If you feel that I’ve made a mistake in grading a homework set or exam (which can happen) I will be more than willing to discuss it with you. However, in order for any corrections to be made you MUST contact me within 2 days (excluding Saturday and Sunday) of me handing the homework/exam back to the class. After this time I will not discuss any potential grading errors.

I do not have an attendance policy. If you choose to not attend class on a regular basis that is your choice, I do however, expect you to understand and accept the consequences of that decision and there will be consequences. Aside from missing important information that is only given in class, if you are in the habit of not attending class you will find it very difficult to convince me that you've got a good reason for missing an exam. Due to your attendance record I'm much more likely to believe that you simply didn't know the exam date or were so used to skipping the class you just forgot to attend that one day you really needed to. In addition, if you refuse to attend class you will find it to be very difficult to drop my course with a Q (i.e. without penalty) if you decide later in the semester that you'd like to.

For those that do choose to attend class, I expect you to be here on time. Tardiness is disruptive to all those around you as you walk in. I understand that emergencies or unforeseen circumstances will require you to be tardy once in a great while and I do not have a problem with that. I will not, however, tolerate tardiness on a continual basis whether by one person or many.

So, if I find that tardiness is becoming a problem I will, without warning, start taking points off for each tardy from that point on. The formula that I will use is 2^n-1-1 where n is the number of times you've been tardy. I realize this is a silly looking and strange formula, but it is designed to not hurt you if you're tardy a couple of times, it will only hurt those that are continually tardy.

After final exams are given I will replace your lowest test score with the percentage on your final exam provided it will help your grade. For example if your lowest grade is a 72 and you have a final exam score of 164 then I will replace the 72 with 164/200 ( x 100) = 82. If on the other hand your final exam score is 128 I will not replace the 72 with your final exam percent (128/200 ( x 100) = 64) since it is lower than the 72./p>

I do not give makeup exams. Because I replace your lowest test score with the final exam percentage if you miss ONE exam then that will be the exam that is replaced by the final exam percentage. If you miss two exams I will expect verifiable proof of very good reasons (my call on what is very good) for BOTH exams. If you provide such proof we will take care of the second missed exam at that point. To date no one has convinced me they had a good reason for missing two exams.

One quick comment on this policy. In general, most people have a final exam score that is lower than their hour exam average. So, make sure that you have a good reason before missing an exam. When I first started teaching I had a much more lenient makeup policy and unfortunately students started to abuse the policy and so I was forced to implement this policy. This policy may seem harsh but it is not designed to punish those who need makeups, but instead it is designed to make sure that you have a good reason for missing the exam.

In pretty much every class of every semester I have a student or two who chooses to not do the homework. If you are one of those students who choose to not do the homework that is your choice. However, you need to be aware that your final grade will be based on your OVERALL percentage and that includes the homework. Failure to do homework will seriously affect your grade. If your exam average is a passing average, but your overall average drops below a passing percentage because of your homework grade then you will not pass my course. I will NOT base your grade solely on exam percentages. This is not fair to all the students who diligently did the homework throughout the semester. I have never had a student who refused to do homework pass my class, I have however, had several students who did not pass solely because of their lack of homework!

In order to drop my class with a Q after the first drop date you MUST talk to me and get my permission. I look at effort and not grades in making this decision. In order for you to receive my permission for a Q you MUST have made a serious effort to pass this course. This is effort as I define it and not effort as you define it. I expect you to have attended the vast majority of the my classes, to have turned in the vast majority of the homework (completed, not partial), and to have missed no more than one exam.

If you drop this course over the web or phone in an effort to avoid this, I will see the Q at the end of the semester that I did not approve and I WILL change it to an F as is my right as the instructor.

This policy is not intended to discourage drops from my class. It is intended to get you to put forth the effort that is required to pass this course. If you feel that you are not going to be able to successfully complete this course talk to me and if you've made a serious effort then I will sign the drop slip with a Q without any problems. Only those who are unwilling to work and/or attend class need to worry about this policy.

I expect my students to behave in an ethical manner in this class. This falls into two categories.

Homework : I do not have a problem with students working in groups on my homework. In fact, I encourage students to work in groups on their homework. However, I do expect you to participate in the group and not just copy the homework from others in your group.

Exams : Cheating on exams however will not be tolerated. If you are caught cheating on an exam, depending on the offense, you will suffer anything from a zero on the exam to expulsion from the class with an F.