Boston University Policies
Covid-19 and Learn From Anywhere Procedures
Boston University is utilizing a Learn from Anywhere model where students can participate in classes either in-person or remotely, depending on their circumstances. Due to social distancing guidelines, that may require that courses use rotations, where some students are able to learn in-person during one session while other students are remote, and then those groups switch for the next session.
Faculty are responsible for determining what student rotations will be, and for communicating about this model with students in each class. Due to the ever-evolving nature of LfA, attendance likely cannot be required for classes. While synchronous attendance is strongly advised, there are some students who may not be able to participate synchronously, so please record your classes through Zoom and provide those recordings on Blackboard for students learning asynchronously. All faculty resources for LfA are available here: https://digital.bu.edu/lfa/. There are FAQs and notes for faculty who are teaching via this model, which should be most of you. Please also note the contact page for additional questions or comments about LfA. You can find more information at the COM Sandbox site on Blackboard at https://learn.bu.edu/.
Title IX Mandatory Reporting Policy
All faculty members, both full and part-time, are mandatory reporters under the university’s Title IX policy. Teaching assistants are also mandatory reporters. If anyone who reports an incident of sexual or physical misconduct (defined as rape, sexual assault, sexual coercion, sexual harassment, domestic and dating violence, stalking, and any other form of sexual violence) to a faculty member or teaching assistant, that person is required to then report the incident to the University’s Title IX Coordinator.
Policy on Dropping and Adding Students
COM prohibits professors from either adding students into courses over the enrollment limit (for non-remote courses) or dropping students from courses without their consent. If you are teaching a course that is remote (meeting in room NIP 320 or 920), you are allowed to add students beyond the enrollment limit. If you and a student agree the student can be registered to a remote-only class, you would email Ryan (ryjt@bu.edu) to perform that registration. If you are teaching on the LfA model, or with any in-person component at all, enrollments will be strictly enforced to the enrollment limit. If you are on the LfA model, you cannot add any student to your course if it has reached its enrollment limit. If there is an open seat in your course, students can use WebReg to add that course up until September 15. If your course is open, but a student is unable to register via WebReg, please direct that student to the offering department. To reiterate: please do not tell any student they can add your LfA class if there are no open seats. It is very important that we keep our enrollments in line with our limits due to COVID-19, especially courses on the LfA model.
Regarding dropping students from classes, this can be done only with the student’s permission or if the student has not completed the listed pre-requisite(s) for the course. If a student meets pre-requisites and legally registered for a course, an instructor cannot request that student be dropped, even if that student never attends the course. An instructor can strongly advise a student to drop a course at any time. Please note that faculty cannot drop students for non-attendance even if they contend they will do so in their syllabus.
Sexual Misconduct
Boston University is committed to fostering a safe, productive learning environment. Title IX and our school policy prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, which regards sexual misconduct – including harassment, domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. We understand that sexual violence can undermine students’ academic success and we encourage students who have experienced some form of sexual misconduct to talk to someone about their experience, so they can get the support they need. Confidential support and academic advocacy resources can be found with the Center for Sexual Assault Response & Prevention.
Positive Classroom Experience
At your discretion, please alert me to anything related to preferred pronouns, preferred name or nickname, or any extenuating circumstances or trigger warnings (personal, medical, etc.) that might impact your classroom experience. I want to make sure you have the most positive experience in the classroom as possible.
Equal Opportunity
The university has strict guidelines on classroom behavior and practices when it comes to treatment of students and guests on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, mental or physical disability, genetic information, military service, national origin, or due to marital, parental, or veteran status. Discrimination for any of these reasons is prohibited. Please refer to the Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Policy for more details.
Disability and Access Services
If you are a student with a disability or believe you might have a disability that requires accommodations, please contact the Office of Disability and Access Services (DAS) at 617-353-3658 to coordinate any reasonable accommodation requests. DAS is located at 25 Buick Street, on the third floor.
Student Athletes
All student athletes should be provided with a sheet from Student Athlete Support Services regarding absences throughout the semester. These sheets should be handed in as soon as possible to avoid potential conflicts and so arrangements can be made to provide for missed lecture notes, classwork, or discussion.
Recording of Classes
Classroom proceedings for this course might be recorded for purposes including, but not limited to, student illness, religious holidays, disability accommodations, or student course review. Note also that recording devices are prohibited in the classroom except with the instructor’s permission.
Academic Code of Conduct
All Boston University students are bound by the Academic Conduct Code. Please review to ensure you are acting responsibly and ethically in regard to your academics.