Faculty & Administration FAQ
ADOPTING COURSE MATERIALS
The Wolverine Access program is designed to ensure that all students have access to required course materials by the first day of classes for a low price. For faculty, this means every student is equally prepared, which can lead to a more uniform and effective teaching experience. It helps reduce the number of students falling behind due to lack of access to textbooks, potentially improving overall academic performance and retention rates.
Will Wolverine Access affect textbook selection or academic freedom?
No, faculty retain full academic freedom under this program and can continue selecting the materials that best suit their course. All textbooks remain available for adoption, whether they are publisher-paid content or free/open educational resources (OER).
Only required titles are included in the program; optional/recommended, out-of-print, and hard-to-find titles are not included in the program.
No, Canvas is not required for instruction. However, students need to sign in to the main Canvas page to access the Textbooks & Course Materials app, where their digital materials will be available.
Please submit your book requests to your department administrative assistant. Faculty are still required to submit their textbook adoptions by the established deadlines. The program simplifies the process by ensuring that once materials are adopted, they are automatically made available to students enrolled in your course. Faculty members should ensure they submit accurate and complete information to avoid any delays in material availability.
The Higher Education Opportunity Act requires that all course materials and their associated costs be disclosed to the student at the time they register for courses. All course material* adoptions should be submitted according to the following due dates:
Spring: October 1
Summer: February 1
Fall: March 1
*Course Materials are defined as textbooks required or recommended by instructors in conjunction with higher education courses. Supplemental materials not covered in course fees, such as electronic materials (calculator, website access, etc.), art supplies, travel costs, additional printed materials, etc. Open Education Resources (OER), which are free learning materials that reside in the public domain and have been released under a Creative Commons license.
Unfortunately, the UVU Store is unable to order desk/examination copies because publishers require these requests to come directly from the academic department. However, we are more than happy to provide publisher contact information. You can contact us at wolverineaccess@uvu.edu or 801-863-8641 for assistance.
If you have a custom course packet or reader that you would like to use for your course, we can help! We'll work one-on-one with you to get your packet just how you want it, even chasing down copyright clearances for you. Once the content is all assembled, the packets are printed on campus and made available for students to purchase at the UVU Store. To begin assembling your course packet or for questions, contact us at wolverineaccess@uvu.edu or 801-863-8641.
We know selecting course materials far in advance can be a daunting task. We're here to help! We can assist by putting you in contact with the publisher's representatives or providing you with additional resources to help narrow down your choices.
Feel free to contact any of our knowledgeable staff. Ordering/Faculty services: wolverineaccess@uvu.edu or 801-863-8641.
There is no change to this process; you will reach out to your publisher representative to request a desk copy. If your course has a required eBook through Wolverine Access, all Canvas course users with the role of teacher, course admin, or TA will receive complimentary access to eBooks provided by VitalSource to the Textbooks & Course Materials tab in Canvas. For eBooks or courseware, provided directly through a publisher's content platform (such as Pearson MyLab or McGraw-Hill Connect), please contact your publisher representative.
Wolverine Access is a fixed fee program that covers all required textbooks for eligible students. Therefore, if you decide to cancel a book from your class, there is no additional cost nor reduction to students.
It is understood that a one-size-fits-most model may not meet the needs of every course format, curriculum, or mode of instruction. In instances with pedagogical mismatch where the required course materials are impractical, unfeasible or unavailable in digital format, print options may be considered on an individual title-by-title basis. Please contact us at TextbookAdoptions@uvu.edu if you would like to review your required course materials.
Yes, you may continue to request the same content as before. Many third-party software providers have already integrated or can be integrated into the Wolverine Access program. In collaboration with the Office of Teaching and Learning (OTL), their content, as well as OER content will be listed alongside any publisher content in students' textbooks and course materials.
Wolverine Access provides publisher materials via Canvas, through a single seamless content provider, for digital content that is contracted with the UVU Store. The content provider supplies proof to UVU of their federal compliance with assessment and certifications for websites, apps, and software.
The publisher may no longer provide digital access to older editions. You may need to reach out to the publisher to request that the older version be made available to your students. If this is possible, you are required to reach out to the UVU Store at wolverineaccess@uvu.edu to make sure it’s included in Wolverine Access.
Discuss the timing of the textbook adoptions with your admin and email wolverineaccess@uvu.edu.
If you have a textbook listed on your syllabus that is not visible to students in their Wolverine Access booklist, please contact the UVU Store. Timely and accurate textbook adoptions or book requests are the instructor’s responsibility. The UVU Store cannot guarantee that late textbook adoptions or book requests will be available through Wolverine Access.
Integration and Support
Canvas Integration
Once a course's materials are adopted and confirmed, they are automatically integrated into the Canvas platform. Students can access these materials directly through their course modules. You can also embed these materials into specific lessons or assignments as needed, offering flexibility in how the content is delivered.
If students encounter issues accessing their digital materials, please direct them to contact the IT help desk or the UVU Store for support. It’s helpful to provide these contacts at the beginning of the course to ensure students know where to go for assistance.
General Questions
Yes, faculty have the freedom to choose the textbooks and materials they feel are most appropriate for their courses. However, it's important to be aware that some materials may not be available in digital format or may require additional negotiation with publishers to be included in the Wolverine Access program. Working closely with the UVU Store can help address these issues.
Faculty cannot opt out of the Wolverine Access program on behalf of their students. However, you can decide whether your courses are included in the program by choosing the materials you adopt. If the selected materials are part of the program, all students enrolled in the course will be automatically included unless they individually opt out.
FOR MY STUDENTS
Access and Usage
Students initially access eBooks directly through Textbooks & Course Materials in Canvas. After initial access, a student may continue to access through your Canvas course or by logging in directly to their VitalSource account. eBooks provided by VitalSource can be downloaded to any device and across devices for offline use. At the conclusion of a term, eBooks may be accessed through VitalSource until the eBook’s duration expires.
Publisher courseware (such as McGraw-Hill Connect or Pearson MyLab) is accessed through an integration in Canvas or with a provided URL. Most publisher courseware is integrated with Canvas to connect to the publisher’s content platform and students will use the Canvas link to create their initial courseware login. After an initial login has been created, students may go directly to or bookmark the login page of the publisher’s content platform.
For non-digital course materials (only those titles offered as print), copies will be distributed to students by the UVU Store.
Access duration depends on the publisher, with most eBooks being lifetime access and others being five years. All eBooks have a minimum access duration of 150 days.
Courseware is typically only accessible for one semester unless otherwise negotiated with a publisher for a multi-semester course series.
Wolverine Access reduces the digital divide in several ways:
Most courses require students to access course information on Canvas. By integrating a student’s textbooks and course materials within Canvas, we are reducing the amount of digital software requirements that could burden students.
Wolverine Access also integrates with all laptops, tablets, and phones. This allows the students to access their materials from any device they choose. This means they can access materials from their personal devices or any devices provided by computer labs at Utah Valley University.
Wolverine Access helps those students who live in remote areas, who may struggle to come to campus to get materials, and who struggle with added shipping costs.
The VitalSource eReader is fully device-agnostic and scalable and allows simultaneous usage across two mobile devices and two desktop devices. Further, content downloaded to the eReader app can be accessed offline if it was downloaded before the loss of internet connection. As for saving as a file, copyright laws can restrict licensed content from taking the form of re-distributable files. Allowing content to only be downloaded within the eReader puts the onus on the provider to protect copyright and relieves the University of associated risks.
Opting Out
Yes, students can choose between different plan options. Learn more on the Student FAQs page.
Students will have the option to opt out of Wolverine Access in Canvas beginning on the first day of classes.
Students can opt out of the Wolverine Access program by the crouse drop deadline. If they do, they are responsible for obtaining the required materials on their own. You should be aware that some students in their classes might not participate in the program, which could lead to disparities in access to materials.
Specialized Materials and Costs
Yes, when you opt in to Wolverine Access, your first 'Course Packet' in each course is included in the $250 fee. Any additional Course Packets beyond the initial set must be purchased separately at the UVU Store for the regular retail price.
If your course requires specialized materials that aren’t covered by the Wolverine Access program (e.g., lab kits, art supplies, goggles, latex gloves, lab coats, etc.), you should inform students ahead of time. These materials will need to be purchased separately, and clear communication about these requirements is crucial to avoid confusion.
Communication and Updates
Faculty can check the status of their adopted materials through the campus portal or by contacting the UVU Store directly. Notifications are often sent to faculty when materials have been successfully integrated into Canvas or if there are any issues that need to be addressed.
If changes to course materials are necessary after the adoption deadline, faculty should contact the UVU Store as soon as possible. While late changes can be accommodated, they may result in delays in making the new materials available to students. It’s best to finalize adoptions before the deadline to ensure all materials are ready by the start of the semester.