Syllabus Statements

The University of Alabama has several required and suggested syllabus statements to convey important legal, safety, and ethical information to students. Most of the institutional statements are included by default on section syllabi in Simple Syllabus. Departments, programs, colleges, and schools may have others that are included administratively or by instructors.

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Suggested Syllabus Statements for AI use

• Option 1: AI use is allowed in the Course with proper referencing
  Students are welcome to explore generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to seek support for their assignments or other activities. However, students should follow the "verify everything" approach to the content generated by these AI tools. These tools learned the models from the public internet, which means they may reproduce substantial text from other sources. It is the student’s responsibility to check the original sources to be sure they are not plagiarizing someone else’s work. Students should also cross-check the content and citations generated by these tools to ensure they are accurate and properly referenced.
  Students should incorporate the subsequent statement in their assignments when using a Generative AI Tool: “For this assignment's preparation, the author(s) have utilized [Generative AI Tool Name], a language model created by [Generative AI Tool Provider]. Within this assignment, the [Generative AI Tool Name] was used for purposes such as [e.g., brainstorming, grammatical correction, writing paraphrasing, citation, specific sections of the assignment].”

• Option 2: AI use is allowed for specific assignments with proper referencing
  Students are allowed to use generative AI tools such as ChatGPT for specific assignments, as designated by the instructor. However, for these specific assignments, students should follow the "verify everything" approach to the content generated by these AI tools. These tools learned the models from the public internet, which means they may reproduce substantial text from other sources. It is the student’s responsibility to check the original sources to be sure they are not plagiarizing someone else’s work. Students should also cross-check the content and citations generated by these tools to ensure they are accurate and properly referenced.
  Students should incorporate the subsequent statement in their assignments when using a Generative AI Tool: “For this assignment's preparation, the author(s) have utilized [Generative AI Tool Name], a language model created by [Generative AI Tool Provider]. Within this assignment, the [Generative AI Tool Name] was used for purposes such as [e.g., brainstorming, grammatical correction, writing paraphrasing, citation, specific sections of the assignment].”

• Option 3: AI use is not allowed
  All submitted work must be produced by the students themselves, whether individually or collaboratively. Use of a generative AI tools such as ChatGPT to complete an assignment constitutes academic misconduct.

Recommended Syllabus Statement on Controversial Topics

Some of the topics in this course may be considered controversial. One of the core purposes of a university is to discuss important topics through a scholarly lens. When members of class find themselves feeling strongly about a topic, that is a signal that the topic is important enough to be discussed rather than avoided. Differences of opinion are expected and will result in rich discussions. In these discussions students will be expected to demonstrate a thorough understanding of concepts presented in the course materials and to ground their positions in concepts and evidence relevant to the course. This in turn will entail coming to class prepared, asking relevant questions, sharing perspectives, having a willingness to listen, and practicing open-mindedness when encountering the perspectives of others. In this course we will assume the positive intentions of all class members when discussing important topics, and we will give them the benefit of the doubt when considering their perspectives and sharing our own.

Notification of Changes

The instructor will make every effort to follow the guidelines of this syllabus as listed; however, the instructor reserves the right to amend this document as the need arises. In such instances, the instructor will notify students in class and/or via email and will endeavor to provide reasonable time for students to adjust to any changes.

Statement on Academic Misconduct

Students are expected to be familiar with and adhere to the official Academic Misconduct Policy.

Online Proctoring and Room Scan

This course may include online proctored exams that may require a room scan of your testing environment using your webcam. The room scan is required to ensure academic integrity. It is your responsibility to identify a testing location that allows you to comfortably complete the room scan without compromising your personal privacy. Students who are unable to identify an appropriate testing location for the room scan or who otherwise do not wish to take the exam online, should contact the course’s instructor to discuss alternative testing options, including taking the exam in-person at an approved location. If you choose an in-person testing option, it is your responsibility to coordinate with the instructor to reserve your space in the testing location prior to the date of the exam. Additionally, you will be responsible for all fees associated with in-person proctoring and for presenting an approved form of identification at the testing location. Further, if the course uses any online exams developed by third party textbook publishers, you will also be subject to the publisher’s terms and conditions related to online exams.

Statement On Disability Accommodations

The University of Alabama is committed to ensuring the full participation of all students in its programs. If you have a documented disability (or think you may have a disability) and need reasonable accommodation(s) to participate in this class, contact the Office of Disability Services (or ODS; 205-348-4285, ods@ua.edu, Houser Hall 1000, www.ods.ua.edu) as soon as possible. If you have been approved to receive accommodations through ODS, please meet with your instructor or College designee during office hours or by appointment to review your accommodation letter and discuss how accommodations can be implemented in this course.

Severe Weather Protocol

Please refer to the Severe Weather Guidelines located on the Office of Emergency Management website.

Pregnant Student Accommodations

Title IX protects against discrimination related to pregnancy or parental status. If you are pregnant and will need accommodations for this class, please review the University’s FAQs on the UAct website.

Religious Observances

Under the Guidelines for Religious Holiday Observances, students should notify the instructor in writing or via email during the first two weeks of the semester of their intention to be absent from class for religious observance. The instructor will work to provide reasonable opportunity to complete academic responsibilities as long as that does not interfere with the academic integrity of the course. See full guidelines at Religious Holiday Observances Guidelines.

UAct Statement

The University of Alabama is committed to an ethical, inclusive community defined by respect and civility. The UAct website provides extensive information on how to report or obtain assistance with a variety of issues, including issues related to dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, sexual violence or other Title IX violations, illegal discrimination, harassment, hate or bias incidents, child abuse or neglect, hazing, threat assessment, retaliation, and ethical violations or fraud.

Wellness Resources

College can be a stressful time. If you or someone you know is facing a challenging time or dealing with academic or personal stress, anxiety, depression, or other concerns, we strongly encourage and support you to seek assistance or to help friends find the care that they may need by reviewing the Campus Resource List for Students.

If you are experiencing a personal crisis and need urgent assistance, you can also contact the following resources:

Counseling Center

Monday-Friday during routine Center hours (205-348-3863).

Weekends, holidays, after-hours (contact UAPD at 205-348-5454 and ask to speak with the on-call counselor).

You may also text BAMA to 741-741 to text with a trained volunteer.

Women and Gender Resource Center

Monday-Friday during routine Center hours (205-348-5040).

Weekends, holidays, after-hours: contact UAPD at 205-348-5454 and ask to speak to the on-call advocate for the WGRC.