Course Policies

Math 5A
Broussard Fall 2008
Course Policies

Classroom Behavior (This has never been an issue in my Math 5A classes. This section is included in the first day handout "just in case"):
The classroom is for learning and teaching. You may need to modify your usual approach to life while in my classroom. Here are some examples:

I am often distracted by students having conversations. If you want to have a conversation with another student or with someone on a cell phone, please leave the room.
Cell phones, pagers, etc. should be turned to silent at the beginning of class.
In-class learning activites have a time limit. If your group loses focus, you may have to turn in your activity before you complete it.
Any behavior that demeans or threatens another student undermines their attempts to learn. This kind of behavior is prohibited.

I will deal with disruptive behavior that compromises the efforts of me to teach, or of other students to learn, in three stages: 1) Confronting and explaining why the behavior is distracting, 2) requiring the student to leave for the rest of the class period, and 3) dropping the student from the course. If leaving the room or turning in incomplete work affects your grade, that's your problem—not mine.

Emergency first responders: I will grant you an exception; you may leave your devices on. Please minimize classroom disturbance as much as is feasible, but if my house is burning down, I want you there.

Support Hour:
The class meets 5 hours per week with an additional hour per week in the Math lab. Tutors are available in the Math Lab to answer questions and give you assistance on your assignments. To stay enrolled in Math 54A, it will be necessary for you to sign up for one particular hour per week in the Math Lab.

Attendance/Withdrawals/Incompletes:
Activities and presentations happen in class and cannot be made up. This means that attendance is important to your grade. If you have your fifth absence before October 31, you must either explain your absences to me then or you will be dropped from the class. If you drop by September 12, you will not have a "W". If you drop by November 21, you will have a "W" but not a grade. If you experience serious illness or bereavement and you have completed 2/3 of the coursework with a 70% average, I can give you an "I" (incomplete) grade. If the "I" is not completed within the agreed-upon time, the grade will be computed as above.

Late Work:
Work done in class (presentations, tests, activities) will usually be collected the same day. If an activity is sent home with you, turn it in at the next class meeting. Eexpect WileyPlus homework to have a strict due date unless I can find a way to modify that feature.

Cheating/Plagiarism Policy:
In this class, "cheating" shall mean the use of resources (calculator, book, notes, help, another student's paper) on a graded assignment or test when permission to use those resources has not been expressly given. For the online homework, I give you permission to use any resources you wish. On activities, you will be encouraged to work in teams and use calculators as you wish. On quizzes, tests, and the final exam, I will specify what you can use. The first time I find that you have cheated on an assignment, you will receive an undroppable zero for that assignment. The second time, you will fail the course.

"Plagiarism" means the inclusion of ideas, words, or other media created by someone else, in your own work (or in place of your own work) without proper citation.
Sometimes this can be unintentional. Sometimes a person may think that they are "just getting some help." Other times plagiarism is very deliberate. If I find evidence of plagiarism, it will be treated in the same manner as cheating.

Students with disabilities:
If I am made aware of a documented disability, I will try to provide any reasonable accomodations. It is helpful to work through our DSS office.

Use of personal care products:
We have students (and some staff) with sensitivity to the perfumes common in personal care products such as perfume, aftershave, and haircare products. Please use restraint when using these before coming to class.

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