Canvas - Account Roles and Permissions [UW-Madison]
For further information on course roles, see Canvas - Course Roles and Permissions [UW-Madison]
Account Admin Role
The "Account Admin" role is the top-level role used to manage system-wide access. It is assigned to a small number of central IT staff who are responsible for administering and supporting UW-Madison's instance of Canvas.
Sub-Account Admin Role
The "Sub-Account Admin" role is typically held by departmental IT staff who provide Canvas consulting and support for instructors. Other candidates for the Sub-Account Admin role may include program chairs or administrators who need access to multiple courses within their department for accreditation or other administrative purposes. (Note: As of January 2024, several new account-level roles have been created. They are outlined below. One of these may be a better fit for Canvas users serving a more supervisory or oversight role.)
Departmental Sub-Account Roles
UW-Madison provides five additional sub-account roles to meet the several and varied use cases found across campus. The table below identifies the primary administrative powers of each.
Role | View Content | Add/Edit Content | Add/Remove Students | Add/Remove Non-Students | View Grades | Edit Grades |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sub-Account Instructor Associate | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y |
Sub-Account Support | Y | Y | N | Y | N | N |
Sub-Account Designer | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
Sub-Account Grade Viewer | Y | N | N | N | Y | N |
Sub-Account Observer | Y | N | N | N | N | N |
Other Account Roles
These roles are fairly uncommon. In most instances, they were created to address specific support needs and are affiliated with IT support groups.
- API/Service: Account role used to integrate with SIS.
- DoIT AT Support Staff: Role used by DoIT Academic Technology staff to support faculty, students, and staff.
- DoIT Help Desk 1: Role used by DoIT Help Desk Level One staff and Help Desk Level Two student employees.
- DoIT Help Desk 2: Role used by DoIT Help Desk Level Two staff.
Requesting Canvas Sub-Account Permissions
To apply for Canvas Sub-Account Admin access, fill out the Canvas Sub-Account Admin Request Form. Requests must be approved by a departmental authority and may take several weeks to process. For more information, contact learnuwsupport@wisc.edu.