General
Students are not permitted to use a laptop, a tablet, or a phone while in the seminar. There are several options available to you to come to class with the physical text. These include:
1. Apply for one of the Lamont Madden book scholarships: info here: https://www.stmarys-ca.edu/collegiate-seminar/lamont-madden-book-fund
2. The free store is doing seminar reader trades where students can get a reader on a first come, first served basis, located on the first floor of De La Salle Hall in what used to be the conference room to the left as you walk in.
3. You can download the free e-texts from Gutenberg or other locations on the web and print them on double-sided pages (you have 500 free pages per semester). If you aren’t aware of this, please see this FAQ, available on the ITS website: https://stmarys-ca.teamdynamix.com/TDClient/1997/Portal/KB/ArticleDet?ID=75440
If there is a reason why you need to use an electronic text, email me. Ideally, we will be using the same publication.
Absence Policy
- Using the following items as a guide, the policy for absences states that any student who misses more than 25% of the scheduled class sessions should receive an F for the course.
- that is, any absences beyond six;
- this includes the final exam session;
- this includes any absences excused for athletic competitions/training under the policy stated in 3.1.6.1 of the Handbook.
- this includes any absences excused as part of a Student Disabilities Services accommodation (unless explicitly stated, in which case we must find alternate accommodations).
- first-week absences due to the drop/add process may be included depending upon the existence of any extraneous circumstances
- If you are sick, I expect to hear from you at least 12 hours before class; otherwise, I will mark you absent. This means I expect to hear from you by 8 pm the day before the class; remember that email is timestamped)
Academic Honor Code
Saint Mary’s College expects every member of its community to abide by the Academic Honor Code. According to the Code, “Academic dishonesty is a serious violation of College policy because, among other things, it undermines the bonds of trust and honesty between members of the community.” Violations of the Code include but are not limited to acts of plagiarism. For more information, please consult the Student Handbook at www.stmarys-ca.edu/your-safety-resources/student-handbook [for traditional undergraduate students] or http://www.stmarys-ca.edu/graduate-professional-academics/graduate-and-professional-student-handbook [for graduate and professional students]. If a reasonable suspicion arises that you have plagiarized an assignment, you will receive 0 point for the assignment and you will be referred to the Academic Honor Council for further review and necessary sanctions.
Turnitin.com Policy
Saint Mary’s College uses the services of Turnitin.com, a widely used plagiarism checking service. The faculty (through the Senate) has mandated that all students enrolled in composition and Collegiate Seminar courses submit their essays to Turnitin.com, in order that a complete database be compiled. Per College policy, all essays will be turned into Turnitin.com. Failure to turn in an essay to the site by the prescribe deadline will constitute a late paper, which will result in the lowering of the final grade.