Attendance Policy

You are expected to attend all classes, unless you have a valid excuse:

• Illness and some injuries are valid excuses. Don't come to class if you are ill. Instead:
  • Consider visiting the Health Services office. Their services are free. For your convenience, they typically provide a confidential email notification to your professors when you are seen there.
  • If you do not visit the health services offices, or if your illness extends for more than a single missed class period, send an email to your professor indicating that you are ill. Indicate when you hope to return to class.
  • In any case, take care of your health.
• Job and graduate/professional school interviews, attending scientific conferences, and participating in Institute-sponsored activities (e.g. sports teams) are also usually valid excuses provided that:
  • You make every attempt to avoid missing exams and group project meetings.
  • You (or your coach or other faculty/staff person in charge of the trip) notifies the instructor in writing (email is OK), normally at least ten days in advance of the event.
  In all such cases, you are responsible for making up any missed work.

If you miss two or more class meetings during the first five weeks of the term (valid excuses or not), immediately meet with your instructor to determine whether it is advisable for you to continue in the course.

We want to help you succeed in this course. Falling behind is the most common reason for NOT succeeding in this course.

• Use all available resources (see How to succeed in this course) to catch up with missed work.
• Keep us informed about any difficulties that you are having.

Finally, note that attendance at all sessions of the Capstone Team Project is especially important. Also recall that we expect you to do your part to make our class welcoming.

Late-Work Policy: Can I submit assignments after they are due?

This course uses the flipped (inverted) classroom structure:

• Prior to each class session, you will watch some videos, possibly do some reading, and take a short quiz to gain a basic understanding of the material for the session.
• During the class session, you will do exercises (with one-on-one help as needed) to gain a deep understanding of the material for the session.

The exercises that you begin at one session should normally be completed before the following session.

• For example, the exercises that you begin at session 4 should normally be completed before Session 5.
• If you keep up with your work, you will often finish the in-class exercises during the session.

But:

• It is perfectly OK to bring questions about the exercise to the following session, and to finish up the exercise at that following session.
  • For example, bringing questions about the Session 4 exercise to Session 5, and finishing the Session 4 exercises in the first part of Session 5, is fine.
• If you need more time than that (e.g. if you have not completed Session 4 by the end of Session 5), contact your instructor immediately to determine how to catch up.
  • If you cannot catch up promptly, you should probably drop the course at that point.
• Sometimes you may turn in an exercise that your instructor feels you need to work more on. You should do such work promptly (usually before the next class session) and resubmit the exercise.

Don't abuse this policy. If you fall behind, it is very hard to catch up.