Faculty Teaching in Winter Session
Information for faculty teaching in Winter Session will be posted here. Please note that some details are shared via email. See content at bottom of page for the dates and subjects of e-mails distributed.
Holiday Office Availability (available mid-December)
Contracts
Following approval of proposals by the school dean, faculty contracts were e-mailed to faculty on October 1. Contracts must be returned for the course to remain on the course schedule. Electronic acceptance of the contracts is acceptable. The deadline to return contracts is Friday, October 10.
Brightspace
Questions about how Brightspace works? Take a look at the Brightspace Knowledge Base articles. If there is something missing please let Design Help know. Multiple Brightspace training opportunities are available in Fall 2025. Please register in advance for trainings.
Need Help? Email designhelp@cortland.edu
Faculty Access to Courses: Your winter course(s) should be available in your My Courses widget in Brightspace under the “COR-26WI-Winter 2026” semester tab. These were synced this morning regardless of enrollment. Please contact The Help Center at thc@cortland.edu if you do not see your winter course listed.
Instructional Designers are available to help you build effective and accessible winter courses in Brightspace. You may contact them directly at designhelp@cortland.edu.
New!! Beginning Winter 2026, all courses in Brightspace will automatically open two business days before the start of the session.
- Session I: December 12, 2025
- Session II: January 2, 2026
This aligns with our policy to give students two days of syllabus access, allowing them to assess the workload before the session begins. At minimum, please ensure your course syllabus is visible in Brightspace prior to the above-mentioned dates. No additional course content needs to be visible until the start of the actual course/session. Please review the attached document on how courses will display in “My Courses” and instructions for opening your course earlier than the automatic dates.
It is important that students have access to all course materials on the first day of the session. This is critical for students to make an informed decision about continuing with the course and meeting the drop deadline. Please refer to the important dates and deadlines attachment for the specific dates related to each term.
Registration activity is constantly changing. Banner and Brightspace sync every 2 hours to ensure minimal wait time for new student access.
Technology Help
If you encounter any issues with accessing Brightspace, myRedDragon or other campus supported technology related to your course, you should contact The Help Center at 607-753-2500 or thc@cortland.edu.
Supporting Students
SUNY Online provides as extensive list of resources for supporting online student success.
The Registered Students (available November 2025) page of the Winter Session website provides key information for students regarding payment, drop, and withdraw deadlines, as well as a digest of all communications that are sent to registered students via targeted messaging.
The Starfish system is available to raise alerts or offer kudos to help our students stay engaged and empowered during their winter coursework. Starfish learning opportunities will be provided ahead of and throughout Winter Session via WebEx.
If you need assistance in the meantime, visit the Starfish website for details or call 607-753-4726.
Course Teacher Evaluations (CTEs)
Information for the Anthology CTE system is available through the Knowledge Base. Links are available to request CTEs or for general support.
|
CTE Process |
Date |
|
Course Selector opens for Winter Session |
Tuesday, December 16 |
|
Course Selector closes |
Sunday, January 11 |
|
Faculty – Edit CTE Questions |
Monday, January 12 – |
|
CTE Surveys Live* |
Thursday, January 15 |
|
CTE Closes for Students* |
Tuesday, January 20 |
*Faculty or administrative assistants can change the open and close dates once the surveys are live for students up until the last day of the course.
Grading
Grades are due within 72 hours after the final examination, day of classes or culminating experience. The deadline for grades in all Winter Session courses is Friday, January 23 at 4 p.m.
Grading information is provided on the Registrar's Office.
Students receiving incomplete grades in Winter Session should resolve them no later than the last week of classes in the Spring semester following.
Online Teaching Resources
Visit the Center for Teaching and Learning for university guidance and resources.
