I believe in the following four axioms for learning, teaching, and doing mathematics --- borrowed from Prof. Frederico Ardila:
Mathematical talent is distributed equally among different groups, irrespective of geographic, demographic, and economic boundaries.
Everyone can have joyful, meaningful, and empowering mathematical experiences.
Mathematics is a powerful, malleable tool that can be shaped and used differently by various communities to serve their needs.
Every student deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.
Moreover, it is important to acknowledge that whether your experience with mathematics has previously been positive/negative/neutral, EVERYONE can still look forward to present and future enjoyment of mathematics.
In line with the axioms above, below is a students "bill of rights".
You deserve to be addressed in the manner you prefer. To guarantee that I address you properly, I invite you to tell me your pronoun(s) and/or preferred name at any time, either in person or via email. You may also use the feature in WIN and/or Canvas to record the correct pronunciation of your name.
You deserve to be in a class environment where you are heard and your contributions are valued. In this class, we will embrace diversity of age, background, beliefs, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, neurotype, race, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, and other visible and non-visible categories. I aim to make our class inclusive; I do not tolerate discrimination. All members of this class are expected to contribute to a respectful, welcoming, and inclusive environment for every other member of the class. Please contact me with any questions, concerns, or suggestions regarding the class environment.
You deserve a community free from bias and discrimination. To report any incident of these at Wake Forest, please go to https://reportbias.wfu.edu. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. If you experience or know of a Title IX violation you have many options for support and/or reporting; see http://titleix.wfu.edu/.
You deserve a learning environment in which all of your physiological and safety needs are met. If you are experiencing situations in which these needs are not met, e.g. you do not have adequate housing or sufficient food security, the Chaplain’s Office has an emergency fund which can provide support: https://chaplain.wfu.edu/care-support/chaplains-emergency-fund/.
In situations in which you need immediate assistance there is emergency funding available through the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. If you are in need of emergency help you are encouraged to reach out to a faculty member in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics who will work with the chair of the department to address your needs.
The department has a limited amount of funding for class materials. If you cannot afford class materials, you are encouraged to contact the chair of the department privately as early in the term as possible. Due to the limited amount of funds, students must exhaust all other sources of funding before applying to the department for assistance.
Learning Assistance and Accommodations: Wake Forest University provides reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities. If you are in need of an accommodation, then please contact me privately as early in the term as possible. Retroactive accommodations will not be provided. Students requiring accommodations must also consult the Center for Learning, Access, and Student Success (118 Reynolda Hall, 336-758-5929, http://class.wfu.edu).