Faculty/Instructor Resources and Support

The Office of Academic Affairs is sharing resources and support to assist all Ohio State faculty and instructors during the spring semester.

AI Fluency

Ohio State is leading a bold, groundbreaking AI Fluency initiative to integrate artificial intelligence into the undergraduate educational experience. The initiative will ensure that every Ohio State student, beginning with the class of 2029, will graduate being AI fluent — fluent in their field of study, and fluent in the application of AI in that field

Teaching and learning with AI at Ohio State
Ohio State offers a broad range of resources to help faculty effectively and ethically engage with AI tools in their teaching. From practical guidance to hands-on support, multiple departments across the university offer resources to help educators incorporate AI into teaching and learning. 

Explore available tools, workshops and best practices:

• Approved AI tools
• Teaching and AI | Artificial Intelligence at Ohio State
• Michael V. Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning events

Ohio State is continuing to expand resources and tools to help faculty build expertise and engage innovatively with AI. Visit the AI Fluency webpage for updates. 

SB 1 at Ohio State

The Advance Ohio Higher Education Act (Senate Bill 1) went into effect on June 27, though a number of provisions in the bill have delayed effective dates. Over the summer, an implementation committee engaged with as many Ohio State faculty, staff and students as possible during a short timeline.

A comprehensive set of resources, policies and guidance can be found on the SB 1 Compliance webpage.

Here are some of the most common questions we have heard from faculty, instructors and graduate teaching associates:

Does SB 1 prohibit teaching certain topics in academic courses?

No. SB 1 does not in any way limit the subjects, topics, or materials that may be included in academic courses, nor does it limit academic freedom and responsibility as set forth in Faculty Rule 3335-5-01. Instructors (including faculty, staff, and graduate students serving in instructional roles) may still teach concepts and materials that may be considered controversial or divisive, so long as these matters are relevant to the course and its learning outcomes, consistent with the academic responsibilities outlined in the above rule. Read more on Intellectual Diversity guidance.

What impact does SB 1 have on teaching, classroom discussion, and debate?

In short, while SB 1 does not limit the content that instructors may address in an academic course (see above), instructors must ensure that students are permitted and encouraged to express a range of perspectives in discussions and to form their own conclusions about controversial issues as part of the course and its learning outcomes. Read more on Intellectual Diversity guidance.

What impact does SB 1 have on faculty annual reviews?

The university has long required academic units to provide all compensated faculty with “an annual written performance review that examines performance over the prior year and sets goals for future performance.” The full requirements for such reviews are set forth in the Faculty Annual Review and Reappointment policy. SB 1 outlines a series of minimum standards for faculty annual reviews, some of which are already outlined in this policy, and some of which are new. In addition, SB 1 requires a written system of peer evaluations to support professional development and a review and appeal process for annual reviews. Read more on Faculty Annual Review, Post-Tenure Review, and Other Policies guidance.

Where can I find additional support regarding SB 1 compliance?
Faculty may also consult with the Office of Faculty Affairs and the Faculty Ombudsperson. Graduate students are strongly encouraged to meet with their faculty advisor and/or course director with specific questions about their courses, and can also contact the Graduate School for additional support. Graduate and professional students may likewise consult with the Graduate and Professional Student Ombudsperson regarding other concerns. 

Throughout the fall semester, the Office of Faculty Affairs will hold a series of open office hours for faculty and instructors to answer questions on a variety of issues, including SB 1-related topics. Each session will include representatives from Faculty Affairs, the Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning and the Center for Ethics and Human Values. These sessions are open to all faculty and instructors, including graduate teaching associates. More information is available on the Faculty Affairs website, and additional information will be shared throughout the semester in On Campus and in the monthly Faculty Focus email newsletter.

For specific questions concerning SB 1, please consult the university’s dedicated SB 1 compliance site, which contains information on a broad range of SB 1-related issues. For SB 1 questions beyond the information on that site, contact legislativequestions@osu.edu. 

Religious accommodations

Ohio State has had a longstanding practice of making reasonable academic accommodations for students’ religious beliefs and practices in accordance with applicable law.

Students must be in early communication with their instructors regarding any known accommodation requests for religious beliefs and practices, providing notice of specific dates for which they request alternative accommodations within 14 days after the first instructional day of the course. Instructors in turn shall not question the sincerity of a student’s religious or spiritual belief system in reviewing such requests and shall keep requests for accommodations confidential.

With sufficient notice, instructors will provide students with reasonable alternative accommodations with regard to examinations and other academic requirements with respect to students’ sincerely held religious beliefs and practices by allowing up to three absences each semester for the student to attend or participate in religious activities. Examples of religious accommodations can include, but are not limited to, rescheduling an exam, altering the time of a student’s presentation, allowing make-up assignments to substitute for missed class work, or flexibility in due dates or research responsibilities. If concerns arise about a requested accommodation, instructors are to consult their tenure initiating unit head for assistance.  

A student’s request for time off shall be provided if the student’s sincerely held religious belief or practice severely affects the student’s ability to take an exam or meet an academic requirement and the student has notified their instructor, in writing during the first 14 days after the course begins, of the date of each absence. Although students are required to provide notice within the first 14 days after a course begins, instructors are strongly encouraged to work with the student to provide a reasonable accommodation if a request is made outside the notice period.

Learn more

Care and support

The university is deeply committed to supporting all students, faculty and staff through direct actions and interventions that actively support the university community and afford educational dialogue in safe and supportive environments. These actions include reaching out through a variety of channels to potentially impacted students, faculty, staff, alumni and community organizations, and providing direct support and information about resources to these individuals and organizations. Other actions include: 

• Hosting events that allow for the community to gather and be heard, including vigils and forums.
• Holding panel discussions or seminars to provide academic, historical or other factual context in which multiple viewpoints are shared through a facilitated and civil dialogue.

Duty to report

Learn about your required duty to report incidents as an Ohio State employee. Note that all employees must report incidents of sexual assault immediately, and in addition, all university faculty must also report all incidents of discrimination, harassment, sexual misconduct and prohibited relationships. 

New Library Services Platform

University Libraries migrated to a new Library Services Platorm (LSP) over the summer. This may impact links to catalog items and searches across syllabi and course materials. University Libraries has redirected permanent links to catalog items and searches, but other URL types may not be redirected. Visit the Permalinks and Redirects guide for information on how to update and/or create permalinks across course materials. Further questions? Email the Libraries LSP project and support team: alma@libraries.atlassian.net.

Academic misconduct reporting

The Committee on Academic Misconduct (COAM) has made submission of academic misconduct incident reports more efficient for faculty, instructors, staff and students. Now, conducting the process via a Maxient portal, an improved experience with increased transparency and more robust communication can be expected for all users. 

Additional resources for undergraduate classes

The Office of Undergraduate Education provides additional reminders and resources for undergraduate class instructors.

Thank you for your ongoing contributions to student success and the advancement of our university’s mission this semester.