:: Instructor Resources

Expectations of University Extension Classroom Instructors

  • You should expect to have a diverse group of students, with more adult learners than are usual in in-residence UT Austin courses. University Extension classroom students are not required to be admitted to UT Austin in order to take our courses. Reports by our instructors and other continuing education programs indicate that typical registrants tend to be self-selected for high motivation as students.
  • UT quality standards should be maintained in design, teaching, and grading in these courses. You are expected to design syllabi that meet the standards and approval of your sponsoring department. In the case of large, multi-sectioned courses with standardized content, you should confer with the UT course coordinator to ensure that your course is commensurate with how the course is taught and graded during the day.
  • You are responsible to University Extension for all administrative matters, including student discipline and your own performance levels. You are appointed, paid, and supervised by University Extension. You should not contact your campus department administrators with matters concerning University Extension courses unless you and the director of University Extension have discussed it first.
  • You must submit a copy of your course syllabus to University Extension by the required deadline. (See the model syllabus for what must be included in your syllabus.)
  • If your class meets twice a week, you should provide at least one graded assignment within the first six meeting times; if your class meets once a week, you should provide at least one graded assignment within the first three meeting times. This allows students to assess early their prospects for success in your course.
  • Since we are a cost-recovery program, students auditing Extension courses must pay the full tuition. Therefore we ask that you evaluate their work if they choose to submit assignments as the for-credit students do.
  • Please hold office hours convenient for evening students. You may not require UEX students to attend your regular daytime office hours. We advise you to hold office hours just before or after class and by appointment. (Office hour arrangements must be on the syllabus. See FAQ sheet for more information.)
  • An instructor of a higher rank paid to teach University Extension courses may not turn over teaching of his/her class to teaching assistants or AI’s for more than one class period per semester unless the course structure has been approved to provide you with an assistant.
  • You may invite two guest lecturers to teach your class without advance written permission of the Director of University Extension.
  • You may not routinely shorten class periods from the prescribed amount of time required to earn the relevant number of credit hours. You must meet for 60 minutes of each published hour of class meeting time. Obviously, there are times throughout the semester when it may be appropriate to assign out of class projects or some other break from class time.

  • Your absences may not exceed two per semester for courses meeting twice a week and one absence per semester for courses meeting once a week without written permission of the Director of University Extension. (This would include absences when you planned to have guest lecturers and “walks” you have planned.) Consistent with regular UT Austin policy, you are responsible for finding someone appropriately qualified to substitute for you and should cancel class only as a desperate last resort.

    If you become ill or are called away suddenly for an emergency, you must call the office and alert staff before 5 p.m. of the day your class meets. They will help announce your absence to your class and make other appropriate arrangements. If the impact is longer than one class, you must phone the Academic Coordinator within 24 hours of the emergency to discuss possible solutions.

    If you need to miss a class for the observance of a religious holiday, please give proper notice to the Academic Coordinator. Please submit a list of classes that will be missed by certified mail, return receipt requested, or by delivery in person to our office. The notifcation will be acknowledged and dated by the Academic Coordinator. Consistent with regular University policy, you are responsible for finding a qualified substitute for any such class(es).

  • Evaluations of your teaching must be conducted for every class you teach. The evaluation forms are provided by the Measurement and Evaluation Center (MEC). The evaluations will be reviewed by the director of the University Extension program and you will receive copies.
  • You must hand deliver grades and grade records to the University Extension Registrar at the end of the semester.
  • Please treat students with professional courtesy. Your corrections and constructive feedback should be given to students in a kind, caring and patient manner that treats students as worthy people and mature adults. Please never talk to them in class or write comments on their papers in a humiliating, short-tempered or contemptuous manner.
  • Please read the University Extension Course Bulletin to know the policies and procedures on such things as students with disabilities, religious holidays, dropping courses, final examinations, etc. We follow the policies in the Division of Continuing Education Code on Conduct and Disciplinary Policies regarding racial and sexual harassment and scholastic and disciplinary matters. A copy is in the office. This Code follows UT’s General Information catalog , with appropriate adaptations for University Extension. For information on University policies regarding these issues, please see the following Web pages: