University of Ottawa Department of English Handbook 2017-2018
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University of Ottawa
Department of English
Handbook
2017-2018
September, 2017CONTENTS
PART I : DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATION
1. List of Administrative Staff .................................................................................................................... 2
2. Workload Distribution – Secretariat...................................................................................................... 2
3. New Members of the Department ........................................................................................................ 3
4. UoAccess Account ................................................................................................................................. 4
5. Remuneration........................................................................................................................................ 4
6. Reimbursements ................................................................................................................................... 4
Receipts ............................................................................................................................................ 5
Travel Reimbursements ................................................................................................................... 5
Travel Advances ............................................................................................................................... 6
7. Travel Grants ......................................................................................................................................... 6
PART II: ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATION
1. Ordering of Textbooks ........................................................................................................................... 7
2. Departmental Writing Guide ................................................................................................................. 7
3. Reproduction Services ........................................................................................................................... 7
4. Sale of Course Notes ............................................................................................................................. 8
5. E-Learning .............................................................................................................................................. 9
6. Audio-Visual Services ............................................................................................................................ 9
7. Library Reserve ...................................................................................................................................... 9
8. Teleconference Courses ........................................................................................................................ 9
9. Classroom Changes ............................................................................................................................. 10
10. Class Lists ............................................................................................................................................. 10
11. Essays and Take-home Exams ............................................................................................................. 10
12. Submission of Grades .......................................................................................................................... 11
PART III: ACADEMIC REGULATIONS
1. Confidentiality ..................................................................................................................................... 12
2. Teaching Assistants ........................................................................................................................... 14
3. Number of Students in Courses .......................................................................................................... 14
4. Course Outlines ................................................................................................................................... 14
5. Course and Exam Attendance ............................................................................................................. 15
6. Duration of Classes .............................................................................................................................. 16
7. Cancellation of Classes ........................................................................................................................ 16
8. Methods of Evaluating Students ......................................................................................................... 16
9. Academic Dishonesty .......................................................................................................................... 17
10. Late Policies ......................................................................................................................................... 18
11. Availability to Students ........................................................................................................................ 19
12. Access Service Procedure and “Ventus”.............................................................................................. 19
13. Evaluation of Teaching and Courses.................................................................................................... 27
14. Examinations ....................................................................................................................................... 2715. Grades ................................................................................................................................................. 28 16. Deferrals .............................................................................................................................................. 29 17. Class Averages and Passing Marks ...................................................................................................... 30 18. Guideline for Grade Distribution ......................................................................................................... 32 19. Revision of a Final Mark ...................................................................................................................... 33 20. Appeal Procedures .............................................................................................................................. 33 APPENDICES APPENDIX A: Sessional Dates ...................................................................................................................... 35 APPENDIX B: Checklist ............................................................................................................................... 37
PART I :
DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATION
1. List of Administrative Staff
Chair of the Department Ian Dennis English.Dir@uottawa.ca ext. 5770
Director of Graduate Studies Lauren Gillingham English.Graduate.Director@uottawa.ca ext. 1179
Director of Undergraduate Studies Robert Stacey English.Undergrad.Dir@uottawa.ca ext. 1180
Administrative Assistant Nadine Mayhew English.Admin.Officer@uottawa.ca ext. 1133
Undergraduate Office Danyelle Perrier-Levesque artsopug@uottawa.ca ext. 3727
Graduate Academic Assistant Philippe Villeneuve artsgrad@uottawa.ca ext. 3687
Secretary Elizabeth White English.Secretary@uottawa.ca ext. 5764
2. Workload Distribution – Secretariat
Professors should consult the Administrative Assistant (Nadine Mayhew) concerning the following:
- requests regarding budget (travel funds, reimbursements, purchase of textbooks)
- applications and contracts for research and teaching assistantships
Professors should consult the Undergraduate Office (SMD 128) concerning the following:
- information on undergraduate studies
- requests for classroom changes
- requests regarding the timetable
- information regarding students, course enrolments
- information regarding exam scheduling, deferred exams, appeals
- submission of marks for undergraduate courses
Professors should consult the Graduate Academic Assistant (Philippe Villeneuve) regarding the
following:
- information on graduate studies (students, course enrolments, exams, appeals)
- submission of marks for graduate courses
- requests for information regarding scholarships, admissions, etc.
Professors should consult the Secretary (Elizabeth White) regarding the following:- messages for the Chair and other professors
- applications for part-time positions, contracts for part-time teaching and assistantships
- textbook orders and desk copies
- information regarding Access exams
- information regarding exam storage
- requests for room reservations (office hours, deferred exams, receptions, readings, etc.)
- requests for keys
- requests for repair or maintenance
- requests for photocopying
- requests to send documents by FAX
- telephone servicing
3. New Members of the Department
a) All messages from the Department of English will be sent to your uOttawa.ca account. New
sessional professors and those who have recently graduated from the University of Ottawa should
contact CCS to request a new email address. New Graduate Students can activate their uOttawa
email addresses via Virtuo after they have registered.
Please also consult the University’s overview of the email system:
http://www.ccs.uottawa.ca/email/overview.html
b) All professors and graduate students will be given a mailbox in the Department. Please see Liz at
the secretariat for the door code to the mail room.
c) Professors and Ph.D. students will be assigned an office, which may be a shared space. Masters
students employed as teaching assistants should speak with the Secretary if they wish to book
space in which to hold office hours.
d) The following links provide information of particular interest to new professors:
Teaching and Learning Support Service: http://www.saea.uottawa.ca/
Human Resources: http://www.hr.uottawa.ca/welcome/
Map of the campus: http://www.uottawa.ca/maps
ID card: http://www.hr.uottawa.ca/benefits/services/id.php
Telephone services: http://www.ccs.uottawa.ca/internal/tel/index.html4. UoAccess Account
As soon as you have obtained your employee number, activate your UoAccess account. UoAccess is
the University of Ottawa’s suite of web tools for students, professors and staff. Professors can obtain
a wealth of information via their UoAccess account (such as updated class lists) and can send mass
e-mails to their classes.
This program can be accessed through the University’s web site (www.uottawa.ca), under “Quick
Picks,” or directly at www.uoAccess.uottawa.ca, once you have an employee number and an active
UoAccess account. If you encounter any problems, contact Computing Help at 613-562-5800 ext.
6555 or at www.ccs.uottawa.ca/cybersos.
5. Remuneration
Contracts will be issued electronically and will not need a physical signature. A copy will be placed in
your mailbox when it is completed.
Salaries are paid by direct deposit on a bi-weekly basis. For part-time professors, the date of the first
pay of the term will be September 15th in the fall and January 30th in the winter. For teaching and
research assistants, the dates will be September 15th or January 30th.
Your pay stub will be emailed to your University of Ottawa email address, and it will be password
protected. The password will be eleven digits: the year, month and day of your birth (YYYYMMDD)
and the last three digits of your Social Insurance Number.
6. Reimbursements
http://www.financialresources.uottawa.ca/employee/forms-en.php
The following is a reminder of the required receipts and policies for reimbursements:
a) Receipts for Books, Supplies, etc.
When submitting receipts, please make sure that the balance shown is $0.00. If the receipt shows
a balance owing (which is often the case when ordering online), please submit a copy of your Visa
or Mastercard statement showing the correct amount paid.
b) Restaurant Receipts
Please submit the detailed receipts showing the breakdown for the cost of meals, drinks, taxes,
etc., with proof of payment.c) Original Receipts If the claimant cannot get an original receipt/invoice from the supplier, the original copy of the credit card slip may be accepted as proof of payment. In all cases, the following information shall be documented with the claim: number of persons, name of the persons, purpose or reason of the expenditure, date and amount. Where a claimant requires the return of original invoices (e.g. where several organizations are contributing to the cost of a trip), the claimant must write across the original invoice in pen “$____ reimbursed by University of Ottawa,” make a photocopy of the original invoice and submit both the original invoice and the copy along with the claim to the administrator of the Faculty or service. The administrator will indicate on the copy that the original invoice was remitted. The spoiled original will be returned to the claimant. d) Travel Reimbursements See Policy 21 (http://www.uottawa.ca/about/policy-21-travel-expenses ) for current reimbursement rates. Airfare and Rail For travel by air, the customer's e-ticket and boarding passes are required. By Car Mileage Allowance - 47 cents per km (this includes gas purchases) – no receipts required A claimant may travel using a privately owned automobile. In such cases, the claimant will be reimbursed at the lesser of the current mileage reimbursement rate or for the lowest equivalent air fare. If there are no scheduled flights to the destination, the mileage allowance will be paid. Accommodation Original receipt showing that the bill has been paid in full If desired, private accommodation with relatives or friends may be arranged. In such cases, an allowance of $30 per night may be claimed. Subsistence costs Subject to the provisions of Policy 21, for each full day on approved travel, up to a maximum composite allowance per day to cover meals and all incidental expenses such as gratuities, laundry, dry cleaning, local and long distance telephone calls may be claimed, without receipts. If your hotel receipt includes long distance calls, please deduct this amount from your subsistence costs. (For travel to the UK or Europe, claimant may request reimbursement in US funds.)
Taxis
Original receipts are required
e) Rates of Exchange are calculated using the dates on the receipts.
f) Travel Advances
Travel advances must be settled within ten working days following the completion of travel or the
cancellation of the trip either by the submission of a Request for Reimbursement of Travel
Expenses or by the return of the advance. Persons who do not settle travel advances within ten
days following the completion or cancellation of a trip may not receive advances in the future.
7. Travel Grants
For information on Faculty research funding, please go to
http://arts.uottawa.ca/en/research/participation-conferences-grantsPART II:
ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATION
1. Ordering of Textbooks
The secretariat has a selection of examination copies of some texts available for perusal. Please see
Liz White (MHN 338).
Book orders must be placed early to ensure that books are available for the beginning of classes;
Professors should contact the University Bookstore, Benjamin Books, or the Agora Bookstore directly.
Please remember to order desk copies for teaching assistants.
2. Departmental Writing Guide
The Department of English Style Sheet and Working with Sources is available online:
http://arts.uottawa.ca/english/sites/arts.uottawa.ca.english/files/style_guide_2011.pdf. This
document outlines how to set up an essay and is an introduction to working profitably with outside
sources and integrating into an essay. It should help students avoid committing plagiarism out of
ignorance.
3. Reproduction Services
a) The Department pays only for the duplication of course outlines and exams, up to 10 pages per
student. The Faculty of Arts pays for the reproduction of final exams. The students must pay for
any other copies provided.
b) Professors have access to the departmental photocopier in MHN 341. Part-time professors
(including graduate students) who are currently teaching are issued a limited number of copies
calculated on a per course basis. See Liz at the Secretariat for your account info. This copier is not
intended for high volume copying. This machine should not be used to duplicate material
protected by the Copyright Law for sale to students.
c) Photocopy requisitions may be obtained from the Secretariat. The secretary will forward photo-
copying to duplicating centres. For large quantities of material, or during periods of high volume,
there may be a delay of up to a week.
d) Copies which are to be charged to a research grant, etc., must be made on a separate photocopier
account. Please see Liz at the Secretariat to have one created.
e) Only the support staff, Chair, and Program Directors have access to the photocopier in the
Secretariat. It is used primarily for administrative purposes.f) Professors can keep two sets of copies of course notes at the Library Reserve, and students can
make their own copies.
g) See also sections II.4 and II.5 for additional options.
4. Sale of Course Notes
The University of Ottawa has signed an agreement with CANCOPY which allows it to duplicate and sell
to students documents protected by Copyright Law. Audio-Visual and Reprography have a photocopy
centre in room UCU 0024 where students can purchase copies of class notes or copyright documents
left for that purpose by members of the faculty.
Please consult http://copyright.uottawa.ca/ for information about the University’s copyright
agreement. The form you will need to create a course pack is available here
http://www.uottawa.ca/print/course-packs/professors/:. It is imperative that these instructions be
followed carefully, especially when dealing with material covered by the CANCOPY licence. By the
terms of the agreement, you are permitted to copy, for sale to students, not more than 15% of a
published work.
To create a course reader, complete the request form)
http://www.uottawa.ca/print/docs/online-requisition1.pdf and bring any books/copies to be used in
the course pack to Reprography Services (613) 562-5800 ext. 3711; email: docUcentre@uOttawa.ca)
is located in Room 0024 of the University Centre.5. TLSS – Teaching and Learning Support Service TLSS – Teaching and Learning Support Service https://tlss.uottawa.ca/site/en/ offers, through Virtual Campus, access online course Web sites as well as other e-learning resources. For additional information, please call (613-562-5300). 6. Audio-Visual Services To reserve audio-visual equipment (films, projectors, etc.) the Communications and Instructional Media Centre, Morisset Hall, should be contacted directly (Tel: 613-562-5900, 65 University, Room 004). 24-hour advance notice is required. Audio-visual Media Library Located in Room 124 Morisset Hall, the Audio-visual Media Library has a collection of films, super 8mm films, videotapes, audio-tapes, multi-media kits, and records. 7. Library Reserve Before formulating their library research assignments, first-year English instructors should consult with Ann Hemingway (ann.hemingway@uottawa.ca), the subject librarian for English Literature at Morisset Library. All books and journals in English literature are housed in the Central Library, Morisset Hall. Textbooks, complementary books, and reference books for courses may be placed on the Reserve shelves in the library for the duration of courses. To have books placed on reserve, professors must submit a list to the Reserve, Room 247, Morisset Hall well before the beginning of courses. 8. Teleconference Courses As soon as possible, professors teaching distance education sections (CJ, PJ, and HJ) should book an appointment with Marc Villeneuve, Distance Education and Off-Campus Site Coordinator, Teaching and Learning Support Service, CITE (mpville@uOttawa.ca) or by calling (613) 562-5800 ext.6967 to go through procedures and to meet with the technician and familiarize yourself with the equipment. The Teaching and Learning Support Service will require copies of any material to be distributed to the students (outline, mid-terms, and final exams) before 2pm at least two working days prior to the day of the class.
9. Classroom Changes If for a valid reason a professor must change classrooms or wishes to use a different classroom for a special occasion, s/he should contact the Department Secretary, Liz White (2017) to make the proper arrangements. Please note that it is often difficult to find another classroom because of the shortage of classroom space. 10.Class Lists Up-to-date class lists are available via uoCampus. This program can be accessed through the University’s web site (www.uottawa.ca ), or directly at www.uoAccess.uottawa.ca , once you have an employee number and an active UoAccess account. If you encounter any problems, contact Computing Help at 613-562-5800 ext. 6555 or at www.ccs.uottawa.ca/cybersos . Students are allowed to register for courses during the first two weeks of a new term, so your list may vary somewhat during that period. Please note that students whose names do not appear on your class list will not receive a final mark, even if they have completed all the requirements of the course. Therefore students should be advised to consult their faculty as soon as possible if their names are not on the class list. Students who stop attending a course but have not officially dropped it will receive a grade of ABS (absent). 11.Essays and Take-home Exams Because of the high volume of courses and registrations in ENG courses, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR THE SECRETARIAT TO RECEIVE OR RETURN ESSAYS AND TAKE-HOME EXAMS, NOR, BY EXTENSION, CAN ASSIGNMENTS BE DATE STAMPED. Students should submit their work to their professor during regular class hours or at an assigned time and place. Essays and take-home exams should be returned during regular class or office hours, or ask students to supply a self-addressed envelope stamped with sufficient postage. In extreme situations, contact the secretariat for alternatives. BECAUSE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF FRAUD AND ISSUES OF CONFIDENTIALITY, ESSAYS, ASSIGNMENTS, OR TESTS MUST NEVER BE LEFT OUTSIDE THE PROFESSOR’S OFFICE DOOR. 12.Submission of Grades At the start of term, the instructor must download his or her class list(s) from uoCampus, and save the data in an Excel spreadsheet file supplied by the Department. S/He may choose either (a) a simplified spreadsheet on which only the final course letter grade is manually entered, or (b - recommended) a full spreadsheet on which all the assignment grades are recorded and the final percentage and letter grades calculated automatically. In the latter case, the instructor adjusts the file to reflect the specific assignment values of the course.
The instructor emails a copy of the completed Excel file(s) to the Departmental Academic Assistant as
an attachment. Instructors who have chosen the simplified file must also provide a breakdown of all
grades in hard-copy form.
Detailed instructions for submitting grades can be found in the “ENG 1124 and Other Literature
Courses Handbook” at:
http://arts.uottawa.ca/english/department-english-handbooksPART III:
ACADEMIC REGULATIONS
1. Confidentiality
Under legislation passed in 2006 by the Province of Ontario, and Policies 14A and 90 of the University
of Ottawa regarding access to information, all University staff – including professors, TAs, RAs, etc. –
are forbidden by law to disclose the contents of student records to any party outside the University
without the written permission of the student, which is referred to as “Third-Party Authorization.”
See below for information on this exception. Outside parties include immediate family, even for those
students under the age of eighteen.
Policies 14A and 90:
http://www.uottawa.ca/about/policy-14a-student-record
http://www.uottawa.ca/about/policy-90-access-information-and-protection-privacy
Restricted information includes, but is not limited to, his/her
· name · next of kin
· student number · programs of study
· registration status · examination results
· address · letters of appeal
· telephone number · narrative evaluations
· email address · distinctions
· date of birth · sanctions
· nationality · degrees obtained
Also included are
· documents or correspondence, physical or electronic (academic changes, letters of permission,
requests for exemption, etc.), which may modify the student record
· letters and forms which bear the student's signature
· official supporting documents provided by or at the request of the student (e.g. record of
previous studies, letters of recommendation, medical certificates)
· documents pertaining to the student’s studies, or the evaluation of the student’s work at the
UniversityIn practical terms this means
- It is not permissible to divulge (even to the parents) if a person is registered, if s/he is studying at
the University of Ottawa, or any details of his/her academic standing.
- Essays and/or grades cannot be left on/outside the professor’s door, even if listed by student
numbers.
- Mass E-mails must be sent through UoAccess or addressed as BCCs so the e-mail addresses are not
visible.
- Instructors must refrain from discussing a student’s academic or personal details with other
students and even other instructors.
- Professors do not have the right to consult the student’s file, nor to have any information on the
average, marks, etc. of a student. If they need this information to prepare a letter of
recommendation or other document, the student must sign an authorization form (see the
Department Secretariat).
- The legislation is very strict on this matter, and the consequences for the University of not obeying
it are serious.
- Instructors should also refrain from publishing comments about their students or classes, either
personally or generally, on Facebook and other social media, even if no names are mentioned.
Such comments can be identified and become public, violating confidentiality policies and bringing
the instructor’s professionalism and impartiality into question.
Exception: Third-Party Authorization
Students who wish to designate a third party, such as a parent, to have access to their information,
may fill in the form available at:
http://www.uottawa.ca/gcse/en/index.html?q=my+hr+profile&custom_search_paths=uoSites&op=Se
arch
Students can also obtain the form at Infoservices at Tabaret 129, where they may return it.
If anyone, including a parent, claims third-party authorization, and thus the right to discuss student
information with you, check if he or she is in fact registered as having such authorization by
contacting Jacynthe Pouliot at the Faculty of Arts, at extension 1019 or arts@uottawa.ca.on
2. Teaching Assistants
Teachers of ENG 1100, 1112, and 1131 may be assigned one or several teaching assistants. Marking
assistance will also be assigned to part-time professors who have classes with high enrolments.Professors and teaching assistants should consult the Professors and Teaching Assistants: Guidelines
section of the ENG 1100: Handbook for Instructors.
Professors with teaching assistants will be asked to submit a job description
https://www.uottawa.ca/graduate-studies/students/forms during the first month of term and to
submit an evaluation
(http://hrdocrh.uottawa.ca/info/en-ca/cupe/concepts/collective-agreements/cupe/dita/article-16.ht
ml) of their assistants during mid-term. Instructions and forms will be distributed, but professors
should consult Appendix C of the CUPE Collective Agreement
http://hrdocrh.uottawa.ca/info/en-ca/cupe/policies.html before completing the job description.
3. Number of Students in Courses
The number of students registered in each course is limited. When a student wishes to change from
one section to another in a particular course, s/he must see an Academic Assistant in the Faculty of
the program in which s/he is registered to obtain permission. Students in the B.A. English program
should see the Undergraduate Academic Assistant in SMD 128. It would be helpful if professors
reminded students of this requirement. It is important that professors not take any initiative in this
regard unless the Undergraduate Academic Assistant has been consulted.
4. Course Outlines
Your syllabus, or course outline, is a contract between you and your students. In it, you specify all the
requirements and procedures of your course. Nothing essential can be left out, or changed or added
later. The syllabus can take a number of forms, and you should feel free to borrow any features you
like from those of colleagues. However, every syllabus handed out at the start of the term should
include the following:
- Department letterhead (1st page)
- Course title, code, and section
- Your name
- Your contact information
- Your office hours
- Your TA’s name(s) & contact info (if available)
- Course description and objectives
- Required texts & bookstore where they are ordered
- Recommended texts
- Course credit breakdown
(Note 1: writing assignments in all our Literature courses should include a substantial research
essay, of about 2000 words. The Final Exam should be worth 30% to 60% of the whole course
grade. Avoid peer-evaluation credit. See the “Other Policies” section in the “ENG 1124 …
Handbook” at http://arts.uottawa.ca/english/department-english-handbooks.)
(Note 2: the Department does not recommend making any or all of your assignments and tests
compulsory — i.e., anyone who does not submit one of them will receive a final grade of EIN
regardless of the overall percentage earned in the course. If you do choose to impose such arequirement, however, it must be specified along with your course credit breakdown. See “Other
Course Practices” in the “ENG 1124 … Handbook.”)
- Test and assignment due dates
(Note 3: ensure that at least one substantial assignment or test is scheduled, marked and
handed back at least one week before the deadline for withdrawal without academic penalty in
the term. See “Other Policies” in the “ENG 1124 … Handbook.”)
- Late penalty policy, with the final date work will be accepted without formal deferral
(See “Other Course Practices” in the “ENG 1124 … Handbook.”)
- E-mail submission policy (See “Other Course Practices”)
- Attendance policy (See “Other Course Practices.”)
- Policy on consideration given for sickness, personal problems, etc. (See “Other Course Practices”
and “Student Personal Problems” in the “ENG 1124 … Handbook”)
- Plagiarism warning and policy (Direct students to the Faculty Web Site also.)
- Other course requirements (portfolio, etc.)
- Course schedule
Sample syllabi are available in the Undergraduate Course Descriptions:
http://arts.uottawa.ca/english/programs-of-study
Once your syllabus has been finalized, e-mail a copy to the Secretary (English.Secretary@uottawa.ca)
at least one week before classes start (as early as possible). Both the course code and the section
letter should be in the subject line. Instructors of first year courses should also send a copy to the
Director of Undergraduate Studies at English.Undergrad.Dir@uottawa.ca.
Professors should distribute the course outline to their students on the first day of class. Since
students can appeal a final mark, the method of evaluation must be precisely explained at the
beginning of the course. All undergraduate course outlines are kept in the Secretariat and are
available to professors.
You may opt to provide the syllabus to your students electronically (through Blackboard or other
means), or as a paper copy, or both. You will receive an e-mail from the Departmental Secretary (Liz
White in 2017) giving you the deadline for submission of the syllabus for the purpose of
photocopying, if you wish to have paper copies. The Secretary can also show you how to use our
photocopy machine to produce copies if you miss this deadline or if you prefer to do it yourself.
5. Course and Exam Attendance
While attendance at class is a mandatory university regulation, professors are left to determine a
system which works best for their own classes. Some professors do not record attendance at all.
Others choose to enforce it in their lectures. If you decide to demand/verify attendance, there are
various methods available; these include taking roll call in each class (or passing around a sheet for
students to sign, in order to save time); adding an attendance or class participation component to the
grading system, thus encouraging students to attend daily; or employing some sort of three-strike
rule, whereby students who have missed an established number of classes (perhaps 6 – 7) will receive
a grade of zero on the final examination.
Any of these systems can work, provided professors make sure to live by their choices from the first
meeting of the class. Attendance policies cannot be half enforced; you must be sure that you
remember to take attendance if you demand it explicitly.6. Duration of Classes
In many cases, students are registered in two consecutive classes given in different buildings and
must go from one to the other without officially having any break. Therefore all classes must start at
the allotted time and end ten (10) minutes before the time indicated in the timetable. Professors
must teach the course assigned to them on the date, at the times, and in the places designated
except where changed by mutual agreement of the professor, the Chair, and the Faculty.
7. Cancellation of Classes
A professor cannot miss, terminate, or reschedule any scheduled teaching activity without good
cause, and where such changes occur, shall notify their students via UoAccess as soon, or as far in
advance, as possible and contact the secretariat so that a cancellation notice is posted on the door of
the classroom.
Professors teaching distance education sections (CJ, PJ, and HJ) must also notify Marc Villeneuve,
Distance Education and Off-Campus Site Coordinator, Teaching and Learning Support Service, CITE
(mpville@uOttawa.ca) or by calling (613) 562-5800 ext.6967.
A replacement may be arranged with the approval of the chair of the department; under no
circumstances should a marker or TA be asked to replace a professor.
If a professor must miss more than one class per term, s/he must contact the Chair.
8. Methods of Evaluating Students
a) Course work for the year or the session carries a weight determined by the professor. The final
examination, or its equivalent, cannot count for more than 60% or less than 30% of the final mark.
b) At the beginning of the course, each professor shall inform students of the course requirements,
instructional and evaluation methods, and the nature and timing of assignments, projects and
examinations.
c) Professors may refuse to accept any assignment or examination which is not written in a legible
manner.
d) Professors must evaluate students' performance objectively in a manner appropriate to the
course, consistent with relevant academic standards and marking scales approved by the Senate.
Professors are reminded that students may drop a course until November 17th (for a course in the
first term) and until March 23rd (for a course in the second term). Students should receive some
feedback on their performance in courses before these dates. This will enable the student to make
a decision to continue or to drop the course. Please see the university regulations at the following
link for details:
http://www.uottawa.ca/about/academic-regulation-9-evaluation-of-student-learning .9. Academic Dishonesty
Although students should be aware of the University policy on fraud, it is imperative that your
syllabus address the issue. It may be enough to refer students to the relevant section of the
University Calendar for the Faculty of Arts. Usually, though, it is wise to give some definition of what
constitutes academic fraud and what penalties may ensue from it. A possible description might read
as follows:
Forms of academic fraud include improper, missing or made-up bibliographical information,
passing off others’ work as one’s own, turning in the same assignment for more than one class,
and collaborative efforts when individual work is requested. ALL forms of academic dishonesty
are prohibited and if detected may result in failure of the assignment, failure of the course or
worse. Further information may be found in the Faculty of Arts Calendar
(http://www.arts.uottawa.ca/eng/students/fraud.html) .
The Faculty BA Committee recommends that all professors in the faculty begin their courses with a
short explanation of academic fraud. This is especially important in first-year courses. In the past
there have been cases of fraud committed simply out of ignorance. We can help our students avoid
such errors by explaining to them the nature and form of a university assignment and warning them
of the dangers of plagiarism and its serious sanctions.
i) The Department of English Style Sheet and Working with Sources is available online:
http://arts.uottawa.ca/english/sites/arts.uottawa.ca.english/files/style_guide_2011.pdf
ii) Upon suspicion of academic fraud, the professor should first consult the Chair of the Department.
Please note the University regulation on academic fraud:
http://www.arts.uottawa.ca/eng/students/fraud.html . A Faculty committee exists to handle all
cases involving alleged academic fraud throughout the Faculty of Arts. The regulation stipulates
that all allegations of fraud must be submitted in writing, together with supporting
documentation, to the Dean of the faculty in which the student is registered.
iii) Professors should note that the Faculty of Arts recognizes the right and responsibility of professors
to determine a mark for an assignment, whether or not an allegation of academic fraud is made.
The professor remains responsible for judging the academic value of an assignment, even in cases
where the judgement of an assignment's worth may be based in whole or in part on the
inadequate documentation of sources.
10.Late Policies
Most professors devise some sort of system for dealing with late papers since, almost without
exception, late assignments will occur. However, the range of methods for dealing with this matter is
varied. Some instructors have no set penalty for late papers, grading them equally with on-time work.
Others dock marks for each day/week that the assignment is late. Usual penalties range from 2-5%
per day, depending on the instructor. Another method that may be employed is to determine a date
beyond which assignments will not be accepted (perhaps 1 – 2 weeks after the due date). This may
also be used in conjunction with late penalties so that papers lose marks per day but receive a zero ifnot turned in by the final date (for example: “Late papers will be deducted 3% per day to a maximum of 10 days. Papers will not be accepted after that period”). Depending on the method you employ, it might be advisable to mention that papers turned in after the due date (whether the official date or the final late date) must be accompanied by a medical certificate to be considered for marking. Depending on the course credit breakdown of your course, it may be mathematically possible for students who fail to submit an assignment or take a test (thus receiving zero for that assignment or test) to nevertheless obtain 50% or more of the course credit by earning decent grades on the assignments and tests that they do complete. It is your decision whether your policy will be to give such students their overall percentage grade as a final mark, or to give them an EIN for failure to complete all required assignments. However, if you plan to take the latter approach, this policy must be spelt out on your course outline. If you do not specify that certain assignments are compulsory—i.e., failure to complete them will result in a final grade of EIN—students justifiably expect their final grades to reflect the overall percentage they earned through whatever work they submitted. If you want to make some or all of your assignments compulsory, it’s best to state this policy in a line above or beneath the course credit breakdown: e.g. “You must complete and submit all of the assignments, tests, and exams in order to pass the course” or “Anyone who fails to submit the midterm or the research essay will fail the course with a grade of EIN.” Placing the word “compulsory” beside compulsory assignments may lead to student confusion over whether the other assignments are “optional.” You should also note for students that the Secretariat WILL NOT date-stamp or accept papers, either by hand or by fax. It is, therefore, a good policy to advise students to give assignments directly to you. The most important rules to remember are for yourself. Be sure you are prepared to stand behind the regulations you set; a policy which you bend or break is of use to no one. Also, policies cannot be created as you go along; you must make your demands clear from the beginning and not add to them – students will be sure to catch any details which seem unfair to them and confront you with them. 11.Availability to Students Part-time professors will be provided with shared office space to hold office hours for their meetings with students. At the beginning of the year professors must advise students of the days and times of their regularly scheduled office hours during which they will be available for consultation. These office hours must be posted on the professor's office door. The Secretariat also needs this information, and you will be asked to complete a form for this purpose. 12.Access Service Procedure & “Ventus”
Through the Student Academic Success Service (SASS), some of your students may request special
“adaptive measures” (formerly “accommodations”), before completing some or all of their course
work. Such requests are formulated and processed by the Access Service section of SASS, whose
principles and operations are described at:
http://sass.uottawa.ca/en/access
The policies, definitions and requirements detailed at this web site reflect SASS’s response to laws
related to the provision of services to persons with disabilities. The site includes lists of conditions or
disabilities and of the adaptive measures devised to respond to them. Access Service registers
students who have been assessed by a health care professional or educational specialist. When
needed, Access itself may arrange such assessments for student applicants.
Instructors are not informed of diagnoses of disability, and may not query or dispute them.
Registered students may choose to discuss their diagnoses with their instructors, but are not obliged
to do so and should not be asked. Before responding to requests for adaptive measures, however,
instructors should familiarize themselves with the guidelines provided in the following pages of this
Handbook. If you have any concerns whatsoever, consult either the Chair of our Department or the
Undergraduate Director before promising or taking action. As a Department we wish to monitor
practices in this area so we may continually develop our policies to better assist students, respond
consistently to similar kinds of requests and preserve the integrity of our programs. For this reason,
please also inform the Chair or Director of any new or unusual requests for adaptive measures,
before promising or taking action. In complicated or contentious cases, the Chair or Director will also
become the point of contact with Access and the student.
Most requests for adaptive measures have to do with adapted examinations and tests. These will
usually come to you in the form of an e-mail sent by Access Services through its “Ventus” automated
system. Usually, the adaptation only involves a separate writing of the test or examination, extra time
to write it, and facilities such as computer keyboarding. See adaptive measure number 1 below for
details and instructions.
Other kinds of Adaptive Measures may also be requested via “Ventus” or more directly by Access
Service. You may, for example, receive a letter on their stationery via the student registrant. If there is
no clear indication that the request comes from Access, or if it is merely relayed verbally by the
student, politely ask him or her to have Access contact you or to provide the name of the contact
person at Access. Verify any unclear details of the request with Access.
Note: For assistance with “Ventus,” contact our own Undergraduate Director, or Access Service
directly at ext 4785.
Three general principles should govern our responses to requests for adaptive measures:
1. The instructor and Department have the right and responsibility to determine the content of the
course and the methods of instruction, and to ensure that established academic requirements and
evaluation criteria are maintained for all students.
2. Students registered with Access Service have a right to adaptive measures appropriate to their
disabilities or conditions, as determined by the Service. These disabilities may be neither queriednor disputed. The dignity of students and the confidentiality of any requests for adaptive measures must be rigorously respected. 3. The particulars of the adaptive measures provided are to be arrived at through a consultative process between the instructor (and, if needed, the Department), the student registrant, and Access Service. To these, we should add two corollary points: 1. Instructors are rightly expected to attempt to help solve the specific problems of registered students. Where instructors feel a requested adaptive measure risks compromising the academic standards or objectives of the course, they are encouraged to propose reasonable alternatives. Possible alternatives to some adaptive measures are suggested in the following pages. 2. The instructor does not, however, negotiate the policies and requirements of the course with individual student registrants. As Access Service personnel are aware of the specific limitations posed by the student’s disability, and the instructor has the sole right and obligation to set course policies or requirements, the adoption of any proposed alternative measure should be co-ordinated between the instructor and Access Service personnel. Some Access Service documentation speaks of conditions “jointly set and agreed to” by the instructor and student, but this is not to be taken to imply that students may exercise a veto over instructor decisions. Where there are any difficulties in arriving at a satisfactory approach, the instructor should promptly refer the matter to the Department Chair or Undergraduate Director to facilitate identification of an effective form of accommodation and to co-ordinate it with Access Service. Note: a University-wide policy in these areas is under development (as of 07/2013) and will eventually take precedence over these guidelines. The Handbook will be updated as needed when any new policy comes into force. Specific Adaptive Measures Access Service has posted an inventory of adaptive measures on their web site and this may be consulted as a general guide. However, measures described there may vary in part or in whole from those actually requested, and as the field continues to develop entirely new measures may be devised and requested. Many adaptive measures do not involve instructors directly. The remarks below pertain to those which do. It is important to note that instructors should not accede to student requests that are not explicitly specified and requested for the individual registrant by Access Service (whether or not the measure is listed on the web site). Ensure that the request is in writing, and signed (or emailed or sent via “Ventus”) by an Access Service official, that it specifies the student by name, and provides a clear description of the specific measure requested. Access personnel inform students using their service that being registered with Access does not license them to specify their own preferred measures or to request other measures or consideration from instructors. They tell registrants that they must respect all instructor policies, such as those governing attendance and other formal course requirements, unless Access has requested and been granted a specific exception to these policies.
The following pages list in summary form measures you might be requested to facilitate or adopt. Below each item is indicated the normal response currently advised by the Department of English. If in any doubt, if you wish to consider refusing a request, or if you encounter difficulties with Access or a student registrant, please consult the Chair of Department or the Undergraduate Director before promising or taking action. Do not hurry into decisions—there is always time to consider and consult before acceding. No request is so urgent, for example, that a decision needs to be rendered or an action taken on the same day. However, you should of course act expeditiously and with the best interests and dignity of the student in mind.
Requests for Adaptive Measures and Responses
a) Extra time to write an examination or test; a quiet reserved space for writing it; the use of a
computer with word-processor to write; a large-print version of the exam paper.
Response: These requests are generally granted without question. Access provides the space
and computers. Student registrants writing English examinations or tests do not have internet
access and use word-processors with the spell-check and grammar-check functions disabled.
This may be verified (or waived) by the instructor by asking Access. If large print is required,
Access Service personnel will provide it themselves from your supplied document. Special
conditions under which to write tests or examinations, and/or extended time limits, are the
most common adaptive measures. (If you are aware that one of your students usually writes
tests and examinations through Access Service and you do not receive a request, please check
with artsopug@uottawa.ca to ensure there has been no error.)
The test or examination is generally written at the same time as that of the rest of the class,
and the answer papers are then mailed to you. These papers should be graded and tests
handed back in the normal fashion.
Procedures under “Ventus”:
The use of the Ventus system is obligatory. Do not ignore the e-mail messages it sends you!
1a. The instructor receives a preliminary notification by e-mail that one or more students in
your class is registered with Access. A second e-mail will be sent after the last day to add
courses, confirming the presence of one or more access registrants. Both e-mails request
that the instructor “File a Notice of Examination” for any relevant tests and mid-terms in
the course. It is recommended that you respond to the first e-mail, although you can wait
for the second if you prefer. To file, use the link provided in the e-mail, which also appears
on the home page of the Access web site.
The link has instructions, but several points need to be added or clarified:
- you file notices for in-class tests like mid-terms, not finals. Ventus will automatically
obtain your final exam information from the registrar.
- you file notices only for appropriate tests. Although the menu offers both “final” and
“quiz” options, this does not mean you must file them. See 3 below.
- you provide the regular length of the test. Access will add time if appropriate.
- the “Requester” is, confusingly, not the requester, but the instructor. (This terminology
may be changed.)
- the normal “contact number” would be your office phone extension.Requests for Adaptive Measures and Responses – Cont.
1b. In response to your filing in 1a, Ventus sends an e-mail with the title “Request for Adapted
Exam.” This e-mail lists the specifics you supplied and asks you to confirm by selecting a
link. This must be done to register the test or exam with Access. If any details are
incorrect or need to be changed, submit a new filing, as in 1a. We recommend that you
respond promptly to this e-mail, but the formal deadline is at least 10 working days before
the date of the test or exam.
1c. In response to your confirmation in 1b, Ventus sends you a request to provide Proctor
information. This is information about your test requirements, including whether it is to
be an open-book or closed-book test, whether there are any special printing instructions
(unlikely in our tests), and so forth. The form which you are required to fill out is
sometimes called a “Proctor Instruction Form” and sometimes a “Control Sheet.” The
“proctors” in question are simply the staff at Access who oversee the sitting of the test.
Where you are asked to provide a “Contact number for student,” simply provide your
office number, where Access staff can contact you with any questions. No such
information, however, is given directly to the student.
Step 1c must be performed at least three working days before the scheduled date of the
test, but may be performed earlier and we recommend this.
For the final exam, whose date has been provided to Access/Ventus by the Registrar,
rather than “requested” by you, you will receive the requests for confirmation (1b) and for
Proctor information (1c) at another point in the term, after exam dates have been
established. You must respond the same way as described above. The only difference is
that you don’t need to file the “Notice of Examination” (in 1a)—in effect, the Registrar
does that.
1d. Ventus will send you a reminder to provide your exam paper 10 days before the
scheduled date of either mid-term or final exam. To do this, send the exam as an
attachment to the English Department Secretary (Liz White in 2017) who will upload it to
Access/Ventus. (Only she has the codes to do this–you cannot do it yourself.) This step can
be performed at any time but must be done at least three working days in advance of the
exam time, unless special instructions indicate otherwise.
Note that every step from 1a to 1d must be performed for each test or exam, or the test
or exam will be cancelled for the student registrant. But you only need to perform these
steps once for each course section you teach, even if you have more than one student
registrant in that section.
b) In test or examination rooms, the use of text-to-speech or speech-to-text software; a
digital recorder; a scribe; zoom text.
Response: These less-common measures probably pose no particular concerns, and may
generally be allowed after conferring with Access Service. The main points are that no
extra information be provided through such means, and that the instructor still receives
written or printed answer papers. Instructors are encouraged to contact Access to
understand the details of any such measures. If concerns arise, consult the Chair or
Undergraduate Director.Requests for Adaptive Measures and Responses – Cont.
c) Extra time for in-class quizzes
Response: Ideally, tests written by Access Service registrants who are granted the adaptive
measure of extra time should be written at the Access location. For shorter quizzes,
instructors may be able to accommodate requests in the normal classroom period, but
should not do so at the expense of other scheduled classroom activities. Where this is
impossible or inconvenient, an alternative is to ask Access to administer the quiz to the
registrant instead, or to allow the registrant to complete a quiz at their facility which he or
she began in class. (For either of these options, use the “Ventus” procedures described
above under measure 1.) Another alternative is to discount the value of the partially
completed quiz for the registrant, or to adjust some proportion of its value to match the
general performance of the registrant in other course work. See principles detailed under
point 4 below.
d) At tests or examinations, the use of a memory aid sheet.
Response: Such sheets may be more in demand in other disciplines, where they might
provide mathematical formulae or other specialized data. Their use in an English test or
examination raises obvious concerns. Access Service notes that “memory sheets must be
discussed directly with the [instructor], who must approve [their] contents by signing each
sheet that will be used in an examination.” As this kind of accommodation and the rules
governing it are still under development and discussion, we ask instructors (until further
notice) to consult the Chair or Undergraduate Director before approving the use of any
memory sheets in an examination or test. Require student registrants to provide their
sheets in time to allow you adequate opportunity to discuss them with the Chair or
Undergraduate Director.
An alternative might be to ask the student registrant to write the test or examination
unaided, and then for the instructor to discount its value if the result falls substantially
below the level achieved by the student’s other course work. A maximum discount could
be specified in advance. For example, if a test is worth 20 per cent of the course credit, up
to 10 per cent of that value could be moved to other assignments that are more
representative of the student’s overall performance in the course, if indeed the result on
the test in question was notably lower than the student’s other results.
e) Through the term, access to instructor’s notes, overheads and/or Powerpoint
presentations and other visual material before class.
Response: Access Service assures us that the materials requested are only ever those to
be presented visually in class, and not the instructor’s private notes for use in lecturing.
Instructors are not expected to prepare separate materials or notes for distribution to
Access registrants. Material presented visually may represent a problem for some
students, however, and they may benefit from the opportunity to examine it in advance.You can also read
