Policies
Attendance. This class will be held in person, and you are strongly encouraged to attend as many lectures as you can in person. However, the course will also be streamed on Zoom and the recording made available through Canvas for later viewing. If you are sick (COVID or non-COVID illness), please do not come to class, but rather attend over Zoom or watch the recording. You are also welcome to take advantage of the Zoom option for other reasons that cause you to not be able to attend lecture in person. Attending over Zoom will never be held against you or affect your grade in any way. But to stress again, please come to class in person when you are able. This class works best when the room is full of students are actively participating, discussing, and asking questions.
Getting Help. Take advantage of office hours. We will work hard to be accessible to students. Please send us email if you need to meet outside of scheduled office hours. Don’t be shy if you don’t understand something: come to office hours, send email, or speak up in class! We will use Piazza for asking questions, discussing topics from class, and getting help on homeworks. I encourage you to post questions there publicly for the entire class and to chime in with answers to other students’ questions.
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.
Grading. The course grade will consist of 4-5, equally-weighted, homeworks.
Homework assignments will entail writing Python code to solve problems as well as written questions. Submissions must be Jupyter notebooks, which lets you combine formatted text 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 believe there is an error in grading, 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.
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 own solutions. 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. Using code you find on the internet is also not allowed.
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”.
You should be familiar with the UVA https://honor.virginia.edu/. If a student is caught cheating on a homework or final project, they will 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 (SDAC) to discuss a range of options to removing barriers in this course, including official accommodations. We are fortunate to have an SDAC advisor, Courtney MacMasters, physically located in Engineering. You may email her at mailto:cmacmasters@virginia.edu to schedule an appointment. For general questions please visit the SDAC website: https://sdac.studenthealth.virginia.edu. 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 mailto: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 https://www.virginia.edu/sexualviolence 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. https://uvapolicy.virginia.edu/policy/HRM-009 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. https://uvapolicy.virginia.edu/policy/HRM-010 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 https://justreportit.virginia.edu/ (justreportit.virginia.edu) or mailto:UVAEOCR@virginia.edu, 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 https://www.studenthealth.virginia.edu/caps and https://womenscenter.virginia.edu/counseling/our-counseling-services (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.
Student support team
You have many resources available to you when you experience academic or personal stresses. In addition to your professor, the School of Engineering and Applied Science has staff members located in Thornton Hall who you can contact to help manage academic or personal challenges. Please do not wait until the end of the semester to ask for help!
Learning
https://engineering.virginia.edu/current-students/current-undergraduate-students/student-support/academic-coaching, Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Affairs Director of Student Success (search underway) mailto:cmacmasters@virginia.edu, Accessibility Specialist https://engineering.virginia.edu/current-students/current-undergraduate-students/student-support/tutoring is available for most classes.
Health and Wellbeing
mailto:mwu5gs@virginia.edu, Assistant Dean of Students, Student Safety and Support Elizabeth Ramirez-Weaver, CAPS counselor Katie Fowler, CAPS counselor
You may schedule time with the CAPS counselors through https://www.studenthealth.virginia.edu/getting-started-caps (https://www.studenthealth.virginia.edu/getting-started-caps). When scheduling, be sure to specify that you are an Engineering student. You are also urged to use https://www.studenthealth.virginia.edu/timelycare for either scheduled or on-demand 24/7 mental health care.
Community and Identity
The https://engineering.virginia.edu/about/diversity-and-engagement/center-diversity-engineering (CDE) is a student space dedicated to advocating for underrepresented groups in STEM. It exists to connect students with the academic, financial, health, and community resources they need to thrive both at UVA and in the world. The CDE includes an open study area, event space, and staff members on site. Through this space, we affirm and empower equitable participation toward intercultural fluency and provide the resources necessary for students to be successful during their academic journey and future careers.