Syllabus Resources - CFDE@Emory

Download a Syllabus Template (updated July 2023)

This template is designed with ADA guidelines around text formatting and includes course information placeholders, suggested language and best practices. Feel free to download and edit as needed. Note that this syllabus template does not contain all of the language listed below on this Canvas page; there are some optional sections below that you might want to add!

Additional Resources

How to write an inclusive syllabus - UMass Amherst

Accessible Syllabus

"This website is dedicated to helping instructors build a syllabus that plans for diverse student abilities and promotes an atmosphere in which students feel comfortable discussing their unique abilities. Countless instructors complain that students don’t read the syllabus. We believe students would use the document more effectively if it were designed more accessibly."

Syllabus Language

Below we have provided sample language on a variety of topics that you may wish to have on your syllabus. Feel free to modify and use this language however you like. These suggestions are grouped by topic and some sections may be more relevant to you than others. For example, we know not all instructors will be recording their classes so you may not need the language around recordings.

Classroom safety

Masking is optional for classroom spaces; please do what is best for you. Should the masking policy change this semester, we will follow Emory guidance.

Health considerations

At the very first sign of not feeling well, stay at home and reach out for a health consultation. Please consult the campus FAQ for how to get the health consultation.

Attendance policy

If you are sick, understand that I will be flexible about attendance. If you have to miss class, please make sure to email me so that we can discuss your individual circumstances.

Accessibility and accommodations

As the instructor of this course I endeavor to provide an inclusive learning environment. I want every student to succeed. The Department of Accessibility Services (DAS) works with students who have disabilities to provide reasonable accommodations. It is your responsibility to request accommodations. In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must register with the DAS. Accommodations cannot be retroactively applied so you need to contact DAS as early as possible and contact me as early as possible in the semester to discuss the plan for implementation of your accommodations.

For additional information about accessibility and accommodations, please contact the Department of Accessibility Services at (404) 727-9877 or accessibility@emory.edu.

Class session recording

Our class sessions will all be audio visually recorded for students in the class to refer back to the information, and for enrolled students who are unable to attend live.

Lectures and other classroom presentations presented through video conferencing and other materials posted on Canvas are for the sole purpose of educating the students enrolled in the course. The release of such information (including but not limited to directly sharing, screen capturing, or recording content) is strictly prohibited, unless the instructor states otherwise. Doing so without the permission of the instructor will be considered an Honor Code violation and may also be a violation of other state and federal laws, such as the Copyright Act.

Stress management and mental health

As a student, you may find that personal and academic stressors in your life, including those related to remote study, economic instability, and/or racial injustice, are creating barriers to learning this semester. Many students face personal and environmental challenges that can interfere with their academic success and overall well-being. If you are struggling with this class, please visit me during office hours or contact me via email at ZZZZ@emory.edu. If you are feeling overwhelmed and think you might benefit from additional support, please know that there are people who care and offices to support you at Emory. These services – including confidential resources – are provided by staff who are respectful of students' diverse backgrounds. For an extensive list of well-being resources on campus, please go to: http://campuslife.emory.edu/support/index.html. And keep in mind that Emory offers free, 24/7 emotional, mental health, and medical support resources via TimelyCare: https://timelycare.com/emory.

Other Emory resources include:

Counseling & Psychological Services
Office of Spiritual & Religious Life
Student Case Management and Interventions Services
Student Health Services Psychiatry
Support During A Crisis: A Guide for Faculty & Staff
Emory Anytime Student Health Services

Library Resources

The Emory University Libraries provide support and resources to help you complete your research assignments, develop information literacy skills, and succeed in your studies. Visit our For Students [ libraries.emory.edu/students ] site to learn more about resources for students. Get help with your research by visiting Ask a Librarian [ emory.libanswers.com ] or by contacting the subject librarian [ https://bit.ly/emorylibSL ] for this course, [insert name] at [insert email].

Additional Topics - Sample Text

We recommend you include some or all of these topics in your syllabus as well. The language below has been shared by Emory faculty and is intended to inspire your own thoughts, ideas or policies around these topics.

Diversity & Inclusion

At its core, this course embraces a multiplicity of voices and perspectives. We respect people from all backgrounds and recognize the differences among ourselves, including racial and ethnic identities, religious practices, and gender expressions. Please let me know what name you like to be called and your gender pronouns. ~Donna Troka, Director of Diversity & Inclusive Pedagogy

Diversity & Inclusion Policy

I believe that everyone has the capacity to learn and that learning should be approached with a growth mindset. As your teacher and mentor, I will therefore strive to cultivate an environment where every student feels respected, valued, and visible so that maximum learning can be achieved. Given that individuals taking this course bring different life experiences and academic histories, I also ask that everyone respect differences in biological sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, disability, and any other facet of identity that may arise during classroom discussions. There will be zero tolerance for individuals who purposefully mock, offend, or denigrate their peers. If harm has been inflicted by a peer, please approach me through whatever means you feel comfortable (e.g., face to face, email, Zoom) to discuss how we can repair the harm. If you do not feel comfortable notifying me, I encourage you to reach out to a peer, sibling, parent, counselor, mentor, or anyone else who may be able to give you advice. Importantly, if I myself cause harm to any of you, I encourage you to call me in so that I can repair the harm. To create a safe space for everyone to learn, I ask that everyone uphold these inclusive practices so that we can build an environment based on mutual respect and open-mindedness. ~Karena Nguyen, Postdoctoral Fellow, Biology

Equity

This course aims to ensure that every student has equal access to opportunities, networks, and supports within the class to ensure their success. Additional class costs (i.e., HBS cases) were kept to a minimum (around $20) and readings were selected with racial and gender equity in mind. Anyone who has difficulty securing course materials, housing, or food and believes this may affect their course performance is urged to contact Campus Life and/or the BBA program office (and, if comfortable, the professor) to see what resources are available. ~Wes Longhofer, Associate Professor of Organization & Mangement

Guidelines for engagement

Listen respectfully, without interrupting.
Respect one another's views, even when you disagree with them.
Criticize ideas, not individuals.
Commit to learning, not debating.
Avoid blame and speculation. Support your argument with evidence.
What is said in class stays in class. Hard conversations and statements should remain between members of the class creating a brave space.
Speak from the “I” perspective: don’t assume that you can speak for members of a group that you are a part of

~Donna Troka, Director of Diversity & Inclusive Pedagogy

Voting

2022 is a midterm election year nationwide! Email me anytime or visit campuslife.emory.edu/vote if you need help with the logistics of voting.
Important election dates for Georgia:

Oct 11: Deadline to register or update your registration for the November election (forms available at mvp.sos.ga.gov, emory.turbovote.org or near the library circulation desk)
ASAP (after 8/21): If you need to vote by mail, you must request an absentee ballot. You can get a form at securemyabsenteeballot.sos.ga.gov
Oct 17–Nov 4: Early in-person voting. Dekalb-registered voters can go to 1599 Clifton Rd.! Other locations TBA.
Nov 8: Election Day. Our class will not meet. If you vote today, go to your assigned precinct 7am-7pm (see mvp.sos.ga.gov)
Dec 6: Runoff Election Day (TBA). I will announce our plans for class in mid-November.

For other states (as well as for GA), you can get customized election reminders and help at emory.turbovote.org.

~Marjorie Pak, Senior Lecturer in Linguistics

Land Acknowledgement Statement Options:

1.) Official Emory Land Acknowledgment (Fall 2021):

Emory University acknowledges the Muscogee (Creek) people who lived, worked, produced knowledge on, and nurtured the land where Emory’s Oxford and Atlanta campuses are now located. In 1821, fifteen years before Emory’s founding, the Muscogee were forced to relinquish this land. We recognize the sustained oppression, land dispossession, and involuntary removals of the Muscogee and Cherokee peoples from Georgia and the Southeast. Emory seeks to honor the Muscogee Nation and other Indigenous caretakers of this land by humbly seeking knowledge of their histories and committing to respectful stewardship of the land.

2.) Land Acknowledgment from Native American and Indigenous Studies Initiative (NAISI) at Emory, Spring 2021:

Emory University is located on Muscogee (Creek) land. Emory University was founded in 1836, during a period of sustained oppression, land dispossession, and forced removals of Muscogee (Creek) and Cherokee peoples from Georgia and the Southeast. In the First Treaty of Indian Springs (January 8^th, 1821), signed by the US government and the Muscogee Creek Nation, the Muscogee Creek were forced to relinquish the land which is now present-day DeKalb County and the home of Emory’s first campus, Oxford College, as well as the main campus on Clifton Road.

By all accounts, this was a coerced treaty. At the treaty’s signing, this tract of ceded land (included within 116 on map) became part of the State of Georgia. In 1822, parts of the land ceded in the 1821 treaty area were incorporated as DeKalb County; this includes the land where Emory University’s main campus (established 1915) is located. The town of Covington (founded 1822) also falls within the 1821 treaty area, and is the home of Emory’s Oxford College (founded 1836). Muscogee Creeks who chose to remain in the southeast were forced to move west into the Upper Creek towns in Alabama after their land was ceded. Many Lower Creeks living in the ceded area left Georgia and relocated in or near Indian Territory (present day Oklahoma).

It is significant that Emory University was founded in 1836, fifteen years after this First Treaty of Indian Springs, as the sons of the new settlers were beginning to reach college age. The 1821 treaty and others during this period led to massive land dispossession from Indigenous nations, and allowed for continued expansion of the Southeastern plantation economy and enslavement of Africans and their descendants. These facts also form part of the background to the horrific forced removal of over 20,000 Muscogee Creek people from Alabama that occurred in 1836-1837 and through which approximately 3,500 Muscogee Creek people died en route.

The Muscogee Creek Nation (OK) is currently the fourth largest Tribal Nation with approximately 80,000 citizens. The Poarch Creek Indians (AL) is the only federally recognized Tribal Nation in Alabama, and has approximately 3,000 citizens. There are no federally recognized Tribal Nations in the state of Georgia. In addition, there are several other governments and communities throughout the south and southeast that identify as Muscogee (Creek).

We are looking forward to seeing Emory University begin to reckon with this history and its enduring consequences, and begin to commit to reparative actions.

Notes:
*The traditional spelling is “Mvskoke.” Current Tribal Nations use the spelling “Muscogee.”
*A number of recent discussions highlight the importance of connecting land acknowledgement statements to meaningful actions and resources, especially ones that do not reinscribe “settler-colonial” logics. (Also see here, here and here.)
*See: Native Land, a searchable map of Indigenous territories worldwide.

3.) Land and Labor Acknowledgment from Dr. Kristin Phillips, Assistant Professor of Anthropology (adapted from the NAISI acknowledgment):

Emory University is located on the traditional land of the Mvskoke (Creek). In the Anthropology Department we believe it is important to recognize our relations to place, people, and history. In 1821, the Muscogee were dispossessed of land in this region by the US government (First Treaty of Indian Springs, 1821). DeKalb county, where Emory sits, came into being in 1822. Emory was founded in 1836, during a period of sustained oppression, land dispossession, and forced removals of Mvskoke (Creek) and Ani’yunwi’ya (Cherokee) people from Georgia and the Southeast. It is important to acknowledge our immense debt to the Mvskoke, Ani’yunwi’ya and other original peoples who have cared for and inhabited these lands, and to their descendants.

Additionally, the history of indigenous dispossession is intertwined with the histories of Africans and African descended people in this region, as the acquisition of land from Indigenous peoples was essential for the development of plantation economy (Saunt, 2020). Emory’s original campus in Oxford, Georgia — now home of Oxford College — was largely built through the labor of enslaved Black people, and Emory has been institutionally entwined with the legacies of slavery since its founding. I include these acknowledgements as essential premises of the teaching and learning that constitute this class.

And Finally

A message for students from Snoop Dog