Appendix C. Semester Checklist for Faculty

This checklist is designed to help guide faculty throughout the academic term. Tasks are sorted based on how they appear in the term: Before the Term Starts; Week 1; Weeks 2 and 3; Routinely Throughout the Term; Midpoint of the Term; and End of the Term.

Faculty are encouraged to print out the checklist and use it to guide activities and tasks throughout each academic term. However, while this checklist is thorough, it is not exhaustive. Academic divisions or individual departments may have additional items for completion before, during, or at the end of a term. Faculty should discuss any division or departmental specifics with their department chair.

Faculty Checklist - Semester Tasks

Before Classes Start

• Complete the syllabus updates for each course.
• Prepare the LMS (D2L) for students. Remember that students gain access to the course 3 days prior to the first day of the semester.
  • Copy content from an existing shell or course OR create new content.
  • Update the Instructor Profile Card.
  • Upload the course calendar/schedule.
  • Change the Course Materials Widget - 3rd party courseware or print materials only may wish to do this.
  • Upload any new or revised materials, such as presentations, readings, assignments, or assessments.
  • Revise or create the grade book to accurately reflect assignments and assessments for the course.
  • Release the Final Calculated Grade for all students (Students who are added late will need their Final Calculated Grade released after the Add/Drop period is over).
  • Create or revise a welcome announcement/news item for students.
  • Upload welcome and course navigation videos or presentations for students.
  • Update due dates for assignments and assessments and add them to the Calendar in D2L.
  • Enable academic honesty settings, such as Honorlock and Turnitin, if applicable.
  • Create Intelligent Agents for automated outreach, if applicable.
  • Prepare any Zoom/Kaltura meetings if the course is web-enhanced or hybrid.
  • Add banner photos if you wish to customize the design of your course in D2L.
• Email students a welcome message 2-3 days prior to the start date that includes or links to their important course information, such as about the textbook, class meeting times/location, and calendar.
• Plan out the first week of lessons for your course. Consider an ice breaker activity, an introductory assignment that allows you to take timely attendance (Remember that students must submit an assignment OR attend class within the first 3 days of the semester), a get to know you discussion, and a syllabus or course information quiz.
• Check the accessibility of your course and the materials therein. You can use Ally to help with this task.
• Prepare the Qwickly Attendance roster by completing the settings.
• Make sure you have explained to students how and when attendance will be recorded.

First Week of Classes

• Print or save initial rosters.
• Take attendance in every class session/meeting or use assignment submission to ensure compliance with financial aid guidelines.
• Print or save new class rosters every day/meeting time during the Add/Drop Schedule Adjustment Period. We recommend that you continue this practice through the second week of classes just to be certain.
• Ask students to complete an Honorlock Practice Exam if you will use Honorlock Remote Proctoring in the course.
• Address attendance issues:
  • Reach out to students who have not attended or submitted an assignment (unless you have Intelligent Agents set to do this task for you).
  • Make sure that any students added during the Add/Drop period are up-to-speed on course information and assignments.
  • Report never attended students by the deadline communicated by the College.
  • Full-time faculty, work with advisees who need a schedule adjustment.
• Introduce students to Academic Coaching and Tutoring Services.
• Make sure students know how to use the D2L Help Button and Student Resources LibGuides.

Second - Third Week of the Semester

• Complete Early Alerts for any student who may need outreach or appears to be struggling with the course, attendance, or even personal situations. Please refer to any department-specific guidance you may receive regarding submission of Early Alerts.

Routinely Throughout the Semester

• Process withdrawals on as-needed basis. Make sure to communicate with students who are about to be withdrawn and give them the opportunity to discuss options. Refer students to Financial Aid so they understand how withdrawal affects them.
• Adhere to grading and feedback timeline recommendations whenever possible.
• Complete attendance in Qwickly for each day a course meets or has an assignment due. Remember to label attendance by date - the date attended or date of assignment submission used.
• Post weekly announcements to guide students through the course and update them on important developments.
• Respond to student communications in a timely fashion.
• Check Honorlock and Turnitin reports routinely after assessments or assignments.
• Check links in weekly content in D2L to make sure they are all working properly.
• View students’ grades and attendance routinely to identify any outreach strategies that may be needed.

Midterm of the Semester

• Complete the midterm progress reporting for all courses and students. Remember to leave comments that can help student success teams identify focus areas during outreach.
• Give midterm exams if the course requires them.

End of the Semester

• Complete exam or final assessment grading.
• If your course has been pulled for learning outcomes evaluation, make sure you have evaluated the appropriate assessment using the assigned rubric and submitted the LO report to your supervisor.
• Communicate expected grading return and posting times to students.
• Reach out to any students who may have missed the last session or major assessment to determine whether or not a grade of Incomplete is in order.
• Review Qwickly attendance to make sure all class sessions/assignments have been accurately recorded.
• Review and enter Final Grades.
  • Review the D2L Grade Book to make sure no grades are missing or need updating.
  • Make sure the correct Final Grade is released to students.
  • Find the “Incomplete” deadline if you will need to record this grade for any students. This deadline is usually communicated through division or departmental emails.
  • Verify that all grades you are ready to enter are accurate.
  • If any students will receive an “Incomplete” or an “F,” make sure to have their last date of attendance ready.
  • Enter Final Letter Grades in WebAdvisor, including the last date of attendance for any students receiving an “Incomplete” or an “F.”
  • It is recommended that you save or take a screenshot of the final grading screen for your records.