Course Expectations
		When taking an online course, you should expect
		Proctored Exams
		Online Code of Conduct
		Academic Honesty and Student Policies
		Attendance
		Technical Support

• Course Expectations
  Be sure that you understand your teacher's expectations for the online course. Read the course syllabus and getting started pages very carefully, noting due dates of activities, quizzes, and assignments, and printing materials if desired. If you have any questions about what you are expected to do in the course, contact your professor immediately by WebCT email or  by using the other contact information given on the course information pages. Do not contact your instructor for technical support that is unrelated to course content (see below).
  
  Some common activities that you may be expected to do in your online course are as follows:

  • reading and taking notes on course material,

  • participating in online discussions,

  • taking online quizzes,

  • submitting assignments to the online assignment drop-box,

  • communicating with your professor and/or classmates by email.
     

• When taking an online course, you should expect

  • to have access to your course at the beginning of the semester (maybe earlier in some cases),

  • to receive timely responses to your email from your professor,

  • to be aware of your standing in the course by the midterm notification deadline,

  • to have the opportunity to withdraw from the course before the deadline to withdraw and receive a grade of "W".
     

• Proctored Exams
  Some online courses require students to take proctored exams. If you cannot come to the Westchester Community College campus to complete these exams, arrangements can be made to take the exam at a proctoring center in your area. Visit the Proctoring Services page for more information about proctoring services or contact the Distance Learning Office.³
  
  
  

• Online Code of Conduct
  
  Students have the right to express themselves and participate freely in an online class. However, they are expected to treat each other and the instructor with courtesy and respect. Offensive or inappropriate language is not to be used in any form of communication e.g., emails, discussion postings, group projects, submitted assignments. Students are allowed to disagree with each other or the instructor but must do so in a civil manner.

  The discussion area of the course is reserved for postings related to course work only. Postings of a personal or nonacademic nature are not permitted and may be removed by the instructor should they appear. Grades and personal issues should be handled by private email to the instructor.

  Emails to the instructor that are considered offensive or inappropriate will be sent back to the writer with a request to rewrite and resubmit. If the emails continue to be unacceptable, the student will be referred to the Associate Dean of Students and denied access to the course until the Dean contacts the student. If students receive inappropriate emails from others in the class they should notify the instructor and appropriate action will be taken.
  
  Students are expected to submit work which is their own. Plagiarism or cheating will not be tolerated. If either is the case the student may have his/her grade for the assignment/quiz lowered or may fail the course. Students may view the College's Academic Honesty Policy from the Student Services Page at http://www.sunywcc.edu/student_services/student_affairs/student_affairs.htm.
  
  

  
  
   

• Academic Honesty and Student Policies

  • All applicable college policies regarding student affairs should be adhered to at all times. Visit the Student Services to read the complete policies.⁴

  • No information in this student manual is meant to supersede these policies .
     

• Attendance
  Even though no regular face-to-face classes are required in online courses, instructors are able to track your activities online, and you will be expected to log in to your course regularly in order to keep up with the course materials. Remember that logging in to the course does not mean just logging in to WebCT; you must click on the name of the course on your myWebCT page to go to the course homepage. You should then check the course materials for new items.
   

• Technical Support
  While you should contact your online instructor for questions about course content, for technical support, including forgotten passwords and problems using WebCT tools, please contact:
  Distance Learning Office
  Room: LIB 300
  Phone: 914-606-6827
  Fax: 914-606-8550
  E-mail: distance.learning@sunywcc.edu
  (Please include your full name and WebCT username in all correspondence with the DL Office. If you do not know your username, include the last 4 digits of your student number.)

Links (numbered above):

1. http://www.sunywcc.edu/programs/distance_learning/enrolled/computers.htm#
   proctoring
   On the Distance Learning site, click Proctoring Services in the navigation bar at left. [back]
2. http://www.sunywcc.edu/student_services/student_affairs/
   policies_proceedures.htm
   On the college homepage, click Student Services -- Student Affairs. [back]