In teaching, faculty equip students with the knowledge, skills, and creativity grounded in a belief in students' ability to learn and the desire to help students engage in their own learning.
Faculty are not babysitters — we expect you to take personal responsibility for your learning.
Communication
The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.
The best time to ask general questions is in class.
It is likely that if you are confused, others are as well.
Talk to me before or after class about other issues. For example, issues about absences, setting up a special appointment, questions about assignments, etc.
Office
Come see me in my office for help with the course or other questions you might have.
Email
Email me with questions, updates, or meeting requests.
Google Chat
Send me a chat message with questions, updates, or meeting requests.
General
It is hard to over communicate.
I want you to succeed!
Attendance and Conduct
Classroom Issues
I expect you to attend class!
Many of the topics and content explored in the course will be taught and communicated via class
demonstrations, activities, and discussions. Therefore, attendance and participation are crucial
for a complete understanding of course material.
Some class sessions will be recorded.
This is being done as a resource for students who miss the class as it is happening
live, either due to illness or some other excused reason,
and for students who simply wish to
review the class session as a study tool.
The video and audio recording are to be used for
educational purposes only and will be available through Google for the duration of the course.
The file is meant only for students currently
enrolled in the course and may not be copied or shared with anyone else.
Policies and Expectations
The following is the Albion College statement on attendance:
"Regular attendance in all classes is expected. Every absence from class
is inevitably a loss — usually one which can never be made up. A student has
the responsibility to inform his or her faculty member, whenever possible
in advance, of an absence due to serious or prolonged illness, and
verification of absences due to emergency reasons, may be obtained from
the Office of Residential Life."
In this course
class absences are only excusable in documented
extreme cases of unforeseen hardship (such as illness or the need for quarantining)
or official College event,
as described in the Student Handbook.
Please notify me in writing (email is preferred) prior to official college
events (sporting, class trips, etc.) that make it impossible for you to
attend class.
If you miss class because of participation in an official College event
you must make prior arrangements with me.
In extreme cases of unforeseen hardship, please contact me as soon as possible.
You are responsible for all material and assignments even if you miss class.
In the event that you find yourself experiencing COVID-19 related symptoms, I request that you
do the following:
Stay home! This is the best way to prevent spreading COVID-19 as supported by
scientific evidence.
Follow College guidelines for daily symptom reporting found on the Together Safely page.
If you are self-quarantining/isolating, it is my expectation that you will contact me to
review missed coursework and arrange a timeline and plan for completing that work.
In the case that you are not able to make up missed coursework by the end of the
semester, we will need to consider options that may include a withdrawal or
incomplete for the semester.
Albion College Academic Religious Support Policy:
I will make every reasonable effort should be made to help students avoid negative academic consequences when their religious obligations conflict with academic requirements. Absence from classes or examinations for religious reasons does not relieve students from responsibility for any part of the course work required during the period of absence. Students who expect to miss classes, examinations, or other assignments as a consequence of their religious observance will be provided with a reasonable alternative opportunity to complete such academic responsibilities. It is the obligation of students to provide faculty with notice of the dates of religious holidays on which they will be absent at the beginning of the semester. Should disagreement arise over any aspect of this policy, the parties involved should contact the Provost’s Office.
Should you miss a class, it is your responsibility to contact me to review missed coursework and arrange a timeline and plan for completing that work.
In the case that you are not able to make up missed coursework by the end of the semester, we will need to consider options that may include a withdrawal or incomplete for the semester.
In cases where you have not taken personal responsibility,
your ability to earn points will be at the sole discretion of the instructor.
I will do what I can to work with students to facilitate their successful completion of the course. I encourage you to contact me if you have questions or concerns. The Office of Student Development is also available for assistance regarding extended absences.
Academic Honesty, Integrity, and Expectations
Policies
As an academic community, Albion
College is firmly committed to honor and integrity in the pursuit
of knowledge. Therefore, as a member of this academic community,
each student acknowledges responsibility for his or her actions and
commits to the highest standards of integrity. In doing so, each student
makes a covenant with the college not to engage in any form of academic
dishonesty, fraud, cheating, or theft.
The goal of this course is for you to learn a rigorous academic discipline, not
penmanship, typing, or other forms of plagiarism.
Chapter III
of the
Student Handbook
details instances and penalties for academic dishonesty.
It also describes acceptable usage of the campus computing/networking
facilities.
In this class you are expected to do your own
work unless explicitly stated.
Here are some things which will be considered cheating:
Using or turning in another's work as you own - with or without
their permission.
Allowing someone else to use or turn in your work as theirs - in
whole or in part.
Joint effort on an assignment with individual submissions represented as
individual work.
If a student cannot explain why the solution is correct or how
the solution was obtained.
Here are some things which are encouraged:
A submission using help from the instructor, student assistants, or the texts.
Discussion of the concepts related to the course material.
Discussion of assignments to understand what is required.
Typically, I grade papers one problem at a time. If you turn in someone else's
work as you own, it really stands out. Please do your own work!
If you are having trouble on an assignment come see me as soon as possible - I'm here to help!
We, as students and faculty, have the privilege and challenge of
promoting higher standards of ourselves, the College, and society in general.
Here are several expectations we should have this semester.
What you should expect of me.
What I expect from you.
To attend class regularly and punctually and to adhere to the class schedule.
To attend class regularly and punctually.
Come to class prepared.
Come to class prepared.
Grade and return work in a reasonable amount of time.
Fulfill all course assignments and requirements.
Know course material thoroughly and prepare and present it conscientiously.
Uphold academic honesty in all activities.
Maintain scholarly, professional, and courteous demeanor in class.
Maintain scholarly, professional, and courteous demeanor in class.
Be available at reasonable times for consultation.
Keep all appointments except for extreme cases.
Communication is essential in any relationship. Our student-teacher
relationship is no exception. If you have any concerns with the class
material or logistics, please talk to me as soon as possible.
Academic Accommodations and Support
Instructor Support
This course will be challenging because of the complexity and breadth of the material.
Most students will struggle and need additional help at some point during the semester;
I expect that and so should you.
Learning is hard work!
Successful students attend most all classes, start assignments early, and complete all assignments.
They use feedback to help master the material, which is critical in a course where material builds throughout the course.
Successful students develop effective study skills and take advantage of College-wide support resources listed below.
Successful students quickly reach out to me about their struggles.
If you are struggling with the course material or keeping up with the pace of the class, seek help as soon as you are experiencing difficulty.
Do not wait until the end of the term to seek help!
Accommodations statement
It is the policy of Albion College to accommodate students with disabilities and
qualifying diagnosed conditions in accordance with federal and state laws. Any student who feels that they may
need an accommodation based on the impact of a learning, psychiatric, physical, or chronic health diagnosis,
should contact
Accessibility Services Director, Elizabeth Rudolph (erudolph@albion.edu), to develop a plan for reasonable accommodation(s) based on supporting documentation.
If you have completed this process and requested accommodations for this semester, plan to meet with Elizabeth
Rudolph as early as possible to discuss a plan for implementing these modifications in this class. It is best to
schedule these meetings at least one week prior to their implementation.
Accessibility Services is housed in the Cutler Center on the first floor of the Stockwell Library and is open during
regular business hours. The main phone is 517-629-0562 or email cutler@albion.edu for more information.
Some faculty and students may be feeling uncertain about wearing or not wearing a mask in class.
With no current mask mandate in place at this time, this is an individual decision for members
of the Albion community and one we must respect.
With regard to masks, I encourage you to do what makes you
most comfortable to be in the classroom and ready to learn.
Together Safely
See the Together Safely page for detailed information on Covid-19.
Mental Health
Resources
Your mental health is more important than your grades!
If you or someone you know is struggling with depression, mood changes, excessive worry, problems with eating and/or sleeping, or family or interpersonal problems, Albion College provides mental health services to support students.
Counseling Services
offers free, confidential psychological services:
call 517-629-0236 or
email counseling@albion.edu to talk to someone or,
if this is an emergency, call 517-629-1234 and ask to speak to the counselor on call.
