The University of Texas at TylerCriminal Justice Program

CRIJ 4355-001Senior Seminar in Criminal Justice

Spring 2015Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 11:15am-12:10pm

Richard C. Helfers, Ph.D. Phone: 903-566-7399Office: BUS 232 email: rhelfers@uttyler.eduOffice Hours: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 12:15pm-1:15pm (and by appointment). Do not hesitate to contact me before or after class to schedule an alternative time to meet or to discuss any issues. You can also email me with your concerns and questions.

Course Description

This course is the capstone course for the Criminal Justice Program at the University of Texas at Tyler. Students must have completed 21 hours of Criminal Justice at UT Tyler to be eligible for this class. The purpose is to assure that each person completing degree requirements in the program is able to: (1) fully integrate basic criminal justice principles and practices underlying this field of study and work; (2) access and correctly interpret the most current criminal justice research findings; (3) analyze, synthesize, and evaluate complex criminal justice issues; (4) understand and correctly apply a universally recognized problem-solving, decision-making, and policy development model; and (5) communicate at a professional level, both orally and in writing. The course is reading and writing intensive.

This is a seminar course with presentation and discussion. Therefore class members will be individually responsible not only for their own materials but as critical (and constructive)

colleagues in the evaluation of others. The instructor will serve as a discussion facilitator and subject-matter resource person. It is incumbent on class members, therefore, to exert sufficient peer pressure on one another to assure a high level of preparedness and assertive participation from each member.

To accomplish these objectives, the public policy cycle is studied in relation to critical issues in criminal justice. A model for analyzing public policy is introduced and successful course participants will formulate and defend new or significantly revised, narrowly focused criminal justice policy proposals. The successful student’s work product is a near equivalent to a senior thesis or a professional policy proposal for a state or federal agency and must be of such quality as to be presented to an agency or appropriately complement an application to graduate school; or be entered competitively in the student division at a major criminal justice conference.

Course Prerequisite

It is expected each student has successfully completed the 24 upper-division core course hours in criminal justice PRIOR to enrolling in this course. Students registered for this course on waiver of above prerequisites may be at an academic disadvantage. By definition as a capstone course, the presumption is that students have, or by the end of the current semester will have successfully completed all criminal justice core (required) courses, and will be able to apply knowledge from those core courses directly to the requirements of this course. Although one objective of a capstone course is to review basic concepts from the core and to update students just prior to their graduation, the intensity of this course clearly precludes re-teaching core concepts.

Student Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to: Appraise the strengths and weaknesses of various public policies in criminal justice. Explain the policy creation process within criminal justice agencies Create and defend an area of public policy ostensibly in need of policy development,

describe a theoretically more efficacious alternative policy, and write a well-drafted proposal for implementation of a new or significantly modified policy.

Develop a structured oral presentation, with the use of media, to hypothetical decision-makers regarding your recommended policy (or policy revision).

Successfully pass summary comprehensive exams covering the criminal justice core requirements.

Overall “Big Question” we will be focused on all semester: How can the criminal justice system achieve an acceptable standard of justice in the United States? (This is a question that transcends this course and relates to all of the courses I teach; and can be used for you to be an objective and critical thinker in all criminal justice courses).

Required Resources:

Texts

1. Free to students: Johnson, W. A. Jr., Rettig, R. P., Scott, G. M., & Garrison, S. M. (2011). The criminal justice student writer’s manual (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. (each student should have received a copy of this text during his/her criminology class.) ISBN: 13: 978-0-13-609357-2

2. Welsh, W. N. & Harris, P. W. (2013). Criminal justice policy & planning (4th ed.). Waltham, MA: Anderson Publishing. ISBN: 978-1-4377-3500-0

3. Ferree, C.W., & Pfeifer, H.L. (2013). Write & Wrong: Writing within Criminal Justice. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. ISBN: 978-1-4496-2681-5

Supplementary text – not required

1. Decker, Alarid and Katz, Editors. 2007. Controversies in Criminal Justice: Contemporary Readings. Oxford Publishing. ISBN13: 978-0-19-533017-5

Other Resources you may want to include:

1. A weekly review of www.ncjrs.gov, researching content relevant to (a) this course and (b) one’s intended specialization within CJ, e.g., police, juvenile probation, etc.

2. A major daily newspaper (e.g., The New York Times, The Washington Post) or daily news service on the Internet (e.g., PointCast, MSNBC, CNN On-line, NY Times On-line, USA Today On-line) from which the student shall extract relevant criminal justice items for class discussion.

3. The use of on-line dictionaries and so-called encyclopedias, e.g., Wikipedia, is strictly forbidden in this course. Such sources are unreliable—often containing misinformation, error by omission and, occasionally, disinformation.

4. Daily checking of Blackboard® for announcements. Although messages may not be frequent, they are high priority when sent.

Attendance Policy:You should attend every class but extenuating circumstances arise that can make it difficult. In other words, life happens! If you cannot attend a class, please let me know. However, when you are not in class, you are unable to engage in the learning process and there is not any way for you to make up the session. This is similar to the workplace. You must be present to be successful and excessive absences compromise your performance. If you miss class or are going to miss class, do not send me an email asking what you will miss. I will not respond to the email. Every class session is important!

Class Participation:I hope you actively participate in this course. I say this because I found it the best way to engage you in learning the material. It also makes the learning process more fun because everyone gets the opportunity to learn from each other. Be prepared prior to class. In other words, read the material!

Missed Exams/Late Assignments:

Unfortunately, illnesses, deaths in the family, or other traumatic events are part of life. Such events are unwelcomed and because I understand how difficult these times are, if you contact me within 24 hours of the event and provide documentation, I will be happy to give you a make-up exam or extend an assignment deadline. However, you will not be able to get credit for any work you miss during your absence when it is an in-class exercise.

The general rule is I will not accept any late assignments. Please pay particular attention to the due dates for each assignment. All due dates are specified in the course schedule.

Student Expectations: You may be wondering what is expected of you? I have listed the minimum (basic) items that are in your best interests to adhere to because it will help you be successful in the course: Remain current with the course material. Read all the information prior to engaging in class activities. This means you should

read the chapter prior to coming to class. I have heard many students do not read the material prior to class, but it is in your best interest to do so because we will have discussions related to the reading material. And, you can expect me to call on you to engage in the conversation.

Attend all class sessions. This is very important because each session builds upon the previous session. In other words, your success in the course depends upon your engagement in all the learning activities. There are also numerous sessions we will have presentations. Your grade will be hindered if you miss the presentations from your classmates.

Complete all assignments, projects, and assessments. Submit all assignments on or before the due date. Check the course blackboard page regularly—this means prior to each class session. Check your patriots email (that is the email account the university provides to you

and all my correspondence with you via email will be sent to your university email account).

You should attend class on time. When you enter the classroom after the class has begun, you become a distraction and are disrespectful to me and your peers.

Send emails in the subject line: CRIJ 4355-001 (then list the item that is the subject) If you need additional clarification, you should be contacting me as soon as practical.

Do not wait until the end of the semester to ask for help.

Disruptive Activities:I reserve the right to assess any activity that is not stipulated in this syllabus as disruptive. If anything arises that hinders the learning environment, I will restrict that activity from occurring in the classroom. Chatter is disruptive, please respect your classmates and if you have a comment regarding the discussion, discuss it with the entire class. Not just your neighbor—I will call you out on this during the class when I observe this occurring!

Instructor Expectations:

I believe teaching is a two-way street. Therefore, you should also have expectations of me. Here is what you can expect from me.

You should expect me to come to class prior to the start time and be prepared to engage you in the subject matter.

I will return all of your written work in a timely fashion. This means I will provide you feedback on each and every item that is graded within 2 weeks.

I will also return any emails I receive from you within 48 hours.

How to Contact Me:I am very approachable. I am here to help you understand the importance of the policy process and the issues confronting the criminal justice system today. Please ask questions in class and be engaged in the discussion. If you have any questions or concerns please contact me at the earliest convenience possible. Email me with any questions you may have through my University email account. My email is rhelfers@uttyler.edu. Or, you may call my office phone at 903-566-7399. If I am not in, please leave a message.

Athletic Policy:I am aware of the difficulty of being both an athlete and an academic, thus I will be flexible for excused absences. An excused absence is one that I am aware of, thus allowing for proper arrangements to facilitate the make-up of missed material. Therefore, I expect to have all athletic schedules prior to the beginning of the second week meeting so WE can sit down and discuss what classes you will be missing. One final note: you will only be excused if your game or travel conflicts directly with the class meeting.

Library Resource:Check out the library resource page for assistance with this course and others you are taking within the Social Sciences Department. The resource page can be accessed through http://libguides.uttyler.edu/sociology.

Evaluation Procedures:Students will be evaluated according to their performance on exams, quizzes, written assignments, and presentations.

Grading Rubric:A grading rubric will be provided to you in blackboard for each written assignment and presentation. You will be provided this prior to the activity.

Grading Scale:A=90% and aboveB=80-89%C=70-79%D=60-69%F=<60%

Course Requirements and Evaluation Criteria

Criminal Justice is a professional preparation program. Graduates of this CJ program are expected to exhibit professional communication skills, appropriate business demeanor, including respect for others, cooperation, behavioral attributes considered appropriate for the business environment and dress is also required (when making presentations). Professional demeanor is one evaluation category in which credit may not be earned, but can be deducted.

Career development will be an additional component of this class where possible. Communication: As a college educated criminal justice practitioner, you will be expected to speak and write professionally, have a highly developed vocabulary, make appropriate word choices, use correct grammar, be concise and accurate when speaking and writing. As a professional, your reports will be examined by agency superiors, prosecution and defense attorneys, judges, and potentially the media. Your oral communication skills will be judged both within your agency and externally as you speak daily with professionals, conduct interviews, testify in court, and are recorded by or quoted in the press. Therefore, all written assignments should be subjected to thorough spelling and grammar checks. These standards apply to your everyday speech, emails, etc. with each other and with your instructor. The instructor will take advantage of any conversation to make reminders about your grammar – do not be offended – be reminded.

Improving students’ oral and written communication skills is an instructional objective of The University of Texas at Tyler, reinforced by each college, department, and program therein. Therefore, it is an important objective of this course and every opportunity will be seized to accomplish this objective.

Each class member is expected to complete all assigned readings and demonstrate an increasing ability to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate relevant information. Active and thoughtful partici-pation through informed comment and demonstration of leadership behavior through class discussion shall constitute a major portion of one's course grade. Mere attendance does not constitute participation. Note that missing class when others are presenting is unprofessional and the instructor will deduct grade points for such absences.

A. Debate/Discussion Presentation (10%), Position Paper (15%), and Wiki Contribution (2%)

Many policies in criminal justice are controversial. Researchers, administrators, and the public often take opposing views and cite sound reasons for their positions. It is important that educated professionals be able to critique these arguments to be able to develop appropriate and effective policy. It is also important to know both sides of an issue and be able to counter arguments against your informed position.

Therefore teams of 4-5 students each will be assigned a topic by the instructor. There will be two teams for each topic with one team assigned the “for” position and the other team the “against” position. Each team will have 10-20 minutes to orally present its argument to the class. The “for” position team will be first followed by the “against” team. Each team will be expected to buttress its presentation with research findings. The team members will then have about 5

minutes to confer in order to respond to the opposing viewpoints. The other class members will use that time to critique the presentations. Each team will then have about 3-5 additional minutes to present its rebuttal to the other view point and then will address questions and comments from class members who will be expected to critique and evaluate each team with a rubric supplied by the instructor.

Each team will also have written a position paper that thoroughly discusses the policy issues. This paper is due immediately prior to the debate. Guidelines for a position paper will be on Blackboard. All members of each team must contribute equally both in the written paper and the oral presentation. Each paper must be grammatically correct and sources appropriately documented according to the APA style.

Each member of the team is expected to participate. Therefore, each member of the team will be required to post in the “blackboard wiki” the source that was identified and the reason you believe it supports your position. Also, each member of the team will provide a summary of your contributions to the position paper. Be aware, there is no hiding on-line. Each member is expected to participate and the “wiki” is a method for me to see each member’s contribution to the team.

B. Policy Proposal (25%) and Oral Presentation (5%) (Note: Chapters 1 and 2 will be turned in and each submission is worth 2.5% of your grade).

Each student shall identify a current criminal justice policy which is “broken or badly bent.” Then, according to his/her respective interest and subject-matter expertise and research will propose a new or significantly revised policy remedying the “old” policy’s deficiencies. The instructor must approve these projects. No exact duplicate policy proposals are allowed nor can student policies exactly duplicate debate topics.

Based on the assignment dates established below, students shall submit draft copies of two sequential chapters which (1) thoroughly describes the problem, (2) the history of the problem, other attempts to solve the problem and (3) the student’s own policy proposal. An outline for this paper will be available on Blackboard. The policy issue examined must apply to the national or state levels of government—not at the local or agency-specific level. (In reviewing draft material, the instructor will make a written comment regarding a particular problem the first time it appears. It is the student’s responsibility to recognize all other instances of the same problem in the rest of the chapter and correct all of them before the next submission.1 Guidelines for presentations will be included on Blackboard.Each chapter must be submitted electronically to the instructor by its due date and be prepared to include copies of sources used if requested. Update the reference page as each chapter is added. The instructor will edit and grade the first pages of chapters one and two.

At the end of the course, students will submit a hard copy of the completed study consisting of all chapters, both the graded draft copies and the corrected final edition, including appro-1 For example: The student submits a seven page draft document. On page two, the instructor marks the misuse of “there” and “their.” The error also occurs on pages four and six. It is the student’s responsibility to find like errors on subsequent pages and correct them all before the next submission. Involving the student in error detection, as well as correction, has been found to be a useful learning strategy.

priate introductory, reference, and appendix material. The policy paper outline, which will be provided, corresponds substantially with the outline in the Johnson text. A folder is recommended to hold the chapters.

Students will report the results of their respective proposals to the other students as if these students were the Board of Directors in an executive-type, oral briefing, known as a decision briefing. The use of visual aids is highly recommended. This format replicates procedures for policy development and presentation in major criminal justice agencies. Fellow students are expected to evaluate the policy recommendations according to their knowledge of the criminal justice system and according to criteria established in the policy text.

What is Plagiarism?Plagiarism is simply using someone else’s work and presenting it as your own. You must avoid this at all costs! Your credibility is on the line. Your work product must be your own. If you are borrowing someone else’s facts, ideas or opinions without providing the individual proper credit you are stealing. In the academic world this is referred to as plagiarism and the penalty is severe. If the thought is not your own, you must cite your source to give proper credit. If you are borrowing someone else’s words, you must enclose them in quotations as well as citing the source. Plagiarism also includes you borrowing, buying or stealing someone else’s work product and presenting it as your own. DO NOT commit intellectual theft because you will compromise your academic future.

Penalties for Plagiarism Should a faculty member discover that a student has committed plagiarism, the student will receive a grade of 'F' in that course and the matter will be referred to the Honor Council for possible disciplinary action. The faculty member, however, has the right to give freshmen and sophomore students a “zero” for the assignment and to allow them to revise the assignment up to a grade of “F” (50%) if they believe that the student plagiarized out of ignorance or carelessness and not out of an attempt to deceive in order to earn an unmerited grade. This option is not available to juniors, seniors, or graduate students, who cannot reasonably claim ignorance of documentation rules as an excuse.

Are You Still Unsure about Plagiarism? Here is how the University articulates it.

Statement Regarding Academic Dishonesty

Academic dishonesty is a violation of University policy and professional standards. If compared to a violation of the criminal law, it would be classed as a felony. Academic dishonesty is defined as cheating, plagiarism, or otherwise obtaining grades under false pretenses. The penalty for academic dishonesty in this class will be no less than immediate failure of the course and a permanent student record of the reason therefore. In most cases, a written record of academic dishonesty or an instructor’s report of same to an

agency investigator during a background check will bar an individual from employment by a criminal justice agency as it is considered indicative of subsequent corrupt acts.

Many students have an inadequate understanding of plagiarism. Any idea or verbiage from another source must be documented. Anytime the exact words from another author are used they must be enclosed with quotation marks and followed by a citation. However quotations should only be used on rare occasions. Student papers should be written in the student’s own words; therefore excessive quotations will result in a failing grade. Make-up Tests: The University Catalog does not establish make-ups as a student right. Major tests are forecasted; therefore, no make-up opportunities are contemplated. Opportunities to make-up missed examinations will be provided only for exceptional reasons and must be documented (e.g., hospital records, obituaries). Make-up examinations may be in forms completely different from original examinations and will be scheduled at the convenience of the instructor.

Penalties for CheatingShould a faculty member discover a student cheating on an exam or quiz or other class project, the student will receive a “zero” for the assignment and not be allowed to make the assignment up. The incident must be reported to the chair of the department and to the Honor Council. If the cheating is extensive, however, or if the assignment constitutes a major grade for the course (e.g., a final exam), or if the student has cheated in the past, the student should receive an “F” in the course, and the matter should be referred to the Honor Council. Under no circumstances should a student who deserves an “F” in the course be allowed to withdraw from the course with a “W.”

C. Midterm Exam – 15%

The content of the examination will focus on the policy text along with class discussions. The students ability to engage in all higher order cognitive functions (analysis, synthesis, evaluation, etc.) is the crux of upper-division university education and, therefore, will be emphasized in this examination.

D. Capstone Assessment - 15%

Because this is the Criminal Justice Program’s Capstone Course, it is appropriate to assess students’ comprehension of the learning objectives of all core (required) CJ courses. That examination consists of two different exams: (1) will consist of 10 objective style questions from each of the core courses in the CJ program and a short essay section. (2) the second comprehensive assessment is a national standardized exam covering key elements about the criminal justice system. This exam requires 2.5 hours so students must make arrangements to stay late on that date. Extra points are awarded for the National CJ exam. One – four percentage points will be awarded to your final semester average depending how well you score on the exam

E. Quizzes - 4%

Quizzes may be unscheduled and use less than the full class meeting time or they may be online via Blackboard. They are mostly objective or single essay type of question format. The total number of quizzes necessary to reinforce the importance of class preparedness is unknown until the course is complete. There are no make-ups for quizzes since part of their function is to check class preparation and attendance. Quizzes may cover any topic but especially topics dealing with vocabulary, APA documentation, grammar rules, and writing facts from the Johnson, et. al. and Ferree & Pfeifer texts.

F. Assignments – 4%

Assignments from the Ferree & Pfeifer text are due at the beginning of the Friday class session for the week. See the Tentative Schedule by week for the weeks one of these assignments is due.

Style. All written assignments shall conform to the American Psychological Association (APA) style. The Johnson et al. text can serve as your guide. Many other guides offer additional information online – “The Purdue Owl” is especially useful. Any plagiarism violates the academic dishonesty of this University and the minimum result will be a failing grade. See note above.

Important Information:Please refer to the course blackboard site on a frequent basis. You should be referring to the blackboard site prior to each class session because I may post an important announcement. Also, you must check your university email! I do not tolerate the excuse, “I don’t check my patriots email or blackboard, so I never received the course announcement.” Checking blackboard and your university email is your responsibility as a student.

Tentative Schedule by week

January 12 Orientation to the course. Welsh & Harris – Introduction, Definitions of Public Policy, pp. 1-30Introduction to the course textsVocabulary List (Johnson pp. 49-51)Johnson text, pp. 1-51Welsh & Harris – Analyzing the Problem, pp. 31-76Ferree & Pfeifer-Unit #1 and #4Assignment #1 from Ferree & Pfeifer, complete Handout #2 on page 19 (Due 1/16 at the beginning of class)

January 19 January 19-University closed for Holiday-MLK, Jr. Holiday

Welsh & Harris – Setting Goals and Objectives, pp. 77-102Quiz over Johnson text (pp. 1-51)Johnson text, pp. 53-133Policy Paper Outline ReviewWelsh & Harris – Designing the Program Policy, pp. 103-122Ferree & Pfeifer-Unit #2 and #3Assignment #2 from Ferree & Pfeifer, complete Exercise #1 on page 73 (Due 1/23 at the beginning of class)

January 26 Welsh & Harris – Action Planning, pp. 123-144Quiz over Johnson text (pp. 53-133)Welsh & Harris – Program/Policy Implementation and Monitoring, pp. 145-172Johnson text – Criminal Justice Policy Analysis Papers, pp. 221-241Ferree & Pfeifer-Unit # 7 Assignment #3 from Ferree & Pfeifer, complete Exercise #1, page 183 and 185 (Due on 1/30 at the beginning of class)Have policy proposal selected and approved by instructor

February 2 Welsh & Harris – Evaluating Outcomes, pp. 173-200Ferree & Pfeifer-Unit #8Quiz over APA (6th ed.) Documentation Assignment #4 from Ferree & Pfeifer, complete Exercise #1, page 209 and 211 (Due on 2/6 at the beginning of class)

February 9 Finish Welsh & Harris

February 16 Midterm Exam (2/16)Debate #1 – The Death Penalty is an Essential Element of the Criminal Justice SystemChapter One Due (2/20)

February 23 Debate #2 – Sexual Offender Registration Laws Create More Harm than GoodDebate #3 – The Juvenile Justice System Should be Merged with the Adult Criminal Justice System

March 2 Debate #4 – Convicted Felons Should Keep their Voting RightsNo Class on March 4 and 6 (I will be at ACJS Conference)

March 9-13 Spring Break

March 16 Debate #5-Mentally Ill Offenders Should be Diverted from IncarcerationDebate #6-The Criminal Justice System is RacistCapstone Exam Review – PolicingChapter Two Due (3/23)

March 23 – last day to drop a course

March 23 Capstone Exam Review – CriminologyCapstone Exam Review – CorrectionsCapstone Exam Review-Law and the Courts

March 30 Capstone Exam Review – Research Methods

April 1 Capstone Exam

April 3 Major Field Test Exam (TIME TO BE DETERMINED) (please make arrangements to stay late)

April 6 Policy Presentations #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6

Note that early presenters will not have completely written Chapter three but the assumption is that you will have your idea clearly in mind and will be able to present it to the class.

April 13 Policy Presentations #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #12

April 20 Policy Presentations #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18Chapter 3 due along with corrected copies of chapters one and two

April 27 Finals Week-Refer to University Schedule for Specific Date/Time We MeetPolicy Presentations. #19, #20, #21, #22, #23, #24, #25

Students Rights and Responsibilities To know and understand the policies that affect your rights and responsibilities as a student at UT Tyler, please follow this link: http://www2.uttyler.edu/wellness/rightsresponsibilities.php

Grade Replacement/Forgiveness and Census Date Policies Students repeating a course for grade forgiveness (grade replacement) must file a Grade Replacement Contract with the Enrollment Services Center (ADM 230) on or before the Census Date of the semester in which the course will be repeated. Grade Replacement Contracts are available in the Enrollment Services Center or at http://www.uttyler.edu/registrar. Each semester’s Census Date can be found on the Contract itself, on the Academic Calendar, or in the information pamphlets published each semester by the Office of the Registrar. Failure to file a Grade Replacement Contract will result in both the original and repeated grade being used to calculate your overall grade point average. Undergraduates are eligible to exercise grade replacement for only three course repeats during their career at UT Tyler; graduates are eligible for two grade replacements. Full policy details are printed on each Grade Replacement Contract. The Census Date is the deadline for many forms and enrollment actions that students need to be aware of. These include:

Submitting Grade Replacement Contracts, Transient Forms, requests to withhold directory information, approvals for taking courses as Audit, Pass/Fail or Credit/No Credit.

Receiving 100% refunds for partial withdrawals. (There is no refund for these after the Census Date)

Schedule adjustments (section changes, adding a new class, dropping without a “W” grade)

Being reinstated or re-enrolled in classes after being dropped for non-payment Completing the process for tuition exemptions or waivers through Financial Aid

State-Mandated Course Drop Policy Texas law prohibits a student who began college for the first time in Fall 2007 or thereafter from dropping more than six courses during their entire undergraduate career. This includes courses dropped at another 2-year or 4-year Texas public college or university. For purposes of this rule, a dropped course is any course that is dropped after the census date (See Academic Calendar for the specific date). Exceptions to the 6-drop rule may be found in the catalog. Petitions for exemptions must be submitted to the Enrollment Services Center and must be accompanied by documentation of the extenuating circumstance. Please contact the Enrollment Services Center if you have any questions.

Disability Services In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) the University offers accommodations to students with learning, physical and/or psychiatric disabilities. If you have a disability, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, PTSD or ADHD, or you have a history of modifications or accommodations in a previous educational environment you are encouraged to contact the Student Accessibility and Resources office and schedule an interview with the Accessibility Case Manager/ADA Coordinator, Cynthia Lowery Staples. If you are unsure if the above criteria applies to you, but have questions or concerns please contact the SAR office. For more information or to set up an appointment please visit the SAR office located in the University Center, Room 3150 or call 903.566.7079. You may also send an email to cstaples@uttyler.edu

Technical Support ServicesStudents are provided technical support through Information Technology (www.uttyler.edu/it/) or call 903-565-5995.

Student Writing SupportStudents may obtain assistance with writing and documentation at the Writing Center on the second floor of the Business Administration Building (BUS 202), contact at writingcenter@uttler.edu or call 903-565-5995.

Student Absence due to Religious Observance Students who anticipate being absent from class due to a religious observance are requested to inform the instructor of such absences by the second class meeting of the semester.

Student Absence for University-Sponsored Events and Activities If you intend to be absent for a university-sponsored event or activity, you (or the event sponsor) must notify the instructor at least two weeks prior to the date of the planned absence. At that time the instructor will set a date and time when make-up assignments will be completed.

Social Security and FERPA Statement: It is the policy of The University of Texas at Tyler to protect the confidential nature of social security numbers. The University has changed its computer programming so that all students have an identification number. The electronic transmission of grades (e.g., via e-mail) risks violation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act; grades will not be transmitted electronically.

Emergency Exits and Evacuation: Everyone is required to exit the building when a fire alarm goes off. Follow your instructor’s directions regarding the appropriate exit. If you require assistance during an evacuation, inform your instructor in the first week of class. Do not re-enter the building unless given permission by University Police, Fire department, or Fire Prevention Services.

I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MODIFY THIS SYLLABUS AT ANY TIME. THEREFORE, YOUR ATTENDANCE AND ATTENTION TO THE ANNOUNCEMENTS IN BLACKBOARD ARE CRUCIAL BECAUSE IT WILL ASSIST YOU REMAIN CURRENT ON THE MATERIAL AND KNOW WHEN THE SYLLABUS MAY BE MODIFIED.