Students: taking classes is your job here at the university. Treat the work and requirements accordingly. In the workplace things such as absences and not doing your work properly have negative consequences. This is the case in my classes as well. Many students' low grades are a result of not following directions or policies, as well as not expending efforts.
Please read the following carefully. Ask questions if these policies are not clear.
LATE POLICY FOR WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS: Students are expected to hand in all written assignments on time in the class at which they are due. For each calendar day an assignment is handed in late, its grade will be lowered by one whole grade. (Example: a B+ paper handed in one day late becomes a C+ paper, etc.) This is general policy; check individual assignment instructions, also. (For example, reading summaries for discussion questions for some courses cannot be handed in late at all.) No assignment will be accepted that is more than one week late. If you hand in a late paper, put it in my mailbox after you have had someone in the History Department office (HM 400) stamp it with the time and date it was received on the cover page.
POLICY ON FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS FOR WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS: Instructions on format and content of outside written assignments will be provided before they are due. Failure to conform to the required format will result in grade reductions. (See paper guidelines.) Read the directions. I do not accept written work via e-mail attachment.
POLICY FOR ABSENCES FOR QUIZZES OR EXAMS: Students are expected to keep track of the schedule. Changes will be announced and posted on the web site. Please see individual course descriptions for specific grade point penalties for unexcused absences for missing class. You are responsible for material missed in class. I am not. Get notes from another student. No make-ups are allowed for absences for quizzes or exams. The only exceptions are for documented illnesses or family death, student athletes with documentation, and students with documented involvement in a university activity such as band or the military. E-mails explaining that you cannot be in class unfortunately will not be enough to grant you an excused absence. Please do not ask for exceptions, as they will be refused. Plan accordingly, or just take your lumps! See your course description for policies on attendance.
SLEEPING IN CLASS: Do not sleep in class. I am not stupid, and I notice when students sleep in class. It makes me cranky and is insulting. If you are too tired to come to class you may as well stay home and sleep comfortably in your bed because I will mark you absent anyway, without commenting on it. I will not embarrass you in class. Instead, I will penalize your grade.
POLICY ON RETURN OF WRITTEN WORK: Written work (papers, essay exams) will be returned within two weeks of my receiving it. I tend to write fairly extensive comments (on papers, in particular), and this takes time. (Remember: I have 90-100 students every semester, whereas you have only 5 classes. Just do the math!)
E-MAIL COMMUNICATION: I am as dependent on e-mail as anyone, but, alas, the volume of e-mails I receive has gotten out of control. Having e-mail means that I (and you) can be reached 24 hours a day. However, I do not have the time to answer all of my e-mail (from students and others) in a timely manner. Be reassured that communication with students during the academic year is a high e-mail priority. HOWEVER, please be advised that I will not answer e-mails sent after 8:00 p.m. on weekday nights on the same night, and that I may not answer e-mails over the weekend speedily. I may even be away on some weekends. Therefore,
*Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated in ANY of my courses.
The penalty for cheating or plagiarism on any assignment will be FAILURE OF THE COURSE. For definitions of cheating and plagiarism, see the Student Handbook, pages 37-39, or go to http://www.udayton.edu/~studev/studenthandbook/index.htm and go to the section on Academic Information.
If, after reading the handbook, you do not understand what plagiarism is, please talk to me.