Policies

Requirements: This is a graduate seminar, but it's also a working group. Over the course of this semester we'll be working together to understand arcane laws, complex critical theories, and the communicative practices growing out of intellectual property policies. This will be difficult but rewarding work, and we will depend on one another's expertise and commitment to arrive at mutual understanding. Correspondingly, the class grading will be weighted toward your verbal and textual contributions to the life of the class.

Final paper: 50%

8 weekly contributions to the class blog (due Wednesdays by Noon, no more than 300 words, please): 30%

Contributions to daily discussions: 20%

Attendance: Required. The success of this course depends on student presence and participation. Therefore, in this class, after two absences, I may elect to drop your final course grade by one full letter grade for each subsequent absence. Anyone missing four or more classes will, in all probability, fail the course. Excessive tardiness may be treated as absenteeism. If you do miss class, it is your responsibility to secure the assignments (preferably from one of your classmates) and complete the work .

Office Conferences: Answering your questions and addressing your concerns is my job. I am available in my office at different times throughout the week, and via a range of communicative media. You — and/or someone who cares about you — are paying me to be there. Therefore, think of my office as an extension of the classroom, and use my office hours to discuss any aspect of your reading or writing — problems, topics, papers you’re working on, ideas you wish to develop, strategies you’d like to try. Plan on having at least one conference with me this semester to discuss your work and your progress in the course.

Academic Dishonesty: The act of passing off others’ work as one’s own is a violation of the purpose and the spirit of this university. The university’s penalties for such conduct are harsh, and rightly so. For this reason, among others, please err on the side of caution whenever you wish to make use of others’ materials. If you are uncertain as to how to document or acknowledge your dependencies, please contact me before you formally submit the project in question and I will be happy to address your questions and concerns.

Students with Disabilities: As required by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, appropriate accommodations will be made for all students with documented disabilities. If you have a disability requiring accommodation in this class, please notify me as soon as possible. This information will be kept confidential.

Note well: You will need to keep all of your non-electronic writing for this class in some reasonable order in a folder. I may ask to review this folder at some point in the semester.