Instructor Info	Office	Office Hours
Prof. Girardi girardi@math.sc.edu	LeConte 337 (might change to LC 339)	See Prof. Girardi's Weekly Schedule for her office office hours as well as weekly schedule.

Dates	See our handy linked one-page Semester Calendar, which contains this semester's important dates: holidays, final exam, and tentative hourly exam (note might be just before a holiday so make your travel plans accordingly). Our course's hourly exam dates are tentative and might change due to items as: hurricanes in SC, floods in Columbia, a majority of students are not ready for the exam yet.

MML homework, with due dates, is posted on MML. Your MML score is also on MML. MML Student Registration Instructions (including the instructor's course ID) is posted on (the secured location) Blackboard.

There are 150 minutes of lecture each week. Unlike Calc. I and II, there are no gateway exams, recitation sections, nor SI.

You are strongly encouraged to work together on homework and class studies. By all means, form study/working groups to discuss the homework problems (but give them a fair shot first before you meet with the others) and to study for the exams. Prof. Girardi's weekly office hours provide a space for you to work together on your homework (just come join the other students as we discuss the homework problems).

The homework that you submit must be your own. You are welcome to work together on homeworks, sharing ideas (but not solutions). Remember, you will have to take the exams individually so do not become too dependent upon one another. According to the USC Student Handbook code of student academic responsibility, the first law of academic life is intellectual honesty. This is expected of all of you.

Attendance and participation expectations are as follows. (source: https://academicbulletins.sc.edu/undergraduate/ →Undergraduate Policy and Regulations→Undergraduate Academic Regulations→Grading Policies)

Enrollment in a course obligates the student not only for prompt completion of all work assigned but also for punctual and regular attendance and for participation in whatever class discussion may occur. It is the student's responsibility to keep informed concerning all assignments made. Absences, whether excused or unexcused, do not absolve the student from this responsibility.

We will follow the University’s attendance policy, which is at: https://academicbulletins.sc.edu/undergraduate/policies-regulations/undergraduate-academic-regulations/ → Attendance Policy. Beware of the regulations on arranging for an excused absence that can be anticipated at the start of a term.

The University allows for students to petition for an excused absence due to any of the following circumstances:

• medical conditions or illness or injury,
• death or severe illness of an immediate/dependent family member,
• military duty,
• legal obligation,
• religious holiday, or
• participation in an authorized university activity.

• To petition for an excused absence, you need to fill out the proper form at Office of Student Advocacy.
  Good news: this Office will contact all your professors. Bad News: this might take about a week.
• If you petition for an excused absence, you need to personally contact Prof. Girardi (ASAP, email is fine) to arrange for reasonable makeup work to be due in a timely fashion. A reasonable amount of time for personally contacting Prof. Girardi
  • is (except in extreme circumstances) within 12 hours of the missed assignment, for an excused absences that cannot be anticipated at the start of a term
  • is the day after the W date, for an excused absences that can be anticipated at the start of a term.

If a student misses a class, either excused or unexcused, it is the student's responsibilty to ensure they get the material missed.

Electronic Tablets. If you want to use an electronic tablet to take class notes during class, then you must sit in the first two rows of the class and keep your tablet flat on the desk (as one does when writing). If you use your tablet for non-class related activities (i.e., Facebook), then you will lose the privilege of using an electronic device in class.

Classroom Environment. To create a classroom environment conducive to learning as well as to help you personally succeed in this class, we have the below policies.

1. Please feel free to ask questions in class! Also, I often call on students in class. Please do not let this scare you but rather look at it as your personal learning opportunity. We are here to learn!
2. Students are expected to attend the entire class meeting: late arrivals and early depatures disrupt the class. Repeated late arrivals and/or early departures will not be tolerated. If you must leave class early, inform the instructor before the class begins, sit near the door, and gracefully exit. If you must arrive late, discretely find an open seat (and inform the instructor before hand if you know this will happen).
3. During class, cell phones and other electronic devices (such as earbuds or bluetooth but with the above discussed exception for electronic tablets) are to be turned off and stored in a closed (e.g., zipped or buttoned) bag (e.g., backpack or purse); they may not be stored in the person's clothing (e.g., jacket pocket). If you do not have proper storage with you then you may give the device to the instructor, who will store it on the instructor's table/desk during class. Improper use or storage of electronic devices could result in the device being confiscated.

Academic Honesty. The first line of USC's Carolinian Creed is As a Carolinian I will practice personal and academic integrity. We expect this of the entire Carolina family. If you ever have the least bit of uncertainty about what constitutes academic integrity, just ask for clarification from Prof. Girardi, who encourages collaboration. Below are some basic Academic Integrity Policies we will follow.

• if two or more students from the class chooses to utilize a site/link/platform/group (e.g., GroupMe, Discord) for communication, then Prof. Girardi must be made aware and invited
• no cheating on any assignment or exam
• no use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• no inappropriate sharing of homework solutions
• no inappropriate use of the internet for solutions (eg. solution sites as Chegg.com).
• no electronic posting of the class notes nor other course material without prior written permission from Prof. Girardi.
• no improper emailing of students

Student Success Center (SSC)/Tutoring. For Math 241, UofSC's SSC offers two types of (free) tutoring.

• Drop-in tutoring (at 9 locations, no appointment needed).
  For more info (such as locations and times), visit SSC → Study Smart → Peer Tutor → Drop-in Tutoring (from drop down menu).
• One-on-one peer tutoring either in person or virtual (appt needed).
  To make an appointment, visit SSC → Study Smart → Peer Tutor → Make An Appointment (toward top center of page).

The SSC also offers Success Consultations on topics such as: academic success and study skills, preparing for exams, motivation and discipline, procrastination and prioritization. For more info, visit SSC → Study Smart → Consultations .

ADA. If you have special needs as addressed by the Americans with Dissabilities Act and you have registered with the UofSC Office of Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC), you need to speak with Prof. Girardi before using an approved accommodation. We will discuss how to best handle your SDRC accommodations as so to meet your needs. We will not discuss of your specific disability.

Recording of Class. Recording (of any type, including but not limited to: audio, visual) of any part of the class is prohibited without the prior written permission the Prof. Girardi.

The progress checks consists of the on-line MyMathLab homework, as well as possible group work, non-MML homework, and announced-or-unannounced quizzes. A late progress check will not be accepted (except with an approved excused absence).

There will be 2 hourly (really 75 minutes) exams along with a cummulative final exam. All exams are closed books/notes. Calculators are not allowed (nor needed). No exam grade is dropped. There will be no make-up exams (except with an approved excused absence, see this syllabus's Attendance section and the Office of Student Advocacy's page for information about petitioning for an excused absence).

As discussed in this syllabus' Attendance section, attendance (of the entire class period) and class participation are expected. If for more than 15% of the classes you do not attend the entire class and/or refuse to participate in class, then your overall course grade will be penalized one full letter grade.

Your goal is to gain a working knowledge of the material; you have some personal freedom in this pursuit. By the end of the semester, demonstrate that you have mastered the material and your grade will be agreeable. With this in mind, your course grade (tentatively) will be based on your (personal) higher percentage in the below 2 schemes.

	scheme 1	scheme 2
Progress Checks	15%	15%
Hourly Exams	60%	40%
Cummulative Final Exam	25%	45%
total	100%	100%

The baseline score is indicated below. These thresholds may be lowered (at the end of the semester) if appropriate.

F	D	C	B	A
x< 60%	60% ≤ x < 70%	70% ≤ x < 80%	80% ≤ x < 90%	90% ≤ x

Grounds for an F in the course include: inappropriate sharing of homework solutions, inappropriate use of social media, usage of Artificial Intelligence (AI), inappropriate use of the internet (eg. solution sites as Chegg.com). If you ever have any uncertainty about the ground rules then just ask for clarification from Prof. Girardi, who encourages collaboration.

You will be given your class PIN shortly after the last day to drop without a W. Your PIN is a three digit number that helps Prof. Girardi correctly record your scores (the first digit indicates your course/section number and the last two digits indicates your place on the roster within your section). In order to receive credit for an assignment, your PIN must be on the paper. So please note your PIN somewhere you can find it when needed. Bring a photo ID to each exam.

After an exam or assignment is returned, you are encouraged to look through the feedback. It is important that we identify precisely where your misunderstanding is and clear up the misunderstanding. Just seeing or reading a correct solution is not as helpful. Thus, in her office, Prof. Girardi will gladly discuss your returned work and clear up your misunderstandings. This way you get the personal help you need to be sure you succeed in this course.

Prof. Girardi is glad to answer your questions over the grading of your work but you must ask within 6 days from the date the graded work is returned. Out of respect of your privacy, grading matters should not be done during class time (in front of the entire class).

* This syllabus is subject to change.