Common Course Policies

The following is a list of course policies which are common to all undergraduate courses run by the Mathematics department at Western for the academic year 2022/23.

General Course Policies:

Senate Policy on Prerequisites

Unless you have either the requisites for this course or written special permission from your Dean to enroll in it, you may be removed from this course and it will be deleted from your record.  This decision may not be appealed.  You will receive no adjustment to your fees in the event that you are dropped from a course for failing to have the necessary prerequisites. 

Contacting instructors

Students must use their Western (@uwo.ca) email addresses when contacting their instructors. 

Sessional Dates

Classes begin: September 8, 2022; January 9, 2023
Fall Reading Week: October 31 – November 6, 2022; February 18 – 26, 2023
Classes end: December 8, 2022; April 10, 2023
Exam period: December 10 – 22, 2022; April 13 – 30, 2023

Contingency plan for an in-person class pivoting to 100% online learning

The following applies to all courses in the Mathematics Department:

In the event of a COVID-19 resurgence during the course that necessitates the course delivery moving away from face-to-face interaction, affected course content will be delivered entirely online, either synchronously (i.e., at the times indicated in the timetable) or asynchronously (e.g., posted on OWL for students to view at their convenience).  The grading scheme will not change.  Any remaining assessments will also be conducted online as determined by the course instructor.

Technical Requirements

In order to access course websites, and submit assignments on grading platforms, and in the case of a health lockdown, a stable Internet connection, computer with working microphone and webcam, and a device for scanning (either a scanner or an app that can be used in conjunction with your device’s camera) will be required for all courses.

Course Website

Students are responsible for checking the course website or OWL site (http://owl.uwo.ca) for each of their courses on a regular basis for news and updates.  This is the primary method by which information will be disseminated to all students in the class.

If students need assistance with any course OWL site, they can seek support on the OWL Help page.  Alternatively, they can contact the Western Technology Services Helpdesk.  They can be contacted by phone at 519-661-3800 or ext. 83800.

Student Absences

If you are unable to meet a course requirement due to illness or other serious circumstances, please follow the procedures below.

Assessments worth less than 10% of the overall course grade:

Please see the course outline of each course for information as to how accommodations will be handled for work worth less than 10% of the total course grade.  These policies could vary from course to course.

Assessments worth 10% or more of the overall course grade:

For work totaling 10% or more of the final course grade, you must provide valid medical or supporting documentation to the Academic Counselling Office of your Faculty of Registration as soon as possible.  For further information, please consult the University’s medical illness policy at https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/accommodation_medical.pdf

The Student Medical Certificate is available at https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/medicalform.pdf 

Absences from Final Examinations

If you miss the Final Exam, please contact the Academic Counselling office of your Faculty of Registration as soon as you are able to do so.  They will assess your eligibility to write the Special Examination (the name given by the University to a makeup Final Exam).

You may also be eligible to write the Special Exam if you are in a “Multiple Exam Situation” (e.g., more than 2 exams in 23-hour period, more than 3 exams in a 47-hour period).

If a student fails to write a scheduled Special Examination, the date of the next Special Examination (if granted) normally will be the scheduled date for the final exam the next time this course is offered.  The maximum course load for that term will be reduced by the credit of the course(s) for which the final examination has been deferred.  See the Academic Calendar for details (under Special Examinations).

Accommodation and Accessibility

Religious Accommodation

When a course requirement conflicts with a religious holiday that requires an absence from the University or prohibits certain activities, students should request accommodation for their absence in writing at least two weeks prior to the holiday to the course instructor and/or the Academic Counselling office of their Faculty of Registration.  Please consult University's list of recognized religious holidays (updated annually) at https://multiculturalcalendar.com/ecal/index.php?s=c-univwo  

Accommodation Policies

Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact Accessible Education, which provides recommendations for accommodation based on medical documentation or psychological and cognitive testing.  The policy on Academic Accommodation for Students with Disabilities can be found at: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/Academic Accommodation_disabilities.pdf

Academic Policies

The website for Registrarial Services is http://www.registrar.uwo.ca.

In accordance with policy 1.13 Computing, Technology & Information Resources (https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/policies_procedures/section1/mapp113.pdf), the centrally administered e-mail account provided to students will be considered the individual’s official university e-mail address.  It is the responsibility of the account holder to ensure that e-mail received from the University at their official university address is attended to in a timely manner.

Unless explicitly authorized by the course instructor, no electronic devices will be permitted during exams.  This includes cell phones and calculators.

Scholastic offences are taken seriously, and students are directed to read the appropriate policy, specifically, the definition of what constitutes a Scholastic Offence, at the following Web site:http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf 

In the event of a health lockdown, tests and examinations in all courses in the Mathematics Department will be conducted using a remote proctoring service.  By taking these courses, you are consenting to the use of this software and acknowledge that you will be required to provide personal information (including some biometric data) and the session will be recorded.  Completion of these courses will require you to have a reliable internet connection and a device that meets the technical requirements for this service.  More information about this remote proctoring service, including technical requirements, is available on Western’s Remote Proctoring website at: https://remoteproctoring.uwo.ca.

Support Services

Please visit the Science & Basic Medical Sciences Academic Counselling webpage for information on adding/dropping courses, academic considerations for absences, appeals, exam conflicts, and many other academic related matters: https://www.uwo.ca/sci/counselling/.

Students who are in emotional/mental distress should refer to Mental Health@Western (https://uwo.ca/health/) for a complete list of options about how to obtain help.

Western is committed to reducing incidents of gender-based and sexual violence and providing compassionate support to anyone who has gone through these traumatic events.  If you have experienced sexual or gender-based violence (either recently or in the past), you will find information about support services for survivors, including emergency contacts at https://www.uwo.ca/health/student_support/survivor_support/get-help.html  

To connect with a case manager or set up an appointment, please contact support@uwo.ca.

Please contact the course instructor if you require lecture or printed material in an alternate format or if any other arrangements can make this course more accessible to you.  You may also wish to contact Accessible Education at http://academicsupport.uwo.ca/accessible_education/index.html if you have any questions regarding accommodations.

Learning-skills counsellors at the Student Development Centre (https://learning.uwo.ca) are ready to help you improve your learning skills.  They offer presentations on strategies for improving time management, multiple-choice exam preparation/writing, textbook reading, and more.  Individual support is offered throughout the Fall/Winter terms in the drop-in Learning Help Centre, and year-round through individual counselling.

Western University is committed to a thriving campus as we deliver our courses in the mixed model of both virtual and face-to-face formats.  We encourage you to check out the Digital Student Experience website to manage your academics and well-being: https://www.uwo.ca/se/digital/.

Additional student-run support services are offered by the USC, https://westernusc.ca/services/.   

 

Last updated: September 2022