At BMCC, the maximum number of absences is limited to one more hour than the number of hours a class meets in one week. For example, you may be enrolled in a three-hour class. In that class, you would be allowed four hours of absence (not four days). In the case of excessive absences, the instructor has the option to lower the grade or assign an F or WU grade. Your grade WILL be lowered if you exceed the number of allotted hours for ANY reason.
Attendance is extremely important in this class. If you are not in class, you are missing valuable information and you cannot turn in assignments due that day. It is your responsibility to get missed information in a timely fashion from a classmate, not from your professor, so you are caught up for the next class session. Likewise, it is your responsibility to get your late assignments in as quickly as possible (see late work policy below). In addition to being in attendance, you should be on time. If you are late, it is your responsibility to get information you missed from a classmate outside of class and you will not be allowed to make up quizzes. Three instances of lateness are equivalent to one hour of absence.
If you have what you believe to be extenuating circumstances, speak with Dr. Waychoff early in the semester, or immediately when the circumstances arise. For more information on the school’s policy, click here.
LATE WORK
Late work is accepted up to one week after the original due date. Work will still be considered late within that week and reduced one full-letter grade for each day (not class period) past the due date. After one week past the due date, no credit will be received. If you are having difficulty completing an assignment on time, please contact Dr. Waychoff a minimum of 24 hours before the assignment is due to discuss possibilities for alternative arrangements. Please note: assignments will not be accepted via email. NO EXCEPTIONS!
GRADE DISPUTES
Grades will not be discussed on the day assignments are returned, nor will individual grades be discussed via email, right before or after class, or during class time. The protocol for discussing or disputing a grade is as follows:
-
Wait 48 hours before presenting questions or concerns regarding a grade.
-
Appeal your grade via email within one week of it being posted to blackboard or handed back to you (whichever comes first). If you do not dispute your grade within this time period, your grade will stand.
-
Type your reasons for questioning the grade in essay format and send them to me in an email. Be sure you reference the feedback you received and the rubric where applicable.
-
In this email, also provide availability for an appointment to discuss your grade face-to-face.
-
Show up to our scheduled meeting with a hard copy of your essay questioning the grade.
EMAIL ETIQUETTE
Please use email etiquette appropriate to a professional setting. I am your professor, not your friend (though we may be friendly). This means your email should have a greeting (Hello, Dear, Etc.), use clear, full sentences to address your concern or question, and have a closing (Thank You, Sincerely, Etc.) wherein you use your full name. I will respond to your email within 24 hours during the week and within 48 hours on the weekend. As noted above, assignments are not accepted via email.
Here is an article about email etiquette if you have any questions.
CELL PHONES
Do not use them in class unless instructed to do so. This includes taking pictures of projections: You can write the information on the screen in your notebooks. For the most part, your cell-phone behavior will not be policed, because you are all adults. However, you can be sure that it will be noticed and that being on your phone instead of attending to class discussion puts you at a disadvantage when it comes to mastering course material.
BLACKBOARD
You must have access to blackboard to be successful in this course. You will post assignments to blackboard and take exams on it. I will post grades and attendance records to blackboard throughout the semester so you can figure out where you stand in the course. All the information you need regarding blackboard, including who to contact if you have problems with your account, is available HERE.
LAPTOPS & TABLETS
Many studies show that students who take notes on laptops do not perform as well as students who take notes on paper. To help you learn, you should have a paper notebook with you every class that you take notes in. We will not use laptops and tablets in this class unless otherwise noted. If need special accommodations, please speak with Dr. Waychoff outside of class and/or register with the Office of Accessibility.
ACADEMIC ADJUSTMENTS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Students with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations or academic adjustments for this course must contact the Office of Accessibility (in N-360/phone 212-220-8180) and see the instructor within the first few weeks of the semester. BMCC is committed to providing equal access to all programs and curricula to all students.
PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism is the presentation of someone else’s ideas, words or artistic, scientific, or technical work as one’s own creation. Using the idea or work of another is permissible only when the original author is identified. Paraphrasing and summarizing, as well as direct quotations, require citations to the original source. Plagiarism may be intentional or unintentional. Lack of dishonest intent does not necessarily absolve the student of responsibility for plagiarism. Students who are unsure how and when to provide documentation are advised to consult with their instructors. The library has guides designed to help students to appropriately identify a cited work. The full policy can be found on BMCC’s website, www.bmcc.cuny.edu. For further information on integrity and behavior, please consult the college bulletin (also available online).
