Classroom Rights & Responsibilities

A functional and well-maintained classroom environment is fundamental to effective teaching and learning. Since classrooms are a shared resource, their effective management requires a shared commitment by all members of the academic community - students, faculty, administrators, and - professional and classified support staff. This document outlines expectations, rights, and responsibilities of each group, followed by design and maintenance considerations from the Campus Classroom Committee.

RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Instructors

Instructors have the right to:

• a clean, well-maintained classroom environment;
• functional and well-maintained network access and presentation equipment;
• timely technical support and troubleshooting when problems occur;
• training and professional assistance with effective use of educational technology and media.

Instructors have the responsibility to:

• consider the effect of their educational technology choices on students, being mindful of student's ability to access the course materials they present;
• take advantage of available training opportunities before the term begins, or before using specific equipment in a live instructional setting;
• report classroom problems in a timely way;
• have a back-up plan that minimizes the loss to students should problems occur;
• respect the classroom as a shared resource - end classes on time, return equipment to default settings, and move away from the podium when another instructor needs to set up - keep the classroom clean and ready for the next group.

Students

Students have the right to:

• a clean, well-maintained classroom environment;
• functional and well-maintained network access and presentation equipment;
• timely technical support and troubleshooting when problems occur.

Students have the responsibility to:

• respect the classroom as a shared resource by keeping it clean and leaving it ready for the next group;
• help instructors report classroom problems in a timely way;
• provide feedback to instructors on the effects of educational technology and classroom environment on their learning.

Registrar: Scheduling Staff

Scheduling Staff have the right to:

• faculty participation in training and orientation opportunities needed for a basic and realistic understanding of the UO's classroom policies, tools, and support services;
• understanding from faculty that classrooms are a valuable, shared resource that need to be optimized;
• an ongoing collaboration with other support providers to keep classroom maps, instruction guides, and equipment databases up-to-date;
• general respect, cooperation, and recognition as partners in the academic enterprise.

Scheduling Staff have the responsibility to:

• assign faculty to teaching spaces that support their pedagogical methods and goals;
• maintain an ongoing collaboration with other support providers to keep classroom maps, instruction guides, and equipment databases up-to-date;
• provide timely and appropriate referrals to other services as needed;
• help document and communicate classroom needs to campus administration in a timely and appropriate way.

Central Technical Support Staff: Media Services Classroom Technology Group

Central Technical Support Staff have the right to:

• faculty participation in training and orientation opportunities needed for a basic and realistic understanding of the UO's classroom policies, tools, and support services;
• sufficient advance notice to meet special requests for equipment and staff resources, or to develop acceptable alternatives;
• timely reporting of classroom problems;
• general respect, cooperation, and recognition as partners in the academic enterprise.

Central Technical Support Staff have the responsibility to:

• provide instructors with adequate training opportunities before the term begins, or before specific equipment is used in a live instructional setting;
• respond to classroom equipment problems in a timely way;
• provide timely and appropriate referrals to other services as needed;
• continually assess the classroom environment and watch for emerging trends and needs;
• help document and communicate classroom needs to campus administration in a timely and appropriate way;
• stay up-to-date with new presentation technologies, educational technology tools, and best practices in classroom support.

Central Faculty Development and Training: Center for Educational Technologies and Teaching Effectiveness Program

Central Faculty Development and Training Staff have the right to:

• opportunities to provide instructors with training and development necessary for creative and pedagogically effective use of technology in instruction;
• general respect, cooperation, and recognition as partners in the academic enterprise.

Central Faculty Development and Training Staff have the responsibility to:

• stay up-to-date with new presentation technologies, educational technology tools, assessment methodologies, and best practices;
• provide timely and appropriate referrals to other services as needed;
• continually assess the classroom environment and watch for emerging trends and needs;
• help document and communicate classroom needs to campus administration in a timely and appropriate way.

School/College-based Technical Support Staff

School/College-based Technical Support Staff have the right to:

• active communication and collaboration with central support providers, especially when discipline-specific spaces, tools, and teaching methods are involved;
• faculty participation in training and orientation opportunities needed for a basic and realistic understanding of school/college classroom policies, tools, and support services;
• sufficient advance notice to meet special requests, or to develop acceptable alternatives;
• timely reporting of classroom problems;
• general respect, cooperation, and recognition as partners in the academic enterprise.

School/College-based Technical Support Staff have the responsibility to:

• coordinate services with central support staff to avoid duplication of effort and unnecessary budget expenditure provide instructors with adequate training opportunities before the term begins, or before specific equipment is used in a live instructional setting;
• respond to classroom equipment problems in a timely way;
• provide timely and appropriate referrals to other services as needed;
• continually assess the classroom environment and watch for emerging trends and needs;
• document and communicate classroom needs to campus administration in a timely and appropriate way;
• stay up-to-date with new presentation technologies, educational technology tools, and best practices in classroom support.

Maintenance Staff: Facilities Services

Facilities Maintenance Staff have the right to:

• respect and consideration from end-users
• timely reports of maintenance problems, need for clean-up of spills, etc.
• participation in classroom design and equipment installations with other service providers

Facilities Maintenance Staff have the responsibility to

• keep teaching and learning areas free from debris
• provide basic classroom teaching tools (chalk, boards, some screens, erasers)
• ensure adequate (for projection) lighting - this means dimmable, but enough for note taking.

Space Planners: University Planning Office; Committee for Academic Infrastructure; Provost's Office

Space Planners have the right to:

• a user community that approaches classroom planning as a shared enterprise
• a user community (especially faculty and professional support staff) with an informed and realistic understanding of the UO's classroom policies, tools, and support services
• general respect, cooperation, and recognition as partners in the academic enterprise

Space Planners have the responsibility to:

• provide opportunities for appropriate student and faculty involvement in the classroom planning process
• involve key stakeholders as direct members of project user groups
• stay up-to-date with new presentation technologies, educational technology tools, and best practices in learning space design
• document and communicate classroom needs to senior campus administration in a timely and appropriate way
• continually assess the classroom environment and watch for emerging trends and needs.