Faculty Resources – Dean of Science

Directed Study Form

Please use the Annual Report of Activities Template below to prepare your Annual Report. For more information, please see the Collective Agreement (Article 2.0.1 Faculty Responsibilities Clause 5.0 Annual Report of Activities - Faculty Members).

Annual Report of Activities Template

Please submit your annual report when completed at the link below:

https://forms.office.com/r/cch3xcymTt

New Course Approval Form (updated 2025)

Service Learning Component - New Course Approval Form

Professional Development Fund Notes

Professional Development Fund Expense Form

Course Syllabus Template

Key Dates 2026-27

Supplemental Statements 2026-27

Planning Your Course

Course Syllabi

Faculty members are responsible for providing students with a course syllabus on the first day of classes. The syllabus must clearly outline course content, methods of instruction, forms of evaluation, major assignment and evaluation dates, and grading scheme. It is important that the grading scheme identified for the students at the beginning of the course not be arbitrarily changed. as this can be grounds for a grade appeal. Faculty are strongly encouraged to distribute syllabi through Moodle rather than in hard copy.

It is recommended to remind students that they are responsible for understanding and adhering to all academic regulations that are outlined in Chapter 3 of the Academic Calendar.

Electronic copies of course syllabi must be submitted to the Chair, Program Coordinator, Director, (CCD) or Associate Dean in accordance with established deadlines. They are responsible for reviewing syllabi for compliance with academic regulations and departmental norms before the start of classes. Approved syllabi will be forwarded to the Dean.

Required Syllabus Statements

Faculty should ensure that syllabi include:

• Copyright and intellectual property information;
• A statement supporting equitable and inclusive learning environments and respect for names and pronouns;
• The approved Tramble Centre for Accessible Learning statement regarding academic accommodation and accessibility supports; and
• A statement on the acceptable use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools for graded assessments. Where no statement is provided, AI tools will be considered prohibited.

Approved statements are available in the Supplemental Statements for Course Syllabi document.

Faculty members are encouraged to use the other statements provided in that resource, as appropriate, when preparing their course syllabi.

Moodle and Course Registration

Moodle is the University's official learning management system. Faculty members are strongly encouraged to use Moodle for posting syllabi, learning materials, assignments, grades, and course announcements.

Moodle is not a registration system. Students should not be manually added to Moodle unless they are officially registered in the course. Requests for back-dated registration are routinely denied. Faculty members are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the University's registration regulations outlined in Section 3.2 Registration of the Academic Calendar.

Office Hours / Availability for Student Consultation

Faculty members shall provide availability for student consultation in accordance with the Collective Agreement. Office hours may be held in person or online and should be clearly posted on Moodle and on office doors. In addition, Faculty members shall be present on campus no less than three (3) days per week unless approved by the Dean.

Teaching During the Term

Class Cancellations and Faculty Absences

Faculty members are responsible for holding all scheduled classes, laboratories, and tutorials. If illness or other circumstances require a class cancellation, the Chair, Program Coordinator, Director, or Associate Dean must be notified as soon as possible. Students should be informed promptly and, whenever possible, in advance of the cancellation.

Extended absences (more than 2 days) should be discussed in advance with the Chair, Program Coordinator, Director, Associate Dean, and Dean.  Arrangements may be required to ensure continuity of instruction.

Supporting Student Success

Faculty members play an important role in identifying students who may benefit from additional academic support. Early intervention can improve student success and access to available resources. Expectations regarding attendance and withdrawal are outlined in Section 3.8 (Class Attendance and Withdrawal),

Faculty should report students who:

• Repeatedly miss classes, laboratories, or tutorials.
• Miss more than three hours of instruction over at least two class meetings without explanation.
• Fail to submit assignments or demonstrate significant academic difficulty.
• May benefit from additional academic or personal support.

Reports should be sent to the Office of the Assistant Vice-President, Academic Affairs and should include the student's name, ID number, and course information. The office will contact the student, encourage a meeting with the instructor, and offer support where appropriate.

Student Illness and Accommodation

Students are not required to provide medical documentation for missed coursework. Faculty members are expected to provide reasonable accommodation for illness or other warranted extenuating circumstances. Dean's approval is not required.

Faculty are reminded that students who show symptoms associated with flu-like illnesses will be expected to remain at home and may therefore be absent from class. Reasonable accommodations must be made for assignments, quizzes, papers, tests and/or midterm exams that are missed due to illness.

Posting course materials and announcements through Moodle supports student learning and helps students remain current in their studies when absences occur.

Assessment & Grading

Grade Entry

Grades must be submitted through Banner Self-Service in accordance with published deadlines. Note that grades entered solely in Moodle are not transferred to Banner (Student Information System) or monitored. Midterm grades help identify students who may benefit from academic support and intervention, while final grades are essential to the University's academic processes, including progression reviews, graduation decisions, and academic advising.

• Numerical grades should be entered as percentages out of 100.
• Pass grades may be entered only for courses approved for pass/fail grading.
• Courses where a graded assessment worth at least 20% is not practical require an exception from the Dean.

Faculty members should be familiar with Section 3.10 (Mid-terms and Final Examinations) and Section 3.11 (Grading System for Undergraduate Programs) of the Academic Calendar.

Course Changes and Drops

Faculty members are encouraged to remind students of course change and drop deadlines published in the Academic Calendar and Key Dates Appendix. Students must drop courses through Banner Self-Service. Informing an instructor or simply discontinuing attendance does not count. Requests to drop a course after the drop deadline must be directed to the appropriate Dean's Office. Faculty members should refer to Section 3.2 (Registration) and Section 3.8 (Class Attendance and Withdrawal) of the Academic Calendar when advising students on these matters.

Grade Appeals

Faculty members should retain assessment materials in accordance with University requirements and be prepared to review assessments with students upon request. Formal grade appeals are governed by Section 3.14 (Grade Appeal Procedure) of the Academic Calendar. The form for initiating a grade appeal is on Team Dynamix.

Examinations

Examination Regulations

Faculty members must adhere to the examination regulations set out in Section 3.10.2 (Examinations) of the Academic Calendar. In particular:

• Tests or examinations worth 10% or more of a final grade may not be scheduled during the final seven teaching days of a term.
• Final examinations must be held during the official examination period and at the time assigned by the Registrar.
• Final examinations may not be rescheduled to accommodate student travel arrangements.
• Students have the right to review their assessments with the instructor. Where concerns cannot be resolved informally, see (Grade Appeals) section of this document.
• Course materials not returned to students must be retained for at least one year following the course end date.

Online and Take-Home Examinations

Faculty members wishing to hold an online final examination in an in-person course must ensure that the format is clearly identified in the course syllabus and coordinated through the Registrar's Office. Online exams for in-person courses may not use invigilation software. Faculty are encouraged to design assessments that support academic integrity through alternative means.

Take-home examinations must comply with Academic Calendar regulations regarding release and submission dates. Any changes to assessment formats identified in the syllabus must be communicated before the final date for course changes.

Missed Final Examinations

Students who miss a final examination because of illness or another serious, unexpected circumstance must contact the Office of the Assistant Vice-President, Academic Affairs within 48 hours of the scheduled examination. Faculty members should direct students to that office rather than making individual deferral arrangements.

Academic Integrity

Faculty members are encouraged to review academic integrity expectations with students and ensure that course assessment practices align with Section 3.9 (Academic Integrity) of the Academic Calendar and the University's Academic Integrity Policy.

Particular attention should be drawn to the use of unauthorized aids, devices, software, applications, online tools, and AI technologies in graded assessments. Faculty should note that possession of an unauthorized device during a test or examination may constitute a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy, regardless of whether the device is actively used. Faculty members should maintain appropriate documentation related to assessments and academic integrity matters in the event of a grade review or appeal under Section 3.14 (Grade Appeal Procedure).

Quick Reference: What I Should I Do If...

For Faculty Conference Travel Awards:

1. Consult the Faculty Conference Travel Awards Policy and Procedures
2. Complete the Faculty Conference Travel Awards Application
3. Submit the application through this form
4. After travelling, complete and submit the Travel Expense Form (see AUT PD & Travel section)

Please review these instructions before using the Form below to submit your URPA (UNIVERSITY RESEARCH AND PUBLICATION AWARDS) application as a single pdf file including a cover letter by the deadline specified in the Collective Agreement (ARTICLE 2.7.1). The cover letter should state the criteria upon which the application is based (see Clause 6.0) and attach relevant supporting document(s). Please submit material/information in your application for only the eligible period. Please ensure you click the Submit button after uploading your application and check the button by "Send me an email receipt of my responses ". To confirm your application has been successfully submitted, check for thank you message in your inbox or spam/junk mail folder. If you do not receive a thank you message, please contact the Office of the Dean of Science.

Please submit your URPA application when completed at the link below:

https://forms.office.com/r/WH3b6aXx9i

Terms Of Reference 

A. Purpose

An endowment fund will be created from the Estate of Dr. Charles MacLeod ‘46 to provide funds for use by the Faculty of Science at St. Francis Xavier University. 

B. Funding

• The endowment has been established from the Estate Gift from Dr. Charles MacLeod, class of 1946.
• Annual revenue will be available to the Faculty of Science based on the rate of return on the endowment as determined by the StFX investment committee.
• The fund will be administered by the Dean of Science in consultation with the Department Chairs within the Faculty of Science.
• Based on Dr. Charles MacLeod pioneering surgery, preference will be given to projects assisting pre-medical studies.
• Any unused revenue on an annual basis will be re-invested into the capital account.

C. Biography

MacLEOD, Dr. Charles W. - 82 year old Dr. Charles W. MacLeod, a native of Dunvegan, Inverness Co., who pioneered hand surgery by re-attaching a severed hand of an accident victim in the Michigan area, died November 2, 2007. Dr. MacLeod studied at Dunvegan School, St. F.X. University, University of Ottawa Medical School, and specialized in surgery in Grace Hospital, Detroit. He was a leader in his chosen field of medicine. He is survived by his wife, Sandra (Markovich); sisters, Theresa, Halifax; Alice (the late Jacques) Beaubien, Richmond, Que.; Catherine (Bob) Schiffman, Cape Cod; Sister Evelyn, CND, Sydney; Christina (the late John) MacLellan, Deepdale. He was predeceased by brothers, Father John, Murdock; sister, Sister Mary, CSM. He is also survived by good friend, Jean Marie King, who rendered valuable service to the MacLeods. Funeral took place in St. Aidan's Catholic Church, Livonia. Michigan. December 21, 2007.

The principal objective of the residual bequest directed to StFX as stated in the will of Dr. H. Stanley Heaps is “to benefit academic programs at the university and it is not to be used for sport, entertainment or institutes not directly connected with mainstream academic programs.”  That bequest will form part of the Dr. H. Stanley and Doreen Alley Heaps Endowment Fund, which was established at Dr. Heaps’ death June 12, 1999.  A further legacy will be added to this fund by his wife, Doreen Alley Heaps.

It is intended that an endowment fund of approximately $1 million will create the Dr. H. Stanley & Doreen Alley Heaps Chair which will carry out the wishes of Dr. H. Stanley Heaps and Doreen Alley Heaps by providing for the support, exploration, and advancement of computing science at StFX in certain specific ways.   

Further, it is the intention of the principal benefactors that the Fund be directed to the support of individuals, be they scholars or students, and not for equipment or buildings and not to fund full-time faculty.  The intention is to keep the fund working on the edge rather than in support of established structure; that support is the function of the university as a whole or of the state.

The Dr. H. Stanley and Doreen Alley Heaps Chair will be concentrated in two areas:

1. Support for the scholarly pursuit of computing science
2. Scholarships and summer internships for computing science students.

Heaps Endowment Terms of Reference

Purpose

The objective of the Dr. W.F. James Chair of Studies in the Pure and Applied Sciences is the promotion of scholarly activity in the pure and applied sciences.

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