Campus Policies 

Please see campus policies on Confidentiality of Student Records. Please refer students to the VAC if they would like to file a FERPA waiver to allow you to communicate information about a student record to a third party.

Please make sure to conduct and grade your course in accordance with campus policy (complaints/concerns will be reported to and reviewed by the department (and potentially campus) leadership).

Students seeking an incomplete will need to contact their instructor, directly, to pose their request. In accordance with campus policies and procedures, here are the questions to use when working with students requesting incompletes:

  • Is the student's work of passing quality as of today? If not then, unfortunately, the student is not eligible for an incomplete.
  • Does the student have good cause to request an Incomplete, such as hospitalization or some other emergency? Incomplete grades should be considered only if there is good cause; you are permitted to request documentation from the student to verify a student's circumstances, such as a medical note).
  • Can the student successfully learn the rest of the course material, and complete the remaining course assignments independently? An incomplete isn't designed to help a student catch up on a significant amount of missed coursework throughout the term. If too much of the course has been missed, or if completing the remainder of the course independently is not appropriate, it's best for the student to repeat the course instead of receiving an incomplete. 
  • Are you willing to create, administer, and grade all remaining exams and course assignments for the student before the end of the next regular term and enter the student's grade into eGrades by the end of the grading period in the next regular term (i.e. fall or winter or spring)? The student cannot be asked to repeat the course in a future term, or to participate in the course in a future term in any way/shape/form, even if you'll be the instructor.

If the answer to these questions is no, please inform the student that you are declining the request for an incomplete and that they will be assigned a grade in the course during the grading period. To explore other potential options, undergrads are advised to get in touch with their college through VAC. Graduates, on the other hand, are recommended to contact their graduate advisor for the same purpose.

If the answer to these questions is yes, please inform the student that you are endorsing the request for an incomplete, that you will assign an I during the grading period, and be sure to provide them with all the following information:

  • Remaining coursework and associated new due date(s)
  • Remaining exam(s) and associated new exam date(s). 
      Note: You are expected to schedule proctored exams through the Triton Testing Center.
    • A reminder that, per campus policy, incomplete grades DO NOT count towards prereqs for courses in a subsequent term. If a student wants to use a course towards a prereq for a course in a subsequent term they would need to wrap up the incomplete AND have their grade posted before the campus runs the "Missing Prereq Check" (typically during the middle of week 1 for the next term). 

    As a requirement set forth by the U.S. Department of Education, UC San Diego instructors must certify whether students have commenced academic activity at the beginning of each term (https://adminrecords.ucsd.edu/Notices/2022/2022-6-6-2.html). 

    Why certify students: Financial aid awarding requires UC San Diego to document the commencement of academic activity each term. Failure to certify academic activity requires the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office to bill and/or reduce unearned portions of a student’s financial aid to ensure UC San Diego remains compliant with federal regulations.

    When to certify: Certification(s) should be submitted no later than Friday of week 2 of the term.

    Note: All credit-bearing courses must be certified, including independent studies, internships and 1-unit courses where students are enrolled for credit. 

    Where to certify students: Instructors have two options for verifying a student’s commencement of academic activity each term: 
    • Academic Activity Tracking System (AATS) (https://aats.ucsd.edu
      • This is an electronic form that allows instructors to certify the commencement of academic activity for each student and by section. 
      • If you are using the AATS form and are experiencing technical difficulties, please contact servicedesk@ucsd.edu
      • This tool will not reflect any data reported through Canvas.
    • #FinAid surveys in Canvas
      • This is a survey that can be published in Canvas. When set up properly and containing the #FinAid label, student surveys submitted by the Friday of week 2 deadline will count towards the certification. For more information on how to set up the survey, visit https://go.ucsd.edu/3qxf6jh
      • If you need assistance with setting up the survey in your Canvas course, or are experiencing technical difficulties, please contact canvas@ucsd.edu
    • Note: Given the volume of certifications each quarter, we are unable to respond to requests confirming individual student certifications. 

    For general FAQs regarding this requirement, please refer to https://go.ucsd.edu/3RKD9r6

    Please contact Dawn Love about TA matters (eg. preferences, questions, concerns).

    Problem Sessions (PBs) are typically used for going over homework. PBs are not formal parts of classes and so students cannot be required to participate in these sessions and the ability to succeed in the class cannot be dependent upon participation in these sessions. PB sessions are scheduled upon request by the instructor/TA, only. Requests must be sent to Toni Moore and must include ALL of the following information:

    • The weeks you want your PB session to meet (eg. weeks 1-10)
    • The preferred day, start time and end time for your PB session (be specific).
    • The minimum number of seats for your PB session.

    Please Note: Campus procedures indicate that PB session requests in campus space will begin being scheduled after week 2. If you want your PB sessions to start in week 1 of the term, the campus will be alerted so they can look into granting an exception to their standard procedures.

    Classroom Changes Made by the Campus
    Please be sure to check the Online Schedule just before classes begin. For various reasons, the campus may have changed your classroom(s). 

    Course components in campus space
    You and your TAs must work with Facilities Management (858-534-2930) and Campus ITS for matters relating to room access and/or classroom technology. Per the campus, "If you have a class that arrives to a locked campus classroom or lecture hall (any of the rooms listed in the attached document) at the scheduled class time, in order to get someone out to unlock that room as quickly as possible, please call Facilities Management directly at (858) 534-2930. Facilities Management is the unit that unlocks and locks all general campus classrooms and lecture halls each day, so they are the ones who can help the quickest. Please feel free to share this number with your TAs as well, just in case they need it."

    Course components in Department space
    You and your TAs must work with Lester Brooks and the Physics Computing Facility for matters relating to room access and/or classroom technology. Contact these parties well in advance of the start of the term to ensure that you know the process and timeline for getting keycard access to your classroom for you and any other parties who may need it (eg. TAs, students).

     

     

    Helping Students 

    Special Studies (PHYS 99, 99H, 198, 199, 199H, 297, 298, 299)
    Students must use EASy to request enrollment in Special Studies courses. Ahead of submitting a Special Studies request in EASy, a student is expected to consult with you to discuss the terms of the course. Since the EASy request will be considered the syllabus for the Special Studies course, please carefully review the EASy request to make sure it accurately reflects what you've arranged with the student in terms of how the course will be conducted and graded. If the information in the EASy request needs correction, return the request to the student for revision (do not approve the request).

    All Other Courses
    UCSD Students: Please refer them to the campus' Enrollment Authorization System (EASy) to submit their request. Students cannot be cleared to enroll via email. Students with questions related to enrollment will need to contact the Department:

    Non-UCSD Students: Please refer them to UCSD Extended Studies where they'll need to submit their request. Thereafter, the Department will contact them about their request.

     

    Class Resources

    Learn more about available lecture and lab demos here

    Please use the "Instruction Tools" on BLINK to see the days/times/locations of your course(s), to view course enrollment, and to download class lists (with email addresses). Access BLINK at: http://blink.ucsd.edu

    The campus creates a Canvas page for each course in the Online Schedule with an instructor assigned. Please click here to see when your course's Canvas page will be created. Please use Canvas to post your course syllabus, homework, announcements, and other course materials. Click here for a quick guide on setting up your course in Canvas before the term begins. Click here for a quick guide on wrapping up your course in Canvas at the end of the term. It is a good idea to use Canvas even if you choose to display course information on your personal website. Access to a course in Canvas site is limited to enrolled students (and waitlisters during the enrollment period, only). Canvas is managed by a central campus IT office and not by the Physics Department so any troubles with the system must be reported to the campus at canvas.ucsd.edu.

    If a student wants to audit your course they are to send you an email to request permission to audit; approval of the request is at your discretion and should also be communicated via email. If you approve a student's request to audit your course and you want to allow the student to see your Canvas information, you must log onto Canvas and follow these instructions to add the student as an observer (the Physics Department cannot grant the student access to your course in Canvas). Auditing does not enable the student to enroll/waitlist the course. Auditors will not receive credit for the course, even if they choose to audit for the entire term and/or to complete work for the course. Without prior written consent from the instructor, auditors are NOT permitted to take exams in the course, nor be present in the classroom during any exams (this would be a violation of Academic Integrity). Audited courses do not apply as prereqs for future courses.

    To learn about course evaluations and to see past evaluations please click here.

    Please use eGrades to enter student grades during the grading period. Sign in using your Single Sign-On username and password. If you would like assistance with eGrades please review the eGrades information page, write to eGrades@ucsd.edu, or call 858-534-3144.
    Access eGrades at: http://egrades.ucsd.edu

    Please use the web form at the link below to request that course material be placed on reserve for student use. Reserves check out of a limited load period (3 hours or 24 hours). Requests should be submitted early to ensure students’ timely access to materials. The website is: http://libraries.ucsd.edu/resources/course-reserves/submit-a-course-reserve.html

    Please use the Student Queries in the BLINK Querylink tool to obtain enrollment data from past terms. The "Campus Class List Third Week" query provides data on past enrollments.

     

    Annual Teaching Assignments

    The normal teaching load is three courses per year for associate and full professors and two courses per year for assistant professors in their first two years. Please click here to see the department's teaching assignment policy. 

    1. The department alerts professors that the annual call for teaching preferences and leaves will be coming out soon.
    2. The department sends out the annual call.
    3. Professors respond to the call by the deadline.
    4. The department looks at all preferences and builds the teaching plan.
    5. The department notifies professors of their teaching assignments via the Instructional Scheduling Assistant.
    6. Professors accept their teaching assignments in the Instructional Scheduling Assistant.
    7. The department publishes the teaching plan on the department website.
    • To ensure consistency in education to students in core courses tied to curriculum, instructors teaching courses in the 1, 2, and 4 series, as well as core UD and 1st-year grad courses, must agree to follow the curriculum outlined here
    • Courses will primarily need to be scheduled during the standard teaching times (MWF 50-min sessions on the hour OR TuTh 80-min sessions, both starting at 8am). 
    • If requesting double or triple teaching, be prepared to create multiple versions of quizzes/exams according to the number of sections you agree to teach in the event that we are unsuccessful in securing campus space.
    • We cannot guarantee scheduling requests for same-day and/or back-to-back/time/location/etc. for lectures, 4th hours, discussions, problem sessions, quizzes/exams (the exception is ADA-related requests).
    • Section Enrollment Limits: Will be set by divisional TA workload formula. (Instructors do not set section/course enrollment limits.) ​​​​​​
    • # of sections: Will be based on the # of students we anticipate need the course in that term as well as available campus space. (Instructors do not set the number of lab sections offered.)
    • Days & Times of Course Components (i.e. lectures and labs): Will be based on the days, times, and locations of the lecture courses students are required to take in the same term. (Instructors do not set the days and times of lecture and/or lab sections).  
    • ​​If requesting PHYS 2BL, 2CL, 2DL the lecture portion of the course likely be placed in the late afternoon or evening by the campus.
    • Below is the teaching schedule we plan to submit annually for core UD physics courses:
      • Disclaimer: We cannot guarantee the campus will have rooms available at the listed days and times, but this is what we’ll be requesting. In addition, the final exam schedule is set by the campus, so if they make any changes the final info. below will also change.
      • The scheduling of non-core UD courses will be based on whatever the campus ends up assigning for the core UD courses.
        • The scheduling of PHYS 4 series courses will be based on whatever the campus ends up assigning for non-core UD courses, since physics majors are often eligible to take the two concurrently.
     

    FALL

    WINTER*

    SPRING*

    JR

    100A Lecture meets MWF 9am; Final Exam is Weds 8am

    100B Lecture meets MWF 9am; Final Exam is Weds 8am

    120 Lecture meets MWF 9am; Labs TBA; Final Exam is Weds 8am

    JR

    110A Lecture meets MWF 11am; Final Exam is Tues 11:30am

    105A Lecture meets MWF 11am; Labs are scheduled after all UD lectures are successfully placed; Final Exam is Mon 11:30am

    130A Lecture meets MWF 11am; Final Exam is Fri 11:30am

    JR/SR

     

    110B Lecture meets MWF 1pm; Final Exam is Friday 11:30am

    100C Lecture meets MWF 1pm; Final Exam is Thurs 11:30am

    JR/SR

       

    105B Lecture meets TR 930am; Labs are scheduled after all UD lectures are successfully placed; Final Exam is Tues 8am

    SR

    130B Lecture meets MWF 9am; Final Exam is Weds 8am

    130C Lecture meets MWF 9am; Final Exam is Weds 8am

     

    SR

    140A Lecture meets MWF 11am; Final Exam is Tues 11:30 am

    140B Lecture meets MWF 11am; Final Exam is Mon 11:30am

     

    SR

    122 Lecture meets MWF 1pm; Labs are scheduled after all UD lectures are successfully placed; Final Exam is Mon 11:30 am

    124 Lecture meets TR 930am; Labs are scheduled after all UD lectures are successfully placed; Final Exam is Tues 8am

     

    *The extra (duplicate) offerings of PHYS 130A (winter), PHYS 130B (spring), and PHYS 140A (spring) will be placed whenever the campus/dept has space after the rest of the schedule has been put together. Due to the high volume of required once-per-year offerings, the extra (duplicate) offerings cannot be given the same priority in scheduling.  

    Faculty report ALL potential plans for buyout, sabbatical, teaching relief, and/or term(s) off on the google form used to report teaching preferences and plans for the upcoming academic year. This information will go to the Department Chair and will then be distributed to the Vice Chairs, Business Office, and Student Affairs team so that all required steps can be taken to have the information fully considered and processed in accordance with campus UC and departmental policy. 

    My Assignments and/or Teaching Relief - Rick Averitt (Graduate), Andrew Meyertholen (Undergraduate)

    Buyouts - Jasmyn Hornbuckle 

    Sabbaticals - Camie King

    Administrative/Tech issues w/ teaching call form - Toni Moore

     

    Additional Resources

    For Department FAQs about teaching: Click here

    For Course Scheduling Matters: Click here

    For Student/Class Info.: Click here  

    For help with Canvas: Click here

    To add a student as an auditor (aka "observer") in Canvas: Click here 

    For Physics TA and/or OSD matters: Click here