Page Comparison

• 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 instruction 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.
• Link to information regarding emergency evacuation routes and emergency procedures can be found at: www.utexas.edu/emergency 

• Course Description
  • Formal (catalog) description
  • Clearly spell out what will be used to interface with the students in your class (for example, Blackboard, CLIPs, instructor’s personal Web site, etc.). Instructors use different resources, so identify them for each class. (See the sample statement Use of Blackboard in Class below.)
  • Location of instructor’s course packet and

• • price
  • Supplies needed (calculators, disks, CDs, lab supplies, art supplies, clickers, etc.)
  • Information on how to access e-

• • reserves
• Classroom Policies
  • Civility statement and code of conduct (see Syllabus Template document on CTL Web site at http://ctl.utexas.edu/teaching-resources/design-your-course/create-your-syllabus/)
    • Sample statement:
      • As a group of diverse individuals with various backgrounds including those influenced by ethnicity, gender, sex, physical abilities, religious and political beliefs, national origins, sexual orientations, and more, we will strive to learn from each other in an atmosphere of positive engagement and mutual respect. Language and behavior designed to belittle and/or humiliate one another based on our individual backgrounds damages this atmosphere, and its use will not go unchallenged. We stress that this policy does not discourage the contribution of any and all opinions to the classroom environment, but rather is designed to encourage an environment of civility and mutual respect.

• • List of critical dates for class administration (last day to drop without penalty, exam dates, etc.)
    • Last day of the official add/drop period (fall 2011: Aug. 29) 
    • Last day to drop a class without possible academic penalty. (fall 2011: Sept. 21)
    • Academic Advising dates (Oct. 20-21, 24-26)
    • Spring 2011 registration (Oct. 24 – Nov. 4)
    • Final exams (fall 2011: Dec. 7-10, 12-13) – (Final exam date for your specific class(es) are available at http://registrar.utexas.edu/students/exams/)
      

• • Subject-to-change notice
  • Ground rules for participation in discussions or activities 
• Assignments, Assessment, and Evaluation
  • Policy concerning homework (grading, posting, late policy, etc.)
  • Policy concerning make-up exams 
  • Policy concerning late assignments
  • Preliminary information on term papers or projects, with due dates 
• Resources for Learning & Life at UT Austin
  • The University of Texas has numerous resources for students to provide assistance and support their learning and well being: 
    • Sanger Learning and Career Center: http://lifelearning.utexas.edu/
    • Undergraduate Writing Center: http://uwc.utexas.edu/
    • Counseling & Mental Health Center: http://cmhc.utexas.edu/
    • University Health Services: http://healthyhorns.utexas.edu/
    • Career Exploration Center: http://www.utexas.edu/student/careercenter/
    • Student Emergency Services: http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/emergency/
    • UTBox (free cloud storage and data sharing): http://www.utexas.edu/its/cloudstorage/
      Division of Recreational Sports: http://www.utrecsports.org/
      • This means of storage can also be encouraged as a way for students to be able to prove that their work was completed on time in the event of a printer failure, a glitch in Blackboard making it impossible for them to post an assignment, a flat tire making them miss class, a crashed computer, etc.
      • Division of Recreational Sports: http://www.utrecsports.org/

• Use of E-Mail for Official Correspondence to Students
  • Sample statement:
    • E-mail is recognized as an official mode of university correspondence; therefore, you are responsible for reading your e-mail for university and course-related information and announcements. You are responsible to keep the university informed about changes to your e-mail address. You should check your e-mail regularly and frequently—I recommend daily, but at minimum twice a week—to stay current with university-related communications, some of which may be time-critical. You can find UT Austin’s policies and instructions for updating your e-mail address at http://www.utexas.edu/its/help/utmail/1564 
  • Also include a time frame within which students may expect a response to emails (48 hours, 2 business days, etc.)
• Use of Blackboard in Class 
  • Sample statement:
    • In this class I use Blackboard—a Web-based course management system with password-protected access at http://courses.utexas.edu—to distribute course materials, to communicate and collaborate online, to post grades, to submit assignments, and to give you online quizzes and surveys. You can find support in using Blackboard at the ITS Help Desk at 475-9400, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., so plan accordingly. 
• Feedback Statement (to encourage students to respond to your requests for their feedback)
  • Sample statement:
    • During this course I will be asking you to give me feedback on your learning in informal as well as formal ways, including through anonymous surveys about how my teaching strategies are helping or hindering your learning. It’s very important for me to know your reaction to what we’re doing in class, so I encourage you to respond to these surveys, ensuring that together we can create an environment effective for teaching and learning. 
• Emergency Evacuation Policy 
  • Occupants of buildings on the UT Austin campus are required to evacuate and assemble outside when a fire alarm is activated or an announcement is made. Please be aware of the following policies regarding evacuation: Familiarize yourself with all exit doors of the classroom and the building. Remember that the nearest exit door may not be the one you used when you entered the building. 
  • If you require assistance to evacuate, inform me in writing during the first week of class. In the event of an evacuation, follow my instructions or those of class instructors. Do not re-enter a building unless you’re given instructions by the Austin Fire Department, the UT Austin Police Department, or the Fire Prevention Services office. 
• Q drop Policy 
  • Texas law limits the number of course drops for academic reasons to six. Senate Bill 1231 says: “Beginning with the fall 2007 academic term, an institution of higher education may not permit an undergraduate student a total of more than six dropped courses, including any course a transfer student has dropped at another institution of higher education, unless the student shows good cause for dropping more than that number.”

Other Syllabi Resources for Instructors

• Use past syllabi as a reference
  
  • Syllabi for undergraduate courses are available at https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/student/coursedocs/nlogon/
• Visit The Center for Teaching & Learning's page on writing a syllabus: http://ctl.utexas.edu/teaching/course_design/syllabus
  • There is a syllabus template on this page
  • CTL staff are also available for feedback on your syllabi, observing your class, gathering feedback from your students, and more