Syllabus Guidelines for Faculty

Below are some helpful resources you can use to build your course syllabus:

UMaine Syllabus Template

UMaine Syllabus Manual

Required Syllabus Statements

There are five policy statements required for every syllabus at the University of Maine:

All of the required administrative policy statements (academic integrity, mandatory reporting, etc.) should either appear on the instructor’s syllabus or be shared with students via the link to the Required Syllabus Statements page. The goal of administration and faculty is to ensure that students are aware of and have access to the statements electronically or in hard copy.

For the Sexual Discrimination Reporting, one of the two versions below must be present in the syllabus.

Additional Information (Optional Syllabus Statements)

CITL’s suggested language to promote compassion and belonging in the classroom can be found below.

Non-Sexist Language Policy

Faculty may also find it helpful to include a statement about classroom civility. Depending upon your course content, you may also wish to include a statement about inclusive or non-sexist language. 

The University of Maine’s non-sexist language policy may be viewed here.

Land Acknowledgement

Faculty may wish to include the land acknowledgement in their syllabus. This language can be found here.

Names and Pronouns

Many people might go by names and pronouns in our daily lives that are different from our legal designators (e.g., members of various ethnic groups, international students, trans* people, and others). In this classroom, we honor inclusivity by referring to one another by the names and pronouns each of us chooses for ourselves. Class rosters may not always reflect students’ chosen names and gender
identifications. I want to make sure we are able to address you by the name and/or pronouns you use. At the beginning of the semester, we will introduce ourselves, including, if desired, sharing our chosen names and pronouns, including how they sound when said out loud. If you would rather protect this information, please let me know. Additionally, chosen names and personal pronouns may evolve over time, so if at any point during the semester you would like to be addressed differently, please let me
know. In our classrooms, mistakes in addressing one another may happen. If a mistake is made, let’s briefly apologize and correct ourselves. To learn more about personal pronouns and why they are important, visit mypronouns.org. More information about University policies on name usage, including
guidance on updating your name and pronouns, can be found on the University of Maine Student Records page.

Students Wishing to Retain Personal Copies of Course Submissions

Faculty may wish to add the following to their syllabus to advise student to make sure that they retain copies of their work outside of the Brightspace course shell:

If you wish to retain a personal copy of material you submitted through Brightspace, please do so before the end of the semester. You will not have access to a course’s Brightspace site after you complete the course. You can store copies of material you wish to retain on Google Drive, your hard drive, or other media of your choosing. Other materials posted by your faculty may be found at the library.

UMaine Writing Center Syllabus Language

The UMaine Writing Center offers tutors and other useful services for students. They have developed some adaptable syllabus language for faculty to include in their syllabus. This will explain their services and how students can register or visit them.

The University of Maine Writing Center syllabus language may be viewed here.

Classroom Interactions

This class is premised on the belief that we all work together to promote an inclusive learning environment for all and that the use of gross generalizations, stereotypes, and derogatory/oppressive language are not conducive to inclusivity. Elevating practices of supportive communication and learning from one another, we commit to naming instances of using derogatory and/or oppressive communication in our shared classroom (including by the instructor or directed toward them). If oppressive communication is called out, we will stop, listen with empathy and expand the learning opportunity for everyone. You may not agree with the views expressed by others (and you shouldn’t), but we must all agree to make space for difference. Listening to the perspectives of others creates greater understanding of the diversity of experiences, knowledge, and ways of being in society.

Compassion Statement

Given the realities of our dynamic world, this course is
designed with flexibility in mind. To continue protecting our health and wellness, we will
adhere to the University of Maine’s COVID-19 guidance, which is regularly updated. I
will check in with you regularly to reflect on circumstances in your life and their impact
on your learning. Because we cannot predict all eventualities, it is imperative we
communicate with openness, so that we can adapt if/as needed.
If something affects you and/or your learning in class (e.g., visible and invisible
disabilities, personal challenges, class design), please let me know as soon as possible
so that we can discuss and design strategies for inclusion and success together. Listed
below are some commonly used student success resources on campus. If you don’t see
a resource that fits your needs or if you are uncertain about how to seek support, please
contact me and we can discuss options and outreach.
Academic Support Resources
● Student Accessibility Services
● Tutoring
● Writing Center
● Fogler Library
● Health and Wellness Resources
● Counseling Center
● Mind Spa
● Cutler
● Campus Community and Diversity Resources
● Multicultural Center
● Wilson Center

Compassion statement abridged version

Life is complicated. If something affects you and/or your learning in class (e.g., visible and invisible disabilities, personal challenges, class design), please let us know as soon as possible so that we can
discuss and design strategies for inclusion and success together. Listed below are some commonly used student success resources on campus. If you don’t see a resource that fits your needs or if you are uncertain about how to seek support, please contact me and we can discuss options and outreach.
Academic Support Resources
● Student Accessibility Services
● Tutoring
● Writing Center
● Fogler Library
● Health and Wellness Resources
● Counseling Center
● Mind Spa
● Cutler
● Campus Community and Diversity Resources
● Multicultural Center
● Wilson Center

Resources Related to the 2024 Election

Short Version

Are you registered to vote? And do you have a plan to vote on Tuesday, Nov. 5th, 2024? 

This semester coincides with the 2024 presidential election (and in Maine, a number of important federal, state, and local races, as well as referendum questions). Students attending college may register at their campus address, or choose to remain registered or register at their permanent or home address. To register online here in Maine, simply go to https://registertovote.sos.maine.gov/. For information about registering in other states, head to https://campusvoteproject.org/ 

UMaine UVote is your nonpartisan, on-campus resource for all things voting and election-related. It’s easy to get registered, educate yourself to make an informed choice, and get all the info you need about election day at: https://umaine.edu/studentlife/uvote/. 

Long Version

Are you registered to vote? And do you have a plan to vote on Tuesday, Nov. 5th, 2024? 

This semester coincides with the 2024 presidential election (and in Maine, a number of important federal, state, and local races, as well as referendum questions).

The perspectives of new voters are critically important in these races. Our democracy needs your voice and participating in the elections can be empowering and fun! The first step is getting registered. It’s easy and we’re here to help. 

UMaine UVote is your nonpartisan, on-campus resource for all things voting and election-related. Get registered, educate yourself to make an informed choice, and get all the info you need about election day at: https://umaine.edu/studentlife/uvote/ (QR code below). You can now even register to vote online in Maine at: https://registertovote.sos.maine.gov/ (QR code below). For information about registering in other states, head to https://campusvoteproject.org/ 

If you have questions about registering to vote or want to be a participant in the campus wide effort to turn out our students this election year, contact Professor Rob Glover  (robert.glover@maine.edu) in the Political Science department or Colleen Frazier (colleen.frazier@maine.edu) who directs UMaine UVote in Student Life. 

UMaine UVote   Register to Vote Online in Maine

Note: If you’re living on-campus or locally while attending UMaine, you are eligible to register and vote locally as well (so long as you will be 18 by election day and are a U.S. citizen). Whether you choose to vote locally or absentee in your hometown, UMaine UVote can help you make sense of the process. And while we encourage you to register in advance, Maine has same-day voter registration, meaning that any eligible voter can get registered at the polls on election day. 

If you wish to have a statement relating to COVID-19 in your syllabus, we recommend the following:

To keep our campus safe, students are expected to comply with all University policies related to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the latest guidance, please visit https://umaine.edu/return or https://www.maine.edu/together/community-guidance/students/