The following is the department's general policy. Students should check with each instructor for detail's on the specific class policy.
N1H1 Contingency Plan
The Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice has adopted the following procedures to address the possibility of excessive classroom absences by either the instructor or students during the Fall 2009 semester. Due to variations in pedagogical style, faculty members have been given considerable leeway in adapting these procedures to their individual classes – all with the underlying assumption that students will be given considerable latitude in completing course requirements on schedule. All faculty members have been instructed to provide their specific procedures for dealing with this issue as an addendum to their syllabus to be passed out in class as well as to be placed on the department’s website.
Undergraduate Courses:
Those teaching undergraduate courses have reviewed the options suggested by the Academic Continuity Planning Guide for Fall 2009 and have agreed to individualize each course by adopting one or more of the following:
· Eliminating a maximum of two weeks or 13 percent of the course (most likely used only in the large auditorium courses of 350 students);
· Eliminating Final Exam for coverage of course material (and/or use of make-up exams);
· Posting of course material via Blackboard or some other electronic source (e.g., code access student book companion sites, instructor web-page, share-point);
· Independent study opportunities via electronic sources (e.g., book reviews, film reviews, essays);
· More frequent assessment of material to include weekly quizzes in the event of sickness;
· Provide additional note-takers (undergraduate and graduate assistants) to be made available to students missing class lecture.
Graduate Courses:
Each faculty member teaching a graduate course will adopt one or more of the following procedures:
· Each faculty teaching graduate courses will include appropriate information regarding a general plan for how missed exams, assignments, and other aspects of learning assessment will be carried out. This information will be placed on BlackBoard, distributed in class, and/or provided to students by other means.
· Create BlackBoard sites or other electronic means for communication with students outside of the classroom.
· Provide access to lecture materials for students who miss class via designated note takers, lectures or slides accessible to students via electronic means, or through make up options during the semester the course is taken.
· In the event that courses continue but many students are unable to come to class, faculty have been asked to consider the ramifications of changing the exam schedule and/or making some of the graduate-level assignments optional
· In the event the university is closed, faculty will consider eliminating two weeks-worth of class material and/or creating make-up opportunities.
· In the event the primary course instructor becomes ill, the instructor will identify either a proxy to teach the required material or post lectures and class materials in such a way that students can access them.
Each faculty member will determine which of the actions/procedures outlined above will be most appropriate given the pedagogical requirements of the course.
[1] This plan may be extended beyond the Fall 2009 semester at the direction of the UA Provost.