New Mexico State University at Alamogordo

Criteria for Complete Course Syllabus

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Criteria for Complete Course Syllabus

The course syllabus is a contract between the instructor and the student. Therefore, it is very important for the syllabus to address as many issues as possible and be written in a manner that is very easy to understand. A complete course syllabus should include but not be limited to the following:

1. Semester
2. Course title and number
3. Instructor's name
4. Instructor's office hours, office phone number, and class meeting time
5. Textbook(s) required and optional
6. Tentative calendar of activities, including dates for papers, projects, tests, and field trips
7. Course description (must be same as catalog description)
8. Course objectives
9. Attendance/absence policy, including penalties
10. What procedure to follow in the event of Holloman Air Force base closure (only for base classes)
11. Exactly what items are required for grades for the course (how many exams, term papers, reports, etc.) and when these items are due
12. What weight is given to each item in determining the final grade
13. Grading scale for course grade (including an "S")
14. Late/incomplete assignment policy, including penalties
15. Makeup policy for missed/late/incomplete assignments/tests, including penalties
16. What consequences does the student suffer because of cheating, plagiarism, absences, tardiness or other breach of class discipline
17. NMSU-A Mission Statement (you may copy and paste the following statement)

    The mission of the New Mexico State University at Alamogordo is to provide quality learning opportunities for individuals in the diverse community we serve.

18. ADA statement (you may copy and paste the following statement)

    If you have (or believe you have) a disability and would benefit from classroom accommodation(s), please contact the Office of Special Student Services located in the George Fettinger Student Services Building (phone: 439-3720).

    If you have a condition that may affect your ability to exit safely from the premises in an emergency or that may cause an emergency during class, you are encouraged to discuss any concerns with the instructor.

    Student Responsibilities:

    1. Register with Special Student Services and obtain accommodation documents early in the semester;
    2. Deliver the completed accommodation and testing form(s) to the instructor(s) within the first two weeks of beginning of classes (or within one week of the date services are to commence);
    3. Retrieve the signed form(s) from faculty and return to SSD within five (5) days of receipt from faculty and at least one week before any scheduled exam; and,
    4. Contact the Special Student Services Office if the services/accommodations requested are not being provided, not meeting your needs, or if additional accommodations are needed. Do not wait until you receive a failing grade. Retroactive accommodations cannot be considered.

    Faculty Responsibilities:

    1. Sign the Accommodation Request Form and Testing Accommodation Form (when presented), retain a copy, and return the original to the student within five (5) working days of receipt;
    2. Contact Special Student Services immediately if there are any questions or disputes regarding accommodation(s), disruptive behavior, etc.; and,
    3. Refer the student to Special Student Services for any additional accommodations.

    Contacts:

    • Accommodations: Jeremy Patton [(505) 439-3725], Special Student Services Counselor (George Fettinger Student Services Building)
    • ADA Coordinator: Doris Lynch [(505) 439-3716], Campus Student Services Officer (George Fettinger Student Services Building)
    • Discrimination: [(505) 646-3635 ], Director of Institutional Equity (Hadley Hall, Room 15, NMSU)

    All medical information is treated confidentially

19. What a student does "In Case of Emergency" (you may copy and paste the following statement)

    If someone in your family needs to contact you in an emergency, the person calling should know the class you are attending and use the following telephone numbers:

    Alamogordo Campus:

    Daytime: 439-3700 (Admissions Office)

    Evening: 439-3761 (Science Center Secretary)

    Holloman AFB:

    Daytime: 479-4318 (NMSU-A/HAFB Coordinator) or 572-3971 (Base Education Office)

    Evening: No emergency number is available.

    Insure that your class building, room number, and time of class is available to any individuals that need to contact you in case of emergency.

20. Classroom conduct including NMSU prohibition of smoking in classroom (you may copy and paste the following statement)

    No eating, drinking, or smoking in NMSU classrooms. Any student engaging in disruptive behavior will be required to leave the class.

Other areas to consider, if applicable:

1. Student's responsibility to obtain missed information when absent
2. Professionalism in occupation/technical and business fields
3. Student's responsibility when withdrawing from course
4. Instructor's limited prerogative to change syllabus in writing or by announcement
5. Special data concerning programs, such as non-transferability of OEBU, etc.
6. Prerequisites or co requisites, if exist
7. Lab safety and/or hazardous material statement, if applicable
8. Important dates such as last day to withdraw, especially for classes with a different schedule

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