Newsletter August 20, 2026
cte.utah.edu

With the start of the Fall semester, we’ve already had a lot of questions about AI use in the classroom, by both students and faculty. 

Please share the Student AI Guidelines with your students. An easy way to do this is to link them directly to your Canvas Course. 

For faculty AI use, remember to model the kinds of behaviors you want to see from your students. Disclose and explain your AI usage, check any AI-produced content for accuracy, make sure to follow security guidelines, and only use U-approved AI tools. We strongly discourage the use of AI in grading. For more information, see our AI for Teaching page. 

If you or your students would like more information about the environmental impacts of AI, colleagues from across RAI and the U have published a report on the Environmental Impacts of Generative Artificial Intelligence.  

Join the Martha Bradley Evans Center for Teaching Excellence and the Academic Senate Advisory Committee on Student Course Feedback for a faculty town hall on Thursday, September 10, from 10–11 a.m. on Zoom.

This faculty-focused session will provide a practical overview of how Student Course Feedback works at the University of Utah. Topics will include what feedback is collected, why it matters, who sees the results, and how faculty can make the most of the feedback they receive. We’ll also cover strategies for improving response rates, introduce new reporting formats and tools, and discuss how to navigate common feedback situations.

The session will be led by Adam Halstrom, Feedback and Innovations Systems Manager, and Jess Tidswell, Chair of the Senate Advisory Committee on Student Course Feedback.

Register: Meeting Registration - Zoom

The start of a new semester brings exciting events, and we expect campus to be buzzing on Thursday, Sept. 3, as the Utah Utes host their first football game of the season, taking on the Idaho Vandals.

With so many people on campus, we’re expecting heavy traffic and difficulty traveling, so please consider taking public transportation, particularly TRAX, that day and encouraging your students to do the same. 

Additional parking will be available, but if your classes or labs will be significantly impacted, remember that you have the flexibility to consider alternative instruction models, such as virtual classes. Please contact your supervisor if you have any questions.

This semester, Student Course Feedback introduces a new Instructor Report designed to complement the familiar Section Report.

You can access your reports by logging in to the Student Course Feedback portal, where you can also monitor survey response rates, review survey dates, and access other course evaluation tools.

→ Log in to Student Course Feedback

While a Section Report summarizes student feedback for a single course offering, the Instructor Report brings together feedback across your teaching over the past five years. It is designed to help you identify longer-term patterns, recognize recurring strengths, and support reflection on your teaching over time.

Section Report
Feedback for one course section.

Instructor Report
A five-year view across your teaching.

To help you get started, we've created a few short guides:

Reading the Instructor Report: Understand the sections, metrics, and trends included in your Instructor Report. 

Reading the Section Report: Learn how to interpret results for an individual course section. 

Whether you're preparing a teaching portfolio, reviewing feedback from a recent semester, or simply looking for a broader view of your teaching, these resources can help you get the most from your reports.

The University of Utah One-U Responsible Artificial Intelligence Initiative (One-U RAI) is accepting nominations for its inaugural awards program honoring individuals who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to advancing responsible AI. The campus community is invited to submit nominations across all disciplines for two open awards—one for faculty members and another for grad students or postdocs. A third award will recognize a dedicated One-U RAI committee member. Help us celebrate outstanding work at the U, and nominate your peers or yourself by Sept. 20: rai.utah.edu/opportunities/annual-awards/.

We are happy to announce the Office of Undergraduate Research Fall 2026 opportunities listed below, including the SPUR 2027 Mentor Application, OUR Education Series, and OUR Research Tours.  

The Summer Program for Undergraduate Research (SPUR) mentor application is now open. Submissions are due October 4.  

Please join us for the SPUR: Faculty Mentor Information Session on Friday, September 11 from 11am-12pm via Zoom.  This session is for University of Utah faculty; professors who are career-line and tenure-track. Learn about SPUR, how it benefits faculty, and tips for applying to be a SPUR mentor.

Click here for more info on SPUR 2027 and to apply. 

If you have questions about SPUR, please contact Wallita Ranger at wallita.ranger@utah.edu. 

In addition to the upcoming live Education Series presentations listed below, we also have over 80 on-demand presentations available on our OUR Education Series webpage. These virtual presentations are open to any student, faculty, or staff so please share this with your students and colleagues. You are also welcome to include some of this content in your courses to supplement the classroom.  

If you have suggestions for future Education Series topics and/or you would like to present in the Education Series, please contact Shelly Parker at shelly.parker@utah.edu.

OUR research tours are for early researchers who are curious about where to get started or what it looks like to work in a research environment. It's a great way for students to get a look inside different labs and see the innovative work being done in a variety of fields.

Click here for more info and to register for any of the research tours listed below!

We are excited to collaborate with campus partners to showcase the incredible work and research facilities at the U! If you are a faculty member interested in collaborating with OUR to host a tour, please contact Sara Cody at sara.cody@utah.edu.

Join us for Accessibility Tech Tips Tuesday this fall! This semester’s series will focus on building practical skills for creating more accessible digital content. Through short, hands-on sessions, explore tools and strategies to help make your course materials easier to access, navigate, and use for all learners. Check out the schedule and drop in for the sessions that best support your work!