Arrival and Departure
Attendance/Absenteeism
In-Class Behavior
Student Attire
Academic Integrity
Principles for Computer Use and Network Systems
Academic Freedom and Non-Attribution

Arrival and Departure

Students must arrive on time or risk losing their reservation to a walk-in student. Specific information such as course dates, hours, and class location are provided in the welcome letter or e-mail sent to each student before a class begins. Traveling students must make their departure arrangements to ensure attendance through scheduled class graduation.

Attendance/Absenteeism

• Whenever possible, the student shall request permission from the instructor in advance of the absences, which must be for valid reasons such as illness or family emergencies. Routine work requirements are not considered a valid excuse.
• Cumulative absences that exceed five percent of instructional time may be grounds for disenrollment, e.g., for a 40-hour course, students are expected to participate in at least 38 hours. Under extenuating circumstances the student may request an exception to the disenrollment policy. The faculty member will forward the request and justification and their recommendation to the Regional Associate Dean for Academics for a decision.
• Some courses require students who receive permission to miss periods of class time to complete supplemental work before receiving a graduation certificate. If a student does not complete the prescribed make-up, no credit will be given for any part of the course, i.e., no completion certificate will be issued.
• When a weather-related absence affects significant segments of the course, the instructor, in coordination with the Regional Associate Dean for Academics, and/or other appropriate DAU staff will determine the appropriate course of action which can range from make-up work to rescheduling of the offering.
• Early plane reservations that require departure before course graduation are not considered a valid reason to miss class.
• In the rare case where an absence is excused, civilian students are responsible for reporting leave taken during a course offering to their employing organization. Military students shall document their leave with the appropriate military personnel office.
• Some courses have required activities that if missed will lead to disenrollment. For these courses, the instructor will advise the students accordingly in advance.

In-Class Behavior

• Being attentive and participating in all class activities. Instructors will be sympathetic and supportive of students who use moderate methods to maintain alertness or relieve physical discomfort, such as non-alcoholic drinks, snacks, or standing at the rear of the room.
• Abiding by professional standards and courtesy when interacting with faculty, guests, and other students.
• Arriving on time, returning promptly from breaks, and staying until the class day ends.
• Being respectful of the facilities and leaving the student areas in the same condition they were in upon arrival.
• Ensuring cell phones, blackberries and other communicative or electronic devices not used in support of the instruction are either turned off, set to silent or set to vibrate only.

Student Attire

Unless otherwise noted in the welcome letter or e-mail, civilian and military students are authorized to wear business casual attire: dress slacks, collared shirts, dress shoes/loafers and the equivalent attire for women. Shorts; flip flops; strapless, excessively short or sheer garments; exposed mid-drift; jeans; and athletic wear of any kind are examples of inappropriate attire. The instructor may specify in advance exceptions to the above in support of a specific class event. Appropriate cleanliness and grooming is expected of all students. Additionally, students are requested to be cognizant that the heavy use of colognes and perfumes can be a distracter in class and cause allergic reactions in other students. In the case of DAU courses conducted at customer sites, alternative attire, consistent with local command or organization standards, may prevail.

Academic Integrity

Absolute integrity is expected of every DAU student in all academic undertakings. Integrity entails a firm adherence to a set of values, and the values most essential to an academic community are grounded on the concept of honesty with respect to the intellectual efforts of oneself and others. Academic integrity is expected not only in formal coursework situations, but in all university relationships and interactions connected to the educational process, including the use of university resources.

• A DAU student's submission of work for academic credit indicates that the work is the student's own. All outside assistance and citations should be acknowledged, and the student's academic position truthfully reported at all times. In addition, DAU students have a right to expect academic integrity from each of their peers. Students shall not:
  • Misrepresent their work.
  • Fraudulently or unfairly advance their academic position.
  • Be a party to another student's failure to maintain academic integrity.
  • Violate the principle of academic integrity in any other manner.
• The following actions are examples of activities that violate the Student Academic Policy and subject their participants to actions under this policy (this is not a comprehensive list):
  • Knowingly representing the work of others (from any source) as one's own.
  • Using, obtaining, or providing unauthorized assistance on examinations, papers, or any other academic work.
  • Fabricating data in support of research or field work.
  • Forging a signature to certify completion of a course assignment or a recommendation.
  • Misrepresenting one's academic accomplishments.
  • Viewing, removing or copying any examination materials or any portions thereof by any means, including electronically.
• Specific Guidelines for Courses. All submitted work will be the result of a student’s own individual effort unless otherwise directed. Representing another's work as one's own is plagiarism and a violation of academic integrity. If materials are taken from published sources, the student must clearly and completely cite the source of such materials.
  • Examinations. No DAU student may take an examination for another student nor provide assistance to another student.
  • Course Assignments. Students are encouraged to discuss the content of a course and to help each other to master it, but no student should receive help in doing a course assignment unless specifically provided guidance that the assignment is a group exercise.
  • Multiple Courses. If a student is submitting all or part of the same work simultaneously for the determination of a grade in two or more different courses, the student must identify that this is the case to their representative instructors and faculty members in the courses involved must approve such submissions.

Principles for Computer Use and Network Systems

The use of computers and network systems does not exempt students from the normal requirements of ethical behavior in the DAU community. Use of a computer and network system that is shared by many users imposes certain additional obligations. While rules are built into computer and network systems, such restrictions cannot eliminate the opportunity for perusal of the work or resources of others. Students are responsible for their actions whether or not rules are built in, and whether or not they can circumvent them. Standards of behavior include, but are not limited to respect for the:

• Privacy of other users’ information, even when that information is not securely protected.
• Ownership of proprietary software. For example, making or using unauthorized copies of such software, even when that software is not protected against copying, is inappropriate and violates this policy.
• Finite capacity of the system and limitation of use so as not to interfere unreasonably with the activity of other users.
• Procedures established to manage the use of the system.

Academic Freedom and Non-Attribution

DAU supports a policy of academic freedom with the privilege of discretionary debate on any subject related to our curricula within the university environment. In order to ensure this academic freedom, DAU maintains a non-attribution policy. The objective is to enable students, instructors and guest speakers to express their views freely and without possible attribution or embarrassment. In keeping with this policy specific statements or remarks shall not be attributed to specific speakers (by name or other identifying comments) unless specifically allowed by the speaker.

• Guest speakers, faculty, and students are encouraged to state their opinions, support of, or criticism of any objective, policy, strategy, or tactic in the pursuit of knowledge, understanding, and improvement of the Defense Acquisition Workforce. While the content of discussion is governed by the academic freedom policy, it is required that a professional and respectful manner be exhibited at all times and although policy issues may be debated, individuals must exercise judgment and self-control to avoid acrimonious discussion, to include that which could reasonably be construed to be of a derogatory nature toward personalities in the chain of command.
• DAU media will be used only for instructional purposes unless specific written permission for other use is obtained from speaker(s) or participants.