Instructional Policies and Procedures

Instructional policies and procedures

General topics include:

Things No Syllabus Should Be Without:

• GE Statement
• Absence Statement
• Class Cancellation Policy
• Plagiarism Statement
• Disability Statement

Textbook Ordering Policies and Procedures

Enrollment and Disenrollment Policies

Student Evaluations of Teaching

Incompletes and Grade Changes

Retaining Student Papers

University Institute For Teaching And Learning

University Center for the Advancement of Teaching (UCAT)

If you have questions about these policies and procedures, or questions about others that are not addressed here, please contact the Vice Chair for Instruction, Dr. Mike Vasey via e-mail at vasey.1@osu.edu.

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You will receive an email from Psychology Textbooks (psych.textbooks@osu.edu) outlining deadlines and information needed to order course textbooks. Please respond promptly and provide all relevant information for efficient processing of orders.

Over the past several months, the University Registrar has piloted a new Online Grade Assignment or Change Form workflow. It has improved grade processing in a number of areas, including: accuracy, consistency, and reducing processing time. Because of the great success of the pilot, the online form will now be the preferred method for submitting a Grade Assignment or Change Form.

As of August 1, 2016, the paper Grade Assignment or Change Form will no longer be accepted. All submissions for grade assignments, changes, or extensions should be submitted through the Online Grade Assignment or Change Form workflow process.

Access to the online form (and instructions) will continue to be through the University Registrar's website: registrar.osu.edu.

Grade rosters and the normal grade posting process will remain unchanged. Please find the SIS Instructions and Carmen Instructions for the grade roster process.

As the Registrar continues to improve services to students, faculty, and staff, additional electronic form submissions will be provided. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the Online Grade Assignment or Change Form submission, please work with Jackie von Spiegel (von-spiegel.2@osu.edu) and/or email registrar@osu.edu.

Class Cancellation Policy

It happens on occasion that instructors must be absent from a scheduled class. When such absences can be anticipated (such as when you are traveling on university business), it is your responsibility to follow the Psychology Department Faculty & Auxiliary Faculty absence policy & procedures (see Kim for link) and arrange in advance for a colleague to meet with your class, carry out a lesson plan that you have prepared, and collect or return student work. When it is more difficult to anticipate an absence (such as in the case of illness or injury), it is your responsibility to communicate effectively to students the message that class has been canceled. In these cases, please follow the following steps:

1. Contact your students via e-mail.
2. Email Psych.Schedule@osu.edu to notify of the class cancellation and request that a note be placed on your classroom door, preferably on department letterhead.  Provide the course number, (for example, Psychology 4567) class building, room number, and meeting start time for the class that has been cancelled.  Your email notification will be sent to the appropriate contacts that should be aware of the changes to your course schedule.
3. Complete the eLeave form upon return (Faculty/Auxiliary Faculty) or the grad leave forms (Graduate Associates).

In all cases, contact your students as soon as possible following the cancellation to let them know how the syllabus and work deadlines will be affected. 

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The Department of Psychology takes seriously instances of academic misconduct on the part of its students and acts in accordance with University Faculty Rules governing cases of alleged dishonesty.  All departmental instructors should include in any course syllabus an "academic misconduct" statement and take steps to ensure students understand what types of behaviors may be considered violations of the University's Code of Student Conduct.  

Instructors should be proactive in structuring assignments and activities to provide students insights on actions that may lead to allegations, but are not authorized to impose penalties for such actions.  All cases of suspected misconduct, including but not limited to plagiarism, should be reported to the Committee on Academic Misconduct (COAM).  COAM is charged by the University Senate to investigate all reported cases of alleged academic misconduct by students.  In those instances where a student is found in violation, COAM alone is empowered to determine a suitable disciplinary sanction.

Instructors who suspect a student is in violation of the Code should report their suspicions to the proper departmental authorities who can offer assistance specific to the circumstances of the allegations:

• for all other undergraduate courses, to the Vice Chair of Instruction, Dr. Mike Vasey;
• for graduate courses, to the Chair of Graduate Studies, Dr. John Opfer & the Vice Chair of Instruction, Dr. Mike Vasey .

COAM provides numerous resources to inform and assist instructors in helping students avoid suspicious behaviors which may lead to allegations and sanction.  Visit the COAM site for additional details as well as helpful Committee responses to Frequently Asked Questions.

Evaluation of teaching effectiveness is a central component of overall academic program assessment. Written evaluations provide valuable feedback to instructors as well as insights for program and course directors into what works well in the curriculum. For additional resources regarding how to document your teaching effectiveness, visit OSU University Center for the Advancement of Teaching (UCAT).

SEIs:  All Department of Psychology faculty and GTAs are asked to urge their students to complete university-level Student Evaluations of Teaching (SEIs).  Direct general SEI questions to the SEI administrator or visit the SEI website.