CSDO 4438 201: Adv Clin Prac in CSDO < Texas A&M International University

CSDO 4438 - Adv Clin Prac in CSDO

Spring 2025 Syllabus, Section 201, CRN 26160

Instructor Information

Daniella Garcia-Zertuche, M.S, CCC-SLP

Office: Canseco 302M

Office Hours:
Office hours: M: 3:15-4:15pm; T 11:45am-12:45pm; W 3:00-4:00pm; Virtual hours, scheduled by appointment: M: 11:00am-12:00pm and W: 10:00am-12:00pm.

Office Phone: 956-326-2986

Times and Location

MW 1:10pm-3pm in Pellegrino Hall 116

Course Description

Additional Course Information

Proctoring

This course requires the use of LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor (webcam) for online exams.

All students need to purchase a year-long license for Respondus. The cost is $15, and you will be able to use it in all of your classes. Student instructions for purchasing and installing can be found: respondus lockdown browser

Syllabus Subject to Change

While information and assurances are provided in this course syllabus, it should be understood that content may change and that events beyond the control of the instructor could occur. Students will be informed of any substantive occurrences that will produce syllabus changes.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy

Using generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT on assignments in this course is allowed if instructor permission is obtained in advance. Unless you are given permission to use those tools, each student is expected to complete each assignment without assistance from others, including automated writing tools. If AI is approved, it must be properly documented and cited following the citation style specified by the instructor.

Students are responsible for ensuring the accuracy of all content submitted, as AI-generated content may contain inaccuracies. Review and verify all information independently.

Failure to disclose the use of GenAI tools or presenting AI-generated content as one’s original work constitutes academic misconduct and may result in disciplinary action.

Other Policy/Information

No late work will be accepted unless arrangements are made with the professor prior to the assigned deadline. Medical excuses may require necessary proof. All course correspondence will be via course messages.

Student Learning Outcomes

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

Describe the basic principles that support effective intervention regardless of client age or disorder.
Discuss the four principles of ethics and/or rules from the 2016 ASHA Code of Ethics.
Integrate the clinical skills of: interview, make behavioral observations, and use of diagnostic and/or pre-therapy assessment findings to appropriately formulate an intervention or instructional plan.
Develop and use intervention plans, strategies, materials, or instrumentation as appropriate to meet the needs of clients.
Develop and critically analyze Lesson Plans, SOAP (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan) Notes and Progress Reports for clinical application that include appropriate and well- formulated, measurable goals and accurate documentation of client’s performance.
Modify intervention plans, strategies, materials, or instrumentation as appropriate to meet the needs of clients.
Demonstrate critical reflection skills of clinical performance through observations and/or written analyses of digitally recorded therapy sessions and make appropriate suggestions for further skill development based upon the reflection and supervisor feedback.

Important Dates

Visit the Academic Calendar (tamiu.edu) page to view the term's important dates.

Textbooks

Group	Title	Author	ISBN
Required	Here’s How to Do Therapy: Hands-On Core Skills in Speech-Language Pathology, 3rd Edition	Dwight, D. M.
Optional	A Coursebook on scientific and Professional writing for speech-language pathology, 5th Edition	Hedge, M. N.

Other Course Materials

Teaching Strategies:
Use of instructional technology (LMS, lecture related software and Web resources); simulations; project based learning, journaling; interactive lecture; case method; clinical experiences, and scripted-role playing.

Required Materials:

Clip board, pencils, calculator, therapy materials (to be determined), voice recorder, box of tissues, box of gloves, box of tongue depressors, hand sanitizer, mirror, pen light and clinic uniform. Laptop, IPad, IPhone, or smartphone.

For clinical courses:

Clinical hours are required to provide students the opportunities to obtain knowledge and skills to function safely as a clinician. Punctuality is expected in the professional workplace. Important information affecting client care is communicated to the students at the start of the clinical experience. Therefore, tardiness for clinical/lab/simulation experience jeopardizes the student ability to give clinical practice. Simulation experiences are considered clinical experience.

Clinical Hour Breakdown: TAMIU Clinic Experience/Simulations: students MAY earn up to 12 clock hours, these are NOT guaranteed as they depend on student clinical skill and client availability.

Clinical Objectives:

1. Follow documented treatment plans or protocols developed by the supervising SLP.

2. Document student, patient, and client performance (e.g., tallying data for the SLP to use; preparing charts, records, and graphs) and report this information to the supervising SLP.

3. Demonstrate or share information with patients, families, and staff regarding feeding strategies developed and directed by the SLP.

Course References/Bibliography

Nicolosi, L., Harryman, E. & Kresheck, J. (2003). Terminology of Communication Disorders: Speech-Language-Hearing, 5th Ed. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Publishing.
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2010). Code of ethics [Ethics]. Available from www.asha.org/policy.
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2005). Evidence-based practice in communication disorders [Position Statement]. Available from www.asha.org/policy.
Dollaghan, C. (2004, April 13). Evidence-Based Practice: Myths and Realities. The ASHA Leader. dshs.state.tx.us/speech/txsha.org

Grading Rubrics

1. Content - Assignments are complete and thorough and meet or exceed stated specifications and criteria and are submitted on time. Students have completed all parts of the assignments as defined by the instructor. Knowledge of subject matter is clear, and all work is clearly focused on the assigned topics. Topics are fully developed. If appropriate, students have included additional material or information or both beyond requirements. If applicable, students have demonstrated applicability to the work setting (i.e., theory into practice). Students clearly demonstrate evidence of analytical or critical thinking or both. If appropriate, students demonstrate originality and fresh perspectives.

2. Quality of Communication - Written and oral work demonstrates superior undergraduate quality in verbal expression with attention to detail. Students work is clear, concise, cogent, and correct (i.e., word choice is effective, sentence structure is varied making use of subordinate clauses, paragraphs are appropriate with clear thesis statements and supporting details. transitional words and phrases are used effectively, points and ideas are well organized, etc.). English language conventions are applied correctly (i.e. spelling, capitalization, punctuation, agreement, pronoun usage, sentence structure, etc.).

3. Preparation (readings, assignments, etc.) - Preparation for all classes and assignments is evident. Students participate regularly and in a timely manner contributing ideas to class discussions and group activities that demonstrate careful reading of assigned texts and articles, attention to audio or video tapes or other media assigned, and engagements in interviews, observations, or any other in-class or out-of-class activities assigned.

4. Format - Where applicable, citations and references are used correctly and consistently, with clear efforts made to include a wide range of relevant works. For any work requiring citations, students refer to a wide range of suitable sources. All non-original ideas are cited correctly and referenced in a reference list. All works in the reference list are cited in the text and vice versa. Students will follow the American Psychological Association Form and Style Manual (5th ed.) for term papers (i.e., citations and references, as well as type face and size, margins, headings, title pages, etc.).

1. Content - Assignments are complete and meet stated specifications and criteria and are submitted on time. Knowledge of subject matter is clear. Written work focuses on assigned topics. Students have made clear efforts to address all parts of assignments, but might have missed one part of one or two assignments. Students have met all but perhaps one criterion or specification indicated by the instructor (e.g., if students are asked to provide examples of specific strategies, perhaps the number of examples provided is insufficient; perhaps the examples are not explained in enough detail for the reader to form a clear picture of the strategy). Students demonstrate some evidence of analytical or critical thinking or both. In some assignments a match between theory and practice may not be evident.

2. Quality of Communication - Written or oral work demonstrates good undergraduate quality in verbal expression, attention to detail, and correct application of the conventions of the English language. In students’ written work, paragraphs are organized around topics with supporting details. Sentences are clear and somewhat varied. Some transitional words and phrases are used. Organization is adequate. Words are used correctly. A few minor errors in the conventions of English usage do not interfere with the focus of the work.

3. Preparation - Preparation for all classes and assignments is evident. Students participate regularly and in a timely manner contributing ideas to class discussions and group activities that demonstrate careful reading of assigned texts and articles, attention to audio or video tapes or other media assigned, and engagement in interviews, observations, or any other in-class or out-of-class activities assigned.

4. Format - Where applicable, citations and references are used correctly and consistently. For any work requiring citations, all non-original ideas are cited correctly and referenced in all reference lists. All works in the reference list are cited in the text and vice versa. Students will follow a APA requirements (i.e., citations and references, as well as type face and size, margins, headings, title pages, etc.), although occasional errors in APA format may be evident.

1. Content - Some assignments may be incomplete or do not meet some stated specifications and criteria. Students have made an attempt to complete all assignments, but some student papers do not address all parts of all assignments or do not meet some criteria specified in the instruction. Topics may be only partially developed. Students demonstrate little evidence of analytical or critical thinking or both. There may be little evidence of a match between theory and practice.

2. Quality of Communication - Written and oral work minimally meets undergraduate quality in verbal expression, attention to detail, and correct application of the conventions of the English language. In students’ written work, paragraphing may be faulty with perhaps too many topics per paragraph, insufficient detail to support a topic, or lack continuity. Some sentences may lack (a) variety, (b) the sentence structure may be confusing, and (c) errors in word usage may be present. Lack of organization and errors in the conventions of English usage may interfere with the focus of the work.

3. Preparation - Preparation for most classes is evident. Students may not actively participate in a timely manner in all class discussions or activities, but meet the minimal requirements of the course. When called upon, students may not be able to demonstrate that they have read or fully understood assigned texts and articles or completed other activities and assignments in preparation for the class.

4. Format – Where applicable, students generally follow the APA format (i.e., citations and references, as well as the requirements regarding type face and size, margins, headings, title pages, etc.), but some errors in APA format may be evident.

F 74 and Below - Does not meet the above standards.

I Incomplete

1. A grade of incomplete (I) may be granted at the discretion of the instructor, to students who are in good standing. The grade will be issued only after the appropriate written request has been received by the instructor from the student. A grade of Incomplete is reserved for unexpected personal or professional emergencies that were not foreseeable at the beginning of the course and must be made up within one term (or sooner) of the final class meeting of the course, as stipulated by the instructor. A grade of “I” may not be granted to a student whose work has been substantially unsatisfactory or who has failed to submit a substantial number of assignments (i.e., postings, responses, written assignments, references, etc.) in a timely manner by the end of the course. Students requesting extensions due to medical reasons are expected to provide official medical documentation. It is the student’s responsibility to consult the instructor and submit the Incomplete Grade Agreement Form prior to the end of the course. The instructor will not accept assignments received after the date indicated on the agreement, and the student’s grade will be assigned according to the work the student completed by the end of the course

2. Upon approval by the instructor, students will be required to complete and submit an “Incomplete Grade Contract” to the instructor. The timeline for an “Incomplete” shall not exceed one term or as specified in the “Incomplete Grade Contract.” An incomplete grade that has not been changed by the official date in this agreement will result in a grade of “F” (No Credit).

Grading Criteria

Grading Policies
Grade	Value
GRADE	PERCENTAGE
A	90-100
B	80-89
C	75-79
F	74 and below

Open Boilerplate

Grading Policies
Grade	Value
Course Requirements	VALUE
Assignments	20%
Writing Skills (lesson plans, SOAP notes, progress reports)	40%
Therapeutic Skills	40%
Exit Exam	Pass or Fail

Schedule of Topics and Assignments

Week of	Agenda/Topic	Due
1/22	Introduction to course Review Syllabus Lab: Infection Control Guidelines and Health Procedures Compliance Education Review clinic policies and procedures	Acknowledge Syllabus Update clinical requirements on Verified Credentials by Friday TrainTraq Drop Box Assignment due by 5:00pm 2111652: Child Protection Training 2111454: HIPAA Privacy and Accountability Training 99001: Ethics Password: Pin3!freQet%
1/27	Preparing for Clinicals Lab: Clinic Assignments/Chart Reviews Prepare Case History Interview with parents (confirm virtual meeting for next week) Review clinic schedule/assignments. Review Treatment Plan/lesson plan Exit Review Chapter 5: Hands On-Core Skills: The Speech-Language Pathologist as Facilitator of Positive Communication Change	Submit lesson plan to supervisor during lab time; must be approved prior to clinical session
2/3	Lab: First week of clinic Once lesson plan is approved, it should be placed in the client’s file, if new create a file Exit Review-Dr. Maroonroge TBA Chapter 6: Basic Structure Within the Therapeutic Process	Submit lesson plan to supervisor day after clinical session; must be approved prior to next clinical session Submit treatment plan to supervisor two days after the clinical session
2/10	Lab: Second week of clinic Exit Review TBA Exit Exam TBA Chapter 7: Peripheral Speech-Language Therapy Management Issues	Submit lesson plan to supervisor day after clinical session; must be approved prior to next clinical session Submit treatment plan to supervisor two days after the clinical session
2/17	Lab: Third week of clinic Hearing Screenings and speech-language screenings Chapter 8: Guided Practice in Language Based Therapy and Social Communication Therapy Select a peer reviewed journal article and seek approval from professor Journal Review	Submit lesson plan to supervisor day after clinical session; must be approved prior to next clinical session Submit treatment plan if you are still collecting baseline data to supervisor two days after the clinical session Assignment 1
2/24	Lab: Fourth week of clinic Chapter 9: Guided Practice in Articulation Therapy and Concepts Regarding Phonological Processes Therapy	Submit lesson plan to supervisor the day after clinical session; must be approved prior to next clinical session Submit SOAP note to supervisor the day after clinical session; must be approved prior to next clinical session
3/3	Lab: Fifth week of clinic Schedule and meet with assigned student observer for mock clinic session Chapter 10: Guided Practice for Voice Therapy	Submit lesson plan to supervisor the day after clinical session; must be approved prior to next clinical session Submit SOAP note to supervisor the day after clinical session; must be approved prior to next clinical session
3/10	Spring Break. No classes
3/17	Lab: Seventh week of clinic Schedule and meet with assigned student observer for mock clinic session Chapter 11: Guided Practice for Resonance Therapy	Submit lesson plan to supervisor the day after clinical session; must be approved prior to next clinical session Submit SOAP note to supervisor the day after clinical session; must be approved prior to next clinical session Assignment 2
3/24	Lab: Eight week of clinic Chapter 12: Guided Practice for Fluency Therapy	Submit lesson plan to supervisor the daily after clinical session; must be approved prior to next clinical session
3/31	Lab: Ninth week of clinic Carryover activities and progress report	Submit SOAP note to supervisor after clinical session; must be approved prior to next clinical session Submit lesson plan to supervisor the day after clinical session; must be approved prior to next clinical session Submit SOAP note to supervisor the day after clinical session; must be approved prior to next clinical session Assignment 3
4/7	Lab: Tenth week of clinic	Submit lesson plan to supervisor the day after clinical session; must be approved prior to next clinical session Submit SOAP note to supervisor the day after clinical session; must be approved prior to next clinical session Progress Report: add data information collected; must be completed and approved by supervisor this week Carryover activities must be completed and approved by supervisor this week
4/14	Lab: Eleventh week of clinic	Submit lesson plan to supervisor the day after clinical session; must be approved prior to next clinical session Submit SOAP note to supervisor the day after clinical session; must be approved prior to next clinical session. Progress Report must be discussed and given to client/parent Carryover activities must be given to client/parent
4/21	Lab: Tweltfth week of clinic Last week of sessions File checkouts with supervisor, complete clinical log and obtain supervisor signatures.	Submit lesson plan to supervisor the day after clinical session Assignment 4
4/28	Resume Review TDLR Licensing Life After Graduation Applying for Licensure	Submit via Blackboard drop box- Clinical log with supervisor signatures
5/5	Final Exam, May 7th	Complete TDLR forms. Complete all clinical forms

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.