Course Management
Class Section Information
You will receive an email in late spring or early summer requesting information about each course section you will teach in the coming academic year. Please follow the instructions for completing the online survey tool as soon as you know the details. Contact the CIS office if you have questions or concerns.
Class Sizes, Eligibility, Credits
See the CIS Partner School Handbook for information about class sizes, eligibility, and credits.
U of M Syllabus
The U of M syllabus is a guide to University course success, documents course content and salient requirements, and is used by other colleges and universities for credit recognition and transfer.
Syllabus Requirements
Students need a consistent level of basic information about the content and expectations for each course in which they are enrolled. This policy outlines the minimum components of a syllabus and notes recommended policy statements for inclusion, to ensure that instructors communicate course requirements to students in writing and in a timely manner.
Instructors are required to develop a course syllabus for each offering of a course and communicate the syllabus to students. For the purposes of this policy, a syllabus is a written or electronic document that contains information students need to know in order to successfully complete the work of the course.
Each syllabus includes (a minimum of) two types of information. First is information specific to the course such as its title, goals, readings, assignments and instructor. Second is information informing students of University policies that may have an impact on their participation in the course. This information includes, for example, the University grading system, a disabilities statement, and how to resolve problems between students and instructor. Departments may require additional information such as: a course timeline or schedule, attendance criteria, and teaching philosophies.
— Syllabus Requirements (CIS Policy Reference Guide)
Crafting University of Minnesota Syllabuses
A syllabus is a recursive, student-centered document built for their success in this course. Students will use this syllabus to garner credit transfer or recognition when they matriculate to other colleges. Work with your faculty coordinator to draft a syllabus that includes three segments: U of M course info, policies and a schedule. Once you’ve created the U of M syllabus and it’s been approved by your faculty coordinator, you’ll only need to update key aspects that change, annually updating the following:
Make Annual Updates
Use a U of M Logo in the Header (choose one)
Revise any U of M course information
Replace policies with the annually updated U of M - Twin Cities Required Policies for Syllabuses
Update/create a term schedule or calendar: either within the syllabus or as a separate document—a class schedule, calendar or timeline for readings, assignments, papers, projects, labs, and the like. If your calendar is a separate document, please ensure that it is labeled with the instructor name, course identification, term, and year.
Each Term
Check your syllabus for the three primary segments below, and send a copy to CIS.
Course identification and description, information regarding course content, pedagogy, assessments that form a road-map to student success. Include any technology guidance; and
U of M Policies for the year/term the course is taught; and
Schedule or calendar
Send your updated syllabus as an email attachment to Koleen Knudson at kknudson@umn.edu. (Students request them years later.)
Clearly identify the course taught through CIS as University of Minnesota Twin Cities, the official course title, designator/number (such as: Writ 1301) and year/term (i.e.: Fall Term 2022).
All students in your class are taking the U of M course regardless of being enrolled for credit or not. Do not refer to high school policies, AP or other programs as they are not part of the U of M course.
Enhancements and Departmental Requirements
You are encouraged to include items from the following list that create a guide to student success; and remember to check with your faculty coordinator to see if your U of M department requires additional elements in your syllabus.
Statement encouraging students to see you during “office hours” or study times
Description of what the class will be like, including a description of and rationale for your teaching methods
Clear guidelines detailing how students are to prepare for and behave during a class session (e.g., read the assignments BEFORE class, come on time, participate in discussion, etc.)
Statement describing what students can expect from you
Description of special procedures or rules for this class (e.g., laboratory rules and procedures)
Advice on how to read/approach the materials for this class
Advice on how to study for quizzes and exams
Specific criteria for each graded assignment
Statement telling students how to dispute a grade for an assignment or exam
Statement on incomplete coursework
Information on special services or resources which may be helpful to the students
Other information which would help students succeed in this class.
Syllabus Approval and Submission
Instructors work with their faculty coordinators to develop their syllabus. CIS faculty coordinators review and approve all CIS syllabi, and CIS staff retain syllabi from all sections of U of M courses offered through CIS.
Please forward each reviewed and approved syllabus to the CIS office each time you teach a section of any U of M course.
Further Information
Related Policies:
Syllabus Requirements (CIS Policy Reference Guide)
See the above policy for additional information on syllabus requirements.
Course Evaluation
College in the Schools uses a variety of tools, including student and staff surveys, to gather feedback about the program’s impact and to identify successes and areas in which the program may need improvement.
Student Evaluation of Teaching
The Student Rating of Teaching (SRT) is a University-required course and instructor evaluation form. SRTs may not be replaced by another evaluation, although midterm assessments are encouraged, and supplemental questions may be added to the standard rating form. CIS emails SRTs collection windows and information to instructors a few weeks before the end date you’ve given us for your class. Instructors are responsible for ensuring that University protocols are followed when administering the SRT.
You will receive an email, at your school address, which contains your SRT collection window and instructions for completion. Students will have until 11:59 pm on the last day of your scheduled collection window to complete their rating survey.
Any SRTs available for completion will be available to them on srt.umn.edu/blue using their U of M login.
Plan to administer the SRTs during a regular class period before exam week. Students can complete them on their own, but having dedicated course time to complete promotes a higher response rate.
After tabulation by the University’s Office of Measurement Services, a copy of the report will be made available to you online through your U of M email. CIS staff and your faculty coordinator also review the report, and your faculty coordinator will contact you with any concerns. A copy of the report is kept on file in the CIS office.
Students will need to activate their U of M accounts to access course SRTs, if they have not already.
Students who know their U of M ID number, but not their login information, should contact 1-Help at help@umn.edu.
We recommend students who do not know their U of M ID number check the email account they used to create their MyCIS account for a U of M email titled: Save this Email: University of Minnesota Account Activation. This email includes their U of M ID as well as information on how to activate their accounts.
Tips for Improving Online Response Rates
Tell students why you value their input. Give examples of how you have implemented previous feedback in your course content, course format, or instructional style.
Consider taking time during class (if in-person or synchronous online), or setting a timeframe (if asynchronous) for students to complete their ratings. Students will find links to all open ratings for the courses they’re enrolled in by logging into srt.umn.edu/blue.
Remind students when their online SRTs close via email, an in-class announcement, or a learning management system (LMS) announcement.
Related Policies:
Student Evaluation of Teaching (CIS Policy Resource Guide)