First Week of Classes

The first week of the semester is hectic for everyone at the institution. Faculty should address the following during the first week of each course:

  1. Check your email and the LMS before class for guidance on important messages about updates to the LMS, course syllabus, textbooks, roster verification, faculty bio, and a welcome message.
  2. On the Friday before the first day of class, faculty will “publish” each of their courses in the LMS so that students will have access. The Educational Technology and Online Learning office has developed a procedure on how to publish a course and emails these procedures to faculty each semester.
  3. Faculty must enter their office hours into TSC Self-service prior to the start of each semester in order to populate Simple Syllabus and Starfish.
  4. Office hours are to be submitted to the Divisional Dean prior to the start of the semester.
  5. Faculty must post office hours outside of their office.
  6. Faculty must edit and update their course syllabi through Simple Syllabus and submit them to their Department Chair for review no later than the Friday before classes begin. Upon approval from the Department Chair, Simple Syllabus will post all approved syllabi to the TSC Course Schedule for public viewing and to comply with Texas House Bill 2504.
  7. Faculty are to ensure that their Simple Syllabi contain the following information:

a. Course number/section,
b. Faculty member's name,
c. Office location, office hours, office phone, and email
d. Course description
e. Course prerequisites
f. Course student learning outcomes
g. Core curriculum information, if applicable
h. Course materials including texts, other readings and supplies
i. Course grading scheme
j. Course calendar including a general description of subject matter of each lecture or discussion and any required or recommended readings which span more than one class period
k. Library information
l. Helpdesk information
m. Major course requirements, including each major assignment and examination
n. Faculty instructor expectations
o. General course requirements
p. College policies with respect to satisfactory academic progress, incomplete grades, academic integrity, academic responsibilities, emergency academic continuity plan, Americans with Disabilities Act, and a privacy/FERPA statement

For more information on how to prepare a syllabus, faculty should contact their Department Chair.