orally or printed, in legible written or typed format as objectively and organized as possible. This means that he/she will take detailed notes over what the professor says during lecture, what classmates or guest lecturers present, class discussions, in-class films, power points, and what the professor writes on the board. This may also include writing down notes about course assignments when the professor gives oral updates or instructions.
It is strongly encouraged to submit notes after each class meeting, whether by emailing DSSnotes@callutheran.edu or by coming by the office to copy notes. Note takers must submit notes at least once a week; this should be prior to 5:00pm Fridays. Within the Center for Student Success (formally the CAAR office), the DSS staff will supply the notes to the student needing this accommodation.
In some cases other arrangements may be needed to provide the notes to the student with the disability. These should be discussed with the Coordinator for DSS.
How do I sign-up to be a note taker?
Students who would like to become a note taker must contact the DSS staff. It is best to email DSSnotes@callutheran.edu to discuss your interest.
You should include in your message the course(s) for which you are interested to be a note taker in; this should include: course number with section number, course title, and professor name. For example: HIST 101-04 Intro to World Civ. with Dr. Copeland.
DSS staff can keep record that you would like to volunteer, so if we need a note taker for the course(s), DSS staff will contact you to fill this role. It will include filling out and submitting the Contract for Note Takers to DSS. (Find the “Contract for Note Takers” under the DSS Forms link).
My professor asked for a note taker to volunteer; what do I do?
If the professor has asked the class for a volunteer, or asked you specifically to serve as a note taker, contact the DSS staff right away to set this up. You can email DSSnotes@callutheran.edu to discuss the next step. You can also go to the Center for Student Success to talk with DSS staff.
Part of signing-up as a note taker will include filling out and submitting the Contract for Note Takers to DSS. (Find the “Contract for Note Takers” under the DSS forms link).
I received an email from DSS staff asking to volunteer; what do I need to do?
You should respond quickly to let DSS staff know if you are or are not interested in being a note taker for the course you were emailed about. DSS staff typically will contact the entire class roster to find a volunteer, and only one student will be established as the note taker. For this reason, it is best to immediately respond to the DSSnotes email and submit your Contract for Note Takers. (Find the “Contract for Note Takers” under the DSS Forms link).
You can either reply to the email DSSnotes@callutheran.edu or go to the Center for Student Success to volunteer.
What type of compensation could I receive as a note taker?
We greatly appreciate the efforts of our note takers. Upon the completion of the semester/term for which he/she has taken notes, the note taker may be eligible to receive: a small stipend, advanced registration for the next registration period, or certificate of thanks for volunteering for this form of community service.
The note taker must speak to the DSS staff about these options to determine what may be appropriate for him/her. If the Note Taker Contract is terminated prior to the end of the semester/term, eligibility for, or the specifics of, compensation may be altered and the DSS staff will communicate such changes to the note taker.
How does the stipend work for note takers?
You will indicate on your Contract for Note Takers that you would like to receive the stipend. Once you have submitted your Contract, you will either be confirmed for this position when you speak to the DSS staff in the Center for Student Success or you will receive an email from DSSnotes stating your role and responsibilities as a note taker with your copy of the signned Contract attached. You must then go to the Student Employment office to determine what paperwork is needed to be hired as a note taker.
Student Employment can explain what documents are required. The Student Employment paperwork needs to be completed within two weeks of signing-up to be a note taker. Once Student Employment has processed your paperwork, both you and the DSS staff will receive an email notification from the Student Employment office approving you to receive the stipend as a note taker.
As the note taker must take notes throughout the duration of the semester/term as part of being eligible for the compensation, the stipends will not be generated until the end of that semester/term. Note takers will be notified when their stipend checks can be picked up at the Student Payroll office. If you submitted direct deposit forms to Student Employment, you should receive the stipend through those means.
Any Cal Lutheran staff or faculty, who may be serving as a note taker, will not be eligible to receive a stipend. Only Advanced Registration or certificate of thanks for community service would be available to him or her. Student workers on campus would be eligible for the stipend or the other options.
How does Advanced Registration work for note takers?
You will indicate on the Contract for Note Takers that you would like to receive Advanced Registration. Once you have submitted your Contract, you will either be confirmed for this position when you speak to the DSS staff in the Center for Student Success or you will receive an email from DSSnotes stating your role and responsibilities as a note taker with your copy of the signned Contract attached.
Advanced Registration means that you will be placed at the front of your class during registration period.
As the note taker must take notes throughout the duration of the semester/term as part of being eligible for the compensation, Advanced Registration is not applied until the following registration period. For example, if you take notes for the fall semester, you will not receive Advanced Registration for note takers until you are registering in the spring registration period for the following fall semester.
DSS staff will give the Registrar Office the list of approved note takers for Advanced Registration shortly before registration begins. The Registrar Office will send a message via your Cal Lutheran email to inform you of your registration day/time. DSS staff will also email you to let you know the Registrar Office has the list of approved note takers.