Overview
This article provides an overview of how access is granted in the Villanova Brightspace Learning Management System (LMS), including system-level access, course-level access, course roles, and course availability. It is intended to help faculty, staff, and students understand how to access Brightspace and what permissions they may have within courses.
Only active Villanova employees (faculty or staff) and active students can access the Brightspace LMS.
Brightspace System Access
Standard Access to Brightspace LMS
- Access to Brightspace is limited to:
- Active Villanova employees (faculty and staff)
- Active Villanova students enrolled in a Brightspace course
- System-level roles determine baseline access:
- Instructor: Assigned to active Villanova employees (faculty and staff)
- Learner: Assigned to active Villanova students
- Course-specific roles (e.g., Instructor, Learner, Teaching Assistant) are assigned within individual courses and determine what users can see and do within a course.
- Important: In order to access Brightspace, an individual must be designated as an active Villanova faculty or staff in Banner or an active Villanova student in Banner. Individuals with "Sponsored Accounts" (i.e. formally known as "Courtesy Accounts") are not permitted to be setup with Instructor, Learner, or other roles in Brightspace.
Elevated Access to Brightspace LMS
By default, individuals can only access courses (as an instructor or learner) in which they are officially enrolled through the Office of the Registrar, or through faculty request to add a Teaching Assistant/Graduate Assistant to their own course. Elevated access provides additional permissions beyond standard enrollment.
- UTS D2L-Brightspace Support Staff: Have elevated access to support system administration and provide assistance to faculty, students, and staff.
- Administrative and Academic Departments: Some staff may receive limited elevated access to courses within their department, college, or school based on job responsibilities.
- Access is restricted to only the features required (e.g., viewing content, editing content, managing assignments or grades).
Requesting Elevated Access:
All requests must be submitted to support@villanova.edu and are reviewed by UTS D2L-Brightspace Support Staff and LMS Governance.
Appropriate Use
- Must align with job responsibilities
- Must comply with Villanova policies, including information security and FERPA requirements
- Access should be updated or removed when no longer needed
Inappropriate Use
- Circumventing user access controls or security measures
- Bypassing institutional policies or procedures
- Improperly accessing or modifying course or user data
Brightspace Course Access
Standard Course Access
- Instructor Access: In order to have "Instructor" access to a Brightspace course, an individual must be assigned as an Instructor to a course in Banner by the Office of the Registrar.
- Learner Access: In order to have "Learner" (student) access to a Brightspace course, an individual must be enrolled as a Student to a course in Banner by the Office of the Registrar.
- Learn more about the "Instructor" and "Learner" role in Brightspace.
- Users must meet system access requirements (active employee or active student).
Additional Course Access (Support Roles)
Support roles are available to assist with teaching, learning, and course administration.
- Examples include Teaching Assistants, Tutor or other support roles.
- These roles provide limited, role-specific permissions within a course.
- As stated in the "Brightspace System Access" section, in order to access the Villanova Brightspace LMS, individuals must be an active Villanova employee (faculty or staff) or an active student enrolled in a Brightspace course.
- Learn more about the Support Roles
Brightspace Course Roles
Roles in Brightspace define what actions a user can perform within a course. These roles control permissions such as viewing course materials, editing content, or grading assignments.
- Instructor: Full control of course content, grading, and enrollment management.
- Learner: Ability to view course materials, participate in activities, and submit coursework.
- Support Roles: Limited permissions based on specific responsibilities (e.g., grading, content creation).
- Important
- As stated in the "Brightspace System Access" section, in order to access the Villanova Brightspace LMS and to be assigned any of the specific roles, individuals must be an active Villanova employee (faculty or staff) or an active student enrolled in a Brightspace course.
- Content within a Brightspace course is Villanova protected intellectual property is only for use by the instructor and students listed in the Brightspace course.
- Learner Data (e.g. grades, assessments, participation) is available only to the instructor, students, and selected support roles (e.g. specific types of Teaching Assistant roles) in the course.
- Learn more about Brightspace Course Roles
- Requests for new roles or modifications to existing roles must be reviewed by UTS D2L-Brightspace Support Staff and LMS Governance.
Brightspace Course Availability
Course Availability for Students
- Brightspace Course Availability for Students: Learn when Brightspace courses become available to students in Brightspace.
- Courses may appear in the dashboard before access is granted, but cannot be opened until available.
Course Availability for Faculty