Editing Herzing Issues: Technology, LMS, and Platforms (section)

=== HU-122: Multiple assignments visible in NSG525 gradebook and calendar marked as required but contain absolutely no content; assignments also do not appear in Sherpath; students cannot complete assignments that have no content; due dates active ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%"
! style="width:12em" | Severity
| High
! style="width:12em" | Status
| CONFIRMED
|-
! Issue type
| Empty Assignments with Active Due Dates / Platform Synchronization Failure
! Date added
| 2026-05-07
|-
! Owner
| colspan="3" | Dr. Stacey Gombar / Dr. Heather Gregg / IT Department
|}
'''Finding.''' The reporting student reported to Dr. Stacey Gombar and Dr. Heather Gregg that multiple assignments in NSG525 are visible in the gradebook and on the calendar as required assignments with active due dates, but contain absolutely no content when opened. These assignments also do not appear in Sherpath. Dr. Gombar's response requested a specific example, indicating she was not aware of the extent of the issue and had not proactively identified it. Students are in a position where required graded assignments are due, are counted in the gradebook, but have no content to complete, creating a potential grade impact from an institutional platform/content loading failure. This is distinct from {{HU|HU-113}} (duplicate assignments); this issue documents assignments that exist as shells with no instructional content at all.

'''Evidence.''' Email: the reporting student to Dr. Gombar / Dr. Gregg (May 2026), stating there were several assignments in the gradebook and calendar that were required but had absolutely no content and also did not show up in Sherpath. Dr. Gombar replied asking the reporting student to provide a specific example so she could look into it. This indicates the issue was not known to faculty before the reporting student raised it. Source group: Email: the reporting student to Dr. Gombar / Dr. Gregg, May 2026; Dr. Gombar reply requesting example.

'''Reported statement.''' <blockquote>There are also several assignments in the gradebook and on the calendar that are required but have absolutely no content. They also do not show up in Sherpath.</blockquote>

'''Standards.''' 34 CFR §668.14 (administrative capability): institutions must ensure that graded assignments have accessible content before imposing due dates. ACEN Standard 4: curriculum must be delivered through functional, content-complete learning systems. An assignment that exists in the gradebook with a due date but contains no content is an administrative failure that places students at risk of grade penalties for work that cannot be completed. The Sherpath synchronization failure (assignments not appearing in Sherpath) adds a platform integration layer to the issue, consistent with the pattern in {{HU|HU-092}} (Complio-to-MyClinicalExchange integration failure) and {{HU|HU-075}} (Sherpath grade transfer failures).

'''Impact.''' Students with empty required assignments due this week face a choice between waiting for faculty to fix the content and potentially missing the deadline, or submitting incomplete or placeholder work. Either path risks a grade penalty. In a program where 0.2% can trigger a 4-month retake ({{HU|HU-095}}), grade points lost due to empty assignments with active due dates represent a concrete institutional-caused academic harm. Dr. Gombar's request for a specific example suggests the issue was not on faculty radar, meaning other students who did not report it may be silently affected.

'''Notes.''' Dr. Gombar offered a 1:1 meeting and noted a sync session recording had been posted covering housekeeping details. This is consistent with the institutional pattern of deflecting to individual meetings rather than addressing systemic issues. The empty assignment issue in NSG525 Week 1 occurs simultaneously with duplicate quiz answers ({{HU|HU-112}}), duplicate cross-course assignments ({{HU|HU-113}}), mid-week assignment additions in NSG621 ({{HU|HU-116}}), professor resignation ({{HU|HU-117}}), and the Canvas cybersecurity breach ({{HU|HU-120}}). Cross-reference: {{HU|HU-041}} (Sherpath platform failures), {{HU|HU-075}} (grade transfer failures), {{HU|HU-092}} (platform integration failures).

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