Start of Term Information

(quick answers to important questions)

The Faculty Office

• Ext. 790 for Janice Mahoney, Marie Castellana or Shari Maguire
• Have general office supplies on hand (paper, pens, staples, etc.)
• Provides secretarial support and general assistance
• Handles the bookings of all classrooms, tracking of final grades
• Provides final exam books, looseleaf paper, etc.

Computer Support and Audio/Visual Needs

• The University Help Desk at Ext. 500 provides computer and technical support and handles the booking of all audio/visual equipment. (Each classroom is equipped with an OHP and screen but not all rooms have VCR, DVD, Multi-media projectors. If not, these should be arranged with the Helpdesk.)

Course information

• You are required to provide each of your students with a course outline which includes the mark breakdown and requirements for the course. Please see our policy on course outlines available from Lisa Murray or off the Arts Webpages under “Internal Forms.”
• Please notify students of the voluntary withdrawal (vw) date which is noted in each year’s registration guide.
• This year the Fall vw date for First term courses is October 26 ^th
• Second term or Winter vw date is March 3 ^rd
• Students are not allowed to withdraw after this deadline unless they have special circumstances (illness, death in family, domestic affliction, etc.) and supporting documentation may be requested.
• Please ensure that mid-term test results are back to students before the vw date so that they have the opportunity to withdraw in time
• Final grades in the regular session are due 7 days after the last day of class or final exam. Spring and summer grades are due within 5 days of the conclusion of class.

Vacation/Absences from Campus

• see Article 5.2, pg. 25 of C.A.
• Must notify Dean’s Office and Faculty Office of any leave for more than five working days and it is most helpful to know of shorter absences as well.
• Human Resources will request a medical certificate for illnesses that result in more than five (5) days absence. (see CA 20.17.1, pg. 54)

Professional Development

• contact person is Janice Mahoney, Arts Faculty Office, ext. 790
• See Appendix F7, pg. 103 of the BUFA Collective Agreement (C.A.).
• $800 for travel and $800 for books, equipment, etc. for full-time members. Some funds are available for sessional instructors as well. Please contact Jan Mahoney or Scott Grills for details.
• funds can be carried forward for 2 years

Campus Security

• BU has minimal security in the evenings and weekends only. They can be reached at ext. 700 or call police directly at 9-911
• In the daytime call direct to police.

Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA)

• As a public body, Brandon University is required to comply with FIPPA of the Province of Manitoba. This Act requires that
• our records be organized and documented;
• that we are prepared to respond to requests for information under the Act and
• that information collected is not misused.
• Collection and use of personal information can be done upon the prior consent of the person the information is about, or if the information is absolutely necessary for doing your work. If you collect personal information for a longer period than actually needed, description of these records (not the content) should be reported to Scott Lamont, VP Registration & Finance, who also serves as the BU FIPPA Officer. The information will be added to the BU FIPPA Directory of Records.
• If you need to contact any of your students without having their prior consent to do so, please ask the secretaries in the Faculty of Arts Office to contact them with your message.
• Midterm/Final Grades can be posted in public ONLY for bigger classes (so that the identity of individual students is not revealed) and ONLY showing the student numbers (no student names). You can post grades of “small classes” ONLY if you get consent of all students to do so. Please take other measures if necessary to ensure the confidentiality of grades. Perhaps scramble the list of student numbers so that it is no longer alphabetical, or cut off the first 2 digits which identify the student’s year of application. (A 40 year-old student may have an 83???? student number that will clearly identify them to their classmates.)
• Please do not leave assignments and papers for pick up for anyone in the hallway. If necessary, leave them with the secretaries in the Arts office.

New Academic Dishonesty Policy and Grade Appeal Procedures

Brandon University has recently established new policies and procedures with regard to student academic dishonesty and grade/performance appeals. This new information can be found in sections 4.2.2, 4.2.10 and 4.2.11 of the General Calendar or on the BU website (www.brandonu.ca) under Senate Policies.