PROCEDURES FOR DEALING
WITH
LATE WORK
IN TUTORIALS, COLLOQUIA,
AND COLLEGE SEMINARS
[ tutorials
] [ colloquia
& seminars ]
Tutorials only really work when students meet their assignments
regularly and
promptly. A student without a paper usually cannot benefit properly from
the
tutorial, and falling behind breaks the chain of effort and criticism on
which
the tutorial method depends. If the number of outstanding papers rises,
the
morale of the class can be seriously damaged. Therefore the CSS has
evolved
procedures to deal with repeated lateness.
Both students and tutors must understand these
procedures,
which make it possible to identify students who are in difficulties; start
action to help such students without delay; and, if necessary, separate
any
student from the CSS who is clearly not able to benefit from its
program.
Experience shows that these procedures help keep the
air
clear for all of us. Suggestions for improving them are always
welcome.
- One of the chairs assumes overall
responsibility for helping tutors and students with late
papers. During
2004-2005 Peter Kilby carries this
responsibility.
- Each student brings a completed essay
to
tutorial. A student who does not have an essay must explain to the
tutor
before the tutorial begins why the essay is not ready; the
tutor
must not have to discover later that an essay is missing. Nor must
a
student miss a tutorial without permission from the
tutor.
- If a particular paper is
completed but
not yet printed, the tutor normally permits it to be handed in (to
the
tutor's box) up to a couple of hours after the tutorial
meeting. This
must not become a regular practice.
- A critical situation arises when a
student
falls two papers behind. Tutors must report such
situations at
once. A meeting is then promptly arranged between the student,
the
Co-Chairs, and the tutor to attempt to deal with the problem
before it
can get worse.
- There are two established ways of
addressing
a backlog of papers which has been identified as
serious:
The student
is
instructed to lay aside the uncompleted work and concentrate on coping
with
current assignments until the end of the semester. This procedure is
followed
only if there is a reason to believe that the student will be able to
keep up
with current work and complete outstanding work by the final deadlines,
which
are:
for first semester work: the first day of the second
semester
(this year, January 19)
for second-semester work: the day after
Commencement
(this year, May 23)
In unusual circumstances the tutor may choose to extend the
second-semester deadline, but not beyond the first day of classes in
the
fall. Failure to meet the deadlines results in separation from the CSS
unless there are compelling grounds for an exception.
If, after consultation with all concerned, the problem
of
lateness is judged by the Co-Chairs and tutors to be too serious for
the
foregoing procedure to work, the Co-chairs make arrangements for
separating
the student from the CSS at the end of the semester with appropriate
credit.
- The tutor responsible for monitoring
late
papers asks for a report from each sophomore tutor about three
weeks
before the end of each semester. Any student with late work is
reminded
of the provisions of this document concerning deadlines and their
importance.
Colloquia, Tutorials and Seminars operate under University rules, which
require the submission of all outstanding work at the latest by the first
day of
the following semester; the instructor, however, has the option of
imposing more
stringent requirements. The CSS takes these rules seriously, and failure
to meet
them may result in failure in the course.
Failure in any sophomore Tutorial or the Colloquium
means
separation from the CSS. A junior who fails a junior Tutorial or the
junior
Colloquium will be required to make up the failure in the senior year in a
manner prescribed by the CSS Co-Chairs. A senior who fails the Senior
Seminar
and wishes to remain in the CSS must redeem the failure by taking a course
approved by the CSS Co-Chairs, and under whatever conditions (e.g.,
minimum
acceptable grade) they specify. This make-up course may not substitute
for, or
double with, some other necessary part of the student's curriculum.
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