Teaching Expectations for All Faculty

Teaching Expectations for All Faculty (Full-time and Part-time)

Purpose: This document was created based on the requests of deans, chairs, directors, and faculty (new and returning) to clarify teaching expectations for UT Tyler faculty. This document provides baseline expectations for teaching and offers faculty additional ways to present data points beyond course evaluations about their teaching for annual evaluations, teaching award applications, and other documents about teaching.

These baseline expectations apply to both full-time and part-time faculty. Therefore, it is not exclusive to other teaching activities conducted by UT Tyler’s full-time faculty. (These activities include, but are not limited to, program design and redesign, course development, mentoring and advising of students, etc.). Department chairs can use these baseline expectations in conversations with faculty and/or as part of faculty annual evaluations as desired or directed by their dean.

Faculty should also ensure they know minimal teaching expectations for their college, department, and academic program area(s).

1) Course Material Selection and Adoption

Faculty members are responsible for selecting course materials, including textbooks, to ensure the quality of the course content and that course and degree student learning outcomes are met. For courses taught by adjuncts, the materials should be selected in consultation with the departments. We encourage faculty to explore OER, free resources, or materials available from the library, such as unlimited e-book options. Due dates: The exact dates for submitting course materials are included in the Academic Calendar. These due dates are applicable for all sessions (e.g., Fall 1, Fall 2, etc.) within a term.

Faculty desiring to adopt a self-authored textbook or course materials must receive permission before adopting their textbook using the Request for Approval for Adoption of Faculty Authored Textbooks form on the Faculty Resources page of the Academic Affairs website.

2) Syllabus:
As required by HB 2504, passed by the 81st Texas Legislature in 2009, and in alignment with the UT Tyler Catalog statement on course syllabi, departments must post all syllabi and updated curriculum vitae (CV) by the first day of the term. Typically, departments request this one week before the start of the semester to build in time for posting these documents. In addition, faculty should publish the current course syllabus in the Syllabus Module within Canvas. The Syllabus module, co-created with faculty and students, has the required University policies and Student Resources embedded, so that is not needed for your syllabus content. State law requires that syllabi be available to the public and students on the first day of class and contain the following.

• Course number and title
• Instructor’s name, office location, and office hours
• Names, office locations, and office hours of any teaching assistants
• An overview of the course, including (1) prerequisites, (2) the subject matter of each lecture or discussion, and (3) the learning outcomes for the course and how they will be assessed
• Grading policy, including (1) means of evaluation and assignment of class grades; (2) whether and, if so, how attendance will be used in determining the final class grade
• A brief descriptive overview of all major course requirements and assignments, along with the dates of exams and assignments that count for 20% or more of the class grade
• A list of required and recommended materials identified by author, title, and publisher
• Final exam date and time

• In addition, UT Tyler faculty must include the required language on generative artificial
intelligence (AI) and clearly state the acceptable use and expectations for AI use in their course.
The artificial intelligence syllabus language can be found on the Center for Excellence &
Teaching website, the Office of Digital Learning website, and the Faculty Resources page of the
Academic Affairs website.

3) Absences:
Student Absences:
• NEW: As required by SB 412, SB 459, and SB 459/HB 1361, passed by the 88th Legislature in
2023, pregnant and parenting students are afforded different supports and rights. Part of the
support afforded pregnant students includes excused absences. Faculty members who are
informed by a student that they need this support should make a referral to the Parenting Student
Liaison. NOTE: Students must work with the Parenting Student Liaison to receive these supports
and rights. Students should contact the Parenting Student Liaison at parents@uttyler.edu and
complete the Pregnant and Parenting Self-Reporting Form.
• Follow Absence policies as noted in the catalog that include excused absence for University
events or activities, religious holy days, active military service, and due to injury, illness, death,
or major illness in a student’s immediate family.

Faculty Absences:
HOP 3.1.9: Substitute Instructors states,
Each faculty member is responsible for making arrangements for a substitute to carry on his or
her usual duties through appropriate administrative channels when an absence is made necessary
by illness, emergency, or a university-approved function. Any substitute instructor must be
approved by the department chair and/or dean. If the faculty member is unable to arrange for a
substitute, he/she must notify the department of the impending uncovered absence. Approval of a
substitute does not preclude the necessity for the faculty member to complete the appropriate
forms required by law of all employees about an absence from duty.

Faculty are encouraged to invite a university staff member, such as a career coach, librarian, academic staff member, etc., to assist students in their course or degree when possible. There is value in the consistency of holding classes as scheduled. It is recognized that in an emergency, faculty might be unable to arrange a substitute and must instruct students regarding required activities for the missed class session.

4) Timely and Consistent Feedback:

Providing meaningful feedback assists undergraduate and graduate students in clarifying their
understanding and is a critical part of the learning process. It is also essential to have the opportunity to try learning with low risk. This allows students to make mistakes in the learning process. Faculty are expected to provide feedback in the following ways.

1) Using informal and formal assessments throughout the course

2) 1st Month Alert (undergraduate students only)
Our most at-risk students are those who have transitioned to UT Tyler. For all incoming students
(FTIC and transfer students), faculty will be sent a spreadsheet to provide insight into the progress of the students listed in the spreadsheet. Faculty select their level of concern with the student’s progress (red, yellow, or green) and then check boxes with possible reasons for the concern. Faculty complete the spreadsheet and return it to Academic Success. Participation reports are sent to the dean, associate dean, and department chair.

3) Midterm Grade Alerts -- available for undergraduate and graduate students.At a minimum, faculty should let students know if they are failing or nearly failing. Midterm grade
alerts are submitted before the withdrawal date. This enables students to meet with their advisors to determine the appropriate action. This can be done through PeopleSoft or with the Canvas grade pass to PeopleSoft process. The Office of Digital Learning can work with faculty wanting to use Canvas to submit midterm grade alerts. Participation reports are sent to the dean, associate dean, and department chair.

4) Using Canvas Gradebook – available for undergraduate and graduate students
Students should have current access to their progress in the course. Course materials should be graded in a timely fashion and throughout the entire semester. Grades should only be hidden in Canvas if the assignment is being graded.

5) Submit Final Grades
Faculty should use either PeopleSoft or Canvas to submit their final grades. The Office of Digital
Learning can assist faculty wanting to use the Canvas grade pass-back process to PeopleSoft.

5) Course Content:
The Office of Digital Learning can assist faculty in learning how to incorporate closed captioning into videos to accommodate students’ different learning needs. Adding closed captioning is a component of compliance with federal laws and ADA requirements.

6) Professional Growth
Learning is a lifelong pursuit. Expanding your expertise in your discipline and pedagogy is essential for success. The Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning, the Academy of Distinguished Teachers, the Office of Digital Learning, and the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) courses are available to expand the pedagogical expertise of UT Tyler faculty. Faculty are expected to attend at least one professional development opportunity each year and study the implementation of their learning in their teaching practice, changes made in their course(s), and impact on student achievement. Opportunities are available on the Faculty Professional Development Calendar and by email.

7) Attendance Roster
Faculty play an essential role in ensuring UT Tyler can provide federal financial aid to students. As one of the U.S. Department of Education regulations, faculty must complete the attendance roster found in PeopleSoft. This allows UT Tyler’s Financial Aid and Scholarship Office to verify that students comply with the federal requirement related to attendance. The Director of Financial Aid emails faculty each term to provide the deadline for submission of the attendance rosters.

8) Program Assessment
Program-level assessment is an important process in which faculty gather information about what and how students are learning. Faculty group discussions are essential to the annual review to guide datainformed program improvement planning. When faculty members are the Instructor of Record (IOR) for courses included in the program-level assessment plan, they are responsible for collaborating with faculty peers and implementing the agreed-upon action plan for continuous improvement.