July 2024 - The Compliance Edition
This month, we want to talk about compliance! Specifically, compliance with state educational laws and the part syllabi can play in that (hint: it’s a big one). It’s worth noting now that a lot of the articles below have DEI in the title or discuss DEI initiatives and impacts at length. The reality is that there has been a rapid increase in legislation that addresses DEI, and these laws are the ones that are most likely to include specific language about syllabi and/or increase the scrutiny of syllabi at public institutions. We’re not here to relitigate these laws; we just want to draw attention to the importance of the syllabus as part of the process and share a little about how we can help!
In this edition:
- State Compliance through Syllabus Management - Free Webinar
- New States Join the Fray (and a quick brag)
- Texas and Florida Explore Paths Forward
- Keeping Up with the Legislators
This month, we want to talk about compliance! Specifically, compliance with state educational laws and the part syllabi can play in that (hint: it’s a big one). It’s worth noting now that a lot of the articles below have DEI in the title or discuss DEI initiatives and impacts at length. The reality is that there has been a rapid increase in legislation that addresses DEI, and these laws are the ones that are most likely to include specific language about syllabi and/or increase the scrutiny of syllabi at public institutions. We’re not here to relitigate these laws; we just want to draw attention to the importance of the syllabus as part of the process and share a little about how we can help!
In this edition:
State Compliance through Syllabus Management - Free Webinar
New States Join the Fray (and a quick brag)
Texas and Florida Explore Paths Forward
Keeping Up with the Legislators
State Compliance through Syllabus Management - Free Webinar
With states introducing new legislations involving higher education, many institutions are scrambling to find solutions to help with compliance. Syllabus rules are often one component of this type of legislation, and Concourse Syllabus can help schools reach compliance with these requirements. Whether the state legislation is new to you, new to your state, or still on the horizon, join us on Thursday, July 18th for a 30-minute webinar that discusses how Concourse has helped colleges in states with existing regulations (like Texas and Florida) achieve compliance.
New States Join the Fray (and a quick brag)
While bills are still making their way through the system in dozens of states around the country, legislation has become law in four states last week. Laws in Utah, Indiana, Kansas, and Idaho all took effect on Monday, July 1st. But not all legislation is the same. You can explore the details and potential impact of all four in the article linked below.
P.S. It’s worth noting that Concourse has been working on how to best assist Utah schools since long before the law took effect there. We recently received the top score in the Utah Education Network’s search for a syllabus management product for their schools. If you’re in Utah - or anywhere with syllabus legislation on the horizon - we’d love to share more about how we can help.
Texas and Florida Explore Paths Forward
Texas and Florida Explore Paths Forward
Texas and Florida are two of the earliest (and most prolific) states when it comes to passing laws changing the way that colleges and universities operate. But in many cases, the laws are unclear or open to interpretation by individual institutions, leading to questions and uncertainty for those most directly impacted by them. “The Chaos of Compliance” examines how several Florida and Texas schools are addressing shifting requirements in their respective states.
Keeping Up with the Legislators
The Concourse team is constantly monitoring new legislation in higher education that might impact the syllabus management landscape. As we anticipate more changes and updates in the future, one of the best resources we’ve found is The Chronicle’s DEI Legislation Tracker. You can use it to follow the progress of DEI legislation in your state and across the United States and be better prepared when laws take effect that may impact you, your colleagues, and your students. And when it’s time to talk about how syllabi may be part of addressing those changes, we’ll be ready.
