Much of what you need to know as an off-campus instructor is applicable to on-campus instructors as well, however these pages highlight factors that make off-campus teaching unique. 

Off-campus degree classes are offered in cooperation with the partners across the province. Each partner identifies degree classes and programs they are interested in hosting at their locations. The Distance Education Unit (DEU) works with the academic departments to match these requests with available resources. 

How to become an off-campus instructor (sessional lecturer)

All instructors must have their credentials approved by the appropriate department and college on campus. For example, the head of the Biology department, College of Arts and Science, must approve the instructor for BIOL110. 

If you are interested in teaching off-campus classes, you can submit an application with your CV to a department within a college for pre-approval.

All off-campus teaching positions are categorized as Sessional Lecturer positions and are posted on the USask Career Opportunities website

  • Postings for Term 1 & Term 2 classes are posted the first Wednesday of May and weekly thereafter.
  • Postings for Spring & Summer (Term 3) are posted the first Wednesday of February and weekly thereafter.


Apply here for a sessional lecturer posting or for pre-approval. Please read all the information on this site for a better understanding of how off-campus instructors are selected and reimbursed.

Once an instructor has been chosen, a formal letter of appointment will be issued by the Distance Education Unit.

General Information

Once you have been approved to teach at an off-campus site, you will receive a formal letter of appointment along with the necessary taxation and copyright forms from the Distance Education Unit (DEU) as they administer the off-campus classes/programs for the U of S. Even though you are teaching off campus, you will be considered a U of S employee and are accountable to the U of S. Please read the appointment letter carefully and review all links in the letter. Sign and return the letter to DEU as soon as possible.

Instructor/Academic Department

  • Meet with department to review class syllabus, class content/material, copyright and assessments
  • Textbook ordering
  • Assignments and examinations
  • Grading and grade submission
  • All academic matters
Distance Education Unit (DEU)
  • Appointment letter
  • TD1 forms
  • Travel/expense claims
  • Financial matters
Off-Campus Site
  • Teaching facilities
  • Multi Media equipment
  • Admission/registration of students
  • On-site instructional matters

Information and Communications Technology (ICT)

You will be given an NSID (Network Service Identification Number), which allows you access PAWS. To obtain your password, call IT Support at 306-966-2222. Your password will not be issued by email.

PAWS gives you access to:

  • an email account
  • instructor services
  • blackboard platform
  • class lists
  • payroll information
  • expense claims

See the IT Instructor Guide for information on ID cards, email accounts and blackboard access.

As a condition of employment as a U of S off-campus instructor, you are required to apply for and maintain membership in the C.U.P.E. Local 3287 bargaining unit. Please complete the union application form.

Please contact ConnectionPoint at 306-966-2000 or CUPE 3287 at 306-966-7023 or cupe3287@usask.ca if you have questions on employment related matters.

If a class must be cancelled on short notice (inclement weather or illness etc.), please notify the Off-campus Site University Coordinator as soon as possible. Discuss cancellation procedures with the University Coordinator at each teaching location.

On the first day of classes, inform students of how cancellations will be handled. Setting up a telephone tree or sending a class email announcement works quite effectively. Students and instructors are encouraged to regularly check PAWS for such announcements. Since many students in rural areas have to travel some distance to attend classes, it is very important that a cancellation procedure is planned and discussed.

It is your responsibility to advise the DEU Off-campus Program Manager if you are unable to instruct a class. However, should a situation arise where you are unable to teach a class for several consecutive occasions, it will be necessary to arrange for an alternate instructor. If you are going to miss more than two classes in a row, please inform your Department Head.

Depending on how often the alternate instructor teaches, it may be necessary to post the position to members of CUPE 3287. Please consult with the DEU Off-campus Program Manager with regard to such matters. The alternate instructor must be approved by the Department Head and approval forwarded to DEU, who will then appoint the alternate instructor to teach the number of sessions designated as necessary by the Department Head.

Multi media equipment will be available at each off-campus site. If you are interested in using specialized equipment, please check with the local University Coordinator. Please reserve equipment at least one session before so necessary arrangements can be made. The precise location of your classroom and the room number can also be obtained from the off-campus site.
The academic department will cover the cost of photocopying basic handout material for a class to an extent consistent with that department's practice for the same or similar as on-campus classes. The Department Head must consider the photocopying reasonable and give his/her approval. If copying needed for a class exceeds that, you should plan in advance to have the materials sold through the Bookstore. Instructors may contact the DEU Off-campus Program Manager in cases where special considerations regarding photocopying may apply.
Instructors will be reimbursed for reasonable long distance charges. However, you must submit original copies of all phone bills. When submitting bills, please indicate which calls were related to your class. Lengthy telephone conversations with students, for example counselling them on what is wrong with their essays are not considered to be reasonable telephone costs. Instructors are expected to review such matters when they meet with their classes and through email. The occasional short phone call to a student is acceptable. Students may call you collect, but only for short calls. If a student wishes to talk at length, suggest they craft a detailed email with their questions or concerns. Emails also act as a record of exchanges between students and instructors.
Stipends will be paid in equal installments bi-monthly throughout the term. This may vary for classes that do not run on the normal University schedule of terms. All funds will be direct deposited to your bank account on file with the University of Saskatchewan.

Class Preparation

Teaching Support

The Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching and Learning has a wealth of information on preparing to teach, class syllabus writing, teaching strategies, technology, copyright and much more. These resources are particularly useful for instructors that are unable to attend face-to-face workshops. 

Academic Policies

Please review the academic policies at https://teaching.usask.ca/teaching-support/teaching-at-usask.php#Policies

Academic Department Meeting

Arrange a meeting with the department head to review and discuss your responsibilities, class content, class syllabus, copyright, assessments and examinations.

University Library

Distance and Distributed Library Services (DDLS) provides library materials to students taking off-campus classes, as well as support materials to off-campus instructors teaching those classes. If you need support materials and have a University Library card, go to library.usask.ca/offcampus/registerForDDLS.php. Be aware that there are some limits to the amount and level of service that can be provided, such as access to loaned materials from other academic libraries.

Students are encouraged to conduct their own research using the services accessible through DDLS. DDLS ensures that books and photocopied articles requested by students are forwarded to them expeditiously via courier and at no cost. Loan periods are extended for off-campus students to account for mailing time. Please make every effort to inform your students that the University Library provides a number of ways to make library materials available to them and encourages them to take advantage of this service.

Important Dates

Become familiar with the Important Dates for the upcoming academic year.

Student Assessments (Assignments) and Exams

All assessments (assignments, essays, quizzes, midterm exams) and final examinations should be discussed and approved by the academic department head. This can be done at the initial meeting or at a subsequent meeting. The schedule of all assessments must be included in the class syllabus. You must prepare a copy of your final examination and submit it to your department head. The department head will approve the examination and arrange for duplication. See below for details.

Class Syllabus

Your syllabus is a contract with the students and cannot be changed without notice. The Academic Course Policy requires that on the first day of  class you provide a class syllabus.

Note: After distribution of the syllabus, no major graded assignment, quiz or examination can be newly assigned without 100% approval by registered students. 

First Day of Classes

At your very first meeting with your class, please review the following items with your students.

  • Ask students to confirm their registration in the class via PAWS.
  • Explain to students that they should not make plans to be away until they have seen their final examination schedule. Deferred examinations are only granted for compassionate or medical reasons.
  • Inform them of the Off-campus Library services (DDLS) available to them.
  • Introduce them to the DEU Writing Centre for help with their essays and assignments.
  • Make them aware of Access and Equity Services and how it can assist them with notetaking, exam invigilation, alternate textbook format. They must apply and be accepted to use the services.
  • Set up a telephone tree or send a class email for last-minute class cancellations due to inclement weather, illness, etc.
  • Review the class schedule highlighting any times you know that classes will have to be re-scheduled.
  • Provide the students with information on how to order textbooks.
  • Inform your students that if at any point they wish to withdraw from the class, they must do so officially through the PAWS registration system. Cancellation is effective on the date the student enters the cancellation into the PAWS system. If they fail to take these steps, they will continue to be considered as registered students and will receive both an academic penalty (they will fail the class) and a financial penalty, meaning they may not be eligible for any refund.

and most importantly

  • Distribute a class syllabus that has been approved by the department.

Exams

You are responsible for grading all the assessments associated with your class. It is also your responsibility to invigilate all examinations.

The examinations and examination booklets (if requested) can be picked up by instructors living in Saskatoon from the academic department well in advance of the examination date.

Instructors who live outside of Saskatoon should not submit or pick up their examinations in person. Please use the mail. Note that travel claims will not be paid by the DEU for expenses incurred in driving to Saskatoon to pick up or deliver examinations. Exams should be forwarded by registered mail.

Final examinations for off-campus classes will be scheduled by the Distance Education Unit and must fall within the final examination period.

Off-campus sites will be informed of the examination dates. The exam schedule will be distributed to instructors and students during class and through a PAWS annoucement. Final exam dates cannot be changed after the exam schedule has been announced, unless 100% of the students are in agreement. 

Supplemental Examinations are not granted automatically in the case of failing marks.

Deferred Examinations may be granted to a student who is absent from a final examination for medical or compassionate reasons, or is ill during a final examination and stops writing the exam. Please note that students who complete an examination cannot apply for a deferred examination due to illness. Therefore, if a student complains of illness during an examination, please bring this rule to their attention. They are probably better off to stop writing the examination at once so that they are still eligible to apply for a deferred examination.

Please read the following information related to scheduling of deferred or supplemental examinations as well as policies regarding all examinations including midterm exams.

You are responsible for entering all grades in to the PAWS system. 

Do not divulge the results of a final examination or the final marks directly to students. Grade submission must be done electronically by instructors in PAWS. Once you have submitted the grades, they go to the Academic Department Head for approval. Once approval has been granted, the marks will be visible to students through their PAWS accounts. University regulations require that final grades be submitted within five working days (counting Saturday, but not Sunday or holidays) of the final examination.

Please familiarize yourself with policies and procedures with regard to student appeals in academic matters.

Travel

The U of S has moved to an online process for travel expenses. The Concur Travel and Expense reporting system can be found in your PAWS account.

Expense Reports

Expense reports must be submitted every 30 days. Log into your PAWS account. Click on Admin Services in the menu. Then click on Concur Travel and expense. Many of the training steps are not applicable for off campus instruction. Please use the DEU Concur Travel Guide found below. If you continue to have problems with your expense claim, go to ConnectionPoint. Be sure to inform them that you are an off-campus instructor with DEU.

We require that you itemize your expenses by location and date to satisfy our auditors. Kindly note that Payment Services requires original copies of receipts for telephone, postage and shipping charges, gas for rented vehicles, and accommodation. These receipts can be scanned and attached with your online submission. Instructions regarding receipt submission and using the Concur App are found in the reporting system.

All receipts must indicate GST, PST, and the GST registration number. This is required for all receipts.

Please submit your final expense claim as soon as possible after the final examination, especially for classes ending in April. The University's financial year-end is April 30 and it is essential that claims are processed before then.

Expense Rates

For expense rates please visit the USask Travel and Expense knowledge base website

Each instructor who travels to another centre to teach a class is entitled to reimbursement for meals when applicable. 

You should claim for what you actually spend rather than automatically claiming the maximum each time.

Amounts in excess of the per diem must be supported by receipts and must be reasonable. The number of meals you claim is also based on what is reasonable. For example, if you leave at 1:30 p.m. to travel to teach a 3:30 class, it would be reasonable to expect you to eat lunch before leaving and not to claim lunch.

Rental cars will be arranged through DEU. The approved University provider is Enterprise. In situations where you choose to use your own vehicle, you will be reimbursed at the approved U of S per kilometre reimbursement. This reimbursement includes all car related expenses including maintenance, insurance, deductibles, etc.

To arrange vehicle rental please contact Dean Evans.

Accommodation allowances are paid when special circumstances prevail and when overnight stays are required because of the distance from the instructor's home.

Authorization for these must be obtained in advance, but such allowances will be granted without advance authorization in cases of inclement weather.

Please err on the side of safety when trying to decide whether to travel or stay where you are.

Receipts are required for these claims.

When making reservations for accommodation, please inform the hotel personnel that you are from the University of Saskatchewan. By doing so, you may get a lower corporate or government rate.

If you stay in a private home, you may claim up to $15 per night as long as you provide receipts.

Contact Us

Distance Education Unit

Lyndon MacNeill, Program Assistant
Room 467, Williams Building
221 Cumberland Avenue North
Saskatoon, SK S7N 1M3 Canada
Phone: (306) 966-5034 
Fax: (306) 966-5590
Email Lyndon

Lisa Berg, Manager
Room 481, Williams Building
221 Cumberland Avenue North
Saskatoon, SK S7N 1M3 Canada
Phone: (306) 966-1754
Fax: (306) 966-5590
Email Lisa

Main Office/Dean Evans (CAR RENTALS)
Room 464, Williams Building
221 Cumberland Avenue North
Saskatoon, SK S7N 1M3 Canada
Phone: (306) 966-5563 
Fax: (306) 966-5590
Email Dean