New Faculty Foundations

Welcome to San Francisco State University!  The information and resources on this site will help you:

Get Access to University Systems

Your SF State ID, Password, and Email account are your passport to web-based administrative and instructional services such as SF State Gateway (payroll and benefits information and contacts), Campus Solutions (class rosters, grades), and iLearn (campus learning management system), among others. 

Note that if you are an international faculty member, you will need to have a valid US Social Security Number (SSN) and to have started your application process for a work visa (for example, H1B visa) before you can access university systems, begin employment and receive pay and benefits.

Here’s how you can get started:

  1. Establish University Identity: As soon as you receive notification from your college that your hiring paperwork has been processed, you have 14 days to establish your university identity by completing the following three steps to obtain your SF State ID, Password, and Email account.
  2. Find your SF State ID: Your SF State ID is a 9-digit number that is assigned to you as soon as your hiring record is entered into the Human Resources Management System. If you do not know your SF State ID number, your college can provide it to you. You can also look it up online using your SSN & birthday.  
  3. Create your SF State Password: Your SF State Password cannot be looked up, since it is created by you to keep your personal information private. Use the SF State password service to set or change your SF State password. Consult the SF State ID, Password, and login assistance page for more information.    
  4. Create an SF State email account: Use your SF State ID and Password request an account e-mail account services, change a password, forward email and more. Once you have setup your account, you can check your SF State e-mail at https://email.sfsu.edu/. SF State uses Microsoft Exchange as our campus email provider, which can be accessed through a desktop or web-based client.

  5. Human Resources: As a California State University Employee, you, and in some cases your family, may be eligible for a range of health benefits, including medical, dental, vision, flexible benefits programs and more. To learn about the rules, guidelines and deadlines governing your participation in these programs, visit this site for Lecturer Faculty, and visit this site for Tenured/Tenure-Track faculty.  

  6. Get your official SF State Identification/Library card (OneCard): Once you come to campus, stop by room 103 in the Student Services Building with your SF State ID number, a valid piece of ID, and your signed OneCard agreement. Staff will take your photo and issue your OneCard within minutes. The student version of the OneCard, called the GatorPass, affords students different privileges from faculty.
  7. Library: You can use your SF State ID and Password to access library databases from off campus, but you will need to register your OneCard at the Circulation Desk on campus to be able to check out and renew books, order books from other libraries and sign up for Library accounts. Review the SF State Library Information for Faculty page for an overview of all library services available and information on how to access them. 

Prepare Your Courses

Plan for Student Success

The following initiatives demonstrate SF State’s commitment to social justice, student success, and support for students with disabilities:

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

SF State supports students with all levels of abilities, and understands that Universal Design for Learning principles help all students succeed, not only those who have learning differences. When designing your courses, try to find ways to provide students with multiple ways to acquire the information and knowledge, multiple ways to engage with the content to achieve the objectives, and multiple ways to express and demonstrate what they know. To learn how UDL supports all students, not only those with disabilities, view these SF State student perspective videos. For more resources, visit the National Center on Universal Design for Learning. 

Affordable Learning

SF State and the CSU are dedicated to reducing the cost of course materials to students. Through Open Educational resources (OER) and/or Affordable Instructional Materials (AIM), faculty can make their courses more affordable and equitable. Many faculty on campus are beginning to replace costly textbooks with lower cost alternatives by using high-quality OER, library resources, digital or customized textbooks, and/or faculty-authored materials.  Every dollar counts for many students. If students cannot afford the assigned class materials, they may try to learn without them.​ Visit Affordable Learning at SF State to learn more. 
 

Build Your Syllabus

A helpful, complete and well-organized syllabus can establish a positive tone for the course, set the students and faculty member up for success, and fulfill a number of university requirements.

  1. Policy on Course Syllabi: The SF State Academic Senate maintains a policy on requirements for course syllabi, which all SF State course syllabi should follow. This policy provides guidelines covering syllabus use in courses and serves as an excellent starting point from which to organize your syllabus.
  2. Academic Calendar:  SF State maintains an official Academic Calendar that can be consulted to plan course activities. 

Choose Course Materials

SF State Bookstore: The bookstore offers several affordable options, such as XanEdu course packs, digital textbooks, and the Follet discover application to confirm or select new textbook adoptions, or search for open education resources for your classes.If you choose to order books and/or readers, please do so as early as possible since this allow materials to be converted to an accessible format should accommodations be required for students with disabilities. Orders received by mid-July will have the best chance of being on the shelves in time for courses. View Faculty Services located at the bottom of the Bookstore homepage.
 
Important Note: To be able to order textbooks and other course materials, you must be listed as the instructor of record for your classes. Please contact your department administrator to make sure that you are listed as the instructor of record in the Schedule of Classes.
 

Make the Most of Faculty Life

Children's Campus at SF State

Children’s Campus supports positive child development through quality care and education for approximately 85 infants, toddlers and preschool children with priority given to the faculty and staff of SF State.  

Parking, Transportation and Campus Maps

SF State is committed to reducing our carbon footprint and to being a good community partner. To this end, we have prioritized transit, walking, biking, and ridesharing as the way for students, faculty, staff, and visitors to get to and from campus. Find key transportation information, including how to utilize our local transit systems, bike routes to campus, where to park on campus, and other useful commute information here. Find maps detailing campus facilities, services, and access information.

Faculty, Staff and Student Housing

University Park Housing offers three housing options for San Francisco State University faculty, staff, and students with families: University Park North, located near the Stonestown Galleria and University Park South. The University Park Community offers residents unfurnished one to three-bedroom apartments within walking distance to the center of campus.

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Teaching and Learning Resources and Support

Center for Equity and Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CEETL)

The Center for Equity and Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CEETL) is the heart of the university’s commitment to a culture that values and rewards teaching, supports diversity among learners, and promotes learning environments that foster social justice and the respectful and vigorous exchange of ideas in which students and faculty thrive and succeed. CEETL recognizes that meaningfully integrating teaching with scholarship and community engagement leads to more fulfilled and successful faculty who feel supported in all aspects of their professional identities and growth and students who are engaged and motivated to learn.In support of the University’s mission and strategic plan, CEETL:
  • Provides institutional support for all faculty across all levels of teaching, throughout their careers;
  • Develops programming and facilitates incentives in support of teaching excellence;
  • Offers opportunities for continuing development in pedagogical theory, practice, and innovation;
  • Communicates about and connects faculty with all teaching-related professional development opportunities at SF State;
  • Creates and advocates for a faculty community that is a source of connection, inspiration, and reflection.

For more information about how CEETL can support your teaching, please reach out to your CEETL colleagues at this address: ceetl@sfsu.edu  

Academic Technolgy (AT)

Academic Technology partners with the Center for Equity and Excellence in Teaching & Learning to support and advance effective learning, teaching, scholarship, and community service with technology. AT is available to support whenever learning and teaching touches technology, inside and outside of the classroom.    

Teaching & Learning: Faculty can come to LIB 240, call (415) 405-5550, or email iteach@sfsu.edu for group or one-on-one consultations on course design and teaching strategies. Can't come to campus? Schedule a virtual consult via our easy-to-use Zoom videoconferencing system.

Learning Technologies (iLearn): Faculty and students have 5 ways to get help using our suite of web-based learning technologies, which include our campus learning management system iLearn: visit LIB 220, call (415) 405-5555, email ilearn@sfsu.edu, chat within every iLearn class, or SMS (510)5-ILEARN for support with any of our online systems and technologies.

Media, Classrooms, and Equipment: Faculty can come to LIB 85, call (415) 338-1494, or email avhelp@sfsu.edu for support using classroom audiovisual technologies, or to check out media and equipment, including laptops.

Please visit their website to learn about our wide range of learning technologies, instructional support services, and learning and teaching initiatives that are available to all faculty. 

Disabilities Programs and Resource Center

The Disability Programs and Resource Center (DPRC) collaborates with SF State’s diverse community to ensure that all aspects of campus life—learning, working, and living— are universally accessible. The DPRC provides the University with resources, education, and direct services in order that people with disabilities may have a greater opportunity to achieve social justice and equity. 

The Access team working within DPRC is dedicated to supporting faculty, staff and students in creating accessible environments. We monitor accessibility of electronic information and technology on campus for Instructional materials, Websites, Procurement and Training. For more information visit their Accessible Technology Initiative site.

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