This is a quick roundup of some important reminders. More complete information can be found in the Student Handbook.
Academic Honesty Instructors are expected to make clear to all students in their courses what their specific expectations are about academic honesty and to include this information in their course expectations statement. Students are responsible for understanding what style of assignment preparation is acceptable to the instructor, and when and if collaboration is allowed. Students are expected to act in an ethical and honorable manner at all times. All work turned in by a student should be the result of his or her own efforts unless otherwise instructed. All tests and quizzes are done individually with no help from others. Specific instructions on how to collaborate are given for any assignments that are completed with a partner or a group. Faculty or student tutorials are available to students provided the teacher permits getting help on the assignment. It is to a student’s advantage to make a serious attempt at the assignment before seeking help. For essays and research assignments, students must cite all sources for ideas that are not their own. For a guide to citing sources and avoiding plagiarism, see NCSSM's Rules on Sources and Citation.
The following are considered breaches of academic honesty
- Giving or receiving help during a test or quiz
- Discussing the contents of a test or quiz
- Programming unauthorized information into electronic devices to be used during a test or quiz
- Completing graded assignments for other students - violation for both the giver and recipient of the work
- Collaborating on assignments that have clearly been designated as individual work
- Not citing correct sources for ideas and evidence in written and, in some cases, oral work
- Taking credit for more work on an assigned group project than was actually contributed
An instructor who suspects that a student has violated academic honesty expectations should discuss the situation with the student and, on the basis of that discussion, decide whether the perception is accurate or inaccurate. If the instructor believes that a violation did occur, the procedures stated in the Code of Student Conduct should be followed. In accordance with school-wide policies and the list above, the instructor sets the standard for what does or does not constitute academic dishonesty in a specific class.
Laptops and Electronic Devices Students are encouraged to use laptop computers for appropriate academic purposes in the classroom. However, such distracting activities as Web browsing, checking e-mail or instant messaging are specifically prohibited and will be sanctioned—typically as a Level I—under the Code of Student Conduct. Instructors include a statement regarding the use of computers in their course expectations. When necessary, instructors, subject to the approval of their Dean, specify times or activities in their classroom for which computer use is inappropriate. Expectations for laptop use are consistent across multi-section courses.
Class Absences and Tardies (See NCSSM Student Handbook for further details.) It is the responsibility of every student at NCSSM to attend all scheduled classes, meetings or other required activities on each academic day. Instructors enter into the school database a report of student attendance for all class periods. It is imperative that students be both present and on time to each of their classes to avoid disrupting other students and to fully benefit from the learning opportunities afforded. The same is true for all required meetings and mandatory community activities. A student who is up to 5 minutes late to a scheduled class (or activity) is dealt with by the instructor in accordance with his/her published course expectations. A student who misses from 5 up to 15 minutes of a scheduled class period (or activity) is reported as Tardy (T), and a student who is from 15 up to 25 minutes late is reported as Severely Tardy (ST). Following the initial report of a tardy by any instructor which is treated as a warning with no response—the student is assigned thirty minutes of the next Attendance Restricted Study (Saturday morning at 8:00 a.m.) for each Tardy and assigned one hour of the next Attendance Restricted Study for each Severely Tardy. If a student misses 25 minutes or more of a single class period (or required activity), the instructor reports the student as absent for that day’s class. Class absences that are not caused by illness or an emergency situation, or are not specified and approved by appropriate NCSSM personnel on a Prior Approval of School Absence form, are coded as unexcused. Instructors are not required to provide an opportunity to make up work missed during an unexcused absence. Notice of any absence coded unexcused is provided students electronically by the Attendance Coordinator. Students have two academic days from the date of notification to present to the Academic Programs Office written documentation showing the coding as unexcused to be incorrect. A report of all class absences (regardless of code) is readily available to students and their parents online in the school’s student database. As NCSSM places a high priority on learning opportunities in the classroom, a student who for any reason misses ten classes in the same course during a single trimester will not be granted academic credit without the specific permission of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Programs.
Response to Accumulated Unexcused Absences Unexcused absences are addressed under the disciplinary provisions of the NCSSM Code of Student Conduct. Please see the NCSSM Student Handbook for details.
Late and Incomplete Work Students are expected to complete and submit all coursework, exams, quizzes and labs by the deadlines established by the instructor. Late Work (i.e. failure to complete a course assignment by the announced deadline) is reported in the school’s database and penalized with the same sanction as that for a Severely Tardy—one-hour of Restricted Study at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday morning. Students will be reported for Late Work only once for any assignment that remains outstanding, however they may continue to accrue a grading penalty based on the number of days any assignment is late. Repeated incidents of Late Work result in the sanctions that are given for multiple tardies (see Student Handbook for details). Consequently, it is very important that students either complete each assignment on time or contact their instructor in advance to arrange for an extension.
Late Work Due to Excused or Approved Absences When students do not complete and submit assigned work due to an excused or approved absence, they are allowed to make up the work on a schedule established by meeting with the instructor. If at all possible, this meeting should occur prior to the day of the absence. The additional time to make up the work will vary depending on the subject and the nature of the assignment. All sections of the same course, however, have the same policy for make-up work.
Instructors may establish further procedures regarding late work for particular courses in the statement of Courses Expectations distributed at the beginning of each course. However, no such work (except Trimester exams) may be accepted after the last class day in each grading period. Trimester Exams must be completed no later than the examination period scheduled for that course.
Important Reminder Regarding Late Work at the End of the Trimester NCSSM school policy does not allow teachers to extend due dates into the final exam period, even in cases of illness. The only provision for turning in an assignment after the last day of classes is to receive an Incomplete for the course and to complete the work after the trimester ends. If, because of a serious, compelling reason, a student needs to request an Incomplete, he or she should contact the instructor(s), who will then submit a formal request to the Vice-Chancellor for Student Life, whose approval is required.