The CSM Syllabus Hub

You decide how much information you want to share about yourself with students in the syllabus. At the very minimum, you should provide your contact information to help students reach out throughout the duration of the course. Include:

• Name and preferred name (if applicable) 
• Contact information (i.e., CSM office location; CSM phone number; SMCCCD e-mail address)
• Preferred ways of communication (e.g., email, phone) and expected response times (e.g., emails will be addressed within 24-48 hours, for example)

💡Connections to the SMCCCD Syllabus Self-Assessment Guide

Consider the following reflection questions when drafting/reviewing your instructor information:

• Do I clearly explain how students can communicate with me? How can I be proactive in reaching students who are less likely to initiate contact? 
• How am I communicating what students expect from me (my commitments to students)? How do I remain accountable to students, as an instructor?

Include information that helps students understand the overall course structure and logistics. Include: 

• Class meeting location (if applicable) and course modality (i.e., in-person, asynchronous, synchronous online, hybrid). Learn more about course modalities at SMCCCD.
• Office hours’ schedule and location (physical office location at CSM or online for courses in online modalities)
  • Bonus: Consider explaining the purpose of office hours in your course. For example, how could office hours be best utilized by students? What can they expect if they attend office hours? What are some of the top reasons students attend office hours in your course? Are office hours strictly 1:1, or can students attend in small groups or pairs?
• Tentative course calendar or plan (include key dates for assignments, evaluations, and other important due dates). 
  • If you wish to have room for flexibility, consider including a disclaimer such as: Course content and schedule are subject to reasonable change based on the needs of the class.

💡Connections to the SMCCCD Syllabus Self-Assessment Guide

Consider the following reflection questions when drafting/reviewing the overall course structure and logistics:

• Have I explained the purpose and value of office hours in the course?
• Is there an overall course schedule/calendar to help orient students (even if the schedule is subject to change)? 

Include information that helps students understand how learning will be assessed and measured in the course. Include:

• A list of course assignments (ideally, accompanied by a brief description of each assignment or assignment type)
• Detailed grading policies, scales, criteria, and procedures
  • Description of the overall grading approach (How is learning assessed and “measured” in the course? How are grades determined?)
  • How will the final grade be determined? What grading scale will be used?
  • Is extra credit available? If so, how can students take advantage of it?
  • How and how often will feedback be provided on assignments and assessments?
  • Is revision/resubmission allowed? If so, what are the procedures and boundaries around revision opportunities?
  • Where and how can students access their grades and feedback?
• Evaluation/assessment processes (include information about exam proctoring, if applicable)
• Date, time, and location of the final examination (if applicable)
  • If your course does not include a final exam, include the due date for any final projects or deliverables.
• Information about how to fulfill to-be-arranged hours, if appropriate, and the campus location (e.g., specific learning support center or lab, building, and room number) where the TBA requirement is met (Request archived syllabi samples from your Division Assistant if you need assistance with TBA language)

💡Connections to the SMCCCD Syllabus Self-Assessment Guide

Consider the following reflection questions when drafting/reviewing sections about grading, assignments, and assessments:

• How am I conveying the expectations for assignments, assessments and participation? Are these expectations conveyed in a clear and concrete way? 
• Are the grading approach, scales, and policies properly and clearly described?
• What opportunities for feedback and practice do I provide throughout the course? 
• How can I design activities, assignments, and assessments that recognize and validate different ways of knowing and demonstrating learning? 
• What types of activities, assignments, and/or assessments encourage critical analysis of traditional structures of power and privilege, as it relates to the course and the discipline?

Include main college policies and statements. You may adapt the way you present these in your syllabus. For example, you might choose to include a summarized version of each policy (review the CSM Faculty Handbook, pp. 10-11, for sample policy statements), and link to the corresponding websites for more information. Include:

• Attendance Policy 
• Academic Accommodation Policy 
• Title IX Statement 
• Educational Equity Statement
• Statement on plagiarism  
• Statement(s) about available campus resources for students (e.g., The Learning Center, learning support centers and labs, SparkPoint, EOPS, and/or any other service that are important for students). Visit the CSM Student Services website for links and information.

💡Connections to the SMCCCD Syllabus Self-Assessment Guide

Consider the following reflection questions when drafting/reviewing main policies and statements:

• How clearly am I explaining the rationale behind critical instructional decisions and course policies (e.g., attendance, late work, academic honesty)? 
• In what ways do the course policies offer flexibility for students who may face challenges along the way? 
• Am I providing information and links to key student services available at the institution?
• What specific practices or elements in the course demonstrate my commitment to creating an equitable and inclusive learning experience? Tip: Challenge yourself to go beyond the required institutional equity statement? 

Consider providing an extended introduction of yourself, beyond the minimum requirement of your contact information. As an instructor, you bring a specific positionality, attitudes, beliefs, and an entire background that led you to the discipline you are teaching today. Sharing some more information about who you are and why you are sharing the learning space with students can help humanize the learning experience.

💡Connection to the SMCCCD Syllabus Self-Assessment Guide

Consider the following reflection questions when drafting/reviewing your extended introduction:

• How can my syllabus reflect who I am as an instructor?  
• In what ways does the tone of my syllabus emphasize care, trust, and support for students? 
• What is the best way to communicate my values, expectations, and other aspects of my social presence? 
• How am I communicating what students may expect from me (my commitments to students)? 
• In what ways does my syllabus invite all students to engage with the discipline and the course? 

Ground Norms & Expectations

Set clear (yet compassionate) norms and expectations for the course. For example, how are students expected to interact with each other and with the instructor, within the context of the course? Are there any norms they should keep in mind from the beginning? How will disagreements and difficult conversations be handled? 

A Personalized Approach to Equity

Including a summarized version of the CSM Educational Equity Statement is a good start. Consider going a step further and explain how an equity-minded approach shows up in your course design and instructional choices. 

💡Connections to the SMCCCD Syllabus Self-Assessment Guide

Consider the following reflection questions when drafting/reviewing ground norms and expectations:

• What course norms are in place to help build a sense of community and safe space for all?
• How can I use my syllabus to validate students’ abilities? How do I convey the message that all are capable, expected, and offered the support to succeed?
• How can I explicitly convey that mistakes are part of the learning process?
• What specific practices or elements in the course demonstrate my commitment to creating an equitable and inclusive learning experience? Tip: Challenge yourself to go beyond the required institutional equity statement? 

After including required language about institutional policies, consider describing specific policies that apply to your course and the rationale behind them. For example, how will you manage late work in the course? How do grace periods work, if applicable? Are revisions allowed? What are the boundaries around the use of generative AI (i.e., Artificial Intelligence)? 

💡Connections to the SMCCCD Syllabus Self-Assessment Guide

Consider the following reflection questions when drafting/reviewing and explaining additional course policies: 

• How clearly am I explaining the rationale behind critical instructional decisions and course policies?
• In what ways do the course policies offer flexibility for students who may face challenges along the way? 
• What opportunities for feedback and practice do I provide throughout the course? 

Consider including relevant graphics or pictures throughout the syllabus to enhance overall visual interest. When intentionally chosen, visual elements can help break up long chunks of text, elevate a particular idea or message, and integrate diverse representations within the discipline. When choosing a graphic element to your syllabus, always ask yourself: Does this element reinforce the overall message I'm trying to convey?

Tip: If creating an entire graphic syllabus does not feel manageable yet, start by adding 2-3 graphic elements to your syllabus. Canva is a great tool to create all types of graphic elements for your syllabus (and Canvas site). 

💡Connections to the SMCCCD Syllabus Self-Assessment Guide

Consider the following reflection questions when including elements for visual interest: 

• What elements can be included to integrate diverse contributions to the field?
• How can I organize my syllabus in a way that is easy to follow and navigate? 
• Do all images, pictures, and symbols include longer descriptions (Alt text) to aid students who may be using assistive technologies (e.g., screen readers)?
• If you are using a visual/graphic syllabus, have you checked all elements of the syllabus for accessibility? OR Do you provide an alternative, fully accessible text version?