Faculty Orientation - Student-Related Issues

Student-Related Issues

Both faculty and students benefit from Rice's small size. Our chances to interact at meaningful levels occur many times within each day. Professors can deal with students not only within the classroom, but outside as well--as college associates, divisional advisors, and intramural competitors. Rice encourages and cherishes these types of relationships. In order to better prepare you for the important connections you can make with Rice students, here are some useful pointers on dealing with students both inside and outside the classroom:

Honor System

The highly valued academic Honor System demands that the entire student body accept responsibility for the maintenance of individual and collective integrity. The System depends on the support and cooperation of the faculty.

· An instructor can specify any quizzes, tests, examinations, papers, essays, and lab or computer work as covered by the Honor Code. This calls for a clarification of the extent to which students may collaborate on projects and the amount of reference material allowed. In addition, faculty are responsible for providing test locations which allow students to sit in the proper formation of alternate chairs and alternate rows. Professors may not monitor exams, but they may remain in the room for questions and consultation.

· Students will write the pledge on those assignments which are covered under the Honor Code. However, the absence of the pledge does not remove that work from under the Code.

· If a faculty member suspects a violation of the Honor Code, then they should immediately inform an Honor Council member.

· For more detailed information regarding the Honor System and the Honor Council, please refer to their web page at: http://www.rice.edu/projects/honor

Office Hours

· It is important to encourage student use of office hours by in-class recommendations and active solicitation. Those students performing poorly on homework and/or exams are most in need of help; by asking an at-risk student to consult before and after assignments are turned in, a professor can greatly improve the chances of success for that student.

· Because office hours are vital to the preservation of the student/faculty relationship, it is important to show up for all office hours. Also, make-up office hours assist students greatly when professors are unavailable to attend regularly scheduled meetings.

College Masters

· If a student seems to be experiencing difficulty or an instructor notices extreme levels of absence, after speaking with the student, another course of action includes consulting the master so that the student's academic and personal well-being are taken into consideration.

· The college masters are a most important resource within the university. Because they interact with the students on a daily basis, they are quite in tune with their unique perspectives, academic careers, and personal interactions.

The college masters are:
Baker College, Arthur and Joan Few, Interim Masters, x3530
Brown College, Albert Pope and Kathrin Brunner, x4962
Hanszen College, Klaus and Eugenia Weissenberger, 527-8210
Jones College, Enrique and Maribel Barrera, x6049
Lovett College, John Casbarian and Natalye Appel, x4964
Martel College, Arthur and Joan Few x4003
Richardson College,Steve and Laura Cox, x5397
Wiess College, John and Paula Hutchinson, x6025
Will Rice College, Dale and Elise Sawyer, x6053

Textbook Selection

· Recently, students have become concerned about the exorbitant prices of some textbooks. This issue is easily intensified when professors "update" the edition of the book each year. Students are unable to sell their books back to the campus store or to other students; in addition, new students cannot purchase used books at a lower price.

· The Bookstore manager, Michelle Jones (x4052), is happy to consult with professors in regards to book orders for courses. New editions are sometimes unnecessary and the past edition can be employed just as easily.

Intramural Sports

· Forming an intramural sports team with other faculty, staff or students is a great way to increase interaction outside the classroom. The intramural sports contact person is Michael Morgan (348-5398).

Workload

· Rice students are not lazy. Usually without complaint, they barrel through five classes and two labs, laboring intensively, sleeping little and eating poorly, working well past the point of exhaustion. To be fair, when assigning impossible problem sets and giving work over recess, please keep in mind that students take a number of equally challenging courses, enjoy participating in extra-curricular activities, and need to sleep.

Student Association

· Each undergraduate is a member of the Student Association. The SA Senate serves as the representative student government, liaisons with university administration, and arranges for many services to enhance the undergraduate experience. Questions regarding student life can be directed to Jamie Lisagor or Gavin Parks, SA Presidents, at jlisagor@rice.edu or parksgav@rice.edu.

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