Teaching Frequently Asked Questions

Faculty at Kennesaw State University have access to many departments and resources that exist to support you in your work. The vast number of departments makes it difficult to identify which one you should go to when you need assistance. The following information will help you locate the teaching and learning supports that are relevant to your needs.

FAQs - General

In this section, you will find information on Kennesaw State’s history, student demographics, university policies and procedures, etc. 

  • KSU Fact Book: https://ir.kennesaw.edu/publications/fact-book.php 

  • KSU Faculty Handbook

    (Click on Faculty Handbook, then Current Handbook).

    Faculty Affairs

    This office is primarily responsible for managing policies and procedures related to faculty, overseeing faculty searches and hiring, handling faculty leaves, and coordinating faculty evaluations and reviews related to tenure, promotion and post-tenure review. This office is also responsible for providing training for faculty, administrators, and department chairs, and helping coordinate faculty development activities among several different units.” 

  • Learning-Centered Syllabus tips sheet

    Syllabus checklist maintained by KSU curriculum, instruction, and assessment

     

FAQs - Technology

In this section, you will find information related to using technology in your teaching.

  • University Information Technology Services (UITS)

    UITS provides KSU with the technology necessary for faculty, staff, and students to carry out academic collaboration, research and innovation. UITS delivers the state of the art technology students require and expect for course registration, learning management, instructional classrooms, and voice/data solutions, as well as identifies and supports the administrative and computing needs of the campus.

  • Desire to Learn Brightspace (D2L)

    Desire to Learn Brightspace (D2L) is the Learning Management System (LMS) that KSU subscribes to as an electronic means to communicate with your students. You can also use the LMS to upload assignments, use discussion boards, deliver online content, among other electronic communication and interaction with students.

    D2L Brightspace updates D2L Brightspace Training

     

  • Desire to Learn Brightspace (D2L)

    Go to your course site after logging in to D2L. Syllabi are generally placed in the "Content" section of D2L. You can also use D2L to upload assignments, use discussion boards, and deliver online content, among other electronic communication and interaction with students.

  • Each classroom at KSU has its own unique technologies. In order to be sure you are familiar with the systems and ensure they are in working order, you should visit your classroom before the first day of class. If you have specific needs or questions, contact UITS at 470-578-6999 or service@kennesaw.edu. 

  • KSU Anywhere is a University Information Technology Services (UITS) mobile work initiative for Kennesaw State University employees. Employees of colleges and departments participating in the program may exchange their desktop computers and/or existing laptops and mobile devices for a new PC or Macintosh laptop device. Visit http://uits.kennesaw.edu/ksuanywhere/index.php for more information.

  • CETL Digital Learning Innovations is dedicated to assisting faculty in the creation and delivery of fully compliant, effective, and engaging online, hybrid, and blended learning environments for students at KSU. 

  • Here is a list of some of the technologies, applications, and software, however there are many more options provided through UITS. Check the UITS website for a comprehensive list, or contact UITS for more information. http://uits.kennesaw.edu 

    • Adobe Creative Cloud
    • Blackboard Collaborate Ultra
    • Camtasia
    • Collaborate
    • D2L Brightspace
    • iClicker
    • Kahoot!
    • MediaSpace
    • Respondus
    • SMART Board
    • SoftChalk
    • TurnItIn
    • VoiceThread
    • Webex

  • The KSU Service Desk is your portal to getting assistance or access to University IT Services.

    Faculty / Staff: 470–578-6999

    Email: service@kennesaw.edu 

    Students: 470-578-3555

    Email: studenthelpdesk@kennesaw.edu 

  • Owl Express is the university’s portal where faculty can access information on their own and student records. You may hear Owl Express referred to as Banner. Banner is the system that maintains all of our academic records. Owl Express is the portal by which faculty can access some of the data found in Banner. There are multiple tabs available in Owl Express depending on your employment classifications, the most common of these are described below. 

    • Employee Services allows you to pay for parking, parking tickets, and load your KSU card with funds for food purchases on campus.

    • Faculty Services in Owl Express is where you can view your course schedule and roster--you can even view a photo roster of your students here. This is also where you will post students’ final grades at the end of each term.

FAQs - Logistics 

In this section, you will find information on campus policies and procedures, as well as how to organize and manage your classes and students.

  • Registration and adjusting schedules, including dropping and adding of classes, is one of several options available to students in Owl Express.

    For more information visit http://registrar.kennesaw.edu/registration.php.

  • The Registrar's Office maintains grade entry options.

    For information about grading policy, consult the Faculty Handbook Section: 2.9. Grading.

  • A Drop/Add session is offered to students during the first week of classes for the fall and spring. This provides the opportunity for students to rearrange their schedules. Specific dates are provided in the Academic calendar.

    http://registrar.kennesaw.edu/datesanddeadlines/ 

  • The academic calendar provides all of the academic holidays observed by the university.

    http://registrar.kennesaw.edu/datesanddeadlines/ 

  • If the university is closed due to inclement weather it will be posted on the university's homepage. Kennesaw State uses an “opt-out” system for campus alerts, so unless you have chosen not to, you will receive notifications via email, text, and phone call. All emergency notifications are also pushed to all of KSU’s social media accounts.

  • Final grades are entered through the Faculty Services tab in Owl Express.

  • Book orders are handled differently depending on the department in which you teach. Ask your department’s administrative associate about how to submit your book order.

  • The KSU Library System can put books on reserve for your students to use in your courses. You can read about course reserves and contact the library at the following link:

    http://library.kennesaw.edu/services/coursereserves.php 

  • Door access is automatically provided to all faculty based on the room information noted in the Banner system. These permissions are granted and terminated in alignment with the academic schedule each semester to ensure every faculty member is able to access the classroom where they are scheduled to teach. Ask your department’s administrative associate if you are having trouble accessing a room you should have access to.

  • KSU's Talon One Service Center is a customer service hub for students, faculty, staff, and visitors who have questions concerning Campus Services and each of its related departments, including:

    • Obtaining your Talon Card (university ID)
    • Meal Plan and Dining information
    • Learning about Parking and Transportation options

  • The Department of Public Safety and University Police protects and serves the campus community and visitors by providing professional public safety services and a safer campus through community partnerships with a commitment to education, as a teaching police department and public safety agency. Consider saving their contact information:

    Emergencies: 470-578-6666

    Non-Emergencies: 470-578-6206

    Non-Emergency E-mail: police@kennesaw.edu 

    More contact information here: https://police.kennesaw.edu/contact.php 

  • Human Resources provides information and assistance for numerous situations. Please consult their website for a thorough list of resources.

    To find your Human Resources Benefits Specialist: https://hr.kennesaw.edu/hrteams.php  

  • Human Resources also provides information about payroll. The HR website for payroll has information about processing, procedures, forms, taxes, etc.

    http://payroll.kennesaw.edu/ 

  • Tracking hours and knowing what to track can be complicated for part-time instructors. Faculty Affairs created a table to help part-time faculty know what counts as hours worked.

    For information on how to access the system to log your hours worked and/or how to do that, visit the Payroll webpage.

    https://payroll.kennesaw.edu/

FAQs - Student Success Services

This section addresses the services that are in place to help and support Kennesaw State students. http://sss.kennesaw.edu/   

  • "Student Disability Services (SDS) is the first contact for students with disabilities to arrange accommodations and locate campus and community resources. To access accommodations, students must first connect with SDS and provide the appropriate documentation as outlined by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. Documentation submitted to SDS remains confidential within SDS and is not shared with third parties without written permission from the student. SDS assists in identifying appropriate accommodations and it is the student’s responsibility to submit notice of accommodations to instructors and campus departments as needed."

    https://sds.kennesaw.edu/index.php 

  • Behavior Response Team

    “Kennesaw State University seeks to foster a proactive climate of care that can only be achieved through cooperative input from the entire community. To that end, KSU has created a Behavioral Response Team (BRT) that takes a planned approach to identifying and assisting individuals who are distressed and/or exhibiting abnormal, threatening, or dangerous behavior. Through early identification, the team can connect individuals of concern with the resources they need to succeed and hopefully prevent crises. The BRT is a multidisciplinary team that meets regularly to assess and manage concerns that have been brought to the attention of the team.”

    KSU Ombuds

    “An Ombuds provides confidential and informal assistance in the resolution of university-related concerns, especially those not being addressed adequately through normal procedures. He or she is an independent person who attempts to consider all sides of an issue in an impartial and objective manner. An Ombuds cannot impose solutions but can help identify options and strategies for resolution.”

  • “Counseling and Psychological Services supports the academic mission of Kennesaw State University by enhancing students’ educational, career, personal and interpersonal development. We provide a wide range of service, including psychoeducational workshops aimed at helping students develop skills for managing the stress of college, group counseling focused on helping student better manage emotions and navigate their relationships, individual counseling for a wide range of mental wellness concerns, as well as psychiatric medication evaluation and treatment. When seeking services, all students start by meeting with a counselor during our Let's Hoot Walk-In Consultation Hours.”

    https://counseling.kennesaw.edu/ 

  • "Campus Awareness, Resource & Empowerment (CARE) Services offers support to students who have experienced homelessness, food insecurity and/or the foster care system."

    https://care.kennesaw.edu/index.php 

  • “At the ESL Center, KSU IEP, undergraduate, and graduate international students can receive tutoring in writing, reading, pronunciation, and presentation skills, as well as advising for their general education (core) requirements and mentoring. Appointments are usually, but not always, necessary.”

    https://writingcenter.kennesaw.edu/elp/ 

FAQs - Academic Support Services

  • SMART Center

    The Science and Math Academic Resource and Tutoring (SMART) Center has people and resources to help with most freshman and sophomore mathematics and chemistry classes at KSU. No appointments are necessary to use the SMART Center’s services; students may stop by anytime we are open for help in their classes.

    https://academicaffairs.kennesaw.edu/smart/

    KSU Writing Center

    “The KSU Writing Center is a resource available to all members of the KSU Community who want to become better writers and produce better writing. Our staff is composed of an eclectic mix of dedicated undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty members who are passionate about writing. The Center itself is intended to be a safe, friendly place where all writers will feel comfortable receiving feedback on their work.”

    http://writingcenter.kennesaw.edu/ 

    Supplemental Instruction

    “Our mission is to provide an environment that increases the learning and retention of all students enrolled in courses supported by the SI program. Our program consists of SI leaders (students who are academic facilitators) who can help you develop the thinking and reasoning skills necessary to succeed in historically difficult courses. SI leaders are empathetic listeners, resource guides, and most of all, supportive peers.”

    https://academicaffairs.kennesaw.edu/supplementalinstruction/ 

    Peer Mentoring Center

    "The Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology Peer Mentoring Center provides peer-based academic support for a selection of engineering and engineering technology courses. This support is offered on a drop-in basis (no appointment needed) in room Q-306 of the Engineering Technology Center. Tutoring for a given subject is available according to the weekly schedule, based on the tutors' availability. During those hours, students are welcome to visit the center and receive tutoring from a peer who has already earned either an A or a B in the course."

    https://engineering.kennesaw.edu/peer-mentoring-center/index.php 

FAQs - Teaching Support

In this section, you will find information about the different centers and departments that can help you with teaching.

  • "The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) supports the integrated professional development of KSU graduate students, full- and part-time faculty, and administrators throughout their careers.

    CETL offers programs and services rooted in learning science, process education, human development, organizational development, and assessment theory.

    We work to cultivate a data-driven, institutional-wide culture of progressive improvement in support of student success."

    Contact info:

    Email: cetl@kenneaw.edu 

    Website: https://facultydevelopment.kennesaw.edu/ 

  • The KSU Academic Integrity statement is found in the faculty handbook in section 2.13.

    https://handbooks.kennesaw.edu/ 

    The Department of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity is available for assistance on academic integrity and student conduct issues. https://web.kennesaw.edu/scai/ 

    For information directly related to Academic Misconduct, faculty should consult: http://scai.kennesaw.edu/faculty/academic-misconduct.php 

    For information directly related to Student Code of Conduct, consult: http://scai.kennesaw.edu/codes.php 

  • "TRAC is a curriculum center designed to help education students, educators, and community members plan and prepare effective and creative classroom instruction and activity. TRAC houses over 8,000 books, more than 1,600 DVDs, and 500 kits and games. Visitors can check out books, DVDs, and instructional enhancement items, conduct educational research, access the internet, make copies, and much more!"

    https://bagwell.kennesaw.edu/units/trac/index.php 

  • The library offers many different services, from faculty services, study rooms, course reserves, research assistance, and borrowing from other libraries. Their extensive website provides searchable access to the books and resources located in the library. The library can assist students, as well as faculty.

    http://www.kennesaw.edu/library/ 

 

If you have additional questions, please contact us by emailing cetl@kennesaw.edu, or call us at 470-578-6410.

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