Important Services

MyUSF

MyUSF is the portal that allows students, faculty, and staff to access Canvas, GEMS, FAST, and OASIS
all in one click. The portal also provides virtual workspaces for departments and individual workgroups to
share and collaborate on various projects. Students and faculty can access Canvas via the portal which is a collection of online services and includes automatic electronic course space for every section of class,
customized distribution of licensed software, as well as real-time information regarding available seats in
our Open Use Computer Labs. Email can also be accessed from MyUSF. You will need your NetID to login.

Email

Students, faculty and staff employees are automatically provisioned a mailbox in USF’s Office 365
environment which can be accessed from the MyUSF portal. Faculty can use the many messaging
features of Canvas to send and moderate communications to their entire course in a single action.

Microsoft Teams

USF is using Microsoft Teams to provide synchronous virtual learning experiences for faculty to use
(for a general overview, see www.usf.edu/it/documentation/office365/microsoft-teams.aspx).
Microsoft Teams is not replacing Canvas, but instead allows students to connect with professors during
class time or in smaller groups in a virtual remote session. Here are some helpful training websites
related to Microsoft Teams that include, but are not limited to, the following topics:

• Video Conferencing and Meetings

• Channels, Chat and Messaging in Microsoft Teams

• File Storage and Collaboration

• How can I get more training on Microsoft Teams?

Canvas

IT administers and supports an integrated academic toolkit for hosting web-based courses called Canvas.
This course-delivery tool suite includes easy features for uploading of course materials and assignments,
chat rooms, threaded discussions, quiz/survey design, and grading. Accessed via the MyUSF portal,
Canvas is a Learning Management System (LMS). It’s a set of tools to help you deliver your entire course
online or to augment your traditional face-to-face classes. Our goal with Canvas is to make teaching and
learning online easier for you.

Canvas is exclusively for USF faculty, staff and students with a valid NetID and password. Canvas courses
are automatically created for each of your teaching appointments, and your students are added to their
course within minutes of registration. Select administration tasks of taking first day attendance, midterm
grades, and end-of-semester grades are also completed via your Canvas course sites.

Computer Labs

IT supports the computer labs at the Tampa campus. Classroom computer labs are available by
reservation only. If a class requires special software, be sure to discuss the needs with the lab manager
before the beginning of the semester to assure the software is installed in the labs.

Open-use labs are available to all USF students, faculty, and staff. Printing in these labs are available via
the Bull Buck$ system and the Free Printing program.

Remote Teaching

Faculty may be authorized to perform some of their normal duties and responsibilities using computers or
telecommunications at sites other than campus. Deans may authorize remote teaching and may authorize
the use of university-owned equipment or telecommunications services. Telecommuting equipment and
services will not be provided or paid for by the university if the telecommuting situation is occasional or
incidental or is solely for the convenience of the employee.

Any faculty member authorized to telecommute must have a signed agreement that addresses the terms
and conditions of the arrangement, including duration, work hours, location, description of equipment and
service that the university and/or faculty member will provide, expenses to be paid by the university and/
or faculty member, and how work will be evaluated. Please see work at home services provided by IT.

Remote Work Toolkit

The Academic Continuity Faculty Toolkit provides you with the information and resources necessary to
support your online course delivery including frequently asked questions and technical assistance.