Northwestern University SCHOOL OF CONTINUING STUDIES

Resources

Faculty Services

This page provides information for faculty teaching for Northwestern University School of Continuing Studies: course preparation and management, resources, policies, and campus, systems access and contact information. The Faculty Handbook contains all of these resources in detail, along with University and SCS policies.

Download the Faculty Handbook

Get Started: Faculty Access

Before you may access Northwestern systems, payroll forms must be submitted to SCS for processing by NU Human Resources no later than one month before the start of the quarter you'll be teaching. Contact SCS HR Representative Claire Maurello with questions.

Forms for New Faculty


New faculty can learn more about getting started with access at NU from Northwestern University Information Technology.

Returning Faculty

Instructors are given network access, and their WildCARD IDs are active, for use at Northwestern University Libraries for the duration of the teaching assignment. Access will lapse once the appointment has concluded.

At any time returning instructors can check to see if their NetID is active. If your NetID is no longer active, your faculty appointment has expired and you must complete a series of steps to reactivate it. Please refer to “Accessing Northwestern Systems” in the Faculty Handbook for these steps.

NetID, Email and WildCARD

NetID

Faculty receive a NetID to access email, view class Blackboard sites, see grades, and use online reference materials from the University libraries. Your NetID will be assigned after you are hired by SCS and NU Human Resources has received and processed your appointment paperwork. You will receive an email from SCS Finance and Administration with your NetID and instructions on how to self-activate it. 

Northwestern Email

The official communication tool for Northwestern University is email. As a condition of employment with SCS, you must maintain an active Northwestern email account. Visit Northwestern University Information Technology for more information about accessing and using your Northwestern email account.

WildCARD

The University's photo ID card is known as the WildCARD, which provides access to University library resources and to University shuttles, as well as discounts at local businesses. New faculty are eligible for the WildCARD once the hiring paperwork is processed by Human Resources. There are two WildCARD offices: one on the Chicago campus located in Abbott Hall, and the other in the Norris Center on the Evanston campus.

Pay Information

Salary is paid in equal monthly installments via direct deposit to faculty members on the last day of each month of the term. Please contact Lorraine Brown Thomas if you have any questions about salary payment.

Payroll Schedule

Paychecks are issued on the last weekday of each month:

Fall: last day of October, November and December
Winter: last day of January, February and March
Spring: last day of April, May and June
Summer: last day of June and July for 6-week session; June, July and August for 8- and 9-week sessions

Please refer to the Payroll section of the Faculty Handbook for additional information.

Using Blackboard

Every Northwestern University course has a secure course website accessible only to instructors and students through Northwestern's Course Management System known as Blackboard. The site will allow you and students to interact at any time – to share documents and media, manage discussions, send emails. For Distance Learning instructors, a required CMS training will be offered through the Office of Distance Education.

Blackboard Resources

Classroom Needs

Room Assignments

Room assignments are available at least one week prior to the start of the quarter.


Instructors may not change classrooms without first obtaining SCS approval. After the quarter begins, it is the instructor's responsibility to notify students of approved room changes.

Requests for equipment or specific classrooms, including technology-equipped Smart Classrooms must be made six to eight weeks before the start of the quarter. Please contact SCS Facilities with requests or with any questions about classrooms on all campuses. To change a classroom after the quarter start, please call 312-503-2399.

In-Class Technical Support

  • Loop location: check with the receptionist
  • Chicago campus: call (312) 503-3333
  • Evanston campus: call 7-ROOM (847-467-7666)

Maps, Shuttles and Parking

Campus Maps

To find your way around the Evanston or Chicago campuses, use the University's interactive maps.

Campus Shuttles

The Intercampus Shuttle runs year-round, Monday through Friday, between the Evanston and Chicago campuses. The shuttle is free, but a WildCARD must be presented to board. All shuttles are wheelchair accessible. For schedules and stops, visit the Intercampus Shuttle website.

Parking: Chicago Campus

Reduced rate parking is available Monday - Friday 4 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. and weekends 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. The discount will only be honored at Huron Superior (222 E. Huron Lot C) and the Erie-Ontario Garages (321 E. Erie Lot D). Park and obtain the ticket; to get reduced rate, validate at one of the machines in Wieboldt Hall -- the 4th and 5th floor lounges and the computer lab, Room 415. Long-term Chicago campus parking permits are available through the Parking Office in Abbott Hall, Room 100.

Parking: Evanston Campus

Free parking is available in most "F" Parking Lots on the Evanston campus after 4 p.m. Please refer to signs at the parking lot to be certain about availability. Do not at any time park in a reserved space.

Parking: Loop Campus

There are no University lots in the Loop. You may park for a reduced rate at Traders Self-Park Garage, 326 S. Wells, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. Monday through Thursday and Saturday rates are posted at the Traders Self-Park Garage and no validation is required.

Getting Help

The following departmental contacts are available to assist you during your teaching appointment at SCS.

Undergraduate Program Staff


Graduate Staff


Graduate Program Faculty Directors

Class Rosters and Attendance

Class rosters are accessed either through Blackboard or in CAESAR, NU’s student enterprise system.

CAESAR is also used to monitor and view enrollment prior to the start of the quarter and to access class rosters. At the end of the quarter, instructors enter final grades in CAESAR. An active NetID is required to access CAESAR.

Each week, you should take attendance from the class roster. Noting attendance is crucial at the start of the quarter to ensure that all students sitting in class have registered. If a student has registered for the course but is not listed on the roster, he/she will be allowed to sit in the class for a maximum of two sessions. If the student's name does not appear on the class roster at the third session, the student cannot attend class until they register for the course or existing registration issues are resolved. Please advise the student that they must cease attending class and to contact the SCS Registration Team immediately.

For all other attendance-related questions, please reference the Faculty Handbook.

Grading Policies

Grading policies are detailed in the Faculty Handbook. It is your responsibility to become familiar with these policies. In general, grading policies are:

Graduate

Grades given for credit-bearing classes are A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C- and F (for failing work). Ds are not awarded for graduate work. Students may not take required courses pass (P)/no-pass (N), except for their 590 (capstone/thesis) course. Grades may not be changed except in cases of errors in calculating grades. If a student has not yet turned in all the required work, only a grade of Y (incomplete) or F may be given and later changed. Please let SCS know immediately if you are pressured in any way to alter a grade.

Undergraduate

Grades given for credit-bearing courses are: A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D, F. As there are no fixed guidelines, computing of grades left to discretion of the instructor to formulate a fair grading scale. You are asked to retain graded papers and examinations that have not been returned to students for at least six months following the end of the quarter. Assignment of a grade of X or Y requires submission of the Y Authorized Incomplete and X Unauthorized Incomplete forms. See the Faculty Handbook for details.

Incomplete Grades

In rare circumstances, students may be granted an Authorized Incomplete, designated with a grade of Y. Students must get advance permission from you to receive an Authorized Incomplete if they are unable to complete course work to merit a final grade. Before you grant an incomplete, discuss the situation with the student to determine whether an incomplete grade is appropriate. Incompletes should not be given to allow more time to improve a grade, but may be allowed when a student's circumstances change and he/she is prevented from finishing a large portion of work for the course. Graduate students do not need to petition SCS for incompletes. Undergraduate students submit Student Affairs Committee petition. Please refer to the Faculty Handbook for incomplete grade procedures.

Submitting Grades

Final grades are submitted in CAESAR. SCS does not accept grades in any other form, including paper grade sheets or emails, or through the gradebook feature in Blackboard. Do not leave blank grades in CAESAR. Your NetID must be active to submit grades. A letter grade, or X or Y to indicate incomplete course work, should be assigned to each student. 

Grading starts at the beginning of the final week of the quarter and concludes just after the end of the quarter. Your academic program will notify you of grading deadlines each quarter. If you encounter problems while trying to submit grades in CAESAR, please contact the Northwestern University Office of the Registrar at 847-491-5234. Timely grade submission is a matter of chief importance to the SCS Dean and to our students.

Grading Resources

Academic Integrity

Any suspected instances of academic integrity violation should be reported immediately to the Assistant Dean of the program in which you are teaching. Please see the Faculty Handbook for policies and procedure.

Managing Thesis Research (Graduate Only)

You are expected to familiarize yourself with your role as a first or second reader. Complete details are included in the Faculty Handbook. In addition, please read over the section “Capstone Project Process” in the SCS Graduate Student Handbook. Students in all SCS graduate degree programs must complete either a capstone course (only available in a few programs) or an independent thesis / capstone project, which require that the student to secure two faculty members or other approved individuals to supervise and, eventually, approve their work. A specific proceedure is in place for MFA/MA students in the Creative Writing program, details of which are also displayed in the Faculty Handbook.

Exam Proctoring (Undergraduate Only)

Exam proctoring at SCS is available when instructors and students are unable to schedule a time for a make-up exam between themselves. Specific days and times are available during business hours:

CHICAGO - Wieboldt Hall, 339 E. Chicago Avenue
Tuesdays between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm

EVANSTON - SCS Office, 405 Church Street
Thursdays between 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm

Instructors who have approved a make-up exam and who are not able to proctor the exam themselves should contact Undergraduate Program Staff to inquire about availability. The student may then email to reserve an exam time, 5-7 days in advance. After the exam is completed, SCS will deliver the completed exam materials to the instructor. Complete details are found in the Faculty Handbook.

Faculty Development Resources

Northwestern University School of Continuing Studies is committed to assisting our faculty in providing the best possible learning experiences. We strive to identify helpful resources that address the specific needs of our adult students. These resources provide a range of support, offering consultations, videotaping of classes, workshops and lectures, and a library of books, articles, and online resources to increase success in the classroom.