Course Syllabus

Course Information

NATS 4310.001:
Advanced Writing in the Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Fall 2010
Wednesday 12:30-3:15 p.m.
Room: WSTC 1.224

Course Pre-requisites, Co-requisites, and/or Other Restrictions

This course fulfills the advanced writing requirement of the Core Curriculum for Natural Sciences and
Mathematics. If you have questions about the Core Curriculum or academic requirements, please contact
your advisor.

Course Description
Welcome to Advanced Writing in the Natural Sciences and Mathematics! Often, students leaving the
University for their first professional positions are not experienced with the different types of writing that
they will need to do. For example, a lab assistant might be asked to write a technical report about a
research project. A marketing specialist may be required to write a functional description and operating
instructions for a new product. Or, a new professional might be writing a letter to the president of his
company detailing the aspects of his department that need to be analyzed for change. Finally, graduate
and professional students will write proposals to obtain funding for their research. The purpose of this
class is to provide an environment in which graduating seniors in science can learn about their writing,
understand the kinds of writing they will do in their careers, and develop further their skills in these types
of writing.

Course Goals
This course is designed so that you will learn to:
Apply theories of communication to your own writing.
Adapt to different types of professional writing
Write about scientific ideas clearly and effectively.
Write a research proposal.
Write and work with colleagues.
Analyze and write appropriately for different audiences.
Provide useful, critical feedback to colleagues.
Incorporate colleagues’/ experts’ feedback in your revising and editing.
Understand the principles of ethical written communication.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you will:
Be able to write effectively using appropriate organization, mechanics, and style.
Be able to construct effective written arguments.
Be able to incorporate and interpret source material in your writing.
Be able to write in different ways for different audiences.
Social and Environmental Responsibility
Responsible business leaders of the 21st century will not only need to ensure the profitability of their
company but will also need to be able to identify and manage the many ways in which their organization
impacts its natural environment and social community. Leaders must also be able to communicate these
commitments to the public in an effective and accurate way. In this class, you will complete a major
writing project that will help you imagine the ways in which North Texas businesses can 'give back' to
their community through a significant community action program. This project will not only help you
improve your team work and communication skills, but will also bring you into a closer relation to your
community and its needs.

Required Textbooks and Materials

Concise Rules of APA Style (6th Edition). (2009). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological
Association. ISBN: 978-1-4338-0560-8

Strunk, W., & White, E. B. (1979). The elements of style. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. (Accessible for free at
http://www.bartleby.com/141/)

Kinneavy’s ―Seven Deadly Sins‖ (posted on elearning).

Other readings as listed in the course calendar and/or posted on elearning.

Every effort has been made to use texts that will reduce your financial burden for this course. However,
please take the web-based reading assignments seriously because these assignments are the keys to your
success in this course. You are required to print and read these prior to class. There may be quizzes on
any assigned reading so be prepared.

In addition to the texts listed above, you will also need the following materials:
• 2-pocket folder
• Red or green (or other bold color—NOT black or blue!) pen for editing during workshops

Other Good Resources for Writing

Concise Rules of APA Style (6th Edition). (2009). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
ISBN: 978-1-4338-0560-8

Finkelstein, L. (2006). Pocket book of English grammar. Boston, McGraw Hill Higher Education.

Finkelstein, L. (2008). Pocket book of technical writing for engineers and scientists. Boston, McGraw
Hill Higher Education.

VanAlstyne, J. S. (2005). Professional and technical writing strategies. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
Education Inc.

Note: If you find any books that help you with your own writing, please let me know so I can recommend
them to the class.
Assignments
Your grade in the course will be computed by adding your points accumulated on the assignments:

Assignment/Requirement Due Date Points

Introductory Writing Assignment 75
Plagiarism Memo (team) 100
NSF Proposal Memo 100
Process Analysis (team) 175
E-mail NSF Proposal Progress Reports 150
(3 @ 50 pts)
NSF Proposal Rough Draft 50 points deducted from final proposal
if not submitted on workshop day
Final NSF Proposal Project 250
Class Participation/Quizzes/Assignments 150
Attendance +, 0, or --
Brief Project Presentation Must do to receive a grade in the class
TOTAL 1000 Points

*At the end of the course, you will be given a grade for your participation in class throughout the
semester. It will take the value of (+) ,(o) , or (-) and will serve to either raise your course grade by one
increment (B to B+) , lower your grade by one increment ( B to B-) or maintain it as is.

(+) High degree of class participation with little or no prompting, evidence of critical thought and
significant contribution to class discussions
(o) Average level of participation, often requiring some prompting; satisfactory contribution to class
discussions.
(-) Little to no class participation and/or input is irrelevant or disrespectful; no significant contribution
to class discussions.

Assignment Format
Your assignments must adhere to the following formatting requirements (unless noted on an individual
assignment handout):
All margins must be 1 inch.
The font size of your document should be 12-point type and the font type should be Times New
Roman.
Your documents must be double-spaced.
Your documents must include a cover page with your name, the title of the assignment, the course
name and number, the instructor’s name, and the date.
You must follow APA (American Psychological Association) guidelines for pagination, headings,
citations, and other formatting issues.
Your graphics, tables, and illustrations must be clearly identified and explained (see APA
guidelines).
Your writing must be free of spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors.
All sources must be documented and/or quoted appropriately in the text as well as in the
―References‖ section at the end of your document.
Your documents MUST be stapled together!
NOTE: Failure to adhere to formatting requirements will result in your assignment being considered
―incomplete‖ and, therefore, unacceptable.

Feedback on Your Writing

You will receive several types of feedback on your writing in this course. First, you will
participate in peer review through in-class workshops. This means that every written
assignment you do in this class will be done TWO TIMES. First, you produce a draft of the
document to be reviewed by your classmates during in-class workshops. Your workshop
partners will perform critiques of your draft. You will then revise your draft using your
partner’s feedback. If you miss workshops, your grades will suffer. You will lose 25% of the
points for any given assignment if you are not in class to complete that assignment’s
workshop. Be in class with your rough drafts to do the workshops—no excuses! Doing
workshops outside of class will NOT count. Plan your semester accordingly.

The second way you will receive feedback on your writing is through the personalized and detailed
feedback I provide on every assignment.

The third way you can receive feedback on your writing is by taking advantage of the GEMS Writing Lab
where you can receive individual assistance with your course assignments
(http://www.utdallas.edu/ossa/gems/writing/index.html).

DO take advantage of the full range of support to help you in this course. It is not often that writers
have so many opportunities to improve and get feedback.

On the assignment due date, you will include the following in your two-pocket folder:
1) Your first draft of the assignment;
2) The Peer Evaluation Worksheet completed by your workshop partner(s);
3) Your final, revised version of the assignment.

Grading Policy
Final grades will be assigned according to the following scale:

Points Grade Points Grade Points Grade

980 – 1000 A+ 770 – 790 C+ >= 590 F
940 – 970 A 730 – 760 C
900 – 930 A- 700 – 720 C-
870 – 890 B+ 670 – 690 D+
830 – 860 B 630 – 660 D
800 – 820 B- 600 -- 620 D-

Grading Criteria
Grades for any individual assignment will be based on specifications of criteria for that project. You will
receive these specifications well in advance of the assignment due date. Be aware that assignments are
progressively more difficult in this class. This means that the specifications for assignments at the end of
the course will be more stringent than those at the beginning of the course.

Given that this course is intended to help prepare you for the various types of writing you will do in the
future, all of your work should demonstrate attention to professional and ethical standards. This includes
thoroughly proofreading and editing all of your work. Professionalism also means that you use
appropriate source citation as necessary in order to avoid both plagiarism and violations of copyright.
You should expect to work hard in this course. Like all advanced-level courses, Advanced Writing in the
Natural Sciences and Mathematics is rigorous.

I strongly recommend that you review your assignments with me before they are due. Helping you with
your papers by answering questions and offering advice is a pleasure. Even though you will be getting a
lot of feedback from your classmates, you should always feel free to involve me in your work and seek
feedback as necessary. Remember, I am happy to meet with you during my regularly scheduled office
hours or by appointment as needed and schedules permit.

If you are taking this course CR/NCR, you must complete ALL parts of all assignments at a "B"
level to receive credit.

Grade Appeals:
If you do not understand the reason you received a specific grade on any assignment, I definitely want to
talk with you about it. If you believe that a grade should be reconsidered, take time to review my
comments about your work and follow these instructions:

1. You must wait at least 24 hours after you received the grade but no more than one week to talk to
me about it.
2. E-mail me on elearning to make an appointment during office hours.
3. Write a memo (addressed to me) specifying the grade you think you deserve and your reasons for
asking me to change the grade you received. Address how you met the specific assignment
criteria.
4. E-mail your memo to me AT LEAST 24 HOURS BEFORE OUR MEETING.
5. Bring your original evaluation and paper to our meeting.

Course & Instructor Policies

Late Work
Deadlines in the professional world are a serious matter. Missed deadlines mean lost contracts, delayed
product releases, skyrocketing expenses, and, in some cases, the potential loss of millions of dollars in
revenue. Missed deadlines also compromise professional reputations and careers. For these reasons, late
or incomplete work is not acceptable in this course.

Work that does not meet the parameters and guidelines of a particular assignment is not only
unprofessional, it also creates administrative problems. Technological problems such as a printer not
working or a computer crashing are not valid excuses for late work. Make proper arrangements to have
your work finished and prepared ahead of time so you do not experience such emergencies. Moreover, no
late or makeup submissions will be accepted for some assignments including homework, in-class
activities (such as applied, paired, or small/large group work), or workshops.

All work is due hard copy in class. E-mailed assignments will NOT be accepted unless approved in
advance. If you are going to be absent from class, please make arrangements to submit your assignments
ahead of time or ask a classmate to submit yours during class. Any time you believe that you might be
falling behind in the course, it is best to contact me to discuss your situation.

Please be aware that no assignments can be accepted after the final day of class.
This policy might seem harsh at first but consider that we cover a lot of material this semester. Since most
assignments build upon prior weeks' learning, it is important that everyone in the class keep up with their
work.

Attendance
It is fundamental to your success in this class that you attend regularly. Our time in class will give you the
opportunity to work through important topics with your peers and help you to meet the objectives of the
course. Your final course grade will be lowered a full letter grade for each class missed after two
unexcused absences. Frequent late arrivals and/or early departures will count as absences.

Example If your grade = A+

3 Unexcused Absences B+
4 Unexcused Absences C+
5 Unexcused Absences D+

Requirements for an excused absence (no exceptions!)

All students participating on UTD competitive teams (athletic and intellectual) must bring an
official Intercollegiate Competition Memo prior to any sanctioned absences. Students must inform the
instructor of the impending absence at least 2 weeks prior to the absence. If this does not occur, it is at
the instructor’s discretion to excuse or not excuse the absence.
Any anticipated absence arranged through Disability Services must be shared with the instructor at
least 2 weeks prior to the absence. If this does not occur, it is at the instructor’s discretion to excuse or
not excuse the absence.
Students observing a holy day must inform the instructor before the class day to be missed.

Extra Credit
I do not curve grades. I do not offer ―extra credit‖ work or ―special consideration‖ to allow students an
opportunity to raise their grade. By seeking the help you need and keeping up with the class, you will
have every opportunity to succeed at your desired level. If a personal situation arises during the semester
that may affect your classroom performance, please talk to me sooner rather than later. If you contact me
early, I will do my best to assist you and keep you on track for successful completion of the course. If you
wait until the end of the semester, I will not be able to help you. Remember: I can’t help you unless you
let me know that you need help.

Technology Requirements
This course is taught using elearning, and you should develop the habit of checking elearning
regularly for assignments and announcements. Reliable and frequent internet connectivity is essential for
your success in this course – indeed, it will make outside-of-class communication more efficient. All
UTD students are provided with an email account and access to the Student Computing Labs. Thus, ―lack
of access‖ to email and the Internet will not serve as a valid excuse for shortcomings in relation to
electronic communications.

You also have the responsibility to ensure that you have access to the course through elearning for
the duration of the semester. Failure to access and check check elearning announcements and email, are
not acceptable excuses for missing course or assignment-related email. To repeat, I will only
communicate with you via elearning email.
Classroom and Equipment Use Policies
Laptops may be used in class ONLY when we are working on in-class assignments. When we have
lectures, class discussions, or guest speakers, no laptops are allowed to be on or open. You are welcome to
use your laptops for in-class writing sessions, exercises, and workshops. I will ask you publicly to leave
class if you are doing activities unrelated to class.

Teaching Techniques
During class sessions we will have group discussions, writing exercises, and time to write. In addition,
we might have guest speakers. Sometimes we will end a class session early to allow you time to complete
brief assignments during class time. Other times, we will not meet as a class but will have individual
writing consultations. Be sure to check the calendar in this syllabus regularly so that you will be aware of
what we will be doing in class on any given day.

Classroom Citizenship
In keeping with this course’s professional communication mandate, students are expected to use
every opportunity in the course to practice communicating in a civil and professional manner.
Disagreement is acceptable (and even expected in college-level courses); disrespect, however,
has no place in this or any other classroom. Be respectful to me and your classmates in all of your
interactios, whether face-to-face or on elearning.

Everyone is expected to behave professionally and as upper-level university learners. This means
contributing to a positive learning environment in the following ways:

Please DO NOT:
Forget to turn OFF your cell phones or pagers.
Answer your cell phone in class.
Read newspapers, magazines, other textbooks, etc.
Study for another class or do other work during our class time.
Surf the Internet, engage in any form of video games, text messaging, etc.
Talk to your neighbor while someone is speaking.
Come in late and walk around the room--sit near the door you entered.

Please DO:
Get plenty of SLEEP BEFORE class (if you snore out loud, we will laugh out loud at you).
Review your notes from our previous class session prior to class.
SKIM or READ the assigned reading.
READ or RE-READ the assignments after class.
Prepare your written assignments a LITTLE EACH DAY.

Tips for Success after class:

REWRITE your notes in a final neat format. This allows you to review the information, elaborate
on it, and fill in blank spots while the information is fresh.
Look up any terms, definitions, etc that you struggled with in class.
Practice EXPLAINING the concepts from lecture to someone else.
Study with your team…I suggest creating your own ―test bank‖ file a little each class period; then
you have a great study tool for exams.
Remember: The secret to success in this class is simple: keep up.
Ask me to clarify anything you do not understand.
Rules for Teams
Your participation on teams for writing assignments is designed to help you learn about working with
others to accomplish a writing project, a situation you will experience many times over during your
professional life. There are various ways work teams are structured for projects and various levels of
control that team members have over their working situations. In this class, the following rules apply to
your writing teams:

1. You may fire any group member who is not contributing to your project. If you decide to fire a
group member, there is a procedure for doing so:

a. First, meet as a team and discuss with the member your dissatisfaction with his/her
level/quality of work. Give that person one chance to recover the team's confidence.
b. After the one chance, meet with me to discuss the best way to approach the situation.
c. Have a full team meeting and give effective and constructive feedback to the member you
are firing. Make sure that all members, including the one you fired, sign a statement of
understanding that the person is no longer on your team. Submit the statement to me no
later than one week after it is signed.

2. With your team's permission and the permission of a new team, you may switch teams. Each
team must have at least 3, but no more than 4 members.

3. If you are fired, you may submit an individual project for 1/2 credit.

4. No individual papers for full credit will be accepted. That means is it to your advantage to make
sure you stay on a team.

5. All members of your team will receive the same number of points UNLESS your teammates’ or
self-evaluations suggest that you did not contribute to the team effort in writing the paper. I
reserve the right to deduct points as appropriate for team members who do not contribute to the
assignment. In addition, realize that submitting a paper with the name of a teammate who did
not contribute is a form of academic dishonesty which will be reported to the Dean of Students
for appropriate academic penalties.

If You Have Problems or Questions

I hope you enjoy participating in this course as much as I enjoy teaching it. If you are having any
problems, questions, or just want to talk, I encourage you to see me before class, during my office hours,
or call me. In any case, I WANT TO TALK TO YOU!!! Don't let small problems during the semester
grow to a crisis at the end. It's always easier to fix anticipated difficulties than to untangle a mess; please
see me beforehand.
Assignments & Academic Calendar
(Topics, Reading Assignments, Due Dates, Exam Dates)

DATE TOPICS READINGS ASSIGNMENTS DUE

Week 1 Course Introduction

August 25
Effective
Communication
Team Writing
Week 2 Research Process NSF Grant Proposal Guide Go to the National Science Foundation
September 1 and website (NSF) Web site and become familiar with its
Writing Proposals
organization and content. Find at least three
places on the website where you can get
Go Over Plagiarisn Finkelstein Ch. 11:
ideas about research in your discipline.
Memo Assignment Research Reports
Access and download NSF Grant Proposal
Go Over NSF Guide
Griffin: Real vs.
Proposal
Acceptable Reasons
Assignment
Completed Student Info Form Due
Riley: Seven Habits of
Highly Effective Writers Print out and bring Plagiarism Memo
Assignment Description to Class

Print out and bring NSF Proposal

Assignment Description to Class

Week 3 Library Research Advice About NSF Introductory Writing Assignment Due
September 8 Proposals
Plagiarism
Print out and bring NSF Memo
Finkelstein: Ch.2: Ethical Assignment Description to Class
Go Over NSF
Considerations
Memo Assignment

Kinneavy ―Seven Deadly

Sins‖

―Criteria for Writing‖

Week 4 The Language of Strunk and White (skim) Plagiarism Memo Due
September 15 Science
Analyzing Rosenberg Ch. 1: The
Audiences Quest

Moriarty Ch. 2: The

Language of Science
 DATE TOPICS READINGS ASSIGNMENTS DUE

Week 5 Writing Basics: Rosenberg Ch. 20: NSF Proposal Memo Due
September 22 Grammar, Style, Punctuation
Organization
Print out and bring NSF Proposal
Finkelstein Ch.13: Progress Report Assignment Description
Document Design Grammar, Style, to class.
Punctuation
Go Over NSF
Proposal Progress
Report Assignment

Week 6 Process Analysis Finkelstein Ch. 4: Print out and bring Process Analysis
September 29 and Description Description of a Assignment Description to class.
Mechanism
Mechanism
Analysis and
Description VanAlstyne Ch. 10:
Analyzing a Process
Go Over Process
Analysis Team
Assignment

Week 7 Independent NSF Proposal Progress Report Memo

October 6 Writing #1—Due via elearning email no later than
5:00 p.m.

Week 8 Organizing Alley Ch. 2Structure: Workshop: Process Analysis Team

October 13 Information Organizing your Assignment—Bring your Rough Draft to
Documents Class
Style Manuals

Alley Ch. 3: Structure:

Providing Transition,
Depth, and Emphasis

Week 9 Document Design Alley Ch. 16: Format:

October 20 Presenting Data in Dressing Documents for
Charts, Tables, and Success
Diagrams

Week 10 Employment Process Analysis Team Assignment due in

October 27 Writing: Resumes class today
and Cover Letters

Week 11 Topic TBA based on NSF Proposal Progress Report Memo #2

November 3 class needs and Due via elearning email no later than 5:00
interests p.m.
 DATE TOPICS READINGS ASSIGNMENTS DUE

Week 12 Effective French ―How to Give a

November 10 Presentations Talk‖

Williams ―Great
Presentations‖

Week 13 Independent NSF Proposal Progress Report Memo #3

November 17 Writing Due via elearning email no later than 5:00
p.m.

Week 14 Brief Project Workshop NSF Proposal—Rough Draft

November 24 Presentations Due in Class Today

Week 15 Course Wrap-Up NSF Proposal Final Version Due Today in

December 1 Class

Note: This syllabus is subject to change based on class needs. However, due dates will not be moved forward.

University Rules and Guidelines

.
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.

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 may use the resources of turnitin.com, which
searches the web for possible plagiarism and is over 90% effective.

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