Dear Faculty,
For those of you who are teaching in Summer Term, we have some session start-up reminders, below. If you have any questions, please reach out to your department Chair or to me.
Kind regards,
David Ryden
AVP for Programming & Curriculum
University of Houston-Downtown
University Summer Calendar, Dates, and Times
All calendar dates, regarding the Summer Term Sessions, are posted. Please consult for holidays, withdrawal dates, etc.
In regard to the end-of-session course surveys, the IDEA system will send automatic messages throughout the term. Nonetheless, we include the table below in order to quickly summarize key dates:
Canvas: Opening of Course Shells
Canvas Instructors may publish course shells (viewable to students) two weeks before the start of their course’s scheduled summer session. The decision to publish the course shells early is in the hands of the instructor. Note, however, that on the first day of the session, all scheduled courses will be published.
Regardless of modality, you will need to edit basic content in the default Canvas course shell template (course name, syllabus, contact information, etc.). Please complete this information before the auto-opening of the shells.
Canvas: Required Posting of Grades and Assignments
All faculty must post major grades and assignment requirements in Canvas, regardless of course modality. If you do not actually collect the assignment via Canvas, you will need to build a “No Submission” or “On-Paper” assignment to create the necessary gradebook column. Please be very clear with students that their semester grade is based on the weights described in the syllabus.
Canvas: Required Syllabus
- Syllabi, in both Face-to-Face as well as online courses, must be posted inside Canvas. For maximum accessibility, we recommend that you use the rich text editor instead presenting the syllabus as a pdf/word file. Please consult the syllabus checklist.”
- Please reference the latest UHD Common Syllabus Language Policies, housed on the Academic Affairs website.
- Kindly check all links you have made to UHD pages: there have been recent updates to the website architecture, so many URLs have been changed in the past eighteen months.
- Be sure to consult syllabus resource page for additional tips on syllabus content.
- Last, please make sure that the course descriptions in the syllabi are identical to what is printed in the catalog.
Canvas: Accessibility and Ally Scores
I want to thank everyone’s effort in making last year’s transition to Canvas a success and for continuing to improve upon both content and the delivery of online materials. We have seen continued improvement in the aggregate scores across the colleges: please continue to be mindful of your individual section’s Ally Score and note that accessibility is typically maximized by using the rich text editing tool (as opposed to downloadable files). The HTML-like interface has improved accessibility for all students and makes the course content easy to navigate.
Canvas: Student Resources
We have extensive student resources on most topics, including how to use discussion thread, how make and post a Panopto video, how to use VoiceThread, and how to use Respondus Lockdown browser. On the Blue Navigation Bar on the left inside Canvas, there is a button that lists all the Canvas Help Resources, including our 24/7 hotline: +1 (833) 531-9763.
Canvas: Faculty Resources
The TTLC and CTLE have put together amazing online resources and trainings:
- TTLC: The Faculty Resource page; Training Schedule.
- CTLE: Canvas Design Best Practices and check out the UHD templates in the Canvas Commons (inside Canvas).
- Canvas 24/7 hotline for faculty as well via the help button in the navigation bar: +1 (833) 531-9763.
Requirements for Public Posting of Syllabi and CV per State Law
The syllabi for all your courses must also be publicly posted, via UHD’s Self Service portal. The same holds for instructor CVs:
- myUHD>Faculty and Staff> UHD Self Service>Faculty CenterCenter>Upload CV
- myUHD>Faculty and Staff> UHD Self Service>Faculty CenterCenter>Syllabus Upload Link
For more detailed information on posting your CV and Syllabi, visit eCV Instructions and eSyllabus Instructions.
Sample AI Generative Statements for Syllabi
Please be sure to clearly describe your position on AI Generative tools in classwork. We provide three possible options:
For instructors who choose to permit AI Generative Software
Artificial intelligence (AI) language models, like ChatGPT, can be utilized for any assignment with proper citation. It is your responsibility to verify the accuracy of statements generated by AI software.
For instructors who choose to allow limited use of AI Generative Software
AI Generative Software, like ChatGPT, can be a helpful learning tool when used selectively and thoughtfully. ChatGPT or other AI software may be used for certain assignments as the instructor defines. If you are unsure about appropriate use, please ask me. You are responsible for fact-checking AI-generated statements.
For instructors who choose to prohibit the use of AI Generative Software
In this course, the use of AI Generative Software, like ChatGPT, is prohibited due to its potential impact on education quality and skill development. All submitted work must be your own and comply with the university’s Academic Honesty Policy. Unauthorized collaboration or use of AI software is not allowed.
