Frequently Asked Questions
Attendance
Does Blue Ridge have a set attendance policy?
In a word, No. However, the
BRCC
Catalog and Student Handbook states that "punctual and regular
attendance" by students is required. Students are advised to notify the
instructor before absences whenever possible. Also the student is
responsible for making up missed study and instruction, regardless of the
reason for the absence. Within these College guidelines, faculty members
are expected to devise an attendance policy which is appropriate for each
course, include it in the course outline, and announce it at the beginning
of the course.
One of my students missed several classes and now
wants to make up his/her assignments? Do I have to let him/her do this?
This will depend on how you addressed this
issue in your course syllabus. The
catalog spells out the policy on students missing classes by stating
they must contact their instructor. However, policies on how
instructors address absences is left up to the individual faculty member.
There is more information located in the
Faculty/Staff handbook. You will need to include a statement
regarding accepting late assignments and missing classes in your syllabus.
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Class Rosters
How do I find out who's in my class (my class
roster)?
Your current class roster is located in the
Student Information System (sometimes also referred to as PeopleSoft).
There are instructions for looking up those rosters on our web site at:
PeopleSoft Instructions.
Feel free to print this out or refer to it when looking for your rosters.
Student Services will also print out a copy
of your rosters approximately once per week for the first week or two of
classes. However, keep in mind that this only reflects your enrollment
at the time they were printed. If a student drops or adds after it's
printed, this printout will not reflect those changes.
What if there's a student in my class that is not
on my class roster?
It is EXTREMELY important to check your
roster and determine if the students who are attending your class are listed
on your official roster in PeopleSoft. If a student is attending your
class and is NOT on the roster in PeopleSoft, please have the student report
to Student Services to resolve this issue. Remember, if the student in
not on your roster, they will not be able to receive a grade for your
course. Therefore, it is very important to catch this early.
What if there are students on my class roster
that have never attended my class?
For some reason there are students that add
courses and never manage to attend the class. For those students, you
will be asked in the first week or two of class to report them to Mary
Wayland. BRCC is required by U.S. financial aid regulations to report
all “never-attended” or “ceasing to attend” students. Mary Wayland
will send out a memo asking you to report those students directly to her.
Again, because of financial aid regulations, it is extremely important to
send her this information. If you are teaching a cyber section you
will be asked to report any student who has neither logged into the course
nor participated in any class activity (assignments, discussion board,
etc.).
I have more students on my roster in Blackboard
(and in the gradebook) than I do in PeopleSoft on my class roster? Which
one is correct?
The roster in PeopleSoft is always the
correct and up-to-date roster of students enrolled in your class. For
Blackboard, all students that have added to your class will also be added to
your Blackboard section. However, students that drop or have not paid
are not automatically dropped from Blackboard. You must do this
manually. To remove students from your Blackboard section - go to the
Control Panel and click on the link to REMOVE USERS. Be sure you have
verified that they should not be in your class. Once you've verified
this, you can click on the students names you wish to remove so that the
class list in Blackboard matches your PeopleSoft roster.
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Grades
I have a student that had something happen during the semester
and I want to let him/her finish the class a few weeks late. What are my
options?
You as a faculty member have a couple of
options; however, some grade must be assigned to the student at the end of
the semester.
(1) You can award an Incomplete. The
catalog states that an "I - Incomplete No credit; used for verifiable
unavoidable reasons. Since the “incomplete” extends enrollment in the
course, requirements for satisfactory completion will be established through
student/faculty consultation. Courses for which the grade of “I”
(incomplete) have been awarded must be completed by the end of the
subsequent semester or another grade (A, B, C, D, F) must be awarded by the
instructor based upon course work which has been completed. In the case of
“I” grades earned at the end of the spring semester, students will have
through the end of subsequent fall semester to complete the requirements."
In order to award a grade of "I" - you must complete an
Incomplete Grade Form and have that signed by your Dean. The steps
involved with awarding an "I" are located on the form.
(2) You can award a grade, make arrangements
with the student to complete the course work, and then submit a
Grade Change Form after the work has been completed. Faculty have
up to one year to submit grade change requests. More information can
be found in the
Faculty/Staff handbook located on the Intranet.
When and how do I submit my final
grades?
The
academic
calendar that's maintained by the Vice President lists when
grades are due each semester. A reminder from Mary
Wayland, Dean of Student Services, will also be emailed and hard
copies placed in mailboxes a couple of weeks before grades are
due.
The instructions for submitting
final grades are available on both the
Computing Website and on our
Division web page.
I submitted my final grades in SIS
and the screen shows they are approved. Is this correct?
Do I receive any type of verification?
Yes, once you have entered all of
your grades, clicked the dropdown box and choose Approved, and
then hit SAVE. Your grades will be finalized in SIS.
You should see a column listing "Grade Input" and another column
listing "Official Grade" Review these to be sure
they are correct for each student.
In terms of verification,
the VCCS requires
the College to do a "grade playback" where faculty are asked to
verify that the grades that were entered into SIS were indeed
the grades that you awarded. A printed copy of your final
grades will be sent to you from Mary Wayland. If those
grades are correct, you do not need to do
anything.
For instructions on entering grades in
PeopleSoft, click
here.
I have a new date box beside the
grade field to fill out on my grade roster in SIS. This wasn't
there last semester. What date to do I put in this box?
Beginning
with the spring 2006 grade rosters, any faculty who enters a
“F” or an “U” because a student never attended or stopped
attending will need to also note a date of last attendance
(the date can be approximated—for example, last assignment
completed—if the faculty member does not take attendance).
If the student attended throughout the semester but earned
the F anyway, then the faculty member will enter a special
date (which the VCCS will tell us prior to April).
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Syllabi
Is there a standard format for course
syllabi? Can the syllabus be changed within the semester? How is the
course syllabus used? How and when do I file a copy with my Academic
Dean's Office?
The course
syllabus is a specific outline of course description, objectives,
expectations, and policies established for your course. The
timelines, objectives, and policies not only communicate to students
what is expected by their instructor but also have strong
implications to students what they can expect of their instructors.
If there are any disputes between the student and instructor over
grading or completing requirements of the course, the course
syllabus will be a primary source in reviewing and settling
disagreements; some view the syllabus as a type of contract. All
instructors are to use the
standard course syllabus form.
Minor changes
can be made to the syllabus, with emphasis on minor. Students
should be informed immediately of any changes.
Students
should receive a copy of the course syllabus and review it with the
instructor at the first class meeting. An electronic copy of
the course syllabus is to be sent to your respective division
administrative assistant by the end of the first week of classes.
Please send to Russ Ralston at
RalstonR@brcc.edu or Jane Sheets at
SheetsJ@brcc.edu or Carolyn Anson at
AnsonC@brcc.edu.
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Final Exams
When and where do I give my final
exams?
The final exam schedule is posted
on the college web site on the
Academic Calendar. For all semesters, the link for
Final Exams will be listed here. This document will
outline the time schedule you will follow for administering your
exam. The location will be in the same classroom or lab
your class was held during the semester.
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Classroom Management
I have a student that is causing a disturbance and is
often rude – how should I handle this?
Classroom management is often the
most difficult part of teaching. The Student Handbook under
Student Rights, Responsibilities, Disciplinary, and Grievance does outline
the behavioral responsibilities of students. Additionally, the
Faculty/Staff handbook has an entire section on Classroom Management. This
handbook can be found on the Intranet at
http://www2.brcc.edu/fshandbook/classroom/attendance.htm.
Steps: (1) Call or email to make an appointment to talk with your Dean.
He or she can discuss the situation with you to help you determine if a
disciplinary complaint is warranted. (2) If you and your
Dean feel the student warrants disciplinary action, you will be asked to make an official complaint against a student
in writing. This disciplinary complaint is sent to the Vice President of
Instruction and Student Services.
How important is it that I keep the
students engaged in instruction and learning for the full length of
each class meeting?
Instructors
should plan for their classes to meet the full length as
scheduled and as outlined on the course syllabus. This reflects
to the student good planning and commitment on the part of the
instructor. If class is dismissed early, many students will
complain and interpret this as a lack of organization and
commitment on the part of the instructor.
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Email
Do I have an
email account? Do students have email accounts? Is it important
that I use my email?
You are
given a VCCS email account as soon as you become a BRCC employee. Your
email address and instructions on how to access your mail will be given to
you once the account request form has been completed.
Yes,
students also all have email accounts. If you are using Blackboard for
your course, all students along with their email accounts will be listed in
your course section. You can use this to send email to your students.
For more information about student email, please see the
email page on the Student Computing site.
It is very
important that you use your VCCS email account and only respond to student
question from their VCCS email account.
How do I access
my email from home?
You can access your email account, PeopleSoft (SIS), or your
Blackboard courses by way of MyBRCC. Instructions for getting
logged into MyBRCC are found on the computing website.
What is Computer Security
Training (MOAT)?
All employees at BRCC that have email or PeopleSoft (SIS) accounts
must complete computer security training (MOAT) at least one time
per year. This will be completed online and instructions on
how to complete it will be sent to your BRCC email account for
full-time faculty and to your VCCS email account for part-time
faculty. Instructions on how to complete this will be sent to
you when your first contract is issued. For any questions you
have during the training, please contact the Computing Help Desk at
453-2327.
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Computing Resources
How do I get
authorized to use BRCC Computing Resources?
When you are hired, the division assistant
will begin this process. If you have questions, most can be answered by examining the
Institutional Computing Services Internet website at:
http://www.brcc.edu/computing/employee/accounts/Default.htm.
How do I find
out what my EMPLID is?
Either call your Academic Dean's
administrative assistant OR go to: http://www.brcc.edu/computing/employee/accounts/emplid.htm
What if I would
like help using instructional technology in my classes?
BRCC has an instructional technologist who
can assist you with numerous aspects of instructional technology,
including web sites and Blackboard content. Simply
contact Greg Cook at ext 2368 or by email at
cookg@brcc.edu . Greg also has a detailed support website found
at:
http://www2.brcc.edu/it/default.htm
How can I store
documents on the BRCC server?
BRCC has an administrative server (Called
F: Drive) where you can store documents that are not accessible to
students. This personal home directory is created automatically
when your computing account is created. Detailed instruction on how
to access your home directory will be provided to you when your
account is created (see question 1). If you would like another copy
of those directions, contact your division administrative assistant.
BRCC also has an academic server (Called
K: Drive) where you can store documents that you would like students
to access. This public directory is not as secure as the personal
directory since anyone can access the documents you place in that
folder. Using Blackboard course management software is an
alternative, more secure method to provide your students with access
to documents. Contact your division dean for more detailed
information.
For more information, see
http://www.brcc.edu/computing/employee/network/default.htm.
What computer
resources are available in the presentation classrooms?
The college maintains
a number of presentation classrooms that contain, at a minimum, a
networked computer and LCD projector. Many of the rooms also have
VCRs, document cameras, and other audio visual equipment. Technical
support of the rooms is provided by the audio visual staff, Doris
Cline and Ida Griffin, in room E103 or ext. 2275.
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Blackboard
How do I obtain
a Blackboard account and use it for instruction?
Jim Blackburn is the Blackboard
administrator for BRCC. For every course you teach each
semester, a Blackboard account will
automatically be created for you. You can choose to use these or not use these
each semester. The default for students is for your
course to be 'unavailable'; therefore, if you plan to use the
Blackboard course you will need to make it available before students
are able to see your materials.
If you have any questions about Blackboard
simply contact Jim at ext. 2308 or by email at
blackburnj@brcc.edu. Jim also has a detailed support website
found at:
http://www.brcc.edu/computing/employee/bb/default.htm.
For training and help managing Blackboard
content, contact Greg Cook at extension 2368 or by email at
cookg@brcc.edu.
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Weather
The weather was questionable in some areas but the
college did not close. How do I handle students that were not able to come
to class? Does the college have a policy?
Since the College serves a large geographic
area, students are expected to exercise their own judgment when hazardous
conditions exist in their own areas. In the event that a student must miss a
class for weather-related or emergency conditions, the student is obligated
to notify the instructor as soon as possible and arrange for appropriate
make-up work. This policy is outlined in the college catalog and in
the
Student Handbook.
When severe weather or emergencies (snow,
ice, flooding, power failures) require the College to be closed,
notification will be made through announcements by the greeting message on
the College main telephone number (540-234-9261) and by local radio and
television stations. There is also a notice posted on the
college web site at:
http://www.brcc.edu.
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Contact from Parents
I had a mother/father contact me regarding their
son's/daughter's grade in my class. Should I respond to her/him?
In accordance with the
federal law called “FERPA” (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), you
are not permitted to discuss any academic information with anyone but the
student, unless the student gives written permission to the Admissions and
Records office for you to do so. The best course of action is to inform the
parent of this politely (telling him/her that this is to protect the
privacy of our students) and to ask him/her to have the student get in
contact with you to discuss his or her grade. Another option is to
request the student come see you and tell him/her that they can bring their
parent also, if he/she so chooses. If he/she does bring the
parent, be sure to structure the discussion so you and the student are
having the conversation, with the parent having an opportunity to ask
questions at the end. For more specific information, please review the
Quick Facts
About FERPA document Mary Wayland created.
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Professional Development
As an adjunct instructor, can I take a
course at the college for free?
Effective April
2007, a new policy has gone into effect that allows BRCC
employees to take up to 6 credits per semester at Blue Ridge
without charge (this does not apply to tuition at other
colleges/universities). Details of the new policy are
available through the Human Resources department; however, some
details of the procedure are noted here:
-
Employees must request assistance prior
to the start of the class.
-
Requests
must be submitted to Human Resources by completing the
Educational Assistance/Continuous Learning Request Form.
-
After the
request form is approved, the form is taken to Admissions
and Records for registration as a non-paying student.
-
Employees
must register in person and provide the signed Educational
Assistance/Continuous Learning Request Form to Admissions
and Records in order to access this benefit.
-
After the
course is completed, a copy of the final grade must be
submitted to the Human Resources Office
As an adjunct instructor, am I eligible to
attend professional development workshops, seminars, and
conferences?
Yes; workshops,
seminars, and peer group meetings sponsored by the College and
the VCCS present many opportunities for professional
development. You will be informed of these opportunities and we
encourage you to plan to participate. When notified, if you are
interested in attending, you should contact your Academic Dean.
As an adjunct instructor, am I eligible to
submit grant proposals under the VCCS Professional Development Grant
Program?
Yes; as a Pilot Project, approved at its April 2005 meeting,
the Professional Development Committee will consider VCCS
Research Grant Proposals from Adjunct Faculty members. This
Project will be reviewed after two years and will be
considered for extension at that time. If you would like to
submit a VCCS Research Grant Proposal, please contact your
respective Academic Dean to discuss the process and your
proposal.
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Evaluation
How is my course and instruction evaluated?
Effective Summer 2006, our evaluation forms are
sent directly to students via a web link emailed to their VCCS
email account. All faculty will receive a detailed
explanation of how this process works. If you did not
receive the notification for summer, please click on
this link to review the memo. The email will be sent
to each student approximately one week before the end of the course
with instructions on how to complete the survey. Students
complete one online evaluation of the course and instruction for each course. The evaluation results are routed to
the respective Dean or his/her designee for review and a copy of
the evaluation results report is sent to each faculty member.
If warranted, the
Dean may ask the faculty member to meet for a review. The
Academic Dean or his/her designee may observe classroom
instruction; a notice is usually given prior to coming to
observe. It is recommended that after four or five class
meetings that you take about five to ten minutes and ask
students to give you a brief written anonymous feedback of how
the class and instruction is going.
Disability Services
What do I do if a student tells me they have a
disability and need special arrangements or exceptions to complete
assigned work or examinations? What if I suspect a student has a disability?
If the student has completed the process
with the Coordinator of Disability Services, the student will provide
you with the Classroom Accommodation form that identifies his or her
needs. If a student has not met with the coordinator, you do not
have to provide any special accommodations. If the student
requests an accommodation, please refer him or her to Krista Gisler in
Student Services. More detailed information about the process can
be found on the Disability web site at:
http://www.brcc.edu/services/disability/default.htm.
It is unlawful to directly ask a student
if they have a disability. However, if the student discloses to
you that they have been diagnosed or even suspect they have a
disability, please refer the student to Krista Gisler in Student Services.
Where are the post boxes and duplicating
services?
The post boxes are located in the
faculty/staff lounge in E107 across from duplicating.
Duplicating is located in E103.
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Parking
Do I need
a BRCC parking sticker? How and where do I go to obtain one? (this
would include parking stickers for guest speakers or visitors as
well)
Parking stickers may be obtained
from Dorris Darne in Room 109 of Armstrong Hall. Her hours
are 7:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday thru Thursday and 7:00
a.m. until 12:00 noon on Friday. Please be sure to check
your current sticker for an expiration date. Expired
stickers will need to be replaced. You must know the make,
model, year and license plate number of your vehicle to
obtain a parking sticker. Stickers are now the type that
you do not have to scrape off and should be placed your
driver's side rear window.
Visitor passes are currently
available at the information counter in Houff Student
Center.
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Offices
Is there office space available I can use? How do I
request this?
Yes, we do have shared office space available that you can use. The
office cubicles are located in D hallway. On each door, there is a
sign-up sheet in which you can use to reserve time before or after your
class. However, due to the limited cubicle space, we ask that each
person only sign up for one hour per week the first week of class.
After the first week, please check back and feel free to sign up for
additional hours if they are available. This will give everyone an
opportunity to at least get one hour.
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Important Dates
Is there an online location for important
dates?
Yes, there are two locations
depending on the information you are looking for. The
academic calendar for students is maintained on the BRCC
Internet at the following address:
http://www.brcc.edu/Student/academic_calendar.htm.
The calendar maintained by the
Vice President of Instruction and Student Services that lists
the in-service days, holidays, dates textbooks orders are due,
when course outlines are due, etc. is located on the Intranet
at:
http://www2.brcc.edu/diss/AcCalendars/default.htm.
We also provide a link to the
current academic calendar on our division website.
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Library
Resources
Do I have
and/or How do I get access to library resources?
Can a
librarian come speak to my class(es)?
Yes, our librarian
would love to come speak to your
classes. Our librarian can speak for 90, 45 or even just 15 minutes -
whatever you have time for. We have details about that service
at
http://www.brcc.edu/library/libserv.htm#Library%20Instruction.
Some examples of topics our librarian can speak about include:
- Web site evaluation
- Getting articles from the
library’s 200+ online databases
- What
online books the library has
- How to get a library card
- How to look for books
on the online catalog
- And all the other wonderful
things our library offers
What if I have other questions about library
resources or need to contact someone in the library?
The
Library also has a FAQ page at
http://www.brcc.edu/library/faq/faqs.html that will
answer a bunch of other questions
like:
-
how to get a
library card
-
how to request a
book or article thru interlibrary loan
-
putting something
on Reserve for your students
-
educational videos
for classroom use
-
leisure reading -
we have bestsellers and a children's collection
-
how to request a
book or periodical purchase that you or your
students would use
You can find all the library resources on their web site at:
http://www.brcc.edu/library/
The hours the library is open, including the library phone
number, is listed here:
http://www.brcc.edu/library/hours/libhrs.htm
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