CJ231 JUVENILE JUSTICE Course Syllabus - Teron Nunley

Class policies:

Late Work

I will attempt to be as understanding as possible throughout the semester. I know that things can come up that make it difficult to complete assignments on time. Therefore, I will allow students one two-day extension or two one-day extensions on assignments other than the exams with NO QUESTIONS ASKED. All I ask is that you communicate with me BEFORE the assignment deadline. Additional late submissions will not be accepted.

That said, I understand that there can be times when things creep up on you or unideal situations arise. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you’re having difficulties, even if the due date has passed, and we can discuss options.

Make-up exams for the midterm are only given in the event of emergency or extraordinary circumstances (e.g. serious illness, death of family member, natural disaster, etc).

Written assignment guidelines

Papers must be submitted electronically via Blackboard (DO NOT EMAIL ASSIGNMENTS) and must be submitted in Word format (i.e., .doc or .docx). It is your responsibility to check that the appropriate file is uploaded in the appropriate format. Failure to do so will result in a grade of zero.

• Written work must be typed, double-spaced, have one inch margins, and in 12-point Times New Roman font. You must include the name of the course, name of the assignment, and your name.
• Proper citation of sources is crucial for all academic work. It should always be clear where in your assignments you are using the words or ideas of others. Papers should be submitted in APA format. See Purdue OWL for guidelines (APA: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html).

Academic Integrity /Respect

Integrity and respect are Wilmington College Core Values, and honesty is our mutual responsibility.   Students are responsible for following the Wilmington College’s rules relating to academic integrity & other conduct. Cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized use of AI, or other academic misconduct will result in a grade of 0% on the work in question, & the professor reserves the right to notify the Office of Academic Affairs.  Please see the current Student Handbook for the college’s Academic Integrity policies as they pertain to examinations, plagiarism, classroom behavior, & the process for handling academic misconduct charges.  Students are expected to behave with integrity & respect within the classroom & while carrying out any CJ231 assignments.  This is especially important as this class may host guest speakers from diverse cultures and attend various events outside of the classroom.

Illness in the Age of COVID: Though our course is online, I would like to encourage you, should you feel ill at any point during the semester, to contact the college nurse, wchealthcenter@wilmington.edu, 937-481-2217 immediately. She will determine if testing, isolation or quarantine are necessary. If you are required to quarantine during the course of the semester, please note that you are still responsible for any work assigned throughout the week. One of the benefits of an online course is that you can access the materials at any location with a stable Wi-Fi connection.  If you need additional time to complete course work due to the severity of your illness, please reach out PRIOR to the due date. Once assessments are graded and answers are posted, late assessments cannot be accepted in order to maintain academic integrity.

Communication outside the Classroom

Communication with students will sometimes take place via email, & messages will be sent to the students’ Wilmington College email address. It is the student’s responsibility to check emails regularly.  Blackboard will be used in support of this course, and students are also responsible for accessing Blackboard on a regular basis.  Students may choose to communicate with the professor via email.  Contact information is provided at the top of this syllabus. When emailing, please include your name and the course and section number (CJ231 M1) in the subject line.

Americans with Disabilities Act

If you have a documented disability that requires accommodations, contact Disability Services Director Amber Walters in Robinson Communication Center Room 120 or 937-481-2444. Please feel free to discuss your learning needs with the professor at any time, including during a private meeting during office hours or a time scheduled at your convenience.

AI Use Policy for this Course

Purpose:

This policy clarifies the permissible and impermissible uses of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, also known as generative AI, in Introduction to Sociology (SY130), highlighting the risks and severe penalties for misuse.

Logic:

While AI is quickly evolving and being applied in many professional settings, there are inherent limitations with it at this point.  One of the major purposes of undergraduate education is to develop strong critical thinking abilities.  A second primary purpose is to learn knowledge about topics being studied. Improper use of AI can impede the use of and development of critical thinking, as well as prevent knowledge development.  Thus, students in this course are expected to develop their own original work for assignments.  The primary goals of assignments are to encourage original thought, critical analysis, and knowledge growth, which cannot be replaced by AI.  Additionally, students must critically assess and refine any AI-generated ideas to ensure they contribute meaningfully to the assignment in the contexts in which AI use is allowed.

Policy Scope:

Applicable to all students enrolled in Introduction to Sociology (SY130).  Wilmington College currently does not have an AI policy.  Thus, the policy provided here will be the AI policy for this course.

Policy:

1. Limited Permissible Use of AI:

• Idea Generation Only: AI can be used for brainstorming ideas. However, students are responsible for thoroughly vetting each AI-generated idea. Ideas that are unoriginal or previously disproven will result in penalties.
• Proofreading of Written Work: AI can be used for proofreading your assignments prior to submission for grammatical issues and typos.
• Mandatory Disclosure: Any AI-assisted idea generation must be clearly disclosed in the assignment submission. In any assignment where AI was used use the following guidelines to disclose its use:
  • Smaller assignments (not papers or large projects):  Include an “AI Disclosure” Section at the end of your assignment.  Explain how you used AI for the assignment and how it guided your assignment.
    • Example: To learn about the barriers for victims accessing services at domestic violence shelters, I used ChatGPT to explain the basic principles on obstacles victims face.  I also prompted it to provide me online resources to learn more about this topic.  I took its recommendations on additional resources, of which I used two of those suggested resources and discussed them in this assignment.
  • Paper assignments or large project assignments: Cite AI use in APA format.  The following blog post provides guidance on how to do so.  Please note that many resources on APA citation style have not yet provided guidance on citing AI.  Additionally, also provide an “AI Disclosure: statement, as described above.
    • Resource on APA citation of AI: https://www.grammarly.com/blog/ai-citations-apa/
• Assignments that Explicitly Allow AI Use:  Throughout this semester, there may be assignments where students are allowed to use AI to facilitate students’ learning of AI capabilities.  If it is allowed, the assignment will explicitly state that use of AI is permitted for that assignment.  In these cases, students will need to follow the guidelines of the assignment.  (Note: The points in section two would not apply if AI use is explicitly allowed for assignments).

2. Prohibited Use of AI in Writing:

• Strict Prohibition on Writing with AI: Using AI for writing any part of an assignment is strictly forbidden, more specifically:
  • Do not submit the work of AI as your own.
  • Do not change a few words of text written by AI and submit it as your own.
  • Do not reorder paragraphs of text written by AI and submit them as your own.
• High Risk of Detection: AI-generated content is prone to “hallucinations” (inaccurate or nonsensical information) and plagiarism, which significantly increases the risk of AI use being identified and/or being flagged for plagiarism.
• Academic Misconduct: If prohibited AI use is detected in submitted assignments, it will be considered a violation of Wilmington College’s academic integrity and misconduct policy.  Consequences include failing grades and disciplinary action.

3. Risks and Consequences of AI Use:

• Increased Workload and Risk: Using AI, even within permitted limits, requires additional effort to validate each idea. This often results in more work than not using AI.
• Responsibility for AI Use: Students choosing to use AI must do so responsibly, understanding the added risk of penalties for unvetted or inappropriate use.

Compliance:

Violations of this policy will be enforced in accordance with Wilmington College's academic integrity and misconduct policy.

Questions about AI Use in this Course:

If you have questions about the use of AI in this class or are unsure about how to write your AI disclosure statement, feel free to ask Marlaina.  This is an evolving area, and it is expected that students will have questions.

**AI disclosure related to this policy: The use of ChatGPT was used in the creation of this policy.  ChatGPT provided idea generation.  Additionally, some of the language ChatGPT wrote was either used or adapted for the purposes of developing this policy.