HB 2504 & Syllabus Standards

We are required by House Bill 2504 to post a syllabus for every organized undergraduate course and a current CV for every faculty member teaching an undergraduate course by the 7th class day of each semester.

View the syllabus policies to see what items are required to be included in the posted syllabi. CV requirements are available in the Provost's HB 2504 Implementation Policy. Submitted syllabi and CV's will be posted to the Access Syllabi and CV's site by the 7th class day.

Public Access to Course Information (HB 2504)

Pursuant to HB 2504, The University of Texas at Austin is required to make available to the public on its website certain undergraduate course information.

To implement the legislation related to undergraduate course information, rules were developed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). The Board's rules state that for each undergraduate classroom course offered for credit, the following information will be made available to the public:

A syllabus which must include a brief description of each major course requirement (including each major assignment and examination), learning objectives for the course, a general description of the subject matter of each lecture or discussion, and any required or recommended readings;
A curriculum vitae for the instructor(s) of record which summarizes their career and qualifications, including at a minimum all institutions of higher education attended with degree(s) earned, all previous teaching positions including the names of the institutions, the position(s) beginning and ending dates, a list of significant professional publications relevant to the academic positions held including full citation data for each entry. The departmental operating budget from the most recent semester or other academic term during which the institution offered the course including detail for the most recent academic year for which data are available, income from all sources, and a summary by functional categories such as salaries and wages, travel, etc.; and
Instructor end-of-course student evaluations for each undergraduate classroom course.

Deadlines

Course Syllabi and instructor-of-record CVs are due in the departmental office or dean’s office (in non-departmentalized schools/colleges) by that semester’s (Spring, Summer 1 & 2, Fall) first day of classes. They must be uploaded to the Access Syllabi and CVs system no later than seven days after that semester’s first day of classes.

Syllabus Standards

The following syllabus standards are taken from the 2014 syllabus memo from Senior Vice Provost David Laude. For additional suggested templates and guidance on writing an effective syllabus, please see the website of the Faculty Innovation Center.

Syllabus Content In accordance with state law and as prescribed in the General Information Catalog the syllabus must contain the following items:

- The course number and title
- The instructor’s name, office location, and office hours (Instructor's office location and hours are not required on the publicly posted version of the syllabus.)
- If there are teaching assistants for the class, their names, office locations, and office hours (Listing of office locations and hours for TAs should not be included on the publicly available version of the syllabus, since this may be a violation of FERPA.)
- An overview of the class, including prerequisites, the subject matter of each lecture or discussion, as well as the academic/learning goals for the course and how they will be assessed
- Grading policy, including the means of evaluation and assignment of class grades, including whether plus and minus grades will be us ed for final class grade and whether attendance will be used for determining the final class grade
- A brief descriptive overview of all major course requirements and assignments, along with the dates of exams and assignments that count for 20 percent or more of the class grade
- A list of required and recommended materials, such as textbooks, image collections, audio and audiovisual materials, supplies, articles, chapters, and excerpts as appropriate, identified by author, title and publisher • Final exam date and time (when available)
- The class web site, if any
- A notice that students with disabilities may request appropriate academic accommodations from the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement, Services for Students with Disabilities, 512-471-6259, http://www.utexas.edu/diversity/ddce/ssd/

Recommended Materials: In addition, we recommend that faculty include the following information on their course syllabi:

- A notice regarding academic dishonesty. UT Honor Code (or statement of ethics) and an explanation or example of what constitutes plagiarism (Link to University Honor Code: http://catalog.utexas.edu/generalinformation/the-university/#universitycodeofconduct)
- A notice regarding accommodations for religious holidays. (Sample statement—“By UT Austin policy, you must notify me of your pending absence at least fourteen days p rior to the date of observance of a religious holy day. If you must miss a class, an examination, a work assignment, or a project in order to observe a religious holy day, you will be given an opportunity to complete the missed work within a reasonable time after the absence.”)
- The following recommendations regarding emergency evacuation from the Office of Campus Safety and Security, 512-471-5767, http://www.utexas.edu/safety/ :
  - Occupants of buildings on The University of Texas at Austin campus are required to evacuate buildings when a fire alarm is activated. Alarm activation or announcement requires exiting and assembling outside.
  - Familiarize yourself with all exit doors of each classroom and building you may occupy. Remember that the nearest exit door may not be the one you used when ent ering the building.
  - Students requiring assistance in evacuation shall inform their instructor in writing during the first week of class.
  - In the event of an evacuation, follow the instruction of faculty or class instructors.
  - Do not re-enter a building unless given instructions by the following: Austin Fire Department, The University of Texas at Austin Police Department, or Fire Prevention Services office.
  - Behavior Concerns Advice Line (BCAL): 512-232-5050
  - Link to information regarding emergency evacuation routes and emergency procedures can be found at: www.utexas.edu/emergency