Policies
:: COLLEGE POLICIES ::
Accessibility. In designing this class, I've tried to account for diverse learning needs. This course utilizes a variety of modalities (such as audio, video, and text) because people thrive and learn in different ways, but let me know if there are more ways I can support your learning.
In order to receive accommodations from COD’s Center for Access and Accommodations, you can email them at access@cod.edu or complete an online form request by visiting cod.edu/access. If you’re already registered with the Center for Access and Accommodations, don’t forget to email me your Letter of Accommodation.
Religious Observances. The College will reasonably accommodate the religious observances of individual students with respect to class attendance and the scheduling of examinations and class requirements. The student should notify the instructor well in advance of any anticipated absence or a pending conflict between a scheduled class and the religious observance.
Plagiarism: A student who submits a paper or project which, in whole or part, has been written by someone else, or which contains passages quoted or paraphrased from another’s work without acknowledgment has committed an act of plagiarism. Like all academic institutions, College of DuPage takes plagiarism very, very seriously. Please maintain academic integrity when completing assignments and be overzealous in giving credit where it is due. If you ever are unsure about what constitutes plagiarism, ask me.
We will continually discuss this subject in class, and the COD library has posted an informative tutorial online. Students who are found to have plagiarized will be subject to various disciplinary actions, including a failing grade on a particular assignment, failure of the entire course, and/or possible expulsion. For more information about violating academic integrity and its consequences at College of DuPage, please see their webpage on Academic Integrity.
Student Conduct. Students are expected to behave in a mature, responsible manner as discussed in the Code of Student Conduct. Repeated or serious misconduct may result in disciplinary action, which may include removal from the course.
Withdrawals & Incompletes. The last day to withdraw are: SUNDAY, MARCH 3 for 8 week courses and SUNDAY, APRIL 14 for 16 week courses. Incomplete grades are reserved only for unexpected emergencies; students must be in good standing (a ‘C’ or better) and have been a regular class participant for the majority of the course. Put simply, please do not let registration or performance issues sneak up on you. If you face any impediments that might affect your ability to perform in class, please contact me.
IMPORTANT FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION
Roster and Midterm Verification. Instructors are required to complete first week roster verification to ensure students receiving financial aid are actively participating in the course. If you are receiving financial aid, it is critical that you are attend and participate in class the first week to avoid being dropped from the course. Roster verification is also important to identify and prevent instances of financial aid fraud.
Similarly, midterm verification helps the state of Illinois identify students who are actively pursuing completion of the course and determine state funding for College of DuPage. Students who are withdrawn at midterm due to lack of participation may lose their financial aid.
:: CLASS/INSTRUCTOR POLICIES ::
Presence. In NET courses, students should be continuously present throughout the week--not just in concentrated bursts right before deadlines. Activities and assignments usually have two due dates to help you stay active and engaged throughout the week.
As for in-person courses, anyone can attend class, but successful students are present. I expect you to be prepared for class and to attend as many sessions as you can except in cases of emergencies or sickness. Your classmates and I also expect you to limit your phone and laptop use as a show of respect. If I notice an issue with your ability to be present, I may require you to meet with me during office hours.
Time Management. Successful students stick to deadlines and set realistic goals to accomplish course-related tasks. The readings and the assignments are too challenging to complete in one sitting for five straight hours. Use a planner or calendar to spread out your learning throughout the week.
Due Dates and Preparation. Let me know if you need more time to complete an activity or assignment, but keep in mind that habitual extensions make it harder for me to offer feedback and can disrupt our learning community. If you're enrolled in our five week course, you shouldn't take more than an extra day to get an assignment submitted. If meeting deadlines are a challenge, reach out to me or a classmate for some advice and support.
Advice. Here is advice from actual former students of mine:
"Get a planner and enter all the readings and homework you have to do. You are more likely to do it if you write it in your planner."
"Create your own cozy study space that makes you want to read and write."
"Set boundaries with family, friends, and work; it is okay to say 'no' in order to put college first."
"Reward yourself for completing homework before the due date."
"Reach out if you need help. Professor Salas cares about you and wants you to succeed."
Community. We will explore controversial and sensitive topics at times. Some ideas, viewpoints, and beliefs may challenge your current views or values and we should be open-minded and curious whenever possible so we can learn and grow from one another. By remaining in this course, I expect you to be caring and compassionate toward one another.
Relatedly, how we address one another conveys respect. For example, call me Professor Salas, Professor J or just Professor, please not Mrs. Salas. I expect you to refer to one another by preferred names and preferred pronouns.
Technology Use. We'll use Google products in this course and some online learning tools to complete some assignments. I'll provide lots of demos and support so you feel comfortable using these tools.
This course also requires a minimum level of technological skills, i.e., typing essays on Google Docs, uploading and downloading documents, and using the Internet and COD-subscribed databases to locate and read research.
I encourage you to view online tutorials if you feel you are struggling with any of these tools or software, and I can also meet with you 1:1 for guidance. 😀
AI Policy
Let’s address the elephant in the room – AI (ChatGPT, Bard, Gemini, etc). Firstly, I’m not really interested in hearing from AI. I’m interested in hearing from you – your learning and your growth. It’s important to take ownership of your voice. It belongs to you. Secondly, as someone who generally embraces tech advances, I have some real misgivings about the quality of artificial intelligence. What we currently call AI in the mainstream doesn’t actually have the ability to think. It simply regurgitates content. The information produced has frequently been shown to be falsified and/or inaccurate. Using fake info is an excellent way to damage your own credibility - and get expelled from college. I recognize how and why it can be enticing to use shortcuts, but I want to encourage you to not sell yourself short. You came here to write, so write. You came here to learn, so learn.