The following are Mesa Community College’s recommended syllabus statements and are automatically included in syllabi created in the Simple Syllabus. These are specific to MCC, they are recommended to include, in addition to the required statements of the administrative regulation. Please note these do not include the required admin regulation statements, only the MCC recommended statements are below, you may remove MCC recommended statements from your syllabi or you can add them if you created your syllabus outside of the syllabus software. Following statements have been updated and vetted by the authors and the MCC Syllabus Committee: Updated Spring 2024
Learning requires honesty, responsibility, and professional behavior. It is college policy to respond to academic misconduct and dishonesty whether it was committed intentionally or not.
Note to Faculty about Academic Integrity & Conduct Recommended Section:
This is an important section to include details in the event a student challenges a grade. If you want, you may customize your conditions and expectations regarding academic expectations. Make it as clear as possible. Delete and Adjust bullets as needed for your course.
We recommend that you specify examples of how to maintain integrity for this course, keeping in mind that students often need additional guidance in identifying actions considered to be misconduct such as plagiarism, cheating, etc. and that student grievance reviews will look first to your syllabus policies. Here are some examples you can use:
Below are some syllabus statements to consider. The first is a generic Opening Statement that could be used with the three levels of allowed usage of generative AI (none, some, and full usage).
Opening Statement Regarding Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)
The World Economic Forum defines generative AI as “a category of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms that generate new outputs based on the data they have been trained on. Unlike traditional AI systems that are designed to recognize patterns and make predictions, generative AI creates new content in the form of images, text, audio, and more.”
Some examples of generative AI tools include but are not limited to: ChatGPT, Google Bard, Microsoft Copilot, Stable Diffusion, GrammarlyGo, and Adobe Firefly.
Select the option that best matches your course:
No Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Allowed
In this class, all work submitted must be your own. The use of generative AI tools will be considered academic misconduct (see Administrative Regulation 2.3.11 1.B(b)) and will be treated as such. If you are unsure if the tool or website you are using is a generative AI tool, please contact the instructor for further clarification before using the tool or website.
Some Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Allowed in Specific Circumstances
There are situations and contexts within this course where you may be permitted to use generative AI tools. In these cases, specific guidelines will be provided in the assignment details. If you are unsure if the tool or website you are using is a generative AI tool or if it is permitted on a specific assignment, please contact the instructor for further clarification before submitting your work.
Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Allowed in All Contexts
In this class, you are permitted to use generative AI tools to complete your assignments. When submitting work that incorporates generative AI content, please clearly indicate what content was generated by AI tools. In such cases, no more than XX% of your work should be generated by a generative AI tool. If any part of this is confusing or uncertain, please reach out to me for a conversation before submitting your work.
Active participation and engagement is important in the learning process. The knowledge and skills to be gained in this course are dependent on attending and/or participating in class.
Select the option that best matches your course modality. Please edit to align to your courses.
In-Person/Live Online: Therefore, attendance and participation are required to be successful. Students who must be absent because of an emergency or illness should make every effort to speak with the instructor about it beforehand, if possible, or after the next class.
Hybrid: Therefore, attendance and active participation are essential for a successful academic experience. Students should attend all scheduled class meetings, commit to time outside of class for other required assignments, and notify the instructor of planned absences; missed assignments translate to absences.
Online On Your Own Time: Therefore, engagement in course activities and submitting assignments provides instructors the opportunity to provide feedback that guides learning. Attendance will be measured by consistent assignment submissions. Students who cannot complete assignments in Canvas by scheduled due dates should reach out to the instructor. Missed assignments translate to absences and missing two due dates in a row may result in withdrawal from the course.
Note to Faculty:
The policy should include information on acceptable absences (beyond those officially recognized in the district), any tardiness policies, and information on when a student will be withdrawn for non-attendance. You may want to refer students to your Grading Policy.
Course attendance policies must comply with section 2.3.2 of MCCCD Administrative. Be aware that the Online (On Your Own Time) statement should be guided by the federal requirements and must include the minimum outside-of-class time expectations.
MCC’s policies excuse absences due to college sanctioned events, death of an immediate family member, jury duty, subpoenas, short-term military service, or religious holidays. Signed absence verification forms or accommodation forms are required prior to absence. https://district.maricopa.edu/regulations/admin-regs/section-2/2-3#2
Withdrawal Policy (Under Attendance Policy)
There are two kinds of withdrawal, student initiated withdrawal and instructor initiated withdrawal. Find the specific withdrawal information in the District Administrative Regulation 2.3.6 and Appendix S-7.
Eligibility for Accommodations & Required Documentation
Please request your accommodations through the MCC Disabilities Resources and Services Office at 480-461-7447 (Southern & Dobson) or 480-654-7771 (Red Mountain) or email drsfrontdesk@mesacc.edu.
Note to Faculty About the Classroom Accommodations for Students Disabilities Statement:
While this is a required statement, you can include the above or the entire statement. If you prefer to display the entire mandatory statement. Please note, alterations to the official statement are not permissible.
Maricopa Community College District has a policy regarding recording faculty lectures: Recording Faculty Lectures https://district.maricopa.edu/regulations/admin-regs/section-3/3-4
Mesa Community College is committed to providing a personal education for each of our students, and the Care Team is a key part of this vision. When parents, faculty, or staff members are concerned about the physical, emotional, academic or personal health of a college student, the Care Team can assess the situation, offer support, and provide referrals to the breadth of resources on-campus. https://www.mesacc.edu/employees/student-affairs/care-team
Please see the Course Details section of this syllabus for the refund dates of this course:
District Refund Policy
Note to Faculty about Tuition Charges and Refunds:
We recommend that you consider adding an “Important Dates & Deadlines” section and including refund and withdrawal deadlines in addition to course milestones.
MCC and other Maricopa Colleges use Canvas, an online learning management system. Whether the class is face-to-face, hybrid, or entirely online, course materials should be accessed by students in Canvas.
All students are provided with an institutional email account (MEID@maricopa.edu). This account assures a student’s identity and privacy, so students should communicate with instructors through this email account or Canvas messaging.
To access this email account click here: http://mail.maricopa.edu
For technical support with your student email account click here: https://www.maricopa.edu/students/technical-support/student-email
LEARNING ENHANCEMENT CENTER
Student success is important at MCC, and we encourage students to use all available resources. In addition to meeting with their instructor, students are encouraged to seek FREE tutoring and other on campus support services to reinforce their understanding of course concepts and improve performance in their course(s).
There are nine on-campus (7 at the Southern and Dobson campus, 2 at the Red Mountain campus) and a virtual option for accessing MCC Tutoring Services. For more information: https://www.mesacc.edu/students/tutoring
All MCC students have access to 10 (ten) hours of free online tutoring by Brainfuse in multiple sessions throughout the semester.
Help Text: If your course uses an embedded peer tutor, please include a statement to that effect in your syllabus. Here is a suggested statement:
Peer Embedded Tutoring
This class has an embedded peer tutor available to assist students with questions and support related to course material, assignments, and resources. The tutor offers one-on-one and small group support, as well as workshops.
If students need support with academic or basic needs at MCC, such as tutoring and transportation issues, there are resources available. MCC has compiled a list of them, which
The Counseling Department at Mesa Community College provides a variety of counseling services to assist students in addressing their personal, academic, career development, prevention, and intervention challenges. Services are offered free of charge to students. Counseling faculty support and empower students in the process of setting and attaining their academic, career, and personal goals. To schedule an appointment to meet with a counselor call:
Note to faculty: We recommend that you outline positive examples of how students can succeed in your course.
MCC has identified learning goals integrated throughout the student experience: Communication, Critical Thinking, Cultural and Global Engagement, and Civic Engagement. Taken cumulatively, these goals are designed to provide an educational experience that reflects the college mission which includes academic and co-curricular programs. This course assesses at least one of these student learning goals and provides students, instructors, and the college with meaningful data on our effectiveness. Ideally, students progress toward these goals throughout their journey at the college. The course-level assessment of the learning goal associated with this course is a snapshot of students’ progress toward the learning goal.
Note to faculty: If your course is Honors-eligible, please select the statement that best applies.
Option 1: This course may be taken for Honors credit through an Honors Contract (not available to first semester or second semester Presidents’ Honors Scholarship students). In addition, students taking this course for Honors credit may be eligible for a scholarship. Please see the instructor and the Honors program for details and requirements.
Option 2: This course is offered as Honors Credit. Traditionally, that means the course includes the “regular” course content, plus some combination of: enhancements to classwork that increases depth/breadth; varied modes of instruction, such as greater emphasis on Project-based learning or discussion; inclusion of material beyond competency requirements, such as research, writing, and presentation that addresses student interests.
Option 3: This section is not eligible for honors credit using an Honors Contract. However, another section of this course/similar course is offered for Honors Credit. Those who wish to earn honors credit and are eligible should consider transferring to the honors course.
Mesa Community College fosters an environment of religious inclusion where students of faith will be welcomed and supported. If you have religious practices and needs (as protected by Title IV of the Civil Rights Act) and would like to discuss possible accommodations, please review the Religious Accommodation Procedure and contact your instructor.
Near the end of this course, students will receive an invitation to complete a course survey. Constructive feedback plays an important role in shaping quality education at MCC. All responses are completely confidential, and student names are not stored with answers in any way. Instructors will not see survey results until after final grades are submitted. Student participation is greatly appreciated.
It is the student’s responsibility to understand the policies listed in this syllabus as these are the guidelines that the instructor will follow for grading, attendance, etc. It is also every student’s responsibility to read and understand the college policies included in the student handbook as they may apply in the case of an incomplete grade or withdrawal. In addition to this syllabus, all students should be aware of the district Administrative Regulations that articulate student rights and responsibilities.
In response to the US Department of Education’s requirement for regular and substantive interaction (RSI) for online courses, you can expect the following interactions in Canvas. Your instructor will:
Syllabus policies and course schedule are subject to change to accommodate the needs of the course, by agreement between instructor and all students, or as needed by administration. Students will be notified of any changes in schedule, requirements or policies. Students are responsible for knowing and complying with syllabus information and all college catalog and student handbook policies. Continued enrollment is acceptance of this responsibility.