Course Syllabi

Faculty members must prepare and distribute to their students syllabi for all courses within the first week of the semester. Syllabi vary enormously across disciplines and from individual to individual. These should be documents that faculty prepare very carefully since they serve as the primary resource for adjudicating disputes regarding the course’s policies, expectations, and the responsibilities of both student and instructor. At a minimum a course syllabus must include information on course texts and other required reading materials; course objectives; required assignments; testing policies; grading policies; specific attendance expectations and the consequences for absences; expectations regarding the Honor System; and contact information and office hours of the instructor. Where possible, dates for tests and other assignments should be provided, along with consequences for missed work. It is also advisable to include in the syllabus policies regarding absences due to college-sanctioned activities; procedures for accommodating conflicts with required class meetings outside the regularly scheduled class time (e.g., film viewings, field trips, etc.); accommodating approved disabilities; and statements regarding plagiarism, group work, and other potential violations of student integrity. The syllabus for each course should be archived by the Department as the permanent record required for the College’s accreditation.