Course policies, Grading, Exams

• Course Grading:Your course grade (plus/minus scale) will be added up out of 650 pts:
  In-class Exams (3 x 100 pts) 300 pts
  Final Exam (cumulative) 150 pts
  In-class Reading Quizzes (10 best of 12) 100 pts
  Online ICON Homework (10 best of 12) 100 pts

  Your grade will be curved according to the class distribution and a typical curve will be shown after the first exam. Grades for exams and other assignments will be posted on ICON, but all other course materials are posted on the course website (listed above). Make sure you know your Hawk ID username and password to access the ICON site.

• Laboratory: There is an optional one credit laboratory course in which some of you are enrolled (29:50 D). Labs will begin the second week of classes (August 30-Sept 3). For lab students, you will be given a single grade covering both the lecture and lab course. 75% of your grade will be calculated as above, and 25% will be your lab grade. In order to pass, you must get a passing grade in both this course and the lab course.
  
  
• Exams: There will be three in-class exams on Sept 22 (W), Oct 20 (W), and Nov 17 (W). Please make note of these dates, as make-up exams will be administered ONLY for very extreme circumstances. The FINAL exam will be cumulative and will be given at 7:30 am on Dec 16 (Th). If you do poorly on any of your in-class exams, please come and see me. It is helpful to address your concerns soon after the exam, before we are too far into the next set of material.
  
  
  
• Reading Quizzes: Every Monday in class, we will have a reading quiz at the beginning of lecture. We will be making use of Turning Technologies Clickers in this course. These are hand-held objects which look like TV remote controls and you use them to "vote" on questions during class. You will need to purchase a clicker at one of the bookstores and you will also need to register your clicker. For more information, see this link.
  
  
• Online ICON Homework: Each week, a ten-question quiz will be assigned in ICON. You will complete the quiz online and can use notes, book, friends to help you out. Ten of the twelve assigned will count toward your grade.
• Lecture Notes are available on the course website. These notes provide the backbone for the lecture, however they do not serve as a substitute for attending lectures.
  
  
• Expectations and Class Etiquette: Most of you are taking this course to fulfill a Natural Sciences GER requirement. This can be a challenging course as there is a great variety of material, including some basic mathematical equations. However, with a bit of effort, understanding some basic astronomy (and scientific) concepts and practices can greatly enhance your overall education and the way in which you look at the natural world.
  • Time required out of class - According to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) Student Handbook, students are expected to spend two hours of out of class preparation for each registered semester hour.
  • Attendance - although not mandatory, attendance in lectures is highly advised. The tests and course material will be based on lecture material. The textbook is simply a reference and a guide. If you are to be excused from class for an official reason (i.e. athletics or other extra-curricular activities) please make sure you introduce yourself to me and that I receive the required paperwork.
  • Etiquette - arrive on time; if you intend to leave early, please sit near the back of the classroom. NO talking or cellphone ringing will be permitted. Students who talk during lecture or otherwise disrupt the lecture will be asked to leave. However, please feel free to ask questions during lecture by raising your hand!

• Getting Help: The main goal of this course is to gain a better understanding of astronomy. If you are finding the course difficult or are doing poorly on homeworks or exams, please seek help, the sooner the better. There are a variety of ways to get help with this class: (1) come talk to me during office hours or make an appointment. If you receive a D or an F on an exam, there are opportunities to improve your grade. (2) visit the tutorial hours to get help from an Astronomy TA. Don't let the semester slip by if you are having trouble!

• Administrative Home The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is the administrative home of this course and governs matters such as the add/drop deadlines, the second-grade-only option, and other related issues. Different colleges may have different policies. Questions may be addressed to 120 Schaeffer Hall, or see the CLAS Student Academic Handbook.

• Electronic Communication University policy specifies that students are responsible for all official correspondences sent to their University of Iowa e-mail address (@uiowa.edu). Faculty and students should use this account for correspondences. (Operations Manual, Scroll down to k.11.)

• Accommodations for Disabilities A student seeking academic accommodations should first register with Student Disability Services and then meet privately with the course instructor to make particular arrangements. See http://www.uiowa.edu/~sds/ for more information.

• Academic Fraud Plagiarism and any other activities when students present work that is not their own are academic fraud. Academic fraud is a serious matter and is reported to the departmental DEO and to the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs and Curriculum. Instructors and DEOs decide on appropriate consequences at the departmental level while the Associate Dean enforces additional consequences at the collegiate level. See the CLAS Academic Fraud section of the Student Academic Handbook.

• CLAS Final Examination Policies Final exams may be offered only during finals week. No exams of any kind are allowed during the last week of classes. Students should not ask their instructor to reschedule a final exam since the College does not permit rescheduling of a final exam once the semester has begun. Questions should be addressed to the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs and Curriculum.

• Making a Suggestion or a Complaint Students with a suggestion or complaint should first visit the instructor, then the course supervisor, and then the departmental DEO. Complaints must be made within six months of the incident. See the CLAS Student Academic Handbook.
  
• Department Contact Information: DEO contact is Professor Hallsie Reno, 203 Van Allen Hall, 335-1689

• Understanding Sexual Harassment Sexual harassment subverts the mission of the University and threatens the well-being of students, faculty, and staff. All members of the UI community have a responsibility to uphold this mission and to contribute to a safe environment that enhances learning. Incidents of sexual harassment should be reported immediately. See the UI Comprehensive Guide on Sexual Harassment for assistance, definitions, and the full University policy.

• Reacting Safely to Severe Weather In severe weather, class members should seek appropriate shelter immediately, leaving the classroom if necessary. The class will continue if possible when the event is over. For more information on Hawk Alert and the siren warning system, visit the Public Safety web site.