Faculty-Student Covenant: Models of Motion 2007-2008

The following statements describe the procedures to be employed in the interactions between faculty and students, and outline faculty expectations of students in the Models of Motion program.

General Expectations: It is expected that all participants in this program will be socially responsible and enter into the program in a spirit of good will. This means, among other things, that they will be on time and prepared for all their classes (lectures, workshops, seminar, laboratories, etc.); that they will consider the effects of their actions on others as well as themselves (for example, failure to participate actively in program activities such as workshops, labs, and seminar seriously undermines the effectiveness and morale of other students); that, should problems arise, they will deal directly with the parties involved with civility and tolerance.

Students are expected to work co-operatively in program activities except when taking tests, where they must work individually. When reporting on collaborative efforts (as in Laboratory sections) students must give credit to their collaborators and indicate their personal contribution.

Program Content and Design: The nature and extent of material covered in the program is the responsibility of the faculty. Models of Motion integrate the subjects of math, physics, and computer science. All students are expected to participate in all portions of the program unless prior arrangements have been made with faculty.

Evaluation and Credit: Students will be evaluated on their contribution to seminar and workshop discussions, on their performance on the quizzes and exams given during each quarter, on their performance on the homework exercises, on their performance in laboratory, and on the quality of their papers and presentations submitted or presented during each quarter. Each student is required to complete a self evaluation each quarter before evaluation week.

The following credit threshold establishes a minimum basis for the award of credit:

• a) Attendance and participation is expected in all program activities. If an unavoidable circumstance requires that a class be missed, students must contact the faculty before missing the class. Undocumented absences will result in loss of credit.
• b) Timely completion of all homework assignments, papers and presentations. Late assignments will receive at most half credit if received within one week of due date. Students will be required to keep a portfolio of all material for each quarter.
• c) Demonstration to the faculty of satisfactory comprehension in the subject areas covered.

Evaluation Procedure: Students will be evaluated in writing at the end of each quarter by their faculty member. This faculty member will receive appropriate information from other members of the faculty team, but will be responsible for writing the overall evaluation of the student. The faculty members will complete and submit student evaluations to the program secretary in a timely fashion.

Students are required to complete a faculty evaluation of each faculty member at the end of each quarter. These should be turned in to the faculty member or the program secretary.

Award of Credit: Credit will be awarded for each component (calculus, physics, computer science) of the program at the end of each quarter. Half credit will be awarded if more than half but not all of the class expectations have been met.  Students continuing in the program for Winter quarter should receive full credit for each component fall quarter.

Cause for Dismissal: A student may be dismissed from the program if all members of the faculty team agree that the student is acting in a fashion that impairs the learning community of the program. Cheating and/or plagiarism are grounds for dismissal with loss of all credit.

Grievance: Should an unresolved disagreement occur between the student and the faculty team, students have the right to follow the normal college grievance procedures described in the student handbook.