Course Policies and Procedures

First-Year Writing Course Information & Policies

University of Arizona Writing Program

Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism

All University of Arizona (UA) students are responsible for upholding the Code of Academic Integrity, available through the office of the Dean of Students and online at http://deanofstudents.arizona.edu/codeofacademicintegrity.

You must do your own writing for all the assignments in this class and have a full understanding of all terms and concepts you have used. If your instructor questions whether the work you have submitted is your own, he or she may test you on its content.

Submitting an item of academic work that has previously been submitted without fair citation of the original work or authorization by the faculty member supervising the work is prohibited by the Code of Academic Integrity.

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory. Missing one or more days in the first week of classes will mean you are dropped, and missing more than the allotted absences (see details below) after the first week may lead to an administrative drop, grade penalty, or even a failing grade in the course. Writing courses are workshop classes that include in-class writing, peer group work, and conferences. Therefore, students should not be late and should not miss class. Any class work missed as a result of tardiness or absence is the student’s responsibility to make up, if the instructor allows make-up work.

First-week Attendance Policy

In accordance with the university's policy for high-demand classes, the Writing Program drops students for non-attendance as follows:

• During the first week of the semester, a student who missed even one (1) day of a 1-or 2-day a week class will be dropped for non-attendance.
• During the first week of the semester, a student who missed any two (2) days of a 3-day a week class will be dropped for non-attendance.

2-week and beyond Attendance Policy

After the first week, attendance is managed as follows: Students enrolled in a traditional sixteen week semester cannot miss more than a week of classes without penalty. For example:

• if your class meets one day a week, you may miss only one class meeting
• if your class meets two days a week, you may miss only two class meetings
• if your class meets three days a week, you may miss only three class meetings.

For each class meeting missed thereafter, your final course grade will be reduced by 1%.

In accordance with university policy, excessive or extended absences from a class are sufficient reason for an instructor to administratively drop a student from the course. Students who exceed the allowed number of absences during the first ten weeks of a semester may be dropped with a W. Thereafter, students may fail during the final weeks of the semester because of excessive absences.

Doctor’s appointments, job interviews, and other important appointments do not count as excused absences. All holidays or special events observed by organized religions will be honored for those students who show affiliation with that particular religion. Note that a dean’s note justifies absences for UA functions but must be presented to your instructor. If you have a legitimate conflict or emergency, discuss the situation with your instructor.

NOTE: Being dropped from your English class may mean you are below the minimum number of units, thus violating financial aid/scholarship OR international student status. International students should consult with the International Student Services Office before dropping below full time.

Class Conduct

All UA students are responsible for upholding the Student Code of Conduct, which can be read online at http://deanofstudents.arizona.edu/studentcodeofconduct.

From the Code of Conduct of Student Behavior, this includes the following:

“Interfering with or disrupting university or university-sponsored activities, including but not limited to classroom-related activities, studying, teaching, research, intellectual or creative endeavor, administration, service or the provision of communication, computing or emergency services.”  This means no electronic devices in an ON position in class without your instructor’s permission.

Class Etiquette

Cell phone and other electronic devices may not be used in class, unless your instructor allows you to take notes with such equipment.

Food and drink are not permitted in most classrooms.

Please plan on staying in class for the whole class period unless it is urgent for you to leave or you have made arrangements with your instructor ahead of time.

Conferences

Writing program instructors may cancel a class session to host individual or small group conferences. Students should come to conferences prepared to discuss their work. If your class has been cancelled to hold student-teacher conferences and you miss your assigned conference time, it may be counted as an absence by your instructor.

Course Content

If any of the course materials, subject matter, or requirements in this course are offensive to you, speak to your instructor. Usually, the resolution will be to drop the course promptly.

Email submissions are unacceptable unless prior arrangements have been made between you and your instructor. You should never assume that emailing your paper as an attachment means you have met a class deadline.  

Grades

A Student’s Guide to First-Year Writing (Guide) explains grading policies, methods of responding to drafts and final writing projects, and the standards of assessment of the Writing Program. Instructors’ comments will consider, in the context of a particular assignment, the following aspects of writing: purpose, audience, content, expression, organization, development, mechanics, and maturity of thought.

Students cannot receive a passing grade in first-year composition unless they have submitted all drafts and final versions for all major assignments as well as the final required in the course. Incompletes are awarded 1) in case of extreme emergency; 2) if, only if, 70% of the course work has been completed at the semester’s end; and 3) the instructor has the approval of the Director of the Writing Program.

More on Grades & Credit

• An E is assigned to an essay that has been completed but falls short of acceptable college-level work.
• A zero is recorded for work not handed in at all.
• Failure to hand in a major assignment automatically results in a failing grade for the course.
• You are required to keep electronic copies of all of your work to resubmit in case an assignment is misplaced and hard copies of graded work if you elect to file a grade appeal at semester’s end.
• Instructors will not evaluate an essay or assign credit for it without first seeing the required drafts.

Late Work

Late work will not be accepted without penalty unless students make arrangements for an extension before the due date. Major assignments that are turned in late will incur a 5% penalty per 24-hour period.

Library Research

All students are required to conduct and document their research. For more on research, see also the Main Library web page.

Students with Disabilities – Accessibility and Accommodations

It is the UA’s goal that learning experiences be as accessible as possible. If you anticipate or experience physical or academic barriers based on disability, please let me know immediately so that we can discuss options. You are also welcome to contact Disability Resources (520-621-3268) to establish reasonable accommodations. Please be aware that the accessible table and chairs in this room should remain available for students who find that standard classroom seating is not usable.

Submitting your Work

• In-class and out-of-class writing will be assigned throughout the course. Students not in class when writing is assigned are still responsible for completion of the assignment when due.
• It is your responsibility to submit your work by the published assignment deadline.
• It is your responsibility to submit the correct version of your assignment.
• Students are required to keep copies of all drafts and major assignments until after the end of the semester.
• Drafts must be turned in with all essays. Drafts should show significant changes in purpose, audience, organization, or evidence.
• Final copies should be typed and follow the appropriate style guidelines for the assignment (MLA, APA, or other citation style) or as determined by your instructor.

Syllabus

Each instructor will distribute a course syllabus during the first week of class. Instructors will review the course syllabus and policies with students. Students should talk with the instructor if they anticipate a need for alternative assignments or readings.

Textbooks

All first-year composition students are required to purchase the current editions of A Student’s Guide to First-Year Writing (Guide) and Rules for Writers (Rules), and some first-year writing courses may require additional textbook purchases (see your instructor’s course page).

Writing Support

The Writing Center is a free resource for UA undergraduate and graduate students as well as faculty and staff. At the Writing Center, a trained peer tutor will work individually with you on your writing, at any point in the process from brainstorming to editing. Appointments are recommended but not required. For more information or to make an appointment, call 626-0530 or visit http://thinktank.arizona.edu/.

The Writing Skills Improvement Program (WSIP) offers free professional writing assistance to students in any course or discipline. WSIP also offers three series of free Weekly Writing Workshops for which no prior registration is necessary. For more information, call 621-5849, visit their office at 1201 E. Helen Street, or their website at http://wsip.web.arizona.edu.

Information contained in the course syllabus, other than the grade and absence policies, may be subject to change with reasonable advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.