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Classroom Resources & Support

Planned Absence from Class Sessions

A faculty member is responsible for securing a substitute instructor to cover his/her course.  The substitute instructor must be another faculty member.

Unplanned Absence from Class Sessions

If a faculty member is ill or has an emergency and cannot attend class, the faculty member must make arrangements with the Chair to find a substitute instructor. Then, the faculty member is responsible for advising the students whether the class is being substituted or cancelled. The faculty member should use Blink to send an e-mail to enrolled students and cc: ethnicstaff@dss.ucsd.edu . If you are unable to log onto Blink you may contact a staff member who will send a message electronically to enrolled students. Because time is of the essence in these circumstances, it is best not to leave a recorded message on the main office phone.

Academic Computing and Media Services (ACMS) and Ted Course Websites

The Academic Computing and Media Services on campus provides a number of instructional tools for faculty.  A list of them can be found on the ACMS webpage: http://acms.ucsd.edu/faculty/services.html . A “self-service” system is in place for using media equipment in the classroom. The most popular instructional classrooms are equipped with a “media center” which includes computer/video projectors, VHS VCRs, DVD/CD players and wireless microphones. An overview and instructions of the "self-serve" system are provided at: http://acms.ucsd.edu/faculty/classroom-support/index.html
Instructions are provided to integrate your personal equipment (such as iPods and MP3 Players) into the self- service system. The department seminar room, SSB 103, is equipped with a self-service media box, and SSB 253 is equipped with a plasma screen TV with computer connectivity; SSB 253 also has teleconferencing capability (please arrange with Damarys at least one week in advance if you need telephone equipment for a phone conference).

To order specialty audio visual equipment from the Academic Computing and Media Services, faculty should submit their request(s) to Daisy via e-mail (d1rodriguez@ucsd.edu) minimally three working days in advance. It is most helpful to submit your entire quarter’s audio visual needs in one request before the beginning of each quarter. Requests cannot be made over the phone. Academic Computing and Media Services will place a $65.00 late fee on orders not received within 48 hours in advance (holidays and weekends not included). The Department will not pay for late charges; however, if you would like to pay the $65.00 late fee, Daisy will place the order for you. There is still no guarantee that the audio visual equipment will be available if the order is submitted late. ACMS will not accept orders directly from faculty. Please see the ACMS policies and information web page for more details: http://acms.ucsd.edu/

Triton Education (TED)

TED (https://ted.ucsd.edu/webapps/login/) is a web tool administered by Academic Computing and Media Services which allows both students and instructors to have 24 hour access to all of their course material and information in one place. TED is an online portal where professors and TA's can upload course information, syllabi, online quizzes, and course material for students to use and discuss. TED can also allow for online assignment submissions through the anti-plagiarism software, turnitin.com, as well as grade reporting to allow students to view their grade at any time. Services include:

  • Up to 10 hours of free assistance per faculty member. They can meet you at your office or at their facility, located in AP&M room 1313.
  • Course web site hosting
  • Course management software. Easily add a discussion board, chat, quizzes, surveys, online grades, assignment turn in. Material can be easily reused from year to year.
  • General consulting on the best methods for web delivery at UCSD, including capabilities in the ACMS instructional lab environments.
  • Podcasting and (video) streaming in Real Media and QuickTime formats.
  • Course website directory at http://courses.ucsd.edu/

Book Orders/Desk Copies

Faculty are responsible for ordering their course textbooks and desk copies. Faculty can order their textbooks through Groundwork Books (located in the Old Student Center), the University Bookstore (located in the Price Center), or other bookstores of their own choosing. Textbook adoption forms for the University Bookstore can be completed online: http://ucsandiegobookstore.com/t-coursematerials.aspx. When preparing book orders, instructors should consider the cost and number of the required books. Faculty can order their desk copies with the information provided on the returned form. The bookstores do not order or provide desk copies, desk copies must be requested directly from the publishers.

General Catalog Copy

As of Fall 2014, the UC San Diego General Catalog is only published online.  Updates are made by the Academic Senate three times a year and the publication targets are in mid-June, 5th week of fall quarter, and 5th week of Winter quarter.  In order to meet the publication deadlines, updates to the Ethnic Studies Department courses, program requirements, and curriculum published in the General Catalog copy are due to the Academic Senate office each quarter, in mid-April, mid-August and early December. Therefore, Daisy and Christa should be advised of any changes to the General Catalog at least 4 weeks in advance of these quarterly due dates.

Course loads and Class Scheduling

Faculty course loads for the following academic year are typically discussed during a faculty meeting in mid-January. A normal teaching schedule for ladder-rank faculty members is nine courses over a two-year cycle (typically split between undergraduate and graduate teaching loads).

The Fall Schedule of Classes is due at the Registrar’s Office in February, the Winter Schedule is due mid-July, and the Spring Schedule is due mid-October. Faculty work with the Department Chair and the Undergraduate Coordinator to develop the course schedule for each academic quarter.

The Department Chair approves all course-load proposals from faculty. You may submit your preferred teaching times and days for approval; HOWEVER, preferences must be adjusted to accommodate space and time availability. Registrar policy dictates that each department’s courses are to be scheduled evenly across the teaching day and through the week, Monday through Friday. It is department policy that undergraduate courses be taught in either three 50-minute blocks (MWF) or two 80-minute blocks (TuTh).

The Department monitors and enforces the following minimum course enrollment requirements, as mandated by CEP: lower-division courses must have minimally twelve students; upper-division courses must have minimally eight students; graduate seminars must have minimally four students. Exceptions for courses with lower enrollments, based upon compelling curricular needs, must be approved by the Chair. Year-long leaves are ignored in calculating course assignments. (For example, if the year prior to leave is a four-course year, the following year will be a five-course year).

Faculty taking a one-quarter sabbatical in a four-course year will normally teach three courses in the remaining two quarters; in a five-course year, they will normally teach four courses in the remaining two quarters. Faculty taking two-quarter sabbaticals will normally teach two courses in the remaining quarter, whether on a four- or five-course year.

A Freshman Seminar (ETHN 87) may count for the fifth class. Freshman Seminars provide an opportunity for entering students to interact with faculty members in an informal, small-group setting. The seminar should be on a topic and on a level appropriate for first-year students, with a group setting limited to 15-20 students, for a total of 8-10 hours during a quarter. Seminars with fewer than 10 students enrolled will not be offered. Faculty members may receive a $1,000 stipend each time a freshman seminar is offered, if funds are available from the Vice-Chancellor, not as salary, but as funding available to support various academic expenses (e.g, travel, research, supplies). Once the Department Chair has approved a faculty member’s proposed course, the Freshman Seminar Proposal form should be given to Daisy, who will send it to the Associate Vice Chancellor-Undergraduate Education office.

Faculty on a four-course year should teach their courses over three quarters, unless the Chair approves an exception.

Requests for a “non-teaching” quarter will be approved by the Chair only when the teaching and scheduling needs of the Department are met. During a “non-teaching” quarter, faculty are expected to participate in all departmental activities (faculty meetings, committee assignments, etc.) and be available to meet with students (office hours, supervision of graduate students, Independent Studies, etc.). Faculty undertaking administrative responsibilities outside the Department (e.g., Program Directors) cannot anticipate reduced teaching responsibilities unless replacement funds are provided to the Department for temporary teaching staff.

For a 100% appointment, Visiting Professors are required to teach two courses per quarter or six per year, and Lecturers are required to teach three courses per quarter, or nine per year.

Undergraduate Course and Professor Evaluations (CAPES)

Course and Professor Evaluations are an online evaluation system of all regularly scheduled undergraduate courses and are conducted toward the end of each quarter. The CAPE Student Director will email each student a link uniquely tied to a specific course and professor evaluation. Students will receive an email with a unique link for each of their courses two weeks prior to the course’s end date. A reminder email will be sent one week prior to the course’s end date.

As always, faculty will have the opportunity to see these evaluations after grades have been posted. Summary results will be posted online at the CAPE website: http://www.cape.ucsd.edu/. Faculty now also have the option to view and download CAPE evaluation results and comments for their own courses directly from the UCSD Academic Affairs Evaluation Tool via Single Signon access at: https://academicaffairs.ucsd.edu/Modules/Evals/Default.aspx

Faculty are asked to encourage their students to participate in the online evaluations process in order to continue the strong tradition of providing student feedback on courses and professors.

Graduate Course Evaluations

Graduate courses and their faculty instructors are evaluated online by students at the end of each quarter through the UCSD Academic Affairs Evaluation Tool which also administers and tracks Student and Instructor evaluations of TAs (see below).  Faculty can find their own evaluation responses online via Single Signon access at: https://academicaffairs.ucsd.edu/Modules/Evals/Default.aspx

Instructor evaluations of TAs

Evaluations of TAs by their course instructors are conducted by the UCSD Academic Affairs Evaluation Tool for each course and discussion section by the end of each quarter. Evaluation responses are available for the TAs and instructors of each course online via Single Signon at: https://academicaffairs.ucsd.edu/Modules/Evals/Default.aspx

Course Packets (Readers)

Below are various shops that provide reader services. After choosing which company you will be sending your reader to, please place copies to be sent to the company in a large envelope and place in pick-up bin at front desk with the company’s name on the envelope.

Soft Reserves is an Associated Students Academic Service. Soft Reserves reproduces all types of class materials ranging from custom course readers to homework solutions. They also offer master-making services, preparing the materials for the printer. They handle every aspect of gaining permission to reprint copyrighted material from publishers. If submitting copyrighted materials, cite sources including author, editor, title, publisher, and copyright date. AS Soft Reserves charges for the instructor’s copy of the Reader unless they sell at least 25 copies to students.

If you have any questions, Soft Reserves contact information is http://softreserves.ucsd.edu/.

  • Telephone: (858) 534-6256
  • Fax: (858) 534-8934
  • Mail Code: 0325

University Reader Printing Service (URPS) http://www.universityreaders.com/  is a customized textbook printing service run exclusively by UC San Diego students and alumni. They offer free course readers for professors and teaching assistants and deliver readers to classrooms.

If you have any questions, URPS contact information is:

Course Reserves and Film and Video Reserves

Use the on-line form to request books, articles, or other print materials (including print materials from the Music and Art & Architecture Libraries) to be placed on reserve. Your request will be routed to the appropriate library for processing. If you have any documents in electronic format that you would like to include, they may be uploaded with this form at: http://libraries.ucsd.edu/resources/course-reserves/submit-a-course-reserve.html

Items that professors may have "on reserve" for a class may include: images, audio files, journal articles, videos, book chapters, practice exams etc. Course reserves supplement your classes in some way. Course reserves are also referred to as class reserves, electronic reserves, and library reserves.

Faculty must arrange to check out films or videos from the UCSD Library’s collection and return them themselves. For more information you may call the Film and Video Library Reserves which is located at Geisel Library: 534-7981 or you may place your order at: http://libraries.ucsd.edu/resources/course-reserves/course-reserves-for-digital-and-streaming/film-reserve-request-form.html

Field Trip Liability

Issues involving liability for yourself and the department should be addressed with the MSO before any class field trip is arranged. The department does not have funds to rent vehicles for field trips. A “Waiver of Liability, Assumption of Risk, and Indemnity Agreement” needs to be signed by each student attending a field trip before the trip. There is either a Volunteer Waiver: http://www.ucop.edu/risk-services/_files/waiver-voluntary.pdf   or a Required Waiver: http://www.ucop.edu/risk-services/_files/waiverrequired.pdf   depending if the activity is elective or mandatory. The department is required to keep the original in our files for two and a half years after the field trip in case a lawsuit is filed.

Electronic IRB

UCSD is responsible for protecting the rights and welfare of human subjects, human specimens, and related data in research conducted by or under the supervision of faculty, staff, or students. The following link provides links to general information about human subjects’ policies and procedures: http://blink.ucsd.edu/finance/accountability/admin-responsbilities/human.html

The HRPP (The Human Research Protections Program) has both paper and electronic forms; in some cases the data from the form can be submitted online directly to HRPP. The HRPP has a growing set of online web-based utilities to assist UCSD and VAMC researchers in conducting research involving human volunteers. At http://irb.ucsd.edu/e-IRBmenu.shtml

Office Hours

Faculty are expected to provide three office hours per week unless on an approved Sabbatical or Leave Without Pay. These are to be scheduled on two separate days/times each week to accommodate students. Faculty members should notify Daisy of their office hours before the first week of class each quarter. Faculty should fill out an information card—sent to them via email at the start of each quarter—with their available office hours on or near their door.  If a faculty member cannot keep office hours on a particular day, contact a staff member. A notice will be posted on the faculty member’s office door.

Room Changes

Once the Schedule of Classes is published and enrollment begins, scheduled class times cannot be changed except when there is a serious conflict, or when the assigned classroom will not accommodate the class. Instructors should see Daisy if clarification is needed.

Student Conduct Issues

From time to time a situation may arise when a student’s behavior may produce concern or distress on the part of an instructor. Problems may range from threatening behavior to academic dishonesty. The instructor should contact the Dean’s Office of the undergraduate student’s College. The College offices are staffed with individuals trained to handle such problems. For graduate student problems, the instructor should contact the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Syllabi

Per campus policy, the Department must have a syllabus on file for each undergraduate course and graduate seminar course taught. Syllabi should be submitted to ethnicstudies@ucsd.edu electronically before the first day of each quarter.

The Academic Senate Policy on Integrity of Scholarship specifies Instructor responsibilities: “At the beginning of the term the instructor shall state in writing (e.g., in the syllabus, information sheets, or website) what graded assignments and exams will be required of students. If there are any course-specific rules required by the instructor for maintaining academic integrity, the instructor shall also inform students in writing what kinds of aid and collaboration, if any, are permitted on graded assignments and exams.”

For example, are dictionaries or any other electronic devices allowed during in-class examinations, can take-home exams be completed on a collaborative basis, etc. This information should be included on course syllabi or initial course handouts. The full text, including student responsibilities, is located at:
http://senate.ucsd.edu/Operating-Procedures/Senate-Manual/Appendices/2

The following Triton Link page is a guide for students on plagiarism and academic integrity:
https://students.ucsd.edu/academics/academic-integrity/ai-and-you.html

Blink - Student/Class Info

Blink is a central hub of web-based links to online tools many of whom require the Single Sign-on User Name and Password to access. All permanent faculty, adjunct, and Lecturers who are teaching courses for the Ethnic Studies Department may create a User Name and Password to access information on the various tools.  You will be required to sign a security statement and return it to the MSO.

The web location for Triton Link is: http://blink.ucsd.edu/instructors/index.html

What is on Blink - Student/Class Info?

  • Find a student: View a student record, including academic history, college, major, classes, addresses, and holds.
  • Class lists and wait lists (including class lists with photos): View, download information, and send e-mail messages to class lists (rosters) and wait lists; view courses offered, sorted by quarter, department, subject, instructor, or course number.
  • Section enrollment and waitlists: Section Enrollment and Wait List Statistics Display enrollment counts by student level, class level, and college for one or more sections.
  • Majors list: View, download information, and send e-mail messages to majors list(s).
  • Minors list: View, download information, and send e-mail messages to minors list(s).
  • Classroom attributes: Check logistical capabilities of UCSD classrooms scheduled by the Registrar, including location, capacity, A/V equipment, seating arrangements, etc.
  • Schedule of Classes: View and download information about department course offerings by department.
  • TED
  • eGrades
  • Final Exam Schedule
  • Course approximations
  • Academic Calendar:
     http://blink.ucsd.edu/instructors/resources/academic/calendars/index.html