Syllabus policies
COVID-19 Statement
West Chester University has decided to switch instruction during the current pandemic to in-person learning. This decision requires significant sacrifice by each member of the university community in order to successfully deliver an in-person learning experience. As a result of returning to in-person learning, each member of our class must commit to properly wearing a mask at all times in the class, without exception. Students who do not feel able to make this commitment should drop the class and seek remote instruction. Another joint sacrifice required by our decision to return to in-person learning is a strict no food or drink policy. Any student who needs to eat or drink, however briefly, must leave the class with a mask properly worn and return with a mask properly worn. Students who do not feel able to make this commitment should drop the class and seek remote instruction.
These guidelines are not devised by me, but I am committed to them and I expect you to commit to them. These requirements are shared by every class at West Chester. If you are unwilling to commit to these requirements for in-person learning, you should drop this course and seek remote instruction. I am willing to make, at most, one reminder in each class. In order to keep us all safe, students who do not adhere to this policy and the reminder will force this class to end its activities for the day and can be removed from the course and the university for the term. If you need help, reach out to me individually.
Attendance Policy:
Your attendance and participation are key components of your learning in this course. You cannot learn without the give and take of others. Students who miss class are responsible for seeking support for missed content from those students in attendance, or scheduling a 1:1 review during office hours. Attendance and participation signal to me and to your peers that you are engaged in producing the work of learning for this class. While there is no formal penalty for missing class, students who neither attend nor participate are unable to succeed in the learning of this class.
For this semester, I am happy to work with you to arrange work should you need to miss class, including for reasons related to exposure to Covid. I urge you to consider the well-being of others in your decision to attend class, and err on the side of caution. I am happy to hold Zoom meetings with you/your group in order to help you meet the work of the term.
ACADEMIC & PERSONAL INTEGRITY
It is the responsibility of each student to adhere to the university’s standards for academic integrity. Violations of academic integrity include any act that violates the rights of another student in academic work, that involves misrepresentation of your own work, or that disrupts the instruction of the course. Other violations include (but are not limited to): cheating on assignments or examinations; plagiarizing, which means copying any part of another’s work and/or using ideas of another and presenting them as one’s own without giving proper credit to the source; selling, purchasing, or exchanging of term papers; falsifying of information; and using your own work from one class to fulfill the assignment for another class without significant modification. Proof of academic misconduct can result in the automatic failure and removal from this course. For questions regarding Academic Integrity, the No-Grade Policy, Sexual Harassment, or the Student Code of Conduct, students are encouraged to refer to the Department Undergraduate Handbook, the Undergraduate Catalog, the Ram’s Eye View, and the University website at www.wcupa.edu.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
If you have a disability that requires accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please present your letter of accommodations and meet with me as soon as possible so that I can support your success in an informed manner. Accommodations cannot be granted retroactively. If you would like to know more about West Chester University’s Services for Students with Disabilities (OSSD), please visit them at 223 Lawrence Center. Their phone number is 610-436-2564, their fax number is 610-436-2600, their email address is ossd@wcupa.edu, and their website is at https://www.wcupa.edu/universityCollege/ossd/. In an effort to assist students who either receive or may believe they are entitled to receive accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the University has appointed a student advocate to be a contact for students who have questions regarding the provision of their accommodations or their right to accommodations. The advocate will assist any student who may have questions regarding these rights. The Director for Equity and Compliance/Title IX Coordinator has been designated in this role. Students who need assistance with their rights to accommodations should contact them at 610-436-2433.
EXCUSED ABSENCES POLICY
Students are advised to carefully read and comply with the excused absences policy, including absences for university-sanctioned events, contained in the WCU Undergraduate Catalog. In particular, please note that the “responsibility for meeting academic requirements rests with the student,” that this policy does not excuse students from completing required academic work, and that professors can require a “fair alternative” to attendance on those days that students must be absent from class in order to participate in a University-Sanctioned Event.
REPORTING INCIDENTS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE
West Chester University and its faculty are committed to assuring a safe and productive educational environment for all students. In order to comply with the requirements of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the University’s commitment to offering supportive measures in accordance with the new regulations issued under Title IX, the University requires faculty members to report incidents of sexual violence shared by students to the University’s Title IX Coordinator. The only exceptions to the faculty member’s reporting obligation are when incidents of sexual violence are communicated by a student during a classroom discussion, in a writing assignment for a class, or as part of a University-approved research project. Faculty members are obligated to report sexual violence or any other abuse of a student who was, or is, a child (a person under 18 years of age) when the abuse allegedly occurred to the person designated in the University Protection of Minors Policy. Information regarding the reporting of sexual violence and the resources that are available to victims of sexual violence is set forth at: https://www.wcupa.edu/_admin/diversityEquityInclusion/sexualMisconduct/default.aspx
Inclusive Learning Environment and Anti-Racist Statement
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to West Chester University’s mission as reflected in our Mission Statement, Values Statement, Vision Statement and Strategic Plan: Pathways to Student Success. We disavow racism and all actions that silence, threaten, or degrade historically marginalized groups in the U.S. We acknowledge that all members of this learning community may experience harm stemming from forms of oppression including but not limited to classism, ableism, heterosexism, sexism, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and xenophobia, and recognize that these forms of oppression are compounded by racism.
Our core commitment as an institution of higher education shapes our expectation for behavior within this learning community, which represents diverse individual beliefs, backgrounds, and experiences. Courteous and respectful behavior, interactions, and responses are expected from all members of the University. We must work together to make this a safe and productive learning environment for everyone. Part of this work is recognizing how race and other aspects of who we are shape our beliefs and our experiences as individuals. It is not enough to condemn acts of racism. For real, sustainable change, we must stand together as a diverse coalition against racism and oppression of any form, anywhere, at any time.
Resources for education and action are available through WCU’s Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI), DEI committees within departments or colleges, the student ombudsperson, and centers on campus committed to doing this work (e.g., Dowdy Multicultural Center, Center for Women and Gender Equity, and the Center for Trans and Queer Advocacy).
Guidance on how to report incidents of discrimination and harassment is available at the University’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
All students are encouraged to sign up for the University’s free WCU ALERT service, which delivers official WCU emergency text messages directly to your cell phone. For more information, visit www.wcupa.edu/wcualert. To report an emergency, call the Department of Public Safety at 610-436-3311.
ELECTRONIC MAIL POLICY
It is expected that faculty, staff, and students activate and maintain regular access to University provided e-mail accounts. Official university communications, including those from your instructor, will be sent through your university e-mail account. You are responsible for accessing that mail to be sure to obtain official University communications. Failure to access will not exempt individuals from the responsibilities associated with this course.
