COURSE STRUCTURE
General UMD Policies
Class Participation
The University policy on attendance is available at http://www.testudo.umd.edu/soc/atedasse.html and in the Undergraduate Catalog
This policy includes information about overall class participation including: religious holidays, inclement weather, excused absences, makeup exam.
Absence Policy
It is the policy of the university to excuse the absences of students that result from the following causes: illness of the student, or illness of a dependent as defined by Board of Regents policy on family and medical leave; religious observance (where the nature of the observance prevents the student from being present during the class period); participation in university activities at the request of university authorities; and compelling circumstance beyond the students control. Students claiming excused absence must apply in writing and furnish documentary support for their assertion that absence resulted from one of these causes.
In accordance with university policy, if you are absent for a single lecture due to illness or some form of personal or family emergency, this absence will be considered “excused” and the instructor will accept a note from you, attesting to the date of the illness/incident, along with an acknowledgement that the information is true. Whenever feasible, you should try to contact the instructor in advance.
Major Scheduled Grading Events and Prolonged Absences.
Students who miss a Major Scheduled Grading Event due any University excused absence must provide appropriate documentation. Students who miss Major Scheduled Grading Event due to illness or who have a prolonged absence due to illness (multiple consecutive absences due to the same illness) shall be required to provide his or her instructor with written documentation of the illness from the University Health Center or from his or her own health care provider. The University Health Center or health care provider shall verify dates of treatment and indicate the dates the student was unable to meet academic responsibilities.
For complete information on the university's absence policy see:
http://www.president.umd.edu/policies/v100g.html
and the Undergraduate Catalog at: http://www.umd.edu/catalog/index.cfm/show/content.section/c/27/ss/1584/s/1540
Email – The Official University Correspondence
Verify your email address by going to www.my.umd.edu.
All enrolled students are provided access to the University's email system and an email account. All official University email communication will be sent to this email address (or an alternate address if provided by the student). Email has been adopted as the primary means for sending official communications to students, so email must be checked on a regular basis. Academic advisors, faculty, and campus administrative offices use email to communicate important and time-sensitive notices.
Students are responsible for keeping their email address up to date or for redirecting or forwarding email to another address. Failure to check email, errors in forwarding email, and returned email (from “full mailbox” or “unknown user” errors for example), will not excuse a student from missing University announcement, messages, deadlines, etc. Email addresses can be quickly and easily updated at www.my.umd.edu or in-person at the Student Service Counter on the first floor of the Mitchell Building.
For technical support for University email: www.helpdesk.umd.edu or call 301-405-1400.
Late work and Missed Exams/Assignments
IMPORTANT: For details see the relevant section on the assignments pages
Religious Observances
The University System of Maryland policy provides that students should not be penalized because of observances of their religious beliefs; students shall be given an opportunity, whenever feasible, to make up within a reasonable time any academic assignment that is missed due to individual participation in religious observances. It is the student's responsibility to inform the instructor at the beginning of the semester or at least one week in advance of any intended absences for religious observance.
The policy that includes information about Religious Observance is available at: http://www.president.umd.edu/policies/iii510a.html
Special Accommodations / Disability Support Services
If you have a documented disability and wish to discuss academic accommodations for test taking or other needs, you will need documentation from Disability Support Service (301-314-7682). If you are ill or encountering personal difficulties, please let the instructor know as soon as possible. You can also contact Learning Assistance Services (301-314-7693) and/or the Counseling Center (301-314-7651) for assistance.
The University services for students with disabilities is available on:
http://www.counseling.umd.edu/DSS/avail_services.html
Academic Integrity
The University's code of academic integrity is designed to ensure that the principle of academic honesty is upheld. Any of the following acts, when committed by a student, constitutes academic dishonesty:
• CHEATING: intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in an academic exercise.
• FABRICATION: intentional and unauthorized falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise.
• FACILITATING ACADEMIC DISHONESTY: intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to help another to violate any provision of this code.
• PLAGIARISM: intentionally or knowingly representing the words or ideas of another as one's own in any academic exercise.
For more information see: http://www.shc.umd.edu/code.html.
The Honor Pledge is a statement undergraduate and graduate students should be asked to write by hand and sign on examinations, papers, or other academic assignments. The Pledge reads:
I pledge on my honor that I have not given or received any unauthorized assistance on this assignment/examination.
The University of Maryland, College Park has a nationally recognized Code of Academic Integrity, administered by the Student Honor Council. This Code sets standards for academic integrity at Maryland for all undergraduate and graduate students. As a student you are responsible for upholding these standards for this course. It is very important for you to be aware of the consequences of cheating, fabrication, facilitation, and plagiarism. For more information on the Code of Academic Integrity or the Student Honor Council, please visit http://www.shc.umd.edu.
Inclement Weather / University Closings
In the event that the University is closed for an emergency or extended period of time, the instructor will communicate to students regarding schedule adjustments, including rescheduling of examinations and assignments due to inclement weather and campus emergencies. Official closures and delays are announced on the campus website (http://www.umd.edu) and snow phone line (301-405-SNOW), as well as local radio and TV stations.
Early Warning Grades
Early warning grades will be submitted for those undergraduate students who are newly enrolled at Maryland. These grades are an important component of our retention efforts as they provide timely feedback to those students who are unfamiliar with our academic expectations. A letter grade or “satisfactory/unsatisfactory” (S/U) marks may be submitted.
Course Evaluations
The University, the School of Public Health, and the Department of Kinesiology are committed to the use of student course evaluations for improving the student experience, course and curriculum delivery, and faculty instruction. Your evaluations help instructors improve their courses; help deans and department chairs decide on merit pay for faculty, renewal of contracts, and support tenure and promotion decisions; and help current and future students decide on classes. The system (www.CourseEvalUM.umd.edu) will open toward the end of the semester and close prior to final exams; specific dates will be announced during the semester.
Your participation in the evaluation of courses through CourseEvalUM is a responsibility you hold as a student member of our academic community. Your feedback is confidential and important to the improvement of teaching and learning at the University By completing all of your evaluations each semester, you will have the privilege of accessing the summary reports for thousands of courses online at Testudo.
