SYLLABI

Effective: August 15, 2024

Purpose: To outline the requirements for faculty to provide syllabi containing certain information for students.

Scope: This policy applies to University faculty campus wide.

Responsible Office: Academic Affairs

Policy Statement: For each class taught, faculty will make a syllabus available to students within one week of the start date of those classes as listed in the University Class Schedule. For courses that meet less than a full semester, a syllabus will be made available by the second class day. Furthermore, all syllabi must include statements regarding the course’s learning outcomes (aligned with the corresponding program learning outcomes where appropriate), the credit hours assigned to the course, faculty office hours and location, the criteria set forth for grades (Plus/Minus Grading System), student accommodations for disabilities (Student Accommodations Statement), the commitment to providing an inclusive environment in the classroom (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Syllabus Statement), and how acts of academic dishonesty will be handled (Academic Dishonesty Policy). In addition, if excessive absenteeism affects a student’s grade, then the syllabus must include a statement about the manner in which excessive absenteeism affects the grade (Student Conduct and Effect on Grade). 

Student Accommodations Statement

In order that students with disabilities are advised where to seek services and that an interactive relationship among students, faculty, and Student Accessibility and Support Services is encouraged, faculty will include the following statement in the syllabi of their courses:

Student Accessibility and Support Services (SASS) at Emporia State University (ESU) ensures that students with disabilities have full and equal access to the programs and services of ESU without discrimination.  Any student who feels they may need academic accommodations or access to accommodations based on the impact of a documented disability should contact and register with SASS during the first week of class or as soon as possible after the diagnosis of a disability.  SASS is the official office to assist students through the process of disability verification and coordination of appropriate and reasonable accommodations.  Students currently registered with SASS must obtain a new accommodation memo each semester.

All instructors will provide current contact information for Student Accessibility and Support Services (SASS) in all syllabi.  This information must include the SASS office number and building, website, phone number, and email.

The contact information must be placed at the end of the required Accommodations statement in the syllabi.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement

In order to encourage an inclusive learning environment and to align with the Affirmation of Values Statement of the University, faculty shall include the following statement in their syllabi:

Emporia State University supports an inclusive learning environment where diversity and individual differences are understood, respected, appreciated, and recognized as a source of strength. We expect that students and faculty at Emporia State will respect differences and demonstrate diligence in understanding how identities, perspectives, behaviors, and worldviews may be different from their own.

If there are aspects of this course that result in barriers to your inclusion or the inclusion of those around you, contact the individual with whom you are most comfortable:  your academic advisor, the academic unit’s supervisory administrator, your School or College Dean, the Dean of Students, the Chief Diversity Officer, or your course instructor.

Faculty may supplement the required diversity syllabus statement in order to further strengthen their affirmation to diversity, equity, and inclusion as long as the supplement is in alignment with the required diversity, equity, and inclusion statement.

Definitions: All words and phrases shall be interpreted utilizing their plain meanings unless otherwise defined in another University or Board of Regents policy or by statute or regulation.

Procedures: All procedures linked and related to the policies above shall have the full force and effect of policy if said procedures have first been properly approved by the University’s administrator in charge of Academic Affairs. 

[Academic Affairs procedures - coming soon]

Related Policy Information: 4.21 – Class Schedules; 4.31 – Grades; 4.33 – Credit Hours; 4.71 – Academic Dishonesty; 5.07 - Student Absences