Online Request Course Administration (ORCA)

TEXAS A&M’S COURSE MANAGEMENT PORTAL ORCA is a self-service tool that instructors and Academic Liaisons can use to merge course sections, add course associate roles, and request duplicate sections in Canvas. Academic Liaisons also have the ability to request and manage Communities through ORCA. Watch our ORCA playlist to familiarize yourself with ORCA.
ORCA Login

MANAGE COURSE SECTIONS IN ORCA

Merge Course Sections in ORCA

ORCA can request duplicate sections and merge sections of Live Shells. ORCA will create the merged course that will appear in Canvas per the instructor’s request.

Add Course Associate Roles in ORCA

Course Associate Roles can be Added Two Ways: via Compass and ORCA. Course Associate Roles require FERPA and Information Security Awareness training.

Request Duplicates in ORCA

These courses are meant to be used for sections that need two sets of content. We recommend requesting your duplicate sections (if needed) prior to merging courses.

Request Incomplete Sections in ORCA

Instructors of Record have the ability to request Incomplete sections for students that need to resolve an incomplete in Canvas.

* Due to the high volume in use of ORCA, for updates to course combinations, enrollments, duplicate sections, and Community updates, please allow up to 24 hours for those changes to be reflected in Canvas. If after 24 hours the update is not reflected in Canvas, please contact us using one of the Support options.

MERGE SECTIONS OF CANVAS COURSE IN ORCA

This section includes guidance for how to merge sections in ORCA depending on the course type: stacked course with the same instructor, stacked course with different instructors from same department, or cross-listed course. Refer to TAMU’s course definitions for further information regarding the types of courses available.

Factors	Candidate to Merge	Candidate not to Merge
Content	If the content is the same in multiple course sections, then consider combining the course sections. *Consider other course elements before making a final decision.*	If content differs between sections, such as if one section needs access to specific modules only, then consider keeping the course sections separate and instead move over content that applies to both. *Consider other course elements before making a final decision.*
Assessment	The gradebook in Canvas is designed to have one course grading system (points, assignment weights, groups, etc.). If the course is set up with one grade system, consider combining the course sections.	Exams and Assignments: Consider keeping the course sections separate if any assessments are delivered differently to sections (i.e. Honors section receives different assignments). Groups: If students need to be in groups with students in the same section, keeping the course sections separate, especially if there are multiple sections in a large enrollment course. Discussions: If discussions need to be done by section, keeping the course sections separate may be better.
Grading	The gradebook in Canvas is designed to have one course grading system (points, assignment weights, groups, etc.). If the course is set up with one grade system, consider combining the course sections.	Merging course sections with different grading systems (points, assignment weights, groups, etc.), may result in additional work.* If the course sections are set up with different grading systems, consider keeping the course sections separate.
Course Roles	Instructors: In stacked or cross-listed courses, it’s important to consider how all instructors of the course plan on teaching or using Canvas. Considering the role each instructor plays in the course delivery can impact if the courses should be combined. If Instructors all share the sections equally, then consider combining the course sections. Teaching Assistants: It’s important to consider how Teaching Assistants will interact with each other and students. This is especially important in large courses with course duplicates when determining which set of courses should be combined. If Teaching Assistants should have access to all sections of a course, then consider combining the course sections.	Instructors: In stacked or cross-listed courses, it’s important to consider how all instructors of the course plan on teaching or using Canvas. Considering the role each instructor plays in the course delivery can impact if the course should be combined. If Instructors play different roles in the sections that require limiting access, then consider keeping the course sections separate Teaching Assistants: It’s important to consider how Teaching Assistants will interact with each other and students. If Teaching Assistants should have limited access to specific sections of a course, then consider keeping the course sections separate.
Publishing and Student Data	After a course has been published, Instructors of Record will not be able to combine a course through the self-service feature in ORCA. If a course has not yet been published, consider combining the course sections. Please submit a support request.	If the course section is published, it cannot be combined in ORCA. If students have: not yet begun interacting with the course, please submit a support request. begun interacting with the course, it is not a candidate to be combined in order to preserve the data in adherence to the DLE Guiding Principles. Additional approvals will be required.

Stacked or Combined Courses with the Same Instructor

Stacked or Combined courses are Canvas courses made up of sections which are each listed in the same department. Instructors of Record (IORs) can create stacked or combined courses if they are the IOR for each of the sections:

Log in to  ORCA with your TAMU NetID and Password.
Click Semester Courses, then click Request Combined Course. A list of your current semester courses will appear under Course Request.
Select the checkbox for all the sections to create the combined course then select  Next. Courses can be selected for the same Subject and Course Number or across Subjects if needed.
On the Request Confirmation page, the selected sections will appear. The Title field will fill in with the title of the first course selected by default. Change the title to the title of the newly created combined course. 
Note: The combined course may appear right away but may not have the course template applied. Wait a few minutes, refresh the course, and it will appear. 
To view your Combined Courses in ORCA, select Semester Courses, then View Semester Courses.

Stacked Courses with Different Instructors from the Same Department

There are two 2 options for creating a stacked course from sections with different instructors from the same department.

Option #1: Contact your department’s Academic Liaisons with the following information:

List all the course sections to be merged (Subject, Course Number, and Section Number)
New Title of the stacked course (this will apply to all merged course sections)

Option #2: Submit a request with the Center of Teaching Excellence by emailing support@instructure.com, including written consent from ALL instructors with sections to be merged OR written consent from the Department Head.

Example:
"Please forward to Texas A&M University Canvas support to complete the merge of my courses listed below:
- ENGL 201 Section 500
- ENGL 201 Section 501

Cross-Listed Courses

Cross-listed courses are Canvas courses made up of sections which are not listed in the same department. Individual or multiple Instructors of Records (IORs) can create cross-listed courses.
Contact the Center for Teaching Excellence with the following information:

Written consent from ALL instructors with the course sections to be merged OR written consent from the Department Heads.
- A list of all course sections to be merged (Subject, Course Number, and Section Number).
- A new Title for the cross-listed course (this will apply to all merged course sections)

Requests for Combined Courses after Deadline

Instructors can merge course sections using ORCA by the deadline identified on the Course Availability in Canvas table to create combined courses that will appear in Canvas. Refer to the section merge table to see if your course is a candidate to be combined/merged. Please note that if the ORCA deadline has passed, course sections may only be merged under the following conditions:

If the course sections are not published and there is no student interaction data, please submit a request to LMS support.
- Please keep the course sections in an unpublished state until the merge is completed.
If the course is published, but there is no student interaction data under the People tab in your Canvas course, you can unpublish and submit a request to LMS support.
If a new course section needs to be added to an existing combined course, submit a request to LMS support. You will need to acknowledge the potential risk of student data in both the existing combined course and new addition. LMS Support will notify your department head and CTE for awareness.
If sections are published and include student interactions, late merge requests to LMS Support will require review and approval from CTE as well as significant action by the requestor to preserve student interaction and academic data. This can include downloading gradebooks, analytics, all student assignments, etc. Please note that when course sections are merged after students interact with a course, those interactions are lost and cannot be recovered. LMS Support will notify your department head awareness as part of the approval process. Approvals are not guaranteed and every effort should be made to meet the course merge deadline.

Need additional assistance with course merges? Please fill out this form.

ADD COURSE ASSOCIATE ROLES TO A CANVAS COURSE

Course Associate Roles can be added to Canvas courses through ORCA. For a list of course associate roles available at Texas A&M and their permissions, please visit the Course Associate Roles page.

If the user to be enrolled is NOT employed through TAMU, refer to the Procedures for Non-Employee Training in TrainTraq section for additional guidance.

Course Associate Role Training

All individuals associated with a course in Canvas are required to have completed FERPA and Information Security Awareness training in TrainTraq. This includes Canvas course associate roles (Lead TA, TA, Designer, Grader, Grade Submitter).

FERPA Training – TrainTraq Training #11012
Information Security Awareness Training – TrainTraq Training #3001

Instructions for Completing the Course Associate Role Training

1. Navigate to https://sso.tamus.edu/
2. Select TAMU NetID from the menu of icons
3. Log in like you would log in to Howdy
a. If you get an error and are not able to log in, please visit https://lms.tamu.edu/support and submit a ticket
b. If you are able to log in and see the SSO homepage, proceed to step 4
4. Select TrainTraq from the menu of links on the left
5. Select the Course Catalog tab at the top
6. In the Course Number search box, enter the Training ID number for the required training:
a. FERPA: 11012
b. Information Security Awareness: 3001

FERPA training will need to be recertified every two years. For more information, please see University Rule 16.01.02.M1. Information Security Awareness training will need to be recertified every year.
Those who have not completed these trainings will be listed as "Training Required" when added through ORCA. Upon completion of the required trainings, the individual will be added to the section(s) in the respective course associate role.

Two Ways to Add Course Associate Roles to a Canvas Course

1. Via Compass

With assistance of your Department Scheduler, the course associate roles can be added and will appear in Canvas during the daily feeds. Adding through Compass will require the two TrainTraq trainings listed above.

2. Via ORCA

Course Instructors and Academic Liaisons can add course associate roles using the steps below. Adding through ORCA will require the two TrainTraq trainings listed above.

Course associates who have not completed these trainings will be listed as Training Required when added through ORCA. Upon completion of these trainings, the individual will be added to the section in their respective role. Please allow up to 24 hours after successfully completing both trainings for the individual to appear in the Canvas section(s).

Add a Course Associate Role to a Canvas Course through ORCA

Through ORCA, you can manage a user’s enrollments by changing their existing role, adding them to additional sections, or removing them from a section.  
Users should only be assigned ONE role per course (with the exception of Grade Submitter). Issues accessing content might occur if multiple roles are assigned to a user in a course.

After logging into ORCA with your TAMU NetID and password, you will arrive on the landing page. There are two ways to add enrollments to courses – Enrollments and View Semester Courses tabs:

Enrollments Tab

Select Semester Courses then Enrollments. Note: A list of additional members already added to course sections will appear on this page.
If the individual that you are trying to add does not appear in this list, select Add Enrollment. In the UIN field, input the user's UIN.
Use the Tab key on the keyboard to move to the next field as the individual's information should automatically fill in. In the Role column, select the down arrow and select the desired role from the drop-down menu.
Click Search Sections to display current course sections.
Select which section the user needs to be added to by clicking the box next to the course name. Scroll down and select Submit. Select Add to submit.

On the Enrollments page, the individual's Status will appear:

Training Required: The user has not completed one or both of the required TrainTraq trainings. If an individual is required to complete FERPA and/or Information Security Awareness training, indicators will appear in red at the top of the Edit Enrollments page in ORCA.
Pending: The user has completed the required training and will be added to the section(s) during the next process of enrollment. The user should appear within 30-60 minutes in the Canvas section(s).
Ready: The user should now appear in the Canvas section.

If after 24 hours the individual's status is Ready and they do not appear in the People list in Canvas, please contact Canvas support and request a ticket be opened with Texas A&M University support. Please include the section, user's UIN, and the date/time you added them through ORCA.
If an individual is requiring FERPA and/or Information Security Awareness training, indicators will appear in red at the top of the Edit Enrollments page in ORCA .

View Semester Courses Tab

Select Semester Courses then View Semester Courses.
Choose the appropriate standard or combined course section and click View (not View in Canvas).
Click Add Enrollment and input the user’s UIN into the appropriate field.
Choose the appropriate role and click Add and then Save.

You can verify enrollments by clicking on View. If you need to verify training, follow steps from the prior section (Enrollments Tab).

Remove a User from a Section

Log in to ORCA with your TAMU NetID and Password
Click on Enrollments.
If a user already appears in the Enrollments list through ORCA, select Edit under the Actions column.
The user’s information will appear at the top of the Edit Enrollment box and the current section enrollments will appear below.
Select the # selected box to see which sections the user is added to:
If the section shows (Compass), this means that the user was added through Compass and cannot be edited through ORCA. Please contact your Department Scheduler to make updates for this user.
To remove the user, click on the dropdown menu under Sections with the # Section. Click on the section you would like to remove the user from. The selection will change from an X at the end to a +.
Click Save.

Note: You can also complete this by navigating to your courses under View Semester Courses ⇒ Semester Courses and click View (not View in Canvas). You can also click X to remove any manually enrolled course associate roles and save.

Change a User’s Existing Role

Log in to ORCA with your TAMU NetID and Password
Click on Enrollments.
If a user already appears in the Enrollments list through ORCA, select Edit under the Actions column.
The user’s information will appear at the top of the Edit Enrollment box and the current section enrollments will appear below.
From the Sections column, select the # selected box to see which sections the user is added to:
If the section shows (Compass), this means that the user was added through Compass and cannot be edited through ORCA. Please contact your Department Scheduler to make updates for this user.
From the dropdown menu, select the new role. Click Save.

Note: You can also complete this by navigating to your courses under View Semester Courses ⇒ Semester Courses and click View (not View in Canvas). You can use the drop-down menu to change their role and save.

Please see our Texas A&M Course Role Definitions section for further details on these roles.

TrainTraq for Non-Employees

For Account Creation and Elevated Access in Canvas

Responsibility of the Instructor of Record (IOR)/Supervisor

To Be Completed Before the Non-Employee Completes TrainTraq Training

IOR and supervisors should join the TrainTraq distribution list to receive a password that can be given to non-employees. (Please Note: This step should be completed as soon as an IOR or supervisor is aware that they will need Canvas access for a non-employee). The distribution list can be joined by emailing TrainTraqHelp@tamus.edu and requesting:

The current password.
Addition to the mailing list (so that the IOR/supervisor is updated of future password changes).

Provide the non-employee with the following information:

Website to access trainings: https://traintraq.tamus.edu/External/ExternalGatewayLogon.aspx
Name of courses required for Canvas account creation and/or elevated access in Canvas. These are:
1. FERPA (11012).
2. Information Security Awareness (3001).
Password to access the required courses (to obtain see Step #1).

To Be Completed After the Non-Employee Completes Training

Email support@instructure.com and request that Canvas accounts be created for the individuals who completed training. For each individual, please be sure to include the following information.

First name.
Last name.
UIN.
Email address.
Certificate of Completion for FERPA (11012)
Certificate of Completion for ISA (3001)

Responsibility of the Non-Employee

Navigate to: https://apps1.system.tamus.edu/traintraq/web/External/ExternalGatewayLogon.aspx
When prompted for an email address and a password:
1. First try to use your NetID@tamu.edu. If that does not work, please try the following:
  1. Email | Any valid email address.
  2. Password | Password supplied by your IOR/Supervisor.
Search for:
1. Course 11012 | FERPA.
2. Course 3001 | Information Security Awareness.
Select the course name.
You will be prompted to provide some information about yourself, such as your name, employer, TAMUS Member, and how you heard about the course. The information you provide is what is displayed on your completion certificate.
Click Start Course.
Email certificates of completion of both 11012 (FERPA) and 3001 (ISA) to your IOR/supervisor.

How to Fill Out the ORCA Non-Employee CSV Template Rarely Used

The steps below are to be followed if the requested user received training through the external gateway and not through the links provided via email.

After you have received the training certificates from the Non-employee, proceed with filling out the Non-Employee Course Associate Template.

Fill in the CSV exactly as follows otherwise the CSV will not be able to be used to manually enrolled the individuals training statuses.
- Enter the Students UIN under the “StudentUIN” column
- Enter the Students First and Last name under the “StudentName” column
- Enter the Students TAMU email under the “StudentEmail” column
- Enter ONE training course ID under the “CourseId” column
  - The course ID will be one of the following:
    - 11012 for the FERPA Training
    - 3001 for the Information Security Awareness training
- Enter the score that the student received on the training under the “Score” column
- Enter the date that the student completed the training under the “CompletionDate” column (It must be in the following format: MM/DD/YYYY)
- Enter the “VerifiedUserUIN” with the individuals UIN that is responsible for maintaining a copy of these certifications for as long as the non-employee is in a course associate role within Canvas and until the Certified TAMUS Retention Schedule is met.
- Repeat this process for each student’s individual training, making use there is only one student and one training per row.
- Lastly, save the file as a CSV other wise it will not be able to be uploaded into the system.
Email the completed CSV to the Center for Teaching Excellence.

REQUEST DUPLICATES IN ORCA

ORCA has the ability to create duplicate sections of Live Shells. These courses are meant to be used for sections that need two sets of content. Grades cannot be imported from a duplicate section to Howdy. We recommend requesting your duplicate sections (if needed) prior to merging courses.

ORCA also has the ability to limit enrollments to Duplicate sections. This functionality will allow Instructors to choose if they would like the requested used to be enrolled in only the original, duplicate, or both. Enrollments processed through Compass cannot be modified in ORCA. It is recommended for all duplicate section enrollments to be managed through ORCA.

Example: a combined course with multiple sections and a duplicate course is needed for only lab or section-specific content.

Request Duplicate Sections of a Canvas Course in ORCA

Below are the steps to request a duplicate section of a course:

Log in to ORCA with your TAMU NetID and Password.
Click Semester Courses, then click Request Duplicate Course.
Select the checkbox of each course you would like to duplicate. As each course is selected, the course details will appear below the table.
Click Submit to request duplicate sections.
In Canvas, the duplicate section will appear named with the original course title along with “(DUPLICATE)”. The course ID will also have a “DUP#” to easily identify the section as a duplicate. You may need to wait at least 15-20 minutes before working in the duplicate course to make sure it has successfully loaded rosters and the Canvas course template. Important Note: Grades in duplicate sections CANNOT be imported from Howdy. If you have questions about grades in both the original Live Shell and Duplicate Course, please see our support channels for further assistance.

Limit Enrollments of Course Associate Roles in Duplicate Sections in ORCA

Below are the steps to enroll a user in a Course Associate role in a Duplicate section:

Log in to ORCA with your TAMU NetID and Password.

From the landing page, select Courses then Enrollments.
Note: A list of additional members already added to course sections will appear on this page.
If the individual you are trying to add does not appear in this list, select Add Enrollment.
In the UIN field, enter the user's UIN.
Select the Tab key on the keyboard to move to the next field as the individual's information should automatically fill in.
Click Search Sections to display current course sections.
Select which section the user needs to be added to by clicking the box next to the course name. Duplicate sections will contain “.DUP#” in the CRN column. Each assignment in that column should now have a grade.

REQUEST INCOMPLETE SECTIONS IN ORCA

There are two methods for resolving an incomplete: outside of the LMS, and inside of the LMS. If the Instructor opts to resolve the incomplete in Canvas, Instructors of Record for a course have the ability to request an incomplete section in Canvas through ORCA. In order to use ORCA to create the incomplete (INC) section, the Instructor of Record (IOR) for the course the student originally was enrolled in will need to complete this process. If the IOR is not the instructor assigned to resolve the incomplete with this student, please contact Support for next steps.

Step 1: Communicate Expectations

Step 2: Request Incomplete Section through ORCA

This self-service process will allow the IOR the ability to select and manage the course all within ORCA. This process has been created in line with Student Rule 7 with the ability for a course to be opened for the student that needs to resolve the incomplete up to the last class day of the next long semester. If a different date is needed, please contact the Center for Teaching Excellence.

Log in to ORCA at https://orca.tamu.edu with your NetID and password.
From the main menu, select Incomplete Section.
Under Course Section, select the dropdown menu and select the section the student was originally enrolled.
Under Student, enter the student’s UIN or click Search Students to browse the roster from the selected course. Once the student is located, click Select on the left. The student’s name will auto-fill the rest of the fields for the Student section.
Under Incomplete Method, select the dropdown menu under Type, and select the option that best suits the situation:
- Extension: will re-open the original course. This method is suggested if student has only 1 – 2 major assignments to submit.
- Groupwork: will enroll the student to a current course section assigned to teach for purposes of groupwork activities (group assignments, peer review, discussions).
If Extension is selected, a dropdown menu will appear under Extension Deadline. Select the deadline that appears. This deadline is auto-populated with the last day of class of the next long semester, consistent with Student Rule 10.6.
If Groupwork is selected, a dropdown menu will appear under Group Work Course. Select the current course section for the student to be enrolled in.
When done, click Next.
The next page will display a confirmation. Review the information on this page. To make edits, click Back. To save, click Submit.

Step 3: Identify Course Materials

Once the Incomplete (INC) section is created in Canvas, the IOR will then identify relevant course materials and assignments. Students should receive access to these materials and be assigned new due dates to resolve the incomplete separately from the rest of the course roster. A helpful way to assign to multiple students resolving an incomplete in the same section is to assign to the INC section and not the individual students.

Resources:
How do I assign an assignment to a course section?
How do I assign an assignment to an individual student?

Step 4: Grade Assignments and Assessments

Step 5: Request Grade Change via Howdy

REQUEST COMMUNITIES IN ORCA

Overview of Communities

Communities are non-academic course shells in Canvas designed for activities that fall outside of academic courses, yet that still align with teaching and learning mission at TAMU. Communities are not associated with course sections maintained by the Office of the Registrar and do not have a connection to Compass, so the process for managing enrollments will be carried out through ORCA. Communities should be used within the scope of the typology selected. Please note that grades associated with a Community are not considered official academic grades as determined by the Office of the Registrar and cannot be uploaded to Howdy.

What are the Alternatives to Communities?

If your organization or use case is outside of the scope of current typologies, you should consider the following options:

One Drive: To store and/or share files with participants
Google Drive: To store and/or share files with participants
Microsoft Teams: To share files, interact and collaborate with members

Community Typologies

Five typologies have been identified based on the most common use cases for non-academic courses at TAMU.

Orientation (CORT)	Academic Augment (CAAG)	Placement Exams (PEXM)	Faculty Training (FACT)	Certifications (CERT)
Orientation Communities are used to deliver orientation materials to TAMU participants. Enrollments may be organized into groups or Community sections, if needed. The Orientation Community will only be visible for the length of time needed to complete the orientation. New Orientation Communities can be created as needed or Community sections may be leveraged to reuse current content.	Academic Augment Communities are used to deliver additional program content to students. Enrollments may be organized into groups or Community sections, if needed. Academic Augment Communities are available to be used across individual terms or can span multiple terms. Note: Academic Augment Communities are not to be used for grades tied to an academic course or for academic course credit.	Placement Exams Communities are used to for students to complete exams before placing them in a program or testing out of a course or program. Enrollments are pre-determined by academic programs based on the need of the program. Placement Exam Communities are available to be used across individual terms or can span multiple terms.	Faculty Training Communities are used to deliver faculty training. Faculty may be organized in a cohort and/or individually enrolled to complete training independently of others. Enrollments may be organized into groups or Community sections, if needed. Faculty Training Communities are available to be used across individual terms or can span multiple terms.	Certification Communities are used for student certifications for non-academic credit. Enrollments may be organized into groups or Community sections, if needed. Certification Communities are available to be used across individual terms or can span multiple terms.

How to Request a Canvas Community

Community requests will route through Academic Liaisons, who are individuals associated with a School, College, or Branch campus. Academic Liaisons can submit a request for a Community via ORCA. Academic Liaisons will log into ORCA and fill out a request form that will route through an approval process. Once the request is approved, the requested Community will be created in Canvas.

Note: If your unit does not have an associated Academic Liaison, please contact Support to request a Community.

Steps to Request a Community via ORCA (for Academic Liaisons)

Use this step-by-step guide to submit a request for a Community via ORCA

Log in to ORCA with your TAMU NetID and Password.
Click on the Communities tab and click Request Community.
Read the terms and agreements and acknowledge the two required criteria for requesting a Canvas Community shell.
By default, ORCA will recognize user login as the requestor. If you are requesting the shell for someone else, fill out the Person Responsible (If different from Requestor) section.
Select the school/college this request is for under the school/college affiliation section.
Select one of the typologies for the Community.
Enter a title for the Community.
The Purpose of Community field should include the purpose and benefit to TAMU’s teaching and learning mission. The purpose statement will be used to determine that the typology selected fits the Community use case along with an acceptable use of Canvas.
Fill out the start date, end date (optional), delete date (optional)
Click Submit

The Academic Liaison and the Person Responsible will receive an email with the status of the Community request. Once approved, you will find the Community in Canvas.

Community Approval Process

Once a request for a Community has been submitted, the Community request will route through an approval process. The purpose statement will be used to determine that the typology selected fits the Community use case along with an acceptable use of Canvas.

Communities will be subject to an annual review process to ensure the use case aligns with the typology requested. If there are questions regarding a use case for a typology, please email the LMS Support.

What is included in the Community once it is created?

Once your Community has been created, it will have The Texas A&M University Community template that is unique to the typology selected. The Community templates have been designed for ease of use by Community Leaders, Co-Leaders, Evaluators, and ultimately Participants. Each template will contain the following:

Four homepage buttons: Welcome, Resources, Events, and Content
Module and week homepage buttons, located in Files
Page design icons, located in Files

Building Community Content

We recommend that you build your community from scratch. Building a Canvas course from scratch provides instructors the opportunity to review course materials and make updates. It also allows instructors to evaluate their course design and explore new Canvas features to improve the student and instructor user experience. Once your Community is created, follow these steps:

Add a welcome message, description, or overview that reflects the home page to your Community by leveraging the tools available in the Rich Content Editor in Canvas.
Upload files and/or embed link files from Google Drive or Office 365.
Use Modules to organize your Community content, such as assignments, assessments, and pages.
Hyperlink the homepage buttons to the Modules and content in your Community.
Publish the Community and publish every module for Participants to interact in your Community.
Use Student View to see how the Community will look like to Participants.

Managing Community Sections and Enrollments

Once the Community is approved, Academic Liaisons will be able to go into ORCA to add sections and enrollments. This step requires the Academic Liaison to download the CSV file template and fill in with the information required for enrollment (User UIN, first and last name, TAMU email address, and associated roles). The Academic Liaison will also be able to create and name the course section, add start and end dates (optional), and then upload the CSV enrollments into ORCA.
Once ORCA has accepted the user enrollments, the Academic Liaison will also be able to change the associated roles.

If your unit doesn’t have an associated Academic Liaison, please email the Center for Teaching Excellence to update enrollments and manage sections.

Community Section and Enrollment Management

Sections and enrollments can be added or removed through ORCA to help manage access to Canvas Communities

Please Note: At this time, Academic Liaisons have access in ORCA to manage Community enrollments. If your department does not have an Academic Liaison and you are listed as the Person Responsible for the Community, please contact Support for assistance.

Access Community Management Page

Add Sections to a Community

Enrollments will need a section created to add enrollments to. If you are listed as the person responsible for the community or are an Academic Liaison you can follow the steps below to create a section.

1. Log into ORCA (orca.tamu.edu) using your TAMU NetID and NetID Password.
2. From the landing page, select "View Communities".
3. Select "Edit".
4. On the Sections header select "Add Section"

A new section will populate. Enter the name of the section. If only one section will be used in the community, it can be the same name as the community. If you plan on having multiple sections for different types of access, you will want to title the section with identifiable information.

Multiple sections can be created for management of access and visibility for the course. You do not need to fill out the start and end date if not needed or unknown. The start and end dates for sections can be used to open and close access for groups if needed.

Add or Remove Enrollments of Communities in Canvas

Before opening the Upload CSV page, navigate to Sections.
View “CSV Upload Template.”
- This template will be used to add the enrollments to each section. It will require UIN, first and last name, TAMU email address, and Role.
Update the CSV file
Select “Upload CSV ” next to the section that it needs to be added.
Keep the Operation to “add” and then choose the CSV file from your computer to upload.
After it is added, you can Preview the enrollments.
Select Preview and review the content.
Select Upload at the bottom of the view. A success banner will appear once complete.
After closing the Upload Enrollment box, the enrollments will not successfully upload to Canvas until the Save action is chosen on the Community Management page.
Please allow up to 24 hours for the section(s) and enrollments to appear in the Canvas Community.

To remove enrollments:

Use the same “CSV Upload Template” and fill out with users that need to be removed.
On Upload CSV for the section, change the Operation to Remove and add the file created.
After successfully uploading, select Upload.
Save on the Community Management window.

ORCA FAQ

What if I Need to Remove a Section or Add a Section?

What if I Need to Change the Combined Course Title?

How Do I Request a Development Shell for Canvas?

Can I add an individual to my course in Canvas that doesn't have a UIN?

The individual I want to add to my Canvas course has a UIN, now what?

There are two potential routes you can get them added. Depending on the role the individual will need in the course, the method to add them may differ.

If you would like to request this user to be enrolled as a course teaching and learning role OR one of the 4 observer type roles, contact your designated department scheduler to have the individual added through Compass.

If you would like to request this user to be enrolled as a course associate role, the instructor of record or Academic Liaison can add the individual to the course through ORCA.

I see a “Training Required” status for the individual(s) I just added in ORCA. What does this mean?

If you have an individual who displays a “Training Required” status in ORCA, this means either they have not taken the required FERPA and/or Information Security Training (ISA) or we need proof of them completing this training.

TrainTraq is the designated system to deliver and record training. If someone is officially hired by the university, they should have access to TrainTraq by logging into sso.tamus.edu and selecting TrainTraq from their SSO Menu. They should search for the FERPA and ISA training by selecting the Course Catalog tab and entering the Course ID in the Course Number field.

If the individual is not an employee, please refer to the Procedures for Non-Employee Training in TrainTraq section.

Course IDs for required Training:
11012 (FERPA) 
3001 (Information Security Awareness)

ORCA