CISC474 Course Policies, Spring 2007

Summary (with links to detail)

  1. Show up and be on time (for class and group meetings)
  2. Be honest (especially regarding academic honesty)
  3. Turn in work on time. If/when this fails, respect the late penalties.
  4. Respect people
  5. Report grade disputes in a timely fashion.

Details

  1. Show up for class.

    Class attendance is mandatory. This is necessary to the format of the class, since your team may be depending on you.

    Three unexcused absences may constitute "irregular withdrawal", and the instructor reserves the right to assign a grade of Z at the end of the semester (which counts like an "F").

  2. Be honest (especially regarding academic honesty)

    There have been some questions regarding what behaviors are considered legal and helpful, and what behaviors are considered academic dishonesty. See the official policy at the UD website: http://www.udel.edu/stuguide/06-07/code.html, and then read this.

    The following are considered academic dishonesty in CISC classes. (Here "script" file refers to any kind of "transcript" or "log" of the result of a session or a computation)

    1. Submitting someone else's script file as if it were you own.
    2. Submitting something that is NOT a script file AS IF it were a script file (e.g. typing in results into emacs that "look like" the script file "would look"). For purposes of Computer Science, this is equivalent to "falsifying results" in a science class, and is a MOST serious violation of academic honesty.
    3. Editing a script file in any way with an intent to deceive

  3. Due dates are given with each assignment. Submission generally includes both putting something on the web on in the SVN repository and submitting something on WebCT.

    Email submissions are not accepted unless you have been given advance permission by the TA and/or instructor.

    Late penalties     accrue from the applicable due date, at the rate of 2 raised to the power of the number of days late. The clock ticks at 11:55pm each night. (This is adapted from a policy suggested by Dr. Bob Caviness.)

    Example: Assignment is due by 11:55pm, 9/15. If the assignment is turned in late, here are the penalties that apply.

    9/16

    2^1

    2 points

    9/17

    2^2

    4 points

    9/18

    2^3

    8 points

    9/19

    2^4

    16 points

    9/20

    2^5

    32points

    9/21

    2^6

    64 points

    9/22

    no credit

    since 2^7 > 100 points

    Note that after 7 days, even if you do not get any credit for the assignment, you may still need to complete it if later assignments build on the previous ones.

  4. Treat people with respect (especially your TA)

    As I recall it, at my new faculty orientation, UD President David Roselle mentioned that one of his top priorities as University President was to ensure that "everyone at UD has to be nice to everyone else at UD."

    This may seem like a small thing, or even a cliche, but I've spent time in places where this was not a priority, and I can assure you that setting this as a priority makes a real difference.

    I mention this especially in the context of lab, because I want to encourage you especially to treat your TAs with respect. Your TA is a qualified computing professional with a bachelors and/or a master's degree in Computer Science, and during your lab time, is your instructor, and serves as my representative.

    Your TA is usually someone closer to you than I am in age and experience, and shares with you the experience of being a UD student. (TAs are usually pursuing a graduate degree, either an MS or Ph.D.) Because of this, TAs sometimes are on a first name basis with their students, and the atmosphere may be a bit more informal.

    A certain degree of informality is acceptable as long as you don't forget that your TA is nevertheless in a position of authority. In the context of lab and office hours, you should interact with your TA with the same level of respect that you would show to me during lecture and office hours.

  5. Report grade disputes in a timely fashion.

    If you have a question regarding how your TA has graded an assignment, or any other matter, take it to your TA first. If you are not happy with the response of the TA, you may bring the issue to your instructor. However, do not engage the TA in a debate about policy; in particular, do not engage in any loud or disrespectful conversation that would tend to disrupt the lab or office environment where other students are trying to work.

Phillip T Conrad