Welcome to the Weekly UTLC Newsletter: Week of April 21, 2026 |
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Teaching Tips: Incomplete Grades |
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Another semester is almost done, and with the end of the semester will come requests for incomplete grades. While it may be tempting to "bail out" a struggling student with an incomplete, there are many moving parts to consider:
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Did the student agree to the incomplete? Please have the student consent to the incomplete so they understand the grade and their obligations. An incomplete without full consent from the student and a plan may just be delaying the same outcome.
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Do you have a plan? The best of intentions may find us agreeing to an incomplete without a plan set up in collaboration with the student (for example, the student may still be in the middle of the situation that’s causing the incomplete). An incomplete is most likely to be completed successfully with an action plan and continued support from the faculty member. If both the student and the faculty member are unable to commit to these items, an incomplete may not be the best option. Please file the plan with someone in your department – should you leave the university, your department will still know what the student agreed to. (Also, don’t forget to check if your department has specific incomplete policies).
- How much work is left? There is no specific policy about how much course work must be completed to be able to assign an incomplete. However, the more work the student has remaining, the less likely it is that the student will be able to complete the course successfully once removed from an organized class.
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Is the student already passing? If the student is passing but is hoping to improve their grade with their last assessments, they should have a conversation with their advisor about whether a passing grade is better than dragging out an incomplete.
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Students have six months to complete the course. Also the incomplete turns into an F if you haven’t turned in a grade change form, no matter what the student’s grade is at that point. Turning in the work, seeking help, and keeping up with the action plan is ultimately up to the student. However, keeping up with that deadline for the grade change is ultimately up to the faculty member Please urge any student who takes an incomplete to discuss the ramifications (including prerequisites and academic progress) of doing so with their academic advisor.
Thank you for your work in supporting our students in distress. The UTLC is always happy to work through classroom situations or other teaching needs with you.
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Tech Tip: Incomplete Extensions in Canvas |
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Did you know UNCG has an extension request form for to faculty to use when supporting students who need additional time to complete coursework? The Extension Request Form provides a centralized way to document requests and give students more time to complete coursework. Here’s a quick step‑by‑step to get started. (GTAs will need to submit a 6-tech ticket.)
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- Open the Extension Request Form using the UNCG ServiceNow link.
- Confirm the request applies to a student incomplete grade extension.
- Complete the required student and course information.
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Describe the reason for the extension and the expected completion timeline.
- Submit the form and monitor the request status in ServiceNow.
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Open Office Hours with ITS |
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Open Office Hours with ITS: Learning Technology’s Instructional Design Team: Tuesdays 10am–12pm
Drop in for a conversation with an instructional designer! We can assist with course and assessment design, discuss teaching questions, and help with Canvas, Teams, and other learning technology.
No registration is needed; you can just join online.
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Save the Date: Spring Biergarten! |
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| Please save the date for our Spring Biergarten, Wednesday, April 29, from 4 to 5pm! More details will be provided in the coming weeks.
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Student Experience Project |
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In partnership, the Division of Student Success and the UTLC are pleased to announce the Student Experience Project. We will be building a community of practice for faculty that will run from August 2026 to May 2027. This pilot focuses on folks who teach 100 and 200 level classes, with hopes of expanding in the future.
Faculty will spend 3 to 5 hours a month learning instructional practices that are centered around belonging and inclusion in order to increase student outcomes, along with receiving support from other faculty and student success staff. Meetings and trainings will be a mix of face to face and online, and there will social opportunities as well.
If you are interested, please fill out this form. Questions may be directed to Stephanie Keene (s_keene@uncg.edu) or Joyce Clapp (jfclapp@uncg.edu).
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Save the Date: May Professional Development |
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May will feature several professional development opportunities! We will have more details about these events in the coming weeks, including exact times and locations, but we'd love to get on your calendar! Please save the date (and register) for the following:
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| AI Institute: May 11:
Join us for the 3rd Annual AI Institute! Are you curious about generative AI? Do you want to learn more about how AI is being used by students and your colleagues? Worried about the role AI plays in learning? Join the UTLC and campus partners for an interactive day with generative AI. Held in-person, the AI Institute offers the campus community an opportunity to come together to engage in critical dialogues, learn from one another, and explore emerging concepts for AI literacy.
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| In The First (Support for those teaching 100/200 level classes): May 12:
Are you teaching a 100/200 level course? A student’s first semester is critical to their academic success – courses that are “In the First!” inning of the academic career set up the whole game.
This daylong Institute focuses on the unique teaching needs of 100/200 level courses. Participants will learn more about our incoming students, how to prepare for their unique needs, and the tools available to you for supporting them.
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Accessibility Incubator: May 18 & 19:
In preparation for campus compliance with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, join the UTLC and campus partners for a second offering of the accessibility retrofitting incubator. Bring your course and work directly with campus experts to ensure your courses are accessible and compliant for Summer and Fall 2026! We’ll bring the snacks.
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Faculty Engagement & Development Opportunities |
Check out these upcoming opportunities from the UTLC and other partners on campus. Additionally, the university workshop calendar has opportunities.
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- Self-Paced Training Options| Online, research-based workshops cover a range of essential topics.
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UNCG Libraries Webinars | Research and Application Webinar Series (Spring 2024 recordings) | Zotero Webinar Series (recordings)
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New to Teaching | Access this Canvas site to learn about how students learn, preparing for class, grading, office hours, engagement, active learning, and more.
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Safe and Trans Zone Training on Canvas | Enroll in this self-paced online course to complete Safe Zone 1.0, 2.0, and Trans Zone if you cannot attend an in-person workshop.
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Web Accessibility 101 | This asynchronous, self-paced course focuses on the fundamentals of making online content accessible.
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