4.22 Academic Policies and General Information

Communications: Faculty members are assigned e-mail addresses, phone extensions, office space, and individual mailboxes. Faculty members are expected to post and keep office hours as directed by their dean. Office hours and location should be indicated in each course syllabus.
Instructional Support and Materials: Each school is assigned an administrative assistant who provides instructional support. The deans are responsible for establishing policies and procedures for faculty in their school to avail themselves of this assistance. Deans are responsible for distributing and collecting textbook order forms from the bookstore. Faculty members in need of desk or examination copies of books or other materials should order them directly form the publisher/manufacturer or may ask the departmental administrative assistant to place the order.
Class Attendance: Faculty are expected to attend all scheduled classes. When the faculty member is unable to attend class because of illness or other emergency, the department chair and/or dean must be notified prior to the scheduled class time. Faculty members are encouraged to prepare a contingency reading assignment, video, or other material which may be assigned to the class in the event of the instructor’s absence. Classes may not be canceled nor may substitute instructors be arranged without the prior permission of the department chair and the dean. Faculty members are expected to meet with their classes for the entire scheduled time.
Class Rolls and Official Communications: The initial class roll should be reviewed online prior to the first class meeting. Students who have not completed registration may be listed on the class roll, as well as students present who are not yet listed on the class roll. Please follow carefully guidelines issued by the dean and/or registrar for handling these situations. Final class rolls are available online at the end of the drop/add period. Faculty must verify these rolls and notify the Registrar’s Office about any problems.
Syllabi: Faculty members are required to distribute a written course syllabus at the first class meeting. A copy of the syllabus for each course must be filed with the appropriate dean’s office no later than the end of the drop/add period of each semester. Refer to the university catalog for policies and procedures regarding class attendance, academic integrity, incomplete grades, grade changes, drop/add and withdrawal. Each syllabus should contain the following items/statements:
1. Contact information
2. Office hours
3. Student e-mail policy
4. Attendance policy
5. Disability statement
6. Academic Integrity statement
7. Basis of evaluation – students should have grading feedback prior to the midterm point.
8. Course objectives and tentative schedule
9. Withdrawal policy – refer students to withdrawal policy in the catalog and/or academic calendar.
10. Policy concerning make-up exams and deadlines for special projects and assignments
Field Learning Experiences: All off-campus trips must be approved in advance by the department chair and appropriate academic dean. This policy does not apply to activities that are a regular and recurring part of a class. The university maintains liability insurance that covers approved off-campus activities. Prior to departure, all participants must have completed a waiver of liability form. The department chair should ensure that original signed waivers are forwarded to the dean of the respective school, with copies forwarded to the Assistant Vice-President for Finance and Human Resources.
Final Examinations: Faculty members are expected to give final examinations (or an equivalent evaluation measure) and to follow the examination schedule printed in the semester schedule of classes unless otherwise specified by the dean of the school. Change of time or date is permitted only for serious reasons and not for mere convenience. However, such a change must be acceptable to all the class members and be approved in advance by the appropriate academic dean.
Guest Speakers in Class: Faculty members using outside guests or speakers in the classroom are encouraged to give prior notification to the department chair.
Online Learning Policy: Online Learning Policy Mission
In an effort to extend academic offerings for students through electronic and virtual means, Piedmont University applies the following core principles:
1. Provide an open and effective learning environment where teaching and learning occur anytime and anyplace, both in synchronous (professor and students meet at the same time in different locations) and asynchronous environments (professor and students meet at a different time and different location);
2. Provide accessible teaching and learning resources and support to students, faculty, and staff; which ensures student confidentiality and secure information as required by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Federal Requirements 10.6, 2018 SACSCOC Policy Statement on Distance and Correspondence Education, and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA);
3. Ensure that online learning efforts are committed to quality and continuous improvement through course assessment, research, faculty development, advising, and the encouragement of innovation with emerging technologies and strategies.
This policy will focus on two key policy areas:
1. Defining Online Learning at Piedmont University;
2. Faculty Resources and Responsibilities.

Section A: Defining Online Learning at Piedmont University

Definition of Online Learning
Online learning is defined as a form of distance learning where the delivery of the course occurs when the instructor and students are not in the same location or place,

but are linked together through a network. All Piedmont courses, regardless of delivery format, use the official University learning management system (i.e. Canvas). Other learning management systems (e.g. Edmodo, Schoology, Google Classroom, etc.) may be used for demonstrative purposes only.
Definitions of Online and Hybrid Courses
1. Online synchronous (SYNC): An online synchronous course holds no face-to- face sessions; however, a minimum of twenty-five percent (25%) of course sessions are conducted synchronously (at same time online). Online courses use the current, official university learning management system as the primary platform for content delivery and communication.
2. Online asynchronous (ASYNC): An online asynchronous course holds no face- to-face or synchronous (at same time online) sessions. Online courses use the current, official university learning management system as the primary platform for content delivery and communication.
3. A Hybrid Course (HYB) holds a minimum twenty-five percent (25%) of meetings face-to-face with remaining course sessions held online, either synchronously or asynchronously. An initial, introductory face-to-face or online meeting may or may not be required. Hybrid courses use the current, official university learning management system as the primary platform for content delivery and communication.
Online learning courses and programs must be consistent with the academic and educational mission of Piedmont University. Online guidelines and policies are administered through the Office of Academic Technology and the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
All online courses are expected to meet the guidelines and standards of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and other accrediting bodies for specific academic programs such as the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, the Georgia Board of Nursing, the Professional Standards Commission, and the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs.
All online and hybrid courses will meet the guidelines and standards of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) and the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA).

Section B: Faculty Responsibilities and Resources

Student Information and Privacy
1. Protection of student information, course data, and student participation is required by all Piedmont University faculty and staff involved in the design, development, delivery, and administration of distance learning in any form. The
  utilization of learning management systems (LMS) used by the University, including third party sources, must ensure the protection of student data, student participation, course information, and evaluative grades and feedback. The institutional application of user-id and password protected logons must be used in all online learning environments for Piedmont University courses. Faculty will be trained in the methods and policies to ensure student privacy in compliance with FERPA and accrediting agencies.
2. Faculty/instructors must first consider if the information is accessible to anyone other than the student who submits it and/or Piedmont University employees who need access to the information. If the information is accessible online, the following actions should be applied to ensure student information confidentiality:
  1. Acquire "voluntary" and written student consent to use the information without being denied academic opportunity or adverse academic consequences if they do not acknowledge consent. Additionally, students should be made aware of the inability to ensure privacy when directed to sites outside of the institution’s LMS. It is recommended that students use a non-identifiable username and that they notify the professor of the name selected for that purpose. OR,
  2. Ensure that student information (non-assessment), postings, discussions, etc. are accessible only to other students enrolled in the course; that they are posted by the student, not the faculty/instructor; and students are notified by syllabus or faculty/instructor that electronic posting is a course requirement. OR,
  3. Where an outside party, such as a vendor, receives student information (e.g., for grading, or access to online supplemental materials provided by a textbook publisher), the third party recipient must be bound by contract to preserve confidentiality.
    Adapted from the FERPA Privacy Checklist for Online Course Hosting by North Carolina State University as cited by Diaz, Golas, and Gautsch (2011, p.5).
3. Authorized Use of Student Work
  1. Piedmont University recognizes the intellectual property rights of students. Faculty wishing to use student work beyond the context, and within the official dates, of a regularly scheduled course must secure permission from the student in writing. Electronic signature is permissible. The permission statement signed by the student must state why the work is requested, where and how the work will be displayed, when the work will be displayed, and the duration of the display. Additionally, the student may withdraw this consent at any time and for any reason. The faculty member must retain the original, signed document and make it available upon request. Finally, attribution information for the student’s work must be credited for each displayed instance unless the student has requested the work to be posted anonymously. An anonymous posting request by the student does not alleviate the instructor’s obligations under this section.
Use of Images, Audio, or Video of Minors
1. Images, audio, and/or video of minors may not be posted to a published course without the signed consent of the parent or guardian, including indication of the specific type and duration of the particular use. (This excludes appropriately licensed, third-party content.) Parents/Guardians must be made aware that consent may be withdrawn at any time and for any reason. The instructor must retain the original copy of signed consent and make it available upon request. Authorized use forms on file with K12 school districts are not sufficient to satisfy this requirement.
Student Accessibility to Online and Blended Learning
1. Piedmont University is committed to making any reasonable accommodation for students with disabilities which includes access to media, online information, and Internet-based resources for the online and hybrid course student. For additional information on resources and support for any learning needs, contact the Accommodations Coordinator.
Faculty Professional Development
1. Piedmont University shall provide appropriate training with professional development and support services to faculty who teach online, hybrid and blended learning courses. Training may take various forms, including face-to- face, live online (i.e. webinars), or performance support tools such as instructional and/or interactive video.
2. In order to provide adequate coverage of technology training, some faculty and/or staff may be asked to assist with the design and delivery of technology professional development.
All professional development activities pertaining to online and hybrid instruction must be coordinated with, and approved by, the Office of Academic Technology.
Certification Requirements
1. Any faculty member, or instructor, who desires to design or teach online or hybrid courses is required to complete the current online certification process required by the Office of Academic Technology. Exemptions, while rare, are considered on a case-by-case basis. Requests for exemptions to the certification requirement should be submitted to the Office of Academic Technology.
Canvas Support
1. Piedmont University does not provide internal support for Canvas. Students and faculty experiencing problems with Canvas should contact Canvas Support at 1- 833-723-6108. Canvas Support is available 24/7. Live text support is also available at https://cases.canvaslms.com/liveagentchat?chattype=student
2. Logging on to Canvas
  1. Canvas user accounts are created when a user is first registered for a course at Piedmont and a daily system update has occurred.
  2. All users log in to Canvas with their single sign-on (SSO) username and password combination used for all Piedmont services, including email.
3. Viewing Canvas Courses
  1. Canvas receives updated course and enrollment data from the student information system in use by the Registrar’s office at Piedmont. Students experiencing problems logging on to Canvas, or accessing a specific course, should communicate with the course instructor. The instructor will assist the student in verifying course enrollment. In most cases, the student will require no additional internal support.
  2. Students are only able to view Canvas courses once the instructor has taken action to publish and make the course available to students. Students should first check with the instructor when experiencing issues accessing any aspect of a course.
  3. In order to mitigate unintentional infringements of copyright protections and student privacy, the following procedures have been established with respect to the visibility of courses on Canvas. These procedures apply to all courses equally.
    1. Published courses are available to students no sooner than seven days prior to the official course start date.
    2. Courses on Canvas are closed to student view 21 days following the official course end date.
    3. Course access may be extended on a case-by-case basis for students with approved status of Incomplete or In Progress.
Proprietary Ownership of Online Content
1. Individual learning objects developed by faculty and used in Piedmont University online, blended, or hybrid courses are governed by the Policy on Patents, Copyrights, Trade Secrets, and Intellectual Property in General Policies 3.19. Any content, including resources, activities, and/or online modules, created in association with the compensated design, development, or implementation of any Piedmont University course is the property of Piedmont University. Any online content design and development contracted specifically for Piedmont University online course content, outside the normal scope of institution work/institution assisted work is classified as work for hire and is the property of Piedmont University. This content, either individual learning object or course module, is designated solely for the purpose of delivery of instruction for Piedmont University.
2. An online module or course may not be downloaded in its entirety from the current Piedmont University LMS and used in another learning management system for entities outside of Piedmont University. This includes posting resources or courses to the Canvas Commons for public accessibility.
  1. Resources, modules, or courses developed for Piedmont University may be shared on the Canvas Commons only at the institutional level following approval by the relevant academic dean. Items must be marked with “Piedmont Approved” status on Canvas Commons by the Office of Academic Technology.
  2. No content developed for Piedmont courses shall be made publicly available, in any form or on any platform, without the authorization of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the President.
3. Online course content is part of the historical record of an online and/or hybrid course. This constitutes documented data that may be requested by accreditation agencies or used for internal evaluation purposes. Faculty are prohibited from modifying or removing online content from completed courses without the explicit consent of either the Vice President for Academic Affairs or the President.
Course Approval and Scheduling
1. In any given semester beginning Spring 2020, the Registrar’s office will only clear registration for those online and hybrid courses approved by the Office of Academic Technology. Courses not approved will not appear to students as scheduling options for registration.
2. The Office of Academic Technology, as an extension of Academic Affairs, establishes and maintains standards, requirements, and policies pertaining to the approval, design, development, implementation, and assessment of online courses and programs.
3. The Office of Academic Technology, as an extension of Academic Affairs, regularly monitors all stages and aspects of online and hybrid courses and programs.
4. All online and/or hybrid courses must fully comply with all current institutional requirements for the design of online and hybrid courses, including the use of institutional course templates. Online course requirements are maintained by the Office of Academic Technology and are made available on both PilgrimNet and Canvas. Courses must be submitted to the Office of Academic Technology for consideration of approval at least one full semester prior to the desired term for implementation. If not approved, the course cannot be offered in an online or hybrid format until approval is secured in a subsequent term.
5. For academic terms following the initial approval of a course, either the faculty course manager or the dean of the school shall provide affirmative notification to the Office of Academic Technology informing of any changes to the course. Appropriate notification is required, even in the absence of changes, in order for courses to be approved for the schedule. Notification must be received at least 60 days prior to the relevant registration period. Without on-time notification and approval, the course cannot be offered in an online or hybrid format in the requested term. In this case, approval may be requested for a subsequent term as appropriate.
Syllabi
1. Syllabi for courses seeking approval for an online and/or hybrid format must be submitted to the Office of Academic Technology when the course is submitted for review. Online and hybrid course syllabi must be approved for each semester a course is requested to appear on the schedule in online or hybrid formats. Additionally, schools housing approved courses for which a syllabus has changed must notify the Office of Academic Technology of specific changes at least 60 days prior to the relevant registration period. Without on-time notification and approval, a course cannot be offered in an online or hybrid format in the requested term. In this case, approval may be requested for a subsequent term as appropriate.
2. In the spirit of our partnership with the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA), syllabi for online and hybrid courses must be made available to students as they consider courses for registration. This includes availability of syllabi for non-Piedmont students who may wish to register for an online or hybrid course with transient status. To meet this requirement, completed syllabi must be marked as “public” within a Canvas shell, allowing students to review the syllabus without being registered for the course. The Office of Academic Technology, as an extension of Academic Affairs, may review courses and syllabi at any time in order to verify compliance with institutional standards.
3. A copy of the syllabus for each course must also be filed with the appropriate dean’s office no later than the end of the drop/add period of each semester. Refer to the university catalog, and the procedures manual, for policies and procedures regarding class attendance, academic integrity, incomplete grades, grade changes, drop/add and withdrawal.
4. Each online or hybrid course syllabus shall contain the following items/statements. These requirements are in addition to any other institutional or program requirements for syllabi.
  1. Instructor Contact information
  2. Office hours
Faculty Best Practices
1. While Piedmont University supports academic freedom and encourages innovation in the learning process, the faculty has a collective responsibility to ensure the academic quality and integrity of the University's courses, programs, and degrees. This responsibility extends to online, hybrid and blended courses and programs. Faculty should review current institutional requirements for the design and implementation of online and hybrid courses. These requirements are maintained and made available by the Office of Academic Technology.
2. Pre-Course
  1. When course lists are made available for student review prior to registration, students shall have access to the following course information:
    1. The course syllabus must be posted and made publicly available to students on Canvas prior to registration for the course.
    2. All synchronous meetings for an online (SYNC) course must be included with the syllabus and clearly posted on the schedule of courses. Likewise, all face-to-face meetings for hybrid courses must also be posted.
    3. Introductory email from the online professor/instructor to all enrolled students prior to the first class meeting or date.
    4. In order for students to evaluate a course in time for the drop/add period, Canvas courses must be published for students seven days prior to the official course start date. This is the earliest date that students will be able to access a Canvas course.
3. Course Delivery
  1. Attendance must be measured in online courses for a variety of reasons, including
    1. financial aid benefits,
    2. government regulations, and
    3. faculty recommendations which may require information about a student's class attendance.
    In an online class, the "date of last attendance" is the last date that a student actively contributed to the course. Active, weekly participation is required as a minimum standard to register attendance in a course. Merely logging onto a course, in the absence of active participation, is not sufficient to register attendance.
  2. Online professors/instructors are expected to clearly define the course objectives, assignments and assessments.
4. Post-Course
  1. Faculty should encourage students to provide course and instructor feedback through the Piedmont University online course evaluation system.
  2. Faculty should backup learning management system course modules to both the learning management system and to their Piedmont University computer or personal computer to allow for maintenance of course records, forum activities, and grades.
  3. Department Chairs, College Deans, and the Vice President for Academic Affairs will review, evaluate and assess all online and hybrid courses and professors/instructors teaching online courses. The Office of Academic Technology may also review courses for compliance with institutional standards.
  4. Canvas courses close to students 21 days following the official end date for the course. Students must retrieve any notes, assignments, or other materials prior to course closure. Access to Canvas courses shall only be extended to accommodate students with an approved grade status of In Progress or Incomplete. The course instructor shall provide documentation and an official request for extended access to the Office of Academic Technology as soon as the requested grade status has been approved.
5. Advising
  1. It is through the role of academic advisor that faculty have the responsibility of assessing students for their readiness and willingness to successfully complete online and hybrid courses. The following guidelines serve as recommendations to encourage student success in an online or hybrid learning environment:
    1. Students shall have completed 24 Piedmont (or transfer equivalent) credit hours before beginning an online or hybrid course.
Policy for Protecting and Verifying the Identity of the Distance Learning Student
1. Piedmont University issues each student a seven-digit student identification number at the time of initial registration. This student ID becomes the unique identifier for the student throughout his/her academic career at the university. The student ID is required to access all university resources.
2. Additionally, a secure email address is assigned to each student upon enrollment. This email address is unique in that it consists of the student’s first letter of the first name, last name, plus a four-digit numeric component which is the student’s birth month and day. The student creates an eight-digit, alphanumeric password that uniquely identifies and provides access to university resources. Once established, these credentials act as a student’s credentials for all of Piedmont’s online resources (Student email, Canvas, PilgrimNet, etc.). Students accept responsibility for the security of their passwords.
Procedures for Ensuring Distance Learning Student Identity
1. Secure Email and Password: Each distance learning student gains access into the Canvas system by using their pre-established credentials mentioned above. Course instructors assign students to their courses, and upon successfully logging in, a student has access to the appropriate courses for the current term.
2. Privacy
  1. Piedmont University protects the privacy of all students, including distance learning students, through the strict adherence to the rules of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). The official FERPA statement is available for students and public view through the university website. University employees receive annual training in FERPA regulations.
3. Fees: There are no additional charges associated with verifying student identity.

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Section 4 - Faculty and Academic Policies and Procedures