Students may discuss the subject matter of their essays with anyone. All students, however, must compose their own essays and may not show or read their essays to any other persons, except for proofreading or typing assistance by a person not enrolled or previously enrolled in the course. The use of another person's words or ideas without proper attribution constitutes plagiarism or false authorship. Both are serious academic offenses. If there are any questions about this matter, consult the Academic Integrity code or see the instructor.
Freedom of expression is at the root of academic discourse and the advancement of knowledge.
This course will deal with a wide range of topics, some of which may challenge a student's deeply held beliefs and perhaps even cause offense. While no topic will be censored simply because it has these effects, students are expected to treat the differing views of others with respect. While a tolerance towards the opinions of others does not preclude expressions of disagreement, which are, indeed, encouraged, it does require that these expressions be based on the content of the ideas expressed and not on the personal traits or values of the speaker. All class participants will be expected to tolerate the expression of opposing views and to engage in reasoned discourse about them. I will endeavor to ensure that the classroom is free of any conduct that has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating or hostile environment.