Credit Hour Definition and Assignment

United States federal policy defines a semester credit hour as equivalent to one (1) hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two (2) hours of out-of-class student work each week for approximately fifteen (15) weeks. For an 8-week class, this equivalency is compressed—meaning two (2) hours of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of four (4) hours of out-of-class student work each week per credit hour. For a 4-week class, this equivalency is further compressed—meaning four (4) hours of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of eight (8) hours of out-of-class student work each week for four weeks per credit hour.

In summary, you should anticipate spending a total of at least 45 hours engaging in learning activities (direct faculty instruction, reading, writing, researching, group discussions and projects, completing quizzes and exams) for each semester credit hour assigned to a course. Since most CSC courses are designed as 3-credit courses, this means that you will spend at least 135 hours dedicated to class-related learning in those courses. Please plan accordingly.

*Disclaimer: The actual hours spent on individual learning activities will vary from student to student depending on prior knowledge. The completion of the minimum time commitment does not ensure a passing grade. Achievement of the course competencies must be demonstrated.

For more specific information, please see Nebraska State Colleges Board Policy 4141

Academic Honesty Policy

Students are encouraged and expected, with the assistance of the faculty, to conduct themselves in conformity with the highest standards with regard to academic honesty. Violation of college, state, or federal standards with regard to plagiarism, cheating, or falsification of official records will not be tolerated. Students violating such standards will be advised and disciplined. Violations of these standards may result in course failure, suspension, or dismissal from the college. Students are encouraged to seek the advice of instructors as to the proper procedures to avoid such violations.

The following acts are examples of academic dishonesty:

1. Cheating – intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise.
2. Fabrication – intentional and unauthorized falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise.
3. Facilitating Academic Dishonesty – intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to help another in an act of academic dishonesty.
4. Generative AI – the use of artificial intelligence platforms and/or content produced by AI assistive software (e.g. ChatGPT, Dall-E 2, CodePilot, etc.,) against course use parameters.
5. Plagiarism – appropriating or imitating language, ideas, and thoughts of another author, representing them as one’s own original work. The following acts are examples of plagiarism:
   1. Submitting an assignment that someone else has written and claiming the work as one’s own.
   2. Submitting an assignment that contains sections, paragraphs, sentences or key phrases that someone else has written without appropriately documenting the source(s) for each portion of the assignment not written by the student submitting the assignment.
   3. Submitting an assignment that contains paraphrased ideas from another source, published or unpublished, without appropriately documenting the source for each paraphrase. (Changing around a few words in a sentence from the source is not sufficient to avoid plagiarism.)

Note: “Someone else” in the three statements above may refer to a published author, another student, an internet source, or any person other than the student claiming credit for the assignment. If an individual is unsure in how to document sources used within an assignment, they are encouraged to ask their professor or the reference librarian for assistance.

Class Attendance/Participation Policy

Chadron State College recognizes the importance of attending class meetings, completing assignments, and participating in other means of instruction as determined by the course instructor.

Responsibility for notifying faculty of absences, and for arranging potential make-up assignments, rests with the student. In the event of a personal emergency, please refer to the “Extended Absence/Nonparticipation Policy” below.

During the second week of the semester or session, the College initiates a no-show reporting process which is a vital collaboration of supporting student registration, academics, and financial aid. This process ensures accurate course rosters and fulfills federal requirements for confirming participation before disbursing financial aid. Students will be notified via their EagleMail of any courses in which they are reported as no-shows (not participating).

Participation is required for a student to be considered "in attendance."  The terms “attendance” and “participation” are used interchangeably in the no-show reporting process.

Participation is:

• Physically attending a face-to-face class or lab
• Submitting an assignment, quiz, forum, or other form of instruction, etc.

Participation is not:

• Emailing, calling, or going to the instructor's office to say they plan to participate
• Logging into the course only, without completing the assignment

If a student is reported as not participating in any or all courses by the end of the second week, the course(s) will be dropped from their schedule and, if applicable, financial aid may be adjusted accordingly.

Personal Emergency & Academic Attendance/Participation

In the event that a personal emergency (such as hospitalization, accident, death of an immediate family member, family crisis, or mental health crisis) requires an absence from courses or causes the inability to participate in class, students must contact the instructor as soon as possible. Instructors may request documentation to validate such absences.

For personal emergencies that may cause the student to be able to participate in the course for three (or more) consecutive days, students may complete the Personal Emergency Notification Form to contact the Dean of Student Affairs for assistance. In the event the student is unable to complete the above form themselves, family, friends, or care providers may submit the Personal Emergency Notification — External Form to contact the Dean of Student Affairs on behalf of the student. Submitting a personal emergency notification to the Dean of Student Affairs does not substitute for the student’s responsibility for contacting all instructors as soon as possible, nor does it automatically provide an “excused absence” from any courses. The authority to excuse absences rests solely with each course instructor.

If the extended absence pertains to your Military Service or Jury Duty, please complete the appropriate form above and see Board Policy 6023 regarding refunds. Vacations, weddings, or pre-arranged trips do not constitute a personal emergency, and no form should be submitted to the Dean of Student Affairs in such cases.

In the event of extended nonparticipation of two or more weeks, the student must contact each instructor again. If the personal emergency is medical in nature, the student (or designee) should submit appropriate documentation to the Disability Services Coordinator (and athletic training staff, if applicable). The instructor may discuss with the student the viability of remaining enrolled in the course.

If the extended absence happens to be near the end of the instructional term, students may discuss with each instructor the possibility of requesting an Incomplete grade. This option is best suited to students who have already completed a minimum of 75% of the required coursework at the time of the request. If the instructor agrees, the student and the instructor will create a reasonable timeline for the remaining coursework to be completed. Nonparticipation during Final Exam week is handled at the discretion of the individual course instructor, and, with rare exception, generally is not allowed to be made up.

It is not the practice of Chadron State College to accommodate student requests to complete coursework at a later date or in a different format (i.e., online if the course is being taught face-to-face) outside of the Incomplete grade process.

Civility and Netiquette

Civil behavior enhances the learning environment and is expected at all times. The academic environment welcomes a difference of opinion, discourse, and debate within a civil environment. All members of the class are expected to follow rules of common courtesy in all communications (including email messages, discussion, and chats). You may find these guidelines helpful:

1. Clearly label posts and emails with a relevant subject heading.
2. Use capital letters sparingly. THEY LOOK LIKE SHOUTING.
3. Forward emails only with a writer's permission.
4. Be considerate of others' feelings and use language carefully.
5. Cite all quotations, references, and sources.
6. Use humor carefully. It is hard to "read" tone; sometimes humor can be misread as criticism or personal attack. Feel free to use emoticons to let others know you are being humorous.
7. Use complete sentences and Standard English grammar to compose posts. Write in proper paragraphs. Review work before submitting it.

Blended (Hybrid) Course Materials and Recordings

Courses offered in the Blended or Hybrid modality may include video and audio recordings of in-class lectures and classroom activities. These recordings will be used for educational use only, and the instructor will make these available to students currently enrolled in this course. Students are not allowed to share these recordings or any course content or materials without instructor permission. The instructor will receive and document permission from any student whose image or voice is in these recordings before sharing the recordings with other sections or classes.

Equal Educational Opportunity Policy

Chadron State College is an equal opportunity institution and prohibits unlawful discrimination or harassment. The College has designated an individual to coordinate its nondiscrimination efforts to comply with regulations implementing Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. For further information, please contact CSC Human Resources (hr@csc.edu) or the CSC Title IX Coordinator (titleixcoordinator@csc.edu).