Canvas Presence for All Courses

July 18, 2016

Dear BGSU Faculty Colleagues:

In this fourth communication on implementing our new collective bargaining agreement, we want to share information about the expectation that all faculty members will use Canvas for all courses to provide a minimum level of information to support students.

As noted in an earlier communication, the University and the BGSU Faculty Association share a common goal of supporting student success. The role of the faculty is critical to this success, which begins in the classroom, continues through each class period and class assignment, and extends beyond direct contact hours. Providing access to key course information through the Canvas learning management system helps to support student success by creating a central resource that students can easily access and utilize. Faculty should provide course information on Canvas that includes:

• Faculty contact information
• Scheduled office hours
• A course syllabus
• Communications with students about class cancellations, change of location, etc.

For specific contract language, please refer to Article 9, Section 2.6.

For faculty who would like assistance with using Canvas, several options are available:

• There is a regular schedule of Canvas training sessions on the Bowling Green campus. Canvas training sessions are available on the BGSU Firelands campus as well.
• Faculty who prefer to learn on their own may visit the Canvas/Instructure website and click on the “Canvas Instructor Getting Started Guide.”
• The Center for Faculty Excellence is also happy to schedule consultations with departments/schools. Please contact cfe@bgsu.edu.

This joint communication will be archived on the Provost website.

Best wishes for a safe and productive summer.

Rodney K. Rogers, Ph.D.
Provost and Senior Vice President

David J. Jackson, Ph.D.
President, BGSU Faculty Association