Science and Global Change Colloquium Policies

NOTE: It is your responsibility as a student to completely read through and understand this syllabus. If you have questions about it, please contact Dr. Holtz or Dr. Merck. You will be held responsible for following all requirements of the freshman colloquium or sophomore practicum syllabus, as appropriate.

• A writing implement
  
• A notebook (containing this syllabus)
  
• The text for that half of the course
  
• A willingness to participate constructively, both in small groups and in the class as a whole
  
• A readiness and ability to discuss the readings for that week

This semester we will have a number of small-group in-class projects. We expect everyone to help move tables and chairs when necessary for a particular project, and to help restore the tables and chairs to the "neutral" position when we are done. Many hands make light work!

During classtime:

• PLEASE be courteous to your fellow students and your faculty, and do not engage in side conversations. Even what you might think are hushed whispers in the back row can be heard all the way up front, and are disruptive to the attention of your classmates who are interested in getting a good grade in the class.
• All electronic modes of communication (mobile phones, pagers, etc.) must be turned "off" or be in silent mode.
• Laptops may be used ONLY for taking notes and/or following along with webnotes for the class. If you are found to be using your laptop for other purposes you will be asked to shut it down. If you fail to do this, you will be considered "absent" for that day.
• No personal electronic listening devices (e.g., CD players, MP3 players, personal radios, etc.) will be allowed.
• No reading of material not germane to the class activity will be allowed.

Finally, please do not leave any debris behind: pick up all food/beverage containers, papers, newspapers, etc. near your seat and on your desk when you leave.

ATTENDANCE: Given the nature of the course and program, participation in colloquium meetings is MANDATORY. It is up to you to make certain that your presence has been recorded for every class.

• Recording Your Presence: On days with quizzes and/or group projects, your presence will be taken from these items. On other days, there will be a sign-up sheet. It is your responsibility to make certain that you have signed the quiz, project report, or sign up sheet.
  • Students observed leaving the colloquium before 4:50 or before it is formally dismissed will be counted absent.
  • NOTE: We expect students to adhere to proper academic decorum during colloquia. This means focusing your attention on presentations, refraining from conversations or activities that are not relevant (e.g., reading newspapers, doing homework for other classes, etc.), and showing proper respect for student, faculty, and guest presenters. We reserve the right to count you absent from colloquium if you fail to uphold this standard!
• Excused Absences: If you have a legitimate reason for being absent, such as a family emergency, unavoidable academic conflict, or other excuse according the University's guidelines, we will usually excuse your absence. However you must notify us in a timely fashion. Telling us ahead of time is best, if possible. Requests for the excusing of an absence will not be considered after two workdays from the absence. Please use the Excused Absence Report form.
  • If the absence was for a colloquium for which there was no graded activity (i.e., no quiz, no group project, etc.) AND for which this was your first absence from colloquium this semester, you may simply complete the Excused Absence form and turn it in. If instead there were a graded activity AND/OR this was not your first absence from colloquium this semester, you will need to provide some form of documentary from an independent source supporting your absence. this include, but are not limited to:
    • A doctor's note, official notice of court activity, etc.: please attach a copy to your Excused Absence form
    • Barring the above, a signed statement by an independent part (for example, your RA if you were ill and your RA is willing to verify that they observed this: feel free to use the back of the Excused Absence form for this)
  • NOTE WELL: Failure to provide the Excused Absence Form will result in the absence being unexcused, and you will face the appropriate penalties.
  • NOTE: the next colloquium meeting is too late for requests for excuses!
• Grades and Excused Absences: Even if you miss a class from an excused absence, you are still held responsible for material during that class, included graded assignments such as quizzes and small group projects. See the faculty about arrangements for a make up. If the small group project is such that it cannot be done alone, it will not be factored into your grade if you have an excused absence that you informed the faculty about within two workdays from the absence.
• Religious Observances: The University System of Maryland policy provides that students should not be penalized because of observances of their religious beliefs, students shall be given an opportunity, whenever feasible, to make up within a reasonable time any academic assignment that is missed due to individual participation in religious observances. It is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor of any intended absences for religious observances in advance. Notice should be provided as soon as possible but no later than the end of the schedule adjustment period (February 7).
• Unexcused Absences: All other absences are considered unexcused absence. You may have one unexcused absence that does not directly affect your grade (except for missed quizzes or small group projects: see below). Each subsequent unexcused absence lowers your final course grade by 10 points.
  • If you miss a quiz or small group project because of an unexcused absence, you will not be allowed to make it up.
• In cases of inclement weather or other unexpected emergencies, the University may close. Please consult the University main webpage or call 301-405-7669 (SNOW) to confirm such cancellations. Drs. Holtz & Merck will contact students via ELMS in order to inform them concerning delays of due dates for projects to be handed in or for exams: typically these will be shifted until the next available class date.

  COMMUNICATION: Because many of our communications will be by e-mail, all students are expected to maintain e-mail accounts and arrange for access to the Internet. Although not a course requirement per se, students should get into the habit of checking their e-mail daily. Failure to do so may cause you to miss crucial course information. See http://www.oit.umd.edu/wheretogo/seeTable.cfm for a list of available computer labs on campus.

  At your earliest convenience, log on to http://www.testudo.umd.edu/apps/saddr/ and update your electronic and mailing addresses. This will help ensure that important information fromCollege Park Scholars faculty and staff reach you in a timely and accurate manner.

  ELMS BLACKBOARD SITE: http://elms.umd.edu/ Course ID: 201201_CPSP119G_THOLTZ for the freshman course, 201201_CPSP249G_CPSP259G_CPSP239G_tholtz for the sophomore practicum. The primary function for the ELMS Blackboard site will be to record your grades, although we will also use it as a secondary site for documents, handouts, etc. We will use the Comments function for graded items to convey information about projects this semester (such as Field Trip Web reports): please look at these for help in understanding your grade and correcting errors.

  ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: The University of Maryland has a nationally recognized Code of Academic Integrity, administered by the Student Honor Council. This Code sets standards for academic integrity at Maryland for all undergraduate and graduate students. As a student you are responsible for upholding these standards for this course. It is very important for you to be aware of the consequences of cheating, fabrication, facilitation, and plagiarism. For more information on the Code of Academic Integrity or the Student Honor Council, please visit http://shc.umd.edu/SHC/Default.aspx.

  The University of Maryland is one of a small number of universities with a student-administered Honors Code and an Honors Pledge, available on the web at http://osc.umd.edu/OSC/AcademicHonorPledge.aspx. The code prohibits students from cheating on exams, plagiarizing papers, submitting the same paper for credit in two courses without authorization, buying papers, submitting fraudulent documents, and forging signatures. The University Senate encourages instructors to ask students to write the following signed statement on each examination or assignment: "I pledge on my honor that I have not given or received any unauthorized assistance on this examination (or assignment)."

  ACADEMIC ACCOMODATIONS: If you have a documented disability, you should contact Disability Support Services 0126 Shoemaker Hall. Each semester students with documented disabilities should apply to DSS for accommodation request forms which you can provide to your professors as proof of your eligibility for accommodations. The rules for eligibility and the types of accommodations a student may request can be reviewed on the DSS web site at http://www.counseling.umd.edu/DSS/receiving_serv.html.

  COURSE EVALUATIONS: CourseEvalUM will be open for students to complete their evaluations for Spring 2012 courses between Tuesday, April 24, and Friday, May 11. Students can go directly to the website to complete their evaluations, beginning April 24. You will be alerted about these dates and provided more information closer to that time, and students will be alerted via their official University e-mail account.

  Students who complete evaluations for all of their courses in the previous semester (excluding summer), can access the posted results via Testudo's CourseEvalUM Reporting link for any course on campus that has at least a 70% response rate. You can find more information, including periodic updates, at the IRPA course evaluation website.

  The expectation is that all students will complete these. This is YOUR chance to anonymously evaluate this class: please use this opportunity!

Last modified: 19 January 2012