UNIVERSITY HANDBOOK FOR APPOINTED PERSONNEL
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
2000
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CHAPTER 7: ACADEMIC POLICIES AND RELATED INFORMATION

7.01 PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

7.01.01 Statement on Professional Conduct
The following "Statement on Professional Conduct" was adopted by the Faculty Senate on January 4, 1971. Although the statement refers most often to faculty members, its principles also apply to administrative and professional personnel.

Membership in the academic community imposes on students, faculty members, administrators, and regents an obligation to respect the dignity of others, to acknowledge their right to express differing opinions, and to foster and defend intellectual honesty, freedom of inquiry and instruction, and free expression on and off the campus.

As teachers, faculty members encourage the free pursuit of learning in students; hold before them as best they can the scholarly standards of the discipline; demonstrate respect for the student as an individual; adhere to the proper role as intellectual guide and advisor; make every reasonable effort to foster honest academic conduct and assure that the evaluation of students reflects their true merit; and respect the confidential nature of the relationship between faculty member and student.

The faculty, guided by a deep conviction of the worth and dignity of the advancement of knowledge, recognize the special responsibilities placed upon them. The faculty's primary responsibility to their subject is to seek and state the truth as they see it. To this end, the faculty devote their energies to developing and improving scholarly competence. The faculty member accepts the obligations to exercise critical self-discipline and judgment in using, extending, and transmitting knowledge; and practices intellectual honesty.

As members of the broader community, the faculty have the rights and obligations of any citizen. Faculty members measure the urgency of these obligations in the light of their responsibilities to the subject, to students, to the profession, and to the institution. When the faculty speak or act as private persons, they avoid creating the impression of speaking or acting for the college or University.

In order to accomplish these goals, faculty members assume certain specific responsibilities:

  1. To conduct each course they have been employed to teach in general conformity with the content, format, and official description of such course as established by the faculties and approved by the President and Board of Regents.

  2. To meet and conduct classes at all regularly scheduled times and places. The President or a duly appointed representative may authorize a member of the faculty to be absent from classes or to reschedule the work for reasons of health or when in the best interests of the University.

  3. To notify as promptly as possible the head of the department whenever emergencies such as illness or accident prevent meeting a scheduled class so that a replacement may be arranged.

  4. To be engaged in undergraduate education and the education of graduate and professional students, as appropriate to the mission of each College and/or unit.

  5. To establish individual relationships with undergraduate, graduate and professional students in the role of mentor and advisor, as appropriate to the mission of each College and/or unit.

  6. To be committed to discharging their duties and responsibilities primarily on the campus of the University and other such sites as appropriate to the mission of each College and/or unit.
In addition to fulfilling the responsibilities listed in the above "Statement," faculty members are expected to support students in the following ways:

  • By meeting and terminating classes at the scheduled times;
  • By posting and keeping a schedule of office hours during which they are available for conferences;
  • By advising students during orientation and registration.
They are encouraged to support students:
  • By attending commencement exercises (in academic dress);
  • By serving as advisors to student honorary and professional societies, and other student organizations and clubs,
7.01.02 Tutoring by Appointed Personnel
Appointed personnel are not permitted to tutor University students for pay. With the approval of the department head, graduate and undergraduate assistants may tutor individuals or groups for pay provided that the students who are tutored are not enrolled in regular University sections or classes taught by the tutor, that the tutor has no advance knowledge of any examination to be given to the students being tutored, and that the tutor has no part in determining grades for any student whom he or she has tutored. University facilities used by persons tutoring for pay are subject to a nominal rental charge. The University does not furnish facilities for tutoring by persons who are not members of its faculty or staff.

7.02 CURRICULUM AND ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
 Rev. 7/2000; 7/2005

Information on curriculum processes is available from the Office of the Registrar as follows:

Information on development of/changes to academic programs and organizational units is available from the Office of Academic Affairs:

7.03 STUDENT ENROLLMENT
Rev. 7/2000; 9/2005

7.03.01 Admission of Students to the University
All qualified students are welcome at The University of Arizona without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran's status, or sexual orientation.

Information on undergraduate admission is available from the Office of Admissions as follows:

Information on graduate admission is available from the Graduate College or online as follows:

Information on admission to the James E. Rogers College of Law is available from the college or online as follows:

Information on admission to the College of Medicine is available from the college or online as follows:

7.03.02 Course/Class Registration
Complete registration instructions, procedures, and deadlines are detailed in the Schedule of Classes prior to the registration periods. A student is officially registered and eligible to attend classes only when all procedures have been completed, including payment of tuition and fees.

In addition to the basic information regarding registration, the Schedule of Classes is an essential source document for the fee schedule, academic and other student regulations and procedures, and the final exam schedule, as well as for course availability and offerings by term. The Schedule of Classes is available online as follows:

7.03.03 Prerequisites for Courses
Before approving the enrollment of a student in a course, the instructor must be satisfied that the student has met all prerequisites as described in the General Catalog.

7.03.04 Change of Schedule by Students
Rev. 9/2001
Students may drop and/or add courses by following instructions and adhering to deadlines as published in the Schedule of Classes each semester. Information is available in the General Catalog as follows:

7.03.05 Auditors
Rev. 7/2000; 9/2001; 9/2002; 9/2005
Audit is a registration status allowing students to attend a course without receiving credit. Information is available in the General Catalog as follows:

7.03.06 Minimum Class Size
Rev. 9/2001
The minimum enrollment for courses numbered 500 and above is five students; the minimum for those numbered 400-499 is 12; and the minimum for those numbered under 400 is 15. The minimum size for 400/500 classes will be five graduate students or 12 students in total. Adherence to this policy is monitored at the college level and is managed by department heads.

7.04 ATTENDANCE
Rev. 7/2000

7.04.01 General
Rev. 9/2001
The University policy concerning student class attendance is available online in the General Catalog as follows:

7.04.02 Excused Absence for Group of Students
University policy, adopted by the Faculty Senate, governing excused absences for groups of more than three students is as follows:

  1. Policy
    1. A student may be excused from classes for attendance at officially authorized functions in accordance with the authorization directives below and for regularly scheduled field trips announced in the General Catalog.
    2. The instructor shall accept such excuses and shall impose no penalty if the students have complied with the prescribed procedures for excused absence. Instructors should also notify persons in charge of their quiz or laboratory sections of these excused absences.
    3. Trips for groups of students shall be scheduled at times other than those days reserved for final examinations each semester.
    4. For trips during the semester, the approval of the academic dean as well as that of the Dean of Students must be obtained. Normally the deans will not give approval for students on academic probation.

  2. Authorization
    1. When more than three students from a student group are involved, an official form, which may be obtained from the Office of the Dean of Students, must be used.
    2. Using the official form, the adviser of a student group lists the students proposed as participants.
    3. Once or twice a semester the sponsoring dean checks the academic record of each participating student, eliminating those whose scholastic standing is not sufficiently high.
    4. The sponsoring dean then sends the list to the Dean of Students' Office. Students traveling in University vehicles are covered by insurance; students who drive themselves in their own cars may not be covered. Questions about current policy should be directed to the Office of Risk Management and Safety. Travel arrangements should be made known at the time the Activity Program Permit (or memorandum in case of field trips) is completed, and must be noted on the travel regulation line.
7.04.03 Field Trips
Instructors who have field trips regularly scheduled as part of their courses should make application in advance for University transportation on special forms available from their department heads. Any field trips which are not scheduled in the General Catalog must be arranged in conjunction with the dean of the college concerned.

Instructors in charge of field trips must inform their students before any trip that a student arranging transportation other than that furnished by the University is not covered by University insurance until she or he arrives at the site and rejoins the group. Nonmembers of the class (e.g., friends, spouses) who go on a field trip are not covered by University insurance.

7.05 REMOVAL OF STUDENTS FOR DISTURBANCES
Rev. 7/2000; 9/2005

An instructor may temporarily remove a student from a classroom for creating a disturbance. If an immediate danger exists, the instructor should call 911. The instructor must then file a Code of Conduct form for investigation and hearing. See Section 7.07.01 and contact the Dean of Students Office for assistance. See also the Policy on Threatening Behavior by Students as follows.

7.06 WITHDRAWALS AND UNDERGRADUATE LEAVES OF ABSENCE
Rev. 7/2000; 9/2001; 9/2002

Information regarding undergraduate leaves of absence and withdrawal from the University is available online in the General Catalog as follows:

Information regarding course withdrawal is available online in the General Catalog as follows: 7.07 STUDENT CONDUCT
Rev. 7/2000; 9/2005

7.07.01 Code of Conduct
Rev. 9/2001; 9/2005
The Code of Conduct, ABOR-PM 5-301 to 5-308, applies to students, faculty, staff, administrators, and visitors. The Student Code of Conduct, ABOR-PM 5-308, applies to students. Student violations of the Code of Conduct are handled under procedures delineated by ABOR-PM 5-401 to 5-404, Student Disciplinary Procedures. Questions about the Code of Conduct or Student Disciplinary Procedures should be addressed to the Dean of Students Office.

Information is available online as follows:

The Code of Conduct is also available online as follows:

7.07.02 Student Use of Facilities Outside of Official Hours
The presence of graduate or undergraduate students in a classroom building during hours the building is not officially open is governed by regulations available in deans' offices. Briefly, the general policies are as follows:

  1. Undergraduate students are not permitted in classroom or laboratory areas at times when buildings are closed, except for regularly scheduled class meetings, supervised studio and laboratory work, appointments with faculty members, and approved meetings of student organizations. Under special circumstances, certain undergraduate students may be given permission to be in classroom or laboratory areas when buildings are closed. Such students should possess an appropriately signed statement from the dean of the college in charge of the building concerned, or the head of the department responsible for the activity in which the undergraduate student is involved.

  2. Graduate students may be present at times when buildings are closed provided they possess an official room privilege card specifying the particular building and particular rooms within that building which the student may use; or an appropriately signed statement from the dean of the college in charge of the building concerned, or the head of the department responsible for the activity in which the graduate student is involved.

7.08 GRADING, EXAMINATIONS, AND ACADEMIC STANDING
Rev. 7/2000; 9/2005

7.08.01 Grading Systems
Rev. 9/2001
The grading system used by The University of Arizona is available online in the General Catalog as follows:

7.08.02 Academic Standing
Rev. 9/2001
Information concerning academic standing, progress, probation and disqualification is available online in the General Catalog as follows:

7.08.03 Dishonest Scholastic Work (Plagiarism)
Rev. 9/2001; 9/2005
The Code of Academic Integrity is available online as follows:

7.08.04 Mid-semester and Final Examinations
Rev. 9/2001; 9/2002
Information regarding the scheduling of mid-semester and final examinations is available online as follows:

7.08.05 Reporting Final Grades to the Registrar and Students
Rev. 9/2002; 9/2005
Information regarding final grade reports is available from the Office of the Registrar as follows:

The manner in which final grades are posted should be in compliance with the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). Additional information is available online as follows:

7.08.06 Changes of Grades
Rev. 9/2001
Information on changes of grades is available online as follows:

7.08.07 Grade Appeal
Rev. 9/2001
Information on the grade appeal process is available online as follows:

7.08.08 Undergraduate Course Syllabus
Rev. 9/2005
The distribution of a course information sheet or syllabus is required for all University undergraduate courses. The syllabus is a statement of intent and serves as an implicit agreement between the instructor and students. [Note: Item #15 gives instructors leeway to make certain changes.] It must be distributed (either as a hard copy or online) during the first week of classes, and a hard copy, available to students, must be kept in the department office for a period of not less than one year. The following minimum information should be provided:

  1. Instructor's name, office/room number, telephone number, and email address;
  2. Office hours or a statement of an "open-door" policy;
  3. Overall course objectives and expected learning outcomes;
  4. Grade policies;
  5. Absence policies; in addition to the instructor’s own absence policies, a statement should be included regarding the following kinds of excused absences:
    • All holidays or special events observed by organized religions will be honored for those students who show affiliation with that particular religion,
    • Absences pre-approved by the UA Dean of Students (or Dean's designee) will be honored.
  6. List of required texts;
  7. Number of required examinations and papers;
  8. Policies regarding expected classroom behavior (e.g., use of pagers/cell phones);
  9. Policies against plagiarism, etc., within Student Code of Academic Integrity: http://web.arizona.edu/~dos/uapolicies/cai1.html;
  10. Policies against threatening behavior by students: "http://policy.web.arizona.edu/~policy/threaten.shtml;
  11. Required extracurricular activities, if any;
  12. Special materials required for the class, if any;
  13. Notification, if the instructor believes necessary, warning students that some course content may be deemed offensive by some students;
  14. Reminder to students who are registered with the Disability Resource Center that they must submit appropriate documentation to the instructor if they are requesting reasonable accommodations: http://drc.arizona.edu/instructor/syllabus-statement.shtml;
  15. A statement is permissible indicating that the information contained in the course syllabus, other than the grade and absence policies, may be subject to change with reasonable advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.
7.09 RESOLUTION ON COLLEGE GOVERNANCE
Rev. 7/2000; 9/2002; 9/2005

Each college will have an advisory committee or council of faculty members, elected by the faculty of that college, to provide a voice for the faculty in the governance of that college.

See also the Guidelines for Shared Governance as passed by the Faculty Senate April 4, 2005, as follows:

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