ENGL 1301 - English Composition I
Fall 2024 Syllabus, Section 186, CRN 15710
Instructor Information
Ana Mendoza
Email: ana.mendoza@tamiu.edu
Office: Class Collaborate
Office Hours:
By appointment
Note: I will make every effort to respond to students email inquiries within 48 to 72 hours. Before sending an email, read the article "How to Email Your Professor" in the email policy.
Times and Location
Does Not Meet Face-to-Face
Course Description
Additional Course Information
This course meets online. Method of delivery: fully online instruction.
Artificial Intelligence Policy
Any work fully written or heavily influenced by AI and presented for a grade is considered cheating and will not be tolerated. Consequences can range from earning a 0 on the assignment to failing the course with a corresponding report to the honor's council.
Email Policy
You are required to check your TAMIU email regularly. I will send emails when I need to communicate with you regarding your coursework, assignments, classroom changes, and so on. If you fail to check your email and miss an assignment or class as a result, you will be counted absent for the day. Simply check your email every day.
Also, do not email me your draft, assuming that I will read it, comment, and send it back. You can email me to set up an appointment so that we may go through your draft together. Finally, do not send or reply to an e-mail without due thought, especially when you are upset.
Everyone needs to review this article: “How to Email Your Professor (without being annoying AF)”. Here is the link: https://medium.com. The article goes into detail about 10 ways to construct an email that is appropriate and informative for your professor(s). I expect emails from you to me to follow this “formula” as much as possible. Emails that don’t will not receive a response from me. 2) Also, please be reminded that I usually cannot answer emails instantly, and if you email me after 10:00 pm, you will not receive an answer until the next day. You can expect answers to emails sent Monday-Friday between 8:00 am and 3:00 pm within six hours. You can expect answers to emails sent during other time periods to be answered within 24-48 hours.
Writing Projects (30% of course grade)
The projects for this course will require you to work in certain genres, but they also allow for you to choose your own topics and positions. I will provide you with details on the assignments throughout the semester. The major projects include:
• Essay 1: Genre Analysis & Peer Review. 10%
o In this first essay, you will choose a genre that is used by a specific community and describe, illustrate, and expose your interpretations of how and why the members of this community use the genre as they do. (750-900 words)
• Essay 2: Visual Analysis & Peer Review. 10%
o In this second essay, you will choose one visual text and analyze the meaning the text creates. You will use the visual text as evidence for your interpretation. (850-1,000 words)
• Essay 3: Rhetorical Analysis & Peer Review. 10%
o In this third and final essay, you will choose an argumentative piece from a peer reviewed journal and evaluate its appeal to the audience in which the argument is presented. You will use the peer-reviewed article as your evidence for your analysis. (1,000-1,200 words)
For each unit essay, rough (first) drafts and participation in conferences and peer review are required.
Essay Format
See Blackboard for a sample of the MLA format in which I want all essays submitted. You will submit all your final drafts of the unit essays via Blackboard and/or hard copy.
You will hand in all your first drafts via a printed copy. These printed versions will be due during class time or during office hours. Final draft of unit essays and reflections will be submitted via TurnItIn on Blackboard. Final drafts not uploaded to Turnitin, a plagiarism- checking program, will not be graded until they are uploaded. It is your responsibility to make sure that all final drafts are submitted to the correct Turnitin drop box on time. Be sure to save all digital receipts generated by Turnitin to verify that assignments were submitted on time.
Late essays & drafts
First Drafts: I will accept late first drafts. However, I will NOT provide feedback on any late first draft submissions. The turn around time to get feedback to everyone with enough time to revise before the final drafts are due is limited and built into the course schedule. A late first draft will limit the time you have to review and address my feedback. So, if you want my feedback/guidance, I encourage you to submit all first drafts on time.
Final Drafts: I will accept late final drafts of essays and reflections. However, 10 points will be deducted EACH day the essay is late. So, if you submit an essay two days late, you will have a grade no higher than an 80. This means that I START grading at an 80 not that you earn an automatic 80. I may make an exception for extenuating circumstances. However, you must discuss your concerns with me at least 48-hours in advance and not after the fact. An essay will receive an automatic 0 if more than 5 days late unless prior accommodations were given. No exceptions.
Because I expect you to be working on your drafts and have full drafts ready for peer review, I will not discuss your final unit essay with you at the last minute, i.e., 24 hours before it is due.
Successful college writing is a process done over a stretch of time rather than the night before an assignment is due, progressing from prewriting, drafting, revising to editing. Please plan and write as recommended while taking advantage of class time that is offered to help you. Also, if you are struggling, come see me: the earlier the better.
Warning: Computer malfunctions are not acceptable excuses for late assignments and essays. Plan and have a backup plan. Remember to always make a hard copy of a final draft for your records
Returning Unit Projects
Most of the time, I will return your final unit projects graded within three weeks after you have submitted them. I will get them all returned well before the next project is due so that you have time to review my comments on the previous before submitting the next. I do reserve the right not to return your projects in this fashion, but I always guarantee that you will have your previous one back before you are required to submit the next. Once I have returned your graded projects, I will not discuss them with you until 48 hours have passed so that you have plenty of time to view my comments. This 48-hour grace period is designed to give you time to reflect upon your project and discover pointed questions for discussion rather than developing an emotional reaction to your grade and assessment. No exceptions.
Final Portfolio Project (35% of total course grade):
For your final project in this course, you will create a website that showcases the writing
you completed in this course. You will include all of your reflection essays from the three unit essays, along with activities or discussions that impacted your writing abilities throughout the semester. Then, you will write a new 2,000-2,500-word reflection that walks your instructor through your learning process in ENGL 1301, details the revisions that you made to each of your unit essays and why you made each revision, and discusses the rhetorical choices you made when creating your website.
Reflective Writing Assignments (15% of total course grade):
This course is designed to encourage you to reflect continually on your writing processes and to revise your projects in light of your reflections. I will assess these reflective assignments and will assign each one a grade.
Your reflections must respond to all the questions posed and provide details, examples, and specifics for each question. Reflections should be taken as a serious component of the course and should not be done in the minutes before it is due. A successful reflection engages the author and the audience (me, your instructor) in a discussion of how you see your writing progressing, where you struggle, etc. Reflections that are vague will not be successful. For example, simply stating, “I learned a lot about my writing this unit,” will not suffice as a discussion. Rather, this statement (and others like it) provide no information and result in unsuccessful reflection essays. You will write three reflective essays this semester—one for each unit essay.
Homework: (20% of total course grade):
Nearly every week, you will have assignments due, and homework must be submitted by Sunday at 11:59 pm. Pay close attention to this section and refer to it as often as needed. This course requires your active participation in several key ways:
• Complete all readings and quizzes on time.
• Presentation and Outline: At the start of the semester, you have the opportunity to select a topic—whether it’s a show, song, movie, book, video game, etc. Once you’ve chosen your topic, email me (following the email policy) for approval. After your topic is accepted, you will create a discussion board post with the title of your topic. Throughout the semester, you will choose one reading from the course schedule and connect it to your chosen topic. You will then create an outline of your topic and submit it to the discussion board during your assigned presentation week. Alongside the outline, you will also submit an 8-minute recording in which you explain your topic and discuss how the readings helped you analyze and understand a deeper or more meaningful interpretation.
• This is a reading, writing, and rhetorical thinking course, so we are expected to engage deeply with texts, think critically, and write on a weekly basis. This helps us fully understand the readings and gain the most from the class. All homework assignments, including quizzes and presentations, are listed on the schedule and are due at the end of their respective weeks.
• Homework is not only an easy way to earn points toward your final course grade, but it also keeps you engaged with the material and helps you develop ideas and drafts for your final essay.
My advice is simple: complete each homework assignment on a weekly basis. I do not accept late homework assignments. No exceptions.
Program Learning Outcomes
As one class in the First-Year Writing Program, students’ successful completion of this course will contribute to their overall ability to:
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Critically analyze and evaluate the audience, purpose, and genre of a writing situation or written piece.
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Recognize and apply the writing elements of format, structure, and grammar in a written piece.
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Demonstrate an effective writing process that includes drafting, revising, editing, and respectful and ethical collaboration.
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Apply reflective writing practices across different writing tasks and genres.
Develop writing-related technological skills that allow them to locate, engage, and evaluate writing activities and artifacts in various genres and across media formats.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to do the following relative to the First-Year Writing Program’s Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs):
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Respond appropriately to the needs of various audiences and writing situations through the use of various genres, context, and content. (PLO 1)
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Recognize, critique, and defend the rhetorical choices in writing situations. (PLO 1)
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Apply conventions of Standard American Academic English including word choice, formality, grammar and mechanics, MLA formatting, and essay format. (PLO 2)
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Effectively apply a process of writing from invention, drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading. (PLO 3)
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Ethically collaborate in the writing process with peers through peer-review, constructive self-critique, and teamwork. (PLO 3)
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Compose written work that reflects on the writing process, articulates how writing skills transfer across contexts, and identifies the writer’s strengths and weaknesses. (PLO 4)
Engage a variety of technologies in order to locate sources and write across various media for specific audiences and purposes. (PLO 5)
Important Dates
Visit the Academic Calendar (tamiu.edu) page to view the term's important dates.
Textbooks
Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
---|---|---|---|
Required | Everyone’s an Author | Lunsford, Andrea, et al | 978-1-324-04527-4 |
Other Course Materials
Additional materials and readings will be available on Blackboard.
Grading Criteria
GRADE | PERCENTAGE |
A | 90-100 |
B | 80-90.9 |
C | 70-79.9 |
D | 60-69.9 |
F | Below 60 |
Assignments and Weight Distribution
Assignments
Homework and Participation: | |
Quizzes | 5% |
Presentations | 15% |
Writing Projects: | |
Genre Analysis | 10% |
Visual Analysis | 10% |
Rhetorical Analysis | 10% |
Reflective Writing Assignments: | |
Reflection Essay 1 | 5% |
Reflection Essay 2 | 5% |
Reflection Essay 3 | 5% |
Final Portfolio | 35% |
Course Total | 100% |
Schedule of Topics and Assignments
Week of | Agenda/Topic | Reading(s) | Due |
---|---|---|---|
8/26 | Introduction | Lunsford Introduction and Chapter 1 | *Familiarize yourself with the first five weeks and their workload, including the readings, quizzes, and essay 1, “Genere Analysis.” If you are having issues understanding the instructions, make sure to email me. *Complete the quiz on chapter 1 by Sunday at 11:59 pm. |
9/2 | Unit 1: Genre Analysis | Lunsford Chapter 6 | *Read the instruction files under the folder “ Genre Analysis Essay Materials” *Email me your thesis statement see instructions under the folder “ Genre Analysis Essay Materials” for creating thesis statements for essay 1 by Sunday at 11:59 pm. *Complete the quiz on chapter 6 by Sunday at 11:59 pm. |
9/9 | Unit 1: Genre Analysis | Lunsford Chapter 3, 34 | *Complete both quizzes on chapters 3, and 34 by Sunday at 11:59 pm. *First draft of Genre Analysis due by 11:59 PM Sunday, in the TurnItIn Drop box under Week 4. |
9/16 | Unit 1: Genre Analysis | *Under the drop box of your draft you will receive two drafts from your classmates to peer review. Complete both peer reviews by Sunday at 11:59 pm. | |
9/23 | Unit 1: Genre Analysis Essay 1 final draft due |
Lunsford Chapter 10, 35 | Complete both quizzes on chapters 10 and 35 by Sunday at 11:59 pm. DUE: Final Draft of Genre Analysis and Reflection @ 11:59 pm on Sunday. Submit final draft and reflection into the appropriate TurnitIn drop boxes under the week 5 folder. |
9/30 | Unit 2: Visual Text Analysis | Lunsford Chapter 9 (pp. 107-116), 15 (“Visual Analysis,” pp. 260-62) | *Familiarize yourself with the next three weeks and their workload, including the readings, quizzes, and essay 2, “Visual Text Analysis.” If you are having issues understanding the instructions, make sure to email me. *Email me your thesis statement see instructions under the folder “ Visual Text Analysis Essay Materials” for creating thesis statements for essay 2 by Sunday at 11:59pm. *Complete both quizzes on chapters 9, and 15 by Sunday at 11:59 pm. |
10/7 | Unit 2: Visual Text Analysis | Lunsford Chapter 32 | Complete the quiz on chapter 32 by Sunday at 11:59 pm. *First draft of Genre Analysis due by 11:59 PM Sunday, in the TurnItIn Drop box under Week 8. |
10/14 | Unit 2: Visual Text Analysis Essay 2 final draft due |
*Under the drop box of your draft you will receive two drafts from your classmates to peer review. Complete both peer reviews by Tuesday at 11:59 pm. *DUE: Final Draft of Visual Text Analysis and Reflection @ 11:59 pm on Sunday. Submit final draft and reflection into the appropriate TurnitIn drop boxes under the week 8 folder. |
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10/21 | Unit 3: Rhetorical Analysis | Lunsford Chapter 15 (“Rhetorical Analysis,” pp. 242-46), 29 | *Familiarize yourself with the next four weeks and their workload, including the readings, quizzes, and essay 3, “Rhetorical Analysis.” If you are having issues understanding the instructions, make sure to email me. *Email me your thesis statement see instructions under the folder “ Rhetorical Analysis Materials” for creating thesis statements for essay 3 by Sunday at 11:59 pm. *Complete the quiz on chapter 15 by Sunday at 11:59 pm. |
10/28 | Unit 3: Rhetorical Analysis | Lunsford Chapter 19 (can exclude section “Ways of Structuring Arguments” ff. 438), 28 | *Complete both quizzes on chapters 19, and 28 by Sunday at 11:59 pm. *DUE: First Draft of Rhetorical Analysis @ 11:59 pm on Sunday, in the TurnitIn dropbox in the Week 12 folder. |
11/4 | Unit 3: Rhetorical Analysis | *Under the drop box of your draft you will receive two drafts from your classmates to peer review. Complete both peer reviews by Tuesday at 11:59 pm. *Presentation and Outline are duo Sunday at 11:59 pm. |
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11/11 | Unit 3: Rhetorical Analysis Essay 3 final draft due |
*DUE: Final Draft of Rhetorical Analysis and Reflection is due to the appropriate TurnItIn drop boxes under the Week 12 folder on Blackboard by 11:59pm on Sunday. | |
11/18 | Portfolio and Digital Design | Lunsford, electronic chapter on Portfolios | *Familiarize yourself with the next three weeks and their workload, including the readings, quizzes, and the portfolio. If you are having issues understanding the instructions, make sure to email me. |
11/25 | Portfolio and Digital Design | Lunsford, electronic chapter on Portfolios | *Complete the quiz on chapter 39 by Sunday at 11:59 pm. |
12/2 | Portfolio and Digital Design Portfolio due date and time of final exam |
Lunsford, Chapter 39 | *Submit Portfolio, Final Reflection, and Revised essay to their respective dropboxes under the “Finals Week Instructions” folder by Sunday at 11:59 pm. |
Core Curriculum Learning Outcomes
[REMOVE the Core-Curriculum Learning Outcomes which do NOT apply to this course. Please don't forget to remove these instructions.]
Core-Curriculum Learning Outcomes:
- Critical Thinking Skills (CT) - creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information
- Communication Skills (COM) - effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas through written, oral and visual communication
- Empirical and Quantitative Skills (EQS) - manipulation and analysis of numerical data or observable facts resulting in informed conclusions
- Teamwork (TW) - ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal
- Social Responsibility (SR) - intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities
- Personal Responsibility (PR) - ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making
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 https://www.tamiu.edu/scce/studenthandbook.shtml.
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 https://www.tamiu.edu/adminis/police/safezone/index.shtml 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: http://www.tamiu.edu/studentaffairs/StudentHandbook1.shtml).
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: https://www.tamiu.edu/reportit.
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 (https://www.tamiu.edu/scce/studenthandbook.shtml).
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, sexual orientation or gender identity in admissions, 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, at https://www.tamiu.edu/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.
Distance Education Courses
[The ITALICIZED INFORMATION BELOW is where you are to ADD your course information. Please don't forget to remove these instructions and all ITALICIZED content.]
Regular and Substantive Interaction (Note to Instructors):
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has issued Regular and Substantive Interaction: Background, Concerns, and Guiding Principles which went into effect on July 1, 2021. Under the new regulations, the U.S. Department of Education requires that all online courses and programs for which students may use Title IV funds (federal financial aid) include regular and substantive interaction between students and their instructors. This ruling applies to both synchronous and asynchronous courses, with the primary focus being asynchronous courses. The Department of Education has the authority to audit courses and programs at institutions, like Texas A&M International University, with online offerings.
Be sure that your course provides for regular and substantive interaction between faculty and students, students and students, and students and content. (C-RAC, OSCQR, QM, SACSCOC, SC)
- Regular and substantive instructor-to-student expectations and predictable/scheduled interactions and feedback are present, appropriate for the course length and structure, and are easy to find. (OSCQR, SACSCOC, SC)
- Expectations for all course interactions (instructor to student, student to student, student to instructor) are clearly stated and modeled in all course interactions/communication channels. (OSCQR, SACSCOC, SC)
Be sure to add clear statements on your syllabi about these instructor-to-student expectations.
Visit for additional guidance on including Regular and Substantive Interaction: https://www.tamiu.edu/distance/faculty/regular-and-substantive-interaction.shtml
Online Courses and On-Campus Meetings
Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Title 19, Part 1, Chapter 2, Subchapter J, Section 2.202, defines distance education as the formal educational process that occurs when students and instructors are not in the same physical setting for the majority (more than 50%) of instruction. Distance education includes hybrid and 100% online courses and programs as defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB):
- Hybrid Course - A distance education course in which more than 50 percent but less than 100 percent of instructional activity takes place when the student(s) and instructor(s) are in separate physical locations.
- 100-Percent Online Course - A distance education course in which 100 percent of instructional activity takes place when the student(s) and instructor(s) are in separate physical locations. Requirements for on-campus or in-person orientation, testing, academic support services, internships/fieldwork, or other non-instructional activities do not exclude a course from this category.
In this online course, be sure to confirm what in-person meetings may be required of you (if applicable).
Course Structure
[Description of how students should approach the course regularly. A description of course menu items and their contents may be found here. The description may also describe how students should approach the materials per lesson/module/week. It should include what type of materials students may encounter, the types of activities and assessments they may see, and other expectations from the students in each module. This section should help the student understand how to navigate the course.]
Student-Instructor Communication Policy and Response Time
Announcements/Course Messages/Emails
[The instructor must provide information on the type of communication that will be provided to students on a regular basis, including the frequency of this communication (such as “Announcements will be posted regularly on Mondays.”). Also, information on the turnaround time for communication from course messages or emails sent to the instructor.]
Assignments and Assessments
[The instructor must list the turnaround time for providing feedback to students on their submissions of an assignment or assessment. Expectations on how students will receive feedback should be listed for each type of assignment.]
Course Communication Guidelines (Netiquette)
There are course expectations concerning etiquette or how we should treat each other online. We must consider these values as we communicate with one another. Visit Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services’ web page on Netiquette for further instruction.
Accommodations/Accessibility Policy
Texas A&M International University seeks to provide reasonable accommodation 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 educational opportunity. It is the student's responsibility to register with the Director of Student Counseling and to contact the faculty member in a timely fashion to arrange for suitable accommodation. For more information, contact the online at Office of Disability Services for Students (DSS), via phone at 956.326.3086 or by visiting the staff at the Student Center, room 118. A link to the Disabilities Services for Students site has also been included under the "Resources" tab inside the course.
Student Support Resources
The University wishes to have all students succeed in their courses. To provide support to our students, an array of services in the areas of technology support, academic support, student support, and accessibility support may be found at the University. For more information, visit the Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services page on University Resources and Support Services.
Computer/Technology Requirements
[Technology requirements must be listed for the course. Information on how to obtain software for purchase or download should be provided. See the following example. Customize technologies to include those that pertain to your course:]
When participating in distance education courses, it is vital to consider the technology involved in order to have a successful course. Online students will need regular access to a personal computer that runs on a broadband Internet connection.
It is recommended that you meet the technical requirements listed on the Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services’ webpage when using the learning management system (LMS) of the University.
Additional Hardware. For this class, you will need the following additional hardware: [list any additional required hardware here. Additionally, and if applicable, you may use the following statement:] Recently purchased laptops may have these built-in web cameras. If you do not have this equipment, it is recommended to purchase a stand-alone webcam, microphone, or a webcam with a built-in microphone from your local electronic store or any online store.
NOTE: Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services may check out available webcams to students on a first-come, first-served basis. To check out a webcam, please stop by Killam Library, Room 259, and request an available webcam.
Additional Software. You will need the following additional software: [list any additional software required here. Additionally, and if applicable, you may use the following statement:] TAMIU Students may access online versions of this software through their Dusty Office 365 account at https://dusty.tamiu.edu/. This site also provides students access to download the Microsoft suite for educational use. See instructions for downloading the Microsoft Office suite.
Note: Students, if you do not own the required hardware or software or do not have access to the Internet, it will be highly challenging for you to make any progress in this class. However, my goal is to assist you in finding solutions and guide you appropriately most of the required materials can either be found free of charge at TAMIU’s library, classrooms, and available computer labs. Visit Media Services’ web page on the availability of on-campus computer labs. In addition, you may also purchase any of these items at any electronic store.
Learning Management System (Blackboard)
Students are provided with an orientation (*eLearning (Blackboard) Student Orientation*) and access to guides on how to use the Blackboard LMS. Guides may be available at Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services' Student eLearning Tutorial Videos page or by contacting the eLearning team at elearning@tamiu.edu.
Minimum Technical Skills Expected
[The description of the minimal technology skills is linked to OIT’s statement of minimal skills. Faculty are required to update statements for additional technological skills from students.]
When participating in distance education courses, it is vital to consider the technology involved in order to have a successful course. Students in distance education should have knowledge of basic computer and Internet skills, as mentioned on the Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services’ webpage.
Technical Support Services
Because of the nature of distance education courses, the Office of Information Technology (OIT) computing and information services are vital to the success of online students. This webpage covers contact information for Distance Education Services (Blackboard Support), the OIT Help Desk, and E-mail support: Technical Support Services.
Web Conferences/Synchronous sessions
[Instructors that host synchronous virtual meeting sessions should list details on how students will meet with the instructor in this section and whether these meetings are optional or required. Include the frequency of these meetings and a general explanation of the purpose for these sessions.]
Grading Scale/Schema (after Grade Breakdown section)
In determining the final course grade, the following scale is used in percentage or point value.
• xxx = A
• xxx = B
• xxx = C
• xxx = D
• xxx = F
[Faculty can augment this area as necessary to accommodate their grading criteria. Faculty should also use this area to convey when students can expect feedback on their assignments and assessments.]
Rubrics (may be included here and in the Syllabus and Overview in the course)
[The inclusion of rubrics in the syllabus is usually up to the instructor. If rubrics are not included in the syllabus, this area should convey to students that rubrics are included in the course and will provide an understanding of how they will be assessed on the course’s assignments.]
Late Work Policy
Instructors should include the policy stating what may or may not be acceptable for late assignments.
Course Evaluation
At the end of this course, students are encouraged to complete a course evaluation that will be distributed to them via email and through a course link.
Turnitin Policy Or Other Types of Assignments in Other Systems
[Instructor’s policy on assignments held within the Turnitin system.]
Proctoring
[Respondus LockDown Browser/Monitor OR Examity. Contact elearning@tamiu.edu for the syllabus statement and other information.]
Accessibility and Privacy Statements on Course Technologies
[Information on the accessibility and privacy policies of all course technologies must be provided to the students. At TAMIU, the eLearning team has compiled a list of accessibility and privacy statement links on their website. Link to these pages and contact eLearning if any new technologies should be listed on their pages. See the following example. Customize technologies to include those that pertain to your course:]
At Texas A&M International University, we believe that all students should have equal technology opportunities in the classroom. These technologies/sites may also require user data, such as the creation of a username and password. You may find the accessibility and privacy policies of the technologies used in this class on the following pages: Accessibility Statements and Privacy Statements.
In this class, we will utilize: [insert the technologies here].
Syllabus Subject to Change
While information and assurances are provided in this course syllabus, it should be understood that content may change in keeping with new research and literature and that events beyond the control of the instructor could occur. Students will be informed of any substantive occurrences that will produce syllabus changes.