INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

GRADING CRITERIA

Grade Scale:   90 – 100% = A;   80 – 89% = B; 70 – 79% = C;     Below 70% = F

• All written homework should be placed in the Assignment Folder at the beginning of class on the day it is due, or it will be considered late and not accepted (a zero grade).
• MyReadingLab assignments (electronic) must be completed by noon of the due date.
• Most of your assignments will appear on the Assignment Calendar handout. I will give updates and instructions to the Assignment Calendar in class only.
• Detailed information concerning assignments will be given verbally in class only.
• If you miss class, it is your responsibility to contact a fellow student about the next day’s assignment updates/instructions.

DETAILED GRADING PROCEDURES

1) MyReadingLab Lexile Level: Your Lexile Level Grade is determined by improvement in your reading (lexile) level. You will receive your initial lexile level when you take your pretest. Each student is expected to improve this score significantly by the end of the semester. A student’s grade for this aspect of MRL is determined by how much a student improves his/her lexile score.

Each lexile point of improvement is worth 1 point, so a student who improves his/her score by 86 points will earn an 86% in this grade category. Any student who improves the score above 100% will be awarded 10% credit for every 25-lexile-point increment. (For example, a student improving his/her lexile level by 150 points would earn a 100% lexile grade plus an additional 20% extra credit for the 50 lexile points above the initial 100 points for 120% grade.)

2) MyReadingLab (MRL): In class, we will set aside some time to work on both the reading skills units as well as the Lexile readings. Though we may begin a MRL assignment in class, it is the responsibility of the student to complete each unit outside of class by its due date as shown on the Assignment Calendar.

3) Reading Project: Students will create outlines and summaries in response to their reading and research.

4) Classwork, Quizzes, Homework: There will be lecture notes as well as worksheets that will further strengthen the concepts we cover. Late homework will not be accepted and will receive a zero grade. (The exception: a student who is absent may turn in homework at the beginning of class on the day of return.)

5) Tests: We will have tests that will cover the concepts we have learned up to that point in time.

6) Final Exam: The final will be taken the last week of class and will cover some of all the concepts we have studied through-out the semester (a cumulative final).

7) Attendance and Participation: By simply coming to class on time and participating, students have the opportunity to make a weekly positive contribution to their grade. However, points will be deducted from the weekly attendance/participation grade for such behavior infractions as: tardiness, leaving class at times other than the break time, texting, sleeping, non-participation, and disruptive or disrespectful behavior.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

STUDENT EMAIL

All students at NCTC are assigned a student email address, also known as Lion Pride email. Lion Pride email can be accessed on the NCTC home page by clicking on MyNCTC, then the link “Lion Pride Email” to the left. After clicking the Lion Pride Email link, the Microsoft Office 365 window will open.

1. 1. Enter your NCTC student e-mail address. (for example, Smithj123456@student.nctc.edu)
2. 2. Enter your password (your NCTC Student ID Number, either 7 or 9 numbers).
3. From the list of Microsoft icons, choose MAIL.
4. You will be asked to set your language and local time zone (Central Time). Your account is now activated.

**It is the student’s responsibility to activate and regularly monitor the assigned NCTC (Lion Pride) e-mail account. Important announcements and notifications from the Admissions office, Financial Aid, or other college staff will be sent via the Lion Pride student email system.**

For communicating with classmates and instructors, students also have an option to communicate through Canvas. Canvas messaging is NOT the same as Lion Pride e-mail. Failure to read and/or receive NCTC e-mails (either in Lion Pride or in Canvas) is no excuse for not complying with the College Prep Attendance Policy or any other school policies. Be sure to regularly check BOTH the Lion Pride email as well as the Canvas inbox for important messages and information.

TSI COMPLIANCE

At North Central Texas College, students who test but do not meet the passing scores in ALL sections of the TSI Assessment or any other THECB approved testing measurements are required by state law to obtain TSI advising and continuously enroll in a formal college preparatory studies (developmental) program every semester until all TSI requirements are satisfied. TSI program attendance is MANDATORY. Non-compliance with the rules of attendance will result in a student being WITHDRAWN from the college preparatory course and possibly from North Central Texas College. Withdrawals are subject to college policies as set forth in the college catalog.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all College Prep classes for which they have registered. There are NO excused absences. The Department of College Preparatory Studies will notify students of absences reported by instructors and one courtesy warning e-mail notification will be sent to the students’ current NCTC student e-mail address (Lion Pride email) when the student accrues 2 class days absence (not necessarily consecutive days) in a course. Failure to read and/or receive NCTC e-mail (Lion Pride email) is no excuse for not complying with the Attendance Policy. It is the student's responsibility to maintain correct and current e-mail (Lion Pride email) and local and permanent addresses with the college.

After a student has been absent from class 4 class days (not necessarily consecutive days), the student may be dropped.

Inform the instructor in writing during the first week of class of any religious holidays observed this semester. Documentation must be given to the instructor at the class following the holiday.

Also, since punctuality has become a problem in recent semesters, three tardies will be considered one absence. Coming in late disrupts the class. Occasions do occur that you will need to be tardy, but not on a consistent basis.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

The course Assignment Calendar will be handed out on the first day of class. Updates to the calendar and any important instructions will be explained at the beginning of class each day.

LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW

Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is Wednesday, June 28, 2017.

DISABILITY SERVICES (OSD)

The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides accommodations for students who have a documented disability. On the Corinth Campus, go to room 170 or call 940-498-6207. On the Gainesville Campus, go to room 110 or call 940-668-4209.  Students on the Bowie, Graham, Flower Mound, and online campuses should call 940-498-6207.

North Central Texas College is committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, ADA Amendments Act of 2009, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-112).   http://www.nctc.edu/StudentServices/SupportServices/Disabilityservices.aspx

STUDENT HANDBOOK

Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the student handbook. http://nctc.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2016-2017/Catalog/North-Central-Texas-College-Student-Handbook

CAMPUS RESTRICTIONS

Tobacco-Free Campus:  NCTC restricts the use of all tobacco products, including cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and smokeless tobacco, on campus property.

Campus Carry: Current law prohibits the open carry of firearms on college campuses including all property such as parking lots.  For more information, see the website at http://www.nctc.edu/Police/gun-laws-campus-carry