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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 Sept 21st, 2026

SPOTLIGHT ON: FALL 2026 DIGITAL TEACHING CERTIFICATION COHORTS
Registration is open for these two fall 2026 digital teaching certifications cohorts offered by SHSU Online. These asynchronous programs are fully online and take place in Blackboard.

We are excited to announce the launch of our DEC Recertification program!  Check out the program description at #3 below and if you qualify, register today!
 (SEE #3 below for program descriptions and much more info)
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SPOTLIGHT ON: Announcing the Alpine Campus Fall 2026, In-Person Brown Bag Event!

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Friday, Sept 18th – speakers & agenda coming soon… RSVP to tim.parsons@sulross.edu

Stay tuned for the Eagle Pass Campus Fall Brown Bag announcement.

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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 contact Title V PPOHA Instructional Designer Rachel Carvajal directly at – rcarvajal@sulross.edu
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NEW SRSU Faculty Training Center – Alpine Campus BAB 319!
For more information, to schedule a virtual one-on-one, or for any BAB 319 on-site training:
Contact Rachel Carvajal – 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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2) REGISTER NOW @ SHSU Online – SEPTEMBER BLACKBOARD ULTRA & DIGITAL TEACHING WEBINARS

All September digital teaching webinars are now available for free registration

Remaining September Webinars:

9/15 @ 1pm – Blackboard’s AI Design Assistant for Instructors
9/17 @ 2pm – Media for Instruction: Kaltura, UnSplash, and AI Images
9/24 @ 1pm – Gradebook Deep Dive: Weighting, Categories & Grade Schemas
9/29 @ 2pm – Teaching Large Online Classes in Blackboard: Session 1 – Structure That Scales

Register for SEPTEMBER webinars using this link! 

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UPCOMING WEBINAR DESCRIPTIONS (THIS MONTH):

Blackboard Gradebook Deep Dive: Weighting, Categories & Grade Schemas
Join this session and “dive in” to the process of weighting grades, assigning gradebook categories, and updating grading schemas in Blackboard.

Beyond the above Gradebook Deep Dive session, we encourage you to explore the Gradebook Grid Resource Hub!
In it you’ll find all sorts of how-to resources and videos on everything you need to prepare for using the new “Gradebook Grid” experience!
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If you missed any of the free webinars over the fall/spring/summer 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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3) Fall 2026 DIGITAL TEACHING CERTIFICATION COHORTS

Registration is open for the fall 2026 digital teaching certifications cohorts offered by SHSU Online.  These asynchronous programs are fully online and take place in Blackboard.
The Program Descriptions:
1) The Digital Educator Certification Cohort – Fall 2026
This cprogramis designed for higher education instructors new to online teaching or seeking to refine their skills. Whether you’re developing your first online course or enhancing existing ones, this certification will provide you with the foundational and advanced strategies you need. The program is six weeks and takes place entirely in Blackboard. Register today!
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2) NEW – Digital Educator Recertification Cohort – Fall 2026 
This program is designed for instructors who have alraedy earned certification to teach in an online, online-synchronous, or hybrid environment within the past three years and are seeking to renew and strengthen their digital teaching expertise, and will help you refresh essential online teaching competencies while exploring emerging tools, practices, and pedagogical approaches. The program culminates in a comprehensive course review conducted by the Instructional Design team, providing personalized feedback and recommendations to ensure courses align with current quality standards and institutional expectations. This two-week professional development experience takes place entirely in Blackboard. Register today!
SRSU faculty who COMPLETE either of these Digital Educator programs will receive 25 professional development hours for the year 2026.

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4) 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 – Title II Accessibility in Blackboard
• NEW – Effective Assessment in the Age of AI
• NEW – Academic Integrity in the Age of AI
• NEW – Enhancing Your Course with Video: Blackboard & Kaltura in Action

… and so much more in the new SRSU “Teaching Online with Blackboard” instructor resource site!
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For More on AI in Blackboard, watch this TSUS/SHSU video series: The AI Design Assistant for Blackboard Learn Ultra

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5) 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 2026 Blackboard Ultra course shells!**

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6) BLACKBOARD FALL 2026 COURSE INFORMATION & SUPPORT INFO:
 2026 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 after the final official class day.
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FALL 16-WEEK TERM – Full fall session Blackboard courses will automatically open on the first class day 08/24/2025 and will automatically close on 12/09/2025.
FALL 1st 8-WEEK TERM – Fall 1st 8-week Blackboard courses will automatically open on the first-class day 08/24/2025 and will automatically close on 10/16/2025.
FALL 2nd 8-WEEK TERM – Fall 2nd 8-week Blackboard courses will automatically open on the 2nd-8-week first class day 10/19/2025 and will automatically close n 12/09/2025.

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TO REQUEST A DIFFERENT AUTOMATIC OPENING /CLOSING DATE FOR YOUR SUMMER/FALL 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 spring 2026 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 our SRSU 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