TAM 251: Introductory Solid Mechanics

Below are the course policies for this class. Please read through them and familiarize yourself with the policies regarding course logistics. Details specific to course content can be found on the Info page.

Academic integrity, harassment, and discrimination
Contact and obtaining help
Gradebook
Lectures
Special accommodations

Academic integrity, harassment, and discrimination:

Academic integrity infractions, harassment, and discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated. See the University's Student Code, Article 1, Part 4 and the Campus Conduct Policy. Please report any concerns immediately to your professor.

Academic integrity infractions will be dealt with using the most stringent available counter-measures. All infractions are documented through the campus-wide FAIR database, that remains part of the student's permanent record. All infractions in this database will be referred to the Senate Committee on Student Discipline for review and potential additional sanctions. Typical pentalties in TAM 2XX courses for academic infractions include dropping one course letter grade. Students have been expelled from the university for cheating.

Infractions include, but are not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, and assisting others in a manner not prescribed or allowed for in the original assignment or directions. Notably, for homework assignments, students are encouraged and allowed to work together. The philosophy is that homeworks are formative assessments, meaning they are intended to foster learning. This is in contrast to summative assessments, including quizzes and exams, that measure individual student mastery of course concepts, for which students are of course forbidden from assisting each other.

Computer-based testing deserves special mention. This testing is typically given across multiple days. During the entire time period of testing, students are strictly forbidden from discussing any aspect of the test/quiz whatsoever with other students. This includes specifics of questions, general aspects of questions, comments on the difficulty of the quiz, etc. This policy is strictly enforced to preserve the integrity of the computer-based testing.

Contact and obtaining help:

The two main ways to obtain help are online via Canvas discussion board or in Zoom office hours. You can also speak with your professor briefly after lecture. Please do not send email directly to TAs or professors for routine help or absences.  

Gradebook:

All assessment scores are stored on Canvas. Note that we are only using this website for grade reporting. All other class-related information will be posted only to the official class website. Any errors in grade reporting appearing on Canvas must be reported to the instruction team within 2 weeks of the due date of the assessment item or by the last day of class, whichever is earlier.

Lectures:

Keeping up with lectures is essential for your comprehension and success in the course.  Lectures will be held synchronously on Zoom during scheduled course meeting time. All lectures will also be recorded and made available online.  Pre-lecture notes will be posted to Canvas for you to download, use, and review before each lecture.  Post-lecture notes that include annotations will be posted after each lecture.

Special accommodations

To obtain disability-related academic adjustments or accommodations, students with disabilities must contact their professor and Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES) as soon as possible.