Syllabus for HDFS 201, Contemporary Families in the US

Course Policies

Communication

I enjoy hearing from you. No question or concern is too small, and there's no such thing as a "stupid question." Please use the Canvas messaging feature to communicate with the instructor and Teaching Assistants. This way, all your communication efforts are automatically saved in Canvas, for future reference. Please post course-related questions in the Q&A Discussion Forum so that the whole class may benefit from our conversation. Please contact me privately for matters of a personal nature. I typically respond to emails and Canvas messages within 24-48 hours on weekdays, and within 48-60 hours on weekends. Also, I would love to get to know you! Consider joining me on Zoom during my Student Consult Hours (please see the Home page for information on scheduling a Zoom appointment with me).

Late Work Policy & due date Extension requests

Life happens alongside being a student, and all kinds of unexpected events can cause occasional difficulties in getting work in on time. Thus, some policies which can provide cushioning in cases of unexpected events impeding one's capacity to complete work include late work being accepted (with modest point deduction), extension request on due dates, extra credit, and selected low scores being dropped from a student's grade.

Late work can be submitted past the due date for credit, with a daily 5%-point deduction up to 10 days late, or worth ½ credit if submitted after 10 days past the due date. No late work is accepted after the last day of the term (Friday of Finals Week), unless prior arrangements have been made with the instructor.

This course also has an "I Need A Break" policy, in which a student can submit a request for a 5-day extension on assignments. Students can submit 2 extension requests during the term for any assignment, except the final exam. Please see the “I Need A Break” page, in the Start Here module on Canvas, for further details about the extension request.

For more information about extra credit, please see the Extra Credit module on Canvas. Information about which low scores get dropped for each assignment category can be found in the Essentials page.

Incompletes

When a requirement of a course has not been completed for reasons acceptable to the instructor and the rest of the academic work is passing, a report of “I” (incomplete) may be made and additional time granted. For this course, we use the College of Health incomplete policies and procedures. Students must follow all procedures. Students must be passing the course at the time of their request.

• If you are having any difficulty that might prevent you completing the coursework, please don’t wait until the end of the term; let me know right away.

• Additional resources are available via OSU Academic Regulation 17 of OSU Academic Regulations.

If you are having any difficulty that might prevent you completing the coursework, please don’t wait until the end of the term; let me know right away.

Guidelines for a Productive and Effective Classroom

Students are expected to conduct themselves in the course (e.g., on discussion boards, email) in compliance with the university’s regulations regarding civility. Civility is an essential ingredient for academic discourse. All communications for this course should be conducted constructively, civilly, and respectfully. Differences in beliefs, opinions, and approaches are to be expected. In all you say and do for this course, be professional. Please bring any communications you believe to be in violation of this class policy to the attention of your instructor.

Active interaction with peers and your instructor is essential to success in this course, paying particular attention to the following:

· Unless indicated otherwise, please complete the readings and view other instructional materials for each week before participating in the discussion board.

· Read your posts carefully before submitting them.

· Be respectful of others and their opinions, valuing diversity in backgrounds, abilities, and experiences.

· Challenging the ideas held by others is an integral aspect of critical thinking and the academic process. Please word your responses carefully, and recognize that others are expected to challenge your ideas. A positive atmosphere of healthy debate is encouraged.

Statement Regarding Students with Disabilities

Accommodations for students with disabilities are determined and approved by Disability Access Services (DAS). If you, as a student, believe you are eligible for accommodations but have not obtained approval, please contact DAS immediately at 541-737-4098 or at http://ds.oregonstate.edu. DAS notifies students and faculty members of approved academic accommodations and coordinates implementation of those accommodations. While not required, students and faculty members are encouraged to discuss details of the implementation of individual accommodations.

Expectations for Student Conduct

Student conduct is governed by the university’s policies, as explained in the Student Conduct Code. Students are expected to conduct themselves in the course (e.g., on discussion boards, email postings) in compliance with the university's regulations regarding civility.

Classroom Expectations (Adapted from K. Chandler)

I take very seriously creating a learning environment that is friendly, respectful, safe, and conducive to student success. However, I cannot do this on my own; we all need to work together to create an inclusive learning environment. Therefore, I expect all students to contribute to a positive learning environment, including in the following ways:

Respect other viewpoints, even when you may disagree.

Our goal is to create a climate that feels safe and open to diverse viewpoints. In this course, I expect lively discussions and thoughtful debate. Central to a meaningful and healthy discussion is hearing and respecting all points of view. Some of the topics may be difficult or challenging to discuss. Therefore, the classroom needs to feel like a safe or brave place for everyone to engage in discussions.
We should all strive to approach understanding each other’s viewpoints with curiosity rather than judgment. Before speaking, we should think about the potential impact of our words on classmates, graduate teaching assistants, and professors.
We all make mistakes in our speaking and listening. We are human, after all! Therefore, we need to have compassion and empathy for one another.

Arrive to class on time and prepared.

To get the most out of each class period, we all need to arrive on time and prepared.
If you arrive late, please be as unobtrusive as possible when you enter the classroom.

Remain attentive and engaged until the class session ends.

Please respect your classmates who are trying to learn the material and me, as I am trying to cover content as clearly, accurately, and completely as possible.
It is difficult to remain attentive and engaged, if students are being disruptive (e.g., making distracting noises or gestures, having conversations, or doing non-course-related activities).
Remain attentive and quiet while one of your classmates is talking. We should all follow the “golden rule:” Treat others as you expect to be treated.
If you need to leave class early, please make as little noise as possible exiting the classroom.
If anyone is particularly disruptive to classmates and/or me, I reserve the right to ask you to leave the classroom.

Religious Holiday Statement

Oregon State University strives to respect all religious practices. If you have religious holidays that are in conflict with any of the requirements of this class, please see me immediately so that we can make alternative arrangements.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to comply with all regulations pertaining to academic honesty. For further information, visit Student Conduct and Community Standards, or contact the office of Student Conduct and Mediation at 541-737-3656.

OAR 576-015-0020 (2) Academic or Scholarly Dishonesty:

a) Academic or Scholarly Dishonesty is defined as an act of deception in which a Student seeks to claim credit for the work or effort of another person, or uses unauthorized materials or fabricated information in any academic work or research, either through the Student's own efforts or the efforts of another.

b) It includes:

i) CHEATING - use or attempted use of unauthorized materials, information or study aids, or an act of deceit by which a Student attempts to misrepresent mastery of academic effort or information. This includes but is not limited to unauthorized copying or collaboration on a test or assignment, using prohibited materials and texts, any misuse of an electronic device, or using any deceptive means to gain academic credit.

ii) FABRICATION - falsification or invention of any information including but not limited to falsifying research, inventing or exaggerating data, or listing incorrect or fictitious references.

iii) ASSISTING - helping another commit an act of academic dishonesty. This includes but is not limited to paying or bribing someone to acquire a test or assignment, changing someone's grades or academic records, taking a test/doing an assignment for someone else by any means, including misuse of an electronic device. It is a violation of Oregon state law to create and offer to sell part or all of an educational assignment to another person (ORS 165.114).

iv) TAMPERING - altering or interfering with evaluation instruments or documents.

v) PLAGIARISM - representing the words or ideas of another person or presenting someone else's words, ideas, artistry or data as one's own, or using one's own previously submitted work. Plagiarism includes but is not limited to copying another person's work (including unpublished material) without appropriate referencing, presenting someone else's opinions and theories as one's own, or working jointly on a project and then submitting it as one's own.

c) Academic Dishonesty cases are handled initially by the academic units, following the process outlined in the University's Academic Dishonesty Report Form, and will also be referred to SCCS for action under these rules.

Use of AI (Artificial Intelligence)

Minor Uses Permitted: For this course, you must be the author of all work. You may use AI in some minor ways. For example, unless otherwise specified in the assignment, you may use AI to generate ideas, polish or edit text you have drafted, create an outline of an essay, modify or design presentation slides, review content, quiz yourself, or for other studying purposes. You may NOT use AI for any purpose while taking a quiz or test, generate content that is directly used in an assignment (such as code, text, images, or other media), solve problems from assignments, write a first draft of a paper or essay, write all or part of a discussion post, or analyze data. Always review individual assignments for specific instructions. If you are using language generated by an AI app, you must properly attribute that use by putting that language in quotation marks and adding a citation just like you would when you copy language from human authors.

Turn It In

You will be asked to turn in one or more of your writing assignments to the Canvas Turnitin plagiarism prevention service. Your assignment will be checked for potential plagiarism against Internet sources, academic journal articles and the papers of other students. Turnitin generates a report that highlights any potentially unoriginal text in your paper. Papers that you submit through Turnitin for this class or any class will be added to the OSU Turnitin database and may be checked against other OSU paper submissions. Papers with a similarity score of 75% or more may be examined for possible academic misconduct. You will retain all rights to your written work. Student resources and tutorials for Turnitin can be found at http://learn.oregonstate.edu/turnitin/student-tools.

Student Evaluation of Courses

The online Student Evaluation of Teaching system opens to students during the week before finals and closes the Monday following the end of finals. Students receive notification, instructions and the link through their ONID. They may also log into the system via Online Services. Course evaluation results are extremely important and used to help improve courses and the online learning experience for future students. Responses are anonymous (unless a student chooses to “sign” their comments, agreeing to relinquish anonymity) and unavailable to instructors until after grades have been posted. The results of scaled questions and signed comments go to both the instructor and their unit head/supervisor. Anonymous (unsigned) comments go to the instructor only.

Student Bill of rights

OSU has twelve established student rights. They include due process in all university disciplinary processes, an equal opportunity to learn, and grading in accordance with the course syllabus: https://asosu.oregonstate.edu/advocacy/rights

Reach out for Success

University students encounter setbacks from time to time. If you encounter difficulties and need assistance, it’s important to reach out. If you would like 5 extra credit points, send me your favorite meme (must be appropriate), as a reward for reading the syllabus. Consider discussing the situation with an instructor or academic advisor. Learn about resources that assist with wellness and academic success at oregonstate.edu/ReachOut. If you are in immediate crisis, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting OREGON to 741-741 or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Diversity Statement

The College of Health strives to create an affirming climate for all students including underrepresented and marginalized individuals and groups. Diversity encompasses age, appearance, color, ethnicity, gender, migration status, national origin, physical or mental ability, race, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and veteran status. We believe the value of diversity is realized through the synergy, connection, acceptance, and mutual learning fostered by meaningful interactions within our communities.

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