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Mandatory Syllabus Policies Minimum Digital Technology Requirements

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Mandatory Syllabus Policies

The following policy statements about Title IX, ADA accommodations, and Academic Integrity have been approved by the university counsel and should be included in all university syllabi.

These statements can also be found as an importable Canvas Module here: Syllabus Statements Canvas Module – KCTL

Title IX:

Mississippi University for Women recognizes the inherent dignity of all individuals and promotes respect for all people. The University is committed to creating an educational and learning environment that is free from harassment and discrimination based on sex, including sexual violence (assault, domestic violence, dating violence and gender-based stalking). To learn more about the University’s policy on Title IX, how to make a report, or confidential resources, go to www.muw.edu/titleix. The Title IX Office is located on the third floor of Cochran Hall, Room 300, and may be contacted by phone at 662-370-1035 or email at titleix@muw.edu.

Pregnancy Accommodations:

In alignment with Title IX, Mississippi University for Women provides reasonable accommodations to students who are pregnant, have recently experienced childbirth, and/or have medical needs related to childbirth. Pregnant students may work with their faculty directly to establish accommodations or may contact the Title IX Coordinator and work with the Title IX office to arrange accommodations. The Title IX Office is located on the third floor of Cochran Hall, Room 300, and may be contacted by phone at 662-370-1035 or email at titleix@muw.edu . There is also a Request for Accommodations form available on the pregnancy page of The W’s Title IX website.

W Books+:

Please Note: The WBooks+ statement is not required if your course is excluded from the WBooks+ program.

W Books+ (First Day® Complete) provides you with your required course materials for $20.00 per credit hour. All students are automatically part of the W Books+ program. However, students have the option to opt-out of this program and purchase their course materials at the Barnes & Noble Bookstore or alternative sources. The opt-out period begins 30 days prior to the start of the semester and closes after the 10th day of class for spring and fall semester. You must opt out before the deadline. Otherwise, your account will be charged for W Books +. Opting out means you will be responsible for acquiring your required course materials (physical textbooks and digital content). To begin the opt-out process, start here: https://sso.bncollege.com/bes-sp/bessso/saml/muwedu/fdcopt/logon

Americans with Disabilities Act:

The University is committed to providing equitable access to learning for all students. The Student Success Center is the campus office that collaborates with students who have disabilities (e.g. physical, sensory, chronic health, learning, attentional, mental health) and arranges for reasonable accommodations to be implemented. It is the responsibility of students requesting accommodations to make an appointment with the Student Support Specialist to review specific needs, participate in the development of an Accommodation Plan by providing appropriate documentation, and discuss with the instructor how the Accommodation Plan will be applied in the course. Accommodations are not retroactive and a new Accommodation Plan must be reviewed, signed and presented to instructors each semester. The Student Support Specialist is located in Reneau Hall, Room 101(B), and may be contacted by phone at 662-329-7138 or email at ssc@muw.edu .

Academic Integrity: (undergraduate course version)

All Mississippi University for Women students are expected to engage honestly and responsibly in their academic work and to refrain from any dishonest academic behavior. Violations of Academic Integrity include cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, or other actions that violate commonly accepted intellectual and ethical standards within academic and scientific communities. Violations of Academic Integrity can lead to severe penalties, from a zero grade for a test or assignment to expulsion from the University. Academic Integrity applies to work in progress as well as completed work. If you are uncertain about the proper procedure to follow when citing a source, working in a team with other students, or any other coursework situation please ask your instructor, a librarian, or a resource like the Writing Center for help. To learn more about the university’s standards of Academic Integrity, including what happens if your instructor believes that you have engaged in dishonest academic behavior and your rights to appeal such a charge, please consult section 7.2 of the Undergraduate Bulletin.

Academic Integrity: (graduate course version)

Samples of Additional Recommended Syllabus Policies

While not required, we recommend that you consider adding course policies to your syllabi addressing some or all of the following items as you deem appropriate for your discipline and course. Samples of policy statements from MUW faculty have been used with permission to offer suggestions for your individual adaptation and use. Topics include: Attendance; Canvas; Change of Syllabus; Classroom Ettiquette; Late or Missed Work; Use of Technology

Please check with your department chair to see if there are any college or departmental standards which may supersede these examples.

Recommended Syllabus Statement for Class Recordings

We will use technology for virtual meetings and recordings in this course. Our use of such technology is governed by FERPA, the Acceptable Use Policy and The W’s Student Code of Conduct. A record of all meetings and recordings is kept and stored by MUW, in accordance with the Acceptable Use Policy and FERPA. Your instructor will not share recordings of your class activities outside of course participants, which include your fellow students, TAs/GAs/Mentors, and any guest faculty or community based learning partners that we may engage with. You may not share recordings outside of this course. Doing so may result in disciplinary action.

Attendance

Please Note: While there is no official university attendance policy, all faculty must adhere to the Missed Class policy described in section 7.5 of the Undergraduate Bulletin in their undergraduate courses: “Faculty members may establish their own attendance and participation policies in accordance with any college or departmental guidelines as part of the course syllabus, so long as documented, excused absences are permitted. Faculty may choose not to distinguish between excused and unexcused absences so long as documented, excused absences do not result in course penalties except when work cannot be made up due to program needs (i.e. accreditation standards, licensure, etc.). When a firm limit on absences, whether excused or unexused, is required for such standards, that limit must be clearly stated in the syllabus.”

Attendance is required. Our program accrediting body mandates that you attend at least 85% of all clinical sessions; if you miss more than this percentage, you will fail this course. Because of this requirement, no distinction will be made for excused or unexcused absences. If you are absent for any reason then you will be counted absent. Attendance will be taken at the beginning of the session, so be on time. If you are not present when class begins, then you will be counted as absent. All reporting and attendance policies of the university will be followed.

This course will cover a lot of ground very quickly and the exams will draw from all class material: readings, lectures, and classroom discussion. As a result, attendance and class participation are essential components of your grade. Students who accumulate 6 or more unexcused absences will fail the course. If you must miss class for a university-approved reason (see the Missed Class policy link in Canvas) please notify me ahead of time whenever possible and try to keep your total absences to a minimum. In practice, students who miss attend less than 75% of class meetings often fail the course. I strongly urge you to submit any work due before a planned excused absence rather than waiting until after your return.If you are absent for any reason you will still be responsible for any material you missed, so please be sure to do the reading, borrow notes from a classmate, and speak with me if you have any questions about what was covered that day.

Canvas

Canvas will be used as a repository for all course handouts, assignment instructions, exam review sheets, and for some required and supplementary readings. You are encouraged to submit your written assignments through Canvas rather than by email or turning in a hard copy. I will also use Canvas to alert the class to any changes to our syllabus, readings, or schedule. Therefore, it is important that you check Canvas regularly and that you make sure that you have not altered your notification settings to the point that you will not be alerted to any updates. To check your update your notification preferences click on the “Account” icon in the left-hand navigation menu and select “Notifications.” If you experience any difficulties with Canvas remember that you can access free assistance 24/7 by calling 844-747-4606 or via live chat with a Canvas representative by clicking “Help” in the lower left-hand corner of your Canvas screen.

Change of Syllabus

In the event of a major campus emergency or at the instructor’s discretion, the above requirements, deadlines and grading policies are subject to changes that may be required by a revised semester calendar. Any such changes in this course will be posted, once the course resumes, on the course website or can be obtained by contacting me via email or phone.

Classroom Etiquette

Basic “rules of respect” will be observed at all times in this course. Throughout our time together we will discuss highly sensitive subject matters, including issues of race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, religion, and politics. Since history is open to multiple interpretations, disagreement is fine – but disagreements are to be grounded in historical interpretation and facts. They must be targeted at ideas and they must be delivered respectfully. Personal attacks will not be tolerated and neither will editorial comments that are not grounded in historical sources.

Late or Missed Work

Homework: Completed homework can be submitted one class period late, at the beginning of class, for partial credit. Incomplete homework will not be accepted, nor will complete homework more than one class late.

Quizzes: The daily quiz always takes place from 10:00am to 10:05am. Students who arrive late still must turn in their quiz at 10:05. There will not be any opportunities to make up missed quizzes. In lieu of retakes, every student will have their three lowest quiz grades dropped at the end of the semester.

Exams: There will be one opportunity to retake a missed exam: the last day of classes from 2:00pm to 5:00pm. Only one exam can be retaken.

Let’s face it: technology breaks. Servers go down, transfers time out, files become corrupt. The list goes on and on. These are not considered emergencies. They are part of the normal production process. An issue you may have with technology is no excuse for late work. You need to protect yourself by managing your time and backing up your work.

Late assignments will be docked a half-letter grade (e.g. A- to B+) for every day they are late. Points will continue to be deducted even after a grade of “F” is reached. Absence from class on the due date does not automatically mean I will accept the assignment without penalty, so please make sure that you get in touch with me if you know you will be absent.

Use of Technology

You are welcome to use a tablet, laptop, or similar device to save the cost of printing out online readings or for taking notes. However, cell phones, tablets, and laptops using wifi connections distract you and the people around you. Using them during class for anything other than legitimate class purposes disrespects me and your classmates, so if you know that you will be tempted to use them for other purposes please turn them off before class begins. If your phone rings during class or I notice you texting, there will be consequences. If you have a particular personal or family circumstance which necessitates you leaving your phone on during class, please let me know ahead of time.

Computers, tablets and smartphones may not be used in the classroom. Laptops and tablets must be stowed in backpacks or under desks for the duration of class, while phones must be turned off.

All cell phones and other unapproved electronic devices must be turned off before class starts. No student should be texting or checking their texts during class. Laptop computers are permitted, but are only to be used for taking notes. They are not to be used for checking your email, Facebook, Twitter or any other non-course related materials. I reserve the right to eject students from the classroom for disruptive or disrespectful behavior. Do not record lectures on any device without express permission from me.

If you are using any of the following programs/applications in your course, please provide the following links for students.

Zoom Meetings Minimum Requirements: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362023-Zoom-system-requirements-Windows-macOS-Linux

Canvas LMS Minimum Requirements: https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Basics-Guide/What-are-the-browser-and-computer-requirements-for-Instructure/ta-p/66

Respondus Lockdown Browser Minimum Requirements: https://support.respondus.com/hc/en-us/articles/4409607170459-What-are-the-computer-requirements-for-installations-of-Respondus-LockDown-Browser-

Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools (AI Tools) in the Course (e.g. ChatGPT, Google Bard, etc.)

Considerations for Syllabus Statements and Assignments Using AI Tools

Like any surge in interest in any new technology, AI Tools using Large Language Models (LLM) have prompted MANY conversations about originality in student work, design of assignments, and the general state of Higher Ed as a means to provide students with the skills they need to be thoughtful and considerate people.

With much of the interest in these tools focused on providing “shortcuts” to creating “original” work – the companies developing these tools have provided little to no guidance or information regarding the impact these tools will have on the fields they intersect, and in many cases have trained their models on creative works without the consent of the original authors. This has left those fields that are most impacted by these developments to design policies and procedures to provide at least some amount of guidance on how we can most responsibly use these tools.

Artificial Intelligence tools can generate human-like text in response to a question or prompt submitted by a user. While technological advancements like ChatGPT (and similar products) are intriguing and increasingly popular, there are concerns and limitations. For example, ChatGPT has been found to make mistakes, such as inaccurately attributing academic sources or even making them up.

As stated in the college catalog, The W expects students to exhibit academic integrity throughout their educational experience and to avoid all forms of academic dishonesty. As such, students are expected to submit assignments and discussions that are original creations and products of the student’s own efforts, including original language and ideas, with proper attribution to all outside sources.

It is important to note that students who use ChatGPT or similar AI tools on assignments without instructor approval may be in violation of our policy on academic integrity. Check with your instructor before using an AI tool to aid you in an assignment.

Example Generative AI Tool Usage Syllabus Statements

Open Use Guidelines: Allows student use of Generative AI Tools in assignments, with proper citation of usage

AI Policy: Permitted in This Course with Attribution

In [course name], the use of Generative AI Tools is allowed to assist students in completing assignments. Generative AI Tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Google Bard, etc.) work much like spell checkers or Microsoft Word’s “Editor”, with the added ability to search a large database of information and connect information automatically after being given a prompt. In this course it is important to remember that if you use a Generative AI Tool to help you generate an outline or rephrase text you have written you should treat that text like any other text you use and write the output in your own words. [RB1]

Students must include the following statement in assignments to indicate use of a Generative AI Tool: “The author acknowledges the use of [Generative AI Tool Name] in the preparation of this assignment for [brainstorming, grammatical correction, citation, etc],” and the tool used should be included in any references attached to the submitted work.

Designated Use Guidelines: If a faculty member has created assignments that require the use of a Generative AI Tool

AI Policy: Permitted When Assigned with Attribution

In [course name], the use of Generative AI Tools is allowed to assist students in completing designated assignments. Generative AI Tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Google Bard, etc.) work much like spell checkers or Microsoft Word’s “Editor”, with the added ability to search a large database of information and connect information automatically after being given a prompt. In this course it is important to remember that if you use a Generative AI Tool to help you generate an outline or rephrase text you have written you should treat that text like any other text you use and write the output in your own words.

Assignments that involve the use of a Generative AI Tool will clearly state how students should use the tool. For example, an assignment that is designed for Generative AI Tool use in generating an outline will clearly state how students should use the tool and how they should prompt the tool to generate content.

Regular Substantive Interaction

Regular and substantive interaction (RSI) between instructors and students is a core component distinguishing distance education from correspondence education. In contrast to correspondence education where students are not in regular and substantive interaction with instructors, distance education is eligible for Title IV financial aid because of the presence of RSI. Although the statutory and regulatory definitions of distance education state, in part, that it must “support regular and substantive interaction between the students and the instructor, synchronously or asynchronously” (Higher Education Opportunity Act, Pub.L. 110-315, 122 Stat. 3078, codified as amended at 34 C.F.R. §600.2), the meaning of the term “regular and substantive interaction” (RSI) has never been clearly defined in either statute or by the Department of Education. As such, institutions offering distance education are held to a standard that impacts financial aid eligibility that remains ill-defined by the Department of Education and Congress. Although much of the recent discussion around RSI has focused on its application to online direct assessment and competency-based education (CBE), it remains a critical issue for all institutions offering distance education and must be clearly defined in such a way that takes into consideration the needs of all distance education modalities and educational innovations.

Online Learning Consortium, Inc. PO Box 1238, Newburyport, MA 01950. Tel: 617-716-1414; e-mail: publications@onlinelearning-c.org; Web site: http://onlinelearningconsortium.org

Student Support Services Syllabus Statements

Early Alert

The Early Alert Program is a proactive system of communication and collaboration between faculty, Student Success Center staff, and students. The program promotes academic success by identifying students experiencing difficulty with courses, encouraging students to attend classes and actively participate, providing a support system to assist students holistically, and helping students develop a mindset that leads to further academic success.

Faculty may refer a student to the Early Alert program. Additionally, students whose midterm GPA falls below a 2.0 will have a hold place on their Banner account. The Early Alert hold serves as an opportunity for students to seek advice from their Student Success Navigator. Students are required to meet with their Student Success Navigator to work on an academic plan, which will qualify them for the Early Alert hold removal.

Student Success Center

If you need help with adjusting to college, financial wellness counseling, study skills, tutoring, disability accommodations, or other academic support please contact the Student Success Center for assistance. They are located on the first floor of Reneau Hall or online at www.muw.edu/ssc; you may call 662.329.7138, or email ssc@muw.edu.

Mentoring/Tutoring

The Student Success Center provides peer mentors who can help with campus knowledge, communication strategies, and relationship building. They are also available to tutor in a variety of subjects. Additionally, all MUW students will have access to 24/7 free online tutoring through the Brainfuse tab in Canvas.

For more information, please visit https://www.muw.edu/ssc/academics/ ,call 662.329.7138, or email ssc@muw.edu.

Writing Center

Students who are concerned about the writing components of this course should take advantage of the wonderful resources in the Writing Center. Located in Painter 106, the center is open for walk-ins and face-to-face or online appointments. You can look for assistance at any stage of the writing process, but remember that the tutors are not there to write your paper for you or to simply proofread your work. Opening hours can be found posted on the Writing Center’s website: https://www.muw.edu/writing