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Resources for Adjunct Faculty: ANNOUNCEMENTS

This guide created for law school adjunct faculty offers information regarding school policies, calendars and textbook information, information for recording classes and other computing services and also includes law school and campus-provided services.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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Dear Spring Adjunct Faculty,      

In anticipation of the upcoming of the Spring semester, here is some information that will help with planning.  This email contains a lot of information, all of which can be found in the Adjunct Faculty Resources Guide.  Your course information (Room number, etc.) may be accessed on the course information tab of our website under the Registrar’s Office.  Please note the following dates for your class preparation and scheduling:  

Monday, Jan 12                                                               Classes Begin

Monday, Jan 19                                                               Martin Luther King Day (no classes)

Friday, Feb 27                                                                  Semester Recess Begins-All classes end after last class

                Monday, Mar 9                                                                Classes Resume

Friday, Apr 3                                                                    GOOD FRIDAY (no classes)

Tuesday, Apr 21                                                             Friday Schedule -All classes end after last class

Friday, Apr 24                                                                  Examination Period Begins         

Friday, May 8                                                                   Examination Period Ends

Tuesday, May 12                                                             3L Grades Due

TBD                                                                                       2L Grades Due

Attendance: Under ABA rules, you are required to take attendance at each class session.  You may pass an attendance sheet; if preferred, you can also use roll-call or another method to verify student attendance/absences.  To report attendance, use the attendance link in your Blackboard course to 1) report all students present, or 2) list the names of those who were absent.  Please do your best to enter this information on a weekly basis so that we can stay up to date with students of concern.

Blackboard:  Blackboard enables you to email your students, post assignments and/or course documents, set-up discussion boards and much more.  Use this link for a tutorial on Blackboard.  You may contact Richard Wack richard.wack@villanova.edu or 610-519-6738 for assistance.  

Note: We will hold a Blackboard roundtable on Wednesday, August 13 at noon for all adjunct faculty.  An Outlook invitation will be sent shortly.  

Class Roster: During the first week of first week of classes, you may access and print a class roster in Novasis to access those students registered for your course.  You will need your User ID and Pin, if you need assistance with Novasis access contact the Help Desk at 610-519-7700.  Once the drop/add period is over, after the first week of classes, you will be emailed an attendance sheet reflecting your final class roster.

Email Address: The University issues an email account for all adjuncts …@law.villanova.edu. Correspondence will go directly to that address, and it is the one to come up when students type in your name.  Please check the account regularly.

Syllabus Template 

Attached is a syllabus template, please use this template as a guide for creatine your syllabus.

TECH HELP!

UNIT Support: If you're having any technical problems, please contact the Villanova Helpdesk by phone at 610-519-7777, email at support@villanova.edu, or get real-time support via live chat.  For walk-up assistance, you can visit the TechZone located in the Library 1st Floor. Walk-ins are welcome Monday-Thursday, 9-5 Friday. Please visit University IT (UNIT) to learn more about technology on campus.  UNIT Contact Information is as follows: 610-519-7700  support@villanova.edu.

Classroom support: please call the number on the phone in your classroom if you are having any issues prior to/during class.  If you will be Zooming in a guest and are not comfortable with the technology, you can reach out to Michael Hayden or Brian Sirak in advance, and they will make sure that everything is set up and/or someone can meet you.  

Internet Access:  To connect to the internet, Villanova's wireless network SSID is "VUMobile" (not VUGuest). To connect, simply click on VUMobile on your computer’s list of available wireless networks and enter in your Villanova username and password. This will work for any computer running Windows Vista or higher and Mac OS X 10.5 or higher.

DUO installment for login when on and off-campus 

The University’s new requirement for sign-in to the VU network will require another level of authentication using DUO.  A more detailed description and enrollment instructions can be found at  https://guide.duo.com/enrollment.  You will be required to download the DUO app (available free in the app store) to your cell phone or tablet for any off-campus login; in order to sign into Blackboard, Outlook, Zoom, etc., you must enroll.  If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the Help Desk at support@villanova.edu or 610-519-7777 for assistance

Note: You may have a new password since you last taught, which is likely because the University has a yearly required update. Make sure you know your password prior to class (and contact UNIT if you don’t recall it).  Good news: Once you log in the first time, the server will remember you for the remainder of the semester.

Recording classes

To encourage ill students to stay home, all classes are recorded and placed in your MyMediasite location (each professor has their own secure site).  You have the following options: 1) send the recording links on an ad hoc need basis to individual students, or 2) you can ask Richard Wack (Richard.wack@villanova.edu) to automatically post all recordings on your Blackboard each week.

 

 

Remote Teaching Best Practices:  If you anticipate using technology to teach remotely at all (conducting synchronous or asynchronous zoom classes, conducting live classes with some students zooming in, etc), our faculty and the University’s pedagogy experts have prepared a series of short instructional videos with recommendations.  We hope that you will view these at your conveniences at https://vums-web.villanova.edu/Mediasite/Channel/vls-faculty-teaching-technology/

De minimis use of distance learning tools

Below is the policy for use of distance learning tools to replace in-person teaching on an occasional basis.  Ideally, all classes will be in person, but below is the policy when an unexpected circumstance would make a remote class a better option:

Travel/Unexpected circumstances (de minimis use): Professors can occasionally use distance learning tools in lieu of in-person classes, to make up a missed class because of illness, handle work travel, or address other unexpected circumstances related to the professor’s availability.  

  • Occasional use of distance learning tools can assist in the difficulties of rescheduling a class.  
  • Although there may be exceptional circumstances that warrant more use, faculty should use distance learning tools to replace only one in-person class (if class meets one time per week) or two in-person classes (if class meets two times per week).  If possible, provide students with advance notice, particularly if it is not an unexpected circumstance.  If you need to replace in-person teaching beyond the limits of this policy, you must get approval from the Academic Dean. 

Zooming into Class 

Professors are NOT required to Zoom in sick or isolating students.  Any professor may opt to do so, however, if a professor does not want to Zoom in students, the professor must provide access to a recording.  All classes will be recorded automatically (see section above about recordings).  

 

Importantly, students MAY NOT zoom into class for any other reason (interview, travel, etc.).  Here is the policy that will be communicated to students: 

  • Professors are not required to have a remote “Zoom-in” option this year for sick students.  If permitted by the Professor, sick students can Zoom into class; those Professors allowing this option will provide information about their requirements in their syllabus. If a Professor does not permit sick students to Zoom into class, students can review the course recording; students should request a recording from their Professor or view the recording if the Professor posts it on Blackboard after each class.
  • Students cannot request to Zoom into a class for any reason other than illness; students cannot Zoom into a class for convenience (i.e. conflict, travel, interview, etc.). 

Parking Office: 610-519-6992 - You will need to register your car’s license plate to park in the Law School lot S-4 or garage S-5.  The University will deduct the cost of the parking permit from your honorarium for the months that you are teaching.  You will need your User ID and Pin for Novasis.  Click here to register for the Fall semester. 

 

WildCard Office: 610-519-6202 - The University WildCard is the all-purpose ID card; it is your key to facilities and library access.  If you are new this year and need to obtain a WildCard, please contact their office for more information.

Tips - Here are a few final tips based upon comments from students and that we have observed in course evaluations:

  • Communication is key: use Blackboard to post documents and make announcements (check the send email option too). It is much easier for students to locate information on Blackboard v. various emails.
  • Use your Zoom personal meeting room for individual meetings, as needed.
  • If remote because of weather or illness, use break-out rooms to facilitate small group discussions/group work.
  • Inform student of the best way to get in touch with you and respond to emails within 24 hours.
  • If you have assessments during the semester, provide timely feedback prior to additional assessments.