Syllabus Requirements

Owned by Khaled Jaber
Last updated: Aug 31, 2024 by Elana Wakeman
12 min read

Requirements & Support


Recommended Additions

In addition to the required items listed above, the RTF Department suggests that you also include the following statements about University Honor Code, Scholastic Dishonesty, Title IX Reporting, University Mail Policy, Moody Writing Support Program, Undergraduate Writing Center, Religious Holidays, and Classroom Evacuation & Safety Procedures.

Production classes which involve filming should also include the language at the bottom of the page.

As a University faculty member, you are responsible for pointing out your classrooms' building emergency evacuation routes and for reviewing emergency procedures with students at the beginning of each semester.  Please review the following documents and include in the syllabus:

The University of Texas Honor Code

The core values of The University of Texas at Austin are learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility. Each member of the University is expected to uphold these values through integrity, honesty, trust, fairness, and respect toward peers and community.

Scholastic Dishonesty

The University defines academic dishonesty as cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, falsifying academic records, and any act designed to avoid participating honestly in the learning process. Scholastic dishonesty also includes, but is not limited to, providing false or misleading information to receive a postponement or an extension on a test, quiz, or another assignment, and submission of essentially the same written assignment for two courses without the prior permission of the instructor. By accepting this syllabus, you have agreed to these guidelines and must adhere to them. Scholastic dishonest damages both the student’s learning experience and readiness for the future demands of a work-career. Students who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from the University. For more information on scholastic dishonesty, please visit the Student Judicial Services Web site at https://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/conduct/academicintegrity.php

Title IX Reporting

Title IX is a federal law that protects against sex and gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual misconduct, dating/domestic violence and stalking at federally funded educational institutions. UT Austin is committed to fostering a learning and working environment free from discrimination in all its forms. When sexual misconduct occurs in our community, the university can:

  1. Intervene to prevent harmful behavior from continuing or escalating.
  2. Provide support and remedies to students and employees who have experienced harm or have become involved in a Title IX investigation.
  3. Investigate and discipline violations of the university’s relevant policies.

University faculty and staff members are considered “Responsible Employees” or “Mandatory Reporters,” which means that they are required to report violations of Title IX to the Title IX Coordinator. I am a Responsible Employee and must report any Title IX-related incidents that are disclosed in writing, discussion, or one-on-one. Before talking with me, or with any faculty or staff member about a Title IX-related incident, be sure to ask whether they are a responsible employee. If you want to speak with someone for support or remedies without making an official report to the university, email  advocate@austin.utexas.edu  For more information about reporting options and resources, visit titleix.utexas.edu or contact the Title IX Office at  titleix@austin.utexas.edu.

Religious Holidays

Religious holy days sometimes conflict with class and examination schedules. If you miss a work assignment or other project due to the observance of a religious holy day, you will be given an opportunity to complete the work missed within a reasonable time after the absence. It is the policy of the University of Texas at Austin that you must notify each of your instructors at least fourteen days prior to the classes scheduled on dates you will be absent to observe a religious holy day.

University Electronic Mail Notification Policy

All students should become familiar with the University’s official e-mail student notification policy. It is the student’s responsibility to keep the University informed as to changes in his or her e-mail address. Students are expected to check e-mail on a frequent and regular basis in order to stay current with University-related communications, recognizing that certain communications may be time-critical. It is recommended that e-mail be checked daily, but at a minimum, twice per week. The complete text of this policy and instructions for updating your e-mail address are available at https://it.utexas.edu/policies/university-electronic-mail-student-notification-policy. (Optional: In this course e-mail will be used as a means of communication with students. You will be responsible for checking your e-mail regularly for class work and announcements.)

Moody Writing Support Program

The Moody College Writing Support Program, located in BMC 3.322, offers one-on-one assistance without charge to students seeking to improve their professional writing in all fields of communication. They have specialists in Journalism, RTF, CSD, CMS, and PR and Advertising. In addition, they offer workshops to strengthen core writing skills in each field and to inspire students to strive for excellence. Students may book half-hour appointments on our website or drop in for assistance during all stages of the writing process. 

University Writing Center

The University Writing Center, located in the FAC 211, offers individualized assistance to students who want to improve their writing skills. There is no charge, and students may come in on a drop-in or appointment basis. Phone: 471-6222.

Classroom Evacuation Procedures

Occupants of buildings on The University of Texas at Austin campus are required to evacuate buildings when a fire alarm is activated. Alarm activation or announcement requires exiting and assembling outside.

Familiarize yourself with all exit doors of each classroom and building you may occupy.  Remember that the nearest exit door may not be the one you used when entering the building.

Students requiring assistance in evacuation shall inform their instructor in writing during the first week of class.

In the event of an evacuation, follow the instructions of faculty or class instructors.

Do not re-enter a building unless given instructions by the following: Austin Fire Department, The University of Texas at Austin Police Department, or Fire Prevention Services office.

Required Additions for Production Classes in which filming takes place...

RTF Production Safety Policy & Production Approval Process

Refer to RTF Safety Policy: https://utexas.atlassian.net/wiki/display/RTF/RTF+Safety+Policy+-+Film+Productions. Special safety precautions for your crew, actors and others in the area are required if you are undertaking any hazardous activities while filming. 

All productions will need to go through a production approval process in order to be granted access to check out equipment for their shoot. The Production Approval Form and step-by-step process can be found here: https://wikis.utexas.edu/display/RTF/Production+Approval+Process

Filling out the form and scheduling a pre-production meeting with your professor and (if needed) a safety meeting with the RTF Safety Supervisor is the responsibility of the student. Please note that this form must be signed by all relevant parties and uploaded at least 48 hours before the scheduled checkout time or the reservation will be canceled. No exceptions.

Copyright and Fair Use

You may find the need to use copyrighted material this semester: music, photographs, movie clips, or any other expression. For many of your uses, you need to find the copyright holder and negotiate a license. You own the copyright to the work you produce in this class. It is your responsibility to secure music and archival footage licenses as well as artwork, location and personal releases.

For some uses, however, neither you nor anyone else needs to license copyrighted material. This is because copyright law exists to encourage and support creativity. Copyright law recognizes that creativity doesn’t arise in a vacuum. As creators, we all stand on the shoulders of giants. New works of art (such as films, books, poems, paintings) all make use of what has gone before. Thus, copyright law not only protects authors with a copyright that lets them decide who can use their works, but also offers exemptions from the author’s control. For filmmakers, the most important exemption is the doctrine of fair use. You can rely on fair use, where appropriate, in the film and video projects you undertake for this course. If you are making a documentary film, consult the influential Documentary Filmmakers Statement of Best Practices in Fair Use which was created by a group of national filmmaker organizations, has been endorsed by the University Film and Video Association, and is now relied on by film festivals, insurers, cablecasters, distributors and public broadcasters. Fair use also applies in the fiction film environment, but not necessarily to the same extent or in the same way. As always, the central question is whether the new use is "transformative" -- i.e., whether it adds significant value by modifying or recontextualizing the original.

Filming in non-Moody Spaces on Campus and Use of UT Trademarks and Landmarks in Films and Photographs 

You may not film identifiable UT landmarks, signage, logos, and uniforms without prior permission.  Examples of UT Landmarks include the Tower and the Stadium.  Follow guidelines on this page: https://umac.utexas.edu/resources/filming-guidelines/student-filming/.

Insurance

All production students are required to have liability insurance for their film shoots. Liability insurance is provided by the University of Texas though our insurance policies are relevant only to students at The University who are actively enrolled in RTF production courses and working on a class project for academic credit.

For General Liability and Student Accident insurance coverage, the cost is $15.00 per student, per production class, per semester. These charges will be posted to your ‘What I Owe’ after the 12th class day.

The cost for insuring Moody Equipment is covered by the College, at no cost to the student. If a student is renting equipment from a third-party vendor, the student is responsible for procuring and paying for equipment insurance themselves.

INSURANCE REQUESTS FOR LOCATIONS THAT REQUIRE AN INDIVIDUALIZED CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE MUST BE MADE AT LEAST 14 DAYS PRIOR TO YOUR SHOOT DATE.

This Insurance Request Form is required for these insurance requests.  Please fill it out as soon as you have secured your date.

You may refer to the RTF Production Handbook on the RTF Wiki page for policies and guidelines.

https://wikis.utexas.edu/display/RTF/RTF+Production+Handbook+-+Includes+Forms+And+Release+Documents

Captions (Required for Screening) 

Make sure your film is captioned so that subtitles are displayed for the screening.  See wikis:

[The language below is ONLY REQUIRED for MFA Production Classes (with film deliverables) and Undergraduate Production Thesis.] 

Additional Screening Requirements for MFA Production Courses & Undergrad Production Thesis Deliverables

The following actions are required in order to screen your film.

  1. Logo + Disclaimer – You must include the department’s logo and disclaimer statement in the end credits. Please read over and sign the logo usage agreement. Once you sign the agreement, DocuSign will send an email to the email address you entered that contains the link to access the logo treatment files.  The disclaimer statement is: “This film is solely the creation of the filmmakers and is not intended to reflect the views or values of The University of Texas at Austin.”
  2. Detailed Info for UT archives  - Fill out the Student Film Directory form to the best of your abilities with details about your film.
  3. License for Use agreement   - After you complete the Student Film Directory form listed above, you will receive an email request from DocuSign to e-sign a “License for Use” agreement.  Please sign it immediately. This permission form is not signing away your ownership rights but rather granting UT permission to screen and share your film. Without this authorization, your film will not be eligible to screen at public screenings on campus. If after the public theatrical end-of-semester screening you would prefer—for the protection of, say, a festival run—that we wait 2 years to share your film on any public sites, etc., please check the box requesting a 2-year embargo. Note that you can also request an extension of the embargo at any time. If you do not receive the DocuSign request within two days of filling out the student film directory form, or if you have questions about this agreement, please email ewakeman@austin.utexas.edu.



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