Teaching Resources

Below are disability-related questions that are frequently asked by new faculty members. For more information, visit the Center for Disability Resources.

If a student asks me to provide them with a disability-related accommodation in my course, what should I do?

The first thing to determine is whether the student has an Accommodation Letter setting forth the accommodations recommended by the Center for Disability Resources (CDR). If the student does not have such a letter, do not seek to arrange accommodations with the student yourself; refer them immediately to CDR.

What is an Accommodation Letter?

An Accommodation Letter is from a Center for Disability Resources (CDR) adviser, which lists the specific recommended academic accommodations for an individual student. A student who has an Accommodation Letter, is currently registered with CDR and has provided CDR with medical documentation of his or her disability.

Who is responsible for determining appropriate accommodations?

The Center for Disability Resources (CDR) is the campus office designated to work with all Illinois Tech students to put in place the appropriate accommodations at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. CDR provides a wide array of support services, accommodations, and programs to remove barriers to full participation in the life of the university.

What does reasonable accommodation mean?

A reasonable accommodation is an adjustment designed to mitigate the impact of a student’s disability without compromising the integrity of an academic course or program. Reasonable accommodations may include:

• Assistive technology
• Auxiliary aides such as sign language interpreters
• Reduced distraction environment for completing exams
• Extended time to complete exams or assignments, etc.

Providing reasonable accommodations allows students with disabilities to have equal access to education and services at the university. Students with disabilities are required to meet the same academic and technical standards as their non-disabled peers, using reasonable accommodations.

A student has asked for accommodations. How do I know the student truly has a disability and needs accommodations?

You may ask the student to provide you with an Accommodation Letter from the Center for Disability Resources (CDR) verifying that they have a disability. It is likely that you may have a copy of the Accommodation Letter in your email from the CDR already. The student—if registered with the CDR and after providing documentation that the CDR determines supports the accommodation—is provided with a letter that details the required accommodations to which they are entitled so long as they do not fundamentally alter an essential component of your course. For every student registered with the CDR, the office has a file with documentation of the disability. For reasons of confidentiality, the nature and specifics of the disability are not disclosed to faculty and teaching staff.

When is a student required to notify me of a need for accommodations?

The Center for Disability Resources (CDR) encourages but cannot require registered students to provide instructors with their Accommodation Letter at the beginning of each semester. A student can register with the CDR or present his or her Accommodation Letter to you at any time during the semester. Accommodations, however, are not retroactive.

Should I provide accommodations to a student who does not present an Accommodation Letter?

If a student asks for accommodation but you haven’t received an Accommodation Letter from the Center for Disability Resources (CDR) verifying eligibility for academic adjustments, it is strongly recommended that you contact the CDR or direct the student to contact the CDR. Similarly, if a student asks you for accommodation, and that specific accommodation is not listed in the letter from the CDR, you are not obligated to provide it. To reiterate, you are urged not to seek to arrange accommodations for the student by yourself; refer them to the CDR. If you are ever uncertain about your obligations, please call the CDR at 312.567.5744 or e-mail disabilities@iit.edu.

Am I required to provide exam accommodations to students who request it?

Yes, if such accommodations are set forth in the student’s Accommodation Letter from the Center for Disability Resources (CDR). The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504, as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the ADA Amendments Act, protect students with disabilities. These laws require that qualified students with disabilities must have equal access to an education, including exam accommodations. If you believe that the recommended accommodations fundamentally alter an essential component of your course, accommodations are negotiable.

Below are library-related questions that are frequently asked by new faculty members. For more information, visit the Paul V. Galvin Library website.

What is the name of the Illinois Library Consortium through which faculty have access to research articles available at other academic institutions?

The Illinois Library Consortium is CARLI (I-Share).

What topics can I request as part of a library instruction session for a course that I’m teaching?

How do I find the name of the librarian associated with my academic department?

The name of the librarian associated with your academic department can be found in the research guide for your department.

What sort of material might I deposit in the Galvin Library Institutional Repository?

Below is a partial list of materials that a faculty member might deposit in the Institutional Repository:

• Course materials, such as homework, solution sets, notes, video lectures, syllabi, etc.
• Experimental or observational datasets
• Conference and symposia presentations and papers
• Lab notes and videos
• Article pre-prints and post-prints

Below are registration-related questions that are frequently asked by new faculty members. For more information, visit the Office of the Registrar website.

How do I assign a registration permit?

A course instructor can assign a registration permit using Banner Faculty Self Service, which is accessible through the myIIT portal. Below are the steps for assigning a registration permit in Faculty Self Service:

1. Login to myIIT
2. Navigate to the “Teaching” tab
3. Locate the Banner Faculty Self Service channel
4. Click on “Registration Overrides and Permits”
5. Select the academic term
6. When prompted, enter the student’s ID (this would be their nine-character alpha/numeric Banner ID)
7. Click the “Override” drop-down menu, select “Instructor Permit” and the course you are permitting the student into, and then click “Submit”
8. You will be taken to a screen that is “Registration Overrides,” asking you to confirm, please click on “Submit” if the information is correct
9. The instructor permit will now appear on the “Registration Overrides“ screen for the student

How can a student register late for a course?

Illinois Institute of Technology expects all students to finalize their registration of courses in accordance with university deadlines. In extreme circumstances, a late registration request can be submitted for review to the student’s academic adviser, course instructor, and chair of the department offering the course.

Instructions for late registration are found on the Office of the Registrar’s website.

The deadline for late registration is the Friday after the add/drop date. Students who are not officially registered cannot sit in on a class. Please refer them to the Office of the Registrar to request late registration.

Where can I get information about the meaning of error messages that students may get when attempting to add a course? How do I resolve these?

Information about the meaning of error messages that students may get when attempting to add a course, and how to resolve these can be found on the Office of the Registrar’s website.

Where do I find my final exam schedule?

The Final Exam Schedule is posted by the Office of the Registrar before final exams. Course instructors will receive an email notification when the Final Exam Schedule is posted. The schedule and exam guidelines will be posted on the registrar’s office website.

Where can I find information about Illinois Tech’s grading policies?

Information about Illinois Tech’s grading policies can be found on the Illinois Tech bulletin website and on the Office of the Registrar’s website.

Where can I find information about how to use CLSS to create courses, if I am assigned to that role?

Information about how to use CLSS to create courses can be found on the Office of the Registrar’s website.

Below are questions that are frequently asked by new faculty members about the Center for Learning Innovation (CLI). For more information, visit the CLI website.

What is the Center for Learning Innovation (CLI)?

The Center for Learning Innovation (CLI) is the office that supports faculty in all matters related to teaching and learning. Information about the programs and services offered by CLI can be found on its website.

How can the Center for Learning Innovation help a new faculty member?

The services provided by the Center for Learning Innovation to help instructors become better teachers can be found on its Faculty Development webpage.

How do I access Blackboard?

Blackboard is accessed through the myIIT portal. Click on the menu matrix at the top, in the right-hand corner of the screen, then select “Blackboard.” You must have an Illinois Tech email address in order to access Blackboard.

How do I get training on how to use Blackboard?

Blackboard training sessions are offered frequently throughout the semester. For a list of upcoming training sessions, go to the Center for Learning Innovation website.

Who do I contact with questions about Blackboard?

Email your questions about Blackboard to the Office of Technology Services (OTS) Support Desk at supportdesk@iit.edu.

Below are technology-related questions that are frequently asked by new faculty members. For more information, visit the Office of Technology Services (OTS) website.

How do I use the A/V systems in classrooms? Is there training available?

The Office of Technology services also offers hands-on and virtual training on the use of classroom technology. Contact the OTS Support Desk at 312-567-3375 or at supportdesk@iit.edu to request training on classroom technology. The Support Desk is also the team that will provide immediate support if you have any technical issues in the classroom.

How do I connect my devices to the IIT-Secure Wireless network?

Instructions for the various device types can be found on the Office of Technology Services website.

Why do I have to pay for software when I work for the university?

Software is licensed a variety of different ways in the university. In some cases, there is a university-wide site license. In other cases, there is a contract for reduced pricing. Finally, some software is only licensed for use by select colleges/departments. The Office of Technology Services (OTS) Support Desk staff know about the various licenses, or will consult the proper experts from other OTS areas when needed.

Where can I get a text/photo listing of my advisees/students in a course?

To download a text or photo listing of your advisees or students in a course:

1. Login to MyIIT
2. Select the “Teaching” tab, then click on “Faculty Dashboard”
3. Inside the “Faculty Dashboard” you will find several links:

• Advising Student Profile
• Class List (this is the photo list)
• Faculty Grade Entry

You can also find your class list on the course site in Blackboard. Learn more about this option on the Center for Learning Innovation website.

You can also refer to the Faculty Self Service Guide—Office of the Registrar guide for information about Banner Self-Service for faculty.

How can I make the software I need for my course available to my students?

Before the start of each term the Applications Delivery team reaches out to the faculty software contacts in each college to coordinate software needs for the upcoming term. These software titles are then packaged and installed in the physical and virtual PC labs/classrooms. If you are requesting a software title that is not currently owned by the university, it will need to be purchased by your department/college and then provided to the Office of Technology Services (OTS). You can also contact the OTS Support Desk at 312-567-3375 or at supportdesk@iit.edu, and they will put you in contact with the Applications Delivery team to coordinate your software requests.