Online Program Faculty Information

Faculty Requirements

The Halo

• The Halo login is the same as the username and password for your email account and Blackboard account.
• The Halo is the main access point for faculty and student information. 

Textbooks Information

• Refer to the  Limestone Textbook List  to verify the correct textbook. 
• Please order from the publisher (see  Publishers List ) and have it sent to your home address. If the publisher needs verification of your employment with us, please have them contact Lori Downey.
• If you have access to the Limestone College network drives you can find it at T:\Docs\Campus Store. 
• If you have any questions about your text, email pmccraw@limestone.edu

Direct Deposit

• Complete the following form:  Limestone Direct Deposit Authorization or Change Form
• Attach a voided check and email it to Janie Corry.
• You only have to submit this form ONCE unless you need to make a change in your bank account information.
• The Federal Reserve requires a pre-note period to verify the accuracy of the account information. This verification process takes one full pay cycle. Compensation earned during this verification process will be sent by check.

Master Course and Blackboard Usage

• The Master Course will be uploaded in Blackboard two weeks before the term starts. 
• The Master Course is prepared by a Course Coordinator.
• Use of the Master Course syllabus is mandatory and you are required to make the following four changes listed below. No other changes are allowed without approval by the Course Coordinator or Department Chair.  
  • Be sure to update the syllabus with your contact information
  • Add your contact information to the homepage
  • Check that all web links are active
  • Update the due dates within the course. 
• Need to refresh your Blackboard skills, email Lori Downey 
• If you have any technical problems with Blackboard, email kjones@limestone.edu or helpdesk@limestone.edu.
• For Evening Program Instructors: Your contract includes a hybrid component  (16 hours online work in blackboard in addition to the 24 contract hours in the classroom) that must be met.

Entering Grades

• Finals grades must be entered in The Halo within 48 hours of the last class. You do not have to enter grades for the entire class at one time.
• Contact the Registrar's office immediately should you have any difficulty in submitting grades. 
• It is imperative that grades are entered by the deadline stated in your contract because it impacts other tasks, such as probation, suspension and scholarship awards, which must be completed.
• Failure to enter grades by the required deadline may impact future contract offers.
• May graduates Term 2: If you have a May graduate in your class, their grades are due at NOON on the Friday before Saturday graduation.
  December graduates Term 6: If you have a December graduate in your class, their grades are due at NOON on the Friday before Saturday graduation.

Last Date of Academic Activity Form

• Must be completed for students who have received a Failing grade in a course.
• The form is located at the top right-hand side of the faculty page in The Halo.
• Once a final grade has been entered, if the form is needed, the students’ name will appear.  Instructors will need to choose that student's name and complete the form.

"I" or Incomplete 

• A mark of "I" is assigned, at the discretion of the instructor, when due to extenuating circumstances such as illness, a student is unable to complete the work assigned in a course.
• It is understood that to receive a mark of "I", all completed work in the course must collectively be at the passing level or above.
• Faculty forms for submitting an Incomplete grade are available on The Halo under the Faculty tab.

Withdrawal From Class

• Students must initiate the withdrawal process by completing the “ Withdrawal From Class” form. 
• This form is located in The Halo under “Student Forms." 
• Online & Evening Students will be allowed to withdraw through the 5th week of class at 5:00 pm, EST. with a grade of "W", which will have no impact on their grade point average (GPA). 
• After the 5th week, students can withdraw with a grade of "WP" or "WF", which could impact their grade point average (GPA). 
• Under no circumstances is a professor allowed to award a withdrawal grade without using the appropriate form.  If a student emails you regarding withdrawing from your class, please instruct them that they must complete the form.  
• After completion of the form, a copy will be emailed to the professor for a grade of “W”, “WP” or “WF” to be awarded. 
• If a student does not complete any of their assignments or withdraw from the course, then they will be awarded an “F” for the class.
• The last date of academic activity will be the first day of class. The last date of academic activity must be entered for all withdrawals as well as any student who earns an “F”.  This date must fall within the course enrollment dates.

Information from the Equity and Inclusion Office

The Equity and Inclusion Office is committed to assisting all students with removing barriers that could impede their personal development and academic success. Through services such as those provided by Accessible Education, the Learning Enrichment and Achievement Program (LEAP), SaintsFIRST, and International Student Support, Equity and Inclusion team members strive to empower and position students for an optimal collegiate experience. Students in need of assistance as a result of a disability (physical, mental, or learning) or being an international or first-generation, or any other circumstance that may impact their academic performance are encouraged to contact the Equity and Inclusion Office to discuss their needs.

• If a student in your class indicates they have a disability and requests an accommodation, these steps must be followed:
  • Ask the student if they have been in communication with the Equity and Inclusion Office
  • If the student has NOT communicated with Equity and Inclusion, you should provide the student with the contact information below so that the student may contact the office.
    • Selena Blair, Director of Equity and Inclusion, 864-488-4394, ssblair@limestone.edu
      Susan Baxter-Ferguson, LEAP Coordinator, 864-488-8377, sbaxter@limestone.edu
  • You are NEVER to offer any accommodations to a student if you do not have the official accommodation letter from the Equity and Inclusion Office.
• If the student has completed the intake process with Equity and Inclusion, you will receive an email from Equity and Inclusion detailing the approved accessible education services for that semester.
• You can only provide the accessible education services allowed on the letter sent to you by Equity and Inclusion
• Should the student request additional accessible education services, you cannot provide them unless you receive a revised letter from Equity and Inclusion.

Online & Evening Teaching Requirements

Evening Program ONLY

Instructor Absence Form - for Evening Program Instructors

If you are going to be absent from any class during this term, please submit the Instructor Absence Form for approval BEFORE your absence:
  INSTRUCTOR ABSENCE FORM

Evening instructors are required to take attendance in The Halo. Simply use this link and log in. Your class roster will appear and allow you to take roll electronically from your cell phone. If you are teaching a course via blackboard collaborate to other campuses, you will need to take roll under each campus. No more papers and no more fuss. Just use your phone to quickly and accurately record and register nightly attendance no later than 9pm.

If you have any questions, please check with site personnel for assistance.
portal.limestone.edu

Online & Evening Test Proctoring

Limestone College Online & Evening uses an online proctoring service as a more efficient and convenient way to maintain academic integrity in online and hybrid courses. For more information about the new proctoring service see the Test Proctor Information page. 

Online and Evening Course Faculty Expectations

Please review carefully the list of expectations below for all faculty teaching online courses. The expectations were written and approved by Limestone College faculty and are intended to ensure that our online courses provide students with a high quality learning experience.  You will also find these expectations referenced in your contract for teaching Limestone Online Program courses. Please ensure that each course you teach is in compliance with the expectations below.  Should you have any questions about how to adjust your course to meet these standards, contact your department chair or the course coordinator for assistance.

• Instructors must engage actively and frequently with students throughout the course.
• Instructors are required to make available multiple modes of communication for students—at a minimum Blackboard messenger, Limestone email, and discussion boards.
• Faculty members are expected to respond to all student communications within 48 hours.
• Instructors are expected to provide meaningful, detailed, and timely feedback to students. All assignments are to be graded within one week of due date.
• Instructors should post regular announcements providing general feedback on assignments, areas for improvement, tips for success, etc.
• The Instructor’s policy on accepting late submissions must be clearly stated in the course and/or syllabus.
• The Blackboard grade book or the grade book provided by department approved software (e.g., Hawkes, SAM, etc.) must be used in recording and posting all student grades.
• If discussion, wiki, blog, etc. is utilized in the course, clear criteria must be communicated to students regarding number, grading criteria, and any requirement for responses to peer postings. Use of a grading rubric is strongly recommended.
• Clear criteria should be included in the course regarding the basis of evaluation of all graded assignments such as a rubric and/or a list of criteria with associated point values. Feedback should include the use of the rubric/criteria in the explanation.
• Each course must include at least two proctored exams by Proctorio, typically a midterm in the 4th week, and a final exam in the 8th week.
• Faculty members are required to submit the Last Date of Academic Activity for every student receiving an F in an online or evening course. (The form is located at the top right hand side of the faculty page in The Halo. Once a final grade has been entered, if the form is needed, the students’ name will appear. Instructors will need to choose that student's name and complete the form with evidence uploaded from the Blackboard course of the student's last academic activity in the class.)
• Final grades must be posted in The Halo no later than 48 hours following the end of the course.

Library Resources

With Blackboard, we have the capability to provide library instruction online and reach all our students: Evening Program and Online Program. In addition to  Library Course Guides and face-to-face instruction, the library also offers the following:

• Online (webinar) instruction for your class: If you have internet access, a computer with speakers, a projector, and a screen then a librarian can present to your class from the Gaffney location. Webinars are provided via Blackboard Collaborate or Go To Webinar. Request a library webinar  here.
• Online Embedded Librarian: Add a librarian as a teaching assistant to your Blackboard Learn class by emailing the request to the library ( library@limestone.edu). The librarian can add links to library resources, host discussions on scholarly research and how to find information, email students about specific library resources relating to course assignments, answer questions, and more.
• Customized Instruction Videos: Request a specific video or series of videos for your class. The Information Literacy Librarian will provide a link that can be uploaded in Blackboard Learn for students to view as required. See the Library’s  YouTube page for examples and to view our current tutorials and webinars. Contact the library for more information ( library@limestone.edu).

Additional library services are detailed in the  Library Services to EC Faculty Library Guide. Please contact the Library Director,  Lizah Ismail, if you have further questions about library services.