U.S. Department of Education Requiring Documentation of Commencement of Academic Activity

Dear Colleagues,

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) is requiring institutions that receive federal aid to report commencement of student academic activity. To continue receiving aid, our university must document and report on the commencement of academic activity for students in each class, every term, including summer sessions. Additionally, if the commencement of academic activity is not verified, this could lead to a partial or complete loss of funds from a student’s financial aid package.

Starting in summer 2022, UC San Diego instructors will be required to certify whether students have commenced academic activity to satisfy the requirement set forth by the ED. This certification should be done by the end of the second week of instruction in fall, winter, and spring quarters, and by the end of the first week of each summer term. A student only needs to be certified once per course, per term.

There are two options for verifying a student’s commencement of academic activity. The first is an electronic form that is a part of the new Academic Activity Tracking System (https://aats.ucsd.edu). This form will allow the instructor to identify those students who have not satisfied the commencement of academic activity criteria.

Academic activity includes, but is not limited to:

Attending a class where there is an opportunity for direct interaction between the instructor and students.
Submitting an academic assignment.
Taking an exam, an interactive tutorial, or computer-assisted instruction.
Attending a study group that is assigned by the institution.
Participating in an online discussion about academic matters.
Initiating contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course.

Alternatively, instructors may choose to track the commencement of academic activity through Canvas. IT Services and the Teaching + Learning Commons have partnered to develop activities that satisfy the ED criteria for commencement of academic activity. Instructors can easily add these activities to their Canvas course and may customize them if they wish.

Please note: tracking the commencement of academic activity in Canvas requires the instructor to follow specific instructions. Below you will find links to FAQs for instructors and students.

Instructor FAQ: https://blink.ucsd.edu/instructors/academic-info/caa/index.html
Student FAQ: https://students.ucsd.edu/academics/academic-activity/index.html

Thank you for your cooperation in this new process.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth H. Simmons
Executive Vice Chancellor

Jim Rawlins
Associate Vice Chancellor, Enrollment Management