Course Policies & Information

READING PREPAREDNESS: Students are expected to be mentally present at all times during class, which means (among other things) that you need to keep up with the readings. Please complete each reading assignment by the first day of that text's discussion. You are also required to bring all reading assignments to class on the day we discuss that material. This includes novels, short-stories, and critical essays. Failure to do so will count as an absence for that day.

ATTENDANCE & TARDINESS: Excessive absenteeism will negatively impact your final grade. Students may miss up to three entire class periods without incurring a grade penalty. I have this three-maximum policy in place for things like unexpected illnesses, transportation problems, or appointments and/or job interviews that cannot be scheduled around class time. Keep in mind that furnishing a physician's note does not excuse an absence: so long as you remain within three absences, you're fine. Excessive tardiness may also negatively impact your grade. Please note that being more than fifteen minutes late (or leaving more than fifteen minutes early) constitutes a partial (.5) absence. If you know that you are going to miss class for an extended period of time, you may consider dropping the class or, at the very least, coming to my office hours to discuss your plan of action.

LATE ASSIGNMENTS: Students who miss a class or forget an assignment may still be able to submit the work late for partial credit. Please keep in mind, though, that only work produced outside of class can be made up for partial credit. Anything we do in class cannot be made up, not even for partial credit. I do not grant any exceptions to this policy. 

TECHNOLOGY: I do allow students to use their laptops to take notes in class, but only if the student is unable to take notes manually. Please refrain from using phones, tablets, and computers in class for personal reasons (including: texts, social media, etc.). Failure to observe this policy automatically results in a reduced participation grade.

EMAIL POLICY: Please note that I do not respond in depth to emails after 5PM and on the weekends (Saturday and Sunday). I can field simple queries, but anything that requires more than a sentence response must be dealt with in person. So, if you have questions about an assignment or any other aspect of class, you must talk to me during my office hours. Please note that many of your questions might be answered by reviewing the course website/blog.

PLAGIARISM: Plagiarism involves the appropriation and use of someone else's ideas or words as one's own. All definitions, terminology, concepts, and patterns of organization taken from an outside source must be identified and documented in any essay or exam students write--whether it be for this department or any other. Facts of general knowledge (such as the place and date of an author's birth, honors granted during his or her lifetime, the titles and dates of published works, etc.) need not be documented. However, facts that are not in the area of general knowledge must be credited to the source. Ideas, interpretations, terms, and patterns of organization taken from an outside source may be either directly quoted (in which case the exact words should be placed in quotation marks) or paraphrased. For a more detailed summary of how the university defines and deals with plagiarism, please visit this site.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY & NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY:  Western is committed to equal opportunity and a campus environment free of harassment and discrimination based on race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or veteran status.  If you feel you have been harassed or treated unfairly by either an instructor or another student, please see the website for the Equal Opportunity Office or call (650-3307). 

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: Western is committed to creating an equitable and non-discriminatory learning environment, which includes accommodating students with disabilities. Requests for accommodation or assistance should be directed to Disability Resources for Students located in Old Main 110; additional information is available at their website here or by phone at 650-3083.

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