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The SRSU Blackboard Online Support Desk is where faculty can direct all your Blackboard questions or requests. For instance, if you are the instructor of record for a Blackboard courses and need to add a TA, GA, or additional instructor to your course(s), merge course sections, need help with course copying content, need help with using a Blackboard feature in your course (such as Collaborate Ultra), etc., contact the Online Support Desk.

The Blackboard technical support desk is open 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your convenience.  To reach the support desk:

Don’t hesitate to request a web-conference one-on-one with an ID!

 


SRSU BLACKBOARD FACULTY RESOURCES & SUPPORT NEWS – UPDATED FOR WEEK OF Oct 6th, 2025

SPOTLIGHT ON: Fall 2025 Using Generative AI in Teaching & Learning Certification Cohort Date: Enrollment is now open! Register today!
AI Cohort: 10/13/25 – 11/07/25 (4 SRSU seats still available)
(FOR MORE INFO SEE #2 BELOW) 

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1) BLACKBOARD ULTRA SUPPORT & “BY APPOINTMENT” ONE-ON-ONE SESSIONS.

-Call/email our SRSU 24/7 Support Desk or your local Blackboard Instructional Designers:
24/7 Online Blackboard Support Desk – email- blackboardsupport@sulross.edu or call- 888.837.6055
SRSU Blackboard Admin & Support Tim Parsons -tim.parsons@sulross.edu
OR for SRSU Graduate Instructors, contact Title V PPOHA Instructional Designer Rachel Carvajal directly at – rcarvajal@sulross.edu
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-ALSO AVAILABLE TO ALL SRSU FACULTY- Digital Teaching How-to By Appointment
If you can’t make the times for some of our Digital Teaching Webinars or don’t see what you want listed in our offerings, why not sign up for a “By Appointment” session with an Instructional Development team member? Use our convenient form and let us know what you’d like to go over and when you have availability. Schedule By Appointment sessions for yourself, your program, or even your entire department!
Register for a By Appointment session TODAY for:
  • Migrating old content to Bb Ultra
  • Course Design
  • Plan/Design Your Program
  • Technology Integration
  • Accessibility
  • Much more!

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-For Course Content Copying into Fall Courses: 
For a “How-To” on doing this yourself please view the SRSU Blackboard Ultra Fall 2024 – Fall 2025 – Quickstart and Overview Video.
Ultra course copy topic covered by video timecode: 56:50 to End min – Course Copying into your Summer Ultra Bb Shell
blackboardsupport@sulross.edu can ALSO assist in course-copying content into your summer semester course shells from a previous Bb courses!

How to Course Copy in Blackboard Ultra PDF

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2) Fall 2025 DIGITAL EDUCATOR CERTIFICATION COHORT (formerly Online Course Redesign and Faculty Certification) 

The new program has been carefully designed to equip you with the knowledge and tools you need to create dynamic, engaging, and effective online learning experiences in an online, online-live, and hybrid environment. The Digital Educator Certification program will ask more of its attendees, but will provide more practical takeaways, digital teaching competencies, and best practices.
  • Fall DEC Cohort: All SRSU seats are now filled for the 09/15 thru 11/17 fall 2025 cohort and we are no longer accepting SRSU enrollment. The Spring 2026 DEC Cohort dates will be announced in January.

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ALSO AVAILABLE SOON FOR FALL 2025:
USING GENERATIVE AI IN TEACHING & LEARNING COHORT

In this dynamic and innovative course, “AI in Teaching and Learning,” educators will embark on a transformative journey into the realm of artificial intelligence (AI) and its profound impact on the field of education. This course is designed to empower educators with the knowledge and skills to leverage AI technologies effectively in various aspects of teaching and learning.

  • Fall AI Cohort: 10/13/25 – 11/07/25 (4 of 10 SRSU seats still available)! Register Here!
This 6-week cohort is fully online and asynchronous, so interact with the course and complete activities at a time of day that is convenient for you. Space is limited and this SRSU Summer 2025 AI Certification Cohort will fill up fast!  | Register Today|
For More on AI in SRSU Blackboard, watch this TSUS/SHSU video series:The AI Design Assistant for Blackboard Learn Ultra.

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3) Fall 2025 FACULTY DEVELOPMENT SERIES FOR QUALITY MATTERS

Are you looking to improve the quality of your online courses while earning a stipend? We’re excited to announce the Summer 2025 Faculty Development Series for Quality Matters. This program is designed to support faculty in delivering high-quality, engaging online instruction using the nationally recognized Quality Matters (QM) Rubric.

Opportunities include:
QM Self Review 1.0:  Evaluate one of your online courses using the QM Rubric.  This asynchronous self-paced course is open to anyone who completed the APPQMR Training.  It provides you with an opportunity to review one of your own courses so that you can make decisions as to how to improve the course design.  You will be automatically enrolled when you complete the APPQMR training.
  • Dates: Self-paced
  • Pre-requisite: APPQMR Training
  • Stipend: TBD
QM Self Review 2.0:  Evaluate a second online course using the QM Rubric.  This asynchronous self-paced course is open to anyone who completed the QM Self-Review 1.0.  You will have the opportunity to review a SECOND course using the QM Rubric!  You will be automatically enrolled when you complete the QM Self-Review 1.0.
  • Dates: Self-paced
  • Pre-requisite: Completion of QM Self Review 1.0
  • Stipend: TBD
If you’re interested or have any questions, please contact Dr. Jennifer Haan at jennifer.haan@sulross.edu.
We hope you’ll take some time to participate in this professional development opportunity to improve your online teaching.

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4) REGISTER NOW @ SHSU Online – OCTOBER BLACKBOARD ULTRA & DIGITAL TEACHING WEBINARS

All October digital teaching webinars are now available for free registration

September Webinars:
10/7 @ 2PM – AI in Practice – Part 1: AI 101 for Real Life
10/8 @ 2pm – Enhancing Your Course with Video: Blackboard & Kaltura in Action 🆕
10/9 @ 2pm – Bb AI Design Assistant Series – Session 1: Designing & Building Your Course with AI 🆕
10/15 @ 3pm – AI in Practice – Part 2: Prompt Power & Academic Research
10/16 @ 2PM – Bb AI Design Assistant Series – Session 2: Enhancing Assessment with AI 🆕
10/23 @ 1pm – What’s New in Blackboard? 🆕
10/23 @ 2pm – Bb AI Design Assistant Series – Session 3: Engaging Students & Boosting Productivity with AI
10/27 @ 1pm – Enhancing Your Course with Video: Blackboard & Kaltura in Action 🆕

Register for September sessions using this link.

USE THIS LINK TO REGISTER FOR FREE OCT WEBINARS!

OCTOBER SPOTLIGHT WEBINARS: AI In Practice & AI Design Assisstant – Digital Teaching Series

The Digital Teaching Series: AI In Practice is a two-part webinar series designed to help faculty at SHSU Online explore the practical and pedagogical potential of artificial intelligence.

-Beginning with Part 1 – AI 101 for Real Life (10/7 @ 2PM), participants will gain hands-on experience using Microsoft Copilot to simplify everyday tasks and build confidence through small, achievable wins.
-Then Part 2 – Prompt Power and Academic Research (10/15 @ 3pm), equips faculty with advanced prompting strategies and introduces research-focused AI tools to support scholarly work, while also guiding the creation of AI-aware assignments and syllabus language.

The Bb AI Design Assistant Series shifts the focus to instructional design, showcasing Blackboard’s AI-powered tools for creating course content, rubrics, and interactive learning experiences—all with an emphasis on responsible and accessible use.

Together, both of these series empower educators to thoughtfully integrate AI into both their personal workflows and professional practice. REGISTER FOR THE AI IN PRACTICE WEBINAR SERIES!

If you missed any of the free webinars over the spring/summer so far, visit the SRSU Faculty Central “Teaching Online with Blackboard” Organization Site to find webinar recordings and slide decks / resources (SEE: #5 Below)

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5) ULTRA WEBINAR RECORDINGS AVAILABLE in the Faculty Central “Teaching Online with Blackboard” Organization Site
To access our Faculty Central “Teaching Online with Blackboard” instructor resource site within Blackboard:
Choose the “Teaching Online with Blackboard” link in your “SRSU Faculty Central” module on the institutional landing page.

 Inside the ToWB site you’ll find:

-Bb Ultra Quickstart Guides, Blackboard Ultra Help from A-Z, Bb Ultra Roadmap (when new Ultra tools & features will appear)
–SHSU Online Webinar Recordings – In the “Ultra Webinar Recordings” folder you’ll find the latest recorded SHSU Online Ultra webinars such as:
• Blackboard Ultra Instructor Bootcamp
• Grading in Blackboard Ultra
• Adding Content and Activities to Ultra Courses
• Blackboard Ultra Course View: Tips & Tricks
• Blackboard Collaborate Ultra
NEW – SRSU Only– Mastering Bb Gradebook for Faculty Sucess
NEW – Effective Assessment in the Age of AI
NEW – Insightful Grading & Feedback (NEW) 
NEW – Bb Ultra AI Tools – 2025 Webinar Recordings folder

… and so much more in the new SRSU “Teaching Online with Blackboard” instructor resource site!
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Videos on new Ultra features – A new YouTube video playlist has been put together by SHSU Online covering significant new Bb Ultra features this past fall including a new Content Designer for Ultra documents, as well as another great new feature, the ability to Convert a File into a content block in an Ultra document.
To see the whole playlist of episodes:  New Features For Ultra in Fall 2024 – Highlights

For More on AI in Blackboard, watch this TSUS/SHSU video series: The AI Design Assistant for Blackboard Learn Ultra

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6) ALSO: SRSU Blackboard Ultra Student Support / Orientation Org site is available for all students!
Students can access their SRSU Blackboard Student Support / Orientation site within Blackboard from the SRSU landing page:
Choose the “SRSU Student Central – Blackboard Student Support / Orientation” link in the “SRSU Student Central” module at the top of our landing page.

​**A Blackboard Student Support Orientation site link has been added to all fall 2025 Blackboard Ultra course shells!**

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7) BLACKBOARD FALL 2025 COURSE INFORMATION & SUPPORT INFO:
 2025 Blackboard course shells are set to automatically become available to students on their first official class day and are set to automatically become unavailable to students a week after the final official class day.
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FALL 16-WEEK TERM – SRSU2025FALL – Full fall session Blackboard courses will automatically open on the first class day (08/25/2025) and will automatically close a week+ after the final class day (12/10/2025) on 12/19/2025.
FALL 1st 8-WEEK TERM – SRSU2025FALL10  – Fall 1st 8-week Blackboard courses will automatically open on the first-class day (08/25/2025) and will automatically close a week after the 1st 8-weeks final class day (10/17/2025) on 10/24/2025.
FALL 2nd 8-WEEK TERM – SRSU2025FALL11 – Fall 2nd 8-week Blackboard courses will automatically open on the 2nd-8-week first class day (10/20/2025) and will automatically close a week+ after the 2nd 8-week final class day (12/10/2025) on 12/19/2025

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TO REQUEST A DIFFERENT AUTOMATIC CLOSING DATE FOR YOUR 16-WEEK AND  2nd 8-WEEKS FALL COURSES (or opening date for your Fall 2nd 8-week courses): Simply contact your Blackboard support at blackboardsupport@sulross.edu and make an open/close date change request.
If you are the instructor of record for a fall 2025 Blackboard course and you need to add a TA, GA, or additional instructor to a course, need to have course sections consolidated, course copied, converted to Ultra, etc. you may request this by contacting our 24/7 Online Blackboard Support Desk at: email- blackboardsupport@sulross.edu or call- 888.837.6055 anytime, 24/7!
Don’t hesitate to request a web-conference one-on-one with an ID!

You may also email your SRSU Team of Blackboard Instructional Designers directly:
Tim Parsons – tim.parsons@sulross.edu
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SRSU Nursing Program Faculty Support
Angela McGuyer – mmj20ew@sulross.edu
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Title V PPOHA – Accelerating Access and Opportunity in West Texas – Faculty Support
Rachel Carvajal – rachel.carvajal@sulross.edu

More SRSU faculty and student support resources may be found at ourSRSU Blackboard webpage

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The following are popular faculty resource links. More information can be found by accessing your SRSU Teaching Online With Blackboard (TOWB) site within Blackboard (see above).

Content Manage Course Training Resources

Academic Affairs / Instructional Services

    • BAB 104
    • PO Box C-106
    • Alpine TX 79832
  • 432-837-8524 | 432-837-8525

Quick Links