Other Important Information

1. Students should be aware of Illinois State University’s policy toward academic dishonesty.  Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. This policy applies equally to graded exercises and out-of-class assignments. The use of online translators is considered cheating. Asking google or a dictionary how to say something such as ' I am feeling sad today'  is considered using unauthorized help since the answer will be a translation of an entire sentence. Dictionaries such as wwww.wordreference.com will help you look up isolated words. In addition, using grammatical structures not covered in this course is considered evidence of having used an online translation app or help from someone.  Finally, receiving help from a friend or a native speaker is considered cheating. 

If there is a suspicion of students using unauthorized assistance or committing a violation of academic integrity this is the procedure we will follow:

1. 1. 1. The first time the instructor suspects the student used unauthorized help, the instructor will grade the assignment without adding any penalty but the instructor will send you a WARNING via email. 

      2. The second time the instructor suspects the same student used unauthorized help, the instructor will grade the assignment with a 30% GRADE PENALIZATION and will contact the student via email to report the violation. 

      3. The third time the instructor suspects the same student used unauthorized help, the assignment will receive a 0 and the instructor will report the student to the Student Conduct and Community Responsibilities (SCCR) office.  

At any time during this process, the student has the right to appeal the score or the warning by contacting the instructor and requesting a meeting. During that meeting, your instructor will assess your knowledge of Spanish based on the assignment in question and/or other similar activity. If the instructor believes you used unauthorized help, he/she will proceed with the steps mentioned above. If the instructor believes the student completed the assignment without any external help, the instructor will revert the score on the assignment and will score it appropriately. 

2. Students are expected to behave in a manner consistent with being in a professional environment. Open discussion and disagreement are encouraged in a respectful manner. Open hostility, rudeness, and incivility are discouraged and will result in appropriate action. Students acting in a disruptive manner may be dismissed from the class for the remainder of the class period. If necessary, referrals may also be made to Student Conduct and Community Responsibilities for violations of the Code of Student Conduct.

3. Life at college can get very complicated.  Students sometimes feel overwhelmed, lost, experience anxiety or depression, struggle with relationship difficulties or diminished self-esteem. However, many of these issues can be effectively addressed with a little help. Student Counseling Services (SCS) helps students cope with difficult emotions and life stressors. Student Counseling Services is staffed by experienced, professional psychologists and counselors, who are attuned to the needs of college students. The services are FREE and completely confidential. Find out more at Counseling.IllinoisState.edu or by calling (309) 438-3655. 

4. Accommodations: Any student needing to arrange a reasonable accommodation for a documented disability and/or medical/mental health condition should contact Student Access and Accommodation Services at 350 Fell Hall, Office Phone (309) 438-5853, Video Phone (309) 319-7682 or visit the website at StudentAccess.IllinoisState.edu. Students need to provide instructors with a Faculty Notification Letter which will include the approved accommodations for the student. Upon receipt of that letter, the instructor will ensure all accommodations are implemented going forward. 

5. Students are encouraged to seek help outside of class during instructor office hours. Also, students are encouraged to use the following resources:

a.  The Julia N. Visor Academic Center offers academic coaching, tutoring, workshops and   specialized programs to help you succeed. The Visor Center is located on the lower level of the Vrooman Center, between Manchester and Hewett Halls. Phone: (309) 438-7100. 

b. Grammar Help. The department provides free tutoring hours. You can use this tutoring service for everything except for writing assignments. You can go to the tutor with specific grammar questions, but you cannot give your writing assignment to the tutor to read it over and correct mistakes. All tutors keep a log of their tutoring sessions with specific information about services provided so your instructor can see whether indeed you did not use the tutor according to the instructions provided here. Once the tutoring hours for this semester are determined, your instructor will send you the schedule. 

6. Due to the large amount of assignments required for this class, no extra-credit assignments will be given.  Students have many opportunities to earn a good grade in the course by faithfully and carefully completing all assignments and coming to class prepared.

7. Be aware of university's policy for issuing Incomplete grades: ¨An incomplete (I) will be assigned to a student who is doing passing work but finds it impossible, because of reasons beyond her or his control (such as illness), to complete the required work by the end of the term. The student must have attended class to within three weeks of the close of the semester or to within one week of the close of the summer session. Exceptions to this policy may be granted by the University Registrar. Students will not be allowed to graduate with an incomplete on their record¨. If you require an incomplete, please, contact the Language Coordinator (montserratmir@ilstu.edu).

8. Resources and support for DACA, Dreamers or undocumented students and their family. If you or someone that you love is undocumented, a Dreamer, or has concerns about their DACA status and you need support and community, Illinois State’s group CAUSA (Committee Assisting Undocumented Student Achievement) is a faculty, staff, and student group raising awareness and supporting undocumented students and their families.  You can find helpful contacts and information on either our Illinois State or Facebook page.  You can also email at isucausa@ilstu.edu.​ 

9. If a concern arises with your instructor, the course requirements or teaching methodology used in the class, please, contact the Language Coordinator (montserratmir@ilstu.edu). If it is a concern with your instructor, first, try to approach him/her to talk about your concern. If the concern is not resolved, please, contact the Language Coordinator.