diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views.py b/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views.py
index 1519d876bb..99d96cad95 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views.py
@@ -250,11 +250,7 @@ def instructor_dashboard(request, course_id):
     elif 'List course staff' in action:
         group = get_staff_group(course)
         msg += 'Staff group = {0}'.format(group.name)
-        log.debug('staffgrp={0}'.format(group.name))
-        uset = group.user_set.all()
-        datatable = {'header': ['Username', 'Full name']}
-        datatable['data'] = [[x.username, x.profile.name] for x in uset]
-        datatable['title'] = 'List of Staff in course {0}'.format(course_id)
+        datatable = _group_members_table(group, "List of Staff", course_id)
         track.views.server_track(request, 'list-staff', {}, page='idashboard')
 
     elif 'List course instructors' in action and request.user.is_staff:
@@ -269,17 +265,8 @@ def instructor_dashboard(request, course_id):
 
     elif action == 'Add course staff':
         uname = request.POST['staffuser']
-        try:
-            user = User.objects.get(username=uname)
-        except User.DoesNotExist:
-            msg += '<font color="red">Error: unknown username "{0}"</font>'.format(uname)
-            user = None
-        if user is not None:
-            group = get_staff_group(course)
-            msg += '<font color="green">Added {0} to staff group = {1}</font>'.format(user, group.name)
-            log.debug('staffgrp={0}'.format(group.name))
-            user.groups.add(group)
-            track.views.server_track(request, 'add-staff {0}'.format(user), {}, page='idashboard')
+        group = get_staff_group(course)
+        msg += add_user_to_group(request, uname, group, 'staff', 'staff')
 
     elif action == 'Add instructor' and request.user.is_staff:
         uname = request.POST['instructor']
@@ -297,17 +284,8 @@ def instructor_dashboard(request, course_id):
 
     elif action == 'Remove course staff':
         uname = request.POST['staffuser']
-        try:
-            user = User.objects.get(username=uname)
-        except User.DoesNotExist:
-            msg += '<font color="red">Error: unknown username "{0}"</font>'.format(uname)
-            user = None
-        if user is not None:
-            group = get_staff_group(course)
-            msg += '<font color="green">Removed {0} from staff group = {1}</font>'.format(user, group.name)
-            log.debug('staffgrp={0}'.format(group.name))
-            user.groups.remove(group)
-            track.views.server_track(request, 'remove-staff {0}'.format(user), {}, page='idashboard')
+        group = get_staff_group(course)
+        msg += remove_user_from_group(request, uname, group, 'staff', 'staff')
 
     elif action == 'Remove instructor' and request.user.is_staff:
         uname = request.POST['instructor']
@@ -334,32 +312,13 @@ def instructor_dashboard(request, course_id):
 
     elif action == 'Add beta testers':
         uname = request.POST['betausers']
-        try:
-            user = User.objects.get(username=uname)
-        except User.DoesNotExist:
-            msg += '<font color="red">Error: unknown username "{0}"</font>'.format(uname)
-            user = None
-        if user is not None:
-            group = get_beta_group(course)
-            msg += '<font color="green">Added {0} to beta testers group = {1}</font>'.format(user, group.name)
-            log.debug('staffgrp={0}'.format(group.name))
-            user.groups.add(group)
-            track.views.server_track(request, 'add-beta-tester {0}'.format(user), {}, page='idashboard')
+        group = get_beta_group(course)
+        msg += add_user_to_group(request, uname, group, 'beta testers', 'beta-tester')
 
     elif action == 'Remove beta testers':
         uname = request.POST['betausers']
-        try:
-            user = User.objects.get(username=uname)
-        except User.DoesNotExist:
-            msg += '<font color="red">Error: unknown username "{0}"</font>'.format(uname)
-            user = None
-        if user is not None:
-            group = get_beta_group(course)
-            msg += '<font color="green">Removed {0} from beta tester group = {1}</font>'.format(user, group.name)
-            log.debug('staffgrp={0}'.format(group.name))
-            user.groups.remove(group)
-            track.views.server_track(request, 'remove-beta-tester {0}'.format(user), {}, page='idashboard')
-
+        group = get_beta_group(course)
+        msg += remove_user_from_group(request, uname, group, 'beta testers', 'beta-tester')
 
     #----------------------------------------
     # forum administration
@@ -661,6 +620,67 @@ def _group_members_table(group, title, course_id):
     datatable['title'] = '{0} in course {1}'.format(title, course_id)
     return datatable
 
+def add_user_to_group(request, username_or_email, group, group_title, event_name):
+    """
+    Look up the given user by username (if no '@') or email (otherwise), and add them to group.
+
+    Arguments:
+       request: django request--used for tracking log
+       username_or_email: who to add.  Decide if it's an email by presense of an '@'
+       group: django group object
+       group_title: what to call this group in messages to user--e.g. "beta-testers".
+       event_name: what to call this event when logging to tracking logs.
+
+    Returns:
+       html to insert in the message field
+    """
+    user = None
+    try:
+        if '@' in username_or_email:
+            user = User.objects.get(email=username_or_email)
+        else:
+            user = User.objects.get(username=username_or_email)
+    except User.DoesNotExist:
+        msg = '<font color="red">Error: unknown username "{0}"</font>'.format(uname)
+        user = None
+
+    if user is not None:
+        msg = '<font color="green">Added {0} to {1} group = {2}</font>'.format(user, group_title, group.name)
+        user.groups.add(group)
+        track.views.server_track(request, 'add-{0} {1}'.format(event_name, user), {}, page='idashboard')
+
+    return msg
+
+def remove_user_from_group(request, username_or_email, group, group_title, event_name):
+    """
+    Look up the given user by username (if no '@') or email (otherwise), and remove them from group.
+
+    Arguments:
+       request: django request--used for tracking log
+       username_or_email: who to remove.  Decide if it's an email by presense of an '@'
+       group: django group object
+       group_title: what to call this group in messages to user--e.g. "beta-testers".
+       event_name: what to call this event when logging to tracking logs.
+
+    Returns:
+       html to insert in the message field
+    """
+    user = None
+    try:
+        if '@' in username_or_email:
+            user = User.objects.get(email=username_or_email)
+        else:
+            user = User.objects.get(username=username_or_email)
+    except User.DoesNotExist:
+        msg = '<font color="red">Error: unknown username "{0}"</font>'.format(uname)
+        user = None
+
+    if user is not None:
+        msg = '<font color="green">Removed {0} from {1} group = {2}</font>'.format(user, group_title, group.name)
+        user.groups.remove(group)
+        track.views.server_track(request, 'remove-{0} {1}'.format(event_name, user), {}, page='idashboard')
+
+    return msg
 
 
 def get_student_grade_summary_data(request, course, course_id, get_grades=True, get_raw_scores=False, use_offline=False):
diff --git a/lms/templates/courseware/instructor_dashboard.html b/lms/templates/courseware/instructor_dashboard.html
index 04248336e5..b12d17dced 100644
--- a/lms/templates/courseware/instructor_dashboard.html
+++ b/lms/templates/courseware/instructor_dashboard.html
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@ table.stat_table td {
 
 a.selectedmode { background-color: yellow; }
 
+textarea {
+  height: 200px;
+}
 </style>
 
 <script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript">
@@ -267,9 +270,11 @@ function goto( mode)
     <p>
     Enter usernames or emails for students who should be beta-testers.  They will get to see course materials early, as configured via the <tt>days_early_for_beta</tt> option in the course policy.
     </p>
-    <input type="textarea" name="betausers">
-    <input type="submit" name="action" value="Add beta testers">
+    <p>
+    <textarea cols="50" row="30" name="betausers"></textarea>
     <input type="submit" name="action" value="Remove beta testers">
+    <input type="submit" name="action" value="Add beta testers">
+    </p>
     <hr width="40%" style="align:left">
   %endif
 %endif