400 ACADEMIC INSTRUCTIONAL INFORMATION
401.01 Course Syllabus
All teaching faculty shall provide at or before the first meeting of a class, each term, a copy of a course syllabus to each student in their classes. The syllabus may be distributed either in print or electronically. Also, a copy of each syllabus shall be provided the departmental office no later than the end of the first week of class.
"Course syllabi shall contain the following items of information:
1. complete course title and number; name of professor; term, year;
2. statement of faculty member's accessibility to students outside of class (e.g., office hours, telephone number);
3. prerequisites (if any) for the course;
4. course objectives that specify measurable and/or observable student learning outcomes. These learning outcomes should state course objectives in language that makes explicit the knowledge and skills students should have after completing the course. Consequently, these objectives may be quantitative or qualitative, as appropriate for the learning outcomes. The learning outcomes for general education courses are available at www.gsu.edu/~wwwfhb/goals.doc as approved by the GSU Senate 2/13/04.
5. course assignments (e.g., required readings and activities) and due dates;
6. specific course requirements (e.g., written and oral tests and reports, research papers; performances). In cross-listed undergraduate and graduate classes, the course requirements will clearly specify how the nature (quality and/or quantity) of the work expected of students and the criteria for evaluation of the work produced be commensurate with the degree level. Any projects and/or other activities required specifically of graduate students taking the course and the criteria by which student work will be judged must differentiate graduate-level from undergraduate-level work;
7. grading policy: how the final grade is to be determined with respect to the weights assigned to various course requirements;
8. attendance policy (see current University general Catalog for University guidelines). Syllabi should state specific requirements for attendance including requirements for the frequency and kind of participation by designated channels;
9. list of text(s) or other required course materials;
10. make-up examination policy;
11. all syllabi should include the following statement: 'The course syllabus provides a general plan for the course; deviations may be necessary.'
12. all syllabi should refer to the Policy on Academic Honesty (Section 409).
(Passed by the Senate Committee on Faculty Affairs, 1996)
401.02 Class Rolls
During the first week of classes each term, faculty members receive initial class rolls from the Office of the Registrar. Late registrants may be added to these rolls only if they present "Fees Paid Slips." Following the late registration period, faculty members are furnished with "Change Day," post-registration class rolls. Approximately two weeks prior to the mid-point of the term, faculty receive "Verification Rolls;" they are asked to check the accuracy of these rolls. Students not on these rolls should be sent to the Office of the Registrar. Official rolls are produced after the midpoint of the term. If errors are detected in the official rolls, these should be brought to the attention of the Office of the Registrar. Final grade rolls are produced the last day of class. Faculty are to record grades and return rolls to the departmental chairman in time for them to be submitted to the Office of Registrar not later than 24 hours after the final examination or by noon of the day following the last day of the scheduled examination period, whichever occurs first.
Faculty members are not authorized to transfer students to other classes or otherwise to adjust schedules. However, they may make recommendations for such adjustments through the departmental chairman to the Office of Academic Assistance of the colleges.
401.03 Student Attendance
The resources of the University are provided for the intellectual growth and development of its students; it is expected that students attend class. "Attendance" means following the specific requirements for attendance including requirements for the frequency and kind of participation by designated channels. There are two formal institutional regulations regarding class attendance: Veterans' attendance policy, delineated below; and Regents' Test Preparation course attendance policy (see current Catalog).
All matters related to student absences, including the making up of work missed, are to be arranged between the student and the professor. All professors will, at the beginning of each term, make a clear statement to all their classes in the syllabus their policies for handling absences. Professors will also be responsible for counseling with their students regarding the academic consequences of absences from their classes or laboratories. Students are obligated to adhere to the requirements of each course and of each course professor.
If a faculty member wishes to withdraw a student from the course for exceeding the established absence policy, the faculty member should originate a "Withdrawal Form" (available from the Office of Academic Assistance and from the Registrar), and indicate in the space provided that the student violated the absence policy for the course. The completed form should be forwarded to the departmental chairman's office. Students must be in attendance for announced quizzes, laboratory periods, or final examinations unless the reasons for the absences are acceptable to the professors concerned. Faculty are encouraged to take into consideration whether a short-term absence results from participation in University business, from attendance at recognized religious holidays of the student's faith, from summons to jury duty, or from similar compelling reasons for absence. Faculty should make students aware of the academic consequences of their absences.
401.04 Veteran Attendance
Georgia State University has contractual responsibilities for monies paid as Veterans' Benefits.
Students receiving veterans' benefits must comply with attendance regulations of the University and the Veterans Administration. No such veteran may drop any course or stop attending any class without prior approval of the Registrar's Office and executing formal withdrawal procedures with that office and the Office of the Veterans Coordinator. There are no exceptions to this rule. Georgia State University is required to report to the Veterans Administration on absence and progress toward educational objectives and other matters affecting benefits.
At the beginning of each term, "Veterans Attendance Rolls" are provided to each faculty member for convenience in record keeping. It is the responsibility of each professor to report to the Veterans Service Office any veteran who has accumulated 10 class hours of consecutive absences. Forms for reporting non-attendance are available in the Office of Academic Assistance of each college.
401.05 Withdrawal from Class
Students desiring to withdraw from class or classes must follow the procedure appropriate for the period of time in the semester. Official notification for withdrawal by a student must be made to the Office of the Registrar according to the guidlelines listed in the current Registration Guide on GoSOLAR at https://www.gosolar.gsu.edu/webforstudent.htm. During the registration period for each semester, students can revise their schedule by using GoSOLAR. Failure to follow the withdrawal procedure may result in the awarding of a grade of "WF" (Withdrawal Failing) instead of a "W." The necessary actions should be taken as soon as the decision to withdraw is made. If a student withdraws before the mid-point of the term, the student's intstructor(s) will use the date the student withdrew, as reflected in the computer records, as one factor in determining the student's grade ("W" or "WF"). Students are allowed to withdraw with a grade of "W" a maximum of six times in their undergraduate careers at Georgia State (details in 1332.10 Dropping Classes and Voluntary Withdrawal).
All withdrawals must be completed no later than two weeks before the last day of scheduled classes for the term except in those cases where hardship status has been determined in accordance with university policy. A student who withdraws after the midpoint of the semester is assigned a grade of "WF," except in those cases in which (1) hardship status is determined by the Office of the Dean of Students because of emergency employment, or health reasons, and (2) the student is doing passing work, as determined by the student's instructor(s). For policy statement see Appendix U.
All questions concerning financial implications of the withdrawal of a student should be addressed to the Student Accounts Office, Financial Aid Office, and/or Veterans Administration Office. Students formally withdrawing from all classes may be entitled to a refund of a portion of their fees. Application for refund must be filed in the Student Accounts Office in a timely manner.
Effective Fall 2001, instructors must, on a date after the mid-point of
the course to be set by the Provost (or his designee), 1) give a a "WF" to
all those students who are on their rolls but no longer taking the class
and 2) report the last day the student attended or turned in an
assignment. Students who are withdrawn may petition the department chair
for reinstatement into their classes. (Approved by the University Senate
4/12/01) For full text of this policy, click here.
401.06 Textbooks and Other Course Materials
Textbook and course material selection is the prerogative of the
instructor except when departments or
colleges have selected textbooks for multiple-section or required courses.
Faculty will strive to select textbooks and other course materials that
comply with requirements for accessibility of the Americans with
Disabilities Act, other applicable acts, and their implementing
regulations.
401.07 Access To Student Records
Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, student have the right to access
their educational records. 20 U.S.C.1232 g,a,3 states: "Education records" means
those records which (1) are directly related to a student, and (2) are maintained by an
educational agency or institution or by a party acting for the agency or institution. The
term does not include: (1) records of instructional, supervisory, and administrative
personnel and educational personnel ancillary thereto which are in the sole possession
of the maker thereof, and are not accessible or revealed to any other individual except
a substitute. For the purpose of this definition a "substitute" means an individual who
performs on a temporary basis the duties of the individual who made the record, and
does not refer to an individual who permanently succeeds the maker of the record in his
or her position. Appendix W includes Georgia State University's policy on student
records.
401.08 Disruptive
Student Behavior Policy
[Approved by the University Senate: 4/24/03 and amended 4/20/06]
401.09 Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes
Assessment should be conducted to determine the extent of student
achievement of the stated learning outcomes and to inform the subsequent
improvement of learning experiences.
[Approved by the University Senate: 12/5/02]