IDs and Email Accounts
Obtaining Your PennCard
Your PennCard is your official University of Pennsylvania identification. It is needed for access to University facilities and to take books out of the library. Your PennCard can also be used as a declining balance debit account at library copiers and printers and a variety of other places on campus.
Registering Your PennKey
PennKey is an identity verification system used to limit access to a wide range of electronic services to eligible members of the Penn community. Your PennKey will consist of a username and password selected by you (though governed by certain rules). Because much of what you do at Penn will require a PennKey password, you should select and register your PennKey as soon as possible.
Establishing Your Email Account
To establish an email account, click the "Account Registration" link on the Faculty-Staff Service Center homepage.
Please note: You must have successfully established and registered your PennKey as described above.
Putting Together Your Syllabus: Practical Information
Important Dates
Dates of major religious holidays
The University keeps no official list of religious holidays. Keeping Penn's policy on secular and religious holidays in mind, however, you may wish to consult one of the following websites for information on the dates of religious holidays:
Ordering Books
There are three bookstores on or near campus used by Penn faculty to order course books:
Penn Bookstore
The official bookstore of the University of Pennsylvania; run by Barnes and Noble.
3601 Walnut Street/3895 at University Square
Phone: 215 898.7595
Fax: 215 898.6997
House of Our Own
An independent academic bookstore located in a Victorian house on the edge of campus.
3920 Spruce Street
Phone: 215 222.1576
hooo@verizon.net
Penn Book Center
An independent academic bookstore serving the University community since 1962.
130 S. 34th Street
Phone: 215 222.7600
info@PennBookCenter.com
Reserve Readings
Van Pelt Library will help you make print and electronic reserve materials available to your students. For details, read the course reserve information.
Blackboard
Blackboard provides secure and user friendly tools for publishing course content to the Web and for facilitating communication among course participants. For more information, read the library's courseware information.
Bulkpacks
Many faculty choose to put their articles and other documents into coursepacks. These can be supplied by:
Wharton Reprographics
3620 Locust Walk
Phone: 215 898.1251
Campus Copy Center
3907 Walnut Street
Phone: 215 386.6410
Course Affiliations
Communication within the Curriculum (CWiC) provides opportunities for students to develop their oral communication abilities by providing instructional and advising support to courses requiring oral presentations.
Teaching Your Course: Electronic Resources and Support Services
SAS Computing
SAS Computing supports the instructional needs of School of Arts and Sciences faculty and is a university-wide advocate for incorporating emerging technologies into the classroom. Social Science Computing (SSC) provides computing support for the History Department. They also provide distributed staff for the Department of History.
For help, please e-mail history-help@ssc.upenn.edu or call 215 573.8397.
Classroom Technology Services
Penn offers a wide variety of technology equipped classrooms; at the time courses are rostered, the History Undergraduate Advisor normally sends an email via the History teaching listserv asking you to specify technology needs or other preferences. Individual classrooms normally have instructions posted for use of installed equipment and also the phone number of a person to contact for technical assistance.
For a searchable database of classrooms and equipment, see Classroom Technology Services.
Center for Teaching and Learning
The mission of the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) is to help standing faculty, adjunct faculty, and teaching assistants achieve excellence in the classroom and in other venues where teaching takes place. Their regular events include Faculty-to-Faculty Lunches, Junior Faculty, and Graduate Student Workshops.
"Talk About Teaching"
"Talk About Teaching" is a continuing series of essays in Almanac (a weekly publication for Penn faculty and staff).
Faculty Responsibilities
Guidelines for Responsible Behavior by Standing Faculty in the School of Arts and Sciences. Prepared by the Dean's Task Force on Faculty Responsibility.
Teaching Evaluations
The College's official teaching evaluations are distributed to all instructors at the end of the semester. But if they wish, faculty may also employ Teaching Feedback Questionnaires during the course of the semester solely for their own use, to gather specific information about their teaching when they can still make adjustments. Two versions of this unofficial questionnaire are available, one with open-ended questions (version A) and one with multiple-choice questions (version B). Print and electronic versions are available through the website.
The electronic version allows you to customize a questionnaire by replacing or adding as many questions as you would like. Once you have chosen one of the standard surveys (or designed your own version) and indicated an activation date, your students are automatically contacted via email with instructions on how and when to fill out the questionnaire. Then the program calculates quantitative responses and collects qualitative ones for your review online.
Your Students
Courses InTouch
Courses InTouch is your interface with course and student data. Access requires a PennKey ID and password and you must be listed as the instructor of record for your course. Go to Class List for your students' names, email, academic advisor, and photo. It will also generate an email list (listserv) for your class. Courses InTouch will allow you to send a Course Problem Notice to a student who is having difficulties or is failing to attend class.
Grades and grade changes are filed via Courses InTouch as well.
For guides to using Courses InTouch, visit the Registrar website.
Student Advising
The History Undergraduate Advisor, Susan Miller, manages the declaration of majors as well as final certification of degrees. She also handles many routine advising questions. Each member of the standing faculty has an advisee load of majors in their department. Students will meet with you for general advice about the courses they choose, and to find out which courses they may use toward their major and/or concentration; only the faculty advisor may approve major-related courses and similar issues. Advisor InTouch allows you to approve courses and monitor progress online. For more information, see the Advisor InTouch overview. The department will arrange for you to receive training, if you wish.
Course Policies for Students
The College of Arts and Sciences is the undergraduate division of the School of Arts and Sciences. Consult their website for policies on grading, exams, attendance, incompletes, and other issues.
Resources for Students
Weingarten Learning Resources Center
The Weingarten Learning Resources Center provides academic support and accommodations for undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. The center is composed of two offices: the Office of Learning Resources and the Office of Student Disabilities Services.
The Office of Learning Resources provides individual and group instruction in academic reading, writing, study strategies, and time management.
The Office of Student Disabilities Services provides consultation and accommodations for students with physical and/or learning disabilities.
The WHEEL Academic Services
The WHEEL is the name given to a group of support programs in math, writing, technology, library, languages, CSE, chemistry, career services and more provided where students need it most—at home, in the College Houses.
Tutoring Center
The Tutoring Center offers Penn students a variety of peer tutoring services to supplement the academic support provided by Penn faculty, teaching assistants and learning instructors. All Tutoring Center services are free for matriculating undergraduates. Tutorials are generally offered for the core introductory and intermediate undergraduate courses. Tutoring for upper level courses is available on a limited basis.
Counseling and Psychological Services
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) provided include: individual and group counseling and therapy; crisis intervention; structured workshops; psychological testing; medical reviews; and consultations.
Office of International Programs
The Office of International Programs (OIP) provides services to students related to immigration and employment status, social and personal adjustments to a new culture, and practical matters related to your stay in Philadelphia.
President's Fund for Student-Faculty Interaction
The President's Fund for Student-Faculty Interaction reimburses faculty for receptions or meals to which they invite students in their class.
Exams and Grading
Final Exams
Rules governing final exams.
Due dates for grades
Grades are filed online via Courses InTouch.
Grades are due from faculty as follows:
- Fall term due the first working day in January after the winter break.
- Spring term due by 12:00 noon 3 days from the last day of final exams.
- Summer sessions due by 12:00 noon 3 days from the last day of the session class.
Policy on Common Midterm Examinations
For instructors teaching a course with multiple sections planning to schedule a common midterm.
Academic Integrity
The Office of Student Conduct offers "Guidelines for Faculty on Academic Integrity," including what to do if you suspect cheating has occurred, how to report a case, and information on grading.
See also: Code of Academic Integrity
Special Instructions for Lecturers
The Department of History will provide you with a mailbox in the department office. Office space, telephones, and computers are provided to visiting lecturers only when they are available. If you are assigned an office, you must put down a $10 deposit for the key, which will be refunded to you when you return the key. You should follow the instructions about photocopying listed earlier in this document.
See the Department of History Handbook for office policies and other instructions.
Special Instructions for CGS Instructors
The Department cannot provide computer privileges to College of General Studies (CGS) faculty and will offer office space only when available. If you are assigned an office, you must put down a $10 deposit for the key, which will be refunded to you upon return of the key. You will be allowed to photocopy a limited amount of essential material for your course, such as syllabi and exams. But you must not copy articles or any lengthy material. See a staff member to receive the appropriate code for the copier. We will try to provide you with a mailbox in the department office during the semester that you teach.
See the Department of History Handbook for office policies and other instructions.
CGS also has a Faculty Manual.
You should contact CGS Administrators with any questions.
