University at Buffalo (UB)
Dear UB Faculty and Instructors,
As we approach the start of the spring 2024 term, I want to bring to your attention important semester-related information and ask for your assistance to ensure critical policies and practices are addressed at the beginning of and during the semester. Please use this as a reference tool throughout the semester.
Information about important dates, grading deadlines, faculty resources and helpful links is available in the Office of the Registrar’s Spring 2024 Critical Dates and Links PDF. (UBITName and password required.)
We know that the quality of our classrooms is critical for faculty and student success. If you see an issue or have a concern, please report it!
UB has no universal policy about student use of artificial intelligence tools (such as ChatGPT). As with any other technology, instructors have the academic freedom to determine what tools students can and cannot use in pursuit of meeting course learning objectives. As you decide if and how to use AI in your classroom, you can find guidance for you and your students on the Office of Academic Integrity website.
It is highly recommended that you provide clear guidance to your students about the parameters of artificial intelligence use in your course. Some sample language includes:
To prohibit any use of generative AI:
Any use of generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT) is prohibited in this class and will be considered a violation of UB’s academic integrity policy. Details of what resources are allowed will be provided for each assignment. If you are unsure if a resource or tool is allowable, be sure to ask.
To allow the use of generative AI:
This course allows the use of generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT) on certain assignments within given guidelines. Failure to follow these guidelines may be considered a violation of UB’s academic integrity policy. If you are unsure how and when generative AI can be used, be sure to ask.
As you plan your syllabuses, you may consult the calendar on the Avoiding Conflicts with Religious Holidays webpage when determining dates for any major class requirements, such as exams. As you plan for final exams, please note that UB’s Faculty Teaching Responsibilities Policy states, “Final examinations shall be offered as officially scheduled, not during the final week of classes.” Additionally, please see the Exam Conflict policy in the Undergraduate Catalog for information on conflicts during the term.
As stated in the Faculty Senate policy:
Faculty should ensure their syllabuses have all the required elements found in the undergraduate course syllabus guidelines (UBITName and password required) and graduate course syllabus guidelines. Of particular significance is the requirement that every syllabus (regardless of level) must include:
Research shows that how a syllabus is framed can impact a student’s outcomes in a course. For assistance, please see syllabus resources and view the Student Experience Project’s First Day Toolkit.
The Office of Curriculum, Assessment and Teaching Transformation (CATT) provides numerous resources to help instructors prepare for and deliver courses. For development opportunities, instructional support, educational theory and best practices, video resources and more, please visit the CATT website. Additionally, Teaching at UB is a resource built by CATT that provides quick access to helpful resources across UB.
Delivery of instruction should adhere to the instruction mode, campus and location listed in HUB. Instructors should not change the modality of instruction without explicit approval of their departmental and decanal unit. Any approved changes in course modality must be reported to the Office of the Registrar and clearly communicated to enrolled students. Definitions of modes of instruction are available on the registrar’s website.
Before any fees are levied for course activities, they must be approved according to UB and SUNY policies using the detailed process on the Administrative Services Gateway’s Develop and Manage State Fees page. For assistance, contact your chair and unit business officer.
Environment Scan Guidance has been updated for instructors in light of the 2022 Ohio legal ruling on student privacy in online environment scans and remote proctoring.
Instructors cannot require students to pay for online proctoring services without offering an alternative accommodation for students who are unable or unwilling to pay. Guidance regarding online proctoring tools is available on the Office of Academic Integrity website.
UB's exclusive Learning Management System (LMS) is now Brightspace by D2L. Relevant courses have been migrated from Blackboard to Brightspace, and Blackboard has been fully decommissioned. For more information and to review training opportunities, visit the Learning Management System support website and the Need-To-Know for Spring 2024 Courses webpage. Brightspace can be accessed at ublearns.buffalo.edu.
Incomplete grades have been impacted by the LMS transition. Please see “Incomplete (I) Grades” below for pertinent information.
The university’s academic integrity policy requires that all infractions, regardless of severity, be reported to the Office of Academic Integrity through the online Academic Dishonesty Report Form. Instructors can find extensive information about processing academic dishonesty cases and protecting integrity in student work on the Office of Academic Integrity website's instructor page.
To promote student responsibility, each class instructor determines and conveys specific class attendance policies through the course syllabus, as well as dates and times for classes, exams and all other required activities.
The Class Attendance policy defines excusable absences. Please use all means at your disposal to allow students to make up work and engage in class activities occurring due to excusable absences, depending on the circumstances relevant to your course. We recommend clearly communicating opportunities and expectations around alternative assignments or makeup work and maintaining flexibility with respect to student circumstances and normal course attendance policies.
Faculty and instructors may, at their discretion, restrict the distribution of course materials prepared or assigned by them. Faculty and instructors who wish to opt into this policy should include language in their course syllabus about the limitations on student distribution of course materials. As this policy may be unfamiliar to students, it is advisable to discuss it with your classes. Violators can be reported to the Office of Academic Integrity through a report form and will be required to complete an educational sanction about the value of intellectual property. Sample syllabus language is available on the undergraduate course syllabus guidelines (UBITName and password required) and graduate course syllabus guidelines.
UB does not require faculty to take attendance. However, to ensure compliance with financial aid regulations, the University at Buffalo must confirm eligibility requirements for every student. At the time of grade entry, faculty will select from three failure options that indicate if and when the student receiving an F grade participated in the class. Additional information and FAQs are available on the Office of the Registrar faculty and staff website. (UBITName and password required.)
Faculty are encouraged to review guidelines for assigning incomplete grades to undergraduate students. Undergraduate students seeking an incomplete grade must submit a request to the instructor; only students who hold a passing average at the time of the request are eligible.
As a reminder, access to Blackboard ended on Dec. 1, 2023. Students who received incompletes during the fall 2022 or winter, spring and summer 2023 semesters have lost access to Blackboard before their one-year deadline to finish any incomplete coursework. If you or your students have questions regarding materials from incomplete Blackboard courses, please submit a ticket using the Technical Support form on the LMS Support website.
S/U grading functions differently for undergraduate and graduate students. View information on S/U grading for undergraduate students. Information for graduate students related to S/U grading can be found on the Graduate School website. Grading FAQs are available on the Office of the Registrar faculty and staff website. (UBITName and password required.)
Faculty can change grades via the HUB Faculty Center until the day after grades are due. After the grade change deadline, undergraduate, graduate and pharmacy grade changes must be submitted via the electronic grade changes tool. (UBITName and password required.) The completed form will be routed automatically to individuals within your department for necessary approvals and sent to the Office of the Registrar for processing. Faculty Senate policy states that grades other than incomplete or blank can be changed only to correct an error in the calculation or entry of the grade or as a result of re-evaluation of an end-of-session assignment or exam. Grade changes based on additional or revised work completed after the semester ends cannot be approved. For more information, please visit the Office of the Registrar faculty and staff website. (UBITName and password required.)
Early assessment of student progress can be pivotal in helping students address academic issues. The spring 2024 mid-semester review for undergraduate students will begin in week four and conclude at the end of week seven. This will allow us to provide valuable academic feedback to students earlier in the semester when students need it most. Faculty will receive email notifications when mid-semester grading rosters are available. When contacted by the Office of the Registrar, please evaluate your students using the tools provided.
Student exams, papers and final grades are sensitive data not to be posted publicly using any identifier that can be known or determined by others (e.g., name, birthdate, UBITName, or any portion of a person number). To distribute grades, use UB Learns with assistance at UB Learns for Faculty.
You can visit your course evaluations dashboard (UBITName and password required) as early as the beginning of March to confirm which of your courses will be evaluated. Instructors are permitted to add three customized questions to each course evaluation. You may add your questions until course evaluations open (two weeks before finals week begins). Prior to evaluations opening, please contact your department scheduler if you do not see a course section that you believe should be set up for an evaluation. Only course sections with a response rate of at least five students will receive a report. For support with UB course evaluations, contact ubce@buffalo.edu. The Office of Curriculum, Assessment and Teaching Transformation has collaborated with the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and Faculty Affairs to design a process to address explicit bias in course evaluations. If you receive comments with explicitly biased language, you are encouraged to file a report on the EDI website.
All course materials that contributed to assessment and grading should be retained for one year following the conclusion of the semester. Materials include papers, exams, quizzes or other graded work, as well as scoring sheets, grade books and rosters. Retention for one year after course completion meets the SUNY/SED mandates regarding student records maintenance.
Students who require assistance to ensure their ability to participate fully in class should be referred to Accessibility Resources for determination of any appropriate accommodations, which students should then share with you to guide your instruction.
Student emergency funds at UB seek to award grants to eligible students experiencing an unforeseen hardship that could impact their ability to remain enrolled in school. To learn more, visit the Emergency Funds webpage.
Two free mobile apps every student should download before the semester begins are Pulse and Navigate. With one easy view of their course information (e.g., calendars, assignments, discussions, etc.), the Pulse app allows students to visualize upcoming activities, receive notifications from their instructor, and stay on top of coursework. Students should download the Navigate app to make appointments with advisors, tutors, and other support staff, manage tasks related to their academics, find Study Buddies, and connect with resources. This app offers many benefits for undergraduate students, and graduate students can also download Navigate to utilize applicable functionality.
The Academic Resources for Students webpage has academic updates and resources for undergraduate and graduate students. Undergraduate students can find support and information on the Undergraduate Education website and the Student Success Gateway. Graduate students can find current student resources on the Graduate School website. Graduate students looking to find mentors regarding issues beyond coursework, comps and dissertations can be referred to the Network for Enriched Academic Relationships (NEAR). Graduate students can connect with mentors who have experience navigating obstacles like their own or who can be allies throughout their academic and professional journey.
Faculty sometimes encounter a student whose well-being or circumstances raise concerns. Students in Distress is a resource that can help you identify students who may need assistance. You may refer such a student to various UB resources or contact Student Conduct, who will then contact the student directly.
Blue Table is a food pantry for enrolled UB students who do not have access to food as a result of an emergency. The program is available to off-set unanticipated hardship and short-term food insecurity and is not meant to replace a meal plan or be a means of consistent grocery access. For more information, visit the Food Support webpage.
UB has a variety of services to help students’ mental health and wellness, including Counseling Services and Health Promotion. See the Student Guide’s Mental/Emotional Well-Being page for other sources of help at UB.
As you ready your courses for spring 2024, I wish you a successful semester and a fruitful learning experience with your students. Please let me know if my offices may assist your efforts.
Warm regards,
Graham Hammill
Vice Provost for Academic Affairs
cc: President
Provost