Special Considerations

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

In the current unique conditions of social distancing, self-isolation, and lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the campus has specified several considerations for professors and students. This page provides information on the ways in which this quarter's class will be conducted differently from usual.

Computer Access

Because you will not have access to lab computers on campus, you will need regular access to a computer on which you can install necessary software. If you do not have such access, please apply to obtain the loan of a computer from UCI's Student Laptop Loan Program.

Online Class Sessions

There will be no in-person meetings. Class sessions will be held at the regularly scheduled times, Tuesdays and Thursdays 11:00 am to 12:20 pm, via Zoom Links to an external site. video conferencing, provided by UCI. To learn more about how to use Zoom for attending class sessions and conferring with faculty, teaching assistants and fellow students, visit the Software page. A link for joining the Zoom conference for each class session will be sent to you by email, and will be available via Canvas Announcements, prior to each class meeting.

Office Hours

Online Discussions via Canvas will be the primary mode of conversation outside of class time. Because in-person office hours will be impossible, you can address questions to the professor and teaching assistants and fellow students via Discussions. The professor and TAs will also hold ad hoc office hours via Zoom, during which they'll be programming online and you're welcome to join them and work side-by-side; the timings of those sessions will be announced in class and/or by email and Announcements. You're expected to make liberal use of Canvas Discussions, and to attend office hour sessions whenever you're able.

Attendance

Despite the fact that all class sessions will be online-only via Zoom, regular attendance is still expected. The attendance policy is stated in the Syllabus. Students are expected to be in the Zoom conference just as they would be in the classroom. Logging into the conference but being obviously inattentive to the class session will be counted as absence.

If you are obliged to attend the class from Asia, and feel that attending class is an undue burden to you because of the time zone difference, please contact the professor to request special consideration.

If you are unable to attend a class session because of illness or personal emergency, and you wish to be exceptionally excused from a class session (i.e., have your absence considered "excused"), you should provide a statement from a medical or emergency professional attesting to your inability to attend that session. If an illness prevents you from attending multiple class sessions, you should, of course, discuss your situation with the professor.

Pass/Not-Pass Grading

As an exception in spring quarter 2020, any student may take this course for a P/NP (Pass/Not-Pass) grade rather than a letter grade, even if the course is being used to fulfill a degree requirement. The choice is up to the student. Students will be able to change from the letter-grade option to P/NP through the end of the 10th week. P/NP courses taken during spring quarter 2020 will not count toward the 12-unit overall cap on such courses. Students on academic probation may enroll in a course as P/NP during spring quarter 2020. Note that performance at the level deserving of a grade of C or better is necessary to receive a grade of P.

Software

A free six-month academic license for the Max programming environment has been generously provided by Cycling '74 Links to an external site. to extend UCI's existing site license. Details will be provided in class. Thanks to Cycling '74 president David Zicarelli and the gang for their thoughtfulness!

This page was last modified March 31, 2020 by
Christopher Dobrian, dobrian@uci.edu