Policies, Procedures, and Expectations

Traditional Student Enrollment in Online Courses ¹

Anderson University offers online courses for students enrolled in the traditional, on-site degree programs. Online and on-site courses may be used interchangeably to meet the school’s graduations requirements. Online courses may be accepted in transfer, provided that the courses have been approved by the Registrar and meet all other transfer requirements. The current policies governing online courses can be found on the University website.

Post-Traditional Student Enrollment in Online and Blended Courses

For post-traditional students, online and blended courses will likely be central to your program of study. The Registrar’s Office will be emailing instructions on how to access your online course.

Student Role in Online and Blended Courses

AU’s online and blended courses provide you with a flexible and convenient way to learn and complete degree programs. However, AU’s online and blended courses maintain the same quality and rigor that can be found in our traditional classroom setting. These courses will challenge and prepare you for future endeavors. As an online student, you will need to be motivated, dedicated, organized, and determined in your courses.

Computer Skills

As a student enrolled in online or blended courses, you will need to have basic computer skills. You are expected to be able to

• Open files in standard formats (e.g., MS Office documents, PDFs, and images)
• Create, save, organize, and maintain digital files
• Interact with the learning management system (LMS)
• Communicate electronically, and
• Knowledge of web browsing and searching

Communication and Participation

In your online and blended courses, you are expected to be an active participant in the course. Even though you may not see your classmates and instructor, AU online and blended courses are designed to include discussion and other forms of collaboration and communication. You should be willing and ready to regularly communicate with classmates and instructors online. You will participate in weekly activities in your courses. You will need to log into your course and check your official Anderson University email account daily. Doing so will allow you to view announcements, participate in class activities, assignments, online discussions, and complete assessments. You are expected to complete all assignments, quizzes, tests, and any other activities by the due date.

Do not hesitate to ask questions. You are strongly encouraged to contact your instructor if you have course related questions regarding course concepts, assignments, and feedback provided to you. It is recommended that you contact your instructor using the LMS well in advance of the due date. Also, your instructors have set aside specific times to be available for phone conferences or chat sessions if you need additional course-related support. When you email questions one of your instructors refer to the course syllabus to view their policy on response time. Please note they may not be able to respond to every email immediately.

Graduate Writing Hub

The Graduate Writing Hub supports writers in graduate, professional, and doctoral programs at Anderson University by offering one-on-one writing consultations and in-class workshops throughout the year. All writing consultations take place online via Zoom. To learn more about their services or to schedule an appointment, visit their website at https://online.andersonuniversity.edu/graduate-writing-hub. 

Email: gradwriting@andersonuniversity.edu

Time Management

Managing your time is essential in online and blended courses. Successful students are very organized in the studies and take ownership of their own learning. A best approach is to set aside specific time each day to focus on your coursework and studies. Ideally, set that time to be the same time each day.

Study Environment

Setting a consistent, familiar study environment is just as essential as managing your time. If possible, find a well-lit setting that is free of distraction. Schedule your course studies around those times you have access to your distraction-free environment. You may find that you’ll make better use of your time.

Student Course Materials

You are responsible for maintaining course files, which includes any files (papers, projects, assessments, presentations, etc.) that you create. In addition to keeping a digital copy of your file on your own personal computer, tablet, or external storage device, you should also make use of a cloud-based storage solution (e.g., Dropbox, box.net, OneDrive). If you lose or cannot locate a file, contact your course instructor to see if s/he is able to provide the file to you. Once a course is completed, neither the CIDL nor your instructor is responsible for providing you with lost course-related digital files, resources, or materials.

Technical Support

If you encounter technical support issues (e.g., LMS is unavailable, username and password are not working), you should immediately contact the IT Help Desk. In your communication with the IT Department, be sure to describe the nature of your problem with as much detail as possible so they can provide the best possible assistance. You are encouraged to first contact the IT Help Desk using the webbased support system listed below. If you are unable to login to the system, you can reach them via phone.

Help Desk Website: https://helpdesk.andersonuniversity.edu
Help Desk Phone Number: (864) 231-2859

Additional Course Relate Support

If you encounter issues or problems in your online or blended course are beyond technical problems, contact the Center for Innovation and Digital Learning (CIDL). The CIDL manages online and blended learning at AU. The following issues are valid reasons to immediately contact the CIDL:

• An online exam or assignment is supposed to be open or made available and it is not (contact the instructor first)
• Instructor fails to respond to student questions more than 4 days.
• Instructor has not provided any grades or feedback 2+ weeks past the submission deadline.
• The instructor is not participating in the course at all.

CIDL Phone: (864) 231-2199

Academic Support

Academic Support services may be available to you in a variety of capacities as an online or blended student. If you are seeking assistance, contact the following student support service units listed below.

Thrift Library

Monday through Thursday – 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 a.m; Friday – 7:30 a.m.to 5:00 p.m; Saturday – 11:00 a.m.to 5:00 p.m; and Sunday – 4:00 p.m to 12:00 a.m (Closed on all university holidays.) (https://www.andersonuniversity.edu/library)

Phone: (864) 231-2050
Email: reference@andersonuniversity.edu

Computer Labs are located in Vandiver (first floor) and Bunton (upstairs)

The Writing Center

Located in Watkins 140, the Writing Center offers drop-in and appointment-based tutoring for all your writing needs. Drop in hours are Monday through Thursday from 4:00-8:00 PM. Schedule an appointment for a 30-minute session, Monday- Friday, with a tutor by visiting https://anderson.mywconline.com.

Center for Student Success

The Center for Student Success is located in Student Center, adjacent to post office, under the green awning. The Center provides support for academic assistance, tutoring services, as well as study skills seminars. Visit their website at https://andersonuniversity.edu/student-success

Phone: (864) 328-1420

Disability Services

Anderson University provides accommodations to enable students with disabilities to access the University community, in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Reasonable accommodations are determined based on current documentation and are made on a case-by-case basis. Adherence to academic standards that are essential to a course of study is generally considered nondiscriminatory. For more information regarding Disability Services, refer to the Student Handbook or visit their website at https://andersonuniversity.edu/student-success/disabilities-services

Phone: (864) 328-1420

Online Learning Privacy Policy

AU and all individuals associated with the university are bound by and applicable local, state, and federal laws. The university and its academic units comply with all of the requirements of the Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA). AU makes every reasonable effort to protect the privacy of student sensitive personal information regardless of delivery method. AU’s FERPA information is available in the Academic Catalog. The Office of the Registrar is the point of contact for all FERPA related issues. Faculty and Staff are informed and trained of their FERPA responsibilities and the reasonable steps required to avoid the disclosure of confidential information.

How AU keeps User Information Private

Anderson University understands the importance of confidentiality and security of personal information. The University does not intend to sell or otherwise disclose for commercial purposes, outside the scope of ordinary University functions, your name, mailing address, telephone number, e-mail address, or other information you provide. While the University makes reasonable efforts to protect information provided to us, we cannot guarantee that this information will remain secure and are not responsible for any loss or theft.

Anderson University may collect information about how users access and use its website and related resources. The information collected on this site may include the computer address used, the internet domain, measurements of use, types of content used, and other details. This data is used for website and network management, to improve website content, improve user experience, and for security purposes. Cookies and similar technology may be used to facilitate the navigation of this site

Access

Credentials for AU Online are assigned to registered students and all are required to adhere to the Electronic Communications Systems and Equipment Use Policy (https://andersonuniversity.edu/it/policies). Administrative access to the learning management system is only granted to designated staff members and all users must abide by the Online Learning Classroom Terms of Use. No information is provided concerning class content and student information to anyone other than the teaching faculty, the individual student affected, approved administrators, and individuals approved by the Provost’s office.

The identity verification process protects student privacy through the use of a secure gateway. A secure login is provided along with an encrypted password managed by the student once the student is registered appropriately for a specific term.

Faculty

Faculty should adhere to the privacy rights outlined from the academic units around student rights and information supporting FERPA. No grade information or student personal data should be released outside the secured online classroom, Student Information System, or registrar’s office unless there is a student signature authorizing the release. In addition, all university employees should follow the Acceptable Use Policy outlined by the Information Technology (IT) department to ensure a collective effort for effective information security.

Students

To maintain confidentiality, students are provided password reset information to their assigned university email once they are officially registered in the appropriate semester. It is the student’s responsibility to maintain confidentiality of their own password and to follow the Online Learning Classroom Terms of Use.

In courses using the learning management system (LMS), discussions, postings, chats, archived synchronous online meetings, and some student work are accessible to students in your course. Assignments, grades, feedback, and correspondence are not viewable by other class members. Discussion requirements and expectations are detailed in courses that use the LMS. If third party tools are used that are not under the direct auspices of AU (online labs, textbook publisher materials, assessment tools), public postings of grades by faculty is not allowed. In the case of students using social media tools (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), blogs, or public discussion forums, students may not be protected by FERPA if the student submission is not assigned as part of an academic endeavor.

After online course have concluded, access to the course, course materials, and student work will be closed fourteen days after grades have been submitted. Students are responsible for maintaining and keeping their own course materials on their own personal computers or storage devices.

Online Learning Classroom Terms of Use

Anderson University provides the online classroom and all related materials and assessments solely for your educational purposes, subject to the following terms and conditions and the sole discretion of Anderson University. The University may modify these terms and conditions at any time by updating the Terms of Use before the start of a term.

Your access to the AU Online is for your use only to complete your course requirements. Any use of the AU Online secured site not related to the fulfillment of class responsibilities and deliverables is prohibited, including but not limited to business venture proposals. Your credentials (login ID and password) for access to the learning management system (LMS) should not be shared with anyone for any reason. This includes backup of your credentials, entry into the LMS or completion of course requirements, assignments, or assessments. In no event will Anderson University be liable to you for any incidental, indirect, special, or consequential damages arising out of your use or improper use of credentials or the materials provided. Infringement of these items will result in an academic review.

¹ This policy is subject to change and is in accordance with Anderson University Academic Catalog