Policies

Policies

Course Policies

Student-Faculty Expectations

This semester is my first attempt at implementing this course and will contain some experimentation. I appreciate your feedback throughout the semester on what is or is not enhancing your learning experience. Thank you in advance for your commitment to doing well in this course. I will in turn commit to doing my best for this course to help you a more effective, driven engineer. See also the Georgia Tech Student-Faculty Expectations.

Collaboration

Group work is not allowed on homework assignments or projects. Each student must submit their own work. However, students are encouraged to discuss concepts, problems, and projects with each other to enhance understanding. Students will have a chance to discuss or work in groups in class, but all submissions must be individual.

Grading and Evaluation

This course uses a fixed grading scale. The course will be graded based on participation, homework and a final project.

Individual grading for each assignment and the project will be specified separately. The grading distribution is as follows:

Item Weight

  • Participation 25%
    • 2 points per class: 1 point for attendance, and 1 point for contributing to the discussion.
  • Assignments 25%
    • To support learning during homework excercises, I am allowing one homework resubmission, due one week after the graded homework has been returned.
  • Project 50%

Brackets:

  • A (90-100%)
  • B (80-89%)
  • C (70-79%)
  • D (60-69%)
  • F (0-59%)

Passing grades are C or higher.

Late Policy

All due dates are Anywhere On Earth (AOE). Once I finish grading, usually a few days after the deadline, I will not accept late submissions. Please contact me in advance if you need to request an extension for a legitimate reason.

Inclusion

I seek to create a learning environment welcoming of all students that supports a diversity of thoughts, perspectives and experiences and respects your identities and backgrounds (including race, ethnicity, nationality, gender identity, socioeconomic class, sexual orientation, language, religion, ability, and more.) To help accomplish this:

  • If your name and/or pronouns differ from those that appear in your official records, please let me know.
  • If you feel like your performance in the class is being affected by your experiences outside of class (e.g., family matters, current events), please don’t hesitate to come and talk with me. I want to be a resource for you.
  • I (like many people) am still in the process of learning about diverse perspectives and identities. If something was said in class (by anyone) that made you feel uncomfortable, please talk to me about it. You can also consult any of the resources listed in the Georgia Tech Student Resource Guide.
  • As a participant in this class, recognize that you can be proactive about making other students feel included and respected.

If individuals are disrespectful to students, course staff, or others via course resources, they will lose access to course resources. E.g., if someone is unkind in the course channel, their account will be removed from the channel.

Academic Integrity

Georgia Tech aims to cultivate a community based on trust, academic integrity, and honor. Students are expected to act according to the highest ethical standards. For information on Georgia Tech’s Academic Honor Code, please visit the policies website . Any student suspected of cheating or plagiarizing on a quiz, exam, or assignment will cause immense disappointment to the instructor and be reported to the Office of Student Integrity, who will investigate the incident and identify the appropriate penalty for violations.

Statement on the use of Generative AI

This is a graduate-level course designed to prepare you for the rigors of academia and the workforce. I want students to feel free to use any tools at their disposal, as if they were submitting to a journal, following SIGPLAN disclosure requirements for generative AI. I have the following cautions:

  • Computer science is a competitive field, and everyone in the workforce has the same access to AI tools, including those who have not taken this course. Ask yourself whether your use of generative AI helps you develop an edge.
  • You will be graded on what you submit. I am a harsh reviewer. Ask yourself if you trust generative AI with the critical sections of your report.
  • Georgia Tech tuition is $56,302 per year. Ask yourself how much you want to pay for generative AI to think for you.

Accommodations

I respect the different learning needs of my students, and am committed to ensuring you have the resources you need to succeed in this class. If you need religious or disability-related accommodations, if you have emergency medical information you wish to share, if there are other extenuating circumstances, please share this information with me as soon as possible. You may speak with me after class or during office hours. If needed, contact the Office of Disability Services at (404)894-2563 or http://disabilityservices.gatech.edu/, as soon as possible, to make an appointment to discuss your special needs and to obtain an accommodations letter.