We Can Help You Build Your Syllabus
The course syllabus is one of the first opportunities your students have to get to know you. You can add documentation that will make your policies very clear to students.
Here are a few suggestions:
Instructor Contact Information
Please advise your students of your preferred method of contact. For example, do you prefer Canvas email, Gmail (weber.edu), phone, etc.? You might consider an alternative contact method should the first be unavailable.
Also, inform your students of the expected turnaround time for your email response. Will you check your email once a day or every other day? The number one complaint we get from online students is faculty that don't respond to emails in a timely manner (or ever).
Technical Support Contact Information
For assistance with Canvas-related technical issues, please call WSU Online at 801-626-6188. This phone is staffed Mon-Thurs from 8am - 5pm and Fridays from 8 - 4:30pm. A message can be left during non-business hours for a return call. Alternatively, students can send an email message to LMSsupport@weber.edu. Canvas support is also available 24/7 by calling (877) 215-0831, emailing support@instructure.com, or by clicking the Help menu in Canvas for Live Chat.
If students have technical issues related to usernames/passwords, please call the WSU Help Desk at 801-626-7777, or email csupport@weber.edu.
We recommend you include support information on the home page footer of all your Online and Web-Enhanced courses. Here is an example:
For Technical Support contact:
801-626-7777 or csupport@weber.edu (username/password/login issues)
801-626-6188 or LMSsupport@weber.edu (Canvas issues)
Accommodations for students with disabilities
Feel free to use this verbiage to keep your course accessible:
Any student requiring accommodations or services due to a disability must contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) in room 181 of the Student Services Center. SSD can also arrange to provide course materials (including the syllabus) in alternative formats if necessary. For more information see the SSD website or contact their office at 801-626-6413.
If you have received an accommodation request from a student to receive extended time on assignments or quizzes, the following links will walk you through the process of providing those in Canvas:
- Classic Quizzes
- New Quizzes
- Assignments
Disability Services can provide additional one-on-one consultation about accommodations in Canvas.
Concussions and Head Injuries
Students who sustain a concussion or a traumatic head injury should immediately report the incident to a faculty member. The student will be excused from actively participating in physical activities for the class until the student is evaluated and cleared by a qualified healthcare provider to resume participation in class physical activities.
Ethical Conduct and Plagiarism
Please provide expectations and penalties for academic dishonesty; be specific about whether and to what extent collaboration among students is appropriate. For example:
Any form of academic dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, etc.) will not be tolerated. Proof of academic dishonesty will result in a failing grade (E) for the course.
Please note: if you are planning to use Copyleaks, the plagiarism detection software WSU uses, we suggest you include that information in your syllabus. See our example statement below. Copyleaksis integrated with Canvas.
Copyleaks Syllabus Statement
WSU subscribes to Copyleaks, an electronic service that verifies the originality of student work. Enrollment in this course may require you to submit some or all of your assignments to it this semester, and documents submitted to Copyleaks are retained, anonymously, in their databases. Continued enrollment in this course constitutes an understanding of and agreement with this policy.