Simple Syllabus is a relatively inexpensive platform that integrates with Brightspace and makes our syllabi more accessible and consistent, while still preserving the ability for instructors to develop customized syllabi.
Federal policy requires that our syllabi and all materials meet certain Accessibility Standards. Simple Syllabus has a built in Accessibility-checker to make finding and fixing accessibility issues easier.
Increased consistency will help students better understand expectations across all of their courses and reduce cognitive load so students can focus on achieving the learning outcomes we set forth for them.
Simple Syllabus will save faculty and staff time and energy by providing a common platform to create syllabi and manage the processes and communications needed to update and publish syllabi effectively.
Lastly, Simple Syllabus also creates Syllabus Repositories that can be shared with students, staff, faculty, administrators, accreditors, and even the general public if we choose. Currently each department is responsible for mantaining copies of all of their syllabi and granting access to those who need it. SS will automate this process and save academic staff and faculty tons of time!
We know how many things are changing at Antioch right now. We hope implementing Simple Syllabus now will:
help students improve learning outcomes, by making requirements accessible, clear and consistent,
reduce employee workload so they have more time for other important work, and
help Antioch meet upcoming federal accessibility requirements.
Yes, all courses with syllabi will need to use Simple Syllabus, so that those syllabi are a part of the AU Syllabus Repository, and to gain the ther benefits of using Simple Syllabus listed above. VPAA Sandy Madar has prescribed that all courses (even 0-credit courses) that students register for in Colleague will need a syllabus in Simple Syllabus. If you have questions about unusual circumstances like Prior Learning Courses, Continuing Ed courses or other contract-based courses, please email Sandy at smadar@antioch.edu and cc SimpleSyllabus@antioch.edu.
We expect that all syllabi for courses that begin on or after June 1, 2026. Effectively this means syllabi for Fall Semester and Fall Quarter programs will be created and approved in Simple Syllabus.
*If your programs does not fall in one of the terms above (i.e. MFA and PhDLC) they will start the first day of the term on/after July 1, 2026.
The Antioch University Simple Syllabus template is based on the Faculty Senate's University Curriculum Committee Syllabus Requirements.
If you think these requirements need updating or clarification, please speak to your representative on the Faculty Senate or email the University Curriculum Committee
Your department may have additional requirements or suggested components. If you have questions about department language, please speak to your program leadership.
Yes. Changes can be made on a syllabus until the last day of the term for that class, at which point it is frozen and archived in the syllabus library. Edits made after it has been approved will need to be re-submitted using the submit button at the bottom of simple syllabus and reapproved before the students see the changes. The originally approved syllabus will stay visible to students until the new one is approved.
Starting in August 2026, students will have access to the Simple Syllabus icon in AUDirect. This will allow you to access all syllabi that have been published for courses you are registered for, even if the Brightspace course hasn't been activated (made visible to students).
Once your Brightspace course is activated, you will also be able to select the word "Syllabus" in the course navbar.
Syllabi will be stored in Simple Syllabus from now on, and will be accessible to people with an Antioch.edu login. There is a Syllabus Library that can be accessed using the Simple Syllabus icon in AUDirect. Once a syllabus are published, it will appear in the library.