Canvas courses are not unpublished when the term ends.
Instead, they automatically move into a concluded state, which is standard Canvas behavior for courses. A concluded course is read-only: students keep access to their work, grades, and feedback, but they can't make changes.
When does my course conclude?
Courses conclude at 12:00 a.m. on the day after final grades are due. Refer to the college's Schedule Changes and Grading Important Dates for exact dates.
What can users access after a course is concluded?
After a course concludes, it no longer appears on the student's Dashboard. It moves to Courses > All Courses > Past Enrollments, where Canvas keeps it available to students as a read-only course.
Students can:
- View published content and files
- View their own submissions
- View their grades and instructor feedback
Students can not:
- Submit assignments or take quizzes
- Post or reply in discussions
- Make any other changes in the course
Anything you unpublished or hid from students before the course concluded stays hidden.
Instructor permissions also switch to read-only on the same date!
After the course concludes, instructors can still view it, but you can no longer edit content or change grades.
Can ATC unpublish my course after the term?
No. Once a grade has been entered, Canvas doesn't allow the course to be unpublished by anyone, including ATC.
A single score on a single assignment is enough to block unpublishing, and that includes a 0. It doesn't matter whether the grade has been posted to students or is still hidden. Canvas works this way so that students keep access to their grades and feedback.
Can ATC unpublish an assignment, quiz, or discussion for me?
No, not once students have submitted to it. Canvas doesn't allow activities with student submissions to be unpublished.
A student needs more time, for example to complete an Incomplete. What should I do?
Contact ATC before the term ends so that ATC can extend access for that student. ATC creates a separate section for the student and the instructor. That section's start and end dates override the term and course dates, so both of you keep full access until the extended date.
Can student access be turned off completely after the term?
Only in specific cases, and ATC must set it manually for each course. If student access is turned off, students also lose access to their grades and instructor feedback. For that reason, Lane keeps the Canvas default for all courses unless there is a specific need.
Contact Academic Technology Center
ATC Support & Hours of Operation
Weekday Support, Monday - Friday
- Phone (voicemail only): 541-463-3377 (8am-5pm)
- Email: atc@lanecc.edu (8am-5pm)
- Find our updated hours and support options on the ATC Website
The ATC is open to in-person assistance. Support is available through the above remote options and on campus at CEN 208