3.20 Syllabi Posting and Notification of Students on Class Content

a. All institutions governed by the Iowa Board of Regents will provide public access to undergraduate course syllabus information, thereby promoting transparency and informed decision-making among students and the public.

b. Each institution shall make the following information for every undergraduate course publicly available on its official website: 

     i. Course title and number as designated in the institutional course catalog
     ii. A course description including learning objectives that students are expected to achieve by the end of the course
     iii. A general outline of the topics to be covered throughout the course
     iv. List of required textbooks, readings and other materials necessary for the course
     v. General description of the types of assessments used in the course (e.g., exams, papers, projects, experiential learning)

c. The required syllabus information for each course shall be published online no later than the first day of class in the academic term in which the course is offered. Institutions can set earlier deadlines for syllabus posting in learning management systems to facilitate timely publishing for public access. This policy shall take effect by the start of the fall 2026 academic term.

d. The requirements of 3.20.b-c do not apply to certain undergraduate courses, including the following: internships, practica, independent study or research projects, honors/senior thesis, or study abroad offered by a third party. Additional exclusions must be approved by the Board office.

e. For sound pedagogical reasons, a faculty member may decide to use course materials that students find objectionable. Learning involves students in free and open discussion of all content and issues relevant to the course. While faculty shall respect reasonable decisions by students not to attend part or all of a particular class session, students are responsible for learning class material and completing course requirements, as well as required courses for the completion of the major.