- Classroom Policies And Procedures
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- Grand Canyon University Classroom Policies
'It is the business of a university to provide that atmosphere which is most conducive to speculation, experiment and creation. It is an atmosphere in which there prevail 'the four essential freedoms' of a university--to determine for itself on academic grounds who may teach, what may be taught, how it shall be taught, and who may be admitted to study.'
Classroom Policies The policies that govern teaching, advisement, and other faculty activities are detailed in the Undergraduate Bulletin and the College's Policies and Procedures. The selected policies below address questions and issues that commonly arise during the course of the semester. Classroom Cell Phone Policy 'All electronic entertainment devices are to be turned off during class.
--Sweezy v. New Hampshire, 354 U.S. 234, 263 (1957)
Classroom Management Rules and Expectations Improve Learning There’s no doubt that the clearer the rules and expectations are, the more likely students will be to learn. Rules define the parameters of behavior for students, so they know what’s expected of them and also what behaviors are “out of bounds.”. The list of suggested policies and notices below is not exhaustive, but it is intended to serve as a good starting point for faculty members to develop the classroom environment they wish to achieve. If you have suggestions for other syllabus policies or notices that you have found helpful or effective, and you would like to add them to this. Having classroom rules gives students a sense of structure and routine and helps them realise that there are certain things one must do when within a classroom. Inside Voices – Tell your students that when they are inside the classroom, they must use clear but moderate voices.
I. Legal Standard of Review
In general, the legal standard of review for governmental decisions (such as classroom policies set by faculty members at a public institution) is the rational basis test. In other words, the decisions faculty members make on how to conduct their classes are likely to be upheld in a court of law if they are reasonable, meaning that they are not arbitrary and capricious, based on malice, or based on illegal discrimination (e.g., based on an individual’s race, religion, gender, disability, or national origin). A faculty member should always be prepared to articulate a rational justification for any classroom policy he or she imposes. For example, a faculty member may proscribe certain conduct in the classroom because it would be disruptive to the teaching or educational process.
II. Grades
For the most part, courts leave grading policies to the discretion of the faculty member, within the academic standards established by the institution. Grade challenges by students are not likely to be successful in court unless there is an underlying violation of the student's right, such as illegal discrimination. One court has found that a faculty member's award of a grade was an exercise of his First Amendment right to free speech, and the institution therefore violated his free speech when it attempted to force him to change the grade. The court also held, however, that the university could have changed the student's grade itself.
Generally, a grading policy will be enforceable if it is based on the students' performance and other standards relevant to the educational process. A grade based in part upon an unrelated factor, such as what the faculty member thinks of the student as a person, is less likely to be enforceable. Clearly unenforceable policies are those that are arbitrary, discriminatory, or malicious.
III. Special Considerations
1. Illegal Discrimination in General
Faculty members should make sure that their classroom policies do not have the effect (intentional or unintentional) of illegally discriminating on the basis of race, gender, national origin, religion, or disability. Differential treatment based on one of these 'protected' classes will result in the application of 'strict scrutiny' by a court and require a 'compelling governmental interest' to justify the practice. An otherwise discriminatory practice must be justified by a very important reason.
Policies likely to involve illegal discrimination against a protected class:
- attendance/absence/tardiness (religion, disability)
- participation (disability)
- papers, projects, and tests/exams (race, gender, national origin, religion, disability)
- appropriate dress (religion)
2. Disability
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that the University provide reasonable accommodations to those students who identify themselves as disabled and request such accommodation. As students are not required to disclose a disability, faculty members should not ask a student about whether he/she is disabled. However, if a student identifies him or herself as disabled and requests a reasonable accommodation from a faculty member, the faculty member should refer the student to the Disability Services Office, which will register the student and provide necessary assistance or information on accommodations specific to his/her disability. (See University Policy 501). Classroom policies should be flexible enough to accommodate disabilities.
Policies likely to involve ADA protections:
- attendance/absences/tardiness
- participation
- papers, projects, tests/exams
3. Religious Accommodation
University officials will make a good faith effort to accommodate a student’s religious practice or belief, unless it would create an undue hardship. University policy requires that a student be provided reasonable accommodation for a sincerely held religious belief, including a minimum of two excused absences each academic year for attendance at religious observances required by the student’s religious practices or belief. A student must submit a request form so that the faculty member will have opportunity to approve an excused absence in advance.
In addition, a student should be allowed to make up any tests or missed work, without penalty, due to an excused absence for a religious observance. Accordingly, a faculty member’s classroom policies should be flexible enough to accommodate student absences for religious observances.
Policies likely to involve religious accommodations:
Classroom Policies And Procedures
- attendance/absences/tardiness
- participation (e.g., requirement to engage in conduct proscribed by a religious belief)
- tests/exam schedules
- appropriate dress
4. Pregnancy
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) prohibits sex discrimination—including discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth and parental status—at all education levels, including postsecondary institutions. On June 25, 2013 the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) issued guidance on supporting the academic success of pregnant and parenting students under Title IX. This guidance states that it is illegal under Title IX to exclude pregnant students from participating in any part of an educational program, including extracurricular activities. In addition, a University must treat pregnancy as it treats other medical leave situations, which means a student returning after pregnancy leave must be reinstated to the status she held when her leave began.
Classroom Procedures Template
Pursuant to DOE’s guidance, the University must excuse a student’s absences because of pregnancy or childbirth for as long as the student’s doctor deems the absences medically necessary, and the University should offer the student reasonable alternatives to simply making up missed work. For example, a student might be allowed to retake a semester course, take part in an on-line course recovery program, or allowed additional time in a program to continue at the same pace and finish at a later date, especially after longer periods of leave. In the end, a pregnant student should be allowed to choose how to make up missed work or to otherwise proceed with her course of study without excessive penalty following her medically required leave.
Updated October 16, 2013
The policies that govern teaching, advisement, and other faculty activities are detailed in the Undergraduate Bulletin and the College's Policies and Procedures. The selected policies below address questions and issues that commonly arise during the course of the semester.
Syllabus
The College Senate adopted the following syllabus policy effective Fall 2018:
'During the first week of each semester members of the teaching faculty are required to prepare for each course an electronic version of the syllabus and publish the syllabus to the college’s learning management system. Students who request a paper copy of the syllabus will be provided with one by the instructor. The following information, subject to reasonable changes as circumstances require, must be provided in the syllabus:
1. an outline of the sequence of the course and the topics to be covered in the course;
2. a reading list, texts, and/or materials required;
3. grading procedures;
4. the intended learning outcomes of the course;
5. test dates including date and time of the final examination;
6. schedules for assignments, experiments, and projects;
7. descriptions and due dates of papers the student will write for the course.'
Copies of course syllabi shall also be placed in department files. See also Academic Affairs, Section XII of Policies and Procedures.
(Faculty members may use this form to request that the Canvas support team upload their syllabi and publish their courses for the upcoming semester: https://jira.geneseo.edu/servicedesk/customer/portal/2/create/145)
Attendance
Students are expected to attend all classes. Furthermore, the College recognizes that students hold primary and ultimate responsibility for their academic performance and accomplishment. Students are expected to recognize the importance of regular class attendance and to complete satisfactorily all requirements of all courses in which they are registered.
Student attendance in classes on religious holidays is governed by New York State Education Law, and students who do not attend classes on certain days because of religious beliefs should refer to the policy below.
Classroom Policies Examples
Religious Holidays
Click here for: Dates for all Religious Holidays
New York State Education Law Section 224-a reads as follows:
Students unable because of religious beliefs to attend classes on certain days.
1. No person shall be expelled from or be refused admission as a student to an institution of higher education for the reason that he or she is unable, because of his or her religious belief, to attend classes or to participate in any examination, study, or work requirements on a particular day or days.
2. Any student in an institution of higher education who is unable, because of his or her religious beliefs, to attend classes on a particular day or days shall, because of such absence on the particular day or days, be excused from any examination or any study or work requirements.
3. It shall be the responsibility of the faculty and of the administrative officials of each institution of higher education to make available to each student who is absent from school, because of his or her religious beliefs, an equivalent opportunity to make up any examination, study or work requirements which he or she may have missed because of such absence on any particular day or days. No fees of any kind shall be charged by the institution for making available to the said student such equivalent opportunity.
4. If classes, examinations, study or work requirements are held on Friday after four o'clock post meridian or on Saturday, similar or makeup classes, examinations, study, or work requirements shall be made available on other days, where it is possible and practicable to do so. No special fees shall be charged to the student for these classes, examinations, study, or work requirements held on other days.
5. In effectuating the provisions of this section, it shall be the duty of the faculty and of the administrative officials of each institution of higher education to exercise the fullest measure of good faith. No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student because of his or her availing himself or herself of the provisions of this section.
6. Any student, who is aggrieved by the alleged failure of any faculty or administrative officials to comply in good faith with the provisions of this section, shall be entitled to maintain an action or proceeding in the supreme court of the county in which such institution of higher education is located for the enforcement of his or her rights under this section.
6a. A copy of this section shall be published by each institution of higher education in the catalog of such institution containing the listing of available courses.
7. As used in this section, the term 'institution of higher education' shall mean schools under the control of the board of trustees of the State University of New York or of the board of higher education of the city of New York or any community college.
Final Exam Week Sessions
Each class has a time period scheduled during the final examination week which 'counts' as part of our official total class instructional time. Every class must meet during the final examination time assigned to it on the Final Examination page of the Master Schedule. A faculty member may choose to a) devote the entirety of the period to an exam, b) devote part of the period to an exam and the remainder of the period to instructional activity, or c) devote the entire period to instructional activity. A request to cancel, revise, or significantly abbreviate the final exam week class session must be made in writing and approved in advance by the Dean of the College. (Please do not assume that approval will be granted automatically.) See also Academic Affairs, Section XIX of Policies and Procedures.
Posting of Grades
Faculty are encouraged to use the Canvas grade book tool to post grades. Students should log onto KnightWeb to learn their final, posted course grades.
Grade Appeals
Classroom Policies High School
Holding Papers from Previous Semesters
Classroom Policies Clipart
Registered, Withdrawn, Pass/Fail Status
The terms 'Registered,' 'Withdrawn' and 'Pass/Fail' denote a student's administrative status within a course; the assignment of these terms does not fall within the grading responsibilities of the faculty. A faculty member may not register a student for or withdraw a student from a class, nor may a faculty member alter a student's pass/fail status. A student who is registered for a class must be permitted entry to all authorized classroom activities.
Time, Date, Room For Classes
Grand Canyon University Classroom Policies
Classes (including final exam week sessions) are held only during the days, time periods, and rooms listed in the official Master Schedule for each term or indicated in published updates and corrections. Faculty are not authorized to alter or modify class times and locales without advance written permission from the Office of the Dean of the College. Required out-of-class activities must be reasonable in scope and must provide sufficient options and/or alternative opportunities for students with other academic commitments at the time of the required activity. See also Academic Affairs, Section IV of Policies and Procedures.