Coulter Faculty Center

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    Resources for Distance and Online Teaching Faculty: 80

    Table of Contents

    1. Getting Started
      1. Who do I contact to see if all personnel paperwork is in?First, contact your Academic Department or Human Resources Initially you should confirm your position with the Academic Department Administrative Assistance-They will be receiving and forwarding your paperwork to Human Resources.
      2. Where is my class being held and what is the first day of class? Distance and On-Line Program Schedule, Banner/MyCat,or call Educational Outreach at 828-227-7397 (toll free 866-928-4723)
      3. How do I send my students an email before the start of class?Using MyCat and clicking on your course link, you can communicate with all students enrolled in your course.
      4. How do I get a roster? Using MyCat and clicking on your course link, you can see and print a current class roster.
      5. What is WebCat? WebCat is the Blackboard Vista Internet Course Management System at Western Carolina University.
      6. Need more info on using WebCat? Introduction, information and training videos are available here.
      7. How do I contact the Bookstore - Textbook orders to check on textbook orders? Use the appropriate form, based on the course(undergraduate or graduate) to place orders and Supplemental Forms for instructor's textbook. Please fill out a form even if you are not using a textbook so that information will be noted for students. PLEASE NOTE: Textbooks MUST be approved by program director/chair for the program you are teaching in first. Teaching materials may be available in the department. Distance Learning and Graduate students do not have the option to rent textbooks and must purchase a textbook.
      8. How do I request a WCU car or van for transportation?Contact yourAcademic Departmentor call Educational Outreach to request the use of a van at 866-928-4723 or 828-227-7397
      9. How do I request a room/ media equipment/ computer lab? Fill out the off-campus room/media equipment form and return to Educational Outreach Office (distance@email.wcu.edu), fax # 828-227-7115, office # 866-928-4723 (Request form)
      10. How do I get faculty e-mail set up, password set up for My Cat for Faculty, and WebCat? Information Technology Help Desk will provide you with information on accounts and passwords, email, downloads, workshops and training.
      11. What other teaching resources are available? Technology Resources for Faculty include information on Instructional Technology Tools, Faculty Development, Instructional Facilities, Computing Technology, Help Desk and other Faculty support.  Instructional Technology includes information on the Faculty Sandbox, on line teaching and learning, DIgital Media, Web Design, Tutorials and Training.
      12. Additional professional development opportunities workshop and training sign-in.
      13. Syllabus Resourcesprovides you with tools to help make this process easer. A syllabus template is provided with all the required elements as well as an outline into which you can fill in all of your course information. The Calendar provides dates for all class meetings during the Fall 2008 semester, which can make writing your class calendar much easier.
      14. Directory for Distance and Online Program Directors/Administrators is a listing of administrators, staff, program directors, and department chairs for Educational Outreach.
    2. Getting the Class Organized Distance Classes are administered under the same university and departmental policies as On-Campus Residential classes.
      1. Where is the academic calendar for WCU? (please compare the academic calendar for the community college campus where you are teaching. If there are differences, please contact Educational Outreach to make sure facilities are available/open on holidays and breaks Academic Calendar - Registrar.
      2. How do I report first and second week attendance? (Reporting procedure) First and second week attendance is REQUIRED by all faculty. Please check the Faculty/Advisor Information Guide for information on how ot submit attendance. Note: All WCU courses, including Distance Learning programs/classes are expected to meet regularly. Students should sign-in and be actively engaged in the learning process from the beginning of the semester, forward.
      3. How do I drop a student from my class that is not attending? Instructor initatied drop for non-attendance NOTE: An instructor will have the decision to cancel the student's registration for a course if the previously registered student fails to attend the first class meeting and fails to notify the instructor prior to the end of the first day of class.  Students may re-register for the ocurse on a seats-available basis up through the end of drop/add (5th day of the semester).  This option is limited to the first 10 days of the semester.
      4. What library resouces are availble for distance learning students and faculty? Library Teaching Resources Hunter Library sources are available to all WCU students.
      5. Please refer to the off-campus information for information for a particular site for the following questions:
        1. Who do I contact if I need to cancel a class?Please contact your department chair and the contact person listed for the Distance Learning site.
        2. What if there is inclement weather?You will follow the inclement weather policy for the community college or distance learning site where you are teaching.
        3. What if I need to make copies?Policies may vary at each site. Please call the contact person listed for a distance learning site where you are teaching.
        4. What if the room is locked?Contact person listed in the off-campus directory.
        5. Do I need a parking sticker?Policies vary at each site. Please refer to the information of the distance learning site where you are teaching in the off-campus information or directory.
        6. Can I use the library resources off campus?Available resources may vary at each site. Contact the library resource person listed in the off-campus information and directory for information on resources available at the distance learning site where you are teaching.
      6. What learning resources are available to students on-line?Library Resources help with research and getting materials delivered to the off-campus distance learning site.  Writing Center offers a transition to College Writing Series, special types of writing, research and documentation, career writing, What Makes Good Sense, etc., and smart-thinking online tutorials.
    1. Responding to student questions

      1. Who is my advisor? Please refer declared students to their MyCat/Degree Audit account for information on who is listed as their advisor. They may also contact the Advising /OneStop center on campus.
      2. How do I contact about my bill? Students have access to their account in the MyCat account page, but Billing issues are addressed on the Business office webpage.
      3. Who do I contact about my financial aid? Students have access to their account in MyCat(student accounts) and the Financial Aid webpage. 
      4. Who do I call if I have questions about Distance Learning? Directory for Distance and Online Program Directors/Administrators
      5. Where can I get help with WebCat? Contact IT helpdesk at 828-227-7484 or toll free at 866 928 7487 or email to itshelp@email.wcu.edu.
      6. Do off-campus instructors have office hours? Every instructor should list avaliable office hours on the syllabus. Off-campus instructors may not have an available office available to meet with students, but can schedule meetings prior to and after class.
      7. How can I use the Hunter Library? Library resources provide distance learning students with information on Collections, Library Catalog, databases, interlibrary loan and getting materials delivered to a distance learning site. They cal also get help from a librarian or research assistance by emailing or calling the library.
      8. How do I order a textbook? Bookstore - ordering textbooks section allows students to look up books by major and course number and purchase online.
      9. How do students register, drop/add, contact an advisor, or change their major? Registrar's student guide/resource page provides distance learning students with directions for registering, forms for changing their major and address, and how to review their degree audit through MyCat.
      10. How do I process a withdrawal? If you are a student in a DL program, who must withdraw from the course or the university, please contact Advising Center by phone at 828-227-7170 between 8 am and 5 pm Monday through Friday. Completing the withdrawal process by phone is preferable, but you may initiate the process by emailing advising@wcu.edu from your university-provided and an advisor will contact you. 
      11. Can I use the resources available on the distance learning site? Policies may vary at each distance learning site. See off-campus information for contact person listed for the distance learning site where you are taking classes.
      12. How do I drop or add a class? NOTE: There are deadlines for dropping and adding classes. Please refer to the academic calendar for theDrop/add dates.If the deadline for dropping has expired, the students must process a withdrawal form.

      2. a. How do students fill out a faculty evaluation? Course Evaluation Form has student information on login, FAQ, importance of faculty evaluation. Course Evaluation has faculty information for login, FAQ, how to get students to respond better and how course evaluations are used.

        b. When do I report grades?Directions and deadlines for Reporting 5 week, Midsemester, Incompletes and Final Grades are listed on the Faculty/Advisor self service information guide.

        c. Additional information on Semester Calendar, Trouble shooting registration messages on MyCat/Banner, LIberal Studies Program, and Course and Campus Explanations and Abbreviations is available in Faculty/Advisor Information Guide

    3. Additional On-Campus Resource Information
      1. Faculty/Staff Directory
      2. Human Resources
      3. Human Resources Handbook and Policies
      4. F/T Faculty Handbook
      5. P/T Faculty Handbook
    4. Off–Campus Resources

      1. Off campus information (maps, directions, parking, security, directory for contact, IT, who to contact if room is locked, etc.)
      2. Contact list for distance learning



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