Instructor Resources

Core Courses
These courses are essential for students majoring in Kinesiology, Health Science, or Recreation. Each field uses a specific course prefix (KIN, HEP, or RAM). Core faculty primarily teach these courses, but when demand exceeds capacity, outside instructors may be hired. Because of their importance, the hiring standards for core courses are stricter.

• Qualifications:

  • Lower-division courses (1000–3000 level) typically require instructors to hold at least a bachelor’s degree in a related field.

  • Upper-division courses (4000-5000 level) generally require instructors to be pursuing or have completed a master’s degree.

  • Graduate-level courses (6000 and above) must be taught by instructors who have earned a master’s degree or higher.

Activity Courses
These courses are open to all students across the university and focus on physical activity and wellness. There are over 140 PE/activity courses listed in the catalog, with more than 200 sections offered each semester. The majority of these courses are taught by outside instructors.

• Qualifications: Instructors must have experience and expertise in the specific activity they teach and be capable of working with students of varying skill levels.

Due to the high volume of activity courses and the specialized skills required, the department relies heavily on outside instructors to meet student demand while maintaining quality.

The department head, in consultation with program directors, makes hiring decisions based on course demand, department needs, available resources, and instructor qualifications.

1. The department head approves the need to hire for a course.

2. The program director identifies and contacts potential instructors.

3. The department head receives updates and gives final approval.

4. Once approved, the instructor meets with KHS Business Services to complete hiring paperwork.

5. The department scheduler is informed to update the course schedule accordingly.

Only courses approved in the University catalog can be scheduled for student registration. If you are interested in teaching a course not currently listed:

• Contact the program director.

• Adding a new course requires curriculum committee approval, department notification, and official University review and approval, a process that can take several months, sometimes up to a year.

• As an alternative, similar existing courses may be used to offer new learning opportunities more quickly, depending on resources and approval.

Your A number is your unique USU ID required for scheduling and accessing instructor resources. After receiving your A number, complete your account setup at myid.usu.edu.

• Set up security questions to help with password recovery.

• Access your USU email address; this will be the official communication channel for University, department, and student correspondence.

• USU requires all employees to enroll in two-step authentication, which you will be guided through during setup.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects student education records. As an instructor, you must safeguard student information and cannot share grades or personal details without student consent.

Utah State University requires all employees working with students to complete FERPA training as well as other mandatory compliance trainings, such as Title IX and additional USU-required courses. The specific trainings assigned to you will depend on your role within the University.

You will be notified via your USU email when these trainings are due, and you are expected to complete them by the deadlines provided to remain in good standing with University policies.

The course scheduling cycle begins each Fall semester and includes planning for the entire next academic year—Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters.

The University follows a two-draft process before the schedule is finalized and published in Banner for student registration:

• The first draft is built using the schedule from the corresponding semester of the previous year (e.g., Fall is based on the previous Fall).

• The department assigns class days and times based on program needs, instructor availability, and space constraints.

• Once the draft is built, it is shared with instructors for review and feedback.

If you have conflicts or concerns with your assigned schedule:

• Contact the department scheduler or program director as early as possible.

• Changes may be possible but are subject to:

  • Room availability

  • Conflicts with other courses

  • University scheduling policies

Once the schedule is published in Banner and students begin registering, changes become significantly more limited. Some changes—such as day, time, or delivery method—may not be allowed due to University policies, student financial aid implications, and course access requirements (particularly for international students).

• After the second schedule draft, and once courses are created in Banner, instructors are notified to submit course materials before courses are published for student registration.

• Materials include textbooks and any supplemental items not covered by course fees (e.g., yoga mats, calculators, pedometers).

• If your course requires no materials, you must still indicate this in Banner.

• The department can assist with material submissions as needed and will complete missing entries based on previous semesters to avoid registration delays.

• Coordinate with your program director to ensure materials meet instructional standards and remain consistent across sections.

• Be mindful that changes after bookstore orders are finalized are difficult and costly.

• For more details, visit the Faculty Course Materials Information.

To access Canvas and Banner as an instructor you must first be added to the schedule so that it shows you as the instructor for a course.

Canvas

• Canvas hosts and manages your course content. A Canvas course is automatically created for each section after it appears in Banner.

• Log in at canvas.usu.edu with your A number and password.

• Once your course is visible in Canvas, begin building content. At minimum, each course should have a syllabus uploaded.

• Activity courses include an automatic activity release form students must complete.

• You can customize Canvas to track attendance, facilitate discussions, share materials, and more.

• The department does not mandate specific Canvas usage beyond syllabus and release forms.

• For help, visit https://cidi.usu.edu/tools/canvas or contact the KHS main office.

Banner

• Banner is USU’s centralized system for student, employee, financial, and academic records.

• Access Banner via the personalized portal or directly through the Banner menu under the Faculty Services tab.

• Use Banner to view your course information, rosters, and other academic data.
  
  
  

  Checking Your Course in Banner

  • Once courses are posted in Banner but before registration opens, you can review and request corrections to course details.

  • After registration begins, major changes such as delivery method, term dates, and day/time are restricted and require department head approval.

  • Changes after registration can impact student contracts, financial aid, and international student status.

  • Instructors are responsible for reviewing their courses in Banner and reporting any issues to the department promptly.

• A syllabus is expected for every course and section each semester. It serves as a contract outlining course expectations for students.

• Email a copy of your syllabus to the department each semester, even if it is already posted online.

• Name your syllabus as follows:
  subjcourse.section_CourseTitle_FnameLName
  Example: PE1085.001_WeightTraining_JohnSmith

• A syllabus must include:

  • Course description (as listed in the USU Catalog)

  • Course fees and explanation

  • Course objectives

  • Disability statement

• Additional recommendations and resources are available from the Provost’s office.

• Canvas includes a USU Syllabus Tutorial accessible when editing your syllabus page.

• View your class roster via Canvas or Banner.
• Student registration updates typically appear immediately but may take up to 24 hours to sync between systems.

USU Offers many resources to support your teaching preparation, including:

• Disability Resource Center (DRC)
• Center for Innovative Design and Instruction (CIDI)
• IT Classroom Technology.

USU uses the IDEA Center Student Ratings of Instruction to collect anonymous student feedback and evaluate teaching effectiveness.

• Instructors are required to complete a Faculty Information Form (FIF) for each course they teach.

• You’ll receive an email early in the semester prompting you to select learning objectives for your course.

• All of your courses (current and historical) are available through your IDEA Dashboard.

• IDEA objectives should align with the course objectives listed in your syllabus.

Completing your FIF ensures student feedback is aligned with your course’s goals. If you have questions, contact oda@usu.edu. 

Canvas is available to support instruction throughout the semester.

• At minimum, each course must include a syllabus in Canvas.

• For activity courses, a release form will automatically be uploaded and must be completed by students.

• Instructors have flexibility in how they use Canvas beyond these requirements—e.g., for posting content, tracking attendance, hosting discussions, etc.

Support is available at cidi.usu.edu/tools/canvas, or contact the KHS main office.

Canceling a Course

Courses generally need a minimum of 10 students enrolled to run. If your course falls below this threshold during the first week:

• Contact the department to determine whether the course will be canceled.

• If cancellation is approved, the department will notify enrolled students.

• Do not simply merge students into another section without requiring them to drop and re-register, as this often causes administrative issues.

Canceling a Class Period

If you need to cancel a single class meeting:

• Notify both the department and students in advance.

• Frequent cancellations are discouraged.

• In emergencies, inform the department as soon as possible and communicate with students if you are able.

• Instructors are expected to begin class on time—if delayed, please notify students and the department.

If a student is injured during class:

• Complete a Department Injury Report and return it to the main office.

• The form is available in the KHS main office or on the KHS Faculty Forms page.

• If Campus Recreation staff respond to the incident and submit a report, you do not need to complete a department form, provided their report is forwarded to the KHS office.

Instructors are expected to:

• Maintain an up-to-date, frequently checked USU email address on file with the department.

• Respond to department emails (typically from the department head, business services, main office, or program director) in a timely manner.

• Respond to student emails within 48 business hours.

Students may request to be added to a course for several reasons:

• Course is full

• No waitlist available

• Missed registration deadline

• Pre-requisite override

• Time conflict

• Instructor signature required

To add a student have them complete the Registrations Option Form, which can be accessed through the Registrars website. Please note that:

• Students on a waitlist can only be added after the first week of classes.

• Students adding late may need to pay a late fee and are responsible for catching up on missed work.

• If you are adding students beyond the course cap, consult the department head or program director first to confirm any limitations.

If there is any change to the instructor of record—even mid-semester—the department must be notified so the update can be made in Banner. This ensures that the correct instructor has access to submit grades and manage course responsibilities.

The department does not provide or reimburse parking for instructors or students.

• Paid parking is available at the Big Blue Terrace and metered lots near the HPER building.

• Free parking may be available in surrounding areas, or via fare-free transit options like the Aggie Shuttle and Cache Valley Transit District (CVTD).

Guest Speakers

If you are inviting a guest speaker:

• Coordinate with the KHS Business Service to arrange a parking validation for the Big Blue Terrace.

• Guest speakers should contribute meaningfully to course content and enhance student learning.

It is the instructor’s responsibility to submit final grades for all students by the official University deadline each semester.

Grades can be submitted in two ways:

• Directly through Banner, or

• Transferred from Canvas to Banner (if you use Canvas for grading)

For help with grade entry, view the Grade Entry Tutorial or contact the KHS Main Office for assistance.

Deadlines:

• Grades should be submitted within one week of the last day the class meets, or

• By the University deadline if your course holds a final during finals week.

Late or missing grades can negatively impact students, potentially placing permanent marks on their transcripts or affecting academic standing and financial aid.

Grading Systems
Final grades must be entered using the University's approved grading scales:

• A–F scale
• Pass/Fail scale (used for all PE-prefix courses)

Instructors may choose to use the University's standard A–F grade breakdown or create their own breakdown to suit their course. However, custom letter grading labels are not permitted.

Incomplete Grades
If a student qualifies for an Incomplete (I) grade:

• You must complete the Incomplete Documentation Form online through Service Now. This can be found on the USU Registrar's office.
• Refer to the USU Catalog for eligibility guidelines and policies related to incomplete grades

If a grade has been submitted incorrectly and needs to be updated after it has been processed by the Registrar’s Office, instructors must use the online Change of Grade form.

If you are no longer employed at USU and your A-number is inactive, please contact the KHS Main Office to submit a grade change. You’ll need to provide:

• Your A-number
• Semester, course number, section, and CRN
• Student’s name and A-number
• A brief explanation of why the grade is being changed

After final grades have been submitted and processed by the University, IDEA evaluation results will become available in your IDEA dashboard.

Note: If there is a delay in processing, the department will notify instructors via email.

Reminder:

• A course must meet a minimum enrollment for results to be returned.

• If too few students respond, no results will be provided to preserve anonymity.

The Department of Kinesiology and Health Science is committed to supporting our instructors in delivering high-quality educational experiences. Below are key department-level resources available to instructors.

Printing and Copying

Instructors have two options for printing or copying course materials:

1. Email Request:
   Email your document and number of copies needed to khs@usu.edu. Please send requests at least 24 hours in advance to ensure timely preparation.

2. In-Person Request:
   Bring your document to the KHS Main Office (HPER 122) during regular business hours:
   Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM (excluding holidays or adjusted office hours).
   Allow at least one hour to complete your request, but we recommend planning for your materials to be ready a full day in advance when possible.

Please plan ahead. Last-minute requests may not be fulfilled on time.

Department Collaboration and Support

Instructors are encouraged to reach out to:

• Program Directors
• Department Head
• Core Faculty

These individuals are valuable resources for course planning, instructional strategies, and student engagement. Collaborative efforts contribute to stronger course design and student learning outcomes.

Equipment and Facility Access

When available and appropriate, instructors may access department-owned equipment for activity courses and labs. The department also works closely with Campus Recreation and other University units to maintain classrooms, gym spaces, and lab facilities.

If you have questions about equipment or facility access, please contact the KHS Main Office.

The following University-wide resources and services are frequently used by instructors. This is not an exhaustive list; if you're unsure where to go, feel free to contact the department for direction.

Mandatory USU Trainings

• FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act):
  All employees with access to student records are required to complete online FERPA training every three years.

• Other Required Trainings:
  Instructors may be assigned additional training (e.g., Title IX, data security, etc.) based on their employment role. These will be sent to your USU email, and you are expected to complete them by the stated deadlines.

Instructional and Student Support Services

• Disability Resource Center (DRC): usu.edu/drc
  Partners with faculty and staff to ensure accessibility for students with disabilities.

• Center for Innovative Design and Instruction (CIDI): cidi.usu.edu
  Offers instructional support, Canvas help, course design consultation, and tech tools. Includes a helpful Procedural FAQs section.

• Merrill-Cazier Library: library.usu.edu
  Provides both digital and physical resources for teaching and research.

• IT Classroom Technology: classroomtech.usu.edu
  Offers support and training for campus classroom tech tools and AV setups.

• Testing Center: testing.usu.edu
  Helps coordinate testing accommodations and certified proctoring.

Student Services and Policies

• Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS): aggiewellness.usu.edu/caps
  Mental health and wellness services for students, including crisis support.

• Civil Rights & Title IX Office: usu.edu/civilrights-titleix
  Handles discrimination, harassment, and Title IX issues.

• Student of Concern Reporting: usu.edu/intervention/reporting
  Submit reports if a student is in distress or may pose a safety concern.

Additional Resources

• USU Catalog: catalog.usu.edu
  Central source for University policies, course descriptions, academic procedures, and more. 

• KHS Faculty Forms:
  The department maintains a collection of faculty-specific forms for use in various teaching and administrative processes.