Syllabus Guidelines
Academic Dishonesty
All students are expected to engage in all academic pursuits in a manner that is above reproach. Students are expected to maintain honesty and integrity in the academic experiences both in and out of the classroom. Any student found guilty of dishonesty in any phase of academic work will be subject to disciplinary action. The University and its official representatives may initiate disciplinary proceedings against a student accused of any form of academic dishonesty including but not limited to, cheating on an examination or other academic work which is to be submitted, plagiarism, collusion and the abuse of resource materials. For a complete listing of the university policy, see:
Federal Aid Eligibility Validation
Students who receive federal financial aid are required to actively engage in their academic courses, including at the beginning of the semester, as a condition of receiving federal aid. Federal regulations require SHSU to report whether a student has actively engaged in each of their courses or not. A student’s lack of engagement in their courses may result in the student losing their eligibility for financial aid and having that aid withdrawn by the federal government. More information on what qualifies as academic engagement may be found on the Federal Aid Eligibility Validation (FAEV) website.
Student Absences on Religious Holy Days Policy
Section 51.911(b) of the Texas Education Code requires that an institution of higher education excuse a student from attending classes or other required activities, including examinations, for the observance of a religious holy day, including travel for that purpose. "Religious holy day" means a holy day observed by a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property taxation under Section 11.20, United States Tax Code.
A student whose absence is excused under this subsection may not be penalized for that absence and shall be allowed to take an examination or complete an assignment from which the student is excused within a reasonable time. For a complete listing of University policy 861001, see:
Student Absences on Religious Holy Days
Students with Disabilities Policy
It is the policy of Sam Houston State University that individuals otherwise qualified shall not be excluded, solely by reason of their disability, from participation in any academic program of the university. Further, they shall not be denied the benefits of these programs nor shall they be subjected to discrimination. Students with disabilities that might affect their academic performance should register with the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities located in the Lee Drain Annex (telephone 936-294-3512, TDD 936-294-3786, and e-mail disability@shsu.edu). They should then make arrangements with their individual instructors so that appropriate strategies can be considered and helpful procedures can be developed to ensure that participation and achievement opportunities are not impaired.
SHSU adheres to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. If you have a disability that may affect adversely your work in class, register with SHSU Services for Students with Disabilities and schedule a time to talk with a counselor. All disclosures of disabilities will be kept strictly confidential. NOTE: No accommodation can be made until you register with the Services for Students with Disabilities. For a complete listing of the university policy, see:
Students with Disabilities Policy
Visitors in the Classroom
In the event an unannounced visitor attends a class, the instructor should request identification in the form of a current and official Sam Houston State University Bearkat OneCard identification card. If the visitor is not a registered Sam Houston State University student, the faculty member should act at their own discretion or refer the visitor to the department chair.
This policy is not intended to discourage the occasional visiting of classes by responsible persons. Obviously, however, the visiting of a particular class should be occasional and not regular, and it should in no way constitute interference with registered members of the class or the instruction thereof.