Information for Teachers and Administrators

Pursuant to revised SUNY System Administration policy, and in cooperation with SUNY colleges and universities throughout the state, any inquiries from high school principals, teachers, or school counselors regarding new course offerings received by the UHS Program must be referred, if applicable, to the local SUNY affiliate in whose service area the high school is located. If such institution has the capacity and is willing to offer the course(s) in question, the UHS Program is obligated to withdraw from any further discussions.

If the SUNY college or university in whose service-area the high school resides does not or is not willing to offer the course(s) in question and grants permission, then approval from the college/university must be put in writing by an appropriate official and forwarded to the UHS Program Office (Service Area Concurrence Forms are on file in the UHS Office, but a letter directly from the college or university will also suffice, as long as the information contained in the form is included). Once such a waiver/approval has been received, the UHS Program can begin to enter into discussion with the high school official regarding course possibilities.

The UHS Program allows for flexibility in teaching style and presentation as applied to faculty on campus, and encourages individual classroom initiatives. However, the approval process through which courses and teachers are carefully scrutinized before being admitted into the UHS Program is standardized, thorough and consistent with State University of New York (SUNY) System Administration guidelines on credit courses in high schools.

If you are interested in offering courses through the UAlbany in the High School Program, please send an email to [email protected] with your name, high school, and the specific courses you are interested in offering.  We will contact you with the specific steps necessary to begin the course approval process.

Once a high school decides on course offerings, UHS will send the following materials to the high school to help them prepare new course proposals:

• Course guidelines (designed by the respective departments at the University)
• Sample syllabi 
• General Education Learning Objectives and Outcomes * 
• A variety of course materials used on campus for each specific course
• A Course Proposal Sheet and syllabus guidelines detailing the materials required for inclusion in a new course proposal

The high school should send the completed new course proposal materials to the UHS Office for further processing.
 

Proposal and Teacher Reviews

The UHS Office will conduct an initial review of the course proposal and forward to the appropriate campus departmental liaison who evaluates the submitted documentation and/or gathers comments from other pertinent individuals in the department. They then determine whether or not the proposed curriculum meets University at Albany standards for the same course as taught on campus.

The university department will also determine whether the qualifications of the high school teacher are appropriate to teach the particular university-level course (see Voluntary Adjunct Faculty Status under course oversight below). They may conduct a site visit prior to approval. If and when the curriculum is approved and the teacher is deemed academically qualified to teach the course for University credit, the proposal is then forwarded to the Dean of Arts and Sciences for review. If and when approval from the Dean of Arts and Sciences is obtained the proposal is then sent to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs for final administrative approval. If final approval is received, the UHS Office will notify the high school in writing of the proposal’s acceptance, the teacher’s appointment as voluntary adjunct faculty at the University at Albany and the process for registering students.

Generally, the entire approval may take several months to a year, or longer, depending on the time of year and the quality and complexity of the submitted proposal. Proposals submitted in the spring may not be reviewed until the fall, as some university liaisons/faculty are on recess over the summer. While high schools may inform students and their parents that they have submitted a proposal to the UAlbany in the High School Program, neither should be led to believe that approval is guaranteed. Approval must be received in writing from the UHS Office before a course is considered available for student registration. Retroactive enrollments are not permitted.

Please note that individual departments on campus can and do set their own standards for approval of course content. Departments also make assessments based on internal departmental requirements in regard to the academic qualifications necessary to teach University-level courses in their respective academic disciplines. Acceptance into the UHS Program is subject to approval based on academic standards established by the individual departments. UHS faculty liaisons monitor these standards by making periodic classroom visits and can request changes/adjustments to the curriculum/teacher at any time deemed necessary by the UHS Program and Liaisons.

* There are General Education degree requirements in effect for all baccalaureate degree students at SUNY colleges and universities. The General Education Guidelines mandated by SUNY include a variety of Knowledge and Skill areas and Competencies. Each SUNY degree-seeking student will be required to complete course-work in these areas to acquire the competencies infused within the approved General Education courses that are taken. For courses meeting General Education Program requirements at the University at Albany, please visit the General Education website.  All applicable UHS courses should incorporate the learning outcomes described for each particular course listed on the General Education website.

UHS Course Descriptions     UAlbany Course Descriptions

The curriculum/teacher approval procedure is the first step in the quality control process instituted by the University at Albany to insure the integrity of courses offered through the UAlbany in the High School Program. Other components of this process include visits to high school classes by University faculty and workshops on campus for high school teachers in a variety of academic disciplines.

High school teachers must have degree requirements and teaching experience sufficient to qualify them as voluntary adjunct faculty. Teachers meeting the requirements for employment within respective University departments are subsequently appointed voluntary adjunct faculty of the University at Albany. All new UHS teachers must submit a Personnel Data Form to confirm their appointment as voluntary adjunct faculty of the University at Albany. All returning UHS teachers must verify/submit changes to their Personnel Data Form each year.

Syllabus - Consistent with University at Albany and SUNY System Administration guidelines on credit courses in high schools, all UHS instructors are required to have a current syllabus on file with the UHS Office. Syllabi for UHS courses should comply with University at Albany Syllabi Requirements. Updates to syllabi should be sent to the UHS Program Office for approval before implementation. Instructors should give each student a syllabus at the beginning of each session so that all students are aware of course and teacher requirements.

Textbooks – A textbook may be required and must be approved by the UHS Office as part of the approval process. The UHS Office reserves the right to request a change in textbook at any time consistent with department regulations at the University at Albany.

Course Materials - Consistent with University at Albany and SUNY System Administration guidelines on credit courses in high schools, all UHS instructors are required to have written materials used in the instruction of UHS courses on file with the UHS Office (e.g., sample exams, sample assignments, etc.). The UHS Office reserves the right to request, at any given time, written materials used in the instruction of UHS courses (e.g., graded student work, etc.).

Sample Materials – The UHS Office maintains sample curriculum materials used on campus and by participating UHS teachers. Please contact the UHS Office for relevant materials.

SUNY General Education Program/Assessment - The goal of the General Education curricula is to utilize common, system-wide learning objectives that will provide students with a foundation that both prepares them for continued work within their chosen fields and gives them the intellectual habits that will enable them to become lifelong learners. Courses within the program are designed not only to enhance students’ knowledge, but to provide them, as well, with new ways of thinking and with the ability to engage in critical analysis and creative activity. To see if a course falls within a General Education Category, follow the Gen Ed Lookup instructions to search for the course by subject and catalog number.

General Education Categories are assessed on a rotating basis under the UAlbany General Education Assessment Plan.  The assessment of General Education courses (both on campus and UHS courses) is a SUNY system mandate. The purpose is to provide information about how the General Education Program is working, and to enable the campus to document the extent to which students are meeting learning objectives. UHS will announce assessments in the first month of each session. If a course falls within a category being assessed, the instructor will be sent all necessary instructions at that time.

In order to preserve the quality and integrity of the credit offered through the University at Albany, any substitutions or changes in approved teachers (resulting in an absence of more than two weeks) at any point in the session MUST be brought to the attention of the UHS Program Office immediately (even if it involves an approved UHS instructor) . The resume and undergraduate/graduate transcript(s) of all new teachers must be sent to the UHS Office and approved by the UHS Program before students can receive credit for the particular course in question. The UHS Program, in conjunction with the relevant department on campus, reserves the right to cancel any course(s) due to lack of notification, disapproval of the proposed instructor or unacceptable changes in teacher/course curricula.

To ensure the quality and integrity of the credit offered in each UHS participating high school, UHS liaisons visit high school classrooms to monitor the academic standards set forth by the University and the respective academic departments. Faculty liaisons make visits to new high school classes and teachers in the first year and to existing classes and teachers at least every three years or as deemed necessary by the UHS Program and Liaisons. UHS liaisons will contact teachers prior to their intended visit to arrange a mutually agreeable day/time.

UHS liaisons can also serve as a link to the respective departments within the University and UHS teachers are encouraged to utilize UHS liaisons as a resource anytime throughout the academic year. Please e-mail the UHS Office at [email protected] for liaison contact information.

In an effort to preserve the quality and integrity of the credit offered through the University at Albany, all UHS courses will be evaluated by the appropriate liaison using a standard evaluation form. This document is password-protected. Please contact the UHS Office for the appropriate password. UHS reserves the right to cancel any course that is not taught in a manner consistent with departmental regulations at the University at Albany. Additionally, the UHS Program reserves the right to request at any given time, written materials used in the instruction of UHS courses (e.g., sample exams, sample assignments, graded student work, etc.).

The UHS Program utilizes a standard course evaluation form currently in use for on-campus courses called Student Instructional Rating Form (SIRF). This application is web-based for UHS students to evaluate their UHS instructor and course. Teachers/students are sent instructions relative to the appropriate time to submit an evaluation. Survey results are available to teachers upon request from the UHS Office. This evaluation is intended for use by the UHS Office and will be provided only to the UHS teacher.

UHS Course Evaluation Form

UHS Science Research Course Evaluation Form

UHS Science Research Symposium Evaluation Form

The UHS Program reserves the right to cancel any course that is not taught in a manner consistent with departmental regulations at the University at Albany.

Students needing a transcript should wait a few weeks beyond the grading deadline before they submit the request to the Registrar's Office. Therefore we recommend that students select the "hold for posting of current semester grades" option in the online transcript order to prevent the official transcript from being sent without final grades.

Students attending another college or university will need to have a copy of their official University at Albany transcript sent to the institution in question in order to have it considered for transfer credit. Complete details for ordering an official transcript can be obtained by visiting the UAlbany Registrar's website, or by contacting the Registrar's Office at 518-442-5540.

Class rosters are available to approved UHS adjunct faculty online via MyUAlbany.

Periodic reminders to check class rosters will be sent to instructors and principals/administrative contacts. UHS requires instructors to check their rosters online for accuracy. Checking a class roster is very simple and takes little time to accomplish. Failure to complete this quick and vital task may result in students not receiving proper course credit, receiving a failing grade of “E”, or having their names incorrectly listed on their certificates of completion, official transcripts, ID Cards, etc. UHS Program staff, upon notification from teachers, will handle any necessary changes or errors within allotted time frames.

Online Class Roster Instructions

Need Help?

For assistance with your class roster, contact the UHS Program Office at 518-442-4148.

For assistance with logging on to MyUAlbany or completing the UAlbany Password Set/Reset, contact ITS at 518-442-3700.

Teachers of UHS Program courses are required to assign official grades. All grades MUST be submitted online via the MyUAlbany website. Teachers will be notified regarding grading activities prior to the end of each session. Online grading is very simple and takes little time to accomplish. 

Failure to report grades online by the specified date/time may result in students not receiving grades and University at Albany credit for the course(s) they have completed. 

The University at Albany uses a letter-based grading system and utilizes pluses and minuses (+/-) to allow for variations of the assigned grades.

• Acceptable grades are A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, E (“E” being the designation for failure). The University does not use grades of A+ or F. 
• In rare cases, a temporary grade of “I” (incomplete) can be assigned by the instructor, indicating that the student has every intention of completing required work for the course. Grades of “I” which are not resolved within University time frames will automatically revert to a grade of “E”.
• There are no S/U (Pass/Fail) grading options through the UHS Program.
• Grading scales are determined by individual instructors and are listed on the syllabus given to each student at the beginning of each session.
• Teachers cannot assign a “W” (Withdrawn) as a final grade for any student. 
• All students listed on a grade roster must be assigned a grade.

Students are responsible for withdrawing from any course taken through the UHS Program. If a student does not submit a written request to withdraw from the UHS Program Office by the published deadlines, the student’s name will appear on the final grade roster. Students who do not successfully withdraw or complete the course should be assigned a grade of “E”. 

All grades assigned become a permanent part of the academic record (transcript) at the University at Albany. If a UHS student enrolls at the University at Albany, all UHS grades received, including grades of “E”, will be used in the calculation of the student’s Grade Point Average at the University at Albany. The grade of “W” is non-punitive, but will appear on the student’s transcript.

The grading deadlines for each session are as follows:

Online Grading Instructions and Rosters

Grade Change Request Form - Instructions

Need Help?

* For assistance with grading and access to your roster, contact the UHS Program Office at 518-442-4148.

* For assistance with logging on to MyUAlbany or completing the UAlbany Password Set/Reset, contact the ITS Help Desk at 518-442-3700. 

Courses are A-E graded (there are no S/U - Pass/Fail options). The conversion of a numerical grade to a letter grade is at the sole discretion of the high school instructor.

The primary goals of General Education assessment are to learn how the program is working, and to report to SUNY the extent to which students are meeting the General Education learning objectives.  The course-embedded model used by the University at Albany encourages faculty to reflect on their pedagogical and curricular choices and to engage in dialogue with their colleagues about these choices, informed by the results of their own direct assessments, and the aggregated results of the assessed category.

UHS courses that fall within a SUNY Gen Ed category will be assessed on a rotating basis.

Please email [email protected] with questions.

Stipends are paid yearly to UHS instructors in recognition of the obligations that come with offering a UHS course to students. A breakdown of stipend amounts can be found in the UHS Policy and Procedure Manual.

You must submit the Stipend Information Form each year to be eligible to receive a stipend. UHS has emailed you the form instructions and password. Forms should be emailed (strongly preferred) to [email protected], faxed to 518-442-4135 or mailed to the UHS office.

Completed Stipend Information Forms must be submitted by May 3, 2024 or they will not be accepted. No exceptions will be made. Stipends will be issued by the State of New York. The Stipend Information Form must be typed. Incomplete forms will not be accepted.

Instructors should check with their high school principals (before submission of the form) regarding any restrictions that might apply to receiving personal stipend compensation.

Stipends will be mailed to the address on file with the Statewide Financial System, which must be the same address listed on the form. It is the sole responsibility of the teacher to verify that the address on file with the SFS is correct. Once the stipend is processed, it cannot be revised and a new stipend will not be sent. Teachers must verify the address with the SFS before submitting this form to UHS.

If you need assistance, have questions, or want to verify if we have received your stipend form, please email [email protected].

Thank you for your continued support of and participation in our Program.

Stipend Information Form

2024 - 2025 UHS Workshops

UHS has compiled resources for Spanish classes under the topics of Technology in the Classroom, Information Gap Activities, and Other Resources.

UHS Spanish Resources