{"id":1167,"date":"2021-08-01T02:54:41","date_gmt":"2021-08-01T02:54:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/160-serie-center\/?page_id=1167"},"modified":"2025-11-30T16:23:32","modified_gmt":"2025-11-30T16:23:32","slug":"sample-syllabus-statements-and-policies","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/serie-center\/sample-syllabus-statements-and-policies\/","title":{"rendered":"Sample Syllabus Statements and Policies"},"content":{"rendered":"

Although it is always important that your syllabus (or your Moodle site, or wherever you communicate course policies and expectations to students) be clear, pandemic teaching taught us that it is critical that your syllabus <\/span>communicate your expectations unambiguously and offer a perspective grounded in care and community<\/strong>. <\/span>The syllabus is also an important place to share Macalester’s academic integrity policy<\/a><\/strong>. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below are links to resources and suggestions for communicating with your students and for developing specific course policies. This is not, of course, an exhaustive list of policies and resources you might include in your syllabus. The College Transition Collaborative developed this guide to creating student-centered course policies<\/a>. You may also want to consult with members of <\/span>EPAG.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Communicating with Your Students<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Communicating with your students (and encouraging them to communicate with you)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Posting in <\/span>the <\/span>\u201cAnnouncements\u201d forum<\/b><\/a> on your course Moodle page automatically sends an email to your class, and keeps a running list of course communications. Using this is best practice, especially if there are situations in which students can\u2019t access their Macalester email. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also email your <\/span>class email list<\/strong> (for Spring 2026 classes, your class email address is sp26-xxxx-000-00@groups.macalester.edu, where xxxx is your department abbreviation, and 000-00 is your course and section number).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can simplify sharing Google Drive files and folders by <\/span>making a <\/span>Google Contacts<\/b> label for your class<\/span><\/a>. (You can share a folder or document with a Contacts label <\/span>just like you would an individual person<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be clear about how students should contact you (email only? via Moodle? by leaving a voice message on your office phone? by text or voicemail on your personal cell phone?), and when they can expect you to answer email. It is not your responsibility to be \u201con call\u201d 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If students know when they can count on a response to their questions (e.g., \u201cI will answer email every weekday afternoon between 3-5 p.m.\u201d), they are less likely to expect that you will answer them instantaneously, or at 2 a.m. You can also mitigate that expectation (of you and of your colleagues!) – even if you actually are answering email at 2 a.m. – by using the “schedule send” function in Gmail.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Setting up Student Drop-in Hours<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you want to hold virtual drop-in office hours (which you could call “student drop-in hours” to make their intention more clear), set up <\/span>a recurring <\/span>Zoom<\/b> meeting<\/span><\/a> with a <\/span>waiting room<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Vanessa Dennen at Florida State University developed some <\/span>excellent tips on hosting remote office hours<\/span><\/a>, that are worth taking into consideration as you plan out how to meet with your students.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consider strategies that invite all students to your drop-in hours by making it clear what they are for and that all students are welcome and encouraged to take advantage of them. Here\u2019s an example from <\/span>Adam Heidebrink-Bruno\u2019s post in Hybrid Pedagogy –<\/span> Syllabus as Manifesto: A Critical Approach to Classroom Culture<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou all enter this classroom with […] different sets of skills. In virtue of this fact, I open my office to you as an extension of the classroom, including scheduled virtual meetings and individualized tutoring in the vast areas of academic writing and critical literacy skills. There is no shame or embarrassment in asking for help, although it is common to feel anxious in approaching one\u2019s teacher. To enter my office and ask for help is an act of bravery. To enter and chat about nothing in particular often leads to new insight. Both are valuable. Both show that you trust me. I promise to respect you and earn that trust through compassionate listening and understanding\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Course Policy Guidelines and Sample Syllabus Statements<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Academic Success<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sample syllabus statement:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Macalester has many resources to support students academically. For example, the Writing Center (WC) provides one-on-one peer tutoring for writing at any stage of a project or paper; the Science and Quantitative Center (SciQ) supports group tutoring for many math, science, and econ courses; and Academic Coaching provides one-on-one support for study skills, time management, reading, note taking, and effective learning strategies. Seeking help is a sign of strength and maturity, and everyone is encouraged to take advantage of the (free) resources available. Check out the Academic Success page<\/a> for more information about our services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Accommodating disability<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sample disability accommodation statements<\/span><\/a> from the Center for Disability Resources<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Attendance and Participation<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As a residential liberal arts college, we place a premium on “being there” and recognize that learning at Macalester requires being present in class. At the same time, we know that there are many reasons for which a given student may not be in class on a given day. Please ask yourself the following questions and consult the following resources as you develop an attendance policy:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n