The following policies will help our class community engage with each other effectively and in a way that allows all members to feel accepted and supported. If you have questions about any of these policies, be sure to reach out to me. They also are intended to share class expectations that are based on behaviors that lead to success.
Class engagement is an important aspect of being successful in this class. My goal is to work with each student throughout the class to ensure their success in the class. With that in mind, a clear explanation of what class engagement looks like is helpful. For our class, engagement means participation in each week’s module through assignment submissions and interacting with class content.
If I observe that Canvas activities for an entire week are not completed, I will reach out so we can discuss a detailed plan to help you get caught up. With success in the class being the ultimate goal, it's always helpful to keep me informed about any obstacles that you may encounter. Please do reach out as soon as you expect a "bump in the road" of your class journey.
I also greatly appreciate it when students notify me that they will not be able to complete a class. So please do let me know if something happens that you feel will prevent your learning and success.
I am available by email at brudd@citruscollege.edu. I will usually respond to emails within twelve hours and will notify you if it will take me more than twelve hours to have a complete answer. If you do not hear from me within twelve hours, please send a follow-up email in case there has been a technical issue. You may also contact me through the Canvas Inbox system.
I generally respond to emails or messages between the hours of 8:00 am and 10 pm, Monday through Friday. Feel free to message me outside of these days/times. Just know that I will most likely not respond immediately. I strongly encourage all students to take advantage of the ability to meet with me at least once during the class or through a Citrus Zoom appointment.
Remember to interact with others in a respectful manner at all times. We may discuss issues on which there will be multiple points of view. This means we may, at times, need to “agree to disagree” in order for all voices to be heard and understood. For our online discussions, keep in mind that online interactions limit the different “cues” we often are able to rely upon in face-to-face communication such as tone of voice and body language. It is always a good idea to re-read any comment before submitting to ensure the written tone is appropriate. For our class, appropriate means non-judgmental and supportive. A Questions & Answers (Q&A), open class discussion will also provide you opportunities to engage in conversation with your peers.
Weekly course assignment deadlines, or “best-by dates,” are intended to ensure that you will be able to fully engage in our class AND to successfully complete the course while meeting the goals you have set for yourself based on the grading contract. This policy eliminates the need for “losing points” when turning in an assignment and the focus is on completing assignments to the best of your ability. If you have other obligations which you believe may interfere with your ability to complete the work by the best-by date, please contact me in advance so we can discuss how and when you will make up any missed assignments.
However, I also understand that sometimes life just happens, and you may find you need a little extra time but are not able to advise me in advance. If that occurs, please contact me as soon as possible to let me know when you plan to submit your assignments. The goal here is to help you continue to learn and to successfully complete all required components of the class. When we discuss submitting late work, that extension does not affect the best-by dates of future work and the expectation is that you will work to get caught up in the subsequent week(s).