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Department of Information Technology

Canvas Course Retention Procedure

Purpose

This procedure outlines the duration of the course availability and course data on the Canvas Learning System, the timeline for course data retention and the schedule for course deletions.  

Course Lifecycle

All academic courses on the Canvas Learning System remain accessible to faculty and enrolled students as follows: 

  • Before the course starts: Courses are available to faculty one semester prior to the start of the term. Students cannot access Canvas course until the instructor publish the course site.  
  • After the course ends: Courses remain available for 18 months after the semester’s end date. (e.g., Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer).
  • Read-only status: 18 months after the semester’s end date, courses become read-only. Students will still have access to all published materials and files but lose the ability to participate in course activities. Instructors are no longer able to create, or edit assignments, post or edit grades or create new course content. Instructors can temporarily reduce the course availability by changing the course end date before it becomes read-only.  
  • Permanent deletion: Courses will be permanently deleted five years after the term end date. This includes all course content, student work (e.g., assignments, quizzes, assessments), and student interactions (e.g., discussions, group projects, collaborations). Once deleted, no central backup will be available. 

Key Considerations

  • Accreditation: A five-year retention period aligns with accreditation standards, which often require reviewing only the most recent course iterations.  
  • Future course use: Content copied from an older course into a new term will remain available.  
  • System performance and cost management: Deleting outdated courses helps reduce storage costs and ensures optimal system performance for current users. 

How to Retain Course Content? 

Instructors have two primary options for preserving course materials before deletion:

  1. Copy course content to a new course: Instructors can transfer materials from an old course to a new one.  
  2. Export course content:  Instructors can download a backup of their course in Common Cartridge format (IMSCC Zip file) using Canvas’s built-in export feature. This format is widely compatible with LMS platforms but cannot be viewed in its original structure unless imported back into an LMS.  
    • Once downloaded, we recommend storing your exported course on OneDrive as a long-term, secure location.

By following these guidelines, faculty can ensure their course materials remain accessible for future use while maintaining an efficient and cost-effective LMS environment.