»Creating Your Syllabus

Chapman University is a community of scholars that emphasizes the mutual responsibility of all members to seek knowledge honestly and in good faith. Students are responsible for doing their own work and academic dishonesty of any kind will be subject to sanction by the instructor/administrator and referral to the university Academic Integrity Committee, which may impose additional sanctions including expulsion. Please review the full description of Chapman University's policy on Academic Integrity.

In compliance with ADA guidelines, students who have any condition, either permanent or temporary, that might affect their ability to perform in this class are encouraged to contact the Office of Disability Services. If you will need to utilize your approved accommodations in this class, please follow the proper notification procedure for informing your professor(s). This notification process must occur more than a week before any accommodation can be utilized. Please contact Disability Services at (714) 516–4520 if you have questions regarding this procedure or for information or to make an appointment to discuss and/or request potential accommodations based on documentation of your disability. Once formal approval of your need for an accommodation has been granted, you are encouraged to talk with your professor(s) about your accommodation options. The granting of any accommodation will not be retroactive and cannot jeopardize the academic standards or integrity of the course.

Chapman University is committed to ensuring equality and valuing diversity, including of backgrounds, experiences and viewpoints. Students and professors are reminded to show respect at all times as outlined in Chapman’s Harassment and Discrimination Policy. Please review the full description of the Harassment and Discrimination Policy. Any violations of this policy should be discussed with the professor, the Dean of Students and/or otherwise reported in accordance with this policy.

Over the course of the semester, you may experience a range of challenges that interfere with your learning, such as problems with friend, family, and or significant other relationships; substance use; concerns about personal adequacy; feeling overwhelmed; or feeling sad or anxious without knowing why. These mental health concerns or stressful events may diminish your academic performance and/or reduce your ability to participate in daily activities. You can learn more about the resources available through Chapman University’s Student Psychological Counseling Services https://www.chapman.edu/students/health-and-safety/psychological-counseling/

Fostering a community of care that supports the success of students is essential to the values of Chapman University. Occasionally, you may come across a student whose personal behavior concerns or worries you, either for the student’s well-being or yours. In these instances, you are encouraged to contact the Chapman University Student Concern Intervention Team who can respond to these concerns and offer assistance: https://www.chapman.edu/students/health-and-safety/student-concern/index.aspx. While it is preferred that you include your contact information so this team can follow up with you, you can submit a report anonymously. 24-hour emergency help is also available through Public Safety at 714-997-6763.

Consistent with our commitment of creating an academic community that is respectful of and welcoming to persons of all backgrounds, we believe that every reasonable effort should be made to allow members of the university community to fulfill their obligations to the university without jeopardizing the fulfillment of their sincerely held religious obligations. Please review the syllabus early in the semester and consult with your faculty member promptly regarding any possible conflicts with major religious holidays, being as specific as possible regarding when those holidays are scheduled in advance and where those holidays constitute the fulfillment of your sincerely held religious beliefs.

For more information, please see the Fish Interfaith Center website.

At Chapman University, we strive to make meaningful and lasting connections – with one another and with our broader community and world. We aim to cultivate a welcoming environment, helping every person feel valued and empowered to engage and contribute. Our community members are part of the Chapman Family, where relationships matter – and so do ideas. We strive for a vibrant intellectual community where different perspectives are sought and encouraged freely – to enable new thinking to emerge and interdisciplinary dots to be connected. Through these connections, we advance as individuals, as a campus, and as a society.

Provide the following:

• Itinerary: destination, length of the trip, sites to be visited and how these visits connect to what is covered in the course
• Schedule of lectures before, during and after the trip
• Detailed assignments during the trip
• What forms of ID or personal expenses may be required for students to participate

The following list was generated by Dr. Cecilia Lopez in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Dr. Andrew Kami who is the Director of the Chapman Psychological Services

• Ensure all midterm/quiz dates are on the syllabus (if possible, avoid ‘pop’ quizzes), avoid TBA or TBD statements
• Explicitly state the content covered for each exam (if possible, down to the page numbers!)
• Try not to skip around in the textbook. Also, if you require a textbook, be sure you use it!
• Don’t use formal syllabus language. Try to use plain language so that students easily understand policies and procedures (provide examples as needed). NOTE: if verbiage in a policy must be exact, consider adding statements before or after the policy that explains things in plain language. 
• Tell students how much time an average homework set will take.
• Include language in your syllabus that tells students that you are accessible and that you want them to succeed. Consider incorporating a ‘success’ story by a former student or if you have a supplemental instructor – have them share their own story of success.
• Tell them exactly how to communicate with you. Consider examples or a column with FAQs. If you don’t read emails on weekends or late at night, put this in your syllabus so that students aren’t anxiously awaiting a reply or worse, thinks you don’t care about them.
• Share/list your expectations of students and the course. 
• Tell them exactly where exam information will come from. A statement such as “exam questions will be drawn from homework problems, readings, etc.”
• Consider embedding links to foundational knowledge required for the course.

Example of Dr. Cecilia Lopez's syllabus that includes information about mental health concerns
Example of Dr. Lopez's syllabus

Example of Dr. Elaine Schwartz's syllabus that includes a lot of detailed info regarding many topics such as academic integrity, growth mindset, etc
Example of Dr. Schwartz's syllabus