Below is specific information about basic communication with your students, such as information that should be included on your syllabus, and student attendance policies and recommendations. This page also provides information about teaching practices, such as policies about course materials, course design, and final exam schedules. There is also information about administrative expectations, such as faculty attendance, and classroom climate.
| Tuesday, August 20 – Wednesday, August 21, 2019 | New Faculty Orientation |
| Monday, August 26, 2019 | First Day of Fall Classes |
| Monday, September 2, 2019 | Labor Day Holiday |
| Monday, December 2, 2019 | Textbook Orders Due for Spring Semester |
| Wednesday, November 27 – Sunday, December 1, 2019 | Thanksgiving Break |
| Monday, December 9, 2019 | Last Day of Fall Classes |
| Wednesday, December 11 – Tuesday, December 17, 2019 | Final Exams |
| Tuesday, December 17 – Wednesday, December 18, 2019 | Main and College Fall Commencements |
| Monday, January 27, 2020 | First Day of Spring Classes |
| Friday, May 1, 2020 | Textbook Orders Due for Summer and Fall Semesters |
| Sunday, March 15 – Sunday, March 22, 2020 | Spring Break |
| Tuesday, May 12, 2020 | Last Day of Spring Classes |
| Thursday, May 14 – Wednesday, May 20, 2020 | Final Exams |
| Thursday, May 21 – Saturday, May 23, 2020 | Main and College Commencements |
| Monday, June 1 – Friday, July 10, 2020 | Summer Session I |
| Friday, July 3, 2020 | Independence Day Holiday |
| Monday, July 13 – Friday, August 21, 2020 | Summer Session II |
All textbook adoption information, including the International Standard Book Number (ISBN), must be submitted to the University Book Center (UBC) by March 15th for Summer and Fall classes and by October 15th for Winter and Spring classes. You may connect with the UBC at FacultyEnlight or by emailing TM370@bncollege.com. Your department may use a book coordinator to order textbooks and you may work with your coordinator or submit your requests by using FacultyEnlight. The UBC textbook staff is available for additional assistance at 301.314.BOOK (2665) or at 301.314.7851. Remember to complete the Acknowledgement of Compliance form before or when submitting your order.
Remember to complete the Acknowledgement of Compliance form before or when submitting your order.
Textbook information may be provided to other vendors (including online vendors) but not in lieu of submitting it to the UBC. Once the textbook adoption information is verified, it will be posted on Testudo by UBC in compliance with the University policy on textbook orders. Information posted will include title, author, publisher, edition, copyright date and publication date, ISBN, and anticipated enrollment for the course.
All orders of self-authored instructional materials that entail financial gain for the instructor must be approved by the chair of the department offering the course. For more information, refer to the University's policy on the use of self-authored course materials.
Sale of such materials is strongly discouraged unless the instructor is the sole source of the material or can provide the material at the lowest price. Even in that case, consider alternative modes of distribution such as sale through the department's business office or placing the material on reserve at the campus library.
Generally, the photocopying of print materials without the consent of the copyright owner is an infringement of the owner's rights. However, making a single copy for the purposes of research, and making a classroom set of a brief text or single illustration, are deemed fair use and do not require permission. The Guidelines for Classroom Copying gives a fuller definition of fair use, and the University Libraries offers advice for instructors on Best Practices for Posting Readings to ELMS. Typically faculty rely on commercial copying services or the University Copy Services to submit requests for permission to use materials. Request for permission can be sent to the Copyright Clearance Center (278 Congress St., Salem, MA 01970). Requests must be submitted sufficiently in advance to allow for the time needed to obtain permission. There may be a fee for permission.
Information about creating reserve lists is available on-line at https://www.lib.umd.edu/access/reserves-faculty. Note that requests for reserved materials should be submitted at least two weeks prior to the date needed.
Because commercial firms have been paying students to take notes and collect course materials, which are then copied and sold, faculty members may wish to notify students at the beginning of the course that these materials are copyrighted. Course materials that exist in a tangible medium, such as written or recorded lectures, Power Point presentations, handouts and tests, are copyright protected. Students may not copy and distribute such materials except for personal use and with the instructor's permission. Course materials may also be marked copyrighted (e.g. © 2001 Smith). More information is available from the Office of General Counsel.
Faculty must acknowledge significant student assistance in the preparation of materials, articles, books, devices, and the like. Students retain their intellectual property rights as set forth in the University of Maryland Policy on Intellectual Property.
The University adopted a new online evaluation system, Blue, in the summer of 2014. All evaluations and reports since that time are in the new system. Reminders to complete evaluations are sent to students and instructors automatically, through the system. However, you may also wish to take advantage of the new system's mobile functionality by setting aside some class time for students to complete their evaluations. You might ask students to bring their mobile devices or laptops to class a certain day, provide them with brief instructions for completing the evaluation including any specific areas about which you would like comments, and permit them time to complete evaluations while you are out of the room. Taking the time to do this during class will highlight to students the importance of their evaluations. Thus, this may help increase student participation, and provide you with the most useful feedback possible.
Remember that you can also view your section response rates live in the system. Access is via www.CourseEvalUM.umd.edu and Canvas. More information is available at: https://www.irpa.umd.edu/Assessment/CourseEval/CourseEval.html.
Course grades are determined by faculty in accordance with information found in the course syllabus.
There shall be a reasonable number of graded assessments or progress reports to permit evaluation of student performance throughout the course. These assessments shall be returned to the students in a timely manner.
Include information on how grades will be made available to students and how students will have access to review graded work including the final examination or assessment.
The Buckley Amendment of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act protects a student from the disclosure of personal and academic information to anyone other than the student, except under special circumstances. Posting student grades with either student names or social security numbers - in whole or in part - is strictly prohibited and exposes the University and the responsible faculty member to civil litigation. Other protected information includes, but is not limited to: special requests, current and past course registrations, enrollment status, financial aid disbursements, billing history and any disciplinary actions. For more information, please refer to the University's Policy on Confidentiality and Disclosure of Student Records.
Faculty are required to submit Mid-term grades for undergraduate students enrolled in their first year, enrolled in 100 and 200 level courses, and all student athletes. Mid-term grades are used to inform students of their performance in a course during roughly the first half of the semester; they are used for advising purposes and are not recorded on a student's academic transcript. III-6.00(B) University of Maryland Policy and Procedures Concerning Mid-Term Grades for Undergraduate Students
Incomplete grades may be granted to students who are making satisfactory progress but, for circumstances beyond their control, are unable to complete a small portion of the course work. An Incomplete Contract must be completed, signed and submitted. Procedures and regulations for incomplete grades can be found in the undergraduate and graduate catalogue.
All final grades should be submitted electronically within 48 hours after the scheduled exam. Delays in grade submission impede students’ ability to finalize registration for the next semester and to take advantage of Winterterm and Summer Sessions. Please keep copies of final exams and the grade report for at least a year in case of the need to document past grades.
See below for information about the University's Grading System.
The University's marking system defines the standards for letter grades. Attendance should not be used in the computation of grades; instructors can, however, grade students on class participation. Assignment of a course grade on some basis other than performance in the course is prohibited by University policy. Students have the option to grieve a final course grade if they have evidence that the final course grade was assigned on some basis other than performance, or that the grade was assigned according to standards different from those applied to other students in the course, or that the grade was assigned in a manner that was a substantial, unreasonable, or unannounced departure from the instructor's previously articulated standards.
Faculty are required to include in the course syllabus the basis for determining final grades, including if plus/minus grading will be used and the relationship between in-class participation and the final course grade.
The instructor of record is responsible for the overall management of the course, including management of aspects of the course and coursework delegated to teaching assistants and laboratory assistants.
There shall be regular attendance by assigned faculty unless such attendance is prevented by circumstances beyond the control of the faculty member.
There shall be reasonable access to the instructor during announced regular office hours or by appointment.
All faculty are expected to meet their classes and keep office hours. When unforeseen circumstances preclude the instructor from attending classes and the instructor cannot arrange a substitute, the instructor should notify the department chair as far in advance as possible and, where possible, notify affected students. For other expectations, see the Reasonable Expectations of Faculty as outlined in the Undergraduate Student Grievance Procedure, or review the policy (Section B.1).
Official closures and delays are announced on the campus website at umd.edu and snow phone line (301-405-SNOW), as well as on local radio and TV stations. If inclement weather conditions force a faculty member to cancel a class even though the University is open, the faculty member must notify the department chair in advance. Students must also be notified through procedures outlined in the syllabus.
In the event that faculty are unable to convene their classes due to illness or other factors, faculty should notify the department chair as far in advance as possible, and where possible, notify affected students. In the event of unavoidable faculty absence, there are three options for class coverage:
Permanent changes in the scheduling and location of classes must be approved by the Department Chair.
For more information about policies that impact undergraduate courses, click here.
Topics addressed in these policies include:
This page also includes resources that support students’ academic success as well as their health and well-being.
If you encounter a disruptive student, please refer to the suggestions provided by the Office of Student Conduct.
If you encounter students who need support or note that a student has had extended absence from class, contact the Student Affairs office of your academic college.
| College | Assistant/Associate Dean |
|---|---|
| College of Agriculture and Natural Resources | Evelyn E. Cooper ecooper@umd.edu |
| School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation | Madlen Simon mgsimon@umd.edu |
| College of Arts and Humanities | Audran Downing audran@umd.edu |
| College of Behavioral and Social Sciences | Katherine Ford Russell krussell@umd.edu |
| Robert H. Smith School of Business | Brian L. Horick bhorick@umd.edu |
| College of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences | Lisa Bradley-Klemko lbradley@umd.edu |
| College of Education | Kathleen Angeletti kangel@umd.edu |
| A. James Clark School of Engineering | William Fourney four@umd.edu |
| Philip Merrill College of Journalism | Olive Reid oreid@umd.edu |
| College of Information Studies | Brian Butler bsbutler@umd.edu |
| School of Public Health | Coke Farmer cfarmer@umd.edu |
| School of Public Policy | Nina P. Harris nharris@umd.edu |
| Office of Undergraduate Studies | Lisa Kiely lkiely@umd.edu or Ann Smith asmith@umd.edu |
In cases where all or some of this information cannot be provided at the beginning of the course, an explanation of the delay and the basis of course development shall be provided.
The student-administered Honor Code and Honor Pledge prohibits students from cheating on exams, plagiarizing papers, submitting the same paper for credit in two courses without authorization, buying papers, submitting fraudulent documents and forging signatures.
On every examination, paper or other academic exercise not specifically exempted by the instructor, students shall write by hand and sign the following pledge:
I pledge on my honor that I have not given or received any unauthorized assistance on this examination (or assignment).
Failure to sign the pledge is not a violation of the Code of Academic Integrity, but neither is it a defense in case of violation of this code. Students who do not sign the pledge will be given the opportunity to do so. Refusal to sign must be explained to the instructor. A student’s decision about this will not be considered in grading or judicial procedures. Material submitted electronically should contain the pledge, and submission implies an electronic signature.
Compliance with the code is administered by the Student Honor Council, which strives to promote a community of trust on the College Park campus. Allegations of academic dishonesty should be reported directly to the Honor Council (301-314-8450) by any member of the campus community. For additional information, consult the Office of Student Conduct.
For a description of the University's definition of academic dishonesty, suggestions on how to prevent cheating, and practical answers to frequently asked questions about the Code of Academic Integrity, consult the Student Honor Council's webpage and click on the faculty tab.
An excused absence is an absence for which the student has the right to receive, and the instructor has the responsibility to provide, academic accommodation.
Students are expected to take full responsibility for their own academic work and progress. Students, to progress satisfactorily, must meet all of the requirements of each course for which they are registered. Students are expected to attend classes regularly. Consistent attendance offers students the most effective opportunity to gain command of course concepts and materials. Excused absences must be requested promptly and must be supported by appropriate documentation.
Excused absences do not alter the academic requirements for the course. Students are responsible for information and material missed on the day of absence. Students are, within reason, entitled to receive any materials provided to the class during the absence. Students are responsible for making provision to determine what course material they have missed and for completing required exercises in a timely manner.
Absences stemming from work duties other than military obligation (e.g., unexpected changes in shift assignments) and traffic/transit problems do not typically qualify for an excused absence.
To receive academic accommodation for an excused absence:
In keeping with the USM III-5.10 Policy Concerning the Scheduling of Academic Assignments on Dates of Religious Observance, "Students shall not be penalized because of observances of their religious holidays and shall be given an opportunity, whenever feasible, to make up within a reasonable time any academic assignment that is missed due to individual participation in religious observances." For all other excused absences, the student must be provided reasonable accommodation. The accommodation provided should, within reason, neither advantage nor disadvantage either the student or the rest of the class.
If the accommodation is a makeup assessment, it must be timely, at a time and place agreed upon by the instructor and student, cover the same material, and be at the same level of difficulty as the original assessment. In the event that a group of students requires the same makeup assessment, one time and place may be scheduled. The makeup assessment must not interfere with the student's regularly scheduled classes, and must be consistent with the V-1.00(A) University of Maryland Policy on the Conduct of Undergraduate Classes and Student Grievance Procedure. If makeup work is not feasible, an alternate accommodation for excused absences will be provided. Alternate accommodations will be according to the principles established by the unit offering the course.
Students who miss a substantial number of class sessions or course assignments should seek guidance from an academic advisor with respect to academic options. Extended absences stemming from active military duty are addressed in the USM V-7.00 Policy on Students who are called to Active Military Duty during a National or International Crisis or Conflict. Absences related to a student's disability are addressed in the VI-1.00(D) University of Maryland Disability & Accessibility Policy and Procedures.
Students who feel that they have unfairly been denied either excused absence or appropriate accommodation for an excused absence should first seek to resolve the disagreement with the course instructor. If the student and instructor are unable to find a mutually agreeable resolution, the student may file an appeal with the head of the administrative unit offering the class. In most cases this will be the Chair of the Department. In the case of non-departmentalized units and interdepartmental programs, this role will be taken by the Dean (or the Dean's designee). The unit head should use procedures similar to those specified in the III-1.20(B) University of Maryland Procedures for Review of Alleged Arbitrary and Capricious Grading – Undergraduate Students – but with clear indication that the appeal is with regard to excused absence, not arbitrary and capricious grading.
Faculty should be considerate of known religious observances when scheduling significant exams/events/activities. Further, tests and due dates of other significant assessments should not be scheduled during high holidays, such as Rosh Hashanah, Eid Al-Adha, or Good Friday (see https://www.interfaith-calendar.org for an interfaith listing of such holidays). Faculty seeking further information regarding religious holy days may wish to consult with the campus chaplains: https://thestamp.umd.edu/memorial_chapel/chaplains.
Faculty should remind students in advance, preferably on the syllabus, that it is the student's responsibility to inform the instructor of any intended absences for religious observances in advance and that prior notification is especially important in connection with final examinations, since failure to reschedule a final examination before the conclusion of the final examination period may result in loss of credits during the semester. This problem is especially likely to arise when final exams are scheduled on Saturdays. Your failure to understand and adhere to this policy may result in a false perception that the campus is insensitive to religious diversity. Accordingly, please make every feasible effort to accommodate students' requests based on attendance of religious observances.
The student-administered Honor Code and Honor Pledge prohibits students from cheating on exams, plagiarizing papers, submitting the same paper for credit in two courses without authorization, buying papers, submitting fraudulent documents and forging signatures.
On every examination, paper or other academic exercise not specifically exempted by the instructor, students shall write by hand and sign the following pledge:
I pledge on my honor that I have not given or received any unauthorized assistance on this examination (or assignment).
Failure to sign the pledge is not a violation of the Code of Academic Integrity, but neither is it a defense in case of violation of this code. Students who do not sign the pledge will be given the opportunity to do so. Refusal to sign must be explained to the instructor. A student’s decision about this will not be considered in grading or judicial procedures. Material submitted electronically should contain the pledge, and submission implies an electronic signature.
Compliance with the code is administered by the Student Honor Council, which strives to promote a community of trust on the College Park campus. Allegations of academic dishonesty should be reported directly to the Honor Council (301-314-8450) by any member of the campus community. For additional information, consult the Office of Student Conduct.
For a description of the University's definition of academic dishonesty, suggestions on how to prevent cheating, and practical answers to frequently asked questions about the Code of Academic Integrity, consult the Student Honor Council's webpage and click on the faculty tab.
The University is legally obligated to provide appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities. The campus's Disability Support Service Office (DSS) works with students and faculty members to address a variety of issues ranging from test anxiety to physical and psychological disabilities. If an instructor believes that a student may have a disability, DSS should be consulted (4-7682 or dissup@umd.edu). Note that to receive accommodations, students must first have their disabilities documented by DSS. The office then prepares an Accommodation Letter for course instructors regarding needed accommodations. Students are responsible for presenting this letter to their instructors by the end of the drop/add period.
Services for students in various forms of distress are offered by the Counseling Center and the Mental Health Service in the Health Center. During evenings and weekends, the student peer-counseling hotline (4-HELP or 4-4357) is available. Faculty members who wish to consult with professionals may call 4-7651 for immediate assistance. For non-emergency issues, faculty can call the Warmline (4-7653). A therapist will respond within a few hours. In addition, a resource guide is available to assist faculty in identifying and responding to students who may be having problems related to depression, test anxiety, career plans and more.
In the event of an emergency, faculty should contact Campus Police (5-3333 or 911). In cases involving individuals who are perceived as threatening, disruptive, or otherwise problematic, faculty should contact the Behavior Evaluation and Threat Assessment Resource Group. BETA provides resources to faculty and makes referrals to appropriate University or off-campus entities.
University policies regarding the content of syllabi for undergraduate courses have recently changed, while policies regarding graduate level courses have not changed. Click here for a summary of the changes in the policy. The information below represents requirements and recommendations for undergraduate course syllabi, including the policy changes, but this information may be considered as best practice for a syllabus on any level.
Instructors are required to make a complete course syllabus available on the first day of class, containing the information noted in the three sections below. There is no requirement that the syllabus be printed. Any changes to the syllabus made after the first day of class must be announced and must be clearly represented with the date of the revision.
Also see Useful Information for Preparing the Syllabus and the TLTC's Syllabus Guidance & Template page.
Indicate specifically how students should contact you to:
You may want to provide a model for how to contact the course instructor or TA by email and/or indicate to students how you would like to be addressed and what kind of issues are appropriate for email contact. You may also wish to indicate how students should communicate with you about issues such as course-related questions, absence from exams, the disclosure of a disability with request for accommodations, etc. Request on your syllabus that students notify you about an absence either before or as soon after the missed class as possible. In the case of religious observances, athletic events, and other planned absences, notification must be sent during the schedule adjustment period.
Note: The Policy on Excused Absences has recently changed. Click here for a summary of the changes.
Indicate the role that the TA will play in the course. The instructor of record is responsible for the overall management of the course, which includes delegation of tasks to TA’s. Clarify to students whether they should take a grade complaint directly to you or begin with the TA.
Instructors should be available during their announced office hours, and may additionally offer to meet with students by appointment as well.
Include information on how grades will be made available to students and how students will have access to review graded work, including the final examination.
Sample text: Policies relevant to Undergraduate Courses are found here: https://ugst.umd.edu/courserelatedpolicies.html. Topics that are addressed in these various policies include academic integrity, student and instructor conduct, accessibility and accommodations, attendance and excused absences, grades and appeals, copyright and intellectual property.