Courses, Progress Reports, and Submission of Grading

advisers are notified and the new adviser will be assigned access to the advising files on WebAdvisor. Faculty members should be aware of various confidentiality requirements imposed bythe universityand byfederal laws, e.g. VIII. Confidentialityof Academic Records and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (“FERPA”).

Non-Academic Counseling

There are occasions when as an adviser you will need to refer students to one of the university’s professional counselors. To do so, please call Counseling Services. Students should feel free to consult with university counselors. However, these counseling services do not replace the student- faculty adviser relationship; rather, the counseling service supplements this relationship and adds a further dimension of assistance to students. Matters discussed in counseling sessions are held in confidence.Onlywiththestudent’spermissionarethese issuessharedwithotherpeopleoncampus. Students interested in services offered through external providers may contact the counselingoffice in the Batten Center. The chaplain of the university also is available for regular counseling with students.

COURSES, PROGRESS REPORTS, AND SUBMISSION OF GRADING

Course Syllabi

On the first meeting day of each course, faculty members are expected to provide a syllabus in either hard copy or electronic form. Faculty also must post Syllabi on Blackboard. Syllabi must include:  the course tile, number, section, and semester (ex. Fall 2019)  the class meeting days and times (ex. MWF8AM)  the instructor’s contact information (email and office phone)  the instructor’s office hours  the course modality  the course prerequisites  the required texts and supplies  course objectives  an outline of course meetings and topics  an indication of how various elements of the course will be weighted in determining the grade for the course  a statement of grading policy (e.g. an "A" is equivalent to 92-100, or 95-100, etc.)  the final exam information (including date and time of theexam)  a statement on the instructor's attendance policy  a statement on the Honor Code  a statement about Learning Center/Writing Center  a statement about student accommodations

Blackboard

VWU uses Blackboard as its Learning Management System. Every course has a Blackboard shell. While the extent to which faculty members use Blackboard is up to individual instructor discretion, each Blackboard course shell must include the following information:  Course syllabus  Instructor contact information  Final course grade  Link to SmartEvals for course and instructor evaluations

Honor Code

Every VWU faculty member has the following rights and responsibilities:  To resolve violations of the Honor Code by private discussion with the student(s) in question after