Classroom Administration


Blackboard is USC’s e-learning platform. Instructors use Blackboard to post and distribute course content such as syllabuses and handouts, to communicate with students via announcements and email messages, to assess student learning through quizzes and online assignments, and much more.

A Blackboard course website is automatically created for every course at USC, although each course is hidden from the students until the instructor chooses to make the course available to students. Fall courses courses are automatically created on April 15, Spring courses are created on November 15, and Summer courses are created on March 15. This streamlines the course creation process and supports the Provost’s Emergency Preparedness initiative. In the event of a campus closure or suspension of classes, the availability of courses in Blackboard will help USC instructors connect with students and continue teaching in a timely way.

An online tutorial is available for new users.

STUDENT RESEARCH

Faculty who are teaching courses that involve human participants, should review the guidelines for course-related student research projects.

SCHEDULING A CLASS

Classroom reservations are overseen by the USC Classroom Scheduling Office in the Office of Academic Records and Registrar.

TECHNOLOGY-ENHANCED CLASSROOMS

USC Information Technology Services (ITS) can help faculty locate and reserve a general-use space with the capacity and technology needed for a course (Information Technology Services Learning Environments). Facilities include 198 generalassignment classrooms, 20 auditoria, and 3 ITS-managed computing centers, including 5 instructional computer classrooms within those computing centers. The Room Finder tool can help identify the appropriate room.

ORDERING COURSE TEXTBOOKS

To order textbooks for a class, contact the USC Bookstore using its online order form.

ORDERING COURSE READERS

The USC Bookstore will work with faculty to order and publish course readers.

ELECTRONIC COURSE RESERVES

USC Libraries oversees electronic and physical reserve requests through ARES (Automated Reserves System). USC’s 24-hour Leavey Library holds most physical course reserve materials where students can readily access them. However, material may be placed on reserve in any of several libraries on campus. Requests must abide by copyright guidelines and rules.

PROPOSING NEW COURSES

The USC Curriculum Coordination Office in the Office of Academic Records and Registrar coordinates the review of curriculum proposals. It is the liaison between departments, the University Committee on Curriculum (UCOC), University Publications, Degree Progress and Registration.

GRADES

The Office of Academic Records and Registrar oversees the USC Department of Grades, which is responsible for the collection, maintenance and distribution of all grades submitted by the academic units. Information on the site includes a guidebook on grading and the correction of grades.

ACADEMIC ADVISORS

The Schedule of Classes maintains a current list of academic advisors.

Last updated June 29, 2018