Guidance and Resources for Preparing Syllabi

Dear Colleagues, 

Recognizing that many of you are finalizing your fall syllabi, we write to share some guidance and resources related to revising your courses and syllabi, scheduling assignments and exams, identifying how students can (and cannot) use AI, and improving your courses’ digital accessibility. Please share this information with your TAs as appropriate. 

Religious Accommodations

Our classrooms are enriched by students from a wide range of faith traditions. Religious observances—such as Yom Kippur, Ramadan, Diwali, Easter, and others—often involve fasting, prayer, or time with family and community. When major assessments, deadlines, or required attendance coincide with these observances, students may face unnecessary stress or feel forced to choose between their education and their faith. What you can do:

• • Review the academic calendar alongside major religious holidays. EOCR’s Student Religious Accommodations page has useful information to help your planning. Consider flexibility around key dates.
  • Include a statement in your syllabus encouraging students to notify you early about any religious accommodations they may need.
  • Offer alternative options for participation, assignments, or exams when conflicts arise.
  • Foster open communication so students feel safe and supported in sharing their needs.

By planning with intention and empathy, we not only comply with federal and state law—we also affirm our commitment to academic excellence, belonging, and respect for all students.

Navigating the use of AI 

Whether you encourage your students to experiment with strategic uses of AI in completing assignments or you prohibit or strictly limit its use, clear communication is essential. 

• • Clearly state your AI policy on your syllabus. If you do not prohibit the use of AI, specify exactly which uses of this technology are permissible and which are not for each assignment. The Center for Teaching Excellence has curated example syllabi statements for allowing, limiting, and prohibiting use of AI. The Honor Committee has emphasized that having explicit and clear AI policies is crucial to ensuring that students understand your expectations. 
  • Talk with your students about AI. Explaining the reasons for your AI policy will help students focus their efforts on learning in your course rather than trying to understand how they are supposed to use AI (or not). Detailed guidance for talking with your students about AI and for crafting a syllabus statement is available in Module 3 of Teaching in a World with Generative AI, a course created by UVA faculty, students, and staff, for UVA instructors. If you have difficulty accessing the course, write to gen-AI-modules@virginia.edu. The Center for Teaching Excellence has curated tips for talking with students about AI.
  • Choose UVA-licensed technology. If you allow your students to use AI, encourage them to use tools and services licensed by the University, which provides a protected environment for UVA students, faculty, and staff. Once you log in through Netbadge, the information you enter remains internal to UVA. 

Additional guidance is available in FAQs for faculty and for students on the Provost’s office website.

Digital Accessibility

The University is committed to ensuring that our students can access digital learning environments, and we appreciate all the work UVA instructors have done to significantly improve the digital accessibility of their courses.

As we move toward the April 26, 2027 federal compliance deadline for digital accessibility, please continue to update your course materials, websites, social media, and any other materials you distribute electronically, to ensure that they meet accessibility requirements. If you’re not sure where to start, the Center for Teaching Excellence has a three-part series that can help you take stock of and develop a plan for improving your course’s digital accessibility in Canvas. Additional information and resources for faculty and instructors are available on the Digital Accessibility website.

You may find these sample syllabi useful as you finalize your course materials. We wish you an engaging and productive semester.