Canvas is the College’s web-based learning management system (LMS). Canvas provides an online space for faculty to publish course material, communicate with students, create and collect assignments, provide grades, and more.
Canvas Help
If you need help with Canvas, you may contact the Learning Design team at edtech@holycross.edu. Our Learning Designers can provide individualized assistance using Canvas as well as offer consultations on applying research-based best practices for course design to optimize student learning and engagement.
Additionally, Canvas offers 24/7 phone and live chat support options to all Holy Cross faculty, students, and staff. The College’s designated Canvas help phone number and chat hyperlink can be found once logged into your Canvas account. Select the “Help” link located on the purple global navigation menu displayed on the left. Canvas’ website also maintains comprehensive step-by-step guides featuring written instructions with visuals.
Canvas Policies
Access Policy
All current students, faculty and staff have the ability to sign in to Canvas using their Holy Cross Google credentials.
Course Data Retention Policy
Canvas courses are retained for five semesters. If you have questions regarding course retention, please contact edtech@holycross.edu for more information.
Vendor Learning Tool Integration (LTI) Policy
Canvas supports LTIs which allows third party tools to be easily integrated and used within Canvas. The following tools are installed system wide on Canvas.
- Attendance
- Chat
- Cengage Learning Mindlinks
- GoogleDrive Cloud Assignments
- GoReact
- Office 365 Cloud Assignment
- LinkedIn Learning
- NameCoach Name Recordings
- New Analytics
- Panopto Video
- PearsonLinks
- YouTube
- Vimeo
- Webwork
- WileyPlus
- Zoom
If there is a vendor LTI that you are interested in using within Canvas on the course level or system level, please contact the Learning Design team at edtech@holycross.edu. The Learning Design team can facilitate the security, privacy and accessibility review process prior to installation.
Using Canvas
When will my courses be available?
Faculty
Canvas courses are created several weeks before the start of the semester when official enrollment and course feeds are provisioned by the STAR (student academic records) system. For questions about STAR, please contact the Office of the Registrar at registrar@holycross.edu.
If you would like to begin building a Canvas course prior to it being automatically provisioned through STAR, please contact the Learning Design team at edtech@holycross.edu. The Learning Design team is happy to make you a private sandbox course so that you can get started.
Students
Courses become visible on your Canvas Dashboard after your professor publishes the course.
What if I cannot find my courses?
Faculty
Courses for which you are listed as the instructor of record in STAR will show on your Canvas dashboard. If your courses are not visible on your Canvas dashboard, please first consult with your department chair.
Students
Faculty may publish their courses at different times. If you have questions about a course's visibility, please contact your professor.