Table of Contents

Part I:  Policies

• Teaching Supervisor
• University Policies
  • Discrimination and Harassment
  • University Reading Day and Final Exam Date Policies
  • Honors Day Policy
  • Academic Accommodations
  • Policy for Food & Drink in Classrooms
  • Grading Policies
  • Drop/Add
  • Certification of Absence from Class for Medical Reasons
  • Religious Holidays Attendance Policy
  • Academic Honesty
• Department Policies
  • Office Hours
  • Course Syllabus
  • Missing Class
  • Teaching Evaluations
  • Record Keeping
  • Research Participation
  • Grade Appeals
  • Copying
  • Instructional Technology
• Course Policies

Part II:  Teaching Resources and Tips

• Campus Teaching Resources
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Establishing Rapport & Motivation
• Classroom Strategies
• Testing and Evaluation Strategies

Appendices

• Appendix A:  Research Participation
• Appendix B:  Buckley Amendment Waiver
• Appendix C:  Sample Plus/Minus Grading Criteria
• Appendix D:  Important Dates

Part I:  Policies Section

Part I of this manual provides a summary of key university and department regulations for instruction. During or before orientation you will receive a supplement to this manual from your teaching supervisor which will include the master syllabus for your classes and the protocols particular to them.   Please be sure you know the teaching supervisor to whom you will be reporting, as the phrase “teaching supervisor” will be used frequently in this manual.

*During the fall and spring semesters, the Undergraduate Coordinator will be responsible for the basic administration of any non-large lecture class (for example, a section of 1500, 3700 or 3310). Basic administration includes such tasks as grade appeals, students who wish to add a class during drop/add, etc.  During all summer sessions, the Department Head will do so.

If a conflict between the teaching supervisor and a graduate teaching assistant (GTA) emerges, the Department Head (in consultation with the Undergraduate Coordinator) will work toward resolution with the individuals involved. 

University Level Policies

Instructors are expected to act in a professional manner with all students, staff members and faculty.  Instructors must adhere to UGA rules and regulations for conduct.

Discrimination and Harassment

The University of Georgia is committed to maintaining a fair and respectful environment for living, work and study. The University prohibits any member of the faculty (including graduate instructors) from harassing and/or discriminating against any other member of the university community because of that person’s race, sex (including sexual harassment), sexual orientation, ethnic or national origin, religion, age, disabled status, or status as a disabled veteran or veteran of the Vietnam era. Incidents of harassment and discrimination will be met with appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from the University.  You are required to read the university’s policy on harassment (http://www.uga.edu/eoo/pdfs/NDAH.pdf) and to ensure your behavior is in accordance with the policy whenever you represent the university.

University Reading Day and Final Exam Dates Policy

Important Dates.  Appendix D provides you with a quick reference for important dates during fall and spring semester such as reading days, the final exam schedule, etc.  For those of you who are new to the University of Georgia system, please read the footnotes to these tables carefully before creating your syllabus.  For example, the note to the Fall schedule reads “The University will operate a Friday class schedule on Tuesday, Dec. 8. This is done to equalize the class minutes between MWF and TTH classes and to provide an equal number of class meetings for courses which may meet only once per week.”

Reading Days.  Reading Days are designed to provide time for students to prepare for final examinations. No mandatory assignments can be scheduled for completion during the Reading Days. Exceptions for good cause can be made to this policy by the Vice President for Instruction. Nothing in this policy limits the ability of instructors to schedule optional study reviews for their students during these days.

Final Exams.  You may hold either an exam or speech rounds during the final exam period listed in the UGA Schedule of Classes.  You will find the final exam schedule for Fall 2009 at: http://www.reg.uga.edu/or.nsf/html/Fall_Exam_Schedule_2009.  It is your responsibility to make sure your syllabus accurately reflects the appropriate date and time.

Whether the final exam period is used to give an exam or hold speech rounds, all students must be present.  No exceptions.  Note also that you may not give a test on the last day of classes; it must be during the final exam period, even if it is just an hour long “regular” test.

With the consent of your teaching supervisor, those of you who are the instructor of record for a class have the authority to manage students who have conflicts with the final examination schedule. A student with three final examinations scheduled on the same calendar day or two examinations at the same time may petition to reschedule one exam. The instructions for rescheduling are located at www.bulletin.uga.edu.

Honors Day Policy

Undergraduate classes scheduled for sixth, seventh and eighth periods (1:25-4:25 p.m.) will be dismissed so students and faculty can attend. 

Academic Accommodations

Some students may require particular academic accommodations. They must provide you with documentation for any learning accommodation that is requested.  The Disability Resource Center will provide written documentation that specifies the needed modifications (e.g., note taker, extra time for tests).  If the student does not provide documentation, please have the student contact Disability Resource Center. Additional “Tips for Faculty” regarding academic accommodations may be found at http://www.drc.uga.edu/providingtestaccommodations.php.

Policy for Food or Drink in Classrooms during Academic Classes

Food is prohibited in all classrooms. Drinks are permitted only in spill-proof containers. It is the responsibility of each instructor to require students to comply with this policy.

Grading Policy

The University of Georgia uses a plus/minus system for grading except for the grade of A which can only be reported as an A or an A-.   See Appendix C for an example on how to use the plus/minus system.

Grade Posting Policy

Student grades cannot be posted publicly; student confidentiality must be strictly maintained. This policy means you may not post grades on your door, nor can you leave a box of student papers in the hall for students to collect.  Grades may be posted on WebCT/eLearning because students can only gain access to their own grades.

According to the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), you may not disclose any academic information to another person (even parents) without the student’s consent.  This includes scheduling information (such as “is my son/daughter in your class?”). You may talk to a parent if and only if the student signs a Buckley Amendment Waiver Form.  A copy of the Buckley Amendment Waiver can be found in Appendix B.  When a student has signed a copy of the form, make two copies of it and give them to the Undergraduate Coordinator and the Department Head (individuals that parents are likely to contact to discuss their sons' and/or daughters' performance).  Keep the original in your own permanent files.

Do not save a copy of your grade book or any other grading material on public computers (such as those in the grad lab).  That is a violation of FERPA.

Drop/Add Policy

Students are expected to attend classes on a regular basis during the drop/add period. A student who incurs an excessive number of absences during drop/add may be withdrawn from the class at the discretion of the teaching supervisor. Your students may drop undergraduate-level courses through the fourth business day of classes.

You may not add students during drop/add.  The only persons with the authority to add students to your sections are (a) your teaching supervisor, (b) the Undergraduate Coordinator and (c) the Undergraduate Advisor.  If a student asks to be added to your class or your section class, please instruct the student to email the undergraduate coordinator. 

After drop/add, a student who wishes to withdraw from a course must withdraw through OASIS.  The instructor elects whether to offer a WP (withdrawal-passing) or WF (withdrawal failing) to the student based on his or her performance in the class to that date. 

If a student experiences significant personal hardship (e.g., medical or family emergency, prolonged illness), the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs (OVPSA) can facilitate a hardship withdrawal. If sufficient documentation is provided and a hardship withdrawal is approved, the OVPSA will work with the instructor to assign a withdrawal grade for the course. A hardship withdrawal does not guarantee a grade of WP (pass); it is each instructor’s prerogative to assign a grade of WP (pass) or WF (fail). 

Occasionally, you will have a student who is on your class list but who never attends or stops attending class. GTAs who serve as the instructor of record should execute a teacher-initiated drop for these students two weeks before the midterm deadline.  To do so you will need: (1) The student’s name, (2) the course call number, (3) the student’s date of last attendance (or you may report “never”), and (4) the grade to be assigned (e.g., WP or WF).

Certification of Absence from Class for Medical Reasons

Please make sure your syllabus accords with the following information provided by the University Health Center.  You should not expect the University Health Center (UHC) to routinely provide verification for class absences or of outpatient treatment.  Absence from class for medical reasons may be verified in writing from the UHC only when the UHC suggests a student should be hospitalized.  UHC asks us to emphasize to new instructors that their policy provides for certification only after the in-hospital illness has occurred. It is the student's responsibility to resolve absence problems with the instructor of the class missed. If an instructor desires confirmation of treatment at the UHC, you may telephone Medical Records at 542-1162. Only the date(s) of treatment will be provided due to the confidentiality of medical information.

Religious Holidays Attendance Policy

The university asks all instructors to accommodate student absences from classes and other academic commitments on the following recognized religious holidays:

Please consult a resource such as http://www.interfaithcalendar.org/  for a more comprehensive list of religious observances as well as for specific dates of each holiday.

It is the responsibility of the student to contact the instructor to determine the conditions under which work will be made up.

Academic Honesty

Both as an instructor and as a graduate student, it is imperative that you fully understand the university’s academic honesty code.  Critical points are summarized below; however, if you have any questions during the term, please go on-line and review the policy before talking to your teaching supervisor:  http://www.uga.edu/honesty/ahpd/culture_honesty.htm. Remind students that one does not have to intend to violate the Academic Honesty policy to be in violation of it.

“Academic honesty is – defined broadly and simply – the performance of all academic work without cheating, lying, stealing, or receiving assistance from any other person or using any source of information not appropriately authorized or attributed” (From the Preamble to “A Culture of Honesty”).  Every undergraduate at the University of Georgia has received a copy of the booklet entitled “A Culture of Honesty: Policies and Procedures on Academic Dishonesty.” This document has a thorough presentation of academic dishonesty as well as a full description of the procedures to adjudicate alleged incidents. The policies and procedures described in “A Culture of Honesty” will be strictly followed.  Some key points are summarized below.  You are encouraged to review these examples with your students each semester.

Examples of Academic Dishonesty

1. Plagiarism: Submission the words, ideas, opinions or theories of another that are not common knowledge, without appropriate attribution to that other person. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the following acts:
   1. Directly quoting all or part of another person's written or spoken words without quotation marks, as appropriate to the discipline;
   2. Paraphrasing all or part of another person's written or spoken words without notes or documentation within the body of the work;
   3. Presenting an idea, theory or formula originated by another person as the original work of the person submitting that work;
   4. Repeating information, such as statistics or demographics, which is not common knowledge and which was originally compiled by another person;
   5. Purchasing (or receiving) a term paper or other assignment that is the work of another person and submitting that term paper or other assignment as the student's own work.
2. Unauthorized assistance:  Giving or receiving assistance in connection with any examination or other academic work that has not been authorized by an instructor. During examinations, quizzes and similar activity, students are to assume that any assistance is unauthorized unless it has been specifically authorized by an instructor. Examples include:
   1. Copying, or allowing another to copy, answers to an examination;
   2. Giving or receiving answers to an examination scheduled for a later time;
   3. Completing for another, or allowing another to complete for you, all or part of an assignment (such as a paper, exercise, homework assignment, presentation, report);
   4. Submitting a group assignment, or allowing that assignment to be submitted, representing that the project is the work of all of the members of the group when less than all of the group members assisted substantially in its preparation.
3. Lying/Tampering:  Giving any false information in connection with the performance of any academic work.  Examples include:
   1. Giving false reasons (in advance or after the fact) for failure to complete academic work. This includes, for example, giving false excuses to an instructor for failure to attend an exam;
   2. Altering academic work after it has been submitted for credit and requesting academic credit for the altered work, unless such alterations are part of an assignment (such as a request of an instructor to revise the academic work);
   3. Submitting an item of academic work that has been submitted (even when submitted previously by that student) for credit in another course, unless one has authorization of the current instructor.

Procedures for Coping with Academic Dishonesty

Please check the master syllabus of the class you are teaching for any other procedures that your teaching supervisor might require.  What is summarized below is the university policy.

If you suspect academic dishonesty, you must permit the student to complete all required academic work and shall evaluate and grade all work except the assignment(s) involved in the accusation of dishonesty. You may take any action reasonably necessary to collect and preserve evidence of the alleged violation.

When you believe that an incident of academic dishonesty occurred, contact your teaching supervisor and the Office of the Vice President for Instruction. The Office of the Vice President for Instruction will notify the student of the report.  A meeting will be scheduled and a Facilitator will be provided for a fair and focused discussion about what may have occurred.  The instructor(s) who reported the matter, the student(s) believed to have violated the policy, and the Facilitator are the only participants in a Facilitated Discussion. These Discussions may not be recorded.  Note:  The facilitator will not tell you if the student has ever been brought up on charges before, even if you ask the facilitator.   However, you can ask the student directly in the meeting.

The instructor and student may reach an agreement about the matter and, if dishonesty is involved, may determine the appropriate consequence(s).  If no resolution is agreed upon, the matter will be forwarded to a Continued Discussion with an Academic Honesty Panel which will determine the outcome of the allegation.  You may read more about the policies of the Academic Honesty Panel at http://www.uga.edu/honesty/ahpd/procedures.html.

Department Level Policies

In addition to university policies, the department has several class policies with which you should be thoroughly familiar.  Please make sure that you understand and can implement the policies described below.  If you should have any questions or need any clarification, do not hesitate to speak with your teaching supervisor, the Undergraduate Coordinator or the Department Head.

Office Hours

Instructors must post and hold office hours in their assigned office on a regular schedule.  All instructors are required to hold at least three hours per week across two different days.  You should also be available to set appointments at an alternative but reasonable time upon a student’s request.  Be advised that even if no one comes, you are obligated to be in your office during your regularly scheduled office hours.  In order to hold office hours in a space other than your assigned office, you must have prior approval by your teaching supervisor.

Course Syllabus

All syllabi at the University of Georgia should indicate that dates are tentative and may be changed later.  You may do so on the top of the timeline page of your syllabus by stating “Tentative Timeline (subject to change)."  Note, however, that GTAs may not deviate from the due dates, policies, etc. that have been established in the large lecture master syllabi.

Missing Class

It is expected that you will meet with your class for every class period. If you are unable to attend class, you must have prior approval from your teaching supervisor.  Typically, you will want to arrange for some other qualified person to cover your class in your absence.  That person must have the approval of your teaching supervisor in advance.  Note that there will be no exceptions to this rule: Your teaching supervisor must know who is in your classroom when you are not there.  If you suddenly find you cannot be in class (unexpected illness, emergency, etc.) contact your supervisor and the main office immediately.

Teaching Evaluations

Each term, your teaching skills will be evaluated by your teaching supervisor and your students.

Teaching Supervisor. If you are a GTA for a large lecture class, the instructor of record will evaluate your teaching.  If you are the instructor of record for a class, you will be evaluated by your teaching supervisor who, typically, will not be your academic advisor.   This is in your long-term interest since it will help you to build a strong teaching portfolio over the course of your graduate career.

If you are the instructor of record for a class, you will receive an email from the appropriate Area Head identifying your teaching supervisor for that term.  It is your responsibility to contact the faculty member, provide him/her a copy of your syllabus for the course, and arrange a time for a classroom observation.  Within two weeks of the observation, your teaching supervisor will prepare a written evaluation of your performance.  Copies of the evaluation will be given to you as well as the Undergraduate Coordinator and the Graduate Coordinator, who will put it in your permanent file. 

Students. Student evaluations will also be distributed and collected at the end of every semester for each class.  You must bring the course evaluations to class near the end of the term along with a sufficient number of #2 pencils for students to use (pencils may be found in the main office). You are required to leave the room while students complete the evaluations, and you must have one of the students return the evaluations to the main office.

Your course evaluations will be reviewed each term by your teaching supervisor, the Undergraduate Coordinator, and the Department Head.

Record Keeping

At the end of the academic year (prior to the summer holiday/sessions) a record of all grades must be turned in to the Undergraduate Advisor (Dustin Baker, jambaker@uga.edu). You may email the Undergraduate Advisor a copy of your on-line grade book (in the form of an excel spread sheet or a Word file). The record must be easy to understand and must include:

1. Every student’s name
2. Grades for weighted assignments (e.g., attendance, papers, class activities, tests)
3. Indication of whether the student completed the research requirement.

Please make sure you keep your own copy of all grades for all classes you teach while at UGA at least one full year.

Research Participation.

Some classes require students to participate in research while other classes offer extra credit for research participation. In Appendix A is a letter from Dr. Shen, the Research Pool Coordinator. This letter outlines the three mechanisms for students to fulfill their research requirement.  Please read Appendix A thoroughly and understand your obligations as an instructor in carrying out these policies.  Please also check the course policy for specifics since some instructors allow students to be granted extra credit for research participation while others do not.

Grade Appeals

Occasionally, students are unsatisfied with their assigned grade for a course. Students have up to one year to appeal a grade.  If a student has a grade grievance, follow the department guidelines.

Bases for Appeal:  Grade appeals must be based on one or more of the following issues:

1. Inaccurate Evaluation or Grade Calculation.  Such appeals must demonstrate that the instructor inaccurately graded one or more assignments and/or made a clerical error in calculating the graded work.
2. Discrimination. Appeals based on discrimination must demonstrate that the instructor treated a student differently in assigning grades than he/she treated other students in a similar circumstance.  The different treatment must have resulted in the student being assigned a lower grade than would have been assigned if the student were treated similarly. 
3. Failure to Follow Course Policies.  Such appeals must demonstrate that the instructor failed to follow written or orally communicated policies related to grading for his/her course.  The student must demonstrate that the instructor’s failure to follow one or more course policies resulted in a lower grade than would have been assigned had policies been followed.
4. Failure to Follow Published University Policies.  Such appeals must demonstrate that the instructor failed to follow published University policies related to instruction and/or grading and that the instructor’s failure adversely affected the student’s grade.

The Appeals Process 

1. If a student believes he or she received a grade other than the one he or she earned based on course policies and the evaluation of his or her work, the student must first attempt to resolve the grade dispute with his or her instructor.  
2. If a student has unsuccessfully attempted to resolve a grade dispute with you, direct him or her to your teaching supervisor.  Inform the student that your teaching supervisor will require a typed grade appeal.  Please check with your teaching supervisor for his/her requirements for this grade appeal.
3. If the student is still dissatisfied, direct the student to appeal to the Department Head.  The appeal should be typewritten and include the following elements:
   1. Student’s name and mailing address,
   2. The class name, term class was completed, instructor’s name
   3. Grade received
   4. The appeal should make an argument, based on one or more of the issues presented above (see Bases for Appeals) indicating why the grade received should be changed. 
   5. The appeal should request a specific remedy, i.e., indicate to what grade the student wants the original grade changed
4. If, the grade dispute is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction, he or she may appeal the grade to the Academic Standards Committee of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.  Instruct the student to contact the Franklin College for specific instructions on how to do so. 

Copying

Copying is to be kept at an absolute minimum.  Instructors are expected to post their syllabi and course policy statements, assignments, and other instructional material on WebCT/eLearning.  When you create WebCT/eLearning accounts for classes, the Undergraduate Coordinator and your teaching supervisor must have access to those accounts.  List them as instructors as well.   You must use the web interfaces provided by the University of Georgia for your classes. 

Each instructor is given 300 free copies for each class they teach and 200 copies for personal use.  After your copy limit has been reached, you will be charged seven cents per copy.  Depending on your teaching style, some instructors also develop course packs (i.e., additional readings, assignments etc.) that are duplicated at a local copy center such as Bel- Jean Copy-Print Center.  If you pursue this option, make sure that your course pack is completed and at the duplicating center at least two to three weeks before classes begin.  

Do NOT make copies of exams in the department.  Your exams will be copied and placed in your mailbox provided you do the following at least 72 hours in advance of administering the exam:  1) fill out the “copy form” in main office; 2) place your original exam and the copy request form in the “Staff” mail box.  The requested number of copies will be made and returned to your mailbox. 

Again, note that you must allow 72 hours for examinations to be duplicated.  These copies will not be deducted from the 200 you are allotted for a specific class, provided you give the main office staff 72 hours notice.  Given the large number of copying requests generated by basic course sections, the 72-hour rule is strictly enforced.  It simply is not possible to honor “rush” requests.

Please take the responsibility of checking your exam copies when they are returned to you.  As the staff may be copying exams for numerous classes on a given day during the mid-term and final periods, mistakes happen.  A careful check to make sure that all the pages are there and in the order you requested is simple to do before you hand out the test to students.

Instructional Technology

Under no circumstances should you save files on public computers, including those in Terrell Hall 214 or the grad labs.  The computer support person purges these computers regularly.  Recall also that under university guidelines that you may never have a copy of grades in any form on public computers. 

Instructional technology is typically available in every classroom.  Instructors should check their assigned classroom before classes start to ensure it has the needed technology.  

For rooms with an equipment cabinet, keys can be obtained from the Center for Teaching and Learning (TLC 542-1582).  The TLC also has a wide array of technology you can borrow for a class (e.g., video monitor, slide projector, LCD projector, etc.)  If you call ahead, they will deliver the technology to your classroom and pick it up afterwards. 

The Student Learning Center (SLC) controls technology access in its classrooms.  Before classes begin, you must go through an SLC orientation.  You may sign up for an orientation by contacting Anna Gore (542-3456).  After you complete that orientation, you will be allowed to pick up the keys to the instructional/equipment cabinet.

For Room 214 Terrell Hall, you can obtain an equipment key from Carrie Cabe at the beginning of the semester and this key must be returned by the end of the term. Room 214 has all the needed classroom technology.  The department also has laptop computers, video cameras, digital cameras, and a LCD projector available for checkout for use in other classrooms.  Please contact Carrie Cabe for this equipment (122 Terrell Hall, carrie@uga.edu).  You will be required to sign the equipment out as well as sign again when you return it.  Equipment must be returned within 24 hours of checkout.   Never assume equipment will be available as it is under constant demand. Emailing Carrie at least 3 days in advance is the best way to ensure you will have access to a specific piece of equipment.

NOTE:  If you intend to take any UGA equipment off campus, a special form must be filled out at the time you check it out.  If you do not complete this form and the equipment is broken or stolen when you are off campus, you are responsible for replacing stolen equipment.  University policy states that graduate students may not take laptops off campus.  If you need a laptop, a faculty member can sign on your behalf.  Contact your teaching supervisor or academic advisor as appropriate.

The university currently uses WebCT for all on-line course information (such as syllabi, assignments, grades, PDF file copies of readings, email, etc.). Beginning spring semester ’10, UGA will no longer use of WEBCT and, thus, will not be offering training on WebCT in the fall.  If you are assisting an instructor of record who is using WebCT this fall or if you wish to use it yourself, ask a senior graduate student for help in learning to navigate the system.

By Spring 2010, all instructors must use the eLearning Commons.  A training session will be held early fall in the department. In the meantime and for future reference, the eLearning Commons website is http://elc.uga.edu.

Course Level Policies

For the Basic Courses and large lecture courses, your teaching supervisor will provide supplementary materials during orientation including master syllabi and specific course policies.   For those GTAs serving as the instructor of record for classes other than the basic courses, your teaching supervisor (determined by the Area Chair) must have approved or selected your course text and must have approved your syllabus before the start of classes. They may also provide you with additional policies for teaching your specific course (e.g., extra credit policy). 

Part II:  Teaching Resources and Tips

Part II of the instructor’s manual contains several teaching tips, gleaned from researchers, educators, former basic course directors, and former graduate teaching assistants.

Campus Teaching Resources

The Media Department in the Main Library

The Media Department is located on the 7th floor of the Main Library.  The Media Department provides access to current academic DVDs and VHS tapes, VHS documentaries, some major Hollywood films, and a variety of collections such as the Peabody Awards Collection.  In order to check out material from the Media Department, you will first need to get a form from the Media Department that your supervisor must sign.  This form indicates that you will be using the material for academic purposes.

Teaching and Learning Center (TLC)

TLC provides a variety of services to instructors (see their website:  http://www.isd.uga.edu).  Be sure to check out their link for Teaching Assistant Support.  One of the links that is quite helpful is for Teaching Resources (http://www.ctl.uga.edu/teach_asst/teach_asst.htm).  It covers a variety of topics ranging from difficult classroom issues to learning styles to effective lectures and presentations.  Helpful tips to make your classroom experience more constructive are contained in each topic.

Department Resources

A variety of resources such as sample syllabi, public speaking, and interpersonal books are available from senior GTAs and/or the faculty.  I encourage you to check with senior GTAs for such resources.

Colleagues

Your colleagues represent one of your best teaching resources.  Be sure to ask them questions.  They have a wealth of experience in regards to lecturing, classroom activities, and student management.  Remember, you are colleagues and one the best ways to show your collegiality is to help people when they ask for assistance.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What do I do if a student contacts me and tells me that there has been a death in the family and the student will be absent from my class?
This is one of those circumstances where you need to use your best judgment.  If the student is going to be gone for only one or two days, then you will need to work out with the student how you will handle the absence.  It is appropriate to request some type of written verification from the student if you wish.  The Office of Student Affairs does not handle short term or routine student absences.  However, if the student experiences some type of crisis, such as the death of a parent, which will require an extended absence, the student should contact the Office of Student Affairs (542-3564).

Can I give an incomplete to a student for my class?
No, if the course policies are being followed, there should be no reason for granting an incomplete unless they have not completed the Research Requirement.  If there are extenuating circumstances that may warrant an incomplete, please contact your teaching supervisor immediately.

What do I do if I think a student needs medical or psychological assistance?
Medical attention can be received at the University Health Center.  For psychological assistance, students may be referred to the Counseling and Psychiatric Services (706-542-2273, http://uhs.uga.edu/caps/). CAPS offers individual and group counseling and other psychiatric services.

Establishing Rapport and Motivating Students

The environment established by the instructor plays a significant role in the success or failure of students. There are a number of specific ways to build rapport with your students, inspire confidence, and create a good learning environment. You may want to think about these ideas:

1. Enthusiasm. Nothing bores a student more than a bored instructor. You will have bad days, times when it seems impossible to summon the energy to teach a class. Fight through it. Take a moment, focus on the task at hand, and build your enthusiasm. If you don't show interest in the material, then students cannot be expected to do so, either.

2. Clarity. Know what you want to accomplish with each activity, assignment, discussion, and lecture. Students should not have to guess about the purpose of the day's work. Sometimes you move along a different track than the one with which you began the class period. If, however, you consistently muddle through and confuse students, they will not learn. It is good practice to begin every class with an overt statement of purpose, outline of activities, and a tie-in with the previous class; conclude with a summary of key ideas and a forecast of the next class.

3. Example. Teach by example. Since the ancient Greeks, teachers have asked students to imitate effective models--imitatio was a key concept for the Roman rhetoricians Cicero and Quintillian and it finds considerable support in the literature today. If you suggest that good interpersonal communication requires effective listening, then you need to be an effective listener. If you suggest that impression management depends partly upon appropriate attire, then you should wear appropriate attire. Raised in the age of Hard Copy and the National Enquirer, today's students seek out perceived hypocrisy with ferocious intensity.

4. Involvement. Aristotle suggests that audiences who persuade themselves are most easily and effectively persuaded. You cannot turn your class over to the students; you can, however, draw examples, premises, and ideas from their lives and use them in the classroom. You can also delegate to students some responsibility for carrying out a discussion (It's always wise to have a back-up plan in case students fail to rise to the challenge).

5. Expectations. Your standards often determine how much effort students put into the process of learning in your course. So, set your standards such that the brightest students must stretch a little to learn.

6. Interaction. Students learn more if you treat them with respect and as partners in a mutually beneficial relationship. Students really appreciate it if you know their names and engage in small talk before and after class. This does, however, depend on your personality and what is most comfortable for you. Nevertheless, such attentiveness creates a positive, healthy, and productive classroom environment.  Be sure to keep the office hours and appointments you have scheduled, especially for those students whose performance is lacking. In an ideal world, students performing below their potential would desperately seek your guidance on how to improve; unfortunately, that is not always the case. You might find yourself being the initiator in these circumstances. You can be sure that when a student is made aware of your genuine concern for their success, s/he will do their best not to let you done.

Classroom Strategies

There are several strategies that can be used in the classroom.  Each semester, you should explore different means of getting students actively involved with the material.  Below are tips that faculty have contributed over the years.

Lecture

Lectures have acquired the cachet of platform shoes; we know that people use them, but we simply can't imagine why. Here's why: Effective lecturing is the most efficient method of delivering a large quantity of information in a short period of time. As with many communicative strategies, a lecture is not bad in and of itself. At times, you need to cover a lot of ground quickly. At other times, the content itself dictates a lecture format. Finally, you may simply have a class for whom discussion is an impossibility. To ignore entirely an effective teaching strategy makes no sense; to use only one teaching strategy makes no sense. Mix and match your efforts and, if you choose to lecture, do it well.

Kenneth Eble (1977, p. 52), a respected researcher, compiled the following list of bad lecture habits. Think about how many of these faults could apply to public speakers; think also about your feelings as you watched a lecture with the following characteristics.

1. Lack of introduction to the subject or the speaker.

2. Lack of contact with the audience.

3. Fixed posture with attention focused on notes.

4. Monotonous voice with little emphasis or force.

5. No references to outside contexts or broader subjects.

6. Use of arcane terms unfamiliar to the audience.

7. Reference to materials not available to the audience.

8. Interest in subject conveyed as expertise in trivia.

9. Repeated hesitations just short of fumbling.

10. Little sense of time passing, but insistence on completing the material.

It is not surprising to find that a good lecture embodies the opposite qualities. The key to presenting an effective lecture is to practice what we teach:

1. Fit the material to the time available.

2. Use precise examples and illustrations--read a daily newspaper, incorporate plots or characters from television shows, or even keep a commonplace book with good examples and illustrations for various topics you regularly teach.

3. Use nonverbals--move with purpose, use the blackboard or overhead, gesture, and, most of all, provide vocal variety and enthusiasm.

4. A good lecture is an interaction. Make eye contact, ask for questions, and gauge the mood of the audience. Do they get it? Are they bored? Excited? You can vary your pace, examples, and strategies to solve at least some of those problems.

5. Never read a lecture. The President may need to read a speech to get the details exactly right; you do not need to do so. Construct a lecture as a key word outline (Zarefsky, 1996, p. 288). Use an extemporaneous format.
   

6. Provide the audience with frequent breathing spaces for questions and provide, in a 1-hour class, at least two key breaks in topics--moves to other main ideas. Students have a clear attention span of about 20 minutes. If you're lecturing for a period, do 20 on one topic, 20 on another, with a breathing space and summary between the main ideas.

7. Preview and summarize. Students need repetition.

8. I add one to this list.  Never, ever, lecture “straight from the book.”  Students are expected to read the book.  Class time is meant to supplement and extend those readings or to explain and illustrate particularly difficult concepts.  If you lecture from the book, do not be surprised at poor course evaluations, bored students and questions from students about why they have to come to class.

Discussion

Whether you are leading a large group or breaking your class up into smaller groups for discussion, the primary principles of effective discussion are similar. To achieve maximum potential, discussion sessions must be planned. Although occasional spontaneous discussions are exciting and worthwhile, most require organization and direction. 

The advantages and disadvantages of discussion mirror those of lecture. Here are some thoughts to consider (see Eble, 1977, pp. 58-59):

1. Discussion is not very good for dispensing information, but it is useful for fixing, relating, and promoting thought about already acquired information.

2. Discussion is the primary way to raise the level of classroom involvement. It follows that using discussion to establish rapport, to motivate individuals and groups, to suggest directions of further inquiry, and to raise the interest level makes considerable sense.

3. Discussion helps develop argumentative skills in an atmosphere less threatening than that of a formal speech. The instructor may need to point out, sometimes in a conference with a student or to the class as a general remark, that the students have just done what they said they were too afraid to do!

4. Discussion promotes the use of effective interpersonal skills--mindful listening, perception checking, or self-concept reflection, among others--but, if not carefully conducted, can also exclude some students or demonstrate poor interpersonal skills.

5. Discussion plays an important role in tying important concepts to students' lives, but it often takes considerable time. You may need to think about ways to "jump-start" a discussion because a good discussion often takes close to an hour to get rolling.

The following strategies have stood the test of time and may prove useful to you (Barnes-McConnell, 1980, pp. 74-75; Eble, 1977, pp. 62-63). Remember, however, that every class is different. You need to use you best judgment to adapt these guidelines to your particular students. That talent will grow with time. If you consistently practice a physical activity, you're likely to improve. If you consistently teach from year to year, you will gain experience at "reading" students and their reactions.

1. Make clear the ground rules for a particular discussion. Is this a brainstorming session? A debate of sorts? A time for exploration? If one person wishes to explore self-concept, and another wishes to debate, you will have a problem. In addition, you generally want to encourage students to avoid ad hominem attacks, interruptions, hasty generalizations or judgments, and the tendency to become immersed in semantic tangles.

2. In some discussions, even most discussions in a one-hour class, you will want to keep track of main ideas developed in the discussion. You could take notes as the talk proceeds and summarize them on the board at the conclusion. Or, you could write them down during the discussion, especially if you are engaging in brainstorming sessions or the like.

3. Watch for stumbling blocks to constructive discussion (personality conflict, instructor domination, etc.). A discussion leader cannot avoid dealing with individuals who block discussion. Here are three possible strategies:

   1. Put questions off on the promise that they will be answered in the course of the discussion. If you use this strategy, make sure to come back to the question at some point.

   2. Bluntly rule out quibbles as less than crucial at this point in the discussion. Offer temporary resolutions if needed.

   3. Step in as a referee in arguments between individuals, if they are distracting the class, and move the conversation to another person or topic.

4. Encourage a student making unclear contributions to give examples. Restate points for verification or rejection by that student.

5. Encourage a student making hesitant contributions. Enquire further, ask for examples, and provide appropriate nonverbal support (smiles, nods, later references to that student's point).

6. Tolerate silence!  If there is a task or issue on the table, it is okay for students to think without having an instructor put words into their mouths. Plus, particularly early in the semester, some students will test you with silence. If you supply all of the talk, they do not have to think, work, or read--they become note-taking machines. An instructor who cannot tolerate silence may come off as tense, insecure, or unstable.

7. Reinforce student freedom to talk by not cutting them off and by asking them to respond to one another. Do not talk too much or change the format back to lecture.

8. Sometimes, a writing exercise may stimulate discussion, particularly from those students who do not think quickly or well on their feet. Take a few minutes at the opening of class, ask students to jot down their thoughts on a particular issue, and then kick off the discussion. Such a move can jump-start a discussion and give reticent students the confidence to speak.

You need to be flexible as you choose teaching strategies. A lecture works well in some situations, and not so well in other situations. A discussion works well in some situations and not so well in other situations. You also need to be aware of your own strengths and limitations. Work through some of the following issues in your own mind.

1.  Do I turn over too much of the class to my students? Less experienced teachers often have a tendency to glory in discussion for discussions' sake. Be aware that you have a variety of classroom responsibilities. You should enjoy the often-pleasing task of establishing rapport with your students. You also have the more mundane responsibility to teach the material. These tasks do not have to conflict, but sometimes they manage to do so.

2.  Am I excluding certain students? For instance, studies repeatedly show that male and female teachers tend to call upon male students more than female students. Be aware of that fact. You must also face another fact: you will like some students, and you will dislike other students. Be aware of you own biases regarding your students.  

3.  Do I allow for a free discussion? You need to provide room for all points of view, although that does not mean you must tolerate what one professor of mine termed "glandular reactions." If a student makes an absurd or offensive remark, asking for evidence is often an effective strategy.

4.  Where do my skills rest? Some people lecture well; other people lead discussion. While you should develop a variety of teaching skills, you also need to take advantage of the talents that you possess.

Testing and Evaluation Strategies

Evaluation of students' performance in the classroom, which most often brings to mind grading and testing, is an emotionally charged issue. Students, many of whom have never received even a C, often react poorly to your decision. Less experienced teachers often feel a sense of guilt and responsibility.  So, it can be easier to give high grades. Yet, that strategy robs the students of a fair evaluation and, perhaps, of the opportunity to learn. Adherence to 5 guidelines should make the process of evaluation more consistent, if not less emotional:

1.  Develop clear general criteria for evaluation and share those with your students. You should recognize the difference between an A and a B performance, as well as the differences among other grade levels. Standards for failure should be announced and emphasized occasionally, so students have every opportunity to succeed. In public speaking, for instance, develop a standard sheet that explains the differences between the grade levels for speeches. In interpersonal communication, do the same for essays. Several experienced GTAs have such sheets. If you want examples, feel free to ask for them.

2.  Establish specific grading criteria prior to every assignment and provide your students with the total percentage or points the assignment will be worth, listing the breakdown of the various elements of the assignment. This should aid students as they prepare for the assignment and it will show them where their strengths and weaknesses are located following the assignment. In addition, the task of counseling a student is made easier for you if the grade has been justified in this way.  You may want to consider indicating to your students the average grade earned on this particular test/assignment last semester.  When students see the average grade was a 78, they may be happier with a 79 than if they did not have that information.

3.  Review the assignment when you return it, explaining again the specific expectations you provided prior to the assignment and the most common errors made by students as they completed the assignment. If a student is unhappy with a grade, indicate your willingness to take another look at the assignment and explain this policy at the beginning of every term. If they wish to have you take another look, however, they must request a review within a week and they must provide reasons in writing. There are three advantages to the writing policy:

1. Students do not make trivial complaints.
2. They often drop complaints when they discover they cannot justify their outrage.
3. Their outrage has time to cool. Talking to an angry student directly after an assignment has been returned is generally a recipe for disaster. They are not thinking clearly, any more than you would be thinking clearly in the moments after your dissertation prospectus was rejected.

4.  Balance your criticism by provid ing a mixture of both positive comments and constructive criticism. Early in the term, students usually appreciate suggestions for ways to improve and almost always want lots of responses. If you're not filling in much of the critique sheet, comment form, or back of the back page of the paper, they will be unhappy. In their minds, they are paying you to write comments. Do so, or they will be vocal. Always, always, always find at least one nice thing to say ("Your appearance was professional,” "I appreciate your commitment & sincerity--all writers should have those qualities," etc.).

5.  Keep good records. You need to keep clear and complete records of attendance, grades, classroom performances, and any other assignments, which may bear on the final grade. Just as important as the system you use is the accuracy and the comprehensiveness of your records. You will land in deep trouble if you do not have good records during any grade appeal.

6.  Your students will take examinations during the semester. You have the freedom and the responsibility to write your own examinations. Please keep a number of guidelines in mind:

1. Try to avoid ambiguity of statement and meaning. Do not overestimate your students' vocabulary.

2. Do not lift statements verbatim from the text to create test items.

3. In planning an examination, take care that one item does not provide clues to the answer of another item or items.

4. In a set of multiple choice or true false items, let the occurrence of the correct answers follow a random pattern--avoid systematic response patterns.

5. In items based upon opinion or authority, the item should indicate whose opinion or what source is relied upon.

Kenneth Eble has gleaned the following general hints for testing from his observation and research and several of the basic course directors have played with them: 

1. Use a variety of testing methods.
2. Always give feedback, promptly if possible. The more quickly you can return material, the happier you will make your students.  Taking longer than 7 days to return an assignment is unacceptable.
3. Tests are for learning, motivating, and measuring. All three purposes are important.
4. Regard the absolute worth of testing with a healthy skepticism.
5. Clarify test objectives, both before and after the test.
6. Provide written review sheets--students love them and they clarify your own thinking as you construct the examination.  Test review sheets can be as simple as taking the concepts, theories, etc., covered in the class and listing them on a piece of paper.  For the first test, you may want to  give 3 or 4 sample multiple choice questions that you expect will be more difficult than those you will actually use on the test. This strategy serves two purposes:  it familiarizes students with your question writing strategy (e.g., you will be looking for the “best” answer) and difficult questions serve as great motivation for studying.
7. Tests should reflect the emphasis you have placed upon various aspects of the material. If you spent five to ten minutes on a topic in the course of three to four weeks, that should not constitute a key portion of the examination. Remember also that your emphases will change from semester to semester. Change your examinations accordingly.
   A common strategy is let students know that 60% of exam materials will come from lecture and 40% from the book. Your lecture notes should not be redundant with the book. Students should expect to read on their own time.
8. Make sure that the test matches the time available--do not make students struggle desperately to complete an examination. Such tests serve the instructor's ego ("I am one mean....") more than they encourage learning.

7.  Finally, human nature being what it is, students will complain. To reduce the number and ferocity of complaints, think about the following checklist. It was developed by Jane Lynch, former student Ombudsman at Wright State University. She suggests that if you can answer yes to the following questions, you are more likely to avoid a grade grievance:

1. Do students have an accurate and timely syllabus which covers the entire course?
2. Does the syllabus clearly communicate course objectives and your expectations?
3. Have you clearly written the methods of determining the final grade, including both course requirements and the weight of each assignment?
4. Are your expectations for papers and projects communicated clearly? In writing?
5. Is your policy concerning the quality of an A performance, etc., announced early in the course and are students invited to ask questions?
6. Do you state policies regarding exams, make-up exams, and extra-credit? In writing?
7. Is your attendance policy, particularly any penalties, clearly stated?
8. Do you provide a substantive evaluation before the final drop date?
9. Do you follow the departmental policy on incompletes?
10. Have you clearly notified students of your office hours, office phone, and e-mail address? Do you keep your office hours?

For those of you new to Georgia, you must be aware of the HOPE scholarship program. It provides free tuition and a book stipend to all Georgia students who meet certain standards, the most important of which for our purposes is a “B” average. The most common topoi for student grade appeals has become the HOPE scholarship: “If you do not give me a B, then you will cost me my HOPE.” Sympathize with the plight of this student, remind the student that one course does not a grade point average make, and point out that the student has received the grade that s/he earned.

Appendix A: Research Participation

Dear Instructors:

Part of the course requirements for students enrolled in Public Speaking (SPCM1100), Interpersonal Communication (SPCM1500), or Communication in Human Society (SPCM1010) is the completion of a research requirement. If teaching other classes, you have the option of assigning a research requirement as well.

Students who are required to participate in research as a course requirement are typically referred to as the “research pool.” For students, being part of the research pool is meant to be a learning experience. For researchers, utilizing the research pool is a privilege. As such, we expect that everyone involved in the research pool process will respect the rules and recognize the importance of the research pool opportunity. Whether you see yourself using the research pool or not, please familiarize yourself with the document entitled: The Research Pool: A Guide for Users, so that you have some background in the logistics of the research pool.

Students typically satisfy the research requirement through participation in a research project (survey, experiment, etc.) conducted by a member of the department. However, students may also satisfy this requirement by either writing a research article summary, or by attending a departmental colloquium and writing up an analysis of the presentation.

It is your responsibility as an instructor to familiarize your students with their research participation options. Students should be notified about the research process on the course syllabus and through the document entitled: The UGA Speech Communication Research Participation: Information for Students.

Specifically:

• On your syllabus, please include the following statement informing students about the research participation requirement:

As part of your participation in this class, you must satisfy a departmental research requirement. This requirement may be satisfied in one of three ways: (a) participation in a research project conducted by the Department of Speech Communication, (b) a summary and analysis of a communication research article, or (c) attendance at and a written analysis of a colloquium presentation at the Department of Speech Communication. For information about all three options, see the document entitled: The UGA Speech Communication Research Participation: Information for Students. Failure to fulfill the research requirement will result in a grade of Incomplete (I) for this class. Note: You will need to complete a separate research project or paper for each Speech Communication class that requires or offers research participation.

• Also please attach a copy of the document entitled: The UGA Speech Communication Research Participation: Information for Students to the back of your syllabus. You may want to review the document in class with your students so that they have a clear idea about the process.

Remember that our use of students for research is a privilege. Please do all that you can to familiarize your students with their research options. Further, feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about departmental research procedures, the research pool, or research policies in general.

Best Wishes for a Successful Year!

Lijiang Shen
Research Pool Coordinator

Appendix B   Buckley Amendment Waiver

The undergraduate advisor (Dustin Baker) also has copies of this waiver if you need one.
I understand that the Buckley Amendment to the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 guarantees that my academic record will not be discussed with or disclosed to any third party without my written waiver. I hereby waive this right and authorize [Name of instructor] or other authorized officials of The University of Georgia to discuss my records with:

_____________________________________________________________________.
I further understand that I have the right to rescind or restrict this waiver in writing at any time.
_____________________________________
Student's name (print) 
_____________________________________
Social Security Number
_____________________________________
Student Signature
____________________________________ 
Date

Printable version of the Buckly Amendment Waiver.

Appendix C:  Sample Plus/Minus Grading Criteria

UGA has adopted a Plus/Minus Grading system for the university.  The Web page, (http://www.bulletin.uga.edu/PlusMinusGradingFAQ.html), has information regarding various aspects of the new system.

The following grading scale is an example of how to employ the plus/minus system.

A         93-100
A-        90-92
B+       88-89
B         83-87
B-        80-82
C+       78-79
C         73-77
C-        70-72
D         60-69
F          <59

The above scale is based on percentages.  If you use a point scale, please convert the percentages into points.

Appendix D:  Important Dates

Fall Semester 2009.  Based on 50 minute classes (MWF), 75 minute classes (TTH), 15 weeks of classes, 75 days of classes

Spring Semester 2010* Based on 50 minutes classes (MWF), 75 minutes classes (TTH), 15 weeks of classes, 75 days of classes

*Note: For the Spring Semester 2010, the University will operate a Monday class schedule on Thursday, April 29. This is done to equalize the class minutes between MWF and TTH classes and to provide an equal number of class meetings for courses which may meet only once per week.