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College of Education Adjunct Resource Guide: Adjunct Resources

Commonly Asked Adjunct Questions

We want to take a moment to express our sincere gratitude for your hard work and dedication as an adjunct professor at Concordia University Chicago. Please see the list of commonly asked questions and answers below and important resources in the sidebar of this page.  

What should I know about being an adjunct instructor in the College of Education?

  • It is important to integrate Concordia University Chicago's vision and mission into coursework and discussions as opportunities arise, and to speak freely about our faith in Christ.
  • Regular class attendance is required for students receiving federal financial aid.  Students must begin attendance in all courses to qualify for financial aid.  Students reported for non-attendance in any or all of their courses could have their financial aid withdrawn.
  • Do not change the syllabus, rubrics, or coursework in any way. Follow the syllabus precisely, and if you have questions, contact the course program leader.
  • Be actively engaged in discussion boards. Respond to everyone on your class list. Some professors alternate a group of students they respond to each week; students need to know you are leading them and reading their posts.
  • Feedback is essential to students. Give individualized feedback intended for growth. Monitor comments you make from one assignment to another to track student growth. Do not copy/paste the same comments into feedback for assignments or discussion boards. Students talk to each other. 
  • Create class announcements each week on BlackBoard to guide students on what to expect in the current or upcoming week.
  • Grade assignments promptly, usually within one week; students depend on our feedback.
  • Be consistent with redo attempts. Many students complain that they experience many different policies on redos. Be clear upfront about what you will/will not accept.
  • If you notice any errors in the course, please let the program leader know so we can edit.
  • Always use spell check – we are a role model for students.

How do I electronically access my course information? 

The Portal, connect.cuchicago.edu, is the primary web resource for all Concordia University Chicago faculty, staff, and students. It provides links to course information, webmail, Blackboard, and all employee resources. It also contains forms (under the Resources tab) you may need, such as expense reimbursement and Change of Grade.  Class information is available through the portal; on the Home page, go down to the Faculty Dashboard section. 

How do I take attendance?

Please use the Student Attendance Tracking link found here: Access Student Attendance Tracking to enter attendance information for the students in your courses.  

Please note only face-to-face and online synchronous courses are open for attendance tracking. All faculty members must keep accurate student attendance records for the first two weeks of each term. The attendance records should note the number of class absences (excused or unexcused) a student has had for each course. Here are the Attendance Tracking Instructions (PDF). Online asynchronous and hybrid courses are not open for attendance tracking since attendance information can be pulled via participation in Blackboard.

If you have questions, please contact the Office of the Registrar at Registrar@cuchicago.edu, 708-209-4078 or by visiting Addison (AD) 155 during business hours. 

What should I do if a student does not attend the first or second class? 

What should I do if a student struggles with the course I am teaching? 

What should I do if I need to reschedule a class or if a classroom will not be needed on a day already scheduled? 

  • For undergraduate courses (outside of special education courses), contact Dr. Kari Pawl, Chair of the Division of Teaching and Learning, at Kari.Pawl@cuchicago.edu. If a classroom is not needed on a particular day, the division will communicate this to the site location personnel. Please contact Dr. Anderea Dinaro, Chair of the Division of Curriculum, Technology, and Inclusive Education for undergraduate special education courses, at Andrea.Dinaro@cuchicago.edu.  

  • For graduate courses, contact Graduate Student Services at Grad.Admission@CUChicago.edu or 708-209-4093 to reschedule a class.  If needed, work with Graduate Students Services to know when your site is available on alternative days of the week.  If a classroom is not needed on a particular day, Graduate Students Services will communicate such to the site location personnel.  Please give this office as much advance notice as possible. 

What should I do if I need to cancel a class? 

  • For undergraduate courses (outside of special education courses), contact Dr. Kari Pawl, Chair of the Division of Teaching and Learning, at Kari.Pawl@cuchicago.edu. If a classroom is not needed on a particular day, the division will communicate this to the site location personnel. For undergraduate special education courses, please contact Dr. Anderea Dinaro, Chair of the Division of Curriculum, Technology, and Inclusive Education, at Andrea.Dinaro@cuchicago.edu. 

  • Again, contact Graduate Student Services at Grad.Admission@CUChicago.edu or 708-209-4093 BEFORE you notify your students.  This department will work with appropriate CUC staff to inform the students and key personnel at the site location.   

Who should I contact if I need any technical equipment at the classroom site? 

Contact CougarNet at 708-209-3131 or CougarNet@CUChicago.edu  

Who should I contact if I need desk copies of the required texts for the course(s) I am teaching? 

  • If ordering from Pearson or Routledge, please see the tab above titled "Order Textbooks."

  • If Pearson or Routledge are not the publishers of the text that you need, please email Hillary O'Donnell with textbook requests at Hillary.ODonnell@CUChicago.edu. Please communicate your needs with as much advance notice as possible, as we request desk copies from the various publishers, and it can take up to three weeks to get the books.   

  • Unfortunately, publishers will not send instructors desk copies of the APA manual.  

How do I get copies made? 

  • You can bring or send your items to Print Services on campus.  There is a small work request to fill out regarding quantities, single/double-sided, etc.  You can pick up the documents at Print Services (2nd floor of Klinck Memorial Library) or in our office (Christopher Center, Room 366), but we do not mail them.  If sending to print services, your copy code is  6226768.   

  • You can email the documents to print services print.services@cuchicago.edu along with instructions. If you choose this method, you may want to call Print Services at 708-209-3131.  And again, your copy code is  6226768. 

  • The other option is to take the items to somewhere such as Kinko's and save the original receipt.  You can be reimbursed up to $60 per course.  The Adjunct Expense Reimbursement form is found through the portal under Resources.  A completed form, along with receipts, should then be sent to Hillary O'Donnell, the administrative staff in the College of Education.  

Is it essential that I use your CUC email address?

All full-time and adjunct faculty should check and use their Concordia e-mail address.  This is the e-mail address CUC staff and students will use to communicate with you. 

What are the expectations for entering grades?

Undergraduate students are provided with midterm progress halfway through a semester or session. Midterm grades are important in informing students of their academic progress in their courses. Students making unsatisfactory progress are connected to university resources. Midterm grades do not appear on student transcripts.

● Students earning a grade of C or higher at the time of midterm grading will receive a midterm grade of ‘S’ or Satisfactory.

● Students earning a grade of C- or lower at the time of midterm grading will receive a midterm grade of ‘U’ or Unsatisfactory Final Grading

Undergraduate and Graduate 16-week and 8-week final grades are due 72 hours after the course ends. A final grading reminder will be sent to the Faculty on Friday before the final week of classes. Late submissions impact Degree Audit for graduation, employment, partnerships, transcript release through the National Student Clearinghouse, and student transferability.

What if I need to change a grade?

An error in grade calculation or incomplete grade must be resolved within six weeks from the day the course ended. To change the grade, please log into CUConnect > Resources > search the Forms Repository for and submit the “Change of Grade Incomplete to Grade” fillable form.