Summer 2026 Course Shells Now Available in Canvas
Canvas Spring Course Shell Release
Summer 2026 course shells are now available in Canvas in an unpublished state.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 summer term.
Combine Course Sections Prior to 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
- May 22 ( 11:59 p.m. AST)
- Texas A&M Main Term for College Station and Galveston
- June 27 (11:59 p.m. CS
Late section merge exceptions are only possible under certain criteria.
Use ORCA's Self-Service Features to Assist with Course Management
Combine course sections prior to the start of the term.
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Add others to your course in any of the four course associate roles: Teaching Assistant (TA), Lead TA, Grader and Designer. |
Confirm the status of training requirements for course associate roles.
Request a duplicate Canvas shell for sections that need two sets of content.
Log in to ORCA to Get Started
Mediasite / Panopto Update
The university has selected Panopto as a new lecture capture and media streaming system to replace Mediasite. More information will come by the end of Spring 2026 semester for next steps.
Respondus Lockdown Browser Update
Respondus has begun enforcing account bans for students who violate their terms of service. If any of your students are banned, they must contact LMS Support for assistance. Visit the vendors’ LockDown Browser and Banned Users web page for further details.
Centrally-Supported / Funded Tools
Texas A&M University supports 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 burdens for students including financial costs, external logins to manage, and time spent learning new tools in addition to their coursework. The LMS website provides resources for these tools, and the LMS support teams and partners also offer various training and professional development sessions throughout the year.
Colleges and schools may request additional tools that are supported by the requestor and/or vendors. Although some tools may be paid for by colleges/schools/departments, other tools may have additional direct costs for students. To learn more, explore the LMS Tool Filter which includes a fee-incursion chart as well as options to filter tools that may have an extra cost
Review Customized Checklists
To support all faculty, whether returning or new Canvas, a comprehensive checklist has been developed. This resource includes tutorials on setting up the gradebook to streamline the final grade submission process. Faculty can visit the Start-of-Semester Checklist page to ensure a smooth start to the semester.
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 ask any questions by phone, live chat, or email to get the help you need. For questions about support options available to you at Texas A&M, visit CTE’s LMS Support page.
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