Policies
Getting Help. Take advantage of the instructor and TA office hours. We will work hard to be accessible to students. Please send us email if you need to meet outside of office hours. Don’t be shy if you don’t understand something: come to office hours, send email, or speak up in class!
Announcements. Important announcements, such as assignment corrections or deadline changes, will be sent to the class via the Canvas announcements for this class. Make sure that you have setup Canvas to send you announcements to an email address that you will check regularly, as they may be time-sensitive.
Anonymous Feedback. Comments or suggestions are always welcome! Feel free to send them through the anonymous feedback tool in Canvas.
Grading. The final course grade is based on the homework assignments (55%), quizzes (25%), and final exam (20%).
Homework assignments will consist of writing Python code to solve problems as well as written questions. Submissions must be Jupyter notebooks, which lets you combine formatted text, math notation, and Python code in an easy-to-use format.
Homeworks are due by 11:59 PM on the due date. Late assignments will receive a 10% deduction during the first 24 hours they are late, and a 20% deduction if they are 24-48 hours late. Assignments will not be accepted beyond 48 hours late. If you have extenuating circumstances that would require an extension, for example, a medical emergency, please notify the instructor before the due date. Deadline extensions will not be given after the deadline has passed.
If you believe there is an error in grading (homeworks or exams), you may request a regrading within one week of receiving your grade. Requests must be made in writing by email, explaining clearly why you think there was an error in your grade.
Late Penalty Waivers. The first two days of homework late penalties that you incur will be waived. In other words, you will not receive the 10 pts deduction for either of the first two days you submit a late homework. This can be for used on any homework throughout the semester. You can take two days for a single homework, or one day each for two homeworks.
Graduate Sections. Students in the graduate sections of the course (ECE/CS 6xxx) will be given extra, more advanced problems to solve on the homeworks and the final exam. Students in the undergraduate sections (ECE/CS 4xxx) may also solve these problems to receive extra credit.
Letter grade score ranges:
| Letter | Score Range |
|---|---|
| A+ | 98 - 100 |
| A | 93 - 97 |
| A- | 90 - 92 |
| B+ | 87 - 89 |
| B | 83 - 86 |
| B- | 80 - 82 |
| C+ | 77 - 79 |
| C | 73 - 76 |
| C- | 70 - 72 |
| D+ | 67 - 69 |
| D | 63 - 66 |
| D- | 60 - 62 |
| F | 0 - 59 |
Working Together. You are welcome to discuss the concepts in a homework assignment with your fellow classmates. However, you must develop and write up your solutions entirely on your own. Do not read another person’s answers or code, and do not show your answers or code to anyone else. Presenting someone else’s solutions as your own will be considered cheating.
You are welcome to use any online sources for learning concepts, example problems, programming tips, etc. However, posting answers to homework questions on the internet, or directly copying answers to specific questions from the internet, is not allowed and is considered cheating. You must cite any sources (online or otherwise) that you used to complete your homework.
Use of AI: The use of generative AI (e.g., chatbots such as ChatGPT) to assist in performing homework is permitted. The same rules as for any other online source apply, namely, you should write up the solution on your own (do not copy ChatGPT verbatim), and you should cite the AI tool that you used, including giving the prompts that you submitted. Finally, while AI tools are allowed, it is strongly recommended that you always attempt homework problems on your own first. You’ll learn the material better if you think it through first! Use AI to enhance your learning, not to “do the work for you”.
There must be no collaboration on quizzes.
You should be familiar with the UVA Honor Code. If a student is caught cheating on a homework or exam, they will potentially receive grade penalties and be reported to the Honor Committee.
Students with disabilities or learning needs. It is my goal to create a learning experience that is as accessible as possible. If you anticipate any issues related to the format, materials, or requirements of this course, please meet with me outside of class so we can explore potential options. Students with disabilities may also wish to work with the Student Disability Access Center to discuss a range of options to removing barriers in this course, including official accommodations. Please visit their website for information on this process and to apply for services online: https://www.studenthealth.virginia.edu/sdac. If you have already been approved for accommodations through SDAC, please send me your accommodation letter and meet with me so we can develop an implementation plan together.
Religious accommodations.
It is the University’s long-standing policy and practice to reasonably accommodate students so that they do not experience an adverse academic consequence when sincerely held religious beliefs or observances conflict with academic requirements.
Students who wish to request academic accommodation for a religious observance should submit their request in writing directly to me by email as far in advance as possible. Students who have questions or concerns about academic accommodations for religious observance or religious beliefs may contact the University’s Office for Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights (EOCR) at UVAEOCR@virginia.edu or 434-924-3200.
Harassment, Discrimination, and Interpersonal Violence.
The University of Virginia is dedicated to providing a safe and equitable learning environment for all students. If you or someone you know has been affected by power-based personal violence, more information can be found on the UVA Sexual Violence website that describes reporting options and resources available.
The same resources and options for individuals who experience sexual misconduct are available for discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. UVA prohibits discrimination and harassment based on age, color, disability, family medical or genetic information, gender identity or expression, marital status, military status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. UVA policy also prohibits retaliation for reporting such behavior.
If you witness or are aware of someone who has experienced prohibited conduct, you are encouraged to submit a report to Just Report It (justreportit.virginia.edu) or contact EOCR, the office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights.
If you would prefer to disclose such conduct to a confidential resource where what you share is not reported to the University, you can turn to Counseling & Psychological Services (“CAPS”) and Women’s Center Counseling Staff and Confidential Advocates (for students of all genders).
As your professor and as a person, know that I care about you and your well-being and stand ready to provide support and resources as I can. As a faculty member, I am a responsible employee, which means that I am required by University policy and by federal law to report certain kinds of conduct that you report to me to the University’s Title IX Coordinator. The Title IX Coordinator’s job is to ensure that the reporting student receives the resources and support that they need, while also determining whether further action is necessary to ensure survivor safety and the safety of the University community.
Support for your career development
Engaging in your career development is an important part of your student experience. For example, presenting at a research conference, attending an interview for a job or internship, or participating in an extern/shadowing experience are not only necessary steps on your path but are also invaluable lessons in and of themselves. I wish to encourage and support you in activities related to your career development. To that end, please notify me by email as far in advance as possible to arrange for appropriate accommodations.