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Program Policies

Please note: Instructors may have additional policies for individual sections of WR courses. Students are encouraged to refer to the course syllabus for additional policy information.

Registration

The Composition Program follows the drop/withdrawal schedule set by the Registrar’s Office. WR courses also feature waitlists, which usually close at 9AM on the Wednesday of Week 1. Students may add writing classes up until the end of the Monday of Week Two.

Prerequisites

For 121z: There are no prerequisites for enrollment in a WR 121z course. English language learners may, but are not required to, enroll in AEIS courses prior to registering for WR 121z.

For 122z/123: Successful completion of WR 121z or an equivalent officially approved by UO is required for enrollment in WR 122z or 123. Students who enroll in a course for which they have not met the prerequisites will be notified and dropped by the English Department. Academic advisors can assist students if they have questions about placement in WR122z or 123.

Students have the option to waive the 121z or 122z requirement by taking a waiver exam. The no-credit waiver exam is offered during Week 1 of Fall, Winter, and Spring terms at the UO Testing Center. Students should test to waive their writing requirement one term in advance of enrollment in a writing course. The WR 122z waiver exam is available only to students who have completed or tested out of WR121z. Students may not attempt both the WR121z and WR122z exam during the same quarter. See the UO Testing Center website for further details and scheduling. Currently, there is no waiver exam for WR123.

Attendance

A student is absent from class when they miss a required class session. The Composition Program’s policy is that a student’s grade will not be impacted by being absent for one week’s worth of class. Please be sure to consult with your instructor’s syllabus for the full attendance policy, including potential penalties to your course grade for excessive absences. Students may fail the course after accruing 3 weeks of absences.

In-class work is central to meeting course learning objectives. WR courses do not have “excused” or “unexcused” absences except—as is the case for all UO classes—in the cases of: 1) religious observances 2) , AEC accommodations 3), required military/National Guard training 4), and University-sponsored events with signed documentation presented as early in the term as possible but at least a week ahead of the planned absence or need for accommodation. If you have concerns about your ability to regularly attend class sessions, speak with your instructor as soon as possible.

Academic Honesty

The University Student Conduct Code (available at policies.uoregon.edu) defines academic misconduct. Students are prohibited from committing or attempting to commit any act that constitutes academic misconduct. By way of example, students should not give or receive (or attempt to give or receive) unauthorized help on assignments or examinations without express permission from the instructor. Students should properly acknowledge and document all sources of information (e.g. quotations, paraphrases, ideas) and use only the sources and resources authorized by the instructor. If there is any question about whether an act constitutes academic misconduct, it is the students’ obligation to clarify the question with the instructor before committing or attempting to commit the act. Additional information about a common form of academic misconduct, plagiarism, is available at https://researchguides.uoregon.edu/citing-plagiarism.

Academic Misconduct Procedures

To ensure that the Composition Program maintains a consistent response to academic misconduct, misconduct cases are administered by the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (OSCCS), and not by individual instructors. While misconduct cases are being evaluated, instructors cannot discuss the assignment(s) in question but may continue to help students with all other course work.

If an assignment is under evaluation for potential academic misconduct, the Composition Program will notify the student by email and OSCCS will contact the student to schedule a meeting. Until a case is resolved through OSCCS, no work from the assignment in question can be included in assignments for the course. Students are encouraged to communicate with instructors about guidelines and requirements for continuing coursework on a case-specific basis.

Incompletes

All “incompletes” must be initiated by the student no later than 5 p.m. on the last day of Finals Week through the online Incomplete Grade Request on the Registrar’s website. If the student doesn’t submit the form by that deadline, there’s no possibility for an incomplete to be assigned. The form is not available until after Week 7 of each term. Incompletes must be approved by both the instructor and the Director of the Composition Program or designee. Incompletes shall be granted when the instructor determines that the student meets each of the following five criteria:

  • has been making satisfactory progress on coursework as determined by the criteria in the syllabus;
  • has been active in the course;
  • is unable to complete a portion of the course requirements due to extenuating circumstances beyond their control that occurred after the last day to drop a class (End of Week 7 of Fall/Winter/Spring terms; variable dates for summer courses);
  • is able to independently complete the remaining requirements without attending additional classes beyond the term or receiving additional instruction; and
  • has requested an Incomplete by the published deadline (5PM on the last day of Finals Week)

Access

The University of Oregon is dedicated to facilitating and supporting accessible education. At UO, more than 10% of students use the Accessible Education Center (AEC) and nationally an estimated 20% of undergraduates identify as having a disability. If you experience academic barriers and have or think you have a disability (physical or learning, apparent or non-apparent), have a chronic illness, or have a psychological disability, please contact the Accessible Education Center in 360 Oregon Hall, at 541-346-1155 or uoaec@uoregon.edu to discuss appropriate accommodations or support. The AEC offers a wide range of support services including note-taking, testing services, sign language interpretation and adaptive technology. The details of your disability will be kept confidential with the AEC and you are not expected to share this information with others. However, you are also encouraged to see your instructors during the first week of the term to discuss approved accommodations or support needs to ensure your full access to all classroom activities.

Observance of Religious Holidays

Students who observe religious holidays at times when academic requirements conflict with those observances must inform instructors in advance of the holiday. Students are responsible for making up missed work according to a schedule determined in advance with their instructors.

Sexual- and Gender-Based Violence

Any student who has experienced sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking, coercion, sex or gender-based bullying, gender-based discrimination, and/or sexual harassment is encouraged to seek resources and help. Please visit safe.uoregon.edu or call the 24-7 hotline 541-346-SAFE (7244). Students experiencing all forms of prohibited discrimination or harassment may contact the Dean of Students Office at 541-346-3216, the non-confidential Title IX Coordinator/OICRC at 541-346-3123, and/or find information and resources at investigations.uoregon.edu. In addition, the UO Ombuds office (541 346-6400 or ombuds@uoregon.edu) can provide confidential support and assistance. Also, instructors can reassign work partners and make other necessary accommodations.

Reporting Obligations

Most employees, including most faculty, are considered Assisting Employees under the Prohibited Discrimination and Retaliation Policy. Assisting Employees should not share disclosures of prohibited discrimination occurring to adults (those 18 or older) with the Office of Investigations and Civil Rights Compliance (OICRC) unless the information conveyed suggests a threat to the health or safety of any person. However, some faculty may have additional administrative roles that make them mandatory reporters, so it is recommended that students check a UO employee’s reporting status before sharing confidential information. For information about employees’ reporting obligations, please see Employee Reporting Obligations on the OICRC website.

All UO employees, including student employees and graduate employees, have a duty to report child abuse and neglect to the Oregon Department of Human Services or law enforcement when there is reasonable cause to believe that child abuse or neglect has occurred. A child is any person under the age of 18. The duty to report is in effect at all times, not only during work hours