EDCI 3301 - Assessment for Instruc Design: Assess for Instruc Design-WIN
Fall 2025 Syllabus, Section 102, CRN 16011
Instructor Information
Cody J. Perry, PhD
Associate Professor
Email: cody.perry@tamiu.edu
Office: Pellegrino 313G
Office Hours:
Do not feel intimidated if you have never been to a professor’s office. Student office hours are a time when we can meet (either 1-on-1 or in a group) to discuss any needs you may have. We can talk about the course, study skills, mental health challenges, your career and academic progress, and exchange ideas about your professional future. All faculty members are required to hold regular, weekly office hours where we are available to support your success. If you have questions, need clarification about a course concept, or want to hear feedback on the direction of your academic journey, I welcome and encourage you to visit me during this time. Your success is important to me, and that is why office hours exist. Research has regularly shown that students who utilize office hours may feel more secure in their academic journey, experience a greater connection to the course and campus, and have increased confidence in their ability to succeed.
To make setting appointments for Office Hours easier for you, I created a link (https://rebrand.ly/MeetwithDrPerry) for you to schedule a day and time. You can also scan the QR code to the right. This will ensure you can choose the best day and time for your schedule. It is integrated with my calendar, so it will only give you options when I am available, so you can pick whatever option works best for you. Once you schedule your meeting, the program will automatically add it to my calendar and send us each a confirmation email. Also, you will receive a reminder email the day before the scheduled meeting and again about 2 hours before the meeting time you pick. Finally, please make sure to choose the correct meeting type (Office hours or Honors Student).
Times and Location
Course Description
WIN-Designation
This course is designated as a writing-intensive (WIN) course. In this course, writing will not only be the subject of study, but it will also serve as a method of learning. Students will learn how communication in written, oral, and visual forms change according to purpose and genre. Brainstorming, drafting, revising, and peer-workshopping are integrated into the course curriculum and are the required components of this writing-intensive course. The final Research Paper is the designated assignment for WIN assessment.
Additional Course Information
Additional Course Information (Expectations and Other Important Information)
Dr. Perry’s Policies and Professional Statements
Dr. Perry’s Diversity Statement
Note: Texas Senate Bill 17, the law that outlaws diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at public colleges and universities in Texas, does not in any way affect content, instruction, or discussion in a course at public colleges and universities in Texas. Expectations and academic freedom for teaching and class discussion have not been altered post-SB 17, and you (students) should never feel the need to censor your speech about topics including race and racism, structural inequality, LGBTQ+ issues, or diversity, equity, and inclusion[1]. Furthermore, even though widespread, university-sponsored programs have been banned, the following are my (Dr. Perry’s) First Amendment-protected views and do not necessarily reflect those of the university, system, or state political leadership. Thus, my appreciation of diversity is shared independently and as my personal view built from years of working with people of all backgrounds and thousands upon thousands of hours studying the giants of academia and the intelligentsia, so these views should not be seen as the views of anyone else but me (Dr. Perry). Therefore, with that being said, I want you to know that I welcome students from all backgrounds and perspectives and want every single student to be well served by this course. All of my students and the diversity they bring to the classroom are indispensable and appreciated resources that make our class and learning stronger and more constructive for all. I will do my best to present materials and activities that are respectful of multiple types of diversity, like gender, sexuality, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, culture, etc. In addition, if any of our class sessions conflict with your religious or other federally protected events, please let me know as early as possible so that we can make arrangements to ensure you do well in the course while also being able to attend to your needs and responsibilities outside of the classroom.
[1] All material to this point of the statement was adapted from the syllabus language suggested by the the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) while all information that follows from this footnote is the sole view of Dr. Cody J. Perry, PhD.
Accessibility Statement
Your experience in this class is important to me. If you have already established accommodations with the Disabilities Services Coordinator, please communicate your approved accommodations to me at your earliest convenience so we can discuss your needs in this course. If you have not yet established services, but have a temporary health condition or permanent disability that requires accommodations (conditions include but are not limited to mental health, attention-related, learning, vision, hearing, physical, or health impacts), you are welcome to contact the Disabilities Services Coordinator (956) 326-2763 located in the Student Counseling Center (ZSC 138B). The Disabilities Services Coordinator offers resources and coordinates reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities and/or temporary health conditions. Reasonable accommodations are established through an interactive process between you, your instructor(s), and the Disabilities Services Coordinator. At TAMIU, we all want to create an inclusive and accessible learning environment consistent with federal and state law.
Lesson Plans
When writing your lesson plans, if you need further assistance, PLEASE ASK ME. I cannot know if you are struggling unless you communicate with me and let me know if you or your group needs more assistance or guidance.
Student Office Hours are By Appointment to Better Meet Your Scheduling Needs
Do not feel intimidated if you have never been to a professor’s office. Student office hours are a time when we can meet (either 1-on-1 or in a group) to discuss any needs you may have. We can talk about the course, study skills, mental health challenges, your career and academic progress, and exchange ideas about your professional future. All faculty members are required to hold regular, weekly office hours where we are available to support your success. If you have questions, need clarification about a course concept, or want to hear feedback on the direction of your academic journey, I welcome and encourage you to visit me during this time. Your success is important to me, and that is why office hours exist. Research has regularly shown that students who utilize office hours may feel more secure in their academic journey, experience a greater connection to the course and campus, and have increased confidence in their ability to succeed.
To make setting appointments for Office Hours easier for you, I created a link (https://rebrand.ly/MeetwithDrPerry) for you to schedule a day and time. You can also scan the QR code above. This will ensure you can choose the best day and time for your schedule. It is integrated with my calendar, so it will only give you options when I am available, so you can pick whatever option works best for you. Once you schedule your meeting, the program will automatically add it to my calendar and send us each a confirmation email. Also, you will receive a reminder email the day before the scheduled meeting and again about 2 hours before the meeting time you pick.
Communication
The preferred form of communication is my TAMIU email account (cody.perry@tamiu.edu). I can usually reply within 24-48 hours, though I try to reply much sooner. Please DO NOT send messages through Blackboard. It is not as reliable as the TAMIU email. You can also make an appointment to come to the office hours. Remember, it is your responsibility to check the announcements on Blackboard and your Dusty email very regularly (i.e., daily or nearly daily).
Late/Missing Tasks/Assignments
You should plan to submit all work and finish all assignments/exams on time. I try to review your work and provide meaningful feedback, though it is quite time-consuming. I try to complete everyone’s work as quickly as possible, sometimes within a few days, but due to class sizes, planning, other departmental responsibilities, etc., it usually takes longer than I expect. I will provide grading updates regularly. Because learning to manage your time can be challenging with your significant course load, jobs, families, etc., meeting all the deadlines might be a challenge for some of you. But you can relax since my assignment policy allows some flexibility because I want everyone to be successful in reaching the goals they have set for themselves. However, part of my philosophy is that you own and control your academic journey. You are now part of a community of future educators who need to learn that others will rely on you to complete your work promptly. Therefore, I understand that you may need more time to work on an assignment, but you must determine what works best for you and YOUR learning experience. You do not need to ask for permission to turn in late work. You simply decide what works best for you while following the parameters below.
Every assignment has a posted due date. That is when I expect the work to be submitted in Blackboard, but those expectations have built-in malleability, and the late work policy is as follows:
- Every assignment has a one-week grace period. During this grace period, you can still submit the assignment for FULL points.
- However, the Midterm, end-of-course items, and Final Exams do not have a grace period.
- I will provide more information about why these do not qualify later in the semester.
- If you are unable to finish or choose not to submit an assignment until AFTER the grace period, you will only receive 70% of the points you would have earned if it had been on time, as long as it is submitted BEFORE the LAST CHANCE DEADLINE, of which there are three (3).
- Therefore, if you submit an assignment past the one-week grace period but before the last chance deadline, you can earn up to 70% of the points for the assignment.
- For example, let’s say you had an assignment that you would have earned 90 of 100 points on. However, since you submitted it 9 days late (2 days after the grace period ended), you would earn 70% of the original 90 you earned. Thus, by submitting it late, you would only earn 63 of 100 points (90 x 0.7).
- Any assignments not submitted by the LAST CHANCE DEADLINE will not receive credit, so missing that deadline will result in you earning a zero (0) which cannot be made up. Thus, this is why it is called the LAST CHANCE DEADLINE.
- There are three (3) Last Chance Deadlines to prevent people from falling too far behind in the semester. So, if you have a few issues, you can still earn a decent or solid score and grade but too many decisions to abstain from submitting work will have a significant impact on the score/grade you earn.
These are the LAST-CHANCE DEADLINES:
- Sunday, October 5 by 11:59 pm: All work from Weeks 1–5 should be turned in by the end of Week 6. Anything from those weeks not turned in by the end of the day (11:59 pm) will earn a zero.
- Sunday, November 9 by 11:59 pm: All work from Weeks 6-9 should be turned in by the end of Week 10. Anything from those weeks not submitted by 11:59 pm on that day will earn a zero.
- Sunday, December 7 by 11:59 pm: All work from the start of Week 11 until the end of the course should be turned in by the end of the day. Anything not turned in by 11:59 pm on that day will earn a zero.
If you choose to turn something in late, you will still submit it in Blackboard as normal (unless it is something you submitted on paper like the five math assignments). You DON’T need to tell me why you’re turning the work in late unless you want to. If an assignment is turned in past the grace period, you may see a 0 in the grade book but it will be corrected (up to 70% of the points) as long as you submit the assignment before the stated last-chance deadlines above.
**Note: Late work will rarely receive any detailed feedback (or any at all in some cases)
Attendance
TAMIU views class attendance as an individual student responsibility. Students are expected to attend class and complete all assignments. TAMIU’s policy on attendance will be used in this course. Please read the policy here: http://www.tamiu.edu/studentaffairs/AppendixFAttendanceRule1.2.shtml. Although I do not assign points for attendance, we will use TopHat to track attendance. As adults, you are responsible for your education and for managing your time. The goal of this course is your growth and learning, which are negatively affected if you are not in class. Students who miss classes learn less, make fewer connections with others, and usually perform poorly on assignments and exams. If you could learn everything by reading the book, there would be no need for any of us to be in class, so the book is not the only source of learning and information. Missing class sessions also increases stress and anxiety, leads to missed opportunities, and causes one to receive less respect from peers and colleagues. Furthermore, those who are regularly in class almost always earn an A or B for the course, so there are numerous benefits when attending regularly. Therefore, I expect you to be in class unless you have a valid reason for missing.
Lastly, please do not begin packing up before the end of class, as it distracts others in the class and is disrespectful to your colleagues.
Class participation
Active class participation is expected which includes joining in class discussions and asking questions regularly. I expect future teachers to be proactive, inquisitive, and self-driven learners. Thus, you must try to come to class on time, stay for its entirety, and participate fully in discussions, activities, and other things (if at all possible). Use of cell phones or other electronic devices is typically strongly discouraged but we use them in class sometimes for some activities and assignments. I want to clarify that participation does not necessarily mean you must be active in every whole class discussion. I never want you to feel like you need to force yourself to make comments. We are all different and have differing needs, so participation can also be taking notes, working well in small groups, offering assistance to others, etc. If you are shy, rest assured you are not being viewed negatively if you do not share as much as others. Yet, I hope as time goes on, you will feel more comfortable sharing your views and questions with the class. I want to hear about your experiences/insights because everyone learns substantially more when everyone is engaged and participating.
Syllabus Acknowledgement
Teacher candidates are required to acknowledge receipt, understanding of, and acceptance of the policies in the syllabus before receiving any grades for assignments for this class. In my courses, I use a short ten-point syllabus quiz in Blackboard.
Note: The Professor reserves the right to modify the syllabus throughout the semester based on course and student needs. If changes are needed, they will all be posted and it is the student’s (YOUR) responsibility to view changes.
Classroom and Online Etiquette
The College of Education encourages classroom discussion and academic debate as essential intellectual activities. Candidates must learn to express and defend their beliefs, but it is also essential that they learn to listen and respond respectfully to others whose beliefs they may not share. The College will always tolerate diverse, unorthodox, and unpopular points of view, but it will not tolerate condescending or insulting remarks. When candidates verbally abuse or ridicule and intimidate others whose views they do not agree with, they subvert the free exchange of ideas that should characterize a university classroom/online discussion. Exercise positive and effective communication skills when engaging online. Candidates must be mindful of the language, tone, and academic responses they e-mail or post when communicating with the professor or with candidates. Never write and send an e-mail when you are upset. Candidates may click send and forget that once the message is out, it cannot be taken back in most cases. Be reminded that online behaviors and demeanor reflect how candidates would respond in a regular classroom environment. All postings for this course are considered formal academic postings and by no means should be informal or rude or disrespectful. If teacher candidate actions are deemed by the professor to be disruptive/inappropriate in class or online, they will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, which may include being involuntarily withdrawn from the class and reported to the Academic Honor Council.
Use of Generative AI
You are welcome to use generative AI programs (ChatGPT, DALL-E, etc.) in this course. These programs can be powerful tools for learning and other productive pursuits, including completing some assignments in less time, helping you generate new ideas, or serving as a personalized learning tool.
However, your ethical responsibilities as a student remain the same. You must follow TAMIU’s academic integrity policy. Note that this policy applies to all uncited or improperly cited use of content, whether that work is created by human beings alone or in collaboration with a generative AI. If you use a generative AI tool to develop content for an assignment, you are required to cite the tool’s contribution to your work. In practice, cutting and pasting content from any source without citation is plagiarism. Likewise, paraphrasing content from a generative AI without citation is plagiarism. Similarly, using any generative AI tool without appropriate acknowledgment will be treated as plagiarism.
Here are some specific expectations for your use of AI generation tools in this course:
- You can include AI generated content verbatim into a writing assignment with quotations and a citation (Proper APA format is expected).
- You can paraphrase AI generated content with a citation (Again, proper APA format is expected).
- You can include non-text AI generated content (images, video, code, etc.) with an appropriate citation, when expressly permitted in the assignment prompt.
- You will conduct your own research and generate bibliographies yourself for topics that you have researched.
- You will not use or present generative AI content that you pass off as your own work.
Finally, it is important that you recognize that generative AI tools frequently provide users with incorrect information, create professional-looking citations that are not real, generate contradictory statements, incorporate copyrighted material without appropriate attribution, and sometimes integrate biased or offensive concepts. Code generation models may produce inaccurate outputs. Image generation models may create misleading or offensive content.
While you may use these tools in the work you create for this class, it is important to note that you understand you are ultimately responsible for the content that you submit. Work that is inaccurate, biased, unethical, offensive, plagiarized, or incorrect will be treated as such during the evaluation of your work.
Instructional Approaches/Methodologies Utilized in this Course include
In-person lectures, class discussions, collaborative group activities, think-pair-share, etc.
Teacher Candidate Learning Outcomes
Course References/Bibliography (in APA Format)
Frey, B. B. (2014). Modern classroom assessment. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Candidates’ use of Technology with EC-12:
Candidates’ use of Technology with EC-12: Technology Applications for Beginning Teachers Standard V: All teachers know how to plan, organize, deliver, and evaluate instruction for all students that incorporates the effective use of current technology for teaching and integrating the Technology Applications Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) into the curriculum. (5.1k – 5.8k; 5.1s-5.10s).
WIN Characteristics of This Course
1. This course is listed as Writing Intensive (WIN) in the schedule of classes and on the syllabus.
2. A course outcome states: “The teacher candidate writes at the level appropriate for an educator in the schools.”
3. WIN Courses must be majority writing but more than half of this course is writing, including the lesson plan, so we easily surpass the 51% level.
4. Written assignments are at the level expected of a certified teacher and include common teacher tasks such as lesson plans and reflections.
5. Reflection and lesson assignments recur so they can be improved on.
6. All assignment due dates are listed in the Course Calendar.
7. Candidates will get feedback on assignments, with referrals to the Writing Center or individual appointments with the professor if needed.
8. The word “Intense” in Writing Intensive assumes that candidates will be held to a high standard throughout the course, from beginning to end, with significantly more effort than in non-intensive courses.
9. Turn It In or SafeAssign will be used for all written assignments as the program checks for plagiarism and allows for detailed professor feedback.
10. Candidates who struggle with the writing assignments will either be referred to the writing center or have an individual meeting with the instructor, depending on the specific writing difficulty.
Attachments:
Most instructions, rubrics, etc. will be posted to Blackboard. In addition, nearly all assignments will be turned in through Blackboard, so you need to become familiar with Blackboard and the way the course site is designed.
Student Learning Outcomes
Course Activity & Outcomes Alignment EDCI 3301
Important Dates
Visit the Academic Calendar (tamiu.edu) page to view the term's important dates.
Textbooks
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required | Modern classroom assessment | Frey, B. B. | 978-1452203492 |
Grading Criteria
Calendar, Assignments, & Due Dates
See calendar of due dates and class activities above
| Week of | Agenda/Topic | Reading(s) | Due |
|---|
University/College Policies
Please see the University Policies below.
COVID-19 Related Policies
If you have tested positive for COVID-19, please refer to the Student Handbook, Appendix A (Attendance Rule) for instructions.
Required Class Attendance
Students are expected to attend every class in person (or virtually, if the class is online) and to complete all assignments. If you cannot attend class, it is your responsibility to communicate absences with your professors. The faculty member will decide if your excuse is valid and thus may provide lecture materials of the class. According to University policy, acceptable reasons for an absence, which cannot affect a student’s grade, include:
- Participation in an authorized University activity.
- Death or major illness in a student’s immediate family.
- Illness of a dependent family member.
- Participation in legal proceedings or administrative procedures that require a student’s presence.
- Religious holy day.
- Illness that is too severe or contagious for the student to attend class.
- Required participation in military duties.
- Mandatory admission interviews for professional or graduate school which cannot be rescheduled.
Students are responsible for providing satisfactory evidence to faculty members within seven calendar days of their absence and return to class. They must substantiate the reason for the absence. If the absence is excused, faculty members must either provide students with the opportunity to make up the exam or other work missed, or provide a satisfactory alternative to complete the exam or other work missed within 30 calendar days from the date of absence. Students who miss class due to a University-sponsored activity are responsible for identifying their absences to their instructors with as much advance notice as possible.
Classroom Behavior (applies to online or Face-to-Face Classes)
TAMIU encourages classroom discussion and academic debate as an essential intellectual activity. It is essential that students learn to express and defend their beliefs, but it is also essential that they learn to listen and respond respectfully to others whose beliefs they may not share. The University will always tolerate different, unorthodox, and unpopular points of view, but it will not tolerate condescending or insulting remarks. When students verbally abuse or ridicule and intimidate others whose views they do not agree with, they subvert the free exchange of ideas that should characterize a university classroom. If their actions are deemed by the professor to be disruptive, they will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action (please refer to Student Handbook Article 4).
TAMIU Honor Code: Plagiarism and Cheating
As a TAMIU student, you are bound by the TAMIU Honor Code to conduct yourself ethically in all your activities as a TAMIU student and to report violations of the Honor Code. Please read carefully the Student Handbook Article 7 and Article 10 available at Student Handbook.
We are committed to strict enforcement of the Honor Code. Violations of the Honor Code tend to involve claiming work that is not one’s own, most commonly plagiarism in written assignments and any form of cheating on exams and other types of assignments.
Plagiarism is the presentation of someone else’s work as your own. It occurs when you:
- Borrow someone else’s facts, ideas, or opinions and put them entirely in your own words. You must acknowledge that these thoughts are not your own by immediately citing the source in your paper. Failure to do this is plagiarism.
- Borrow someone else’s words (short phrases, clauses, or sentences), you must enclose the copied words in quotation marks as well as citing the source. Failure to do this is plagiarism.
- Present someone else’s paper or exam (stolen, borrowed, or bought) as your own. You have committed a clearly intentional form of intellectual theft and have put your academic future in jeopardy. This is the worst form of plagiarism.
Here is another explanation from the 2020, seventh edition of the Manual of The American Psychological Association (APA):
“Plagiarism is the act of presenting the words, idea, or images of another as your own; it denies authors or creators of content the credit they are due. Whether deliberate or unintentional, plagiarism violates ethical standards in scholarship” (p. 254). This same principle applies to the illicit use of AI.
Plagiarism: Researchers do not claim the words and ideas of another as their own; they give credit where credit is due. Quotations marks should be used to indicate the exact words of another. Each time you paraphrase another author (i.e., summarize a passage or rearrange the order of a sentence and change some of the words), you need to credit the source in the text. The key element of this principle is that authors do not present the work of another as if it were their own words. This can extend to ideas as well as written words. If authors model a study after one done by someone else, the originating author should be given credit. If the rationale for a study was suggested in the discussion section of someone else's article, the person should be given credit. Given the free exchange of ideas, which is very important for the health of intellectual discourse, authors may not know where an idea for a study originated. If authors do know, however, they should acknowledge the source; this includes personal communications (p. 11). For guidance on proper documentation, consult the Academic Success Center or a recommended guide to documentation and research such as the Manual of the APA or the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. If you still have doubts concerning proper documentation, seek advice from your instructor prior to submitting a final draft.
TAMIU has penalties for plagiarism and cheating.
- Penalties for Plagiarism: Should a faculty member discover that a student has committed plagiarism, the student should receive a grade of 'F' in that course and the matter will be referred to the Honor Council for possible disciplinary action. The faculty member, however, may elect to give freshmen and sophomore students a “zero” for the assignment and to allow them to revise the assignment up to a grade of “F” (50%) if they believe that the student plagiarized out of ignorance or carelessness and not out of an attempt to deceive in order to earn an unmerited grade; the instructor must still report the offense to the Honor Council. This option should not be available to juniors, seniors, or graduate students, who cannot reasonably claim ignorance of documentation rules as an excuse. For repeat offenders in undergraduate courses or for an offender in any graduate course, the penalty for plagiarism is likely to include suspension or expulsion from the university.
- Caution: Be very careful what you upload to Turnitin or send to your professor for evaluation. Whatever you upload for evaluation will be considered your final, approved draft. If it is plagiarized, you will be held responsible. The excuse that “it was only a draft” will not be accepted.
- Caution: Also, do not share your electronic files with others. If you do, you are responsible for the possible consequences. If another student takes your file of a paper and changes the name to his or her name and submits it and you also submit the paper, we will hold both of you responsible for plagiarism. It is impossible for us to know with certainty who wrote the paper and who stole it. And, of course, we cannot know if there was collusion between you and the other student in the matter.
- Penalties for Cheating: Should a faculty member discover a student cheating on an exam or quiz or other class project, the student should receive a “zero” for the assignment and not be allowed to make the assignment up. The incident should be reported to the chair of the department and to the Honor Council. If the cheating is extensive, however, or if the assignment constitutes a major grade for the course (e.g., a final exam), or if the student has cheated in the past, the student should receive an “F” in the course, and the matter should be referred to the Honor Council. Additional penalties, including suspension or expulsion from the university may be imposed. Under no circumstances should a student who deserves an “F” in the course be allowed to withdraw from the course with a “W.”
- Caution: Chat groups that start off as “study groups” can easily devolve into “cheating groups.” Be very careful not to join or remain any chat group if it begins to discuss specific information about exams or assignments that are meant to require individual work. If you are a member of such a group and it begins to cheat, you will be held responsible along with all the other members of the group. The TAMIU Honor Code requires that you report any such instances of cheating.
- Student Right of Appeal: Faculty will notify students immediately via the student’s TAMIU e- mail account that they have submitted plagiarized work. Students have the right to appeal a faculty member’s charge of academic dishonesty by notifying the TAMIU Honor Council of their intent to appeal as long as the notification of appeal comes within 10 business days of the faculty member’s e-mail message to the student and/or the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement. The Student Handbook provides more details.
Use of Work in Two or More Courses
You may not submit work completed in one course for a grade in a second course unless you receive explicit permission to do so by the instructor of the second course. In general, you should get credit for a work product only once.
AI Policies
Your instructor will provide you with their personal policy on the use of AI in the classroom setting and associated coursework.
TAMIU E-Mail and SafeZone
Personal Announcements sent to students through TAMIU E-mail (tamiu.edu or dusty email) are the official means of communicating course and university business with students and faculty –not the U.S. Mail and no other e-mail addresses. Students and faculty must check their TAMIU e-mail accounts regularly, if not daily. Not having seen an important TAMIU e-mail or message from a faculty member, chair, or dean is not accepted as an excuse for failure to take important action.
Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to download the SafeZone app, which is a free mobile app for all University faculty, staff, and students. SafeZone allows you to: report safety concerns (24/7), get connected with mental health professionals, activate location sharing with authorities, and anonymously report incidents. Go to SafeZone for more information.
Copyright Restrictions
The Copyright Act of 1976 grants to copyright owners the exclusive right to reproduce their works and distribute copies of their work. Works that receive copyright protection include published works such as a textbook. Copying a textbook without permission from the owner of the copyright may constitute copyright infringement. Civil and criminal penalties may be assessed for copyright infringement. Civil penalties include damages up to $100,000; criminal penalties include a fine up to $250,000 and imprisonment. Copyright laws do not allow students and professors to make photocopies of copyrighted materials, but you may copy a limited portion of a work, such as article from a journal or a chapter from a book for your own personal academic use or, in the case of a professor, for personal, limited classroom use. In general, the extent of your copying should not suggest that the purpose or the effect of your copying is to avoid paying for the materials. And, of course, you may not sell these copies for a profit. Thus, students who copy textbooks to avoid buying them or professors who provide photocopies of textbooks to enable students to save money are violating the law.
Students with Disabilities
Texas A&M International University seeks to provide reasonable accommodations for all qualified persons with disabilities. This University will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal education opportunity. It is the student's responsibility to register with the Office of Student Counseling and Disability Services located in Student Center 126. This office will contact the faculty member to recommend specific, reasonable accommodations. Faculty are prohibited from making accommodations based solely on communications from students. They may make accommodations only when provided documentation by the Student Counseling and Disability Services office.
Student Attendance and Leave of Absence (LOA) Policy
As part of our efforts to assist and encourage all students towards graduation, TAMIU provides
LOA’s for students, including pregnant/parenting students, in accordance with the Attendance Rule (Section 3.07) and the Student LOA Rule (Section 3.08), which includes the “Leave of Absence Request” form. Both rules can be found in the TAMIU Student Handbook (URL: Student Handbook).
Pregnant and Parenting Students
Under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, harassment based on sex, including harassment because of pregnancy or related conditions, is prohibited. A pregnant/parenting student must be granted an absence for as long as the student’s physician deems the absence medically necessary. It is a violation of Title IX to ask for documentation relative to the pregnant/parenting student’s status beyond what would be required for other medical conditions. If a student would like to file a complaint for discrimination due to his or her pregnant/parenting status, please contact the TAMIU Title IX Coordinator (Lorissa M. Cortez, 5201 University Boulevard, KLM 159B, Laredo, TX 78041, TitleIX@tamiu.edu, 956.326.2857) and/or the Office of Civil Rights (Dallas Office, U.S. Department of Education, 1999 Bryan Street, Suite 1620, Dallas, TX 75201-6810, 214.661.9600). You can also report it on TAMIU’s anonymous electronic reporting site: Report It!.
TAMIU advises a pregnant/parenting student to notify their professor once the student is aware that accommodations for such will be necessary. It is recommended that the student and professor develop a reasonable plan for the student’s completion of missed coursework or assignments. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity (Lorissa M. Cortez, lorissam.cortez@tamiu.edu) can assist the student and professor in working out the reasonable accommodations. For other questions or concerns regarding Title IX compliance related to pregnant/parenting students at the University, contact the Title IX Coordinator. In the event that a student will need a leave of absence for a substantial period of time, TAMIU urges the student to consider a Leave of Absence (LOA) as outlined in the TAMIU Student Handbook. As part of our efforts to assist and encourage all students towards graduation, TAMIU provides LOA’s for students, including pregnant/parenting students, in accordance with the Attendance Rule and the Student LOA Rule. Both rules can be found in the TAMIU Student Handbook (Student Handbook).
Anti-Discrimination/Title IX
TAMIU does not discriminate or permit harassment against any individual on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, educational programs, or employment. If you would like to file a complaint relative to Title IX or any civil rights violation, please contact the TAMIU Director of Equal Opportunity and Diversity/Title IX Coordinator, Lorissa M. Cortez, 5201 University Boulevard, Killam Library 159B, Laredo, TX 78041, TitleIX@tamiu.edu, 956.326.2857, via the anonymous electronic reporting website, ReportIt and/or the Office of Civil Rights (Dallas Office), U.S. Department of Education, 1999 Bryan Street, Suite 1620, Dallas, TX 75201-6810, 214.661.9600.
Incompletes
Students who are unable to complete a course should withdraw from the course before the final date for withdrawal and receive a “W.” To qualify for an “incomplete” and thus have the opportunity to complete the course at a later date, a student must meet the following criteria:
- The student must have completed 90% of the course work assigned before the final date for withdrawing from a course with a “W”, and the student must be passing the course;
- The student cannot complete the course because an accident, an illness, or a traumatic personal or family event occurred after the final date for withdrawal from a course;
- The student must sign an “Incomplete Grade Contract” and secure signatures of approval from the professor and the college dean.
- The student must agree to complete the missing course work before the end of the next long semester; failure to meet this deadline will cause the “I” to automatically be converted to an “F”; extensions to this deadline may be granted by the dean of the college. This is the general policy regarding the circumstances under which an “incomplete” may be granted, but under exceptional circumstances, a student may receive an incomplete who does not meet all of the criteria above if the faculty member, department chair, and dean recommend it.
WIN Contracts
The Department of Biology and Chemistry does not permit WIN contracts. For other departments within the college, WIN Contracts are offered only under exceptional circumstances and are limited to graduating seniors. Only courses offered by full-time TAMIU faculty or TAMIU instructors are eligible to be contracted for the WIN requirement. However, a WIN contract for a course taught by an adjunct may be approved, with special permission from the department chair and dean. Students must seek approval before beginning any work for the WIN Contract. No student will contract more than one course per semester. Summer WIN Contracts must continue through both summer sessions.
Student Responsibility for Dropping a Course
It is the responsibility of the student to drop the course before the final date for withdrawal from a course. Faculty members, in fact, may not drop a student from a course without getting the approval of their department chair and dean.
Independent Study Course
Independent Study (IS) courses are offered only under exceptional circumstances. Required courses intended to build academic skills may not be taken as IS (e.g., clinical supervision and internships). No student will take more than one IS course per semester. Moreover, IS courses are limited to seniors and graduate students. Summer IS course must continue through both summer sessions.
Grade Changes & Appeals
Faculty are authorized to change final grades only when they have committed a computational error or an error in recording a grade, and they must receive the approval of their department chairs and the dean to change the grade. As part of that approval, they must attach a detailed explanation of the reason for the mistake. Only in rare cases would another reason be entertained as legitimate for a grade change. A student who is unhappy with his or her grade on an assignment must discuss the situation with the faculty member teaching the course. If students believe that they have been graded unfairly, they have the right to appeal the grade using a grade appeal process in the Student Handbook and in the Faculty Handbook.
Final Examination
All courses in all colleges must include a comprehensive exam or performance and be given on the date and time specified by the Academic Calendar and the Final Exam schedule published by the Registrar’s Office. In the College of Arts & Sciences all final exams must contain a written component. The written component should comprise at least 20% of the final exam grade. Exceptions to this policy must receive the approval of the department chair and the dean at the beginning of the semester.
Mental Health and Well-Being
The university aims to provide students with essential knowledge and tools to understand and support mental health. As part of our commitment to your well-being, we offer access to Telus Health, a service available 24/7/365 via chat, phone, or webinar. Scan the QR code to download the app and explore the resources available to you for guidance and support whenever you need it. The Telus app is available to download directly from TELUS (tamiu.edu) or from the Apple App Store and Google Play.