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Various Academic Policies

Supplement to Course Syllabi
Janet Stein Carter, Associate Professor, Emeritus, of Biology

Lecture Course Attendance and Make-up Policy:

This is college and you are adults. You are responsible for the consequences of the decisions you make and your actions. While attendance is not compulsory, missing even one class will put you behind and put you at a disadvantage when it comes time to answer test questions on the topics you missed. Thus, it is to your advantage to attend class. It is your responsibility to obtain copies of notes for missed classes. Students who miss a test should make arrangements with the instructor to make it up before the next class period unless there are very unusual circumstances. Only one test may be made up late; if more than one test is missed, subsequent tests will receive a “zero.” No late newsnotes will be accepted. In consideration of your health and the health of your classmates and instructor, no smoking will be permitted in the classroom.

Lab Course Attendance and Make-up Policy:

Attendance at all lab sessions is required. Because of the heavily-scheduled use of the lab room, it will be nearly impossible to arrange make-up time if you miss a lab. Students will, however, be responsible for all material covered in all lab sessions, and it is your responsibility to know what happened in a lab you missed. For your own health and safety and in consideration of the health and safety of others around you, no smoking will be permitted during the lab period (including while on hikes). Also, because of possible contamination by toxic chemicals or pathogenic bacteria, food and/or beverages should not be consumed in the lab rooms unless called for as part of an experiment.

Please wear/bring clothing suitable for hiking through brambles and/or mud and/or poison ivy. Due to various safety regulations, long pants and sturdy boots/shoes are mandatory for field hikes. Pants or a long skirt that cover(s) your legs and close-toed shoes are mandatory for indoor labs. Your chest and midriff should be covered. Baggy sleeves, which are a fire hazard, should not be worn when working with Bunsen burners. Hair should be tied back when working with Bunsen burners. Inappropriately-dressed students will not be permitted to participate lab activities and will, thus, not have notes for any lab(s) missed. Some of the hikes will be mildly strenuous, so if you have diabetes, hypoglycemia, or allergies, make sure you carry appropriate medication with you. While hiking, drinking water in non-breakable containers is permissible and is especially encouraged in very hot weather. Smoking and littering are prohibited.

Ecology Lecture/Lab Course:

All of the above apply.

Online Human Biology Course Policy:

This is college and you are adults. You are responsible for the consequences of the decisions you make and your actions. This is especially true in an online course where you don’t have a faculty member there, “breathing down your back.” You must be a “self-starter” and have the motivation and self-discipline needed to get the assignments done and done on time. No late newsnotes will be accepted. While you may chose to involve family members (your children?) as “helpers” for the hands-on activities, when it comes to the reading, the Web/library research, and the writing, you are expected to do your own work.

Policy on Cellular Phones and Beepers:

ALL cell phones and beepers will please be TURNED OFF during class. Ringing cellular phones or beepers and/or people answering calls and talking on the phone during class are extremely rude and inconsiderate of your classmates who are trying to hear what the instructor has to say and very disruptive of the class. Please give the number of the college switchboard (732-5200) to any family members who may need to reach you, and in an emergency, the college security guard or receptionist will notify you.

Withdrawal Policy:

The University has set up time limits within which you may withdraw at first without the instructor’s signature (through the third week of classes), and later, only with the instructor’s signature (through the eighth week of classes). The registration office can supply you with the actual dates for each quarter. If you need to drop a course, it is your responsibility to do so by the appropriate deadline. Be advised that if you decide to withdraw and choose to leave your withdrawal slip in my mailbox the last day, you run the risk that I will not get it until after the deadline. If you wish to withdraw, see me in person to get my signature. Any student who stops attending class and does not go through the official withdrawal process will be given the grade of “UW” — unofficial withdrawal — the equivalent of an “F”.

University of Cincinnati’s Academic Dishonesty Policy:

Since the purpose of your involvement in this course is to gain a solid knowledge foundation upon which further courses will build, you will do yourself a great disservice if you attempt to use unethical means of raising your grade rather than focusing on studying and learning the material to the best of your ability. Cheating now, rather than taking the necessary time to study and master the required material, will not give you the proper background needed to do well in subsequent courses. The faculty and administrators at the institutions to which you will be transferring want students with integrity and knowledge, not those who have cheated to get “As” at any cost.

All students in the class share in the responsibility of maintaining honesty and integrity during testing. Note that those who allow others to copy their work are just as guilty of breach of UC’s Academic Dishonesty Policy as those who do the copying.

The following prohibitions against cheating and plagiarism are from the University of Cincinnati Student Code of Conduct. All students are expected to adhere to these policies. Failure to do so will result in appropriate disciplinary action. As instructor of this course, the appropriate disciplinary action to be taken is at my discretion and determination, and could range from a “0” on that particular assignment to failing a person for the whole course. Additionally, if the violation warrants, the college or university could choose to put someone on academic probation or “kick” the person out of school.

CHEATING is defined as any dishonesty or deception in fulfilling an academic requirement such as:

1. Using unauthorized material during an examination such as tape cassettes, notes, tests, (and/or cell phones)
2. Obtaining assistance with or answers to examination questions from another person with or without that person’s knowledge,
3. Furnishing answers to examinations questions to another person,
4. Possessing, using, distributing or selling unauthorized copies of an examination,
5. Representing as one’s own an examination taken by another person, or
6. Taking as one’s own an examination in place of another person.

PLAGIARISM is defined as:

1. Submitting another’s published or unpublished work, in whole, in part, or in a paraphrase, as one’s own without fully and properly crediting the author with footnotes, citations or bibliographical reference, or
2. Submitting as one’s own, original work, materials that have been produces through unacknowledged collaboration with others.

[CAUTION: Lab students working on lab notebooks, this applies to you. If you include someone else’s notes from a lab you missed or someone else’s cumulative lists and do not cite that person as the author, you are in violation of this portion of the student code of conduct! Appropriate action will be taken.]
THIS INCLUDES PUTTING SOMEONE ELSE’S CUMULATIVE LISTS IN YOUR LAB NOTEBOOK WITHOUT CITING THAT PERSON AS THE AUTHOR, AS WELL AS SUBMITTING SOMEONE ELSE’S PLANT COLLECTION WITH FAKE LABELS REPRESENTING IT AS YOUR OWN WORK!!!