Throughout summer 2016, Blackboard will archive the following terms from our Blackboard server:

These courses will then be retired from the Blackboard system in mid-FA2016.

The Blackboard system’s overall performance and efficiency will improve by removing files and transactions from the content server and database. AY14-15 and AY15-16 will remain on the server, and we will begin a new academic year of data retention (AY16-17).

Is my content gone forever?

No, Blackboard will archive courses as of mid-June, which will capture all course data, files, student submissions, discussions, grades, etc. to date. These archives will reside on a secure drive with the Division of Information Technology.

Can I save a copy of my own courses?

Yes -- and we certainly encourage it. Instructors can export (course content) and/or archive (course content & student data) their courses. You should also download a copy of your grade book. We recommend saving these files to your UMBC Box account to ensure long term access in the event you change computer systems.

Can I restore (regain access to) only course content?

Yes. Course content consists of files and course structure (menu, folders, etc.). Faculty can only import course content to an existing Blackboard course shell.

Can I restore course data?

Course data consists of student submissions, discussions, and grades. We generally prefer not to restore full courses to avoid reinstating user accounts and confusing students with old content. If you must restore archived course data, please open an RT ticket with justification included.

How long will you keep the retired courses?

We will keep the retired courses for 2 years after Blackboard archives the courses. Faculty who may need content beyond 2 years should plan to save copies of their exported courses to UMBC Box.

When will the archiving and retirement of courses happen?

The archiving process began on Friday, May 27th and continues into June. We anticipate retirement of AY13-14 courses to begin late summer.