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Course Syllabus

Course Information Professor Contact Information

Course Number/Section COMD 7308-001 Professor Anne van Kleeck, PhD

Course Title Preliteracy Development Office Phone 214-905-3147 (rarely checked;
e-mail is a much better option)
Term Spring 2011 Email Address annevk@utdallas.edu
Day & Time Thursday, 2:30 – 5:15 PM Office Location CD A.101
Location Callier Dallas J.204 Office Hours Monday, 2:15-3:15 PM, or by
appointment

Course Pre-requisites, Co-requisites, and/or Other Restrictions: None

Course Description: A great deal of research now documents that preschoolers with language delays, those from low socio-economic
backgrounds, and those from non-mainstream cultural and linguistic backgrounds are at risk for exhibiting reading difficulties when they enter
school. From over two decades of intensive research and from recent developments in educational and clinical practice, it has become clear that a
great deal can be done to prepare preschoolers to help them make a smoother transition to later learning how to read and using language for
academic purposes more generally. This course will focus on the preliteracy skills that lay the foundations for later reading achievement, their
development, ways to assess them and to use evidence-based practices to effectively foster their development. Emphasis will be placed on
historical and cultural (including socio-economic) variability in literacy values, beliefs, and practices, and how this information might be best used
in working with families and children from diverse backgrounds.

STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES/OUTCOMES: This course has been designed to ensure that students demonstrate required knowledge
and skill as outlined in the Standards and Implementation Guidelines for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology.
The specific standards addressed in this class are: III-B, III-C, III-D, III-F, III-G, and IV-G

Students will be able to:

1. Define preliteracy and categorize and list the skills it entails (Std. III-B).
2. Differentiate the various purposes of preliteracy and early literacy assessment (Std. III-D, III-F).
3. Interpret how the preliteracy and literacy content areas the SLP is responsible for fostering according to ASHA relate to the areas of
reading instruction mandated in the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) federal legislation (Std. III-G).
4. Compare and contrast theories and models of preschool predictors of later reading and explain how they relate to different categories of
later reading disabilities (Std. III–C).
5. Recall the developmental sequence of the various preliteracy skills.
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6. Describe levels of evidence in evidence-based practice and analyze how this relates to controversies regarding preliteracy and early
literacy teaching and intervention (Std. III-F, IV-G).
7. Analyze, evaluate, and compare and contrast strategies and tools to assess preliteracy skills (Std. III-C, III-D).
8. Analyze rationales and support for different treatment approaches to preliteracy, including skills-oriented, meaning-oriented, and
combination approaches (Std. III-C, III-D, IV-G)
9. Understand the historical fluctuations in mainstream culture beliefs about education in the preschool period of child development and the
institutions and practices these beliefs spawned. Compare and contrast these historical fluctuations with current differences in beliefs
among various non-mainstream cultural groups in the United States today (Std. III-G).
10. Debate the issues regarding how cultural values and practices of families might impact both family and school-based literacy teaching and
interventions (Std. III-G, IV-G.).
11. Describe the nature of the “literate discourse” (“school talk”) pattern of language use that preschoolers with educated parents become quite
conversant in prior to entry into kindergarten, compare and contrast the different kinds of socialization that children from other cultural
backgrounds might receive that can be quite different from this formal schooling pattern of language use, and be able to identify instances
of such language use in ongoing interactions with preschoolers (Std. III-B. III-D, III-F, III-G, IV-G).

REQUIRED READINGS AND MATERIALS

1. Some of your readings will be available to you to download from the UTD library, or at the Callier Library.
2. The texts for this class is available at the UTD bookstore and at Off Campus Books (561 W. Campbell Road, Suite 210):

van Kleeck, A. (Ed.) (2006). Sharing books and stories to promote language and literacy. San Diego: Plural
Publishing.

Weitzman, E. & Greenberg, J. (2010). ABC and Beyond: Building Emergent Literacy in Early Childhood Settings.
Toronto: Hanen Early Language Program.

3. Students must purchase the latest version of Microsoft Office so that they can download materials from eLearning. Below is a link to
the UTD Technology Store that offers this software for students and for home use for faculty/staff. Both Microsoft Office 2007 for
Windows and Microsoft Office 2008 for Macs are each priced at $33.00.

https://webstore.hied.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/UTDTechnologyStore.woa

Course Policies:

• Bring to each class: YOUR NAME CARD, copies of completed assignments due (electronic is fine), outlines, handouts, etc. that accompany
the current lecture (downloaded from eLearning before class).
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• Please remember to turn off cell phones. If you know you may need to be reached in an emergency, please use the silent options on your
phone and leave the classroom to answer the call. Also let me know prior to the start of class time that you will need to take an emergency call.
• Make up exams will not be given, nor will the date of the exam be altered.
• Work independently on assignments, unless otherwise designated.
• You may of course use your laptops during class sessions. Most materials relevant to a class session will be posted on eLearning in draft form
at least 1-2 hours before the session. However, unless requested to do so by the instructor, DO NOT text, surf the web, answer or send e-mail,
or read materials that are not part of the class you are attending.
• Class Attendance is required and will count toward 10% of your grade. Attendance requires arriving on time and staying until the scheduled
ending time of class. Students who must miss a class are responsible for obtaining information from missed sessions themselves, from sources
other than the instructor.
• If you would like to have me sign your assessment independent study form for any tests we thoroughly review in class, you must (a) see the
test fully administered, (b) turn in a scored test protocol within one week of the class in which the test is shown, and (c) have your independent
study form signed WITHIN ONE WEEK OF THE TEST ADMINISTRATION. No exceptions will be made to this policy.

GRADES WILL BE BASED ON:

Attendance & Study Guides & Key Points turned in on time and completed at graduate level of quality 10%
Assignments & Presentation of A6-8 45%
¾ Term Exam 45%

GRADING POLICY

The plus/minus grading system will be used in this course.

No A+ option at UTD A 94.5 - 100+ A- 89.5 - 94.4

B+ 86.5 - 89.4 B 84.5 - 86.4 B- 79.5 - 84.4
C+ 76.5 - 79.4 C 69.5 - 76.4

Grades are non-negotiable. While I know that nearly everyone strives for an A, please remember that a grade of B is a very respectable grade. A
grade of C is allowed on your graduate transcript as long as it is balanced out by an A – in other words, you must maintain an overall B (3.0)
average in your graduate courses to remain in Academic Good Standing (unless you are a Fast Track student, in which case a grade of C will not
earn credit toward your graduate degree).

Students who wish to petition for a higher grade based on exam answers they believe they should have received credit for but did not will forfeit
any extra credit that might be offered on the exam. This policy is in place because extra credit on exams is given to account for the rare question
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that may be ambiguous or poorly constructed. During an exam, however, you are very welcome to explain any particular answer and these
comments will be taken into account when grading, and credit may be given for an answer that disagrees with the answer key.

Course Calendar (Subject to change, except for exam dates)

Date Class Topics Readings Due Other Assignments

Jan. 13 Intro

Jan. 20 Overview of the van Kleeck Text Chapter 1: van Kleeck (2006). A matter of emphasis: SG1: Chapter 1 vK
Skills Different ways to share books and stories to foster different language and
literacy skills.

Chapter 1: Weitzman, E. & Greenberg, J. (2010). The Building Blocks for KP1
Emergent Literacy in ABC and Beyond

ASHA, NCLB, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2000). SG2: ASHA doc

etc. Roles and responsibilities of speech-language pathologists with respect to
reading and writing in children and adolescents (guidelines). Rockville,
MD: Author

ASHA Document: Getting Ready for Reading and Writing. [Turn in signed last page of
Academic Integrity document &
indication that syllabus has been
read COMPLETELY]

Jan. 27 The book Chapter 2: Weitzman, E. & Greenberg, J. (2010). Turning book reading KP2
sharing activity into a conversation in ABC and Beyond

van Kleeck Text Chapter 5: Huebner (2006) Optimizing the effects of SG3: Chapter 5 vK
shared reading on early language skills

Start PA lecture van Kleeck Text Chapter 2: Price & Ruscher (2006) Fostering phonological SG4: Chapter 2 vK
& discussion awareness using shared book reading and an embedded explicit approach.
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Feb. 3 Phonological Chapter 7: Weitzman, E. & Greenberg, J. (2010). Build Phonological KP3
awareness & Awareness in ABC and Beyond
Features of
Instruction Ukrainetz, T. (2008). Phonemic awareness instruction for preschoolers: The A1: What’s your stance, given the
evidence for pre-phonemic versus phonemic tasks. EBP Briefs, 2, 47 – 58. perspectives in Chapter 2 and this
paper?
Text Chapter 3: McGinty, Sofka, Sutton, & Justice (2006) Fostering print
awareness through interactive shared reading. SG5: Chapter 3 vK

Feb. 10 Print Text Chapter 4: van Kleeck (2006) Fostering letter knowledge in SG6: Chapter 4 vK
Awareness; prereaders during book sharing: New perspectives and cultural issue
Letter
Knowledge; Chapter 6: Weitzman, E. & Greenberg, J. (2010). Foster the development KP4
Sight word of print knowledge in ABC and Beyond
recognition A2D: Prepare 1st draft of PA Lesson
plan (you very likely won’t do an
(also: book adequate job on this assignment if
conventions, you haven’t made a 1st bone fide
functions of effort by today)
print, word
awareness)

Feb. 17 Narratives Text Chapter 9: Finestack et al. (2006). Fostering narrative and grammatical SG7: Chapter 9 vK
skills with “syntax stories”

Chapter 4: Weitzman, E. & Greenberg, J. (2010). Expand children’s KP5

understanding of stories in ABC and Beyond
A2: PA lesson plan
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Feb. 24 Meta-analyses Lecture: Meta-analyses by Amy Louise Schwarz

Vocabulary; Text Chapter 7: Hindman & Wasik (2006) Optimizing book reading SG8: Chapter 7 vK
experiences to develop vocabulary in young children

Chapter 3: Weitzman, E. & Greenberg, J. (2010). Make new words sparkle KP6
to build vocabulary in ABC and Beyond
A3: Story grammar analyses of two
books

March Inferencing van Kleeck (2008) Providing preschool foundations for later reading SG9: vK08
3 comprehension: The importance of and ideas for targeting inferencing in
book-sharing interventions. Psychology in the Schools, 45 (7), 627 – 643.

Text Chapter 8: van Kleeck (2006) Fostering inferential language during SG10: Chapter 8 vK
book sharing with prereaders: A foundation for later text comprehension
strategies

Chapter 5: Weitzman, E. & Greenberg, J. (2010). Help children use KP7

language to think and learn in ABC and Beyond

March Academic talk van Kleeck, A. (in preparation). Distinguishing social and academic talk A4: Developing literal and
10 registers in the oral language skills of preschoolers from nonmainstream inferential questions for children’s
cultural backgrounds: An important research direction storybooks

Revised Texas PreK Guidelines, 2008, pp. 4 - 36

March ¾ Term Exam Scheduled by request to not conflict with the TSHA Convention or
24 Comprehensive Exams
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March Cultural Issues Text Chapters 6: van Kleeck (2006) Cultural issues in promoting SG11: Chapter 6 vK
31 interactive book sharing in the families of preschoolers

Revised Texas PreK Guidelines, 2008, pp. 37 - 77

April 7 Historical van Kleeck, A. & Schuele, C. M. (2010). Historical Perspectives on SG12: vK & Schuele
perspectives Literacy in Early Childhood, American Journal of Speech Language
Pathology, 19, 341 - 355.
A5: Developing think alouds
Revised Texas PreK Guidelines, 2008, pp. 78 - 116
April Historical A6: Critique of Jones-Morgan
14 perspectives informal assessment tool
cont.
A7: Cultural critique ASHA’s
Getting Ready to Read and Write

April Final projects 15 minutes each with a PPT covering key points from your assignments A6, A8: Texas PreK Curriculum
21 (A6, A7, & A8) A7, & A8 Guidelines Project
presentations

April Final projects

28 (A6, A7, & A8)
presentations

To Receive Credit for Assignments and Study Guides

• Study guides are found in a folder on the desktop in eLearning. Name your file that you upload as follows: Last Name(no space)Assignment
designation.docx, e.g., JonesSG1.docx (if your last name is very long, you may abbreviate it). ALSO put your name at the top of the first page
of your file. You will not receive credit for assignments that are not properly labeled or uploaded.
• Assignments are found under “Assignment” on the left side menu bar in eLearning. Those files are to be named in the same way, e.g.,
JonesA1.docx. There are some additional files pertinent to the assignments in the Assignments folder on your eLearning desktop.
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• Assignments and Study Guides are due (must be uploaded by) 15 minutes before the BEGINNING of class. They must be uploaded in the
proper place in eLearning by their due date and time. It’s best not to wait until the last minute to upload your assignments since you may run
into computer issue. Late assignments will be noted as such by eLearning and will not be accepted by the instructor.
• Please keep an electronic copy of all study guides and homework turned in.
• ALL assignments and study guides must be completed. You will receive a grade of 100% for initially turning in a FULLY COMPLETED
assignments and study guides that SHOW TRUE EFFORT. This grade will appear on eLearning under My Grades, in the column with the
assignment number, e.g., A1.
• Answer keys will be posted for some assignments (typically within 24 hours of the original due date). In those cases, you are to grade your
assignment, and discuss why you got the things wrong that were wrong, and upload this by the subsequent deadline that will be supplied
(usually this is two working days from when the assignment was due). I will be randomly checking graded assignments against the originally
submitted assignment to assure the grading has been done correctly and that you are understanding the correct answers. If you blatantly
incorrectly grade any aspects of your assignment (taking into account that some grading is a bit more subjective than other grading), you will
receive 0% for that assignment.
• To name your graded assignment, place a “G” after the assignment number, e.g., JacobsenA1G. This grade, after they are checked, will appear
on eLearning under My Grades, in the column with the assignment number, but with a “G” after the number, e.g., A1G.

ASHA STANDARDS ADDRESSED IN THIS CLASS (including how knowledge will be conveyed and how knowledge and skill
acquisition will be demonstrated)

Standard III-B: The applicant must demonstrate knowledge of basic human communication and swallowing processes, including their
biological, neurological, acoustic, psychological, developmental, and linguistic and cultural bases.

Specific knowledge will be demonstrated in this class in the area of normal preliteracy development, including the impact of cultural and linguistic
diversity on preliteracy socialization and development.

Knowledge will be conveyed via class readings, lectures, on-line resources, videotapes, and discussion. Acquisition will be demonstrated via class
discussion, study guides, homework, projects, and exams.

Standard III-C: The applicant must demonstrate knowledge of the nature of speech, language, hearing, and communication disorders and
differences and swallowing disorders, including the etiologies, characteristics, anatomical/physiological, acoustic, psychological,
developmental, and linguistic and cultural correlates.

Some of the specific knowledge in this course will be focussed on the normal sequence of development in the various skill domains that lay
important foundations for later literacy development, including phonological awareness, print awareness, alphabet knowledge, vocabulary
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development, inferential language skills, and narrative skills. This knowledge provides the foundation for the informal assessment techniques that
will be covered, and the sequencing of goals in intervention.

Knowledge will be conveyed via class readings, lectures, videotapes, and discussion. Acquisition will be demonstrated via class discussion, study
guides, homework, projects, and exams.

Standard III-D: The applicant must possess knowledge of the principles and methods of prevention, assessment, and intervention for
people with communication and swallowing disorders, including consideration of anatomical/physiological, psychological, developmental,
and linguistic and cultural correlates of the disorders.

Informal and formal (including norm and criterion referenced) preliteracy assessment techniques will be discussed, demonstrated, and some will
be applied by students. Various interventions will be discussed, including the research base for them, the controversies surrounding them, the
historical evolution of them, and the skills areas that are not well-covered because it is hard to conduct solid

Knowledge will be conveyed via class readings, lectures, videotapes, on-line resources, discussion, and practice in implementing as assessment
tool and in developing an intervention lesson plan. Acquisition will be demonstrated via class discussion, study guides, homework, projects, and
exams.

Standard III-F: The applicant must demonstrate knowledge of processes used in research and the integration of research principles into
evidence-based clinical practice.

Nearly every reading in this course will directly discuss the research that informs practice. Also covered will the the content areas that receive less
attention because high quality intervention research is much more difficult to conduct with them.

Knowledge will be conveyed via class readings, lectures, videotapes, on-line resources, discussion, and practice in implementing as assessment
tool and in developing an intervention lesson plan. Acquisition will be demonstrated via class discussion, study guides, homework, projects, and
exams.

Standard III-G: The applicant must demonstrate knowledge of contemporary professional issues.

A professional issue that has become increasingly important, and will only continue to do so, relates to having as much information as possible
about cultural issues that impact communication. Because communication is so very culturally shaped, we will be continually exploring the role
of culture in all dimensions of preliteracy socialization, development, assessment, intervention/education, and public policy.
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Knowledge will be conveyed via class readings, lectures, videotapes, and discussion. Acquisition will be demonstrated via class discussion, study
guides, homework, projects, and exams.

STANDARD IV-G: The applicant for certification must complete a program of study that includes supervised clinical experiences
sufficient in breadth and depth to achieve the skills outcomes [related to evaluation, intervention, and interaction and personal qualities].

In addition to clinical experiences, skills may be demonstrated through successful performance on academic coursework and examinations,
independent projects or other appropriate alternative methods. In this class, one assessment and one lesson plan project will provide direct clinical
application and experience.

Knowledge will be conveyed via class readings, lectures, videotapes, and discussion. Acquisition will be demonstrated via class discussion, study
guides, homework, projects, and exams.

Field Trip Policies

Off-campus Instruction and Course Activities

Off-campus, out-of-state, and foreign instruction and activities are subject to state law and University policies and procedures regarding travel and risk-
related activities. Information regarding these rules and regulations may be found at the website address
http://www.utdallas.edu/BusinessAffairs/Travel_Risk_Activities.htm. Additional information is available from the office of the school dean. There are no
travel and/or risk-related activity associated with this course.

Student Conduct & Discipline

The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and regulations for the orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It
is the responsibility of each student and each student organization to be knowledgeable about the rules and regulations which govern student conduct and
activities. General information on student conduct and discipline is contained in the UTD publication, A to Z Guide, which is provided to all registered
students each academic year.

The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of recognized and established due process. Procedures are defined
and described in the Rules and Regulations, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Part 1, Chapter VI, Section 3, and in Title V, Rules on
Student Services and Activities of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures. Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in
the Office of the Dean of Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-6391).

A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of citizenship. He or she is expected to obey federal, state, and local
laws as well as the Regents’ Rules, university regulations, and administrative rules. Students are subject to discipline for violating the standards of
conduct whether such conduct takes place on or off campus, or whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct.
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Academic Integrity

The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty. Because the value of an academic degree depends upon the
absolute integrity of the work done by the student for that degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high standard of individual honor in his or
her scholastic work.

Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions related to applications for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or
the submission as one’s own work or material that is not one’s own. As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one of the following acts: cheating,
plagiarism, collusion and/or falsifying academic records. Students suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary proceedings.

Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from any other source is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the
university’s policy on plagiarism (see general catalog for details). This course will use the resources of turnitin.com, which searches the web for possible
plagiarism and is over 90% effective.

Below is information from: http://www.utdallas.edu/judicialaffairs/UTDJudicialAffairs-AvoidDishonesty.html

“Plagiarism: What Every Student Should Know

Every student will be held responsible for reading and understanding the following statement.

To submit to your instructor a paper or comparable assignment that is not truly the product of your own mind and skill is to
commit plagiarism. To put it bluntly, plagiarism is the act of stealing the ideas and/or expression of another and representing them
as your own. It is a form of a cheating and a kind of scholastic dishonesty which can incur severe penalties. It is important,
therefore, that you understand what constitutes plagiarism, so that you will not unwittingly jeopardize your college career.

The most obvious form:

Plagiarism can take several forms. The most obvious form of plagiarism is the purchase of prepared papers from commercial term
paper companies and the submission of such papers as one's own work.

Proper footnoting essential:

A second obvious form of plagiarism is a word-for-word copying of someone else's work, in whole or in part, without appropriate
acknowledgement, whether that work be a magazine article, a portion of a book, a newspaper piece, another student's paper, or
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any other composition not your own. Any such verbatim use of another's work must be acknowledged by (1) appropriate indention
or enclosing all such copied portions in quotation marks and by (2) giving the original source in a footnote. As a general rule, you
should make very little use of directly quoted matter in your research paper. If you do not know how to footnote properly, ask
your instructor for guidance. In addition, proper footnote style for many academic departments is outlined by the MLA Style Sheet
or K.L. Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations. These and similar publications are available
in the library or in the University Bookstore. UTD requires dissertation and thesis students to use A Manual for Writers of Term
Papers, Theses, and Dissertations - Sixth Edition when formatting their papers. This resource is available at the UTD Bookstore
and the UTD Library.

Paraphrasing vs. original work

A third form of plagiarism is the paraphrasing for the structure and language of another person's work. Changing a few words of
another's composition, omitting a few sentences, or changing their order does not constitute original composition and therefore can
be given no credit. If such borrowing or paraphrasing is ever necessary, the source must be scrupulously indicated by footnotes.
How then you may ask, can I be original? Am I to learn nothing from others? There are several answers to such questions. Of
course you have come to the University to learn, and this means acquiring ideas and exchanging opinions with others. But no idea
is ever genuinely learned by copying it down in the phrasing of somebody else. Only when you have the thought through an idea
in terms of your own experience can you be said to have learned; and when you have done that, you can develop it on paper as the
product of your own mind.

Using the instructor as a resource

If an assignment baffles you, discuss it with your instructor. And if you are directed to use printed sources, consult your instructor
about how to proceed. There is an art to taking notes for research; careless note taking can lead to plagiarism.

The consequences of plagiarism

Why be so concerned about plagiarism? Because it defeats the ends of education. If students were given credit for work that is not
their own, then course grades would be meaningless. A college degree would become a mere sheet of paper and the integrity of
the University would be undermined. To protect conscientious students, therefore, and to guarantee the quality of their education,
the University assesses heavy penalties against those who plagiarize. The Rules and Regulations of the Board of Regents of the
University of Texas System and the University's Handbook of Operating Procedures provide penalties for plagiarism which range
from an "F" grade to dismissal from the University. If these penalties seem severe, remember that your integrity and the integrity
of the University itself are at stake. These rules and regulations are available to students from the Dean of Students and the Office
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of Student Life (SU1.602), where staff are available to assist students in their understanding of the various rules and regulations
governing student conduct. Finally, the University cannot prevent students from plagiarizing, but it can make sure that they know
what plagiarism is, what the penalties for it are, and in what jeopardy it places future careers. Hence this statement. Read it
carefully. If you do not understand it fully, consult your instructor. And, if you have any doubts about the originality of a paper
you have written or a comparable assignment, see your instructor before you turn it in.”

E-Mail Use

The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication between faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the
same time, email raises some issues concerning security and the identity of each individual in an email exchange. The university encourages all official
student email correspondence be sent only to a student’s U.T. Dallas email address and that faculty and staff consider email from students official only if it
originates from a UTD student account. This allows the university to maintain a high degree of confidence in the identity of all individual corresponding
and the security of the transmitted information. UTD furnishes each student with a free email account that is to be used in all communication with
university personnel. The Department of Information Resources at U.T. Dallas provides a method for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to
other accounts.

Withdrawal from Class

The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-level courses. These dates and times are published in that semester's
course catalog. Administration procedures must be followed. It is the student's responsibility to handle withdrawal requirements from any class. In other
words, I cannot drop or withdraw any student. You must do the proper paperwork to ensure that you will not receive a final grade of "F" in a course if you
choose not to attend the class once you are enrolled.

Student Grievance Procedures

Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities, of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures.

In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other fulfillments of academic responsibility, it is the obligation of the
student first to make a serious effort to resolve the matter with the instructor, supervisor, administrator, or committee with whom the grievance originates
(hereafter called “the respondent”). Individual faculty members retain primary responsibility for assigning grades and evaluations. If the matter cannot be
resolved at that level, the grievance must be submitted in writing to the respondent with a copy of the respondent’s School Dean. If the matter is not
resolved by the written response provided by the respondent, the student may submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If the grievance is not resolved
by the School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written appeal to the Dean of Graduate or Undergraduate Education, and the deal will appoint and
convene an Academic Appeals Panel. The decision of the Academic Appeals Panel is final. The results of the academic appeals process will be
distributed to all involved parties.
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Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of Students, where staff members are available to assist students in
interpreting the rules and regulations.

Incomplete Grade Policy

As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably missed at the semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work
has been completed. An incomplete grade must be resolved within eight (8) weeks from the first day of the subsequent long semester. If the required
work to complete the course and to remove the incomplete grade is not submitted by the specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed automatically
to a grade of F.

Disability Services

The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational opportunities equal to those of their non-disabled peers. Disability
Services is located in room 1.610 in the Student Union. Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30
a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is:

The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22
PO Box 830688
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688
(972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)

Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable adjustments necessary to eliminate discrimination on the basis of
disability. For example, it may be necessary to remove classroom prohibitions against tape recorders or animals (in the case of dog guides) for students
who are blind. Occasionally an assignment requirement may be substituted (for example, a research paper versus an oral presentation for a student who is
hearing impaired). Classes enrolled students with mobility impairments may have to be rescheduled in accessible facilities. The college or university may
need to provide special services such as registration, note-taking, or mobility assistance.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an accommodation. Disability Services provides students with letters to
present to faculty members to verify that the student has a disability and needs accommodations. Individuals requiring special accommodation should
contact the professor after class or during office hours.

Religious Holy Days

The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required activities for the travel to and observance of a religious holy day for a
religion whose places of worship are exempt from property tax under Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas Code Annotated.
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The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible regarding the absence, preferably in advance of the assignment.
The student, so excused, will be allowed to take the exam or complete the assignment within a reasonable time after the absence: a period equal to the
length of the absence, up to a maximum of one week. A student who notifies the instructor and completes any missed exam or assignment may not be
penalized for the absence. A student who fails to complete the exam or assignment within the prescribed period may receive a failing grade for that exam
or assignment.

If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the purpose of observing a religious holy day] or if there is similar
disagreement about whether the student has been given a reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or examinations, either the student or the
instructor may request a ruling from the chief executive officer of the institution, or his or her designee. The chief executive officer or designee must take
into account the legislative intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student and instructor will abide by the decision of the chief executive officer or designee.

Study Skill Support

Students who need help with study skills, or additional help with basic writing skills are encouraged to seek assistance at the UTD Learning
Resources Center: http://www.utdallas.edu/dept/ugraddean/lrc.html

These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.