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Faculty FAQs

Campus Emergencies

What should I do in the event of a campus emergency?

The Office of Emergency Management has published guidance for faculty members.

Academic Scheduling

  1. How do I request a change to my course, such as meeting time, enrollment cap, or assigned room?
  2. What is a cross-list cap?
  3. Why can't I move my class to another room that is empty?
  4. What can't I access my course in Blackboard?
  5. How can I reserve a room for a make-up class or review session?
  6. How can I reserve a room for final exams?
  7. What is the Reading Day policy?
  8. What is a "Designated Monday"?
  9. What if I need ADA accommodations considered when classrooms are assigned?

How do I request a change to my course, such as meeting time, enrollment cap, or assigned room?

All requests should be submitted through your department chair to the Dean's Office scheduling liaison. If approved, the Dean's Office will submit the request to the Academic Scheduling Office.

What is a cross-list cap?

If two or more courses are cross-listed, this means that they are taught by the same professor and meet in the same classroom at the same time. Each individual course will have its own enrollment cap, but the courses combined have one overall cap that can be reached through any combination of the individual caps. Just because one of the cross-listed courses is closed does not mean that the other is closed.

Why can't I move my class to another room that is empty?

All classroom changes must be made through your Dean's Office scheduling liaison. A classroom may be left empty for a number of reasons including scheduled maintenance or reservations that are planned to take place in that room one or more times during the semester. Just because the room is open one day does not mean it will be open the next. You may request to switch to another room when you contact your Dean's Office, and the Academic Scheduling Office will be happy to check for any future conflicts. Please note that unapproved room changes can result in disruptions to instructional time, as the classroom may be assigned to another course or event later in the term.

Why can't I access my course in Blackboard?

Only a professor who is listed in Banner and the schedule of classes as an instructor for a given course can have access to that course in Blackboard. If you are teaching a course but your department still has that course listed as "Staff" in Banner and the schedule of classes, your Dean's Office liaison needs to inform Academic Scheduling that you are teaching the course.

How can I reserve a room for a make-up class or review session?

You can reserve a classroom through our online reservation request form.

How can I reserve a room for final exams?

By the third week of each fall and spring semester, the Academic Scheduling Office makes available the undergraduate final exam schedule. The exam schedule is carefully designed to eliminate any time conflicts for students, who may have as many as six or seven exams scheduled during the exam period. Through the Dean's Office, each academic department is asked to provide feedback on which classes will not be offering a final exam, which classes will require additional time for the exam, and which classes request a larger classroom for the exam. The Academic Scheduling Office will schedule an exam for all undergraduate courses unless informed of specific classes that will not have exams.

Graduate courses do not automatically have final exams scheduled. Once undergraduate exams are finalized and assigned rooms, instructors of graduate courses have the opportunity to request a room for a final exam using the Graduate Exam Request form. These are distributed to all departments once the undergraduate exam schedule is finalized.

What is the Reading Day policy?

All designated Reading Days are intended for use by students to prepare for final exams. On Reading Days, faculty are not permitted to hold make-up classes or offer exams. If an instructor wishes to request the use of a classroom during the Reading Days, (s)he must state in writing that the activity to be held: 1) will be a voluntary review session, and 2) no new material will be covered.

What is a "Designated Monday"?

A Designated Monday is when the university follows a Monday class schedule on any day of the week other than Monday. This typically happens at the beginning or end of the semester to make up for Monday classes that were missed due to university holidays. On these days, only Monday classes meet.

What if I need ADA accommodations considered when classrooms are assigned?

The Academic Scheduling Office will make every possible effort to meet all ADA accommodation requests approved by the university's Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Office. Individual faculty members should work with the EEO Office to receive approval for requested accommodations. Once approved, the faculty member will need to submit a Special Classroom Request form through their Dean's Office. Please understand that room assignments are made at least one full semester prior to the first day of classes. Timely submission of the Special Classroom Request form is required to make the best possible room assignment.

Grading

  1. When are final grades due to the Office of the Registrar?
  2. How can a student switch from a letter-grade option to pass/fail or audit?
  3. How do I submit final grades online?
  4. How do I change a student's final grade after submission?

When are final grades due to the Office of the Registrar?

Grades should be submitted within five (5) business days following the final exam, or following the last scheduled class meeting if no exam is given. Should a faculty member need more time to grade a significant amount of student work, he or she should contact the Office of the Registrar to discuss an extended deadline.

How can a student switch from a letter-grade option to pass/fail or audit?

The student must complete a Registration Transaction form to designate the pass/fail or audit option. The deadline to switch a grade mode is the end of the eighth (8th) week of a semester or fourth (4th) week of a summer session.

How do I submit final grades online?

Please refer to our Faculty Grade Entry instructions for guidance.

Online grading is made available approximately one week prior to the end of the semester. Only the primary instructor for the course may submit grades online. If your course is being taught by more than one faculty member, you may not be listed as the primary instructor. Contact your department to coordinate the submission of grades from multiple instructors for different students within a course.

How do I change a student's final grade after submission?

In order to change a final grade that has already been submitted, a faculty member must submit the new grade through the Grade Change Workflow in GWeb. Please refer to our Faculty Grade Change Instructions for guidance. 

Recommendations

What information am I allowed to include in a student's recommendation?

Information contained in education records may not be disclosed without the student's written consent. Please have any students for whom you are writing recommendations complete a Student Consent for Faculty/Staff Recommendation form if you plan to include academic information such as individual grades, specific course performance, cumulative GPA, test scores, academic honors, or current academic status.

Statements made from your own personal observations or knowledge of the student do not require a written release.

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