Canvas Adoption Policy

Canvas Adoption Project

In order to protect student privacy, align with state and federal law, and to ensure consistent access to syllabi, the University will be implementing a policy to require a minimum Canvas presence for every organized undergraduate and graduate course in the Fall of 2024. This policy will require instructors to attach their syllabus as a file in the dedicated syllabus section in Canvas or to use the Simple Syllabus tool offered by the University. In addition, the policy will require all electronic communication about course grades (with the exception of the final grade), including electronic feedback given to students about specific grades on assignments, to be conducted in Canvas OR a third-party tool integrated with Canvas. This policy is in the process of being added to the Handbook of Operating Procedures.

 

The Office of Academic Technology is holding an open comment period on this policy through Spring of 2024. You can submit a comment through the Canvas Adoption Policy open-comment form.

Defining “Minimum Canvas Presence”

Instructors of organized undergraduate and graduate courses with five or more students are required to maintain a minimum learning management system (LMS) presence by:
  1. Publish their courses in Canvas before or on the first day of each term.
  2. Publish their syllabus in the LMS Canvas on or by the first day of class following one of the below methods:
    • Using the Simple Syllabus tool
    • Posting their syllabus as a file in the Canvas with the word syllabus included in the file name; and linking that file int he Syllabus section of the LMS.
  3. Conduct electronic communication about grades using a method approved by UT’s Information Resources and Security Policy.
Instructors can remain in compliance with FERPA by conducting all electronic communication with students about specific course grades using the LMS, a third-party tool integrated with the LMS, the University’s Grade Submission system, or via another method approved under the Data Encryption guidelines of the university. According to UT’s Information Resources and Security Policy, university e-mail is not an approved method for transmitting FERPA-protected data, such as grades.

Exceptions

Courses offered for zero credits, scheduled as individual instruction courses, or with fewer than five students will be excepted from this policy. Other exceptions will be subject to the approval of the Dean; Instructors may submit exception requests aligned with the specific policy for review by Academic Affairs.

Definitions

  • Organized Courses: Courses scheduled in the course scheduling system with the instructional types Lecture, Lab, Seminar, Clinical Organized.
  • Individual Instruction Courses: Courses scheduled in the course scheduling system with the instructional types Practicum, Independent Study, Private Lesson, Thesis, Dissertation, Individualized Instruction, Clinical Individualized Instruction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Instructors of organized undergraduate and graduate courses with five or more students are required to maintain a minimum learning management system (LMS) presence by:
  1. Publish their courses in Canvas before or on the first day of each term.
  2. Publish their syllabus in the LMS Canvas on or by the first day of class following one of the below methods:
    • Using the Simple Syllabus tool
    • Posting their syllabus as a file in the Canvas with the word syllabus included in the file name; and linking that file int he Syllabus section of the LMS.
  3. Conduct electronic communication about grades using a method approved by UT’s Information Resources and Security Policy.
Instructors can remain in compliance with FERPA by conducting all electronic communication with students about specific course grades using the LMS, a third-party tool integrated with the LMS, the University’s Grade Submission system, or via another method approved under the Data Encryption guidelines of the university. According to UT’s Information Resources and Security Policy, university e-mail is not an approved method for transmitting FERPA-protected data, such as grades.

Contact the Office of Academic Technology at oat@utexas.edu.

It applies to both undergraduate and graduate organized courses with a minimum enrollment of at least five students.

Yes, we are planning an exception process for documented use cases of courses that  are offered for zero credits, scheduled as individual instruction courses, or with fewer than five students will be excepted from this policy. Other exceptions will be subject to the approval of the Dean; Instructors may submit exception requests aligned with the specific policy for review by Academic Affairs.

Yes, Information Technology Services provides dedicated Canvas training, including training on how to successfully attach a Syllabus to the Canvas Syllabus with the appropriate file name OR how to use Simple Syllabus to satisfy this requirement. In addition, training will be available on different options for communicating with students about graded assignments in Canvas. In the meantime, you can request a consultation with the Canvas team by emailing canvas@utlists.utexas.edu.

If the third-party tool is on the External Apps vetted and approved list or there’s a current University contract (central, CSU, or departmental) in place and you are using the tool through a Canvas integration, you may conduct electronic communication about graded assignments through that tool.

No. Handwritten feedback does not need to be put into Canvas.

Contact the Office of Academic Technology at oat@utexas.edu.

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