LS Graduate Level Academic Policies for First Semester SY 2022-2023

As indicated in the memo for the LS Graduate Level Classes in the first semester issued last 19 July 2022, graduate classes may still continue to be delivered in a fully online mode. Please find below additional information concerning LS graduate level academic regulations and policies adjusted for the first semester, SY 2022-2023.  For academic regulations that do not require adjustments, please refer to the graduate students: LS Graduate Student Handbook, 2019 edition

1. Official Registration and the Beginning of the Academic Term

1. Officially enrolled students have access to their course syllabi on AISIS and are automatically given access to Canvas.
2. Instructors are urged to get a sense of their students’ context for online learning at the start of the new academic term.
3. Only officially enrolled students may participate in classes (i.e., join groups, submit requirements, and take quizzes and examinations, etc.).
4. As is the practice in the Loyola Schools, instructors meet their students on the first class day to discuss the syllabus. The leveling of expectations between instructor and students should be highlighted at the beginning of the academic term.

2. Learning Hours and Class Schedule

1. Following ADL principles, the design of LS courses shifts from class sessions defined by contact hours to competence-based modules organized by learning hours.  "Learning hours'' refer to the estimated time that a student is engaged in learning experiences for a course. It encompasses both the assigned class hours (what used to be called "contact hours") and the preparation time that the student spends for the class hour or for an assessment.
2. Given this shift, a three-unit course in the LS is equivalent to 90 learning hours.  For thesis, dissertation, or capstone projects, full time students are expected to work on their research at least 40 hours per week.
3. Departments and programs are reminded to strictly comply with the Loyola Schools official class schedule (VPLS Memo, 05 July 2022).
4. Please take note of the dates and deadlines pertinent to graduate level courses, research and other activities in the Academic Calendar for SY 2022-2023 as announced by the LS Registrar.^[1]

3. Course Syllabus

1. The official class syllabus must be uploaded on AISIS before the start of the semester. A separate memo on the uploading of syllabi has been issued. Instructors may also upload their syllabus on Canvas.
2. Instructors may access the syllabus template through the following link: https://go.ateneo.edu/LSGuidetoOBE.
3. Instructors are asked to include the following links in their syllabi:
   • LS Gender Policy
   • Code of Decorum and Administrative Rules on Sexual Harassment, Other Forms of Sexual Misconduct, and Inappropriate Behavior
   • 2019 Graduate Student Handbook
4. Department Chairs/Program Directors are requested to review the uploaded syllabi, paying particular attention to the following:
   1. Course details (course catalog number, course title, course description, number of units, and prerequisites) should be consistent with what was approved by the Curriculum Committee.
   2. The syllabus should state the expected number of learning hours per activity. These numbers are estimates, however, and students are responsible for monitoring their pace and for communicating promptly with their teachers if the estimates need to be revised.
   3. The deadlines for all major course requirements must be indicated.
   4. The schedule of onsite and/or synchronous class sessions must be specified.
   5. For both (c) and (d) above, instructors may revise deadlines and schedules when unforeseen events occur (such as unexpected class cancellations due to the instructor’s illness, natural calamities, etc. ).
   6. For classes following the fully onsite mode of delivery - provisions for switching to fully online learning when needed
   7. Graduate Grading System
      • Please ensure that the correct grading system for graduate level is found in the syllabus (2019 Graduate Student Handbook, page 39).
      • Include a transmutation table showing LS letter grades and their numerical or quality point equivalents, whichever is applicable to the course.
   8. Class Policies should be consistent with LS regulations. The class policies should also include the following:
      • For students attending online classes: A reminder that students with unstable or no internet connection may avail themselves of a portable learning packet (PLP). Requests for PLPs are coursed through LS One.
      • Clear expectations and policies on online communications between instructor and students, including turnaround time of feedback, appropriate language, and acceptable communication channels.
   9. The University-issued (i.e. official) email address of the instructor should be provided.
5. If, upon the department chair/program director’s review, corrections/revisions need to be made to a syllabus, the department chair/program director should inform the instructor to submit a revised syllabus.
6. To give time for the department chair/program director to thoroughly review all syllabi, the department/program may adopt an internal submission deadline that is earlier than the deadline stipulated by the ADGP.
7. Once the semester has begun, revisions to the syllabus require the written consent of the students. Once consent is given, the revised syllabus should be reposted on AISIS.
8. Students are expected to review the syllabus of each of their classes before the first day of the semester.

4. LS Learning Management System

1. Canvas is the official LMS of the Loyola Schools. All officially enrolled students are automatically given access to Canvas.
2. Posting of Modules on Canvas
   1. Learning materials for assessments should be posted at least one (1) week before the deadline of the related course requirement.
   2. Instructors are urged to avoid posting new modules/materials on Sundays, holidays, and after office hours. If instructors do so, they should not expect students to access the new material until the next school day.
   3. Students must ensure that Module Publication notifications are enabled in the settings of their Canvas accounts since they are expected to go through the modules within the timeframe given in the syllabus.
3. Instructors are highly encouraged to place all scheduled class activities and deadlines on their course's Canvas calendar. In doing so, students will be able to see the schedules of all their classes on their own Canvas calendar.
4. Instructors are expected to provide comments and evaluation on students’ works using Canvas’ many feedback features. When necessary, students are expected to seek clarification soon after the feedback is given, not at the end of the semester.
5. Student access to their Canvas classes will be closed one week after the electronic release of final grades for the term/semester just ended, except for students who received INC grades. Students with INC grades will have continued access to the Canvas class(es) in which the INC was incurred until the deadline for completion.
6. Support for Canvas is available through LS-One (LS One-Stop Student Services Hub).

5. Synchronous Class Sessions

1. Synchronous class sessions should be held during the official schedule of the class. For synchronous sessions held outside the official schedule of the class, the written consent of the students must be secured and approval from the department chair should be obtained.
2. Since the schedule of synchronous class sessions is indicated in the syllabus, any change in schedule should be announced at least one (1) week before the session.
3. Ideally, cameras should be switched on during synchronous sessions so that the presence of both teachers and students is registered and the interaction between them enhanced. Non-verbal feedback is afforded to both teachers and students by the cameras. However, because of limited internet connectivity or other reasons, one cannot expect cameras to be on all the time. As a matter of courtesy, and if their circumstances allow them to do so, students should switch on their cameras when the occasion arises (e.g., when they ask, or respond to, questions).
4. Instructors may conduct graded assessments during online synchronous and onsite class sessions. Students who were absent for valid reasons may request for make-up assessments (Magna Carta of Graduate Students’ Rights Article III Section 2.h.iii)
5. In fully online and flex classes, a recording of the synchronous class should be made available for students who are unable to attend a synchronous session for valid reasons cited above. Recordings/transcripts should be archived for the duration of the academic term and should be available until the deadline for the removal of INC grades. For onsite classes, teachers are not obligated to record synchronous sessions, but they should devise contingency measures for students who are absent for legitimate reasons.

6. Consultations Hours

1. Instructors should set aside weekly consultation hours as follows:
   • Full-time instructors - a minimum of four (4) hours a week during the semester
   • Part-time instructors - one (1) hour a week for each three-unit course taught
2. Consultations may be either online or onsite.
3. Students are encouraged to use these consultation hours as an opportunity for discussion about the content and requirements of the course as well as to inquire about their academic standing. Consultation hours are also used to solicit or give feedback on performance in assessments.
4. Instructors are expected to be available during the consultation hours stated in the course syllabi.  In general, consultation hours are scheduled from Monday to Saturday, from 8:00 am to no later than 6:00 pm. Consultations should not be scheduled on Sundays and holidays.
5. In special circumstances where consultation hours deviate from the official schedule, the time and day must be mutually agreed upon by the instructor and the student.
6. Departments must provide for the protection of both instructor and students during consultations, whether online or onsite. These must be held within office hours on campus and should not occur behind closed doors with only the instructor and the student present. For online synchronous consultations, there should be a third person (e.g., another student or instructor) present. The instructor and the student should each give consent for the presence of this third person.
7. If a consultation is to be recorded (instead of having a third person present), the recording must be downloaded, saved in an ADMU GDrive account, and shared with the student unaltered.
8. To maintain the academic nature of online consultations, a family member may not serve as the third person during online consultations.

7. Communication between Instructors and Students

1. Apart from coursing concerns through the class beadle, students can communicate with their instructors through the class LMS and/or email.
2. Students may also communicate with each other through the class LMS. In order to facilitate communication between students and minimize the need for communication using other platforms, instructors must not delete the ‘People’ Navigation tab option on Canvas.
3. Online class communication and processes usually contain sensitive information. Thus, University regulations on data privacy should be observed.
4. Communication by email
   1. Communication should be coursed through University-issued (i.e., official) email accounts: @obf.ateneo.edu accounts for students and @ateneo.edu accounts for faculty and professionals.
   2. To protect the privacy of email accounts, teachers should use the Blind Carbon Copy (bcc) option when sending emails to groups of students or to an entire class. The bcc option allows for an email to be sent to a group of individuals without revealing who the recipients are.
5. Communications using the messaging feature in Canvas should be sent to each student individually and not the whole class.
6. Other chat functions (e.g., chat.google.com, Microsoft Teams, other calling and messaging apps of the students'/instructors' choice) may be used by students and between students and instructors. However, instructors are reminded that they “should be circumspect in their use of social media and messaging and call applications, especially when used to interact or communicate with their students. It is preferable that they use official modes of communication or official learning management platforms when communicating with students.”^[2]
7. For all forms of communication, instructors are advised to establish clear office hours during which students can expect responses to their questions, discussion posts, and other matters concerning the course.
   1. Instructors may also set guidelines on communications from students.
   2. Instructors are also advised to avoid publishing/posting announcements on their LMS after office hours.
   3. Students are expected to observe the office hours set by their instructors. They should not expect to receive replies during off hours or during weekends and holidays.
8. Students should raise concerns for a specific class to their instructors. If the matter is not resolved, students may elevate the matter to the department chair/program director of the concerned teacher. The School Dean may be consulted by the chair/director, if deemed necessary. The email addresses of LS offices are available in LS-One.
9. Teacher-student boundaries must be maintained at all times.

8. Responding to Students with Special Needs

1. Students with physical or psychological challenges that prevent their optimal access to the educational opportunities offered by the Loyola Schools are encouraged to submit a request for notification to their instructors with the Office of Guidance and Counseling (for psychological conditions) or the Office of Health Services (for physical/medical conditions), together with the relevant supporting documents. Notifying the OGC/OHS will help the school to extend the appropriate assistance to the student.
2. Requests to notify instructors of medical and/or psychological conditions should be made at the beginning of each academic term or as soon as one's condition interferes with the fulfillment of one's academic responsibilities.
3. Students are reminded to review OGC and OHS memos on protocols for self-reporting of illnesses and medical conditions.

1. Course Requirements and Deadlines

1. While the deadlines of all major requirements are indicated in the syllabus, the instructions/guidelines on the completion of these must be given within a reasonable time – ideally, no later than one week before they are due. Instructors are to avoid giving instructions/guidelines too close to the deadline.
2. Instructors may revise the course schedules and deadlines in the event of unforeseen circumstances, such as typhoons. The revised schedule and/or deadlines should be agreed upon by the instructor and students/affected students. Proper documentation of such revisions should be made and retained by the instructor.
3. Deadlines for course requirements may not be set on a Sunday or holiday. If an extension to a previously announced deadline is given, that extension should also fall on a weekday.^[3]
4. Instructors are encouraged to scaffold major requirements and distribute deadlines/exam schedules across the academic term.
5. In consideration of issues relating to internet access and connectivity, instructors are asked to provide a reasonable period of time during which an online timed test/exam may be taken. The time allotment for each assessment (e.g., a 20-minute quiz or a 1-hour midterm exam) is what is afforded to each student and begins the moment he/she starts the test.
6. The provision for make-up work, as provided for in the Magna Carta of Graduate Student Rights, is to be observed.^[4]
7. Ideally, individual oral exams should be replaced by group orals. When individual oral exams are unavoidable, the exam must be recorded and the recording must be downloaded, saved in an ADMU GDrive account, and shared with the student unaltered.
8. Because course requirements and deadlines are announced ahead of time, students are expected to turn in their work on time. Teachers are also expected to return students' works promptly so that they may be informed of their progress.^[5]

10. Final Grades

1. Academic performance is expressed in the grades that students receive for their enrolled courses. Final grades reflect the extent to which the course learning outcomes are achieved and are based on various kinds of academic evidence indicated in the syllabus, such as formal examinations, term papers, book reports, quizzes, recitation, class participation, field work, etc. Attendance does not form part of the students’ grade for a course. (2019 LS Graduate Student Handbook III.B.7 Rules on Student Performance, Student Status in a Course/Program, and Academic Requirements, page 38).
2. Instructors should issue a grade to each student at the end of the academic term. The grades to be issued must follow the Graduate Level Grading System (2019 LS Graduate Student Handbook, III.B.8 Grading System, page 39)
3. Since graduate courses are expected to be predominantly online, the grade of W does not apply.  Students’ final grades shall be based on the extent to which course requirements were fulfilled as indicated in the syllabus.
4. The grade of WP may only be issued by the LS Registrar upon approval of the load revision request submitted by the student and approved by the concerned offices.
5. Grades reflected in the class LMS are not the official grades of the class. For these grades to be official, they must be posted on AISIS.
6. Instructors should submit final grades on AISIS for all their students by the deadline specified by the Registrar. These are then posted by the department chairs/program directors following LS procedures.
7. Once posted, final grades may only be changed upon the approval of the Standards Committee.
8. It is the students' obligation to make sure that they complete all their course requirements. Teachers should make available a student's class standing, which includes a record of deficiencies, prior to the end of an academic term when a student asks for it. Instructors are also expected to contact students regarding their deficiencies.

11. INC Grade
    1. Graduate students who receive an INC grade must complete the requirements within the deadline set by the instructor or at least one month prior to the end of the one-year grace period if the instructor sets no deadline. This is to allow the instructor ample time to mark the submitted requirements (2019 Graduate Student Handbook, Section III.8.b Completion of an Incomplete Mark, page 40).
    2. Graduate students taking undergraduate courses should follow undergraduate deadlines for completion of INC grades.
    3. Instructors are to submit the completion form to the Office of the Registrar at the end of the one-year grace period, specifically on or before the last day of class of the semester.

12. Data Privacy and Copyright
    1. Class materials and recordings of synchronous sessions may not be reproduced, shared, or reposted by students without the express written consent of the teacher.
    2. Personal data collected during an online class or other official activity must not be used for personal purposes or reasons. Teachers and students should not post such data on personal social media accounts or use them for other unofficial and unauthorized purposes.
    3. Class materials and personal data (including the files or records that contain them) stored or uploaded to an LMS may be covered by a number of legal or technical requirements (e.g., confidentiality, access restriction, retention, and intellectual property laws). Therefore, publicly disseminating, reposting, or re-sharing them may be violative of the Data Privacy Act and other applicable laws, regulations, and policies. Extreme care must be exercised when handling them. Consulting the appropriate offices and, when necessary, securing consent or authorization are strongly advised before any of the foregoing actions are taken.^[6]

For questions and concerns, please contact the Office of the ADGP.