Tusculum University Technical Support Contact Information

Technical support for common Tusculum University systems, including e-mail passwords, is available from the Information Systems Help Desk.  The help desk may be contacted via email at TDIS@tusculum.edu or via phone at 423-636-7346.

Canvas Technical Support Content Information

Student technical support for the Canvas learning management system is available at
https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-10554-how-do-i-get-help-with-canvas-as-a-student or via phone at 844-358-6881.

Tusculum University Accessibility Information

Tusculum University makes available to qualified students with disabilities those reasonable accommodations or services as are necessary to provide such students with unrestricted access to the learning environment and the opportunity to demonstrate academic achievement.  In order to procure services or classroom accommodations, the qualified student is responsible for self-identifying and applying for accommodations. Visit https://site.tusculum.edu/student-affairs/health/ada/ for information about how to apply. Contact information: ADA Services, adaservices@tusculum.edu

Academic Support Services

Free tutoring services are provided by Tusculum University for both traditional and adult online (AOS) students. Tutoring will be provided on a drop-in basis on Monday-Friday from 9am-5pm and 7pm-9pm at the Center for Academic Success and Tutoring, located on the ground floor of the Meen Center on the Greeneville campus. Virtual and in-person appointments can be booked by emailing the Tutoring Coordinator at tutoring@tusculum.edu.

Tusculum University Statement on Veterans’ Services

Information on veterans-related support is available at https://web.tusculum.edu/veterans/.  For additional information on veteran support services, contact Shayne Cowden, Associate Registrar, Virginia Hall G07, tel. 423-636-7300 x5708, or veterans@tusculum.edu.

Tusculum University Communication Policy

All students are responsible for checking their personal Tusculum University email account each day, as it is the university’s official communication tool.

Tusculum University Statement on Title IX

Tusculum University is committed to providing a safe learning environment that is free of all forms of sex and gender-based discrimination and harassment, including sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and stalking. If you or someone you know has experienced any form of sexual misconduct, you are strongly encouraged to contact the Title IX Coordinator, Mikaela Cooney, by phone at (423) 636-7300, Ext. 5259, in person (Garland Library 123), or email mcooney@tusculum.edu. Please note that all Tusculum University employees are considered “responsible employees,” meaning actual knowledge of any situation involving sex or gender-based discrimination must be reported to the Title IX Coordinator. If you wish to speak with someone confidentially, contact campus counselors at counseling@tusculum.edu. For more information regarding Title IX policy and procedures, please visit https://site.tusculum.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Tusculum-University-Title-IX-Policy-and-Procedures.pdf. 

Tusculum University Fair Use Policy

Copying and recording synchronous classes (including video conferences) or asynchronous course materials without the express prior written approval of the professor is prohibited. All copies and recordings remain the property of Tusculum University and the professor.  These policies are not intended to supersede the rights of students with disabilities under applicable law, TU policies, or other intellectual property law.

Tusculum University Inclement Weather Policy

When Tusculum University classes are cancelled due to inclement weather, students will receive direction on how to complete scheduled and assigned activities on the course Canvas site.  In the case of inclement weather and the University is not closed, students and faculty are to exercise good judgment concerning personal safety related to traveling.  If the University does not close and students miss class, they are responsible for contacting the course instructor prior to the class. Tusculum University will post information regarding closings or changes in the schedule on the home page of the university website, as well as to the Tusculum Facebook page and the Twitter feed. All students are encouraged to sign up for the Pioneer Alert system by following the instructions at https://www3.tusculum.edu/pr/inclement-weather-policy/pioneer-alert-account-updates/

Minimum Technology Requirements

To ensure consistency across our student body, the following describes the minimum technology requirements for students of the Tusculum University:

At a minimum, all students must have:
1. Access to a fully functioning, up-to-date laptop or desktop computer (i.e. not a Chromebook or similar device) on which they have administrative permission to download software,
2.  Access to a reliable, high-speed Internet connection, and an up-to-date web-browser
3.  Access to the (most recent edition of) Microsoft Office suite of programs including MS Word, MS Excel, and MS PowerPoint, and
4.  The ability to create, edit, upload, and download documents via email and Canvas.

Please note that additional software requirements may be required by specific Colleges or courses and are in addition to the above-mentioned minimum requirements.

Canvas Accessibility and Privacy Policies

Canvas Accessibility Statement:

Link to accessibility statement for the Canvas learning management system.

Canvas Privacy Policy:

Link to privacy statement for the Canvas learning management system

Tusculum University Academic Misconduct Policy

Academic misconduct includes all acts of dishonesty in any academically related matter and any knowing or intentional help or attempt to help another student commit an act of academic dishonesty. The University takes all reported incidences of academic misconduct seriously and seeks to ensure that they are dealt with efficiently and appropriately.

Plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty. It consists of knowingly presenting in writing or in speech the intellectual or creative work of others as if it were one’s own. This includes:

• Failing to identify direct or word-for-word quotations by use of appropriate symbols and reference to the source.
• Restating in your own words the work (ideas, conclusions, words) of another without reference to the source.
• Presenting as your own the creative work (for instance, music or photographs) of another without proper acknowledgment.

Besides plagiarism, other forms of academic dishonesty include but are not limited to:

• Submitting the same work in two or more courses without significant modifications or expansion and without the approval of the instructors involved.
• Submitting purchased, borrowed, copied or specially commissioned work as if it were one’s own.
• Knowingly permitting others to submit your work under their names.
• Copying the work of others during an examination or other academic exercise.
• Knowingly allowing others to copy your work during an examination or other academic exercise.
• Using “cheat sheets” or any other unauthorized form of assistance during an exam, quiz or other academic exercise.
• Manipulating or fabricating data to support erroneous conclusions.
• Allowing the use of another student’s identification or log in credentials to complete an academic requirement, including Arts and Lecture Events.

NOTE: AUTHORIZED HELP is encouraged and includes:

• Attendance at help sessions.
• Tutoring received with your instructor’s knowledge (responsible tutoring does not provide answers to specific assignments but focuses on general principles, concepts, rules and information, as well as on skills development).
• Work with Academic Resource Center and Tutoring Center staff done with the knowledge of your instructor.

The effect of cheating within a community is to destroy the environment of honesty and trust on which the community depends. A dishonest performance diminishes the achievement of those who have worked hard and demonstrated real mastery of a subject. For this reason, you are encouraged to confront peers who violate the standard of honesty by any form of cheating or plagiarism and, if necessary, to report their behavior to an appropriate authority (instructor, director or authorized university agency or body). No one but you can know if you should take the kind of action just described.

Online Etiquette

It is important to build a class climate that is welcoming and safe for everyone. Please display respect for everyone in the class. You should avoid racist, sexist, homophobic, or other negative language that may exclude members of our campus and classroom community.

• Humor and sarcasm do not translate very well when using email or online discussions. Be careful. Instructors will delete any posting considered inappropriate.
• Keep in mind that there are real, live human beings with feelings on the other end of your emails or discussion postings. Remember that your words are written in an email or discussion posting — you cannot take them back.
• Avoid offensive language – especially comments that might be construed as racist or sexist.
• Remember that the law still applies in cyberspace. Do not commit illegal acts online, such as libeling or slandering others, and do not joke about committing illegal acts.
• Do not post a message more than once.
• Generally speaking, avoid putting words into full capitals. Online, all-caps is considered SHOUTING.
• If you are following up a previous message or posting, summarize that message or posting. Read existing follow-up postings and do not repeat what has already been said.
• Reveal only information that you are comfortable sharing.

Undergraduate Grading Scale

Tusculum University uses the following grading scale as the University standard for undergraduate courses, unless another scale is adopted by a program and posted in the syllabus.

Minimum Grade Policy for a Course to Count Toward a Major or Minor

Grades below ‘C-’ earned in the student’s major and minor will satisfy the course prerequisites requirement; however, grades below ‘C-’ cannot be counted in the total number of hours required in the major and minor.”  In some majors, such as Nursing, the minimum acceptable grade is a “C” for some courses.

Grade and Academic Misconduct Appeals:

•  Academic Misconduct: https://catalog.tusculum.edu/content.php?catoid=5&navoid=655
•  Grade Appeals: https://catalog.tusculum.edu/content.php?catoid=5&navoid=736

Other Undergraduate Academic Policies:

•  Undergraduate: https://catalog.tusculum.edu/content.php?catoid=5&navoid=601

Other Graduate Academic Policies:

•  Graduate: https://catalog.tusculum.edu/content.php?catoid=5&navoid=603

Final Exam Week Policy:

Tusculum University’s full-semester courses include a final exam week. During the final exam week, students are required to be available for any form of final assessment (e.g. exams, papers, presentations) planned by the instructor according to the Tusculum University Final Exam Schedule and listed in the syllabus. Missing any planned final assessment during final exam week without prior written approval by the course instructor will result in a zero for the assessment. Travel, family, or other plans that conflict with the planned day/time of the final assessment are not acceptable excuses for missing a final assessment or for requesting a change of schedule. Instructors are under no obligation to accommodate a request for a change of day/time for the final assessment; an exception to this policy made by one instructor has no bearing on the decision of another instructor.

Instructor Recordings of Class Sessions:

The instructor may record portions of this class for educational purposes. The recordings will be shared only with students enrolled in the course and will be deleted at the conclusion of the course. Students may not reproduce, post, or distribute any recordings provided by the instructor on any social media (e.g., YouTube, Facebook, etc.), or other public or private forum that would infringe on the privacy rights of others represented in the recording. Public distribution of such materials may constitute copyright infringement in violation of federal or state law or University policy. Violation of this policy may subject a student to disciplinary action under Tusculum’s Student Code of Conduct.

Student Recording of Class Sessions:

Tusculum University prohibits recording and transmission of activities (e.g., lectures, discussions) that occur as part of a classroom session by a student unless permission from the course instructor has been obtained, and all students in the course, as well as any guest speakers, have been informed that audio/video recording may occur.  A recording is defined as a video or audio replication or photographic image recorded on devices, including, but not limited to, audio recorders, video recorders, cellular phones, digital cameras, MP3 players, computers, tablets, and other handheld devices that record images and/or sound.  The only exception is when the ADA Coordinator has authorized recording as an academic accommodation for a qualified student with a disability, and the student has provided proof of that authorization to the instructor.  If a student is given the authorization to record any portion of a classroom session, that student understands that the recording is for the sole use of the individual student and may not be reproduced, sold, posted online, or otherwise distributed. A student does not have permission to reproduce or post the information on any social media (e.g., YouTube, Facebook, etc.), or other public or private forum that would infringe on the privacy rights of others represented in the recording.  Public distribution of such materials may constitute copyright infringement in violation of federal or state law or University policy. Violation of this policy may subject a student to disciplinary action under Tusculum’s Student Code of Conduct.

HyFlex Class Attendance/Participation:

 Students with a GPA of 2.0 or less who are enrolled in HyFlex classes are expected to attend class at least once a week, per policy in the university catalog. Students who fail to attend class at least once a week may receive no credit for attendance/participation that week, even if they participate remotely (whether synchronous or asynchronous) and/or submit participation-based work electronically.

The Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence:

 As artificial intelligence becomes more prevalent in our daily lives, it is crucial for students to understand the ethical considerations surrounding its use in academic settings. Students are expected to use AI in a manner which upholds the values of academic integrity. In general, the use of AI should never compromise development in critical thinking, research, and analysis. Along that line, the use of AI to generate content, manipulate the tone of work, create data, or summarize/shorten an author’s work for quicker consumption is considered academic misconduct and strictly prohibited.
Please note that any unethical use of AI in this course will be considered academic misconduct and may result in disciplinary action. Students should consult their instructor and the course syllabus regarding acceptable vs. unethical uses of artificial intelligence in each course. Students are responsible for ensuring that their use of AI is in compliance with their instructors’ and the university’s policies on academic misconduct.

Guidelines for Early Departure or Request for Change in Course Delivery Method:

Approvals for early departures from campus and/or requests for a long-term or permanent (remainder of the semester) change in course/assessment delivery method must be granted first by the dean of college that houses the student’s declared major.

Such approvals will only be granted if the student documents extenuating circumstances necessitating the early departure and/or change in delivery method.

If the dean does not approve the student’s request:
The dean will notify the student and the student’s instructors of the decision to deny the request
Instructors will continue to deliver course content and assessments for that student in the manner stated in the course syllabus

If the dean approves the student’s request:
The dean will communicate the decision to each of the student’s current instructors and ask each instructor whether they are willing and able to accommodate the request
Each instructor will make an independent decision considering all factors, including the nature of the course content and assessments, their plans for content and assessment delivery, and the student’s academic standing in the course.
Instructors will communicate their decisions directly to the dean.
The dean will communicate to the student which instructors can/will accommodate the student’s request.

The dean and instructors are encouraged to make and communicate their decisions as soon as possible.