3.2 Canvas Live Course Access - Instructional Support Procedure

Effective Date: February 28, 2026
Revised Date: August 11, 2026

1. Purpose

This procedure establishes the approved process for granting access to live Canvas course shells for instructional support personnel, including Graduate Assistants (GAs), Teaching Assistants (TAs), and Academic Assistants.

The objective is to ensure:

• Appropriate academic oversight
• FERPA compliance
• Proper role assignment aligned with instructional responsibilities
• Clear separation of grading authority, instructional record, and ability to edit content within the live Canvas shell
• Consistency between Banner, Coursedog, and Canvas role governance

2. Scope

This procedure applies to all live course shells within Canvas used for:

• Traditional (on campus) courses
• A-State Online (AOS) courses
• International campus courses (e.g., Qatar, Mexico)

This procedure applies only to instructional support access. It does not govern primary instructor assignments, which are managed through Banner and Coursedog.

3. Guiding Principles

• Access to live academic courses is restricted and role based.
• Grading authority must align with official Banner instructor-of-record designation.
• FERPA compliance must be verified prior to course enrollment.
• ITS does not override academic approval workflows.
• All access must follow documented request and approval processes.

4. Role Definitions and Access Levels

4.1 Graduate Assistant (No Grading Role)

Primary Use: Traditional courses
Canvas Role: GA/Tutor (No Grading)

Permissions:

• View course content
• Interact with students
• Assist with instructional support
• No access to gradebook grading functions

Approval & Enrollment Process:

1. Request submitted via approved online form. Individual MUST have completed FERPA training prior to requesting access.
2. Approval required from Registrar prior to ITS/Canvas action.
3. Upon receipt of approved request, ITS/Canvas:
   • Enrolls user in Canvas
   • Confirms completion of enrollment

4.2 Graduate Assistant (Requiring Grading Access)

Primary Use: Traditional courses
Canvas Role: Instructor (Must be Assigned in Banner/Coursedog)

Permissions:

• View/edit course content
• Interact with students
• Assist with instructional support
• Access to gradebook grading functions

Approval & Enrollment Process:

1. Request submitted to Registrar to have individual coded as instructor in Banner. Individual MUST have completed FERPA training prior to requesting access.
2. The GA must be added in Banner as a secondary or co-instructor, and this is processed through Coursedog.
3. Live sync between Coursedog, Banner, and Canvas will provide access to Canvas live shell within 24 hours.

4.3 Academic Assistant (AOS Courses – Instructional Connections)

Primary Use: A-State Online (AOS) courses
Canvas Role: TA

Permissions:

• View course content (no course content edit capabilities)
• Interact with students
• Assist with instructional support
• Access to gradebook grading functions
• The TA role cannot select the final grade for moderation or send final grades to Banner during final grading — this MUST be done by the primary instructor (or instructor(s) coded in Banner/Coursedog).

Pre-Requisites & Enrollment Process:

1. Sponsored account created through HR process: https://kb.astate.edu/attachments/1236
2. Individual MUST have completed FERPA training prior to being added to Canvas shell.
3. After prerequisites are verified, user is enrolled directly in Canvas by ITS/Canvas admins.

These users are not added to Banner as instructors of record.

4.4 Teaching Assistant (A-State Qatar)

Primary Use: A-State Qatar courses
Canvas Role: TA

Permissions:

• View course content (no course content edit capabilities)
• Interact with students
• Assist with instructional support
• Access to gradebook grading functions
• The TA role cannot select the final grade for moderation or send final grades to Banner during final grading — this MUST be done by the primary instructor (or instructor(s) coded in Banner/Coursedog).

Pre-Requisites & Enrollment Process:

1. Sponsored account created through HR process: https://kb.astate.edu/attachments/1236
2. Individual MUST have completed FERPA training prior to being added to Canvas shell.
3. After prerequisites are verified, user is enrolled directly in Canvas by ITS/Canvas admins.

These users are not added to Banner as instructors of record.

4.5 Access to Previous Term Live Course Shells

Primary Use: Instructors, Department Chairs, College Deans
Canvas Role: Instructor

Access to a previous term live Canvas course shell is restricted and requires formal approval due to FERPA, academic record integrity, and grading data considerations.

This section applies to any individual requesting access to a concluded live course shell:

• Instructors
• Department Chairs & College Deans

Approval & Request Process

Access to a previous term shell requires a formal email request to the Registrar (Tracy Finch – tfinch@astate.edu).

The request must include:

• Full name of the individual to be added
• A-State ID number of the individual
• Course CRN, term, and course information
• Justification for access

Registrar Review

The Registrar will:

1. Verify the individual’s identity.
2. Confirm FERPA compliance.
3. Review and approve the access request.

If approved, the Registrar will send a formal request to: canvas@astate.edu

ITS/Canvas Admin Actions

Upon receipt of formal approval from the Registrar, ITS/Canvas Admin will:

• Enroll the approved individual in the specified Canvas course shell.
• Assign the appropriate role.
• Confirm completion of enrollment.

Important Notes

• ITS/Canvas Admin will not process requests for previous term access without formal Registrar approval.
• Direct instructor requests to ITS/Canvas Admin will be redirected to the Registrar.
• Role assignment must align with academic record and grading authority guidelines outlined in Sections 4.1–4.4.

4.6 External User Access (Sponsored Accounts)

Primary Use: External Reviewers, Accreditors, Auditors
Canvas Role: Observer, Accreditor/Auditor

External users who require access to Canvas for official university business (e.g., accreditation reviews, audits, or program evaluations) must be provisioned through a sponsored account process. These users are limited to access that supports their review function and are restricted to directory-level information only.

This section applies to any non-A-State affiliated individual requesting Canvas access:

• Accreditation reviewers
• External auditors
• Program evaluators or consultants

Approval & Request Process

1. Sponsored account created through HR process: https://kb.astate.edu/attachments/1236
2. Request submitted via approved online form.
3. Approval required from Registrar prior to ITS/Canvas action.
4. Upon receipt of approved request, ITS/Canvas:
   • Enrolls user in Canvas
   • Confirms completion of enrollment

These users are not added to Banner as instructors of record.

Important Notes

• External users provisioned under this section are not required to complete FERPA training.
• Sponsored accounts must be time-bound and reviewed periodically.
• Access will be removed automatically at the end of the approved period unless renewed.
• Sponsoring departments are responsible for ensuring appropriate use and notifying ITS when access is no longer required.
• Access is restricted to directory information only and must not include access to:
  • Grades
  • Submissions
  • Personally identifiable student information (beyond directory data)

4.7 Observer Access - Student Academic Support

Primary Use: Athletic Academic Advisors, Learning Community Staff, and Other Approved Student Support Personnel
Canvas Role: Observer

Observer access may be granted to designated university personnel who have a legitimate educational need to monitor and support student academic progress but who do not have instructional or grading responsibilities within the course.

Common uses of Observer access include:

• Athletic academic advisors supporting student-athletes
• Learning community advisors or coordinators supporting participating students
• Other university personnel with an approved academic support responsibility

For a detailed description of Canvas Observer visibility and participation, refer to Instructure's documentation:
https://community.instructure.com/en/kb/articles/387091-observer-visibility-and-participation

Approval & Request Process

Observer access must be based on a legitimate university academic-support function and must be formally approved by the Dean of University College, Dr. Nikesha Nesbitt (nnesbitt@astate.edu).

The request should identify:

• Full name and A-State ID of the individual requesting Observer access
• Department, program, or unit the individual represents
• Academic support function requiring access
• Student(s) or student population for whom access is required
• Requested duration of access, when applicable

Upon approval by the Dean of University College, the approved request will be forwarded to ITS/Canvas Admin for processing.

These users are not added to Banner as instructors of record.

Important Notes

• Observer access does not constitute instructor, teaching assistant, or grading authority.
• Observer access must be limited to students for whom the individual has an approved academic-support responsibility.
  
• Observer access must be removed when the individual's academic-support responsibility ends or the approved access is otherwise no longer required.
• ITS/Canvas Admin will not grant Observer access without documented approval from the Dean of University College.
• Observer access remains subject to applicable university policies, FERPA requirements, and the permissions and limitations configured for the Canvas Observer role.
  

5. Role Definitions and Access Levels

Registrar’s Office

• Approves GA role assignments
• Approves grading authority requests
• Oversees Banner instructor designation

Academic Units / Instructors

• Determine level of access required
• Submit appropriate requests
• Ensure role justification aligns with instructional need

ITS/Canvas Admin

• Verifies approved documentation
• Enrolls users in Canvas when appropriate
• Ensures role accuracy

6. Procedure Review

This document will be reviewed and reaffirmed annually, or upon significant changes to university governance, systems, or regulatory requirements.

Effective Date: February 28, 2026
Next Review Date: February 28, 2027
Version: 1.0