The following statements provide students with information about university policy and procedures relevant to courses. Please include in the syllabus these currently required and recommended university statements, which also are found in the Syllabus Template (updated September 2022).
All courses must have an active Blackboard site that includes a course syllabus and the current course schedule/calendar.
Academic Continuity (Required)
In the event of an announced campus closure or emergency, it may be necessary for the university to suspend normal operations. During this time, the university may opt to continue instruction through online or alternative modes of delivery. Each student is responsible to monitor the USI homepage at www.USI.edu and their USI email for important general information and instructions regarding classes. Please also view the guidance on emergency procedures and information.
Academic Integrity (Required)
Academic integrity is the hallmark of truth and honesty in an engaged university community. Students have the right and responsibility to pursue their educational goals with academic integrity. All members of the university are accountable for their actions in maintaining high standards of academic integrity. Students are responsible for completing academic requirements without action and/or material that violates academic integrity. Please view the Academic Integrity Policies and Procedures.
Civility and Inclusion (Recommended)
The university is dedicated to a culture of civility among students, faculty, and staff. The university embraces and celebrates the many differences that exist among the members of a dynamic, intellectual and inclusive community, and strives to maintain an environment that respects differences and provides a sense of belonging and inclusion for everyone. Any form of unlawful discrimination will not be tolerated. Each student has the right to be free from discrimination, including harassment, on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy or marital status, parental status, national origin or ancestry, age (40 or older), disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or any other category protected by law or identified by the University as a protected class. If you have experienced discrimination, or know someone who has, you may seek help by contacting USI’s Affirmative Action Officer, Chelsea Keaton, at 812-464-1703 or at cckeaton@usi.edu or Title.IX@usi.edu. Find more information in the Student Rights and Responsibilities: Code of Student Behavior and Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination policy.
COVID-19 Safety (Recommended)
The University of Southern Indiana is committed to providing a safe, on-campus learning environment for students and employees. It is the responsibility of each person at USI to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission and contribute to the overall safety of the campus community.
Anyone testing positive for COVID-19 should fill out the self-reporting form, remain off campus and contact their primary care physician for evaluation. Notifications regarding your isolation and return date will be sent to faculty for students. Please see the COVID-19 Information website for more information.
At this time, USI is not requiring face coverings or physical distancing with the exception of return to campus after testing positive for COVID-19.
Disability Accommodations (Required)
For on-campus courses: If you have a disability and need academic accommodations for this class, please register with Disability Resources (DR) as soon as possible. Students who receive an accommodation letter from DR are encouraged to meet privately with course faculty to discuss the provisions of those accommodations as early in the semester as possible. To qualify for accommodation assistance, students must first register to use the disability resources in DR, Science Center Rm. 2206, 812-464-1961 http://www.usi.edu/disabilities. To help ensure that accommodations will be available when needed, students are encouraged to meet with course faculty at least 7 days prior to the actual need for the accommodation. However, if you will be participating in an internship, field, clinical, student teaching, or another off-campus setting this semester, please note that approved academic accommodations may not apply. Please contact Disability Resources as soon as possible to discuss accommodations needed for access while in this setting.
For online learning courses: If you have a disability and need academic accommodations for this class, please contact Disability Resources at 812-464-1961 or email usi1disres@usi.edu as soon as possible. Students who are approved for accommodations by Disability Resources, should request their accommodation letter from the DR office. The student can then forward the letter to the online instructors. Due to the nature of online courses, some accommodations that are approved for on campus courses may not apply to online courses. Please discuss this with Disability Resources to clarify as needed. However, if you will be participating in an internship, field, clinical, student teaching, or another off-campus setting this semester, please note that approved academic accommodations may not apply. Please contact Disability Resources as soon as possible to discuss accommodations needed for access while in this setting.
Students who receive an accommodation letter from Disability Resources are encouraged to discuss the provisions of those accommodations with their professors before or during the first week of the semester.
For more information, please visit the Disability Resources website at http://www.usi.edu/disabilities.
Title IX – Sexual Misconduct (Required)
The University of Southern Indiana is committed to providing a safe learning, living, and working environment free from discrimination. Sexual misconduct and incidents of interpersonal violence deeply interrupt the collegiate experience, and USI is dedicated to ensuring a campus that is free of these types of incidents in order to promote community well-being and student success.
USI encourages individuals who believe that they have been sexually harassed, assaulted or subject to sexual misconduct to seek assistance and support. Confidential resources are available on campus at Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and the University Health Center (UHC).
As Responsible Employees, all faculty, staff and administrators of the University community (Except those noted above) are not considered confidential resources and are required to report incidents of sexual misconduct to the University Title IX Coordinator. The University will work with complainants to protect their privacy by sharing information with only those who need to know to ensure that USI can respond and assist. For a full list of resources, support opportunities, and reporting options, contact Chelsea Keaton, the University Title IX Coordinator, at 812-464-1703. Additionally, you may email the office at title.IX@usi.edu or stop by the Title IX office located in the Wright Administration Building, Forum Wing, Suite 171.
Online Materials and Recordings (Recommended)
Course Materials
My lectures and course materials, including presentations, tests, exams, outlines, and similar materials, are protected by copyright. I am the exclusive owner of the copyright in those materials I create. I encourage you to take notes and make copies of course materials for your own educational use. However, you may not, nor may you knowingly allow others to reproduce or distribute lecture notes and course materials publicly without my express written consent. This includes providing materials to commercial course material supplies such as Course Hero and other similar services. Students who publicly distribute or display or help others publicly distribute or display copies or modified copies of an instructor's course materials may be in violation of The Student Rights and Responsibilities: Code of Student Behavior. Similarly, you own the copyright in your original papers and exam essays. If I am interested in posting your answers or papers on the course web site, I will request your written permission.
Recorded Class Sessions
Some of the sessions in this course may be recorded or live-streamed. Such recordings/streaming will only be made available to students registered for this class. Students may not share these sessions with others not in the class or upload them to any other online environment. Doing so would be a breach of the Code of Student Conduct, and, in some cases, a violation of the U.S. Department of Education Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
Proctorio (Recommended - if applicable)
Online exams and quizzes within this course require online proctoring. Therefore, you will be required to have a webcam (USB or internal) with a microphone when taking an exam or quiz. You will have to use Google Chrome web browser or Microsoft Edge web browser and download Proctorio Extension. Please have your Student ID or Government Issued Photo ID ready to show at the start of the exam.
Students are strictly responsible for ensuring that they take all exams using a reliable computer and high-speed internet connection.
Find a private, quiet, and comfortable location to take your exam. Depending on the settings of your exam, you may be asked to do a room scan; turning your web camera to look at the room. Please note, recordings from any private residence must be done with the permission of all persons residing in the residence. You must ensure that any recordings do not invade any third-party privacy rights and accept all responsibility and liability for violations of any third-party privacy concerns.
If you need more privacy or a stable internet connection, the Library offers space with a computer for taking your proctored tests. There are rooms available during the library’s open hours on a first-come, first-served basis. You can reserve a room online up to 30 days in advance with the booking calendar, which is recommended given the limited availability. For more information about the Rice Library’s Proctorio/Zoom Rooms, please email libcirc@usi.edu.
Setup information will be provided prior to taking the proctored exam. You do not need to schedule exams ahead of time, simply go into Blackboard and take the exam. For additional information about online proctoring, you can visit the Online Proctoring Student FAQ webpage.
For remote proctoring, you must have:
Proctorio offers 24/7 support is available by email at support@proctorio.com and chat through Proctorio Extension.
Student Basic Needs (Recommended)
Students who have difficulty affording food on a regular basis or lack a safe place to live and believe this may affect their class performance are encouraged to contact the Dean of Students Office. A list of resources is also available.
Syllabus Change Policy (Required)
The syllabus is a guide to the course and is subject to change with reasonable advanced notice as course needs arise.