Class Policies and Procedures

UGA Student Honor Code: "I will be academically honest in all of my academic work and will not tolerate academic dishonesty of others." A Culture of Honesty, the University's policy, and procedures for handling cases of suspected dishonesty can be found on the Academic Honesty website: https://honesty.uga.edu

Persons with Disabilities: Students with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations in order to participate in course activities or meet course requirements should contact the instructor. The Disability Resource Center may be contacted at drc@uga.edu.

Mandatory Reporting: UGA students working in schools are considered “mandatory reporters” under state law. This means that you are required by law to report suspected child abuse (for instance, if a student tells you about abuse or you suspect it based on a student’s physical appearance or behavior). If you suspect child abuse, you must report this immediately to the school principal/site director, your UGA instructor, the UGA Police at 706-542-2200, and the Department of Children and Family Services at 1-855-GACHILD.

Face Coverings and Social Distancing: Current UGA guidance on coronavirus protections and procedures for classes is available on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response page (https://coronavirus.uga.edu/). At present, social distancing and masking are not permitted to be enforced in classrooms by UGA faculty. Your instructors in my courses will be wearing masks in an abundance of caution, and we encourage you to do the same.

Other COVID procedures and precautions are listed below:

  • Reasonable accommodations may be made for those who are unable to attend class in this uncertain environemtns for documented health reasons. Students seeking an accommodation should contact the Disability Resource Center at https://drc.uga.edu/. The DRC will notify instructors with enrolled students who have such an accommodation.

  • Students who learn they have been directly exposed to COVID-19 but are not showing symptoms should self-quarantine for 5 days consistent with Department of Public Health (DPH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. Please correspond with your instructor via email, with a cc: to Student Care & Outreach at sco@uga.edu, to coordinate continuing your coursework while self-quarantined. If you develop symptoms, you should contact the University Health Center to make an appointment to be tested.

  • Students who are demonstrating symptoms of COVID-19 should call the University Health Center. UHC is offering testing by appointment for students; appointments may be booked by calling 706-542-1162. UGA will also be recruiting asymptomatic students to participate in surveillance tests. Students living in residence halls, Greek housing and off-campus apartment complexes are encouraged to participate.

  • Any student with a positive COVID-19 test should report the test in DawgCheck and should self-isolate immediately.

Mental Health and Wellness Resources: If you or someone you know needs assistance, you are encouraged to contact Student Care and Outreach in the Division of Student Affairs at 706-542-7774 or visit https://sco.uga.edu. They will help you navigate any difficult circumstances you may be facing by connecting you with the appropriate resources or services.

Additional resources can be accessed through the UGA app.

Basic Needs and Security: Any student who faces challenges securing their food or housing and believes this may affect their performance in the course is urged to contact Student Care & Outreach for support. Furthermore, please notify me if you are comfortable in doing letting me know. This communication will enable me to provide any resources that I may possess. You may also find useful information here: https://grad.uga.edu/index.php/current-students/financial-information/graduate-school-based-financial-assistance/unexpected-financial-hardship/ 

Preferred names and pronouns: Please note that class rosters are provided to instructors with students’ registered names. I will honor your request to address you by an alternate name or gender pronoun. Please advise me of this preference early in the semester so that I may make appropriate changes to my records. In our classroom, I also ask that other students be respectful of their colleagues’ wishes in this regard. 

Respectful discussion: As social scientists, we may sometimes touch on issues that are sensitive and affect people on a deeper level. Within our classroom, we will uphold at atmosphere where ideas can be challenged and investigated, but in a way that is constructive and compassionate to individuals. You are expected to treat your colleagues with respect.

Diversity, inclusion, and justice: In this classroom (and elsewhere), I am committed to your growth and flourishing not only as researchers and practitioners, but also as people. As such, I will hold people accountable for maintaining an inclusive and just classroom environment. I also encourage students to approach me if they have concerns about my practice. Lastly, if English is not your first language and you are concerned about the course, please reach out to me so that I can work with you to identify solutions.