Simple Syllabus: Reviewing and Approving a Syllabus

Updated on Apr 29, 2026

About

The Syllabus Approver role can be requested via email to [email protected], or by submitting a Faculty Services Help Ticket.

All syllabi must be submitted and approved. Syllabi are published, and available to students, 24 - 48 hours before the start of the semester. Please view the Academic Year 26 Syllabus Schedule (includes Academic A & B) for the specific dates.

Please note that a syllabus may be edited through the last day of the term. After initial approval, any subsequent edits must be resubmitted and approved before changes become visible to students. Once the term concludes, all syllabi are archived in the Simple Syllabus Library.

There may be multiple approvers for a Division/Department. Communication between approvers is key!

1. Filtering in the Simple Syllabus Dashboard

Please select the "Approval" (1) filter, and set the "Term" (2) filter.

Please note that the three term options have a drop down menu (3) that opens more term options.

Image of Simple Syllabus dashboard with annotations around role filters, dropdown menu, and term filters.

2. Locating the Syllabi that need to be Reviewed

Now that the filters have been set to display the specific term and only show syllabi that are ready to be reviewed and approved, you can focus on the "To Do" (1) column.

Select the "Review" (2) button to start reviewing the syllabus.

Instructors will not have the ability to edit their syllabus until the syllabus has been approved or rejected.

The Syllabus dashboard, with annotations around the "To Do" column, and the "Review" button.

3. Rejecting a Syllabus (Optional)

Approvers have the ability to make edits to the syllabus while they are reviewing it. Please remember that communication between you and your faculty is key. You can use the "Internal Comment" (1) section to communicate any changes you have made.

After reviewing the syllabus, you must enter an "Internal Comment" (1) to be able to reject a syllabus.
Select the drop-down arrow (2), and then select "Reject."

The instructor will receive an email notification after a syllabus has been rejected.

All comments will display by selecting the "Show Full History" button. Use the Simple Syllabus: Viewing the History of a Syllabus guide, if needed.