Obtaining Information on Academic Policies

The various schools and colleges of the University have different academic policies and procedures, so it is important to be aware of what differences exist. What an instructor also needs to keep in mind is that policies that apply to a given student are determined by that student's unit, not by the school or college in which the course is offered.

Policies for the College of LS&A

There are several sources to which teaching assistants can turn for information on academic policies and procedures. These sources are indicated in the sections that follow.

Handbook for Faculty and Instructional Staff

The Office of Student Academic Affairs (764-7297), located at 1255 Angell Hall, distributes a Handbook for Faculty and Instructional Staff [1], which outlines instructional policies and procedures within the College. The information contained in the Handbook comes from the Faculty Code, the governing document created by the LS&A faculty. The Handbook covers policies regarding examinations, grading, incompletes, etc. and explains the various forms used by instructors. The Handbook concludes with a list of offices to which an instructor might need to refer.

Reference Manual for Department/Program Advising Staff

This is a comprehensive source of information on academic policies and procedures affecting students. The booklet is prepared for use by academic counselors, so copies are not circulated in general. Copies of the Reference Manual are available at the Newnan LSA Academic Advising Center (764-0332).

University of Michigan Bulletin

The University of Michigan Bulletin is published separately for the various schools and colleges. Each Bulletin contains a section on Academic Policies and Procedures. The LS&A Bulletin includes much of the same information found in the Handbook for Instructional Staff but is written for the benefit of students enrolled in the College rather than for the instructional staff.

Newnan LSA Academic Advising Center

This information center for the College of LS&A is available for quick answers to questions regarding academic policies and procedures. Individuals can call 764-0332 reach a resource person at this center.

Policies of Other Schools and Colleges

Each school and college has established procedures regarding the granting of credit, the assignment of grades, the fixing of degree requirements, and counseling. Each unit has similarly established procedures for handling disciplinary matters, grievances involving grades, and adjudication of differences between arbitrative bodies, members of the faculty and students. The Bulletin of each school or college describes the policies pertinent to that particular unit. The administrative heads of the schools and colleges also undertake to keep the members of their faculties and student bodies informed of regulations in force and of means available for their interpretation.

Please also see “Academic Integrity in the Classroom” [2] for links to honor codes and academic integrity policies of U-M’s schools and colleges.

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