PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING AND SIGN AT THE BOTTOM

In many ways, a course is similar to a contract between a professor and a student; we agree to our half of the bargain, and you agree to your half. For example, professors, we agree to:

1) Provide explicit and clear expectations that will allow you to do well in this class.

2) Answer your e-mail questions within 12 hours during weekdays and  take your phone calls as we are able. On weekends, I will respond to e-mail within 24 hours. I will also hold office hours.

3) Return your homework by a reasonable date and provide clear and helpful comments so that you can do better on the next assignment.

4) Assign a reasonable amount of work. Generally, that promise means in a single week no more than 4 hours a week

5) Allow you to revise essays (but not other written work) as many times as you wish to improve your grade - with certain limitations that we will discuss in class.

6) Avoid assigning "busy work' that serves no purpose.

7) Give you the time, tools, and skills you need to succeed in this class.

8) Grade you fairly and transparently in a way that rewards progress over the course of the semester.

9) we will grade the quality of your work, rather than the time and effort you did or did not put into it.

 

Here is what we expect you to agree to:

 

1) I agree that I will ask questions as I have them. If I encounter difficulties with an assignment, I will contact the professor well before that assignment is due.
2) I understand that as a web hybdrid class, it is my responsibility to get the necessary help from the helpdesk at John Jay for the computer resources used in this class. I understand that as long as the network and applications are up and running, it is my obligation to make them work on my computer and that a failure to get a resource to work on my computer is NOT an excsue for not doing the work. I understand the Prof. Umbach does NOTprovide technical support for this class because there's already an office for that purpose at JJ.

3) I understand that missing more than than two class will cause me to fail this course and that I alone am responsible for getting the necessary information regarding classes I miss and to turn in homework.

4) I understand both that arriving more than thirty minutes late for a class constitutes an absence and that three lates of any amount of time constitute an absence; likewise, missing more than twenty minutes in the middle of a class will also constitute an absence.

5) I agree to check my JOHN JAY e-mail at least every 24 hours during weekdays.

6) I have read the definition of plagiarism and have both understood it and signed below the definition testifying that I understand that description. I recognize that Professor Umbach is kind of a techno-geek, and that accordingly --  as other John Jay students have discovered to their extreme unhappiness -- it is unlikely that I will  successfully be able to present material I find on the web as my own work.   I recognize that cheating hurts the John Jay community and will cause me to fail the course and additional penalties as imposed by the school, up to and including a permanent indication on my college transcript that I violated the Code of Academic Integrity. I know that such a transcript will likely make it impossible for me to work in any area of the criminal justice system or get accepted into graduate school.

7) I understand that class participation is part of my grade. I recognize that sitting quietly during class discussion is unlikely to help my acquisition of skills or knowledge (or improve my grade). I agree to treat my classmates with respect during in-class discussion.

8) I understand that assigned reading is not optional; I agree to do the reading in its entirety and come to class prepared to discuss it. I understand that often there will be quizzes on the reading at the start of class.

9) I agree to do my work on time all the time.  In particular, I will submite all assignments by blackboard.  I will not attempt to turn in handwritten work.

10) I agree to take no phone call during class; if my phone rings in class, I understand that I will be considered absent that day
11) I acknowledge that failing to fulfill my half of the class contract as specified above will result in a lowering of my grade.
12) I agree to inform the professors whenever I work with other students to complete an assignment for this class and that if I don't inform the Professor such group work constitutes plagiarism (see above).
13) I agree that any work I submit becomes the property of Prof. Umbach and that he may use my work anonymously in any way he sees fit.


Name (printed) ___________________ Signature_____________________ Date__________________