Newsletter December 11, 2025
cte.utah.edu

Student Course Feedback window for students closes on December 15

Please remind your students to submit feedback for your courses

Fall Grading Tips

With recent changes to the grading deadline, grades are now due 5 days after the last day of finals — this semester that is December 17. The Grading information on the Registrar’s Office website has several useful tips, including:

How to upload your final course grades from a file
How to import your final grades from Canvas
How to change final grades online

Syllabus Posting for Spring 2026

For Spring 2026, all main campus syllabi most be posted by December 22.

All syllabi should be posted to the class schedule via CIS.
Mandatory course syllabi should also be posted to Simple Syllabus.

For the University’s core syllabus template, institutional policies, and more, please refer to CTE’s Syllabus Design Page.

Prepping for Success in Spring 2026

Besides having a clear and well-organized syllabus, making your Canvas course page as organized and accessible as possible will also set both you and your students up for success. We polled resident Canvas experts in CTE and Digital Learning Technologies to ask them what the top things were instructors can do to maximize their usage of Canvas. They said:

Customize the Course Navigation Menu (on the left-hand side of the screen)
Organize course content into modules that correspond to your course calendar
For Canvas Assignments, write clear step-by-step instructions, set submission type restrictions, and use rubrics. Use tools like SpeedGrader, Gradescope, or Feedback Fruits to facilitate grading and feedback
Put Assignment Due dates on the Canvas Course Calendar
Utilize the tips on CTE’s Accessibility Essentials page

Need more help with Canvas? Schedule a consult with DLT or email classhelp@utah.edu

Flyer titled “Who Should I Ask?” compares help options for faculty at the University of Utah. Left side (Technology – Digital Learning Technologies): support for A/V, recording, Canvas, video, creative, assessment, and accessibility tools. Right side (Pedagogy – Martha Bradley Evans Center for Teaching Excellence): help with teaching design, syllabus and content reviews, accessibility, belonging, and new ideas. Bottom banner: visit both offices at the Faculty Center, 1st floor Marriott Library, Suite 1705.

Graduate Student Instructor Training in Pedagogy

Almost every department on campus includes graduate student instructors in some way, whether as sole course instructors, TAs, lab section leaders, or other roles. Did you know that CTE offers graduate student training in pedagogy? We offer a 15-credit online graduate certificate in Teaching in Higher Education, and most of those courses can be taken individually. Courses are offered fall and spring.

In Spring, our course offerings include a graduate special topics seminar in Teaching with AI. Spots are still open!

Flyer titled “Graduate Certificate in Teaching in Higher Education” from the University of Utah’s Martha Bradley Evans Center for Teaching Excellence. Describes a flexible online program open to graduate students preparing for higher education teaching positions. Lists four core courses: CTLE 6000 Teaching in Higher Education, CTLE 6200 Equitable Teaching in Higher Education, CTLE 6510 Cyber Pedagogy, and CTLE 6800 Teaching Practicum in Higher Education (each 3 credits). Includes a special topic course, CTLE 6960 Teaching with AI, available Spring 2026. Notes that courses taken before Fall 2024 may count toward the certificate. QR code and website for more information.

Accessibility Essentials — Formatting Links and Filenames

Banner: Pixelated background with the Universal Access icon. Banner reads

How should I format links and file names?

Hyperlinks allow us to weave together several sources of information, files, and tools online. Assistive tech tools can provide learners with a list of the links on a web page or document, making it simple to get to where the user needs to go quickly. To make sure this is possible though, links and file titles need to be descriptive!

A screenshot of a Canvas assignment titled “Water Cycle Infographic.” To the right, there are three examples of link titles for the infographic template being shared for the assignment: * The first shows a long, complex URL with a red X next to it. * The second shows “Template: Click here” with another red X. * The third shows “Find the infographic template here” with a green check mark. An arrow points from the assignment window to the correct example link, emphasizing the importance of using descriptive link text.

A few tips for how to include accessible links and files in your content on Canvas and beyond:

Ensure your link text makes sense out of context and clearly indicates what the link leads to. Avoid long URLs or phrases like “Click Here”, “Read More”, or “Link”.
Retitle files that will be linked throughout your course with meaningful names. Create a naming protocol for your uploaded files when possible.
Link titles should be descriptive and as concise as possible. While there is no minimum or maximum limit to how long link text can be, keeping it short is more user-friendly.
Links should be visually identifiable. Links are generally underlined and in a different color– avoid changing the visual style of links (e.g., removing underline, making the text the same color as the rest of regular text) or changing the visual style of regular text to look like a link (e.g., underlining text, making the text red).

Interested in learning about other accessibility tips and tricks? Check out CTE's Accessibility Essentials page!

How to Edit Links & File Names

CTE Video Series: Links & File Names

Financial Wellness Center

Learning Center

Awards - Office of Undergraduate Studies - The University of Utah

The Office of Undergraduate Studies is excited to announce that nominations are now open for the prestigious Professor John G. Francis Prize for Undergraduate Student Mentoring. This annual award celebrates faculty members who go above and beyond in mentoring undergraduate students outside the classroom, fostering their academic and personal growth.

The award recognizes excellence in two categories:

1. Early Career Award – A $1,250 prize honoring faculty in the early stages of their careers who have demonstrated exceptional promise in mentoring undergraduate students.

2. Advanced Career Award – A $1,250 prize awarded to seasoned faculty who have significantly impacted student mentoring throughout their careers.

The Francis Prize highlights the dedication and impact of our faculty, underscoring the importance of mentorship in shaping our students’ educational experiences and futures.

Nomination Deadline: December 15, 2025

Please consider nominating colleagues who exemplify outstanding mentorship qualities. Nominations can be submitted online through the following link: https://ugs.formstack.com/forms/2025_francis_mentorship_prize

For any questions or further information, please do not hesitate to contact Jim Agutter at agutterja@design.utah.edu.

Upcoming Funding Deadlines

University Teaching Grants

January 26, and March 6

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