5.4 Statement of Good Teaching Practices

Every instructor is responsible for:

1. informing his or her students (within the first two weeks of the course) of the objectives, content, assignments, policy on return of student work, and examination procedure in each course and, within reason, abiding by those statements;

2. specifying in writing (within the first two weeks of the course) the methods by which the instructor determines the final grade in the course;

3. ensuring that all materials assigned are equally available to all students in the course;

4. informing students of the generally accepted conclusion on the subject matter of the course when those conclusions differ from the conclusions of the instructor;

5. giving adequate advance notice of major papers and major examinations in the course;

6. providing assignments to permit students to benefit from evaluative experiences during the course;

7. being fair and impartial in evaluating all student performances, i.e., evaluating all students according to common criteria;

8. allowing students to review papers and examinations in a timely manner after those papers and examinations have been evaluated;

9. making oneself available for conferences during announced, regular office hours;

10. treating students with courtesy and respect at all times. Courtesy and respect do not prohibit strong criticism directed at the student's academic errors and scholarly responsibilities;

11. endeavoring to ensure that the learning environment is free from all forms of prejudice that negatively influence student learning, such as those based on age, ethnicity, gender, mental or physical impairment, race, religion, or sexual orientation;

12. adhering to the “Class Attendance Policy” (Section 701 of the “Undergraduate Academic Regulations” in the Student Handbook);

13. adhering to the following paragraph of the "Statement on Professional Ethics" in Section 5.3:

“As teachers, professors encourage the free pursuit of learning in students. Teachers exemplify the best scholarly standards of their disciplines. They demonstrate respect for students as individuals, and adhere to their proper roles as intellectual guides and counselors. Professors make every reasonable effort to foster honest academic conduct and to assure that their evaluations of students reflect students' true merit. Faculty members respect the confidential nature of the relationship between professor and student. They avoid any exploitation of students for their private advantage and acknowledge significant assistance from them. Professors protect their academic freedom. No faculty member shall be obliged to make the academic work of students available for inspection by any third party in the absence of compulsory legal process, without bona fide academic reasons, or without the express written consent of the student.”

14. assuming the positive obligation to confront students of suspected academic dishonesty.