Syllabus Statements

The University of Kentucky is guided by its Five Principles: Putting Students First, Taking Care of Our People, Inspiring Ingenuity, Ensuring Greater Trust, Transparency, and Accountability, and Bringing Together Many People, One Community. By incorporating these principles into our classroom actions, we cultivate an optimal learning environment that fosters a sense of comfort and encourages active engagement with challenging tasks and ideas. In addition to shared principles, students are also expected to be familiar with the Standards of Conduct outlined in the Code of Student Conduct. If you have concerns about the Five Principles or see anyone in class, including the instructor, struggling to uphold them, you are encouraged to share your concerns with an appropriate person or system so those concerns can be addressed.   

At the University of Kentucky, we believe in fostering an environment that encourages open dialogue, critical thinking, and respectful engagement even when discussing challenging topics. Students should maintain civility and respectful discourse when engaging in challenging conversations within academic settings, including this class. If you have any concerns about an idea that a peer has shared or feel unsafe in the classroom, promptly report them to the appropriate university officials, such as the instructor or other designated staff.

To cultivate a productive and respectful learning environment, all University of Kentucky students are accountable to the guidelines outlined in the Code of Student Conduct. Behavior in the classroom, including online spaces such as Canvas, that does not line up with the Code not only impedes the individual learning experience but also undermines the integrity and effectiveness of the educational setting. By upholding the Code of Student Conduct in the classroom, we create an environment conducive to learning, growth, and meaningful engagement for everyone involved.  

The Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (CELT) can provide a guide or consultations for developing co-created community guidelines for your classroom. Community guidelines can set the tone for the classroom environment. Working with students to create a robust set of guidelines can clarify expectations of collaboration and mutual accountability. Try not to think of them as a hard and fast list of rules that cannot be broken, but rather a document that illuminates the ways you and your students will support each other in learning. Starting the semester with a guideline-building activity can get everyone off to a great start! All members of the UK teaching community are welcome to reach out to CELT at celt.uky.edu.