Sample statements for course syllabi

You should take some time to review the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct (Code) because you are expected to adhere to its standards while you are a student at IU. Holding students to the standards outlined in the Code ensures the value of the degree that you are earning from IU and is important training for maintaining ethical standards in the work that you will do in the future. Academic misconduct is "any activity that tends to undermine the academic integrity of the institution" ( Code, II, B,1). Academic integrity violations include cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, interference, violation of course rules, facilitating academic dishonesty, and research misconduct. When you submit an assignment with your name on it, you are signifying that the work contained therein is yours, unless otherwise cited or referenced. Any ideas or materials taken from another source must be fully acknowledged. Do not share your completed work with other students. If plagiarism or cheating occurs, all students involved will be considered responsible even if you were unaware that academic misconduct would occur. Ignorance of what constitutes academic misconduct is not a valid excuse. All suspected violations of the Code will be reported to the Dean of Students (Office of Student Conduct). Sanctions for academic misconduct in this course may include a failing grade on the assignment, a reduction in your final course grade, or a failing grade in the course, among other possibilities. If you are unsure about the expectations for completing an assignment or taking a test or exam in this course, speak with me before submitting your assignment.

Attendance at this class is important because it is the best way to learn the material and it provides opportunities to engage with your peers around this topic. Students who attend class regularly typically outperform those who do not attend. In addition, I value hearing everyone's voice in our discussions. You are permitted two absences per semester for any reason (these may be for job interviews, professional travel, medical, or family issues); these absences require no documentation. Any absences beyond two class sessions will result in a 2% reduction in your final course grade. You are responsible for content covered in class if you are absent. Please check with your classmates for information/notes. If you will be absent for a test or graded in-class assignment, please contact me at least 24 hours prior to the test/assignment, providing the reason for the absence to determine whether you will be permitted to make up the test/assignment. You are expected to submit assignments via Canvas, according to the class schedule, even if you are absent.

According to guidance from the Dean of Students, if you miss more than 20% of the semester (approximately 3 weeks) for medical or personal reasons, it may be best to consider withdrawing from all courses until you are able to return and focus on your academic goals. If you are experiencing challenges with attendance, contact the Student Care and Resource Center (Indiana Memorial Union, lobby level next to Biddle Hotel Lobby); which can provide attendance memos in the event of hospitalization, or the death of an immediate family member.

If you need accommodations due to temporary impairments, including, but not limited to, broken bones, sprains, concussions, and appendicitis, contact Accessible Educational Services.

Bias-based incident reports can be made by students, faculty, and staff. Any act of discrimination or harassment based on race, ethnicity, religious affiliation, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or disability can be reported through any of the options:

1. Fill out an online report at https://reportincident.iu.edu/ 
2. Call the Dean of Students Office at (812) 855-8187. Reports can be made anonymously at https://reportincident.iu.edu.

Please note that incidents involving faculty and staff should be reported to the Office of Civil Rights Compliance.

Indiana University is dedicated to ensuring that students with disabilities (e.g., chronic health, neurodevelopmental, neurological, sensory, psychological, and emotional, including mental health, etc.) have the support services and reasonable accessibility measures (accommodations) needed to provide equal access to academic programs. You must establish your eligibility for support services through Accessible Educational Services (AES). Note that services are confidential, may take time to put into place, and are not retroactive; citations and alternate media for print materials may take three or more weeks to produce. Contact Accessible Educational Services as soon as possible to register for services. The office is located on the basement floor of Eigenmann Hall in Room 001 and is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The focus of this course is _______________.  Within that focus, I have selected class materials that present a variety of topics and arguments, including X, Y, and Z.  It is (possible/likely) that connections between our course and current and/or historical events outside the classroom will come up in (lectures/class discussions/assignments). The ability to draw and analyze connections among ideas and events is a core skill in a liberal arts education and will stand you in good stead in your life beyond IU.

Students will develop their ability to analyze current and/or historical events through the lens of concepts from this course.

You may receive emails from other students about joining GroupMe, Discord, or similar external group messaging platforms for individual classes via Canvas. Even though invitations to join the group may be issued through Canvas, this does not imply the endorsement of the course instructor. While these platforms can be an effective way of contacting classmates and clarifying information related to the course, they can also be sources of unauthorized information sharing or collaboration. Collaborative effort on assignments, quizzes, and exams, including sharing or discussing answers when the instructor has not expressly authorized collaboration, is considered cheating. If academic dishonesty occurs via a messaging platform, everyone involved in the thread may be found responsible for academic misconduct since membership in the group suggests that each person has been able to view the information shared.

• Option 1: No Generative AI use permitted
  • According to the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct, cheating is "using, providing, or attempting to use or provide unauthorized assistance, materials, information, or study aids in any form." (Code,  II: Responsibilities B,4,a). Cheating includes the use of artificial intelligence. You must not use generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, Dall-E, Grammarly, QuillBot, and SpinBot for any work for this class without permission of the instructor. Unauthorized use of generative AI in this course will constitute academic misconduct; there will be an academic sanction, and the incident will be reported.
    
    
• Option 2: Some Generative AI use permitted
  • Using AI (such as ChatGPT) to assist in completing assignments will be allowed in the following ways:
    • List acceptable uses here. For example, "In Assignment X, we will be using and citing ChatGPT as part of the assignment."
  • If you use generative AI in a manner that is not authorized above, it will constitute academic misconduct; there will be an academic sanction, and the incident will be reported.
  • Please be aware that instructors have different policies on the appropriate use of Artificial Intelligence. The above policy applies only to this class. It is your responsibility to check with each of your other instructors if ever you are unsure about what constitutes academic honesty in their courses.
    
    
• Option 3: Generative AI use varies by assignment
  • In this class, the expectations for the use/non-use of AI vary depending on the assignment. It is crucial to follow the specific guidelines for each assignment to maintain academic integrity. If you use generative AI in a manner that is not authorized for the assignment, it will constitute academic misconduct; there will be an academic sanction, and the incident will be reported.
  • You should be aware that all large language models (which are the basis of Generative AI) have a tendency to make up facts, create fake citations, produce inaccurate information, or generate biased or offensive content. You are responsible for any inaccurate, biased, offensive, or otherwise unethical content you submit regardless of whether it originally comes from you or a Generative AI platform.
  • All Generative AI tools must be appropriately acknowledged and cited. The disclosure of use of Generative AI for spelling and grammar checkers is not necessary, but all other uses require proper acknowledgment and citation. (see example below)
    • APA Citation: OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (September 1 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat
  • The use of Generative AI tools without disclosure will be considered plagiarism and/or cheating and will be reported to the Dean of Students (Office of Student Conduct) and handled according to university policies. Sanctions for academic misconduct in this course may include a failing grade on the assignment, a reduction in your final course grade, or a failing grade in the course, among other possibilities. If you have any questions about the acceptable use of Generative AI tools, please consult with me prior to submitting your work. 
  • With the understanding of the limitations and necessary acknowledgments, you are encouraged to use Generative AI for brainstorming or to organize your ideas. Using Generative AI to enhance learning is an emerging skill and it is to your advantage to learn how to use it well. Generative AI can be a valuable tool for complementing human decisions, but it is not a replacement for critical thinking.
  • Please be aware that instructors have different policies on the appropriate use of Artificial Intelligence. The above policy applies only to this class. It is your responsibility to check with each of your other instructors if ever you are unsure about what constitutes academic honesty in their courses.

The Student Care and Resource Center supports students experiencing challenges that impact their ability to be safe, healthy, and successful. You can walk in, call, email, submit a Care Referral or make an appointment through the Student Appointment Scheduler to connect with the Care Team.

• Student Care and Resource Center
  • Indiana Memorial Union, L010
  • Office Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Phone: 812-856-CARE (2273) // Email: iucare@iu.edu

Mental Health Support: If you or someone you know needs assistance, you are encouraged to contact Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at 812-855-5711 or by visiting their webpage. They will help you navigate any difficult circumstances you may be facing by connecting you with the appropriate resources or services.

• Counseling and Psychological Services
  • IU Student Health Center, Fourth Floor
  • Office Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Phone: 812-855-5711 (choose option 1 after-hours)

• TimelyCare: Free 24/7 virtual mental health support is available to students who are enrolled in at least one course through the TimelyCARE platform or through your Canvas portal. You do not need insurance to access TimelyCare services.

Various commercial services request that students upload course materials (e.g., instructor's notes, study guides, assignment descriptions) for access. You are not permitted to sell the instructor's materials or upload course materials to a third-party site – even after the course has ended. Violations of this policy will be reported to the Dean of Students (Office of Student Conduct) as academic misconduct; there will be an academic sanction, and the incident will be reported. Additionally, you should know that selling a faculty member's course materials using IU email or other IU systems may also constitute a violation of IU information technology and IU intellectual property policies; additional consequences may result. 

The instructor teaching this course holds the exclusive right to distribute, modify, post, and reproduce course materials, including all written materials, study guides, lectures, assignments, exercises, and exams. Some of the course content may be downloadable, but you should not distribute, post, or alter the instructor's intellectual property. While you are permitted to take notes on the online materials and lectures posted for this course for your personal use, you are not permitted to re-post in another forum, distribute, or reproduce content from this course without the express written permission of the instructor.

IU is dedicated to supporting students who are pregnant or have experienced other conditions related to pregnancy (termination of pregnancy, miscarriage, lactation, or related medical conditions). To register for accommodations due to pregnancy or a related medical condition, please contact Accessible Educational Services. 

Instructors must reasonably accommodate students who want to observe their religious holidays at times when academic requirements conflict with those observances. If you will miss class for a religious observance, you must fill out the Request for Accommodation for Religious Observances form at least two weeks before your anticipated absence. 

IU policy prohibits sexual misconduct in any form, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, stalking, sexual exploitation, and dating and domestic violence. If you have experienced sexual misconduct, or know someone who has, the University can help. If you are seeking help and would like to speak to someone confidentially, you can make an appointment with the IU Sexual Assault Crisis Services at (812) 855-8900 or contact a Confidential Victim Advocate at (812) 856-2469 or cva@iu.edu. It is also important that you know that University policy requires that I share certain information brought to my attention about potential sexual misconduct with the campus Deputy Sexual Misconduct & Title IX Coordinator or the University Sexual Misconduct & Title IX Coordinator. In that event, those individuals will work to ensure that appropriate measures are taken, and resources are made available. Protecting student privacy is of the utmost concern, and information will only be shared with those that need to know to ensure the University can respond and assist. I encourage you to visit http://stopsexualviolence.iu.edu/index.html to learn more.

• Library Research Assistance: IU Libraries offers one-on-one consultations with students who need assistance with library research.
• Student Advocates: Retired IU faculty and staff members assist students with resolving academic, financial, and conduct-related issues.
• Technology-related resources provided by the university include:
  • Free on-campus wireless internet (Wi-Fi ) access through the "eduroam" network
  • Free software for download and for cloud-based use (access the Software Downloads app in One.IU)
  • Free 24/7 IU tech support (e.g., email, Canvas, Wi-Fi , printing, device setup, etc.)
  • Chat: https://ithelplive.iu.edu/
  • Phone: 812-855-6789
  • Email: ithelp@iu.edu
  • Web form: Submit an IT support request
  • Online: Knowledge Base
  • Free in-person tech support in the Wells Library

• Tutoring Resources: There are many free and paid tutoring resources on campus that are available to students.
• Writing Tutorial Services: Offers free one-on-one writing help from a trained tutor.