Start of the Semester Checklist

Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning & Leadership

Resources for New and Returning Faculty

Resources from the Fall 2026 Faculty Orientation

Here are a few recommendations for new and returning faculty to help you get organized for teaching in the new semester.

Make sure you can access your accounts:

If you’t access these accounts, and you did not teach at 춹Ƶ in the preceding semester, ask your department󲹾ٴinitiate a Person of Interest (POI) ePAFٴexpediteaccount activation.ٳɾ,contact the ITS Help Desk at Support@qc.cuny.edu.

Any application that uses the CUNY Login Single Sign-On (SSO) system now requires MFA. This includes both University-wide tools and college-specific platforms such as the following: Brightspace, CUNYfirst,Degreeworks, QC Navigate360, and Zoom.

For more information about ITS support services, visit theInformation Technology Services site.

Using CUNYfirst

Using Brightspace

Access your Brightspace course

  • Go to and log in with your CUNY Login credentials.
  • If your course is not listed, check CUNYfirst and CourseDog to confirm that you were correctly added as an instructor to the course.

Remember to

You can instruct your students, via an email from CUNYfirst, to contact you if they cannot see their course in Brightspace.

Add users to your Brightspace Course

  • (to add a Learner, Designer, Grader, or Observer)
  • Adding in TAs and Instructors will be completed by your department’s administrative assistant/chair. They will add in users via CourseDog, once completed, the changes will reflect in Brightspace the next business day. The registrar will be able to assist with any issues with CourseDog enrollments. Contact your department with the full name of the user(s) you want to add as TAs/instructors, their 8 digit EMPL ID, and the course name/ID to which they need to be added.

Build your syllabus

Visit What’s in a Syllabus? for guidance on what to include and download an accessible syllabus template.

Course Materials

Submit your course adoption information throughto support course accessibility and affordability.

Enter information about textbooks, alternative course materials, or select “no books required” for each of your courses.

Consider asking the library to place a copy of the materials on reserve for your class. Information on requesting reserves can be found at Reserves Information for Faculty.

Also consider consulting the for important updates, deadlines, and dates when organizing your class materials and schedule. The Office of the Registrar will send reminder communications during the semester.

Reserve course materials for the next semester

For questions about Reserves, go to Reserves Information for Faculty or emailqc_reserve@qc.cuny.edu.

Thelibrary’s has details on how they can help you find OER alternatives to commercial textbooks. For questions or assistance with OER, contact OER Coordinator Leila S. Walker at lwalker@qc.cuny.edu.

Your campus classroom

Make sure you have access to your classroom. If the room has card swipe access, make sure your QC ID card is activated. For key access, contact the QC Locksmith.

You canalso contact the Main Gate Security at 718-997-5912.

Support

CETLL provides pedagogical support during our virtual Drop-in Hours. You can find the schedule and joining link at CETLL Virtual Drop-in Hours.

Email us at CTLOnline@qc.cuny.edu.

, to receive announcements about upcoming events, workshops, and other offerings.

Bookmark the CETLL site to view our latest announcements.