Standards in Professionalism & Attendance

Design is a collaborative profession. Clear verbal skills are important in communicating one's ideas to clients and Design team members, and professional conduct can have a significant impact on the ability of a Designer to succeed. Because of the importance of professionalism in communication and conduct, students should maintain themselves according to the following guidelines:

Attend each session of class in its entirety.
Come prepared to present their concepts, discuss how the form of their design supports their concept, and describe how they arrived at their ideas.
Participate in critiques and discussions with a spirit of mutual respect. Providing comments to one's peers is a privilege. Students will benefit from both giving and receiving feedback - one does not have to “like” another’s work, but must provide insightful commentary in a courteous and productive manner.
Maintain a positive and open-minded attitude.
Demonstrate self-discipline and eagerness to participate.
Consistently strive for the highest standards of quality in work and conduct.

Failure to abide by the guidelines and policy notes stated in this policy will lower a student's grade by one full letter grade or more.

Cell Phone Usage:

Students are required to turn their cell phones off or on silent and refrain from browsing the web, using social media, checking email, text messaging, etc. during class, lectures, and demonstrations. Students may use these devices only during designated break times.

Submission of Late Work:

All projects and assignments are due at the beginning of class on the date set by the instructor. Late projects will be penalized by lowering the project grade by one full letter grade for each day that it is late. Late projects will not be accepted beyond three days after the original due date. Instructors may elect not to accept late work, but must note their policy regarding late work in the syllabus for each class.

Penalties for Excessive Absences:

Each class is a significant financial investment by each student, is based on sequential information and projects, and requires the full participation of each student. Each session of class missed or coasted through is a wasteful and impedes the student’s ability to succeed in that class. For those reasons, students are required to attend classes in which they are enrolled and/or intend to enroll, must be on time for each session of class, and must remain in attendance for each entire session of class. Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each session of class.

In the event of any absence, students are responsible for obtaining all missed information, materials, and assignments from the class period(s) during which they were absent. Students who are absent must complete all assignments by the due date originally assigned for the work.

For each class that meets twice per week, only three absences will be allowed for any reason during the course of a given semester. A semester total of four absences in a given class that meets twice per week will result in a penalty of one letter grade in that class. A semester total of five absences in a given glass that meets twice per week will result in a semester grade of “F” in that class. In case of exceptional circumstances, instructors may make exceptions to this policy at their discretion.

For each class that meets only once per week, only two absences will be allowed for any reason during the course of a given semester. A semester total of three absences for a given class that meets once per week will result in a penalty of one letter grade in that class. A semester total of four absences in a given class that meets once per week will result in a semester grade of “F” in that class. In case of exceptional circumstances, instructors may make exceptions to this policy at their discretion.

A semester total of three "late" marks in any given class will be equivalent to one absence with respect to this policy.

In order to ensure that students are connected with support services at the university when appropriate, and to ensure that students are duly reminded of the possible consequences of continued truancy, instructors should submit an Absence Warning Form after two absences for a class that meets twice per week or after one absence for a class that meets once per week.

Religious Holidays:

If any scheduled course meeting conflicts with mandated religious observance, the student must notify the instructor prior the day of the observance that the student will be absent.

Medically-Related Absences:

Because of the fast-paced, project-based nature of studio curricula, absences as the result of a medical condition will count in the same way as non-medical absences. Excessive absence for any reason, as outlined in this policy, are irreparably detrimental to a student’s ability to succeed in our studio curriculum.

If a student is facing an extended illness, the student or their designee should contact the relevant instructor(s) as soon as possible to discuss ramifications of future absences and possible solutions.

Alternative Attendance Policies:

Instructors may implement amended versions of this policy at their discretion which supersede this policy for the class(es) for which the policy is implemented. Regardless, the attendance policy used for a class must be documented in the syllabus for that class in order to be considered valid.

Policy approved on 5/10/2019. Policy effective 8/26/2019.