chem & bio student handbook 2012-2013 - bk edit · limnology and ecotoxicology). history ......

http://www.ryerson.ca/cab/

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MISSION STATEMENT

Our Department strives to establish an environment where a passion for learning and research is cultivated. We offer innovative degree programs that prepare graduates for careers or future studies in the biomedical and molecular sciences (biochemistry, cell biology, chemistry, molecular biology and surface science) and environmental sciences (analytical and atmospheric chemistry, environmental biotechnology, microbiology, limnology and ecotoxicology).

HISTORY Since its creation in 1948, Ryerson has maintained its commitment to the provision of professionally relevant education of high quality; an approach which combines the traditional university focus on theory with an unparalleled career-oriented emphasis on professional practice and application. As a consequence, Ryerson has become a full member of the Council of Ontario Universities, the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada and the Association of Commonwealth Universities.

Department of Chemistry and Biology

Kerr Hall North 212


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ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

Caltha Rimmer Rm #: KHN 210 Ext. 6347 Administrative Assistant Email: [email protected]

Stephanie Grouios Rm #: KHN 212 Ext. 4201

Departmental Assistant Email: [email protected]

Dulce Banegas Rm #: KHN 212 Ext. 5313

Departmental Secretary Email: [email protected]

Webmaster

Maria Landau Rm #: KHE 226B Ext. 2664 Graduate Program Administrator Email: [email protected]


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QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE FOR BIOLOGY/CHEMISTRY

STUDENTS

What Who

Appeals (First Level)

1. Completed Standing Appeal Forms must be filed with your Program Department.

2. Completed grade appeal forms must be filed with the department that offered the course you are appealing.

3. Once it has been date-stamped, it is forwarded to the department level respondent.

Further information can be found at : http://www.ryerson.ca/currentstudents/essr/appeals/ Note 1: There are three appeal levels for both grade and standing appeals: Department, Faculty and Senate Note 2: Since the appeal of a grade may have an effect upon your standing, you MUST attach a copy of any grade appeals to a standing appeal Note 3: You MUST make a copy of your entire appeal before submitting it to the appropriate department.

Chemistry Ext. 6348

[email protected]

Biology Ext. 6354

[email protected]

Appointments

Contact individual professors or program directors for consultation hours.

Assignment Drop Box

Assignments must be submitted in the Assignment box outside KHN-212 If you are unable to submit your biology or chemistry assignment directly to your instructor or TA, you must place your assignment in the assignment Drop Box located outside KHN 212. For courses offered by other departments, you will need to consult their Departmental Handbook. Each assignment placed in the Assignment Drop Box should clearly indicate:

Student Name, Date, Course Code, Professor Name, Teaching Assistant Name, Assignment Title or Number

KHN-212 Chemistry and Biology

Class Cancellations

Posted on the classroom door, if not, please confirm with the office (KHN-212) Cancellations may also be noted on your courses Blackboard site.

Counselling

Please contact the Program Counselor or

The Centre for Student Development and Counselling For Personal Counselling, please visit the Counselling Centre

Lower Floor Jorgenson Hall – JOR 07C Tel. 416-979-5195


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Academic Advisement

For academic advisement contact your program director or the program director for the subject area.

Course Selection

Full – time undergraduate course selection is done online using the RAMSS web service (Ryerson Administrative Management Self Service) http://www.ryerson.ca/undergraduate/calendars/ Students are advised to choose courses from the same semester of their program, whenever possible.

Course Management

Policy

At the beginning of each course, students will receive an outline or syllabus, which will include information on the following:

1. Name and number of course; semester and year, if appropriate; prerequisites, if any;

2. Faculty member’s name, office location and scheduled student consultation hours; office telephone number and e-mail address; faculty/course website(s) if available;

3. A synopsis of the course’s academic focus and scope, course objectives and/or intended learning outcomes, and topics with their approximate sequence and schedule;

4. A description of the teaching method(s) to be used (e.g., lecture, laboratory, studio, case-study, problem-based learning, seminar, fieldwork);

5. Assignments due dates, mid-term exam dates and paper deadlines.

6. Weighting of course components in calculation of the final course grade.

If you have concerns about any course management information provided, you must contact the instructor as soon as possible.

http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol145.p

df

Curriculum Substitution

Curriculum substitution is needed to replace listed program courses with other courses, including Chang School courses. Students wishing to have a curriculum substitution must obtain the http://www.ryerson.ca/currentstudents/forms/course_sub_ugrd.pdf form and follow the instructions therein. For CHY course substitutions or alterations to your chemistry program course requirements, you must consult t he chemistry Program Director, Dr. Anne Johnson. For BLG course substitutions or alterations to your chemistry program course requirements, you must consult t he chemistry Program Director, Dr. Kimberley Gilbride NOTE: You may need to complete and submit a GPA adjustment form. (eg. To replace one liberal with another.) This must be done before the last date to add a course.

KHN-212


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Student E-mail

Account

All students are required to activate and use a Ryerson Matrix e-mail account. You can find further information at http://www.ryerson.ca/accounts/ Check your Ryerson email for more information on:

• How to find out your faculty’s course selection days • Help Pages to show you how easy it is to use RAMSS • Departmental Information

Exam Schedule

Students are responsible for consulting the exam schedule to determine the times & locations of their exams. Students are responsible for arriving at the exam on time and adhering to examination policies. The exam schedule can be downloaded from the Ryerson’s main under Current Students and under Exam Schedule- website at http://www.ryerson.ca/currentstudents/exams/ Examination Policy can be found at http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol46.pdf

www.ryerson.ca

Graduation Students must apply to graduate. Information can be found at: http://www.ryerson.ca/convocation/

Grade Revisions

Grade revisions are changes made to your reported final grade. These are done after reviews of graded final examination, re-grades of evaluated work, or completion of required course components, etc. Grade revisions must be completed by the professor and approved, by the department, before being forwarded to Records & Registration. More information can be found at http://www.ryerson.ca/facultysupport/FAQ/ http://www.ryerson.ca/facultysupport/forms/RevisionForm.pdf

KHN-212

Key Request Must be authorized by the professor and approved by the Chair of the department, Dr. Stephen Wylie

KHN-212

Letter of Permission

A letter of permission is a document that authorizes you to use a course taken at another institution, while you are enrolled at Ryerson, towards your Ryerson degree, provided you earn the minimum required grade for transfer credit. A letter of permission does not guarantee you admission into the other institution. If you are granted a letter of permission, you do not need to apply for transfer credit for the same course. For more information and the application form, see: http://www.ryerson.ca/currentstudents/forms/lop.pdf

Library Cards Valid for one year, to be renewed each September http://www.ryerson.ca/library/info/borrower/cards.html

416-979-5055, Library circulation desk,

2nd Fl.

Lockers There is a sign-up sheet in departmental office, during registration week in each semester http://www.ryerson.ca/calendar/2011-2012/pg2146.html

KHN-212


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Medical Certificates

To be completed by a physician – original to the department and a copy to the professor. The policy is clear that documentation must be submitted within three business days (72 hours) of an exam, but late documentation may be accepted by the professor “under exceptional circumstances” (e.g. if the extent of your illness is such that you were unable to submit a medical certificate by the deadline and you were in contact with your professor.) You must email your professor to request academic consideration BEFORE the missed evaluation. http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/forms/medical.pdf http://www.ryerson.ca/content/dam/senate/forms/academic_consideration_document_submission.pdf

KHN-212

Missed Evaluations

Students are responsible for writing tests/exams and submitting assignments on the dates specified by their instructors on the course information sheets. If a student misses a scheduled evaluation or due date due to unforeseen circumstances, academic consideration may be granted by the instructor provided BOTH of the following are done: a) The student must inform their instructor, preferably by email, in advance of the evaluation. The student should request academic consideration pending the submission of supporting documentation. b) The student must present valid, verifiable supporting documentation (e.g. Ryerson Medical Certificate) to their program department within three business days of the missed evaluation. Students failing to follow these procedures correctly may jeopardize their chances of obtaining academic consideration and/or a successful appeal. Only in extraordinary circumstances (e.g. the illness is such that you are unable to operate a telephone or email, or unable to submit a medical note by the deadline) will exceptions to these procedures be made. If you have such circumstances, you must contact the instructor as soon as possible to inform them of your circumstance. http://www.ryerson.ca/content/dam/senate/forms/academic_consideration_document_submission.pdf Instructors will evaluate all requests for academic consideration and the supporting documentation on a case-by-case basis. Academic consideration is not guaranteed. Submission of fraudulent documentation is Academic misconduct.

Pedagogical Information

A reference to style guides, oral presentation guidelines, etc. can be found at http://www.ryerson.ca/library/refshelf.html

Probationary Contracts

Students with Probationary Standing require Probationary Contracts. To be completed by the program directors, Dr. Anne Johnson (Chemistry) and Kimberly Gilbride (Biology), signed by the student and submitted to the departmental office located in KHN 212 http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/forms/ProbationaryContract.pdf / http://www.ryerson.ca/currentstudents/forms/ProbationaryContract.pdf If you are on probation and have not heard from your Program Director by the end of the first week of classes, contact your Program Director immediately.

Dr. Anne Johnson Ext. 6348 [email protected] Dr. Kimberley Gilbride Ext. 6354 [email protected]


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Religious

observance

Students must complete the form outlining instances of religious observance, and submit it to the professors within the first two weeks of classes. Students who must miss academic obligation, especially evaluations, must complete a Religious Observance. More information can be found: http://www.ryerson.ca/calendar/2011-2012/pg2034.html http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/forms/relobservforminstr.pdf

KHN-212

Ryerson One Student ID

Card

All photo id cards may be obtained at the Information Counter (Admissions) located in the south end Lower level of Jorgenson Hall Phone: 416-979-5000 x7565 Fax: 416-979-5386 email: [email protected] Fall/Winter Hours Monday to Thursday 8:30am to 6:00pm, Friday 8:30am to 4:00pm

JOR 02 Lower level of Jorgenson Hall 380 Victoria St.

http://www.ryerson.ca/onecard/

Special Student

The term Special Student refers to students who have been given departmental permission to take undergraduate degree or diploma courses at Ryerson but have not been admitted into a program. The work you do for a course will be evaluated and you will receive a final grade. You will not receive a grade point average or Academic Standing. Reasons for needing Special Student Status include attempting to qualify for admissions to a program, or to meet professional association requirements. While approval as a Special Student permits you to attempt to register for individual courses, it does not guarantee and is not meant to guarantee registration in courses, or admission to programs. Should you wish to obtain admission consideration for a Ryerson program, please refer to the Ryerson Calendar for admission requirements. For further information please go to: http://www.ryerson.ca/undergraduate/admission/overview/special.html and http://www.ryerson.ca/feas/programs/undergraduate/specialstudents.html

Student Code of Academic

Conduct

Information can be found at http://www.ryerson.ca/studentguide/IfYouHaveAProblem.html http://www.ryerson.ca/calendar/2011-2012/pg2030.html http://www.ryerson.ca/academicintegrity/

Student Code of Non-

Academic Conduct

Information can be found at http://www.ryerson.ca/calendar/2011-2012/pg2030.html

Student Complaints

Information can be found at http://www.ryerson.ca/studentguide/IfYouHaveAProblem.html


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Student Organization

s & Associations

RYERSON STUDENTS’ ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL http://www.rsuonline.ca/

416-979-5255

NSERC / CRSNG Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA) in Universities. Would you like to get some research experience in an academic setting? If you are an undergraduate student in the natural sciences or engineering, you may be eligible to apply for an Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA). Financial assistance from NSERC is available for successful applicants to conduct research for up to four months at an eligible Canadian university. http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Students-Etudiants/index_eng.asp

CANADIAN SOCIETY OF BIOCHEMISTRY, MOLECULAR & CELLULAR BIOLOGY http://www.csbmcb.ca

THE CANADIAN SOCIETY FOR CHEMISTRY http://www.chemistry.ca/

Dr. Noel George Faculty Advisor

Student Associations within Ryerson can be found at http://www.ryerson.ca/campuslife/studentclubs/studentclubs/

POD-62

Timetables Can be obtained only through the RAMSS webpage https://my.ryerson.ca/

Transfer Credit

To be completed by the student and submitted to the Admissions Office http://www.ryerson.ca/currentstudents/transfercredits/

Lower Ground Floor, Library

Transcripts

Ordering Official Transcripts There is a $10, non-refundable, fee for each official transcript requested. In person: pick up a Transcript Request Form from Enrollment Services and Student Records (POD70)

By mail: complete the Transcript Request Form (one per request), print and mail with payment to:

Ryerson University Student Fees Office 350 Victoria Street Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5B 2K3

By fax : complete the Transcript Request Form (one per request), print and fax to 416-979-5236

Requests will not be accepted via phone or email. Unofficial transcripts can be obtained via RAMSS.

Lower Ground Floor, Podium 70


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A STUDENT’S GUIDE TO ACADEMIC APPEALS & RESOURCES ON CAMPUS

CONTACT LOCATION CONTACT INFO

WEB SITE

I need advice and information on how to appeal my mark, my standing or a charge of academic or non-academic misconduct.

Department of Chemistry and Biology KHN 212 416-979-5313 http://www.ryerson.ca/studentguide/IfYouHaveaProblem.html

CESAR (Part-Time or Continuing Education)

Student Centre. Suite 301 416-979-5193 http://www.mycesar.org/

STUDENT ADVISORS Student Services

JOR-407 416-979-5000 x.6559 http://www.ryerson.ca/studentservices/

Ombudsperson 2nd floor, Oakham House 416-979-5000 x. 7450 [email protected]

www.ryerson.ca/ombuds

Where can I get INSTANT information on how to start an appeal?

FORMS & DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE ONLINE: Ø 1st Level Grade/Standing Appeal Form Medical Appeal Form Ø 2nd Level Grade/Standing Appeal Forms Application to Withdraw Ø 3rd Level Appeal Form Petition for Aegrotat Standing

www.ryerson.ca/rr/forms.htm www.ryerson.ca/currentstudents/essr/appeals

I require advice concerning an appeal on the grounds of discrimination.

OFFICE OF DISCRIMINATION & HARRASSMENT PREVENTION SERVICES Ann Whiteside, Joyce Burke

POD-254-A 416-979-5000 x. 7494

I require advice and information regarding a third level appeal.

Diane Schulman – Academic Council JOR-1221 416-979-5011

I believe my appeal is being handled unfairly.

Nora Farrell – Ombudsperson 2nd floor, Oakham House 416-979-5000 x. 7450 [email protected]

www.ryerson.ca/ombuds

What are some of the academic resources available on campus that will help me to improve my grades?

ACADEMIC RESOURCES Tutor Registry

JOR-300 Learning Success Centre

416-979-5187 [email protected] www.ryerson.ca/tutor

Writing Centre LIB-266A 416-979-5000 x7192 http://www.ryerson.ca/writingcentre/

Math Centre LIB-266B 416-979-5079 http://www.ryerson.ca/library/subjects/math/

English Language Centre JOR-500 416-979-5105

LEARNING SUPPORT SERVICES JOR-402

416-979-5195 [email protected]

www.ryerson.ca/lss

ACCESS CENTRE (Students with Learning or Physical Disabilities or Medical Conditions)

JOR-300 or Lower Business Bldg


www.ryerson.ca/accesscentre

SUSPENDED STUDENTS SEMINAR Rosemarie Volpe, Sahri Woods-Baum JOR-402


www.ryerson.ca/counselling

I need assistance to determine and achieve my academic and personal goals.

CENTRE FOR DEVELOPMENT & STUDENT COUNSELLING

JOR-402 416-979-5195 [email protected]


CAREER COUNSELLING & ASSESSMENTS Rosemarie Volpe, Sahri Woods-Baum (Full-time Undergraduate & Graduate)

JOR-402 416-979-5195 [email protected]


Darrell Bowden (Part-Time & Continuing Education)

JOR-413 416-979-5000 x. 6624 [email protected]

www.ryerson.ca/career


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FACULTY

FACULTY OF SCIENCE UNDERGRADUATE GRADING CATEGORIES

LETTER

GRADES PERFORMANCE DESIGNATION

GRADE POINTS

CONVERSION TO LETTER GRADES

A+

EXCELLENT

4.33 90-100*

A 4.00 85-89*

A- 3.67 80-84

B+

GOOD

3.33 75-79

B 3.00 70-74

B- 2.67 66-69

C+

SATISFACTORY

2.33 63-65

C 2.00 60-62

C- 1.67 57-59

D+

MARGINAL

1.33 54-56

D 1.00 52-53

D- 0.67 50-51

F UNSATISFACTORY 0 0-49

FS REDEEMABLE FAILURE 0 NIL

FNA** FAILED FOR NON-ATTENDANCE 0 NIL

Course Weights - for the purpose of calculating grade point averages, courses of one term and two terms in duration have been given weights of 1 and 2 respectively, with provision for variation from this norm under exceptional circumstances.

Prerequisites Policy

• The Department requires that students enrolling in Biology (BLG) or Chemistry (CHY) courses follow the prerequisite courses as listed in the current Ryerson University Calendar

• It is the sole responsibility of the student to ensure that they have the necessary prerequisite courses for the courses they wish to enroll in.

• The Department will deregister students from a course, after the end of the second week of classes if they lack the required prerequisites. Students should note that at this point they will no longer be able to register for other courses since the deadline for course registration will be past.

• Prerequisites are only waived in exceptional circumstances. • A request to waive a prerequisite must be made to the appropriate Program Director, via the

Academic Assistant, using the Departmental Prerequisite Waiver form. • The instructor of the course for which the waiver is required must approve the waiver justification

in writing. • The Program Director is responsible for determining whether a prerequisite waiver will be granted. • The prerequisite waiver must be submitted before the student enrolls in a course. • Waivers may be submitted up to the deadline for course registration. • An approved waiver is not a guarantee of space in a course.


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FACULTY OF SCIENCE

UNDERGRADUATE STANDING AND CONTINUANCE POLICIES http://www.ryerson.ca/currentstudents/calendars/ http://www.ryerson.ca/studentguide/AcademicMatters1.html

ACADEMIC STANDINGS

In undergraduate degree and diploma programs, each student's Academic Standing will be established from the student's formal course grades at the end of each academic term on the basis of the following categories and criteria for overall academic performance: 1. CLEAR - a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least 2.00. Students with CLEAR Standing may continue their program studies with no restrictions except for the obligation to satisfy prerequisite requirements. 2. PROBATIONARY - a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 1.00 to 1.99. Students with PROBATIONARY Standing may not continue their program studies until a PROBATIONARY Contract outlining a specific plan for studies and academic supports has been authorized by their program School or Department, and signed by the student. Students who fail to have such a PROBATIONARY Contract will have their course enrollments and course intention requests cancelled for the term in question. Students with a PROBATIONARY Standing in the Winter or Spring/Summer terms will be eligible to continue their studies as long as they achieve a term grade point average (TGPA) of 2.00 or higher and provided they meet the terms of their PROBATIONARY Contract and do not violate approved Department/School Standing variations. Students with a PROBATIONARY Standing in the Fall term will remain on PROBATION in the Winter term provided they meet the terms of their PROBATIONARY Contract and do not violate approved Department/School Standing variations. Failure to meet the terms of the PROBATIONARY Contract as set out by the School or Department will result in the students being REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW from their Ryerson program. Students who raise their CGPA to 2.00 or higher will be placed on CLEAR Standing. 3. REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW - Students will be REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW from their program for one of the following reasons: i. A CGPA of less than 1.00; or ii. BOTH a term GPA and CGPA below 2.00 while on probation; or iii. Violation of any approved Department/School Standing variation; or iv. Violation of a PROBATIONARY Contract. Except in the case where students violate their PROBATIONARY Contract or approved Department/School Standing variations, students may only be REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW from their program following the Winter or Spring/Summer semesters. Students who would otherwise be RREQUIRED TO WITHDRAW at the end of the Fall semester, will be able to continue in their program for the subsequent Winter semester on PROBATION. Students REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW from their program following the Winter semester will not be eligible for reinstatement in their program until the Fall term of the following calendar year. However, with program permission and a Restricted PROBATIONARY Contract, a student may be allowed the opportunity to take courses in the immediately following Spring/Summer semester if such studies could result in a CLEAR Standing by the end of the Spring/Summer semester. If the student fails to achieve a CGPA of 2.00 at the end of the Spring/Summer semester, s/he will be REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW. Students who are REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW at the end of Spring/Summer semester will not be eligible for formal reinstatement in their program until the Fall term of the following calendar year.


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Students who have been REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW from a Ryerson program may not continue their program studies, but may apply in writing for formal reinstatement back into their original program, or for admission to another program. No courses taken prior to reinstatement will be granted Ryerson credit. Applications for reinstatement will be considered by Faculty and/or Program Admission Committees based on criteria, assessments and/or procedures developed by the Faculty or program in consultation with the Registrar's Office. Past academic performance and space availability will normally be considerations. Students who are reinstated to their program will be reinstated on PROBATION, and will be required to have a PROBATIONARY Contract as outlined in section 2. Normally, students REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW from a Ryerson program will not be considered for transfer to any other Ryerson program until they would be eligible to return to their original program.


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Academic and Course Management Policies for the Department of Chemistry and Biology

The Ryerson University Policy on Undergraduate Course Management (Policy 145) requires departments to establish policies for group work, academic integrity, course variation, attendance, class participation, accommodation of students with disabilities, student e-mail, and non-academic conduct. The policies must be included in a on-line Student Handbook and distributed to the departmental faculty. The Student Handbook may be referenced in course outlines to avoid repetition of general department information. These policies are intended for all members of the Department. Group Work Group work is course work carried out by two or more students, who each receive the same mark for the shared work. Group work can be a valuable learning experience for students and provide career-related skills. However, due to the importance of individual assessment in grading student competence, group work shall not constitute more than 30% of a course grade for courses offered by the Department. In courses with group work, the course outline must provide students with clear guidelines concerning the assessment of the group’s work, including expectations with respect to form and content, and how and when group work will be assessed. The instructor should provide students with learning resources or training in effective group work. Although conflict resolution is a crucial skill that students can learn and improve upon through group work, the course outline must document fair, appropriate and timely procedures for students who encounter difficulty working with their groups. Normally, the procedures would include consultation with the instructor as soon as possible. If the problem remains unresolved after the instructor’s intervention, students should consult the Program Director. Academic Integrity The effectiveness of university teaching, learning, scholarly research and student evaluation depends critically on the integrity of all participants. Academic misconduct consists of actions that erode the integrity of the learning environment. Plagiarism, cheating, dishonesty, obstructing the academic activities of others, copyright infringement, and falsification of laboratory or research data are all examples of academic misconduct, as is assisting (deliberately or negligently) others to commit academic misconduct. The Student Code of Academic Conduct provides a comprehensive definition and examples of academic misconduct, possible penalties and consequences, and the procedures to be followed in cases of suspected misconduct. Academic misconduct of any kind is unacceptable and may have severe and long-lasting consequences. For example, students who have been found to have committed academic misconduct will automatically have a Disciplinary Notice (DN) placed on their academic record and official transcript. The DN notation will remain until the student graduates or eight years elapses. Students are expected to be thoroughly familiar with the contents of the Code. It is available on the Senate website (Policy 60 of Ryerson University Senate, www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol60.pdf)The Department is committed to full enforcement of the Student Code of Academic Conduct and requires faculty to report and investigate any suspicion of academic misconduct, whether on the part of an individual or a group. Instructors may use an electronic plagiarism detection service, subject to the requirements of the Course Management Policy (Policy 145 of Ryerson University Academic Council). Students who are uncertain about what constitutes academic misconduct, especially plagiarism, should consult their instructor and the Academic Integrity Office website (http://www.ryerson.ca/academicintegrity). Course Variation In courses with multiple sections running during the same semester, course descriptions and overall objectives must be consistent. There may be minor variations in assignment structures and evaluation techniques, but all sections will have identical assessment weight distributions.


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Lecture Attendance In-class lectures, discussions, and other activities are an integral part of the university learning process. Students who want to achieve their best academic performance should attend classes regularly. During classes, instructors may make important announcements, provide feedback on academic performance, discuss expectations about assignments and evaluations, and answer student questions. Students who are absent from classes assume complete responsibility for learning what they have missed. Upon request, instructors will provide printed material, e.g., handouts, notes, etc., that were distributed during the class. Instructors are not required to provide their personal lecture notes, or copies of overhead transparencies used in the lecture. Attendance at lectures will not be graded in undergraduate courses offered by the Department of Chemistry and Biology. Instructors may assign grades to activities, scheduled or unscheduled, conducted during classes, as described in the course outline. The grade assigned to any unscheduled activity in a single lecture session shall not contribute more than 2% toward the final grade. The grade assigned to unscheduled activities throughout the term shall not contribute more than 10% toward the final grade. When illnesses or other compassionate circumstances will result in substantial absences (more than three or four hours of class), or any missed evaluations, students must consult their instructor and Program Director as soon as possible. Laboratory/Tutorial Attendance Laboratory/tutorial attendance requirements are documented in the course outline. In most courses with practical components, attendance of all scheduled laboratories/tutorials is mandatory. Academic consideration for missed laboratories/tutorials will be at the discretion of the instructor and will require valid documentation of the medical or compassionate circumstance. Late course registration is not an acceptable reason for missing scheduled laboratory/tutorial meetings. For some practical components, there are limited opportunities to complete missed work; missing more than 20% of scheduled meetings (labs) for any reason will result in the failure of the practical component regardless of the circumstances. Class Participation Courses that include student participation as a component of the final grade will document in the course outline the criteria used in evaluating student performance. A student participation grade will not be based solely on class attendance. Accommodation of Students with Disabilities The Department is committed to maintaining a learning environment that is inclusive, accessible and fair to all members of the Ryerson community. The Department supports the use of the Access Centre by students with disabilities and special needs (http://www.ryerson.ca/studentservices/accesscentre/). In collaboration with the student and instructor, the Access Centre determines accommodations that meet the student’s identified needs, while preserving the academic integrity of the courses in question. Students must register with the Access Centre in order to obtain accommodation for a disability. Students are responsible for providing their instructors with an “Accommodation Form for Professors” from the Access Centre that documents their accommodation needs. Students registered with the Access Centre at the beginning of the semester must meet with their instructors during the first week of classes to discuss their accommodation needs. Students who register with the Access Centre during the semester must speak to their instructors as soon as their accommodation needs have been identified. Students should note that some forms of accommodation (such as assignment extensions and flexibility in test/exam scheduling) require negotiation with the instructor well in advance of the date in question. Student E-mail


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Students are required to maintain and monitor their Ryerson e-mail address and to use it in all official or formal electronic communications with the Department (this includes faculty, instructors, teaching assistants, technologists and administrative staff). Students are expected to monitor and retrieve messages and information sent to their Ryerson e-mail address on a frequent and consistent basis and must recognize that certain communications may be time-critical (Policy 157 of Ryerson University Senate (http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol157.pdf)). Non-Academic Conduct The Student Code of Non-Academic Conduct outlines actions that the University considers to be nonacademic misconduct offences and the range of remedies and/or penalties that may be imposed. Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the Student Code of Non-Academic Conduct (Policy 61 of Ryerson University Senate (http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol61.pdf).


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STUDENT GUIDE TO AVOIDING ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT

Basic Principles:

• Intellectual freedom and honesty are essential to the sharing and development of knowledge. All members of the Ryerson community must exhibit integrity in their teaching, learning, research, evaluation, and personal behaviour. As a Ryerson student, you are responsible for familiarizing yourself with the Student Code of Academic Conduct which can be found at http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol60.pdf

• Ryerson has developed an academic integrity website for students, contains valuable information along with tutorials and quizzes to help you learn about various types of misconduct, how to avoid misconduct and resources available to assist you. See http://www.ryerson.ca/academicintegrity/

• Ryerson has established an Academic Integrity Office. If you have any questions about academic integrity, are concerned with the academic integrity of a particular situation, or would like to consult about a charge of academic misconduct, either e-mail [email protected] or call 416-979-5000 ext. 7800.

Academic misconduct is defined as:

• Plagiarism • Cheating • Misrepresentation of personal identity or performance • Submission of false information • Damaging or Tampering with the Scholarly Environment • Contributing to Academic Misconduct • Unauthorized Copying or Use of Copyrighted Materials • Violations of Departmental Policies on Professional Behaviour

Penalties and consequences for academic misconduct:

• The minimum penalty for academic misconduct on any assignment or other form of evaluation is a mark of zero for the work, and a Disciplinary Notice (DN) will be placed on your record.

• A grade of “F” in a course may be assigned by the instructor. • You may be required to participate in the Academic Integrity Tutorial in conjunction with another

penalty. • Disciplinary Suspension (DS) may be recommended by instructor, or may be assigned by the

Faculty Appeals Committee or Academic Council Appeals Committee. • Disciplinary Withdrawn (DW) may be recommended by instructor, or may be assigned by the

Faculty Appeals Committee or Academic Council Appeals Committee. • The Academic Council Appeals Committee may Expel you from the University. • In some circumstances your degree, diploma or certificate may be rescinded. • You may be required to replace damaged or destroyed material.

Resources available to assist students in avoiding academic misconduct:

• The Writing Centre: 416-979-5000 ext 7192. Located on the second floor of the Library. You can book a 50-minute one-on-one consultation to discuss your essay. http://www.ryerson.ca/writingcentre/

• The Learning Success Centre: 416-979-5000 ext. 7350 The L.S.C. offers workshops on essay writing, time management, exam writing etc. Visit this website for a schedule. http://www.ryerson.ca/studentservices/learningsuccess/

• The Ryerson Library: Will assist you on how to best research topics, and what resources to use. www.ryerson.ca/library/


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• RefWorks: Offered to all Ryerson students - A quick and easy way to create and manage your bibliographies (software program). www.ryerson.ca/library/info/databases/refworks/

• English Language Support: Resources available for international and English as second language students to assist in successful academic strategies. www.ryerson.ca/lss

• Citation style guides: • APA: http://www.ryerson.ca/library/subjects/style/apa.html

• Chicago: http://www.ryerson.ca/writingcentre/students/handouts/handouts/chicago.pd for www.liunet.edu/cwis/cwp/library/workshop/citation.htm

• MLA: owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01/or www.liunet.edu/cwis/cwp/library/workshop/citation.htm

• Turabian: http://www.ithaca.edu/library/course/turabian.html or www.liunet.edu/cwis/cwp/library/workshop/citation.htm


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STUDENT GUIDE TO AVOIDING ACADEMIC APPEALS

Students sometimes find themselves in circumstances which affect their academic performance. Students sometimes believe that they should continue to the end of the semester, see how they do, and then appeal their grade or academic standing if they do not succeed. Basic Principles:

• You should be aware that failure to deal with unforeseen circumstance when they arise will jeopardize your ability to appeal a grade or academic standing. You must consult with your professors, or with your Program Director, on accommodations and considerations as soon as they are needed.

• Students sometimes claim that they are “too shy” to discuss their personal situation with their

instructors in order to ask for considerations.

o You should be aware that you do not have to discuss the details of your situation, but you do need to inform instructors that you have a problem. If you wish, you may discuss your situation with your Program Director so that you do not have to discuss it with each professor individually.

o You should also be aware that if you do not bring the situation to the attention of your

professors, and you decide to appeal, you will have to tell your circumstances to many people, and put them in writing.

• Grades are a measure of your knowledge. Ryerson is committed to giving students a fair

opportunity to learn, but ultimately, if you do not have the knowledge you do not qualify for a Ryerson degree. Grades will not be increased because you want them to be – you must be able to demonstrate that you have the knowledge that everyone else with that grade (or academic standing) has. Grades are not given – they are earned.

Responsibilities:

§ Religious Obligations: If there is a test, exam or assignment due date that conflicts with a religious obligation, you must notify your instructor within the first 2 weeks of class (or for a final exam, within 5 days of the posting of the schedule). You should use the form available at http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/forms/relobservforminstr.pdf

§ The policy is found at http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/pol150.pdf § Accommodation for Disability – If you require an accommodation for a disability should contact

the Access Centre. Any accommodation must be presented to the professor as soon as possible, and may not be presented after-the-fact. The professor may wish to discuss accommodations with you and the Access Center to ensure that they are appropriate.

§ Regrading or Recalculation: Requests for the regrading or recalculation of your work must be made

within 10 working days of the date the graded work is returned to the class. It is your responsibility to discuss your work with your professor, and he or she may ask you to put your request in writing detailing where you believe the grading is incorrect.

o If your professor does not regrade your work, or if you still believe that there is merit to

your concern, you may request a formal regrading from your Chair/Director. You must submit a detailed outline of where you believe the grading is incorrect. Be aware that your


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grade could go down (or up or remain the same). The result of the regrading is the grade that is recorded.

§ Medical or Compassionate: Documents for the missing of a test, exam or assignment due date must

be submitted within 3 working days. This should normally be done on a Ryerson Medical Certificate, but if you get a note from a physician it must contain all of the information required on the form, and you must submit the affidavit (the top part of the form) with the note. Your certificate must be for the period of time in question. Your Department/School has the right to verify the validity of the certificate. You are responsible for notifying the instructor, as soon as possible, if you will be missing a test or exam

§ Consideration in more than one course: If you have an illness or other situation, which affects your

overall academic performance, you must consult with your Chair/ Director who will make recommendations on a plan for your studies and will inform your instructors. (You must still contact your instructors to verify the details.)

§ Academic Appeals – The policy and forms can be found at

http://www.ryerson.ca/studentguide/IfYouHaveAProblem.html.