eCampus Standard

Policy Number: 1.11.1.3.1
Category: Acceptable Use of Technology
Effective: July 12, 2022
Revision History: Originally effective July 15, 2019
Review Date: July 11, 2025

1. Purpose, Scope, and Responsibilities

   1. The primary Learning Management System utilized at West Virginia University, West Virginia University Institute of Technology, and Potomac State College of West Virginia University (“University”) is eCampus (Blackboard). eCampus allows students to participate in discussions, take tests, submit assignments online, and provide access to class announcements.
   2. The purpose of this Standard is to establish minimum requirements for use of eCampus to ensure its smooth operation and effective adaptability.
   3. This Standard applies to all staff, faculty, and students using eCampus.
   4. It is the responsibility of instructors administering courses in eCampus to adhere to the requirements outlined in this Standard. Students using eCampus to access courses are also expected to be aware of this Standard.
   5. The Chief Information Officer, with support from the Director for Systems of Engagement, is responsible for the implementation of this Standard.

2. System Roles

   1. Student and faculty roles within eCampus are determined by the individual’s role in STAR (Banner), the authoritative information system of record for students and faculty at the University.
   2. Instructors must be added to a credit section with a Course Request Number (“CRN”) in STAR to be granted eCampus access.
   3. Individuals identified as active students within STAR will automatically be granted a student role within eCampus.
   4. Individuals that are not identified as an active student or faculty member in STAR must request access to eCampus via sponsorship from an individual or University department.
   5. Individuals granted the Teaching Assistant ("TA") role must be an undergraduate student that has already taken the course, a graduate student, program advisor, or supervisor. Because the role has access to grades, all individuals granted the TA role must agree to the eCampus Code of Confidentiality each semester they are enrolled.
   6. The course builder role does not have access to the Grade Center.

3. Course Sections and Access

   1. eCampus sections must not begin more than seven (7) calendar days before the STAR course start date.
   2. File upload size limit is 20MB, including email and messages; overall content collection size is 500MB for each course.
   3. Final grades must be entered in STAR within 48 hours after the end of the final examination. Grades are not automatically transferred from eCampus to STAR; however, instructors can submit grades to STAR by choosing GradeSync in eCampus.
   4. Course activity of students who have formally withdrawn from the University or from an individual course will remain in eCampus but their name will be hidden on the course roster.
   5. Sections for an upcoming term will open to instructors six (6) to eight (8) weeks before the start of the term.
   6. By default, all sections open to students at 12:00 AM on the official start date identified in STAR; however, as previously identified, instructors may open courses to students a maximum of seven (7) days before the official start date.
   7. Courses will follow the traditional term dates in STAR.
   8. Start and end dates for a section will not be modified by Information Technology Services ("ITS").
   9. ITS will not reopen past courses for individual students to make up an incomplete.
   10. All sections close to students 30 days after the submission of grade in STAR.
   11. Access to eCampus is not guaranteed during weekly maintenance periods held on Sundays from 3 a.m. to noon.

4. Data Backup

   1. ITS purges courses over two (2) academic years old from eCampus.
   2. Backup of eCampus is governed by and conducted according to Blackboard’s backup and recovery policies.
   3. Instructors wishing to keep students' files after the current semester, must keep their own records of grades and assignments using Blackboard's export feature.

5. Building Blocks

   1. Prior to integration into eCampus, all Building Blocks will require review and approval by ITS to ensure system security, student data integrity, pedagogical implications, system performance, and overall compliance with federal regulations and University policies.
   2. Any Building Block that is deemed to be High-Risk to the institution will not be approved for integration into eCampus.
   3. Proctors for all testing service integrated into eCampus must ensure compliance with the Online Proctored Exam Standard for all proctored tests and quizzes.

6. DEFINITIONS:

   1. "Blackboard Collaborate” means a software option that permits faculty to add guest speakers in online forums outside of, but linked within, eCampus.
   2. “Building Blocks” means any third-party application that has interactions with eCampus that extend the usability and functionality, aid in the administration, or otherwise provide customizations. Building Blocks installed range from providing simple links to outside systems, to sharing student data or adding additional course tools.
   3. “Course Request Number (CRN)” means a different offering of a module. The CRN for the same course will change when it is rolled forward to the next academic year.
   4. “High-Risk Integration” means an Integration that fails to be in compliance with University policies or FERPA guidelines, does not pass a security or accessibility assessment, will have an adverse effect on system performance, or will introduce risk to University systems and data.
   5. “Learning Management System” means a software application used for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting, and delivery of educational courses, training programs, or learning and development programs.
   6. “STAR (Banner)” means WVU’s Student Information System.

Related Documents

• eCampus and Course Tools (WVU Login required)
• Acceptable Use of Data and Technology Resources Policy
• University Withdrawal Policies
• Online Proctored Exam Standard