Simple Syllabus at FSU
Frequently Asked Questions
These FAQs were initially posted on October 31, 2025. Please check back periodically for new questions that may be added and for possible updates to answers. If you have questions not covered in this FAQ list, please send them to fda-faculty@fsu.edu.
Updates to some FAQs and new questions were posted on November 21, 2025. They are marked as such in the list below.
Will faculty have to use Simple Syllabus to create a syllabus?
Yes, in most cases. If you teach a lab, lecture, discussion, or medical science (College of Medicine only) course at FSU, then you will need to use Simple Syllabus.
The platform was selected for its efficiency which we hope will save faculty time. It will also allow FSU faculty to meet requirements outlined in various BOG regulations. For example, it will become the tool used to complete the required attestation for course materials.
When will faculty have to start using Simple Syllabus? Updated 11/21/25
The FSU Simple Syllabus template has been finalized, but more time is needed for necessary testing of the tool’s interface with FSU’s data warehouses. That work will continue through November. Syllabi for Spring 2026 courses will need to be put into Simple Syllabus by March 1, 2026. Faculty will not have to use Simple Syllabus prior to the beginning of the Spring 2026 semester. Instead, faculty should plan for the Spring 2026 semester in their usual way with regard to creating their syllabus and posting it for students in Canvas.
Will faculty be able to customize the syllabus created within Simple Syllabus? Updated 11/21/25
Yes and no. FSU’s template for Spring 2026 was finalized after we received feedback from faculty and academic leaders. We are keeping the template streamlined. Yes, there will be text boxes that faculty directly edit to add content easily from their Canvas site or by typing or by cutting and pasting text from another document. The Simple Syllabus template for Spring 2026 will allow faculty to edit data prepopulated from Coursedog for course description and course objectives if that information is inaccurate. Faculty can also edit/remove time and/or location of the course. We expect this same flexibility will be needed for Summer 2026 and for Fall 2026. Faculty will not be able to edit other types of information that is prepopulated (e.g., required syllabus statements; course number and title).
What if my course is being offered in Spring 2026 but in a revised form that is still under review in the course approval system when classes start? Updated 11/21/25
We recognize that faculty in departments and colleges are reviewing courses on the university-wide graduation requirement list following the passage of revised BOG Regulation 6.017 in September 2025. Some revisions to courses offered in Spring 2026 have been submitted but will not have sufficient time to be fully reviewed and approved through all required Faculty Senate committees prior to the start of classes in January 2026. This will mean that the Coursedog data warehouse will have information that is not accurate. The Spring 2026 Simple Syllabus template will allow faculty to edit course description and course objectives to account for this inaccuracy in Coursdog while the faculty work to get the course revised and approved through faculty governance. We expect this same flexibility will be needed for Summer 2026 and likely for Fall 2026.
What if I need to post additional information not included in the Simple Syllabus template?
The FSU template for Simple Syllabus will be streamlined with a focus on information that would be common to syllabi across the campus (e.g., catalog course description, required textbook/readings, required syllabus language, etc.). Some faculty have included in their syllabus additional information about their teaching philosophy or perhaps a biographical statement. That information can be posted in Canvas rather than entered into Simple Syllabus.
Can I opt out of having my syllabus posted publicly in Simple Syllabus? Updated 11/21/25
No. BOG Regulation 8.003 passed, and it requires that syllabi for lecture, lab, discussion, and medical science (in the College of Medicine) courses at FSU will need to be posted publicly. Faculty will need to use the “publish” button in Simple Syllabus to post their syllabus publicly. Faculty will use Simple Syllabus during the Spring 2026 semester to publicly post their Spring 2026 syllabus.
Are there courses for which faculty do not need to use Simple Syllabus?
Yes. Currently, thesis, dissertation, graduate seminar, directed individual study, and similar individual-specific courses that often do not require a syllabus. This doesn’t change with the university’s adoption of Simple Syllabus. If you teach one of those types of courses and do create a syllabus, then you may elect to use Simple Syllabus, but you are not required to do so.
What if I change or add some readings after I publish my syllabus in Simple Syllabus?
Faculty should make every effort to have their syllabus set prior to its public posting to ensure that students are consulting current information as they make timely enrollment decisions. However, if new readings emerge between the time a syllabus is initially published and the start of class or even within the semester, the syllabus can be modified and republished in Simple Syllabus. This is in accordance with FSU’s existing Syllabus Change Policy: “Except for changes that substantially affect implementation of the evaluation (grading) statement, this syllabus is a guide for the course and is subject to change with advance notice.”
What if I update assignments that I have listed in my published syllabus in Simple Syllabus?
Faculty should make every effort to have their syllabus set prior to its public posting to ensure that students are consulting current information as they make timely enrollment decisions. However, if assignments have to be updated between the time a syllabus is initially posted and the start of class or even within the semester, the syllabus can be modified and republished in Simple Syllabus. This is in accordance with FSU’s existing Syllabus Change Policy: “Except for changes that substantially affect implementation of the evaluation (grading) statement, this syllabus is a guide for the course and is subject to change with advance notice.”
Will the Simple Syllabus template require me to use a particular University grading scale?
No, the instructor for each course will determine the grading scale for their course and add it to their syllabus in Simple Syllabus.
If I am teaching a course with multiple sections, but using the same syllabus, does each instructor need to create a syllabus for their section in Simple Syllabus?
Yes, each instructor who is the instructor of record and maintains their own Canvas site for their section of a multi-section course would create a syllabus in Simple Syllabus. If all instructors have the same syllabus within Canvas, this should be an easy conversion. One of the advantages of Simple Syllabus is that it allows instructors to fulfill the required attestation on course materials, which needs to be completed by each instructor of record.
If I am teaching a course with multiple sections and I use the Canvas Cohort feature, does each section need a syllabus in Simple Syllabus? Updated 11/21/25
Yes, BOG Regulation 8.003 passed and requires the public posting of each syllabus for each section of a multi-section course. As such, the instructor will need a syllabus for each section. If all sections have the same syllabus, Simple Syllabus has the ability to easily copy over the same syllabus to multiple sections of a course.
When must I enter my Fall course into Simple Syllabus if I am not on contract in the summer? Updated 11/21/25
BOG Regulation 8.003 passed, and it requires that all course syllabi be publicly posted 45 days prior to the start of classes. Faculty who are not on summer contract will need to use some of their Spring 2026 contracted effort for syllabus creation so that their syllabus is ready for Fall. This may require chairs and deans, in consultation with their faculty, to identify a small amount of effort for course preparation in the spring semester to account for that activity.
Is there any way to guard against others taking my syllabus from the public website for Simple Syllabus?
We are exploring all possible options for making clear at the Simple Syllabus Library site that syllabi are intended for FSU students. While a public website is widely accessible, we understand faculty concerns that the hard work they put into crafting their courses, including the curation of readings and assignments, may be used by others without the permission of the instructor.
NEW Questions Added on 11/21/25
What does the Simple Syllabus template for FSU look like?
See below on this webpage under “Additional Resources.” There is a PDF view of the Spring 2026 FSU template This is the template that we expect to use for calendar year 2026.
When will I have to post my syllabus for other semesters beyond Spring 2026?
See below on this webpage under “Additional Resources.” There is a timeline for when instructors will need to post their syllabus for a given semester in 2026. The Simple Syllabus template for Fall will be open in March so that effort during the Spring 2026 semester may be used to get your Fall syllabus posted.
Can I use Simple Syllabus before the Spring 2026 semester begins?
The Simple Syllabus template for FSU is finalized for Spring 2026, however, we must do various tests to ensure that it reads in data properly from our various data warehouses prior to letting our faculty use it. We will provide access to faculty as soon as we have confidence that the tool is working as expected. A communication will go out to faculty when the tool is ready for use (likely in early December).
How will Spring 2026 attestations be completed if we don’t have to use Simple Syllabus before the semester begins?
Instructors will need to use the existing procedure for making their attestation. Attestations for Summer 2026 courses and beyond will be completed in Simple Syllabus.
Where can I find resources to help me navigate Simple Syllabus?
Resources FSU will be offering trainings, consultations, and other resources to help you get started with the new syllabus tool. The first training will be held virtually in December, with additional training resources to follow during the Spring term. ODL will provide training dates and registration information as soon as they are available. There are links to resources at the bottom of the Simple Syllabus web page (below).
Additional Resources
Quicklinks
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