Student Syllabus Resource

Find the Student Syllabus Resource here

(available soon)

Lafayette teaching materials, including syllabi, are the intellectual property of faculty members and may not be used or shared for any purposes other than those for which they are intended.

Procedural questions can be directed to the Office of Advising and Co-Curricular Programs and/or to the current Chair of the Student Affairs Committee. For technical questions, please email help@lafayette.edu

FAQs for Students

I can’t log in to this resource. What should I do?

Log in to Spaces (syllabus hosting platform) using your Lafayette credentials.  If you’re having trouble, submit a Help Desk ticket by emailing help@lafayette.edu.

How should I use this resource to plan for registration?

This resource should be used along with the dynamic course schedule and conversations with your academic advisor to plan for future semester registrations. All courses may not be listed in this resource (e.g., new courses, special topics courses) and not all courses listed will have a resource uploaded to it. If there are additional resources that you need in order to make a decision on course selection, you should contact the course instructor directly.

What courses are listed in this resource?

Most courses that currently appear in Lafayette’s course catalog will appear in this resource, along with the information already listed in the course catalog (e.g., course name, course number, course description). Exceptions include special topics courses, selected studies courses, First Year Seminar courses, and individual instruction courses (independent study, advanced research, honors thesis). The repository will refresh each summer, so changes made to the course catalog each year (i.e., new courses, courses that are taken off the books) will be reflected after the refresh takes place. 

Why don’t First Year Seminar (FYS) courses appear in the Student Syllabus Resource?

FYS courses do not appear in the Student Syllabus Resource for a number of reasons. Most importantly, FYSs are unique to the first-semester college experience here at Lafayette, and incoming first-year students are placed into FYS sections via a separate and distinct process (i.e., a ranking form based on published course descriptions) than that by which students register for other courses. Other reasons relate to significant discrepancies between FYS courses that might be available for registration vs. those that appear in the course catalog; many more FYSs are listed in the course catalog than are offered in any given semester, and new FYS courses are not included in the course catalog until two years after the first course offering.

I can’t find the course I am looking for in this resource. What should I do?

There are some courses that may not be included in this resource. Any ** including but not limited to** special topics/selected studies/independent studies/individual instruction that run for only a semester or two will not be included. Cross listed LVAIC courses will not appear; you will need to look at the home institution’s website for information on that course. Courses that are new for next academic year will not be included in this resource because they are not added to the college catalog until the summer before they are offered.  Finally, if the course is cross-listed, try looking for the syllabus under the other listing found in the college catalog (i.e., the other department and course number).

The course I am interested in is listed but there is nothing uploaded for it. What should I do?

Faculty may choose not to upload a resource for their classes for a variety of reasons. You can always touch base with the course instructor(s) for more information. 

FAQs for Faculty

Why does this resource exist and who manages it?

The Student Syllabus Resource was created in response to a faculty vote on April 23, 2024. The resource is managed by the Office of Advising & Co-Curricular Programs. Procedural questions can be directed there. For technical questions, please email help@lafayette.edu.

What courses are listed in the Student Syllabus Resource?

Most courses that currently appear in Lafayette’s course catalog will appear in the Student Syllabus Resource, along with the information already listed in the course catalog (e.g., course name, course number, course description). Exceptions include special topics courses, selected studies courses, FYS courses, and individual instruction courses (independent study, advanced research, honors thesis). The Resource will refresh each summer, so changes made to the course catalog each year (i.e., new courses, courses that are taken off the books) will be reflected after the refresh takes place. For questions about a course that you believe should be in the resource but is not, please submit a Help Desk ticket by emailing help@lafayette.edu.

Why don’t FYS courses appear in the Student Syllabus Resource?

FYS courses do not appear in the Student Syllabus Resource for a number of reasons. Most importantly, FYSs are unique to the first-semester college experience here at Lafayette, and incoming first-year students are placed into FYS sections via a separate and distinct process (i.e., a ranking form based on published course descriptions) than that by which students register for other courses. Other reasons relate to significant discrepancies between FYS courses that might be available for registration vs. those that appear in the course catalog; many more FYSs are listed in the course catalog than are offered in any given semester, and new FYS courses are not included in the course catalog until two years after the first course offering.

What am I required to upload?

Nothing. This is an opt-in database, meaning that if you do nothing, no additional files will be associated with the course listing. If you do decide to upload a document, you might choose to upload a complete syllabus; a document with selected information from your syllabus (e.g., course format, likely readings, possible assignments, potential grade breakdown, etc.); a note indicating that students who desire further information about the class should contact you directly; or anything else that you think will assist students in making a more informed decision about their course selections.

Do I have to update my course files every semester?

No. We recommend that you review any uploaded files at the start of each semester, but if the document you uploaded still provides accurate information about the course, you do not have to update the uploaded files. Note that the course refresh process that happens each summer (see above) will not affect any previously-uploaded documents that are associated with a course.

Who has the ability to upload and/or delete files for my course?

Anyone with instructor status at the College has the ability to upload and delete files for all courses in the Student Syllabus Resource. Department Heads and Program Chairs can request that an Administrative Assistant or someone in a similar role be granted access to upload and/or delete files by placing a Help Desk request.

What if multiple faculty members teach a course?

If a course has multiple instructors, each instructor can upload a document(s) if they choose. There is no limit to the number of files that can be associated with a course listing. Each instructor should give their uploaded document(s) a unique name so that files are not inadvertently overwritten.

What if my course is cross-listed?

If you teach a cross-listed course, please upload your syllabus to both listings for your course.

Do I have to put my name on the uploaded syllabus or other course document?

 No. You can take your name off of your syllabus or any document that you upload so that it is anonymous.

Can I just keep adding new files to my course listing, or should I delete old files and replace them with new ones as I make updates?

You should delete outdated files and replace them with new ones as they are updated. 

Will students be able to download and/or take screenshots of posted documents?

Yes. Just like syllabi that are posted on Moodle, students will be able to download and/or take screenshots of any documents posted in the Student Syllabus Resource.

I’m considering posting a syllabus. What other factors might I consider?

You might consider noting any or all of the following on any uploaded documents: 

1) Lafayette teaching materials, including syllabi, are the intellectual property of faculty members and may not be used or shared for any purposes other than those for which they are intended.

2) Lafayette faculty are active teacher-scholars. As such, materials uploaded to this site reflect past iterations of a class and do not reflect course content or expectations for a course offered in the future. 

3) Course instructors retain flexibility to modify syllabi and all other teaching materials at any time, as appropriate. 

4) The best way to obtain information about a class is likely to have a direct conversation with the course instructor. 

5) Section enrollment may be rebalanced by the Registrar’s Office after course registration, meaning that students may be placed in a different course section – potentially with a different instructor – than the one of their choosing.