AOS Faculty Support
This section will provide guidance for Faculty, Staff, and Chairs seeking information regarding faculty support for online programs
Course Build/Rebuild Requests
Course Build/Rebuild Request Instructions for Faculty, Admins, and Chairs.
Effective Date: August 11, 2025
Revised Date: April 22, 2026
1. Overview
All new builds and eligible rebuilds must receive department chair approval prior to submission.
Academic colleges are encouraged to review and evaluate course build proposals to ensure they represent a strategic and effective use of departmental AOS revenue sharing funds.
2. Definitions
New Build: A brand-new course developed for delivery in the AOS 100% online modality.
- Typically associated with a new program launch or curriculum change.
- An existing course that was previously offered through traditional online and is now to be offered through AOS for the first time is also considered a New Build.
- The course must pass Quality Matters (QM) review prior to being offered to students.
Eligible Rebuild: A previously developed course that:
- Has not been updated in two or more years, and
- Is undergoing substantive changes equating to 70% or more of the course content.
3. Funding Structure
New Builds
- Funded directly through the department AOS FOAP, as they are typically tied to new program launches with no existing revenue share.
- These are considered instructional/operational expenses and will be accounted for during the next revenue sharing cycle at the end of the term.
Eligible Rebuilds
- Funded through the department’s revenue sharing FOAP.
- The department admin must ensure this FOAP is listed on the Extra Compensation Form when submitted.
4. Quality Standards
All course builds and rebuilds must meet Quality Matters (QM) standards to qualify for the stipend.
Each course must achieve a minimum score of 85% and meet all essential standards, including ADA compliance and copyright requirements.
Faculty implementing Free Content/OER must:
- Completely remove any student costs for textbooks, learning materials, or paid subscriptions.
- Ensure all free materials are 100% ADA compliant and QM-aligned.
- Materials freely accessible only through Interlibrary Loan have limited availability and are not licensed by Arkansas State University. As such, these resources do not qualify for the OER stipend.
- Complete the build stipend before the OER stipend can be processed (OER stipend is optional).
5. Compensation and Payment
- Base Course Build Stipend:
$500 per credit hour for all approved course builds and eligible rebuilds. - Optional OER (No-Cost Materials) Stipend:
An additional $500 per credit hour is available if the course is developed using no-cost-to-student materials (OER or other free resources). This is optional, and the instructor needs to apply for the additional stipend. - Example:
For a 3-credit-hour course:
• Standard build stipend = $1,500 total ($500 × 3)
• If using OER = +$1,500 additional ($500 × 3)
• Total possible stipend = $3,000
Payment Requirements:
1. The department admin will receive a Formstack notification once the course build has been approved for stipend processing.
2. The admin must complete the Extra Compensation Form and prepare the EPAF, but the EPAF should only be submitted after the course has successfully passed the Quality Matters (QM) review.
3. Extra Compensation Form is not required for Adjuncts.
6. Standard Build Date Ranges
Dates correspond with the term in which the course will first be offered. Please use these dates when completing the Extra Compensation Form:
- Summer 1: March 1 – May 15
- Summer 2: May 1 – June 15
- Fall 1: July 1 – August 15
- Fall 2: August 1 – September 30
- Spring 1: October 16 – December 31
- Spring 2: December 1 – February 15
(These date patterns remain consistent each year.)
7. Submission Process
- Obtain department chair approval for the proposed course build or rebuild.
- Submit a TDX ticket to initiate the course build/rebuild stipend payment process.
Submit TDX Ticket Here - Once submitted, the AOS Team will send the appropriate Formstack forms to the designated individuals.
- The department admin will be notified through Formstack when it is time to complete the Extra Compensation Form and later submit the EPAF (after QM approval).
- Workflow below:
8. Questions
For any questions about the course build process, please contact:
Vanessa Williams – vwilliams@astate.edu
Rachel Washam – rwasham@astate.edu
Academic Assistant (AA) Requests
Academic Assistant Request Instructions for Faculty, Admins, and Chairs.
Effective Date: July 31, 2025
Revised Date: November 11, 2025
1. Overview
Academic Assistants (AAs) — also referred to as Academic Coaches — are highly qualified, experienced professionals with graduate-level credentials or higher. They function as an extension of the course instructor, providing grading support, communication assistance, and student engagement within AOS courses.
The goal of the AA program is to relieve faculty of day-to-day classroom tasks so instructors can focus on course content, delivery, and student success.
2. Eligible Courses
- AOS courses and their companion sections (CP1, CH1, and U0A) qualify for Academic Assistant (AA) support. Please do not merge sections that are not companion sections to the AOS courses that have an AA enrolled.
- Each department sets its own minimum enrollment requirement for a course to be eligible for an AA.
- The Department Chair can approve or deny an AA Request based on the instructor's load and course expectations.
If you are unsure whether your course qualifies, please contact the AOS team before submitting a request.
3. Requesting an Academic Assistant
To request an AA, submit the AA Request Form as early as possible.
AA Request Form: http://www.jotformpro.com/ICForms/ASUJ_Request
Submission Deadline:
Requests must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the course start date.
Important Notes
- Instructors:
If there is even a slight chance that you may need an AA for an upcoming term, please submit the request as soon as possible, regardless of current enrollment numbers. Early submission ensures AA availability when the course begins. - Program and Department Chairs/Coordinators:
If your program has a course in an upcoming term that does not yet have an instructor assigned, please submit an AA Request early, even if enrollment numbers are still low. This allows Instructional Connections to begin the matching process and ensures AA availability for instructors who are assigned later.
If there is a change in instructor assignment, please notify the AOS team as soon as possible.
4. What Happens After You Submit
- Once submitted, the Instructional Connections (IC) team will begin reviewing qualified candidates.
- The IC team (Kristine or Tricia) will send an email introducing the assigned AA after they confirm availability.
- Do not email AAs directly until you receive confirmation from the IC team.
- The AOS team will manually enroll confirmed AAs into courses the week before classes start. Enrollment occurs only after:
- The AA assignment is confirmed, and
- The course meets the minimum enrollment requirements set by the department.
If enrollment exceeds the maximum load for one AA, a second AA may be assigned. Each AA must have their own group of students for compensation and billing purposes.
5. What Academic Assistants Do
AAs/Coaches operate under faculty direction and may assist with:
- Grading: Discussions, assignments, quizzes, exams, and projects (with detailed rubrics provided).
- Email Communication: Responding to student inquiries within 24 hours; escalating issues that require faculty approval.
- Discussion Boards: Monitoring and facilitating discussions.
- Student Support: Answering logistical questions, posting reminders, and ensuring student engagement.
- Conference Calls: Holding pre-course, mid-course, and end-of-course check-ins with instructors.
- Notes from these meetings are retained by Instructional Connections.
- Coaches cannot modify course content, change due dates, or hold synchronous office hours.
- They are not responsible for developing course materials, assessments, or rubrics.
6. Communication Guidelines
All communication among students, instructors, and AAs must be conducted through A-State email accounts to maintain confidentiality and FERPA compliance.
7. Key Forms
- AA Request Form: http://www.jotformpro.com/ICForms/ASUJ_Request
- Faculty Referral Application: https://form.jotform.com/ICForms/faculty-referred-coach
- Faculty Evaluation of Academic Assistant: https://form.jotform.com/ICForms/ASUJFacultyEval
8. Contacts
For any questions or assistance, please contact AARequests@astate.edu
Instructional Connections Contacts:
Jacquelyn Cato, Vice President of Operations – jacquelyn.cato@iconnect-na.com
James McLaughlin, Director of Operations – james.mclaughlin@iconnect-na.com
Tricia Clayton, non-Ed Lead Coach – tricia.clayton@iconnect-na.com
Kristine Vowels, Ed Lead Coach – kristie.vowels@iconnect-na.com