Syllabi Requirements
1. Heading: Include your name, course name and number, section number (this is the 3 digit number) and synonym (this is the 5 digit number).
2. Contact Information: How to reach you-this includes your office hours and location, phone, email etc., and how to reach you for appointments outside office hours. Reminder: ACC policy requires you to use your ACC email address. Remember you can use the ACC voice mailbox system rather than your personal phone by calling 512 223 1790 and setting it up.
3. COURSE DESCRIPTION: Required reference the URL of history http://www.austincc.edu/history
4. REQUIRED TEXT: Materials-this is the name of the textbook, any study guides you require, etc.
5. INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGY: You should tell students how you run your class (lecture, class discussion, some of everything)
6. COURSE RATIONALE: Required reference the url of history http://www.austincc.edu/history
7. COMMON COURSE OBJECTIVES: On your syllabus, you must reference the history website at http://www.austincc.edu/history
8. GRADING SYSTEM: How does a student earn a grade in the class. The department strongly advises against offering extra credit which distorts grades and rewards students with the time to do it. Be specific.
9. CLASS POLICIES: You will need a written policy on all the following:
Attendance: is it required, what happens if students exceed the allowed number of absences, etc.
Do you take attendance? The department strongly advises againstusing attendance as part of the final grade. Attendance is expected and should not be rewarded. Be specific
Withdrawal-do you withdraw, if you do upon what grounds, last date for withdrawal in a semester required, etc.
Incompletes: the college requires that students have completed a minimum of 50% of the course for the incomplete to be awarded. Upon what basis do you award Incompletes and when must they be made up in the following semester?
10. STUDENT DISABILITIES: -THE COLLEGE NOW REQUIRES THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGE:
“Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented physical or psychological disabilities. Students with disabilities must request reasonable accommodations through the Student Accessibility Services on the campus where they expect to take the majority of their classes. Students are encouraged to do this within three weeks of the start of the semester.” Note the
name of the office has changed!
11. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION: Required. Keep it brief
12. SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY: You will need to specify the penalty. Some instructors, for example, give a student an F for the class, not just the individual test, if caught cheating. This is departmental policy. ACC required the following language be used:
“Acts prohibited by the College for which discipline may be administered include
scholastic dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating on an exam or quiz,
plagiarizing, and unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing outside
work. Academic work submitted by students shall be the result of their thought,
research or self-expression. Academic work is defined as, but not limited to
tests, quizzes, whether taken electronically or on paper; projects, either
individual or group; classroom presentations, and homework.” For full list of covered misconduct see p. 57 of the Student Handbook at http://www.austincc.edu/handbook.
13. CLASS OUTLINE/CALENDAR: This explains what you will be doing each day/week the class meets (which chapters covered, which lectures, which topics, etc.) Be specific.
14. TESTING CENTER POLICIES: The testing center’s policies as they regard students should be made available to students by referencing the testing center’s URL: http://www.austin.austincc.edu/testctr. If you don’t use the testing centers, don’t include it.
15. STUDENT PRIVACY: We are governed by FERPA, even in high school ECS classes. Students
must know we can only communicate with them, not parents or spouses.
16. SAFETY STATEMENT ACC is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for study and work. Students are expected to learn and to comply with ACC environmental, health, and safety procedures and to follow ACC safety policies. See the Environmental Health and Safety link for more details. The College also asks that each student become familiar with the Emergency Procedures and Campus Safety Plan map in each classroom. See ACC Emergency Alerts to sign up for electronic notices in the event of a serious emergency.
17. USE OF ACC EMAIL: ACC sends all email communication solely to the student’s ACCmail account and expects students to read the messages in a timely manner. So that means all important information and emergency details will go only to your ACCmail . Students should expect to receive from, and send email to, their instructors from their ACCmail account. To set up an account, students can go to ACCmail for instructions.
18. BUILDING REGULATIONS:ACC regulations prohibit smoking, drinking, and eating in classrooms. This prohibition includes e-cigarettes.
19. INSTRUCTIONAL ASSOCIATES TUTORING HOURS: Can be found at: http://www.austincc.edu/history/studentlinks.html
20. CAMPUS CARRY LANGUAGE: The Austin Community College District concealed handgun policy ensures compliance with Section 411.2031 of the Texas Government Code (also known as the Campus Carry Law ), while maintaining ACC’s commitment to provide a safe environment for its students, faculty, staff, and visitors. Beginning August 1, 2017, individuals who are licensed to carry (LTC) may do so on campus premises except in locations and at activities prohibited by state or federal law, or the college’s concealed handgun policy. It is the responsibility of license holders to conceal their handguns at all times. Persons who see a handgun on campus are asked to contact the ACC Police Department by dialing 222 from a campus phone or 512-223-7999.
21. RECOMMENDED STATEMENT CONCERNING STUDENT STANDARDS OF CONDUCT: Acceptable standards of conduct include behavior that:
• Reflects the highest level of honesty and integrity
• Is civil, courteous, and respectful of all members of the campus community, their property of the college and promotes the smooth and unimpeded delivery of knowledge in the classroom
• Encourages responsibility and prohibits the unlawful use of alcohol, illicit drugs, other substances, and weapons
• Promotes mutual respect, equality, and safety of its members and opposes those acts that harass, intimidate, or haze its members.
Any one failing to adhere to the above standards will be withdrawn from the course at the very least.
Finally, make sure to upload your syllabus to the ACC schedule via Lighthouse.