Additional class policies

Extracurricular Activities 

If you participate in an official, scheduled, SMU extracurricular activity, you will be given the opportunity to make up exams and assignments missed as a result of your participation.  Please discuss your schedule with me at the beginning of the semester.  Read the attendance policy carefully.  The two absence allowance will be increased to cover your scheduled events.  Bear in mind that the limit of four absences applies to all students.

Religious Observance

“Religiously observant students wishing to be absent on holidays that require missing class should notify their professors in writing at the beginning of the semester [September 10], and should discuss with them, in advance, acceptable ways of making up any work missed because of the absence.”  (University Policy No. 1.9.).

Students With Disabilities

To arrange for accommodations, contact the Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities, Rebecca Marin (214-768-4563.  She will verify the disability and establish your eligibility.  After I have received documentation from her, we can arrange for whatever accommodations you require.

Honor Code

Violation of SMU's honor code will not be tolerated.  Every piece of work you turn in must be entirely your own.  Writing a paper means both expressing your own thoughts, and expressing them in your own words.   You may not copy passages from our texts, from any other texts, or from the internet, even if the passages are brief.  No one else may write a paper for you, whether in whole or in part.  In a typical case (for example, a student turns in a paper mostly cut-and- pasted from several web sites), the penalty for violating the honor code will be an "F" in the course. On top of this grade penalty, the case may be presented to the honor council, which may decide to take further disciplinary action, such as suspension or dismissal from the university. 

90-100 (A-range)  Very accurate, very insightful, relatively minor flaws. 

80-89 (B-range)    Some very good work, but also some significant gaps.  

70-79 (C-range)    You've learned something, but missed many important things as well.

60-69 (D-range)    You’ve mastered a small amount of the material.

50-59 (F)              No mastery.           

0-49 (F)                Nothing turned in, no effort at all, plagiarism, etc.