TEACHING

Course Syllabi

Attendance Policy

Communication with Students

Drop for Non-Attendance

Formative Assessment of Teaching (FAsT) - create your own teaching assessment surveys!

Final Exams

No Exam Week

Grades and FERPA

Grades - Incomplete policy

Grades – Freshmen Early Warning and Midterm Grades

Course Syllabi
Every course taught must have an updated syllabus and each student in the course must receive a copy. A copy of each syllabus is also kept on file in the Music Office.  Please provide Sarah with a copy of your syllabi.

The syllabus should clearly articulate the subject area, grading criteria, attendance policy, office hours, and any applicable university policies (such as ADA policies).

Attendance Policy (from 2009-10 Catalog)

M-1. Attendance. Students are responsible for class attendance; in all cases of absence, students are accountable for the work missed. In the case of officially approved absence and on the request of the student, the instructor is obligated to provide an opportunity for the student to make up for missed work. In general, an absence is considered "official" when the student is: (a) participating in an approved field trip or other official UI activity (e.g., athletics, debate, music, or theatre arts); (b) confined under doctor's orders; (c) called to active military duty during emergency situations; or (d) granted a leave of absence from UI for reasonable cause by his or her academic dean

M-2. Repeated Absences. In courses where a substantial amount of the content can be mastered only or primarily through class participation, regular and punctual attendance is essential and may, therefore, be reflected in grading. Instructors will make clear at the beginning of each course the extent to which grades are dependent on attendance. Instructors may report to the registrar students who are repeatedly absent from classes (a form is available from departmental and college officials). Absences may be considered excessive when their number equals or exceeds the number of credits in a particular course.

Communication with Students
Communicate with students in an accurate, professional, timely, clear, and concise manner and where appropriate, keep adequate records of the correspondence.

Drop for Non-Attendance
Students may be dropped for non-attendance during the first week of classes.  The Drop Due to Non-Attendance Form must be completed by the end of the first week of classes.

From 2008-09 Catalog:
M.5. Drop for Non-attendance: Students are responsible for notifying their instructors through the Registrar when extenuating circumstances not covered as an officially approved absence as defined in M-1 prevent their attendance during the first week of the semester. Instructors may drop students who have not attended class or laboratory meetings nor notified the instructor through the Registrar by the end of the sixth business day following the start of the class. Valid reasons for missing classes do not relieve the student of making up the work missed.

Final Exams
Final exams must be given as scheduled.  Specific permission must be obtained before an exam can be offered at any time other than the time posted in the university’s official Class Schedule.  For regulations, see also catalog Part 3, H1.

No Exam Week
We attempt to observe dead week honorably.  Therefore, please do not schedule exams or major projects during the last week before exams.  For regulations, see also catalog Part 3, H1-a.

Grades and FERPA
Per Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regulations faculty may not post grades or leave students’ graded reports or projects in public places.  Mid-term and final grades must be submitted on or before the deadlines that are published by the Registrar (Academic Calendar).

Grades - Incomplete policy (from 2008-09 Catalog)
F-1. A grade of "Incomplete" is assigned only when the student has been in attendance and has done passing work up to a time within three weeks of the close of the semester, or within one week of the close of the summer session. It may be assigned only upon agreement of the student and course instructor when extenuating circumstances make it impossible for the student to complete course requirements on time (Extenuating circumstances include serious illness, car accidents, death of a family member, etc. It does not include lateness due to procrastination, the student’s desire to do extra work to raise his/her grade, allowing a student to retake the course, etc.). Graduate students on probation, see College of Graduate Studies section on Probation, Disqualification, and Reinstatement (Part 4). If a grade of "Incomplete" is submitted, the instructor will assign a reversion grade in the event the missing work is not completed. The instructor must also specify conditions and requirements for completing the deficient work, as well as any deadline shorter than the maximum time period allowed in F-2. At the end of each semester, the Registrar’s Office will send an Incomplete Grade Report (IGR) to departmental administrators detailing every I grade submitted by their faculty that semester and the conditions for student completion.

F-2. Completion of "Incomplete" Grades. Final grades for incompletes received in the Fall semester or Intersession, must be assigned by the last day of the following Summer semester. Final grades for incompletes received in the Spring semester or Summer Session, must be assigned by the last day of the following Fall semester. When a student has completed the deficient work, the instructor will assign a final grade. An incomplete that is not completed within the time limit specified above would automatically be changed to the reversion grade assigned by the instructor at the time the incomplete was submitted. Instructors may assign a final grade anytime within the time period specified above. In the event the instructor leaves the university, the departmental administrator may assign the final grade. An incomplete remains on the student’s permanent record and is accompanied by the final grade (i.e. I/A, I/B, I/C).

Grades – Freshmen Early Warning and Midterm Grades
It is important to enter freshman early warning grades for freshmen (and in reality, all students) who have poor attendance and/or poor grades. The Freshmen Early Warning and Midterm Grades system triggers reports which then are used to intercede if a student is struggling. 

If a student is enrolled in the wrong course or in the wrong section or wrong level of lessons, give them an "F" for Freshmen Early Warning and midterms.  This grade does not show up on their final transcript and will serve as a wake-up call that they need to take action to get into the correct course.