Newsletter April 9, 2026
cte.utah.edu

Student Course Feedback 

Student Course Feedback plays a critical role in helping instructors learn what helps students succeed in their courses. Achieving strong response rates to student course feedback surveys helps to ensure that the data collected is representative of the range of students in the course and that the information is valid. The easiest way to ensure high response rates is to set aside 10-15 minutes in class during the response window to explain the importance and use of the feedback, provide students with the survey link, and give them time to fill out the survey. (This could be incorporated into weekly content for online courses.)

For regular term-length Spring 2026 courses, the student course feedback window opens on April 14 and closes on May 2.  For information on survey timelines, checking response rates, accessing results, and more, see the Student Course Feedback site made available by the Martha Bradley Evans Center for Teaching Excellence.  

Grading 

With spring semester classes ending on April 21, please remember that April 22 is Reading Day, and no classes or exams may be held. The Spring Final Exam Period runs April 23-29. And on spring final grades must be posted by May 4. 

Syllabus Posting

All syllabi for Summer 2026 should be posted one week before the first day of classes, to satisfy requirements in both PPM 6-100 and USHE guidelines for HB261. For first term and full term summer courses, that date is May 4, 2026. 

For information on syllabus templates, university policies, posting information, and other content, please refer to CTE’s Syllabus Design page. 

Meeting Course Accessibility Requirements

If you are teaching this summer, please be aware that all digital course materials provided for students must meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards. This is mandated by federal law: Title II regulations for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and it goes into effect on April 24th, 2026.

Staff from the Center for Teaching Excellence and Digital Learning Technologies have prepared a number of tutorials, videos, and other resources that guide you through what you need to do to make sure your course meets federal requirements — everything is gathered on our Accessibility Essentials website. 

If you need support as you’re working through your content, please make plans to attend our Accessibility Drop-In Day on April 17, pop in to our Accessibility Office Hours on Thursdays at 11 via Zoom, email classhelp@utah.edu, or request a meeting with a CTE consultant. We can’t remediate all your content for you, but we will empower you with the skills, tools, and knowledge to make these changes yourself. 

 

We’ve reached registration capacity for our Graduate Teaching Institute on May 4-7. There is always a little fluctuation closer to the event, so please sign up for our GTI Waitlist if you didn’t get a chance to register yet. We will contact you the week of 4/29 to let you know if spots are available. 

Share Summer Research Tours with your students!

The Office of Undergraduate Research is excited to offer Summer Research Tours, giving undergraduates an inside look at research happening across campus in a fun and accessible way. OUR tours are especially supportive of students who are new to research and provide a welcoming introduction to lab spaces and scholarly work at the U. Summer tours are open to all undergraduates—no prior research experience required, with particular outreach to new and prospective students, as well as their families and guests.

Learn more & register:  https://our.utah.edu/research-tours/

Join us for Tech Tips Tuesday! Every other week features Canvas or Accessibility related tools, and Adobe Express Learning Kit, you can use in your teaching or personal projects. Check out the schedule and drop in for the topics that inspire you!

 

Join the Summer Adobe Education Institute this June 8-11! This virtual professional development experience is designed for higher education faculty and staff. Through interactive workshops, expert panels, and hands-on sessions, participants will explore innovative ways to enhance teaching, integrate AI and digital tools, and boost student engagement using Adobe Express. Registration is now open!