The October 2025 Edition
You made it past the beginning of the term! Courses have started, students are settled, and your shoulders have probably released a little bit of tension. What now? Your work obviously hasn’t stopped just because we’re about halfway through the fall term. Education is always moving and shifting, and you have to be ready to make those changes as they come. Whether it’s updating policies across your institution, making changes to your syllabus, or adjusting coursework, the middle of the term may be the time where major shifts can happen. So, we’ll ask again: what now? Find some inspiration for when change comes this term in this month’s Syllabus Sentinel.
In this edition:
- Keeping your syllabus fresh this fall
- What we’re currently reading
- Coming up at Concourse Syllabus
You made it past the beginning of the term! Courses have started, students are settled, and your shoulders have probably released a little bit of tension. What now? Your work obviously hasn’t stopped just because we’re about halfway through the fall term. Education is always moving and shifting, and you have to be ready to make those changes as they come. Whether it’s updating policies across your institution, making changes to your syllabus, or adjusting coursework, the middle of the term may be the time where major shifts can happen. So, we’ll ask again: what now? Find some inspiration for when change comes this term in this month’s Syllabus Sentinel.
In this edition:
Keeping your syllabus fresh this fall
What we’re currently reading
Coming up at Concourse Syllabus
Keeping your syllabus fresh this fall
Things happen. New institutional policies are implemented, expectations change, and you discover new things you may want to include in your course material. The good news? A Concourse Syllabus is flexible, meaning you can edit your syllabus as you need to throughout the length of the course. So when unexpected changes pop up (as they inevitably do in higher education), you can take care of the syllabus in just a few moments.
The best part? You can notify your students of any changes that occur throughout the term. As you make updates, you can send your students notifications via email to keep students informed the moment something changes. And with our reporting features, you can see what students have viewed the syllabus and when so you can keep students accountable.
Learn more about our features below.
What we're reading
Livening up your lectures
Even though we’re pretty deep into the semester, you can still find ways to liven up your classroom! During this point of the course, students might be feeling a bit complacent and disinterested - just floating along in between the first day and the final exams. As you get to know your students more and more, you’ll naturally find strategies you might consider implementing to keep them engaged with the curriculum. Kristi Rudenga has compiled a list of ways in which you can tweak your lectures and other activities to recapture students’ attention and keep them connected with you and your subject. You can read more below.
P.S.: This is where the syllabus change notifications would come in handy!
Evaluating student needs
Inside Higher Ed recently shared a compilation of studies that report food and housing insecurity among students in the California community college system. It’s a great reminder that sometimes students’ basic needs not being met are what may lead to perceived struggles or disengagement in the classroom. We share this because as the mid-term season arrives and you’re evaluating priorities for your class and your institution, it’s important to consider the students and what they may need the most. You can read more below.
Coming up at Concourse Syllabus
Events
Alabama Canvas User Group Conference *
October 17th, 2025 in Birmingham, AL
Tennessee Association of College Registrars and Admissions Officers Annual Meeting *
November 19th - 21st, 2025 in Chattanooga, TN
* indicates a Concourse-themed presentation
