Teaching Resources

Preparing Your Syllabus & Associated Materials

• Check that your course content is accessible using these guidelines, tutorials, and tips. 
• Visit our Syllabus Resources to find additional useful content, such as the
  • TCU Syllabus Templates (to check for required elements and mandatory policies)
  • TCU Syllabus Rubric (to compare your syllabus with to find areas of improvement or addition)
  • Academic Calendar (for days when your class might be cancelled, such as convocation)
  • Final Exam Calendar (to find the dates and times for your syllabus and course schedule)
• Don’t cancel class if you have to be away for business. Check out TCU’s Don’t Cancel that Class initiative, which allows you schedule a workshop for a class period you are gone. They have a variety of topics, such as stress-resiliency skills, time management, StrengthsQuest training, financial literacy, suicide prevention, community civility, and more. Visit their website for workshop descriptions and to request a workshop for your class.
• Submit your textbook request(s) to the TCU Campus Store through the Follett Discover link in TCU Online. New faculty wishing to place textbook orders who do not have TCU Online access yet can submit requests to the TCU Campus Store at 1546txt@follett.com.
• See if your course has a Core or WEM designation. Use the resources below to align your course with Core or WEM objectives and requirements.
  • Core Curriculum Information and Abbreviation Key
  • Core Curriculum Approved Courses
  • Writing Emphasis (WEM) Courses
• Complete your Chair Conversation Checklist to align your course policies to the department’s norms and expectations.
• Prepare your course in TCU Online. Many faculty across the university use TCU Online, our learning management system, to post content for classes, maintain their gradebook,and accept student homework submissions or quizzes. Log in to TCU Online with your TCU username and password. (Users will be able to login to TCU Online approx. 24 hours after they Set up their TCU username and have been assigned to their course in Class Search.) If you haven’t been officially assigned to your course in Class Search by the Registrar, please contact your department. Learn more about TCU Online or register for a workshop.
• Learn how to see your class roster, submit grades, and advise students in My.TCU.Edu on the Registrar’s website. The Registrar’s website also has the official academic calendar and final exam schedule for each semester.

Policies & Documentation You Should Know

• Read through the Registrar’s information on FERPA and best practices.
• Learn about Unsatisfactory Grades. TCU has an Unsatisfactory Grading Report system. While there are no University guidelines on what constitutes an unsatisfactory grade (U grade), submitting a U grade for a student can notify them that their work is below C level or consistently late, they are not participating in required discussions, or they are not attending class regularly. Unsatisfactory grades can be posted as early as 3 weeks into the semester. Each semester you will receive an email from the Registrar’s Office on how to submit the simple and quick report. Retention literature suggests that students benefit from early feedback. Since U grades are not a part of the student’s permanent academic record, they provide a great tool to motivate students to get help sooner rather than later. Take advantage of this opportunity to provide critical feedback to students early. If there are behavioral student issues that are concerning, contact the Dean of Students at 817-257-7926 or deanofstudents@tcu.edu.​ See additional information about U grades in the handbook appropriate for your position. Faculty/Staff Handbook: pages 58-59, 62-63 or Part-Time (Adjunct) Faculty Resource Manual: pages 11-12, 14.
• Learn more about the Dean of Students office, which is prepared to deal with critical incidents, crisis management, and also oversees University student discipline cases. For additional information, visit the Dean of Students website, call 817-257-7926 or email deanofstudents@tcu.edu.
• Review the Faculty/Staff Handbook for questions about policies. Below are some of the recommended policies to familiarize yourself with. (Policies are listed in the order in which they appear in the Faculty/Staff Handbook.)
  • Emergency Actions for Severe Weather
  • Notice of Non-Discrimination & Contact Information for Title IX Coordinator
  • Dean of Students & Absences
  • Statement on Professional Ethics
  • Academic Responsibilities and Procedures
    • Teaching
    • Attendance Expectations and Official Absence Policy
    • Class “Walks”
    • Final Evaluative Exercise Policy
    • End of Semester Study Period
    • Exception to Final Examination and Study Day Policies for Graduating Students
  • Sexual Assault Reporting
  • Procedures for Students with Disabilities