Course and University Policy Statements
Below are the standard University of Guelph statements that must be incorporated into all course outlines. The College of Biological Science also requires that instructors include the course grading policy into their outlines. Instructors may include a link in their course outlines to these statements alone.
The College has also provided a number of suggestions for optional statements that instructors may wish to include in their outlines as well as statements related to campus resources.
Required UNIVERSITY policy statements (default statements provided)
When You Cannot Meet a Course Requirement
When you find yourself unable to meet an in-course requirement because of illness or compassionate reasons, please advise the course instructor (or designated person, such as a teaching assistant) in writing, with your name, id#, and e-mail contact. See the undergraduate calendar for information on regulations and procedures for Academic Consideration
Accessibility
The University of Guelph is committed to creating a barrier-free environment. Providing services for students is a shared responsibility among students, faculty and administrators. This relationship is based on respect of individual rights, the dignity of the individual and the University community's shared commitment to an open and supportive learning environment. Students requiring service or accommodation, whether due to an identified, ongoing disability or a short-term disability should contact Student Accessibility Services (SAS) as soon as possible.
For more information, contact SAS at 519-824-4120 ext. 56208 or visit the SAS website.
Academic Misconduct
The University of Guelph is committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity and it is the responsibility of all members of the University community – faculty, staff, and students – to be aware of what constitutes academic misconduct and to do as much as possible to prevent academic offences from occurring. University of Guelph students have the responsibility of abiding by the University's policy on academic misconduct regardless of their location of study; faculty, staff and students have the responsibility of supporting an environment that discourages misconduct. Students need to remain aware that instructors have access to and the right to use electronic and other means of detection.
Please note: Whether or not a student intended to commit academic misconduct is not relevant for a finding of guilt. Hurried or careless submission of assignments does not excuse students from responsibility for verifying the academic integrity of their work before submitting it. Students who are in any doubt as to whether an action on their part could be construed as an academic offence should consult with a faculty member or faculty advisor.
The Academic Misconduct Policy is detailed in the Undergraduate Calendar.
E-mail Communication
As per university regulations, all students are required to check their <uoguelph.ca> e-mail account regularly. E-mail is the official route of communication between the University and its students.
Drop Date
Students will have until the last day of classes to drop courses without academic penalty. The deadline to drop two-semester courses will be the last day of classes in the second semester. This applies to all students (undergraduate, graduate and diploma) except for Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Associate Diploma in Veterinary Technology (conventional and alternative delivery) students.
The regulations and procedures for course registration are available in their respective Academic Calendars.
Undergraduate Calendar - Dropping Courses
Graduate Calendar - Registration Changes
Associate Diploma Calendar - Dropping Courses
Copies of out-of-class assignments
Keep paper and/or other reliable back-up copies of all out-of-class assignments: you may be asked to resubmit work at any time.
Recording of Materials
Presentations which are made in relation to course work—including lectures—cannot be recorded or copied without the permission of the presenter, whether the instructor, a classmate or guest lecturer. Material recorded with permission is restricted to use for that course unless further permission is granted.
Resources
The Undergraduate Calendars are the source of information about the University of Guelph’s procedures, policies and regulations which apply to undergraduate, graduate and diploma programs.
Required INSTRUCTOR POLICIES: (provided by instructor)
Grading
Indicate all course policies regarding in-semester tests and assignment submissions, including time and place for submission of assignments and explicit penalties for late submissions.
Optional Policy Statements, to be included as appropriate.
Participation and completion of laboratory components – if they are mandatory, please state this in your course outline
Standard operating procedures for laboratory participation, for example, proper clothing and safety equipment
Professional conduct regarding technology in the classroom - what are your expectations regarding computer and phone use during lectures, seminars and labs?
Example from BIOC 2580 -“Technology in the classroom: Feel free to bring your laptop to lectures, but only use it in a manner that will not disturb those around you. Please do not use your laptop for anything other than activities related to this biochemistry course. Turn your cell phones off, or put them on silent, and do not text-message during class.” J. Dawson and E Wojekoon
Expectations of professional conduct on electronic discussion groups
Statements with respect to the use of animals
e.g. The University is committed to conducting research and teaching in accordance with the highest ethical standards. The University is committed to ensuring that animals which are used for research and teaching will receive care and treatment that meets or exceeds the standards outlined by provincial guidelines and statutes, and by the Guidelines of the Canadian Council on Animal Care
Student Resources
Below is a listing of campus resources available to support students both academically and personally. Please feel free to include any of the following statements.
- If you are concerned about any aspect of your academic program: make an appointment with a program counsellor in your degree program.
- If you are struggling to succeed academically: There are numerous academic resources offered by the Learning Commons including, Supported Learning Groups for a variety of courses, workshops related to time management, taking multiple choice exams, and general study skills. You can also set up individualized appointments with a learning specialist.
- If you are struggling with personal or health issues:
- Counselling services offers individualized appointments to help students work through personal struggles that may be impacting their academic performance.
- Student Health Services is located on campus and is available to provide medical attention.
- For support related to stress and anxiety, besides Health Services and Counselling Services, Kathy Somers runs training workshops and one-on-one sessions related to stress management and high performance situations.
- If you have a documented disability or think you may have a disability:
- Student Accessibility Services SAS can provide services and support for students with a documented learning or physical disability. They can also provide information about how to be tested for a learning disability. For more information, including how to register with the centre please see the SAS website.
Turnitin
In this course, your instructor will be using Turnitin, integrated with the CourseLink Dropbox tool, to detect possible plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration or copying as part of the ongoing efforts to maintain academic integrity at the University of Guelph.
All submitted assignments will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers. Use of the Turnitin.com service is subject to the Usage Policy posted on the Turnitin.com site.
A major benefit of using Turnitin is that students will be able to educate and empower themselves in preventing academic misconduct. In this course, you may screen your own assignments through Turnitin as many times as you wish before the due date. You will be able to see and print reports that show you exactly where you have properly and improperly referenced the outside sources and materials in your assignment.