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Spring 2026 Syllabus Challenge

Submission Form

Deadline  

Friday, February 6, 2026  

Description 

How can we design syllabi as effective engagement and learning tools? The Institute for Teaching, Innovation, and Inclusive Pedagogy (TIIP) worked with Rutgers students on answer to this question during the Fall 2025 semester and used their valuable insights to co-create the Syllabus Resource Library for instructors at Rutgers University-New Brunswick!  

We invite instructors to invest in student success by participating in the Spring 2026 Syllabus Challenge and applying one or more of the frameworks in the Syllabus Resource Library to their courses.  

Instructor Eligibility  

All members of the Rutgers University-New Brunswick community who are instructors of record during the Spring 2026 semester for Rutgers courses are welcome to participate in the Spring 2026 Syllabus Challenge, including teaching faculty (NTTs), lecturers, tenure-line faculty, tenured faculty, graduate students, and postdoctoral scholars.  

How to Participate  

  1. Review the Syllabus Resource Library.  
  2. Develop or revise at least one Spring 2026 Rutgers course syllabus according to at least one of the frameworks presented in the library (traditional, graphic, or video).  
  3. Complete and submit the Syllabus Challenge Participation Form by Friday, February 6th. Through this brief form you will provide:  
    1. Basic instructor and course information  
    2. A summary statement: This is a 250 – 500-word overview of the framework(s) you used from the Syllabus Resource Library, specific changes made, and what you hope students gain through your course syllabus.  
    3. A copy of, or link to the syllabus. 

Instructor Recognition & Showcase  

TIIP will review all submissions and recognize instructors who have successfully completed the Syllabus Challenge. Such instructors will receive:  

  • A Certificate of Distinction 
  • A notification about their recognition sent to their department chair or program director 
  • Recognition on the TIIP website, newsletter, and social media channels 

Optional: Gathering Student Feedback  

Although not part of the Syllabus Challenge, participating instructors are encouraged to invite their students to share anonymous feedback on the syllabus for the instructor’s assessment purposes. Instructors can ask students to complete this assessment soon after the syllabus is introduced in the course. Below are sample text and questions. 

Sample Student Survey Preamble 

I participated in the Spring 2026 Syllabus Challenge facilitated by the Rutgers Institute for Teaching, Innovation, and Inclusive Pedagogy (TIIP). Through this initiative I designed the syllabus for this course using frameworks in the Syllabus Resource Library that the teaching institute co-created with Rutgers students. I am interested in your feedback on our course syllabus. Please review the course syllabus [include link] and answer the questions below. Your responses are anonymous.  

Sample Questions 

1.Please respond to the following questions. Which aspects of our course syllabus: 

    • Do you find welcoming? Why?
    • Have the potential to increase your engagement in this course? Describe why. 
    • Help you understand the structure of this course? 
    • Help you understand the requirements of this course? 
    • Help you understand how to be successful in this course? 

2.What other items could be included in the syllabus to further support your success in this course?  

Instructors are welcome to reach out to TeachingInstitute@rutgers.edu with any questions about the Spring 2026 Syllabus Challenge.