Absences

Typical Columbia University regulations hold that more than six unexcused absences can result in an automatic F course grade. In light of pandemic-related circumstances, we will not be observing a very strict absence policy, but it would be optimal for both individual learning and the intellectual sociality of the classroom if you could be present for as many class sessions as you can, if not all.

In the event of an absence, it is advisable that you contact your instructor via email to note your absence and discuss missed material—if possible, this should be done in advance of the missed class session. You will not be obliged to give a reason for your absence.

Classroom Etiquette

In-class laptop or tablet use should be focused on course-related activity; cell phones and Apple watches will not be considered appropriate devices for reading course texts during class sessions. Please show respect for your instructor and peers by refraining from emailing, web surfing, texting, and other activities unrelated to the seminar during class meetings. There will also be zero tolerance of discriminatory or hostile language or action directed toward any member of the class, on grounds of race, sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion, socioeconomic class, etc. This will apply both to in-class interactions and offline interactions made through annotations.

Faculty Statement on Academic Integrity

The intellectual venture in which we are all engaged requires of faculty and students alike the highest level of personal and academic integrity. As members of an academic community, each one of us bears the responsibility to participate in scholarly discourse and research in a manner characterized by intellectual honesty and scholarly integrity.

Scholarship, by its very nature, is an iterative process, with ideas and insights building one upon the other. Collaborative scholarship requires the study of other scholars’ work, the free discussion of such work, and the explicit acknowledgement of those ideas in any work that inform our own. This exchange of ideas relies upon a mutual trust that sources, opinions, facts, and insights will be properly noted and carefully credited.

In practical terms, this means that, as students, you must be responsible for the full citations of others’ ideas in all of your research papers and projects; you must be scrupulously honest when taking your examinations; you must always submit your own work and not that of another student, scholar, or internet agent.

Any breach of this intellectual responsibility is a breach of faith with the rest of our academic community. It undermines our shared intellectual culture, and it cannot be tolerated. Students failing to meet these responsibilities should anticipate being asked to leave Columbia. For more information and examples of forms of plagiarism, see the Columbia University Undergraduate Guide to Academic Integrity.

Support Services

• Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
  Students who register with the Office of Disability Services will receive a letter stating the accommodations to which they are entitled without disclosing other information. For registration, consult with Disability Services and your advising dean as soon as possible, as official documentation from the ODS is needed in order to provide accommodations. Please see also the Faculty Statement on Disability Accommodations.
• The Writing Center (Philosophy Hall 310)
  You are encouraged to visit the Writing Center, where you can receive free individual consultations on your writing at any stage in the writing process. You can make appointments and view drop-in hours on its website.
• Counseling and Psychological Services
  The Office of Counseling and Psychological Services provides many kinds of support for student wellness and academic success.
• Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA)
  The OMA offers resources for international students and LGBTQIA+ students, including contact information for relevant student groups.