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Minimum Standards in Canvas

  • An up-to-date syllabus should be posted. Per the Faculty Handbook, the syllabus “shall state the purpose and/or objectives of the course, the catalog description, and the prerequisites of the course, what material the student is responsible for studying, what assignments are required and on what dates they will be due, the dates of examinations, the grading system which will be employed, the penalties which will be assessed for absences and/or for late or missing work, and the University statement regarding disabilities.” (p.60)
  • The gradebook should be set up and accurately reflect assignments and grading scheme.
  • Courses should be published on or before the first day a class meets.
  • Attendance should be kept using the Roll Call Attendance Tool.
    • Face-to-Face Classes: Attendance should be noted after each meeting.
    • Internship/Practicum Courses:
      • Attendance should be marked in Canvas during the first week of the semester to ensure students are active in courses and rosters are accurate.
      • Any absences of which the instructor of record is made aware should be noted in Canvas.
      • Attendance should be marked anytime the instructor has a substantive course-related interaction with the student. This can be either via email or verbal communication and helps ensure we have an accurate date of last attendance should there be a withdrawal.
      • Weekly attendance does not need to be marked unless one of the above scenarios applies.
    • Labs: Courses can be merged in Canvas, but separate attendance should be kept.
    • Online Courses: Attendance should be noted weekly. Instructors should convey to students in the syllabus what counts for attendance. This can include assignment submissions, engagement in discussion forums, or email communication, but accessing course alone is not considered sufficient for attendance.
    • Athletic Teams Courses: Initial attendance should be noted, but no other attendance records are needed.
    • Senior Dialogue/Zero Credit Courses: Attendance should be posted after the first meeting, but this is not needed within the first week of the semester.