Instructor: Dr. Danika Brown
Email – danika@utpa.edu
Phone – 381-3447 (office); 381-3421 (department/message)
Office: COAS 263
As in any course, you will be expected to adhere to some formal policies. These policies are designed to make my expectations clear, and to facilitate a productive, collaborative environment.
Office Hours
I hold regular office hours (consult your course page or syllabus)
specifically to assist you with any areas of concern you have in the course
or other related issues. I encourage you to use my office hours at any time,
especially if you are feeling like there is something that is preventing you
from doing as well as you would like to in the course. If you do not want to
or are unable to come to my physical office, you have the option of meeting
with me online in my office at Tapped
In.
Attendance
I expect you to attend class on a regular basis, to be on time, and
to be prepared for each class by having done the assigned reading and/or homework.
Class discussions will be essential for you to understand the concepts and criteria
by which I will evaluate your work. If you miss more than two (2) regularly
scheduled class meeting, your grade will likely suffer. If you miss four (4)
or more meetings, expect to fail the course.
Regarding Drops:
I do no automatically drop anyone from any class. If you decide to stop coming
or participating in this class, either officially drop the course, or request
me to assign you a Drop at final grades. If you do not let me know that you
have dropped the course, I will assign a grade based on what I have received
from you. If you are having difficulty with meeting the requirements of the
course, please see me during office hours (or by appointment) so we can address
your needs and concerns.
Turning in Work
Assignments with assigned due dates must be turned in by 5:00pm on
the due date. Please respect these due dates and my time. If you are unable
to turn an assignment in on time, you will need to discuss the matter with me.
In general, I will not accept formal assignments after the due date without
penalty.
Assignments with flexible turn-in dates will be accepted at any time (but no
later than April 24th). Any assignment turned in prior to April 24th can be
revised and turned back in for a reconsidered grade.
Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty
Dishonest acts, such as plagiarism (using words or a specific author’s
ideas from another source without acknowledging the source) or collusion (having
other people write parts of your paper for you), may result in an “F”
on the assignment and may lead to a disciplinary hearing conducted through the
office of the Dean of Students which could result in suspension or expulsion
from UTPA (this policy is consistent with the Student Conduct Code printed in
the UTPA Student Guide). If you have questions about whether your use of other
sources (such as books, websites, friends, writing center tutors) is fair or
not, please ask before turning in the work that you have a question about. If
you have questions about how to use source material fairly and appropriately
(documenting, paraphrasing, using direct quotations, etc.) from print or internet
sources, be sure to ask your instructor or consult a reference book (such as
the MLA Handbook).
Accommodating Students with Disabilities
If you have a documented disability which will make it difficult for
you to carry out the work as I have outlined and/or you need special accommodations/assistance
because of the disability, please contact the Office of Services for Persons
with Disabilities (OSPD), Emilia Ramirez-Shunior Hall, Room 1.101 immediately.
Appropriate arrangements/accommodations can be arranged.
Verification of disabilities and processing of special services required, such
as notetakers, extended time, separate accommodations for testing, will be determined
by OSPD. Please do not assume adjustments/accommodations are impossible. Consult
with the coordinator for OSPD at extension 7005.
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