In Permissions, Separate "Manage (add/edit/delete) course files" into 3 permissions

[cms_hickss]

Please change each the "Manage (add / edit / delete) course files" from a single setting to three separate settings.

Current:

Manage (add / edit / delete) course files

Should become:

• Add course files
• Edit course files
• Delete course files

One reason for this request:

This would allow you to set TAs (or other roles) to having only the permissions needed for that role instead of none of them or all of them. For example, the ability to add and edit course files but not delete them.

This idea has been developed and deployed to Canvas

For more information, please read through the Canvas Release Notes (2021-03-20). 

[elisabeth_green]

I promise I will not add an anecdote about TAs accidentally deleting course files to every one of these requests...  ;}

[BROEKERC]

Rationale: this functionality is needed as faculty have requested that their TAs be able to add or edit files but they don't want TAs to delete files. This is also needed in courses where there are multiple faculty. Having this functionality would eliminate the accidental deletions that happen now.

[cdoherty]

Rationale for Stanford: It's important to allow TAs to create content, but to restrict the delete permission to prevent accidental deletion of content.

[millerjm]

We have some clinical faculty who may need to be able to add a file, but not edit or delete existing content. 

We have instructional support staff who may need to be able to add or edit (move/rename) a file but not delete. 

Taking away the delete button from anyone who doesn't need it just makes sense, especially since it would affect the students in a course.  We have a lot of accidental deletions that happen due to "goblins" in team taught courses. 

[csalazar]

It is clear that the accidental deletion of files is the biggest concern here. As I research a possible solution, is it safe to say that leaving Add and Edit permissions together would not be a concern?

[elisabeth_green]

That is incorrect, Cosme. We have had multiple cases where there was someone assigned to upload files (a course designer or TA) who made edits without the instructor's knowledge/permission. We definitely need to have these permissions separated.

[cms_hickss]

We also have Sub-Account Admins who are supposed to be able to "edit" but not add or delete.

[millerjm]

We also need to be able to separate the add/edit/delete.  We have cases where we need a student worker to be able to upload files but not edit/delete anything that is already there.  We also have team taught courses where they might need to be able to edit what is already there but not add or delete, as well as various sub-account admins. 

[ginan]

As others have said, we have use cases for each combination of the 3 permissions.

For example:

• A TA being able to add content but not edit or delete any existing content.
• A Designer being able to add or edit content but not delete any existing content.

[kristy_bergeron]

We would like to see these separated out as well. Our instructors are accustomed to D2L where they are able to add content but a TA cannot edit or delete it. Alternatively, would like to be able to allow designers to add AND edit content.