The eSyllabus system is now included in the Additional Information section of the new Course Information and Schedule link in MyServices in the Agora Portal (portal.bc.edu). The features in Course Information and Schedule, including eSyllabus, offer faculty and students a more complete view of BC's course offerings.
Accessing eSyllabus System
The eSyllabus system is limited to members of the BC community. Faculty, staff, and students are required to authenticate by logging on to portal.bc.edu before they can view a course syllabus. Adobe 8 or higher is recommended for viewing the online syllabus pdf.
Uploading or Deleting to eSyllabus System
To view or upload a syllabus login to portal.bc.edu. From the portal page, you will need to input your username and password to access the "Faculty Home" screen. Select "My Services" and then "Course Information and Schedule" from the links listed under "Academics and Courses."
Enter the criteria specified in the "Course Information and Schedule" and then type in your last name in the "Instructor" section to find your courses without having to browse through your department's course listing. Once you have found your list of courses, follow the steps listed below.
- Click on the vertical bar to the left of the course column and then mouse over an icon for the description.
- Click on the "Upload" icon which will bring you to the "Syllabus Maintenance" page. Use the "Browse" link to select the syllabus you would like upload.
- Choose the "Edit" icon if you have already uploaded your syllabus and would like to make some changes.
- When the "Preview" icon is selected, the syllabus will display in a pop-up window.
- Click on the vertical bar to the left of the course column to close "Additional Information"
For information about linking from Blackboard Vista to the eSyllabus system, visit http://idesweb.bc.edu/ides/website/teaching_tools/bb_vista/fac_support/esyllabus.
Permissions
Only course instructors, department administrators, or administrative assistants can upload, edit, or delete a syllabus. All instructors for team taught courses have permission (screenshot) to upload and delete their syllabi. If an "Upload" icon is not visible for an instructor, then the Master Course Schedule has not yet been updated with his/her Eagle ID. New instructors will be able to access eSyllabus once their Eagle ID numbers are listed on the master schedule in UIS. Graduate teaching assistants may have two tables in "My Courses." They may see the syllabi for courses they are taking and upload syllabi for the courses they are teaching.
Formatting in eSyllabus System
Although there is no required template, uploaded files must be in a pdf format with no security added. If you are unsure about how to create a pdf document, you can link to www.bc.edu/pdf for more information. Be sure to include the number and title of your course on the syllabus, so students may find it more easily if they choose to search by keywords. Syllabi as large as 1.5 MB may be uploaded to eSyllabus.
You can also upload syllabi to the system that are not in their final state. To protect you, an automatic disclaimer is added to each syllabus upon upload indicating that the document being viewed may not be the final version and that the content is subject to change. Leave a margin of at least .5 inches at the top of each file for the disclaimer.
Viewing an Archived Syllabus
You may upload or maintain syllabi for courses in current or future terms only. Once the semester has ended, you may not upload syllabi for any courses offered during that term. Existing syllabi will be archived and no longer modifiable. Archived syllabi will be available for viewing only with a "Preview" icon but no "Upload" or "Edit" icons. From the Course Information and Schedule link, choose a term from a previous semester, a school, department, and then click "Get Requested Courses." When you select the "Preview" icon in the "Syllabus" column, the syllabus will appear in a popup window.
Searching eSyllabus by Keyword(s)
Faculty, staff, and students will be able to search uploaded syllabi by entering keywords. From the Course Information and Schedule page, choose "Course Syllabus." Enter the keyword and your search preference as either "Current" or "Archive." Click the "Search" button. All syllabi on the results page will have a "Preview" icon displayed. When you select this icon, the syllabus will be displayed in a separate pop-up window. Archived syllabi are searchable for 30 months after their date of upload.