Publishing Mandatory Course Syllabi for HB261
Utah law HB 261 requires USU to publish the titles and syllabi of all courses required to complete a program of study to a keyword searchable repository. Each course syllabus must be published 14 days before the course begins. USU's repository can be found at https://usu.edu/syllabus-search.
Impacted Courses
The USU registrar's office maintains the following lists of courses that are "mandatory," or in other words required for a student to take to complete a program of study:
All of the courses listed are required to have syllabi posted 14 days before class begins, with the exception of courses that are scheduled as an "arranged" delivery type. Arranged courses include internships, dissertation sections, directed studies, and other types of courses for which there is no set time, meeting place, or curriculum and, therefore, no syllabus. If a course is not scheduled as an "arranged" course, then regardless of its design it is expected to have a posted syllabus.
Required Syllabus Components
According to Utah System of Higher Education guidelines, a posted syllabus must include:
- A brief description of each major course requirement, including each major assignment or examination;
- A list of required or recommended reading assignments;
- A general description of the subject matter of each lecture or discussion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where will the syllabus be posted?
It will be made searchable on USU’s public syllabus search tool: https://usu.edu/syllabus-search.
How can I know if I am in compliance?
You can check the syllabus search database one day after you post your syllabus and publish your course. If it appears, and if it has a brief description of each major course requirement, a list of required or recommended readings, and a general description of the subject matter for each lesson, then you are in compliance.
What counts as a reading list?
At a minimum, the syllabus should list the books, websites, and articles students will be required to read.
What counts as a description of the subject matter for each lesson?
At a minimum, this can be a course schedule of topics and assignments.
Will anyone check to see if my syllabus is posted?
USHE audits USU’s compliance with the syllabus posting requirement within the 14 days before classes begin. Deans and department heads are also made aware of the syllabi that need to be posted for their programs.
Why is my course considered mandatory?
Any course that a student is required to take to complete a degree program is considered mandatory. Sometimes the requiring programs are not associated with the department offering the course. To see which program requires your course(s), see the links to USU's mandatory courses list provided above.
Can my syllabus continue to evolve after I post it?
Yes. Try to write as finalized a syllabus as possible by the time you post it, but note that you can continue to make adjustments as needed.
If I publish my course, can I still hide most of it until it's ready?
Yes. You can publish your course (for the purpose of syllabus compliance) but prevent students from seeing the rest of the content before the course start date. Go to your Canvas course settings and make sure the box is checked to “restrict students from viewing the course before the course start date.” Also verify that the course start is set to a future date.
Alternatively, you can choose to make the course available before the start date, but unpublish the modules, pages, files, and assignments that are not ready.
Can I include contact information for me and my TAs?
Faculty are neither required nor discouraged from posting their contact information on their searchable syllabi. However, they should obtain consent before posting contact information of TAs, UTFs, GAs, etc.
Can I list student names on my syllabus?
No. Do not list the names or contact details of enrolled students for any reason on your syllabus. That is information protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Place that information elsewhere in Canvas where it cannot be publicly searched.
Is it okay to post my syllabus as a PDF?
Yes, as long as you link to the PDF in the text editor of the Canvas syllabus page. See the guide on posting a syllabus in Canvas for details on how to link to files.
Does this apply to all of my courses?
This applies only to mandatory courses that students must take to complete a program. For non-mandatory courses, preparing and posting a syllabus two weeks in advance has its own advantages, but the syllabus will not be made publicly searchable and its early availability will not be audited.
How long will a syllabus be searchable?
Syllabi from the current term, prior term, and upcoming term (if less than 14 days away) are those that will be made searchable.
What if the course is canceled or has no enrollments?
If a course is canceled, a syllabus will not be required. If a course has no enrollments, but still has a chance of receiving enrollments two weeks before it begins, then a syllabus should be posted.
Do I have to meet this requirement every semester?
Yes, for as long as your course is considered mandatory for a program.
Can someone help me post my syllabus?
Yes. You can reach out to CIDI at 435.797.9506 or cidi@usu.edu for help. You may also schedule a consultation with CIDI or reach out via chat. (See options for consultations and chat in the page footer below.)
Are there any benefits to this requirement?
Yes. Students who use the searchable syllabus tool will be able to better plan and prepare for their mandatory courses.