Here is an adaptation of the guidelines for course syllabi that can be found in the section of the UNCA Faculty Handbook entitled Distribution of Information at the Beginning at Each Semester (VCAA 8-12-85).
To assist students in deciding on the nature of the course in which they have enrolled, to help students understand what will be expected of them, and to help students plan their work in the course, each faculty member must provide the following in writing to each student in every course at one of the first class sessions of each semester:
a. A course syllabus describing the course as it will be presented by the individual faculty members;
b. A statement of class policies which the faculty member will follow.
This request to inform students does not in any way impose on a faculty member any policies or any particular approaches to teaching that he or she does not now subscribe to. It is sound teaching practice to inform students in writing about the course (as he or she conceives it) and the policies that govern students in that class (whatever those policies might be).
Experience shows that students are interested in your responses to the following questions:
1. Course Syllabus
a. Is the course required for the major?
b. Does it have prerequisites?
c. What are the course objectives? What is it supposed to do? What in general are the students expected to get out of it?
d. What is the text? Any required readings? Any suggested readings?
e. What are the main topics that will be covered? Can you give a kind of timetable of when we might expect to be dealing with each of these?
f. How will we be evaluated? About how many exams or quizzes? Can we know the dates of these? How are grades in these exams and quizzes weighted to yield the final grade?
2. Class Policies
a. Must we attend each class session? Do you have a policy on "cuts"?
b. Can we make up missed quizzes or exams? If so, how? How does a missed class effect the final grade (if it does)?
c. What happens if snow or other severe weather makes it impossible to get to class, especially if an exam or a special assignment is scheduled?
d. Will you accept late homework or papers? Will lateness effect the grade?
e. Does "class participation" count toward the final grade? Can you tell us how much?
f. Can you tell us what must be done to pass, to get an "A", etc.? Is 60 a passing grade; is 90 an A, etc?
g. Do you have a specific format for papers? Must they be typed?
h. Any other policies that effect behavior or performance in this class?
Written statements need not touch on each of these items and may actually mention a few more. The lack of a written statement of an actual policy, however, gives the clear assumption that policy does not exist or is not important. Problems with student grievances are most easily resolved by getting policy in writing and making sure that each student has a copy.