Instructor Info	Office	Office Hours
Prof. Girardi girardi@math.sc.edu	LeConte 339 (no longer LC 337)	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. Note: an exam might be just before/after a holiday so make your plans accordingly.

Math 241 will cover selected sections from the textbook Sections 12.1-16.4. Taking a (highly recommended) glance through the textbook will give a brief overview of the course.

MML assignments, with due dates, are posted on MML. Your MML scores is also on MML. 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. The MML assignments 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.

For Math 241, USC's Student Success Center (SSC) offers several sources of (free) help.

• Drop-in tutoring (at 9 locations, no appointment needed).  [usually for Math 241 there are many time slots at SWGN]
  For more info (e.g., locations and times), visit SSC → Study Smart → (Peer) Tutoring → 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) Tutoring → Make An Appointment (toward top center of page).

Another source of help is Prof. Girardi's office hours. The math department posts a list of (not free) private tutors at the site: Math Tutoring Center.

Attendance and class participation expectations are as stated in the following USC policy (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.

For excused absences, 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.

Make-up work is provided only for an approved excused absence.
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 a Interfaith Calendar, 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: approval takes time (properly filling out petition helps speeds things up).
• 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:
  • within 12 hours of the missed assignment (except in extreme circumstances), for excused absences that cannot be anticipated at the start of a term
  • the day after the W date, for an excused absences that can be anticipated at the start of a term.

Electronic Tablets. If you use an electronic tablet to take class notes during class, then your tablet must remain flat on your desk (as one does when writing). Otherwise you will lose the privilege of using a tablet 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! Questions are highly encouraged since questions help fill in gaps that need filling before the HW is started.
2. I often call on students in class. Please do not let this scare you since, if so needed, I will guide the student to the answer. Look at it as your personal learning opportunity. Also, if one student is unsure, the chances are many students are unsure. We are all here to learn and we can learn from each other!
3. 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 arrive late, discretely find an open seat (and inform the instructor before hand if you know this will happen). If you must leave class early, inform the instructor before the class begins, sit near the door, and gracefully exit. If you habitually need to leave class as soon as lecture finishes, then before the start of class position your belongs so that after the instructor announces class is over you my quickly pack up and exit.
4. During class, cell phones and other electronic devices (such as earbuds or bluetooth but with the above discussed exception for 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 (and returned after class).

Academic Integrity/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. For more information see USC Academic Integrity. 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.

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), then speak with Prof. Girardi. We will discuss how to best handle your SDRC accommodations as so to meet your needs. We will not discuss of your specific disability. We should meet at least 48 hours before you begin using your approved accommodations.

Basic needs insecurity The Gamecock CommUnity Shop provides access to food, casual and professional clothing, school supplies, hygiene products, and many other needs. They can be reached at 803-576-8300 or unityshop@sc.edu. You can also submit a referral for basic needs support.

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.

Two types of progress checks are: MML homework and MML quizzes. There could also be: group work, non-MML homework, and announced-or-unannounced quizzes. To find your progress check current score, on MML's left tool bar click on Student Gradebook. Toward the top will be your Overall Score and for more information click on Calculation. So your progress check scores look on MML.

There will be 2 midterm exams (between the first and last days of classes) along with a cummulative final exam. All exams are closed books/notes. Calculators are not allowed (nor needed). No exam grade is dropped.

No late MML assignments and no make-up exams (except with an approved excused absence).

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%
Midterm Exams	60%	40%
Cummulative Final	25%	45%
total	100%	100%

Since Bb is unable to calculate grades that take the higher of 2 schemes (with is to your advantage), grades will not be done on Bb. (I'll just do using excel, where it is easy to do). Between MML and returned exams, you will have all the information needed to calculate your grade situation going into the final. Please ask me if you need help doing so.

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 Prof. Girardi for clarification.

The 5% Rule. Let f be 5% of the number of classes for which you do not have an approved excused absence. (So if you have no excused absences in a class that meets twice a week, then f = 1.4). You may make-up missed in-class work for up to f days provided you discuss the make-up work with the instructor between the last day to give a quiz and the last day of class.

Your course PIN will be posted on Bb 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). This method is used since double last names habitually can cause problems when submitting grades. In order to receive credit for an assignment done on paper, 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.