Spring 2019 Opening Memo

TO: All Faculty Teaching in the Undergraduate Program, Spring 2019
FROM: Rachel I. Reiser, Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Program
RE: Spring 2019 Questrom School Opening Memo
DATE: January 17, 2019

Colleagues:

Welcome back! Or, for those of you teaching with us for the first time, welcome aboard! The Undergraduate Academic & Career Development Center (UDC) is located on the first floor, Suite 104. Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM. We always welcome faculty stopping by, even if it’s for a brief “hello” or to grab some candy!

Yesterday you received an email from Norm Blanchard, Course Planning and Classroom Utilization for Questrom, in which he discussed several dates and topics that are universal to both the Graduate and Undergraduate Programs. This message is attached to this email and I encourage you to read through it thoroughly if you have not done so already. This memo from me is intended to provide some additional specifics that are unique to the Undergraduate Program and relevant to you in your role teaching our undergraduate students.

Please review the UDC website for extensive information about the Undergraduate Program here at Questrom.

ANNOUNCE THE PRE-REQS IN YOUR CLASS

The university’s registration system is not equipped to check whether or not a student has completed the necessary pre-requisites when s/he registers for courses. Therefore, we ask that you announce the pre-requisites (pre-reqs) for your course at your FIRST class session. Course pre-requisites can be found on the UDC website, or by contacting the UDC. The Undergraduate Program Development Committee (UPDC) has determined that the approval of the department chair is required to waive a course prerequisite when adding a student.

STANDARDS FOR ASSIGNING GRADES

Required courses:

  • 25-35% of students can expect to receive A’s (for excellent work)
  • 50-65% of students can expect to receive B’s (for good or very good work)
  • 5-20% of students can expect to receive C’s or below (for adequate or poor work)

Electives:

  • Elective courses should be graded to a GPA of about 3.25. GPAs average between 3.00-3.50, with the majority between 3.10-3.40.

Notes:

  • The UPDC sees these as guidelines that shape overall grading; faculty retain discretion regarding grade distributions based on performance in a specific class. Thus, the distribution of grades could vary slightly from the guidelines. The UPDC does not expect, however, that individual faculty or courses will deviate with regularity from these norms.
  • The UPDC recognizes that grades may vary systematically within a course based on regular differences in Spring/Fall populations.
  • The UPDC anticipates that these guidelines to the apply average of larger, coordinated courses rather than to each specific section, as student quality may deviate across sections of such courses.

ADDING STUDENTS TO YOUR CLASS

The UDC will close all Questrom undergraduate courses on Monday, January 21 at about 5:00 PM, so that students wishing to add into a course after classes have begun (Tuesday, January 22) must be signed in by the professor on a drop/add form — at that point students will no longer be able to add into your course without your okay. Check your enrollments BEFORE you add any students to your classes, since students can drop and add classes using the WebReg system through today until ~5:00 PM.

When adding a student to your course, please verify pre-requisites. In order to receive credit the student must have completed all pre-req(s) and, in many cases, must be a Questrom student. Before signing him or her in, send the student to the UDC if you or the student is unsure of their eligibility for the course. Once the add/drop form is signed, the student should bring it to the UDC.

It is your call as to whether you add students, subject to room capacity and the student’s eligibility to take the course! You can find accurate information on the capacity of your classroom; please make sure to check the room capacity and your current course enrollment prior to adding any students!

If you wish to add and are concerned about a student’s eligibility, please contact Meghan Mogan, Director of Academic Advising & Student Services for the UDC.

INCLUDE ACADEMIC CONDUCT STATEMENT IN YOUR SYLLABUS

Please note that all undergraduate programs within Boston University operate under the university’s Academic Conduct Code. One important provision of the University’s undergraduate Code is that, subject to the approval of the Questrom Dean’s Office, a faculty member bringing a case of alleged academic misconduct may ask for the matter to be settled by the student signing a written statement admitting to the violation and as a result receiving a letter of reprimand, thereby avoiding having the case go to hearing. You may find this code at https://www.bu.edu/academics/policies/academic-conduct-code/.

It is important to include specific information relating to academic conduct in your syllabus. You should also discuss this in your remarks during the first week of class and throughout the semester, especially before major assignments and/or situations where rules of acceptable collaboration may not be clear.

Please be vigilant in your proctoring. We are aware that a preferred method of cheating is for students using cell phones to text answers to one another, and using the text capabilities of high-end calculators to store notes. I urge you to ban these devices from the room when giving exams.

If an academic conduct concern arises at any point this semester, please be sure to be in touch with me for information on how to proceed!

SEND US YOUR SYLLABUS!

Please send to Emily Goldstein an electronic copy of your syllabus via e-mail attachment by Friday, January 25. It will be kept on file by the Questrom Registrar’s Office (Suite 150).

BU’S POLICY CONCERNING STUDENT PRIVACY LAWS (FERPA)

Many years ago, the university made substantial changes in the way its employees are to interpret the laws regulating student information. Without getting bogged down in the details of the FERPA laws and the University’s past and present interpretations of them, please know that it is contrary to University policy for anybody (including a faculty member) to discuss a student’s performance in current or past courses with anybody but the student, even if a student has given consent for parents to receive certain academic information. If a parent contacts you, the most you may convey within university policy are the broad outlines of your course requirements. Please refer any parents who wish to obtain student-specific information to me or Meghan Mogan in the UDC (617-353-2650).

STUDENT NAME CARDS (A.K.A “TENT CARDS”)

Generally speaking, students registered in Questrom should be using a name card in one of their classes this semester (pre-identified), which they can use in all courses. Any student who needs a new tent card can print one using the template on the UDC website at https://questromworld.bu.edu/udc/essentials/forms-2/#toggle-id-14. Please have students use this link rather than sending them to the UDC to obtain a new tent card.

SUGGESTED VERBIAGE FOR ACCOMMODATIONS OF DISABILITIES

Dr. Lorraine Wolfe from the Office of Disability Services has asked that we pass along the following passage for you to include in your syllabus and to refer to when necessary:

“In keeping with University policy, any student with a disability who needs or thinks they need academic accommodations must call the Office of Disability Services at 617-353-3658 or stop by 19 Deerfield Street to arrange a confidential appointment with a Disability Services staff member. Accommodation letters must be delivered to me in a timely fashion (within two weeks of the date on the letter and not later than two weeks before any major examination). Please note that accommodations will not be delivered absent an official letter of accommodation.”

UNIVERSITY-WIDE GRADE GRIEVANCE POLICY

Students are urged to resolve any grade grievance informally by meeting with the instructor responsible for the grading of the course to discuss concerns. If concerns are not resolved a formal appeal may be made in accordance with the University policy on grade grievances.

UNIVERSITY-WIDE PASS/FAIL POLICY

Effective in the Spring 2017 semester, the University adopted a new pass/fail policy. To encourage intellectual exploration, Boston University permits students to elect up to eight credits of academic coursework on a Pass/Fail basis to satisfy requirements for the bachelor’s degree. P indicates a course grade of D or above.

In keeping with the intended use of Pass/Fail to encourage intellectual exploration, students elect Pass/Fail near the end of the course, rather than at the beginning. Effective with the Spring 2018 semester, the deadline for a student to designate a course Pass/Fail is the course’s drop with a “W” grade date. For this reason, Faculty will not be aware of whom among their students will elect to take the course as Pass/Fail.

Please note that in general, students enrolled in the Questrom undergraduate program may only complete courses Pass/Fail in the following categories: 1) the non-management elective requirement, and 2) the free-electives requirement; students may not apply the course toward required electives which must be from Questrom, and Pass/Fail courses may not be applied toward a Questrom concentration. Additionally, the Pass/Fail option may not apply to gateway or the business minor requirements for non-Questrom students. You can read more about this policy on the University website.

CONCERNS ABOUT INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS

Last and certainly not least, we recognize that in the teaching of undergraduates concerns may arise that are not always administrative or rooted in the academic content of your course. Me and the team in the UDC should be top of mind as a primary resource to you in your role as educators. You can reach out at any time with concerns to me or to either of the Directors in the UDC – Meghan Mogan, Director of Academic Advising & Student Services, and Vicky Rayel, Director of Undergraduate Career Management. We have also recently developed an additional resource to alert us to any students of concern, an online form found on the faculty menu (teaching section) on QuestromWorld designed to simplify communicating student concerns to the UDC. It is important to note that this should not be used for emergencies, please call us at 617-353-2650 during regular business hours of M-F 8:00-5:00 if you feel that there is a situation that needs immediate attention, and in the unusual event of an after-hours health and safety emergency you can call the BU Police Department at 617-353-2110.

Good luck and enjoy teaching in the Undergraduate Program. Please call me at 617-353-2650, or e-mail me at rreiser@bu.edu, if you have any questions.

Best,
Rachel I. Reiser

Spring 2019 Dates

Dear Faculty Colleagues,

Welcome back (or, if you’re new to the Questrom family, welcome aboard)! What follows is a memo containing important information regarding the Spring 2019 semester: dates, international student check-in, etc. Should you have any questions or concerns, please respond to this email or call me at 353-9106. Or, feel free to stop by the new Questrom Registrar’s Office (QRO), Room 150, just to the left of the main stairs on the first floor. This is the new location of Becky DiMattia, Grace Uygun (as of 1/29 when she returns from maternity leave), and Emily Goldstein. I’m next door in 150A. We encourage visitors!

1. YOUR CLASS MEETING TIME AND LOCATION

I strongly encourage you to consult the University Class Schedule to review your finalized class meeting time and location. The University Registrar’s Office did not finalize classrooms until just before Christmas. You should consult the Link (www.bu.edu/link/ – click “Faculty” and “Class Lists”). Should this not work, you may consult the general University Class Schedule (choose “SPRG 2019” and “QST” – contact me with questions) to verify your location and time.

Spring 2019 marks our fifth semester on the university block schedule, so I believe we’ve hit a groove, but just as a reminder:

  • Some undergraduate courses are on a Monday/Wednesday/Friday (50 minutes per session) offering pattern.
  • Other courses that were listed on the schedule as meeting twice weekly for 90 minutes, but with an implied dismissal time 10 minutes prior, will now be listed as 75 minutes with the expectation that they will meet for that entire period. To emphasize, the time listed on the class schedule is now the actual meeting time!
  • In most cases, there is a built-in 15 minute passing time between classes, rather than the previous (implied) 10 minutes.
  • Evening courses now begin at 6:30 and let out at 9:15.
  • The afternoon sections of the undergraduate Cross-Functional Core will begin at 12:20 (MWF) and 12:30 (TR).

2. SPRING 2019 – IMPORTANT DATES

Please read through this relevant calendar information including Registrar’s Office semester dates and class meeting dates by course meeting pattern. Please remember that faculty members are expected to make allowances for any student who must miss class due to religious observance; if you have questions regarding this policy or a specific holiday observance, please ask us. See below for a list of religious holidays.

While I encourage you to review the links listed above for the important information they contain, here is a quick overview:

Standard calendar

January 22: Classes begin
February 18: Holiday
February 19: Substitute Monday schedule
March 9-17: Spring Break
April 15: Holiday
April 17: Substitute Monday schedule
May 2: Last day of class
May 7-11: Final exams
Questrom Commencement Ceremonies: May 17

MBA-specific dates

Mod 3: January 22-March 7
Mod 4: March 18-May 2
Concentrated Core Session 1: Monday (January 28-March 18), Thursday (January 24-March 7)
Concentrated Core Session 2: Monday (March 25-May 6), Thursday (March 21-May 2)

Dates of Interest

Dean Reiser’s Birthday: February 20
Red Sox home opener: April 9

3. SPRING 2019 CLASS LIST AVAILABLE ON FACULTY LINK

You can view and download your class list on the Faculty Link. Please let me know if you have trouble accessing the Faculty Link.

4. FINAL EXAM SCHEDULE

In most cases, Becky DiMattia recently sent you an e-mail about the final exam schedule. Please respond to that e-mail as quickly as possible so that we can move along with the final exam scheduling process. The final exam period is May 7-11. The final exam schedule will be finalized and published in February. The Registrar’s Office provides a grid setting the final exam times and dates according to where courses fall in the class schedule. Deviating from the grid increases the likelihood that a faculty member will have to schedule make-up exams for students who have conflicting exam times.

Any student needing to make travel plans before the final exam schedule is published should plan to travel on the evening of May 11, as travel plans are not considered a valid reason for a final exam to be rescheduled!

5. CHECK-IN FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

The U.S. federal government requires all continuing international students to physically check in at their respective program office during the first week of each semester, and new international students must check in at the International Students and Scholars Office at 888 Commonwealth Avenue. Please make an announcement during your first two class meetings.

6. RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS

The following is a list of religious holidays from the Marsh Chapel website:

Sundown April 19-April 27: Passover
April 19: Good Friday
April 21: Easter

A full multi-faith list of holidays may be found here.

The following notes, including a link to the University’s Policy on Religious Observance, is also provided on the Marsh Chapel website:

Weekly observances vary (i.e. Friday/Saturday for Judaism; Sunday for Christianity; Friday for Islam). The Jewish Sabbath and Holy days begin at sundown. Passover is not a synagogue-based holiday, but a home-based holiday (hence the significance of home and travel time). The intent of the University Policy on Religious Observance is that the student need not face a conflict or choice between academic performance and religious observance. These dates and notes were assembled by the University Chaplains, meeting with the Dean of the Chapel. Dean Hill is happy to speak directly with faculty, staff, students and others, as the need arises.

If you are facing any tricky situations regarding student absence and religious observance, I encourage you to contact Dean Reiser in the UDC or Dean Phillips in the Grad Center.

Wishing you a wonderful spring semester!

Norm

Fall 2018 Grading

Congratulations as we bring Fall 2018 in for a landing.  As the end of the semester approaches, I would like to remind you of the deadlines and procedures for grading your Questrom classes.

Grading Information:

  • Do not use a grade of “MG” per Questrom policy. Students who never attended class or neglected to drop a course should be given a grade of “F.” This grade can be changed at a later time in appropriate circumstances.
  • Incomplete grades are to make accommodations for students with an unforeseen medical emergency or family crisis. Incomplete grades are not to spare a student from receiving a bad grade, nor to create an uneven playing field by giving certain students more time than their classmates to complete course requirements. All students who receive a grade of “I” should complete an “incomplete grade contract” with the faculty. Incomplete grades must be resolved by the end of the following semester (or within one year for PhD students) or they will changed to an “F.”
  • Grade lists are not to be posted by any means, even if the student’s identity is concealed with a unique identifier. Students can see their final grade on the Student Link as soon as they are submitted.

WebGrade Information:

Grading Deadlines:

All grades must be submitted within 72 hours of the last class deliverable, and under no circumstances should any grades be missing as of 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 23. (In fact, we are hoping to get everything resolved when the University shuts up shop at 5:00 p.m. on Friday the 21st; please let me know if you anticipate going beyond this.  Thanks!)  Many of our graduate students rely on employer reimbursement, which requires grades to be posted in order to process. Additionally, staff in the Program Offices rely on the timely posting of grades in order to determine things such as students’ Satisfactory Academic Progress immediately after Christmas.  Thank you for your consideration and cooperation.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Norm

 

Spring 2019 Packet Deadline

To insure that course packets are available for the beginning of the Spring Semester, please submit…

Final Exam Schedule Posted

Dear Faculty Colleagues,

The Fall 2018 final exam schedule has been published on the Link, and you and your students can now look up your individual final exam schedule. Please log on to review your final exam schedule to ensure that your exams have been scheduled as we discussed. Please also encourage your students to the do the same.

Please ask your students to let you know if they have any conflicts (see further instructions below). We recommend giving them a deadline for this feedback so that you have time to assess any potential needs for make-up exams.

Instructions for faculty to see their final exam schedule:

  • Log in to the Faculty Link – www.bu.edu/link
  • Click on ‘Class Lists’
  • Click on ‘exam schedule’ at the top left of your screen

Instructions for students to see their final exam schedule:

  • Log in to the StudentLink – www.bu.edu/link
  • Click on ‘Academics’
  • Click on ‘Final Exam Schedule’

Please review the University’s Final Exam Policy. The quick version is this: Students are not required to take three or more exams in a 24-hour period, and the professor of the middle exam (usually the 12:30pm exam) should provide an alternate accommodation for these students. Instructors of exams that are ‘off-grid’ (including the evening exams for the big coordinated courses, and those who combined two or three sections of an elective) should also provide an alternate accommodation for students with two exams at the same time, or students with 3 exams in 24-hours.

Instructors can identify conflicts by reviewing their Final Exam Matrix on the Faculty Link. We are happy to help determine which instructor a student should go to if they have a conflict, and we’re also happy to assist in arranging an alternate accommodation.

Please reach out to me for questions about undergraduate courses, and to Grace Uygun for questions about graduate courses.

Sincerely,

Rebecca DiMattia
Associate Director of System Administration & Operations
Undergraduate Academic & Career Development Center
Boston University Questrom School of Business

Grace Uygun
Assistant Registrar
Graduate Academic & Career Development Center
Boston University Questrom School of Business

Questrom Proctoring System

Dear Colleagues,

As part of our ongoing effort to ensure an atmosphere of integrity and fairness here at Questrom, we maintain the Questrom Proctoring System. This system launched last year and was successful. Our goal is to make it easy for faculty to arrange proctoring help when giving exams.

You will of course be aware that faculty are expected to proctor their own exams. Also, Teaching Assistants are expected to proctor for courses for which they have been hired. However, if a faculty member needs supplementary proctoring help, s/he is welcome to make a request by way of our online form: https://questromworld.bu.edu/proctor

Upon receiving your request, we will reach out to our pool of available proctors and make every effort to fill your request. The pool includes both current TAs who have expressed interest in proctoring for other courses along with “freelancers” who have signed up to be part of the pool. Proctors are screened for work eligibility, and no student who has previously been found guilty of academic misconduct will be allowed to proctor. Proctors are also screened so that students are not proctoring exams in classes they’ve yet to take. Finally, proctors are compensated out of a centrally administered budget.

We ask that you give us two weeks lead time to fill your proctoring request. Feel free to contact me (normanb@bu.edu, 3-9106) with any questions.

Cordially,
Norm

Graduate PDC 2018-2019

The MBA Program Development Committee will meet three times this fall:

  • Wednesday Sept 12th from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM
  • Wednesday Oct 24th from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM
  • Wednesday Dec 5th from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM

This year, a subcommittee of the PDC will be doing the pilot course approvals. I’ve attached the course approval form, the process for course approvals, and the syllabus template and checklist. You can submit course approval materials to me.

For courses to be introduced during Spring 2018, please submit proposals to me by Tuesday September 4th if possible.

If you have other items that need to be part of a meeting agenda, please notify me at least 10 days in advance.

I am happy to share with you the members of the 2018-2019 MBA Program Development Committee:

MBA PDC 2018-2019

Barb Bickart (Chair) MK bickart@bu.edu
Pnina Feldman OTM pninaf@bu.edu
Erol Pekoz OTM pekoz@bu.edu
Pat Hambrick MK / PEMBA hambrick@bu.edu
Lucy White FE lwhite81@bu.edu
Rosemary Ziedonis SI rmz@bu.edu
Keith Ericson MPPL kericson@bu.edu
Andrei Hagiu IS ahagiu@bu.edu
Michel Anteby OB manteby@bu.edu
Allison Kirby-Jones AC kirby@bu.edu
Jim Rebitzer MPPL – Fall only rebitzer@bu.edu

Permanent Ex Officio Members

Ben Lubin MSDi blubin@bu.ed
Emily Libby Grad Center emilyfl@bu.edu
Karen Phillips Grad Center kphillip@bu.edu
Norm Blanchard Course Planning normanb@bu.edu
JP Matychak Student Experience matychak@bu.edu

+ Ad hoc members TBA on special taskforces/workgroups

Thanks to all of these people for their willingness to participate. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions or issues related to the MBA program. Good luck with the fall semester!

Best,
Barbara Bickart
Senior Associate Dean and Associate Professor
Boston University Questrom School of Business
595 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
617-353-3458

Fall 2018 Undergrad Opening Memo

TO: All Faculty Teaching in the Undergraduate Program, Fall 2018

FROM: Rachel I. Reiser, Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Program

RE: Fall 2018 Questrom School Opening Memo

DATE: August 20, 2018

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1. Announce the Pre-Reqs In Your Class
2. Standards for Assigning Grades
3. Adding Students to Your Class
4. Include Academic Conduct Statement in Your Syllabus and Discuss in week one
5. Send Us Your Syllabus
6. BU’s Policy Concerning Student Privacy Laws (FERPA)
7. Student Name Cards (A.K.A. “Tent Cards”)
8. Suggested Verbiage for Accommodations of Disabilities
9. University-Wide Grade Grievance Policy
10. Reminder about Gateway Requirements
11. University-Wide Pass/Fail Policy
12. Concerns about Individual Students

Colleagues:

Welcome back! Or, for those of you teaching with us for the first time, welcome aboard! The Undergraduate Academic & Career Development Center (UDC) is located on the first floor, Suite 104. Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM. We always welcome faculty stopping by, even if it’s for a brief “hello” or to grab some candy!

Over the past week or so, you received two emails from Norm Blanchard, Director of Course Planning and Classroom Utilization for Questrom, in which he discussed several dates and topics that are universal to both the Graduate and Undergraduate Programs. These messages are both attached to this email and I encourage you to read through them thoroughly if you have not done so already. This memo from me is intended to provide some additional specifics that are unique to the Undergraduate Program and relevant to you in your role teaching our undergraduate students.

Please review the UDC website for extensive information about the Undergraduate Program here at Questrom.

1. ANNOUNCE THE PRE-REQS IN YOUR CLASS

The university’s registration system is not equipped to check whether or not a student has completed the necessary pre-requisites when s/he registers for courses. Therefore, we ask that you 1) communicate the pre-requisites via email to your class if you plan on contacting your class PRIOR to the start of the term and 2) announce the pre-requisites (pre-reqs) for your course at your FIRST class session. Course pre-requisites can be found on the UDC website, or by contacting the UDC. The Undergraduate Program Development Committee (UPDC) has determined that the approval of the department chair is required to waive a course prerequisite when adding a student.

2. STANDARDS FOR ASSIGNING GRADES

Required courses:

  • 25-35% of students can expect to receive A’s (for excellent work)
  • 50-65% of students can expect to receive B’s (for good or very good work)

5-20% of students can expect to receive C’s or below (for adequate or poor work)

Electives:

  • Elective courses should be graded to a GPA of about 3.25. GPAs average between 3.00-3.50, with the majority between 3.10-3.40.

Notes:

  • The UPDC sees these as guidelines that shape overall grading; faculty retain discretion regarding grade distributions based on performance in a specific class. Thus, the distribution of grades could vary slightly from the guidelines. The UPDC does not expect, however, that individual faculty or courses will deviate with regularity from these norms.
  • The UPDC recognizes that grades may vary systematically within a course based on regular differences in Spring/Fall populations.
  • The UPDC anticipates that these guidelines apply to the average of larger, coordinated courses rather than to each specific section, as student quality may deviate across sections of such courses.

3. ADDING STUDENTS TO YOUR CLASS

The UDC will close all Questrom undergraduate courses at about 5:00 PM on Monday, September 3, so that students wishing to add into a course after classes have begun (Tuesday, September 4) must be signed in by the professor on a drop/add form — at that point students will no longer be able to add into your course without your okay. Check your enrollments BEFORE you add any students to your classes, since students can drop and add classes using the WebReg system through Monday, September 3 at ~5:00 PM.

When adding a student to your course, please verify pre-requisites. In order to receive credit the student must have completed all pre-req(s) and, in many cases, must be a Questrom student. Before signing him or her in, send the student to the UDC if you or the student is unsure of their eligibility for the course. Once the add/drop form is signed, the student should bring it to the UDC.

It is your call as to whether you add students, subject to room capacity and the student’s eligibility to take the course! You can find accurate information on the capacity of your classroom; please make sure to check the room capacity and your current course enrollment prior to adding any students!

If you wish to add and are concerned about a student’s eligibility, please contact Meghan Mogan, Director of Academic Advising & Student Services for the UDC.

4. INCLUDE ACADEMIC CONDUCT STATEMENT IN YOUR SYLLABUS AND DISCUSS IN WEEK ONE

Please note that all undergraduate programs within Boston University operate under the university’s Academic Conduct Code. One important provision of the University’s undergraduate Code is that, subject to the approval of the Questrom Dean’s Office, a faculty member bringing a case of alleged academic misconduct may ask for the matter to be settled by the student signing a written statement admitting to the violation and as a result receiving a letter of reprimand, thereby avoiding having the case go to hearing. You may find this code at https://questromworld.bu.edu/acc/.

It is important to include specific information relating to academic conduct in your syllabus. You should also discuss this in your remarks during the first week of class and throughout the semester, especially before major assignments and/or situations where rules of acceptable collaboration may not be clear.

Please be vigilant in your proctoring. We are aware that a preferred method of cheating is for students using cell phones to text answers to one another, and using the text capabilities of high-end calculators to store notes. I urge you to ban these devices from the room when giving exams.

I will add that we have a proctor request system in place to assist you if you need further support for proctoring exams. You can request a proctor at https://questromworld.bu.edu/proctor/faculty-form/.

5. SEND US YOUR SYLLABUS!

Please send to Rebecca DiMattia an electronic copy of your syllabus via e-mail attachment by Friday, September 7. It will be kept on file in the UDC.

6. BU’S POLICY CONCERNING STUDENT PRIVACY LAWS (FERPA)

Many years ago, the university made substantial changes in the way its employees are to interpret the laws regulating student information. Without getting bogged down in the details of the FERPA laws and the University’s past and present interpretations of them, please know that it is contrary to University policy for anybody (including a faculty member) to discuss a student’s performance in current or past courses with anybody but the student, even if a student has given consent for parents to receive certain academic information. If a parent contacts you, the most you may convey within university policy are the broad outlines of your course requirements. Please refer any parents who wish to obtain student-specific information to me or Meghan Mogan in the UDC (617-353-2650).

7. STUDENT NAME CARDS (A.K.A “TENT CARDS”)

Generally speaking, students registered in Questrom should be using a name card in one of their classes this semester (pre-identified), which they can use in all courses. Any student who needs a new tent card can print one using the template on the UDC website at https://questromworld.bu.edu/udc/essentials/forms/#toggle-id-13. Please have students use this link rather than sending them to the UDC to obtain a new tent card – WE WILL NOT BE PRINTING THEM AND WILL INSTEAD REFER THE STUDENTS TO THIS SITE.

8. SUGGESTED VERBIAGE FOR ACCOMMODATIONS OF DISABILITIES

Dr. Lorraine Wolfe from the Office of Disability Services has asked that we pass along the following passage for you to include in your syllabus and to refer to when necessary:

“In keeping with University policy, any student with a disability who needs or thinks they need academic accommodations must call the Office of Disability Services at 353-3658 or stop by 19 Deerfield Street to arrange a confidential appointment with a Disability Services staff member. Accommodation letters must be delivered to me in a timely fashion (within two weeks of the date on the letter and not later than two weeks before any major examination). Please note that accommodations will not be delivered absent an official letter of accommodation.”

9. UNIVERSITY-WIDE GRADE GRIEVANCE POLICY

Students are urged to resolve any grade grievance informally by meeting with the instructor responsible for the grading of the course to discuss concerns. If concerns are not resolved a formal appeal may be made in accordance with the University policy on grade grievances.

10. REMINDER ABOUT GATEWAY REQUIREMENTS

Two years ago, there was a change in the Gateway Course grade requirements. The changes apply both to students who begin at Questrom or who endeavor to transfer to Questrom from another BU school/college. Previous to Fall 2016, students needed to achieve at least a B- in the Gateway Courses, SM131 (Business, Society, & Ethics) and FE101 (Introduction to Finance) in up to two tries in taking these courses. Beginning in Fall 2016, if a student does not earn a 2.7 (B-) on their first attempt and chooses to repeat a Gateway Course, then the average of the two attempts for the course must be at least a 2.7. Only the first two graded attempts of a Gateway Course, including any attempt that results in a W, will be considered for the purposes of fulfilling this Gateway criterion.

11. UNIVERSITY-WIDE PASS/FAIL POLICY

Effective in the Spring 2017 semester, the University adopted a new pass/fail policy. To encourage intellectual exploration, Boston University permits students to elect up to 8 credits of academic coursework on a Pass/Fail basis to satisfy requirements for the bachelor’s degree. P indicates a course grade of D or above.

In keeping with the intended use of Pass/Fail to encourage intellectual exploration, students have until the course’s drop with a “w” deadline to elect Pass/Fail. Faculty will not be aware of whom among their students will elect to take the course as Pass/Fail.

Please note that in general, students enrolled in the Questrom undergraduate program may only complete courses Pass/Fail in the following categories: 1) the non-management elective requirement, and 2) the free-electives requirement; students may not apply the course toward required electives which must be from Questrom, and Pass/Fail courses may not be applied toward a Questrom concentration. Additionally, the Pass/Fail option may not apply to gateway or the business minor requirements for non-Questrom students. You can read more about this policy on the University website.

12. CONCERNS ABOUT INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS

Last and certainly not least, we recognize that in the teaching of undergraduates concerns may arise that are not always administrative or rooted in the academic content of your course. The team in the UDC and I should be top of mind as a primary resource to you in your role as educators. You can reach out at any time with concerns to me or to either of the Directors in the UDC – Meghan Mogan, Director of Academic Advising & Student Services, and Vicky Rayel, Director of Undergraduate Career Management. We have also recently developed an additional resource to alert us to any students of concern, an online form found on the faculty menu (teaching section) on QuestromWorld designed to simplify communicating student concerns to the UDC: https://questromworld.bu.edu/faculty/concerns-form/. It is important to note that this should not be used for emergencies, please call us at 617-353-2650 during regular business hours of M-F 8:00-5:00 if you feel that there is a situation that needs immediate attention, and in the unusual event of an after-hours health and safety emergency you can call the BU Police Department at 617-353-2121.

Good luck and enjoy teaching in the Undergraduate Program. Please call me at 617-353-2650, or e-mail me at rreiser@bu.edu, if you have any questions.

Best,

Rachel I. Reiser
*********************************************
Rachel I. Reiser
She/Her/Hers
Assistant Dean for the Undergraduate Program
Boston University Questrom School of Business
Rafik B. Hariri Building
595 Commonwealth Avenue, Suite 104
Boston, MA 02215

Fall 2018 Administrative Facts

Dear Faculty Colleagues,

As a follow-up to my previous hit, “Fall 2018 Semester Dates,” I’m passing along a few more tidbits of which you should be aware. My colleagues in the Grad Program and Undergrad Program, Assistant Deans Karen Phillips and Rachel Reiser, will be sending out their emails in the near future to folks teaching in those respective programs. Please make it a point to read those as well!

FALL 2018 CLASS LIST AVAILABLE ON FACULTY LINK

You can view and download your class list on the Faculty Link. Please let me know if you have trouble accessing the Faculty Link. We encourage you to check your class list before each class meeting during the first two weeks of class to determine whether you are able to add students to your course. This topic is covered in greater detail in Deans Phillips and Reiser’s emails. (Please note that enrollment in FE101, SM131, and the components of the Cross-Functional Core is managed through the UDC.)

FINAL EXAM SCHEDULE

Grace Uygun and/or Rebecca DiMattia soon will be sending you an e-mail about the final exam schedule. Please respond to that e-mail as quickly as possible so that we can move along with the final exam scheduling process. The final exam period is December 17-21. The final exam schedule will be finalized and published in October. The Registrar’s Office provides a grid setting the final exam times and dates according to where courses fall in the class schedule. Deviating from the grid increases the likelihood that a faculty member will have to schedule make-up exams for students who have conflicting exam times.

Any student needing to make travel plans before the final exam schedule is published should plan to travel on the evening of December 21, as travel plans are not considered a valid reason for a final exam to be rescheduled!

CHECK-IN FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

The U.S. federal government requires all continuing international students to physically check in at their respective program office during the first week of each semester, and new international students must check in at the International Students and Scholars Office at 888 Commonwealth Avenue. Please make an announcement during your first two class meetings.

Norm Blanchard
Director – Course Planning
Boston University Questrom School of Business
Rafik B. Hariri Building
595 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215

Undergraduate PDC 2018-2019

I am pleased to share with you the 2018-2019 membership of the Undergraduate Program Development Committee. If you have business or issues you want to bring to the committee’s attention, please feel free to contact me or any member. Best wishes to all for a productive academic year.

2018-2019 Undergraduate PDC

Permanent Faculty Members

Frederic Brunel (Chair), Marketing
Pete Lisowsky, Accounting
Kathryn Griner, Finance
Jesse Shore, Information Systems
Susan Grant, Marketing
Gina Powers, MPPL (Law)
Michael Salinger, MPPL (Quant)
Paul Hutchinson, Organization Behavior
Robb Dixon, OTM
Matt Marx, Strategy & Innovation

Permanent Ex Officio Members

Rachel Reiser, UDC
Marie Burrage, Office of the Dean
Norman Blanchard, Course Planning
JP Matychak, Student Experience

+ Ad hoc members TBA on special taskforces/workgroups

Fall Meeting Dates

The dates for the UPDC meetings for the Fall semester are:

• 09/11/18
• 10/09/18
• 11/06/18
• 12/04/18

Meetings will be held in HAR 615 from 12:15 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.

If you have items that need to be part of a meeting agenda, please notify me at least 10 days in advance.

Frédéric F. Brunel
Associate Professor and Dean’s Research Fellow
Faculty Director Ph.D. Program
Faculty Director Undergraduate Program
Boston University Questrom School of Business