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Faculty Resources: 3. Syllabus

FACULTY RESOURCES

3. Syllabus

 

 

3.1. Syllabus Guidelines

The purpose of this section is to assist Instructors in developing Syllabi consistent with college policies.   


Your syllabus must include the following information, per ACCJC standards.

I.  Basic Information

  1. Heading:  El Camino College 
  2. Course Title, Course Number, Section Number, Units of Credit, Semester, Year, and any Prerequisites or recommended preparation.
  3. Exact meeting days, times, and location
  4. Instructor Name, Contact Information, and Office Hours

II.  Course Scope

  1. Catalog Description - use exact description from the Course Outline of Record
  2. Course Objectives - from the Course Outline of Record
  3. Student Learning Outcome (SLO) statement - Divisions have SLOs posted to their webpage
  4. Required materials with approximate costs and textbooks (title, author, edition, ISBN)
  5. Grade Policy must include the following:
    • Grading Rubric: specify the weight of each grade component.
    • A minimum of four grades to support the semester grade for each student as required by the Academic Senate. (Academic Senate Faculty Handbook 1987, page 14)

III.  Class Policies

  1. Attendance Policy - Students are expected to attend classes regularly.  Students whose absences exceed 10% of the scheduled class meeting time may be dropped by the Instructor.
  2. Academic Honesty Policy - Include a statement regarding Academic Honesty consistent with ECC policy and procedures (Board Policy 5500, Administrative Procedure 5500, and Administrative Procedure 5520 ). See section on Academic Honesty.
  3. Mobile Device Policy
  4. Special Accommodations (Disability Statement) - See  Syllabus section on Disability Statement for Syllabus
  5. Optional Statement:  Instructor reserves the right to make modifications to this syllabus.

 

 

3.2. How to Make your Syllabus Accessible?

This website describes how you can make your syllabus accessible.

 

3.3. Attendance Policy

Regular attendance is expected of every student. A student may be dropped from class when absences from class exceed the number of units assigned to the course.   

Attendance Policy

Students are expected to attend classes regularly.  Students who miss the first class meeting or who are not in regular attendance during the add period for the class may be dropped by the instructor.  However, students are responsible for dropping a class within the deadlines published in the class schedule.  

Students whose absences from the class exceed 10% of the scheduled class meeting time may be dropped by the instructor.

All students enrolled in class after the twelfth week of instruction (full semester courses) must receive a letter grade (A through F) when grades are submitted.  In extenuating circumstances, a student may petition for assignment of a “W.”  Extenuating circumstances are verified cases of accidents, illnesses, or other circumstances beyond the control of the student.  These student petitions must be filed in the Office of Admissions.

Instructors must use the online No-Show Report or online Active Enrollment Report to drop students from class.  Instructors should complete these reports carefully, as each is an official document used by the college to support federal and state funding.  These documents are subject to federal, state, and college audits.

El Camino College Student Attendance Policy

 

3.4. Grade Policy

College work at El Camino College is measured in terms of semester units. A unit is the value placed on three hours of the student's time per week in pursuit of educational goals.

El Camino College - Admissions - Grading Policies

 

 

3.5. Academic Honesty Policy

Include a statement in the Syllabus regarding Academic Honesty consistent with ECC policy and procedures (Board Policy 5500, Administrative Procedure 5500, and Administrative Procedure 5520 ).   

Academic Honesty Policy to be Included in the Syllabus

El Camino College places a high value on the integrity of its student scholars.  When an instructor determines that there is evidence of dishonesty in any academic work (including, but not limited to cheating, plagiarism, or theft of exam materials), disciplinary actions appropriate to the misconduct as defined in BP 5500 may be taken.  A failing grade on an assignment in which academic dishonesty has occurred and suspension from class are among the disciplinary actions for academic dishonesty (AP 5520).  Students with any questions about the Academic Honesty or discipline policies are encourage to speak with their instructor in advance.

 

3.6. Disability Statement for Syllabus

This section contains information for the Syllabus from the Special Resource Center.

Since it is a well documented fact that one out of every eleven students in our classes is a student with a disability, we have a responsibility as educators to insure that they are well integrated into the classroom environment.

It is helpful to include a statement on the class syllabus inviting students who have disabilities to discuss academic accommodations in private with the instructor.

 

Here is an example statement: 

Syllabus Disability Statement

Improving the Quality of Education for Students with Disabilities

Since it is a well documented fact that one out of every eleven students in our classes is a student with a disability, we have a responsibility as educators to insure that they are well integrated into the classroom environment.  Faculty members are encouraged to be responsive to the pedagogical needs of all students. However, students with disabilities may have some additional educational needs which they should discuss privately with each faculty member.

It is helpful to include a statement on the class syllabus inviting students who have disabilities to discuss academic accommodations in private with the instructor.

Disability Statement Definition

A statement placed on course syllabi indicating a faculty member’s willingness to provide reasonable accommodations to a student with a disability.

Rationale

The statement should be an invitation to students who have disabilities to meet with the faculty member, in a confidential environment, to review course requirements and to discuss their need for accommodations. Establishing reasonable accommodations should be considered on a case-by-case basis because of the functional limitations of each individual and the specific demands of the course will vary. 

 Principles

  • The accommodation process should be one of collaboration between student and instructor with support from the SRC.
  • Students already working with SRC have provided that office with documentation of their disability and the SRC establishes eligibility for accommodations. Faculty should NOT ask the student for documentation, however, they can request that a letter from SRC be sent to verify eligibility and support the requested accommodations for the current school term.
  • A statement on the syllabus and an announcement in class normalizes the accommodation process by treating it as just another part of the course.
  • The statement can be altered to meet the specific needs of your department / courses.
  • It is recommended that instructors for multiple section courses and labs come to an agreement on the syllabus statement used.

Examples of such a statement can be as simple as;

"If you have a documented disability and wish to discuss academic accommodations, please contact me as soon as possible."

Or

"Students with disabilities who believe they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact the Special Resource Center on campus as soon as possible to better ensure such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.  As well please contact me privately to discuss your specific needs. "

The student with a disability is the best source of information regarding necessary accommodations. In post-secondary settings, it is the students’ responsibility to request special accommodation if desired.  A faculty member can facilitate this by increasing the level of student comfort.*

"A disability statement opens the lines of communication making the student feel more comfortable approaching faculty to disclose their disability and need for accommodation". Jennifer Aaron, Student self-advocate.

For more information or assistance, please contact the Special Resource Center at 310-660-3295 or one of the following counselors or disability specialists by dialing 310-660-3593 and their extension.

 

3.7. Mobile Device Policy

Technology use in the classroom is intended to enhance the learning environment for all students. It is the responsibility of the course instructor to decide when, if, and what type of technology is to be used during class.

Instructors should anticipate that issues with wireless communications and mobile devices may arise and publish any policies and restrictions in their course syllabus. If the instructor plans to use sanctions for disruptions, s/he should publish details about the sanctions in the course syllabus.

Every syllabus should include a Mobile Device Policy.  This may include any form of use of mobile devices in your classroom.  

 

 

3.8. Academic  Support / Tutoring

Interested in including tutoring information in your Syllabus. Check out The Tutoring Hub for information.

 

3.9. Submitting your Syllabi to the Division

 

  • Mathematics: Please submit your syllabi to Aster Assefa (aassefa@elcamino.du), Please name the file in the following way. You will be asked to resubmit if you do not give a filename in the required way. Dept-Num-Sect-Term-Instructor.format For the section number, please use all four digits including the leading zero. For Instructor, please use your first initial and last name. The format must be DOC or DOCX or PDF. For example: Math-73-0144-Spring2021-INewton.pdf

3.10. Some Sample Syllabi

 

 

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