Combine Course Sections Prior to the First Day of Classes - Fall 2025
Fall 2025
Fall 2025 course shells are now available in Canvas in an unpublished state. Once you publish your course, it will be available to students in a read-only state until the first day of the fall term.
Combine Course Sections Prior to the First Day of Classes
The deadlines to merge course sections through the self-service feature in ORCA are as follows:
- Texas A&M University at Qatar
- Aug 19 (3:59 p.m. AST)
- Texas A&M Main Term for College Station and Galveston
- Aug 20 (11:59 p.m. CST)
Late section merge exceptions are only possible under certain criteria.
Use ORCA's Self-Service Features to Assist with Course Management
Canvas Template Accessibility Checker Update
Each term, Canvas courses are provisioned with a template that has a 100% accessibility score and passes link validation checks. Over the past few semesters, there was an issue with some newer TAMU websites that caused a lower score within courses. The digital learning support teams were able to resolve the issue within the Ally accessibility checker; however, the Link Validator (in a Canvas course, see “Settings” and then “Validate Links in Content” on the right-hand side) is incorrectly identifying some working links as broken. The teams are communicating with the vendor and other TAMU teams to determine an appropriate fix. No action is required on your part at this time.
Course Template Updates
The Center for Teaching Excellence has worked to rebrand the icons and buttons within the Canvas template in order to align them with revised university branding guidelines. For the summer term, we updated the five homepage icons and have since finalized additional buttons for the fall semester within Canvas and the Enhancing the Template page on the LMS website.
Additionally, we have:
- updated “Instructor Module (Do Not Publish)” with items that are common support requests at the start of a term (course merges, course associate enrollments, and Respondus Lockdown Browser best practices)
- added two new resources for students under University Resources (AI at TAMU and Navigate 360 Student)
- removed the hyperlink and minimum syllabus requirements page within the Syllabus button in preparation for the move to Simple Syllabus. Course instructors may choose to:
- link the button to a syllabus file
- link the button to Simple Syllabus
- delete the button.
More information about Simple Syllabus will be shared as we move into July.
Simple Syllabus Update
Simple Syllabus has been integrated with Canvas as of May 19 to prepare for the fall semester. We needed to implement the tool at the university level on that date so it would be available in Canvas in advance of the fall term. The tool offers a web portal and Canvas-based access that closely integrates with courses and facilitates digital accessibility and real-time content updates (e.g., URL or phone number changes within the minimum syllabus requirements sections that have traditionally been static). More information, training and resources will be shared as we move closer to the fall semester. Additionally:
- Only colleges/schools that have been piloting Simple Syllabus will continue to have access during the summer term. An expanded soft launch for the larger university is planned for the fall term.
- Faculty will see Simple Syllabus in their Canvas course navigation pane in their fall courses; however, the links will not work until later in the summer when templates and permissions are finalized.
Yuja Panorama
Panorama is now available via the online portal to check the accessibility of digital files. Instructions for using the portal are available on the Digital Accessibility webpage of the CTE website. The LMS Operations team and the Digital Content Accessibility working group are currently testing the Canvas integration. This accessibility checker and remediation tool will be available in Canvas in August, which is the next scheduled release window for new Canvas tools. Documentation and training opportunities will be provided soon.
Microsoft Teams LTI Deprecation
The LMS Operations teams were provided very short notice that Microsoft will be deprecating their Teams integration with Canvas in favor of a new unified solution. The effective date was originally June 15, but it has recently been pushed back until Sept. 15. The new solution necessitates the removal of the current Teams integration with Canvas and that will take place during the Aug. 14 change window to minimize disruption to courses. The release of the new solution is tentatively scheduled to coincide with the removal of the current tool, and we will share more as we get closer to that timeframe. If you are not using Teams in Canvas, there will be no impact to your courses.
Canvas Portfolium Deprecation
The LMS Operations teams were recently notified that the Portfolium suite of products will no longer be supported by Instructure as of June 30, 2026. The vendor plans to integrate these products into the native Canvas system. Additional information will be communicated as we learn more.
Centrally-Supported/Funded Tools
Texas A&M University champions the teaching and learning mission through the integration of centrally-supported/-funded technologies that are available to all users within Canvas. By leveraging these tools, faculty can reduce student burdens, such as financial costs, the need to manage external logins, and the time required to learn new tools alongside their coursework. The LMS website offers resources for centrally-supported tools. Additionally, the LMS support teams and partners provide various training and professional development sessions throughout the year.
Colleges and schools may request additional tools that are supported by the requestors and/or vendors. Although some tools may be paid for by colleges, schools, or departments, others may result in additional direct costs for students. To learn more, explore the LMS Tools Filter which includes a fee-incursion chart as well as options to filter tools based on their cost to students.
Review Customized Checklists
We have created targeted checklists to meet the unique needs of returning faculty and for those who are brand new to teaching in Canvas. The tutorials include guidance on topics such as setting up your gradebook to streamline the final grade submission process. Visit our Start-of-Semester Checklists page to find both versions and select the one that matches your needs.
Get Help 24/7/365
Canvas support is offered around the clock. Just click the "Help" button on the left side navigation within Canvas. You can call, text or email your questions directly from Canvas to get the help you need. For questions about support options available to you at Texas A&M, visit our Training and Support page.
You are receiving this official university correspondence, sent on behalf of Texas A&M University Center for Teaching Excellence, because you are either an incoming, current or former student, affiliate, staff or faculty member of Texas A&M University.
This email was sent to: ...
Texas A&M University | College Station, TX 77845
