Preamble

It is the right and obligation of the department to determine its policies, play a decisive role in the selection of its Chair, and decide on questions of major importance, except insofar as it specifically delegates these tasks, or insofar as they may otherwise be reserved, to the Faculty of Arts & Sciences or other administrative units of the University.

Voting Members

Consistent with the procedures of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences, voting members of the department are all those individuals who hold continuing appointments at the rank of full-time instructor, lecturer, assistant, associate, and full professor; non-voting members include "part-time and visiting faculty members" (Manual of Procedures 1995, p. 3, I, A1 and B2).

Faculty Responsibilities Towards Students

Professional responsibilities are outlined each semester in the Course Listings of the College. By decision of the department, each member of the staff is to meet regularly scheduled, posted office hours, based on approximately one office hour per three credits taught.

Click here for the Calendar of Duties for Coordinators of Spanish/French/Italian 101-308*

Tenure Policies

Click here to view Washington University's Policies on Tenure
Please see Section IV (Tenure) B.2., first paragraph (this is new information).

Click here for the Procedures for Faculty with Joint Appointments Between a Program and a Department in Arts and Sciences

Additional tenure forms:

• Tenure Status Form
• Tenure Status Form Instructions
• Tenure Status Extension Form

Policies for non-Tenure Track Faculty

• Lecturer Policy (Full-time)
• Lecturer Policy (Part-time)
  

Leave Policies

• Leave of Absence Guidelines & Form (faculty)
• Parental Leave Policy, Tenure-Track Faculty
• Parental Leave Policy, non-Tenure Track Faculty

Travel Policy

An amount of money to be used for the purpose of faculty travel is to be encumbered in each year’s budget, upon consent of the Dean of the Faculty who has final administrative authority over departmental budgets, to be consequently allocated at the discretion of the Chair for travel for the purpose of giving papers, organizing and chairing sessions at conferences, or fulfilling professional obligations related to the association whose meeting the faculty member is attending. Up to a maximum available each year, faculty members may be reimbursed for travel to the destination (though normally excluding ground transportation to and from airports, train stations, etc.), lodging, and registration fees; the department does not pay for food and drink and miscellaneous expenses.

Policy Concerning Research Leaves

Research leaves will be requested for members of the professorial ranks consistent with university policy (Washington University Faculty Information, as described under “Faculty Policies” p. 10). It will henceforth be usual departmental policy to recommend for a one- semester’s research leave at full pay non-tenured assistant professors who are to be considered eligible after six semesters of full-time service to the department and after presentation to the tenured staff of an approved research project. The semester of leave in each case will be determined by the Chair to ensure adequate staffing of courses.

Chair

"Chairs are appointed by the Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences, with the advice of the members of the Department." (Manual of Procedures 1995, p. 5)
In order to implement formally this statement, the department hereby agrees that the Chair shall serve for terms of no more than three years’ duration. Before the end of each such term, or if at any time the position of Chair becomes vacant, the voting members of the department shall adhere to the following procedure:
The department shall elect by secret ballot for a term of three years from that date two members (who may not be faculty in the same language division of the department); their responsibilities will be: 1) to be available as a liaison between the faculty and the Chair, 2) to give the Chair, following consultation with the members of the department, an informal review of his/her activity after approximately 18 months in service, and 3) to recommend to the Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences, after consultation with the voting members of the department, and having polled such members, either the re-nomination of the existing Chair or the nomination of a new individual to serve as Chair of the department.

Graduate Assistants

Graduate students who are named Teaching Assistants (TA’s) in the Department of Romance Languages will be offered a yearly appointment, which will be subject to renewal. Decisions to reappoint shall be based upon proficiency in teaching skills and satisfactory progress toward an advanced degree. Teaching Assistants will carry a stipend and, upon recommendation to the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, nine hours of tuition remission per semester. Every attempt shall be made to insure that every TA, within any given academic year, teaches approximately the same number of supervised hours. The Directors of Undergraduate Studies and the Course Coordinators shall constitute an Advisory Committee to inform the chair of specific hours taught by each TA and to help insure equity of teaching loads.

Teaching Loads

1. Full-time lecturers will teach three courses per term plus a fourth course or administrative equivalent. Half-time lecturers will normally teach two courses per term.
2. Except where loads are reduced for administrative reasons or by agreement with the Chair to meet departmental needs, every member within the professorial ranks will teach two courses every term.

The department reserves the right to amend its by-laws at any time. A two-thirds majority of the voting members will effect amending or otherwise modifying in any fashion this document.
This document, ratified February 23, 1983, was revised on April 28, 2003.

Guidelines for faculty/instructor absence from class:

There are times when individual instructors, faculty or teaching assistants, are unable to meet with their regularly scheduled classes, due to personal illness, conference commitments, or emergencies.
We do not cancel undergraduate classes, including literature surveys. Faculty who need to miss a class should work with the Director of Undergraduate Study to find an appropriate substitute. Faculty regularly substitute for one another in such circumstances; teaching assistants also help out. It is important that all requests for substitutes be cleared with the Director of Undergraduate Study to assure that we do not place an undue burden on any individual.
The curriculum in classes does not change in function of the faculty member's travel plans. If the faculty member's travel plans fall at the time when an exam would regularly be given, arrangements can usually be made for another faculty member or TA to proctor the exam. It is inappropriate, however, for anyone to schedule an exam simply to accommodate travel plans. In all classes we treat films the same way that we treat texts; i.e. we read/view and discuss in class portions of the text or film that students have read/viewed in their entirety outside of class, availing themselves of the Olin Library reserve resources. It is therefore not appropriate for the faculty member to have a film shown in class while he or she is absent.
Faculty who deliver papers or chair sessions at conferences or as university lecturers may have to miss classes. All absences should be kept to a minimum: i.e. faculty should make every effort to schedule flights that allow them to minimize the number of classes missed. Normal expectations are that no faculty will miss more than one day of classes for any conference or lecture within the United States, and no more than one week of classes for the same abroad, although in many cases travel abroad that involves only a three-day conference can and therefore should be considerably shorter in duration. Any travel that exceeds the above limits must be pre-approved by the Chair. The Chair will not approve an additional class day away simply because it falls just before or after a University holiday.
If you know in advance that you will be out of town for a conference, or if you have an acute illness or other health problem that is likely to last for a period of days:

1. Notify the department about the dates and course(s) by calling the departmental secretary, who will inform the Chair. For out of town professional travel, the departmental secretary and the Chair should receive a detailed itinerary prior to the faculty member's departure (flights, contact information while away).
2. For undergraduate courses 101 through 308 arrange for a faculty member or teaching assistant who knows the course level and materials to substitute for you in each class, and let your students and the Undergraduate Director of your section know who that person will be. It is important that all requests for substitutes be cleared with the Director of Undergraduate Study to assure that we do not place an undue burden on any individual.
3. If the course is a 400-level seminar in your field for which another colleague cannot substitute, you will then need to arrange for the rescheduling of the class when students are able to attend. It is not appropriate in the case of 400-level courses for a TA to assume responsibility for the course.

If you become ill or an emergency occurs the same day as your class, CALL BOTH THE DEPARTMENTAL OFFICE AND EITHER THE COORDINATOR OF YOUR COURSE (if a multi-sectional language level) OR THE UNDERGRADUATE DIRECTOR. Try to help find a substitute for that day. Preferably this will be another person teaching the same course at another time, or someone who has done the course recently and if familiar with the materials.
***Please note: Washington University does NOT CANCEL classes on snow days, since many undergraduates live on campus and are able to attend regardless of the weather.

Guidelines for handling student absence from class:

The College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Programs guide from 2000-2002 states that it has "no fixed rules for ‘cuts’ or ‘excused absences’" (39), and leaves it to departments or instructors to establish their own rules. We do have attendance requirements for all course levels, usually allowing a maximum or two or three unexcused absences from class, and no absence from exams. The College does, however, encourage us to excuse students from class or to let them take exams at alternate times for major religious holidays and illness. In the latter cases, students must consult with their instructors or course supervisors, and the latter have the responsibility of determining whether to allow the absence and any re-scheduling necessary.
Many students do observe major religious holidays with their families. It is best to not schedule exams on these dates and to excuse them from class, allowing them to make up work missed. The student health service no longer provides written "excuses" for students who are sick; the latter receive diagnosis sheets, which the instructor can read to determine the gravity of the illness. As a rule, only excuse acutely ill students from taking exams on their scheduled dates, since it is difficult to coordinate make-ups and usually necessary to create a new exam. Course coordinators of multi-sectional courses are urged to spell out these rules on syllabi in order to maintain consistency across the sections. All other faculty are encouraged to do the same for their individual courses in order to avoid misunderstandings.
08/16/05
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Tutoring Policy

1. Any student who is experiencing problems doing course work in the target language of a foreign language course at any level (language or literature), and who seeks help learning to use the language correctly, should always consult directly with his/her instructor. Students should not refer themselves to persons offering tutoring services. The instructor will provide appropriate assistance in office hours, and may refer the student to a tutor. Certain tutors are approved by the department each year to work through the campus tutoring office with students in lower-level language courses, based on their training and language proficiency. If a student needs help learning to write or speak with correct forms at more advanced levels, it is important that the instructor contact an appropriate tutor about the nature of the student’s needs.
2. While a student may choose to discuss ideas with others, all writing and any assessed work must be the student’s own and be done without the assistance of tutors (paid or unpaid), native speaker acquaintances, and/or other students. If there is any evidence that work turned in for a grade was not done by the student alone, the material will be referred by the department to appropriate academic integrity authorities for evaluation.
3. When work turned in for a course grade shows significant evidence of collaboration, the person giving assistance will also be referred to academic integrity authorities and will be subject to appropriate sanctions.

Policy on Pass/Fail Grading Option

According to departmental policy, students who take French, Italian, or Spanish courses under the Pass/Fail option must receive a grade of C (not C-) or better in order to qualify for the Pass on their final grade. Students who take the Pass/Fail option should be aware that only courses taken for a letter grade may be used toward the Major or Minor.
Grade requirement for Major and Minor
Students must complete courses taken for the major or minor with a grade of B- or above. They are expected to maintain a B average or better.
UPDATED CAPSTONE INFORMATION
Students with a prime major in French/Italian/Spanish are required to fulfill a capstone experience by either completing Latin honors or by completing a senior undergraduate seminar in their Junior or Senior year with a grade of B+ or better.
REVISED MAY 05

GUIDELINES FOR WRITING INTENSIVE COURSES

Below are stated the University’s description and guidelines on writing-intensive classes:
"The essential feature of courses designated as writing-intensive is regular writing and revision during the course of the semester. We recommend assigning at least three papers, each of which should be revised. These papers need not be long ones: four to five pages will be sufficient, although in some disciplines it will be appropriate to make one or more of these somewhat longer assignments. What matters most is that the instructor comment carefully on all aspects of each paper (not just on matters of content or on minor mechanical errors), that the student revise the paper with care, and that the instructor should again comment on the finished version of the paper."
Owing to the particular exigencies of such writing-intensive classes taught in a second language, we propose the following modifications for writing-intensive classes in both literature and culture and in grammar and composition:
Literature and Culture Classes

1. There should be three papers, between 3-5 pages with rewrites, on a topic relevant to the readings in class. Each version of each paper will receive a grade (six grades in total). The second version will be graded according to the thoroughness and quality of the improvements made. We suggest that instructors allocate 50% of the grade to each version. At least 50% of the final class grade should come from these assignments.
2. For literature and culture classes, content and competency in literary/cultural analysis should take precedence over grammar, although the latter must factor into the final grade. We suggest a 70%-30% grade breakdown for each paper. It is recommended that instructors keep the following criteria in mind when determining the grade for the rewritten version:
   • How well has the student incorporated and responded to the suggestions of the instructor?
   • Has the overall style improved, i.e., clarification of ambiguities, reorganization of ideas, etc.?
   • Have grammatical errors pointed out by the instructor been corrected?

Grammar and Composition Classes

1. There should be three papers, between 3-5 pages with rewrites, on various subjects (creative exercises, explications de texte, dissertations). Each version of each paper will receive a grade (six grades in total). The second version will be graded according to the thoroughness and quality of the improvements made. Suggest that instructors allocate 50% of the grade to each version. At least 50% of the final class grade should come from these assignments.
2. Each of the papers will be thoroughly revised, according to the instructor's comments. These comments will primarily deal with grammar and style. The instructor will again comment on the second version of the paper. It is recommended that instructors take the following criteria in mind when determining the final grade for the rewritten version:
   • How well has the student corrected the grammatical mistakes pointed out by the instructor in the first version?
   • Have awkward or ambiguous sentences, identified by the instructor, been rewritten?
   • Have structural or organizational problems been solved?

Policy on Independent Studies

1. Students may propose to do a semester of independent study when existing course offerings do not meet their academic needs.
2. The option for doing an independent study on literature exists only for students who have already completed 325 and 326 in French; two surveys in Spanish (330-333-334-335-336); 323 and 324 in Italian. For independent studies on translation or culture, the option exists only for students who have already completed 307, 308, and one other 300-level course with grades of B+ or better.
3. Credits for the independent study will apply to the minor or major. However, in no case will an independent study substitute for a required course for either the minor or the major. For a list of required courses, consult the Major Guidelines and the Minor Guidelines (available online).
4. Faculty members often do not have the time to commit to directing independent studies and the Department does not pressure faculty to undertake such assignments.
5. The student must first secure the provisional approval of both the faculty member conducting the independent study and the DUS.
6. Prior to the start of the semester the student must obtain the final approval of the faculty member directing the independent study and the DUS based on their review of a detailed syllabus of the proposed course (compiled by the student with the aid of the faculty member), including all readings and writing assignments. The workload for the course must resemble that of comparable courses at the same level.
7. The faculty member and the student must meet for at least one hour every other week during the semester to speak in the target language about the works studied.

November, 2003

Undergraduate Student Academic Integrity Policy

Effective learning, teaching and research all depend upon the ability of members of the academic community to trust one another and to trust the integrity of work that is submitted in classes for academic credit or conducted in the wider arena of scholarly research. When such an atmosphere of mutual trust exists, the free exchange of ideas is fostered, and all members of the community are able to work to achieve their highest potential. In all academic work, it is important that the ideas and contributions of others be appropriately acknowledged, and that work that is presented as original is in fact original. Ensuring the honesty and fairness of the intellectual environment at Washington University is a responsibility that is shared by faculty, students, and administrative staff.
This statement on academic integrity applies to all undergraduate students at Washington University. Graduate students are governed by policies in each graduate school or division. The purpose of the statement is to clarify the University’s expectations with regard to undergraduate students’ academic behavior and to provide specific examples of dishonest conduct. The examples are only illustrative, NOT exhaustive.
Students are expected to adhere to the highest standards of behavior, and the vast majority of Washington University students do so. Each year, however, a few students behave dishonestly. The following material describes the most common types of dishonest behavior.
It Is Dishonest and A Violation of Student Academic Integrity If You:
PLAGIARIZE
You commit plagiarism by taking someone else's ideas, words, or other types of work product and presenting them as your own. You can avoid plagiarism by using proper methods of documentation and acknowledgement.

• Enclose every quotation in quotation marks, and acknowledge its source.
• Cite the source of every summary, paraphrase, abstraction or adaptation of material originally prepared by another person, and any factual data that is not considered common knowledge. Include the name of author, title of work, publication information, and page reference.
• Acknowledge material obtained from lectures, interviews, or other oral communication by citing the source (name of the speaker, the occasion, the place, and the date).
• Cite material from the internet just as if it were from more traditionally published sources. Follow the citation style or requirements of your instructor.

CHEAT ON AN EXAMINATION
You must not receive or provide any unauthorized assistance on an examination.
During an examination you may use only materials authorized by the faculty.
COPY OR COLLABORATE ON ASSIGNMENTS WITHOUT PERMISSION
Unless the instructor explicitly states otherwise, it is dishonest to collaborate with others when completing graded assignments or tests, performing laboratory experiments, writing and/or documenting computer programs, writing papers or reports, and completing problem sets.

• Never use, copy or paraphrase the results of another person's work and represent them as your own, regardless of the circumstances.

When you submit work with your name on it, you are in effect stating the work is yours and only yours, unless you acknowledge in an endorsement all the help of persons who have contributed to the completion of the assignment.
If the instructor allows group work, you must be sure you understand the degree of acceptable collaboration.

• It is never appropriate to simply copy another’s work, or to permit another student to copy your work.
• If you have any questions regarding the instructor's definition of allowable behavior, it is your responsibility to ask for clarification prior to engaging in the collaboration.

It is dishonest to turn in work as a collaborative effort if you did not contribute your fair share of the effort.
FABRICATE OR FALSIFY DATA OR RECORDS
It is dishonest to fabricate or falsify data in laboratory experiments, research papers, reports or other circumstances; fabricate source material in a bibliography or “works cited” list; or provide false information on a resume or other document in connection with academic efforts. It is also dishonest to take data developed by someone else and present them as your own.
ENGAGE IN OTHER FORMS OF DECEIT OR DISHONESTY
Do not submit the same work for more than one course without explicitly obtaining permission from all instructors. When a paper or project builds on work completed earlier in your academic career, you must bring that fact to the attention of the instructor.
Do not request any academic benefit, including an extension of time, a better grade, or a recommendation, from an instructor when the request is based on false information or deception.
Do not make any changes (including adding material or erasing material) on any test paper, problem set, or class assignment being submitted for a re-grade.
Do not willfully damage the efforts or work product of other students.
Do not steal, deface, or damage academic facilities or materials.
Do not collaborate with other students planning or engaging in any form of academic misconduct.
Do not engage in any other form of academic misconduct not covered here (since no list is necessarily exhaustive). If you are ever in doubt, ask the professor or teaching assistant for guidance.
FACULTY RESPONSIBILITY
Faculty are strongly encouraged to report incidents of student academic misconduct to the academic integrity officer in their school or college, so that the incident may be handled in a consistent, fair manner, and so that substantiated charges of misconduct may be noted in students’ records.
STUDENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
If you are accused of an academic integrity violation by a professor, teaching/graduate assistant, or academic integrity officer, you are entitled to do the following:

• Review the written evidence in support of the charge
• Ask any questions you have
• Offer an explanation as to what occurred
• Present any material that would cast doubt on the correctness of the charge

After you are notified of a charge of academic misconduct, you have several options:

• You may deny the charges and request a hearing in front of the appropriate academic integrity panel.
• You may admit the charges and accept the imposition of sanctions.
• You may request a leave of absence from the University. However, the academic integrity matter will have to be resolved prior to your re-enrollment.
• You may request to withdraw permanently from the University with a transcript notation that there is an unresolved academic integrity matter pending.

You have the following responsibilities in resolving the charge of academic misconduct:

• You must admit or deny the charge. This will determine the course of action to be pursued.
• You must provide truthful information regarding the charges. It is a student judicial code violation to provide false information to the University or anyone acting on its behalf.

SANCTIONS
If, after a hearing, you are found to have acted dishonestly, or if you have admitted the charges prior to a hearing, the School academic integrity officer or hearing panel may do one or more of the following:

• Issue a formal written reprimand
• Impose educational sanctions, such as completing a workshop on plagiarism or academic ethics
• Recommend to the instructor that you fail the assignment
• Recommend to the instructor that you fail the course
• Recommend to the instructor that you receive a course grade penalty less severe than failure of the course
• Place you on "Disciplinary Probation" for a definite period of time, or until defined conditions are met. The probation will be noted on your transcript and internal record while it is in force.
• In cases serious enough to warrant suspension or expulsion from the University, refer the matter to the University Judicial Board for consideration

Withdrawing from the course will not prevent the academic integrity officer or hearing panel from imposing or recommending sanctions, including a failing grade in the course.
If the charges of academic misconduct are not proven, you may withdraw from the course in question without prejudice. Whether you complete the course or not, no record of the allegation will appear on your transcript or in your student file.
APPEALS
If you believe you did not receive a fair hearing from the academic integrity officer or the hearing panel, or if you believe the sanction imposed for misconduct is excessive, you may appeal to the University Judicial Board within fourteen days of the original decision. Appeals are governed by Section VII. C. of the University Student Judicial Code.
REPORTING MISCONDUCT BY OTHERS
If you observe other students violating this policy, you are strongly urged to confront the student(s), report the misconduct to the instructor, and/or seek advice from the academic integrity officer in the school in which the misconduct is occurring.
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES
Individual undergraduate Colleges and Schools are free to design specific procedures to resolve allegations of academic misconduct by students in courses offered by that school, so long as the procedures comply with this policy and with the University Student Judicial Code.
ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD-KEEPING RESPONSIBILITIES
It is the responsibility of the academic integrity officer in each school to keep accurate, confidential records concerning academic integrity violations. When a student has been found to have acted dishonestly, a letter summarizing the allegation, the outcome, and the sanction shall be placed in the student’s official file in the office of the School or College in which the student is enrolled.
Each school’s academic integrity officer shall make a report of the outcome of every formal accusation of student academic misconduct to the Director of University Judicial Programs, who shall maintain a record of each incident. When a student is formally accused of academic misconduct and a hearing is to be held by an academic integrity officer, a hearing panel, or the University Judicial Board, the person in charge of administering the hearing shall query the Director of Judicial Programs about the student(s) accused of misconduct. The Director shall provide any information in his/her records concerning that student to the integrity officer. Such information is to be used ONLY in determining sanctions if the student is found to have acted dishonestly in the present case. Evidence of past misconduct may not be used to resolve the issue of whether a student has acted dishonestly in a subsequent case.
School and College academic integrity officers are encouraged to make periodic (at least annual) reports to the students and faculty within the school concerning accusations of academic misconduct and the outcomes, without disclosing specific information that would allow identification of the students involved.

Information for Faculty Who Suspect Dishonest Academic Conduct by a Student

If you believe that a student has cheated on an exam, plagiarized all or a portion of a paper, collaborated inappropriately on an assignment, changed exam answers and asked for additional credit, or otherwise behaved in a dishonest manner, we ask that you bring the matter to our attention in the Dean’s Office. We have a Committee on Academic Integrity, made up of two members of the faculty and two undergraduate students, which convenes to consider charges of academic dishonesty made against students. Placing cases before the Committee removes you from the role of sole decision-maker, ensures some measure of fairness and consistency across departmental lines, and allows us to document incidents of dishonesty in a central location so that repeat offenders are detected and treated appropriately.
The Committee hears these "cases" within 30 days of receiving the formal charge from the faculty member, and treats each accusation with the utmost seriousness and care. Penalties for academic dishonesty are usually failure of the assignment in question, or failure of the course. Especially serious or repeated cases are referred to a university-wide Judicial Board that has the power to suspend or expel undergraduates from the university.
If your case arises at the end of the semester, please enter an "N" for the student’s grade.
To proceed before the Committee on Academic Integrity, I will need from you:

• A summary (in letter or memo form) of why you believe the student has behaved dishonestly
• Evidence for your belief - e.g. the source(s) from which material was plagiarized; names of eyewitnesses to exam cheating; other students’ papers which are too similar; copies of original vs. re-submitted exam papers; etc. (Technical help is available in Art Sci Computing and the Teaching Center with finding the plagiarized sources from the internet.)
• A copy of the assignment, if it is not on the syllabus
• A copy of the course syllabus, which includes any instruction you provide about academic integrity and the consequences of dishonest behavior

All of this material will be given to the accused student(s), to aid in preparation for the hearing, and it will be circulated to the Committee before the hearing, along with any written statement the student wishes to furnish.
The hearing itself will be conducted in the following manner:

• The instructor will be asked to highlight the reasons why the situation was brought forward
• The committee may pose questions to the instructor
• The student will be asked to give his/her side of the story
• The committee may pose questions to the student
• Follow-up questions may be posed to either the instructor or the student by the Committee
• The instructor and student are free to leave; the Committee stays and decides whether the student behaved in a manner that breaches the standards of academic integrity, and " if so " decides what sanction should be imposed
• The result is communicated to Dean McLeod who writes the formal letter to the student (you will receive a copy and then you will enter the appropriate grade)

I am happy to answer questions at any stage of the process.
Dirk M. Killen, Assistant Dean and Academic Integrity Officer for the College
dkillen@artsci.wustl.edu, 935-6066