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Course Syllabus

Course Information
(course number, course title, term, any specific section title) ED 4359 Chess II - Using Institutional
& Cultural Contexts of Chess

Instructor Contact Information


(Instructor’s name, phone number, email, office location, office hours, other information) Dr. Alexey
Root, 940-484-2265, aroot@utdallas.edu, office hours by appointment. GR2.240
(administrative assistant’s office)--her name is Debbie Buckner and her phone is 972-
883-2057.

Course Pre-requisites, Co-requisites, and/or Other Restrictions


(including required prior knowledge or skills)
No prerequisites.

Course Description 3 semester hours. ED 4359 students give examples of the cultural
role of chess as a combination of art, game, history, and science using the
interdisciplinary methods of the arts and humanities. Students in ED 4359 analyze essays
on chess in education. Each student’s culminating paper proposes improving an existing
chess program or developing a new chess program.

Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes ED 4359 students examine the various roles chess
plays in culture, as game, art, sport, and science. Students summarize research and
discuss resources to promote the play and study of the game of chess. Students
demonstrate knowledge of chess and interact with a classmate by playing and notating a
game of chess. Students write a proposal for a chess program for an institution in their
community.

Required Textbooks and Materials


Required Books (all students):

Course texts are on reserve at the UT-Dallas library. Required and suggested course texts
are available for sale at the UTD bookstore, Off Campus books, and through online book
retailers. Exception: Tim Redman’s book may only be available from Off Campus books
at:
561 W. Campbell Road, #201
Richardson, TX 75080

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972-907-8398
fax 972-907-0311
Chess and Education: Selected Essays from the Koltanowski Conference. Editor: Tim
Redman. Chess Program at the University of Texas at Dallas. 230 pages. ISBN10: 0-
9786742-0-0, ISBN13: 978-0-9786742-0-5

Students receive a First Lessons in Chess© CD, available free from UTD
Interdisciplinary Studies, Debbie Buckner <dbuckner@utdallas.edu> or (972) 883-2057.

The Immortal Game: A History of Chess, or How 32 Carved Pieces on a Board


Illuminated Our Understanding of War, Art, Science, and the Human Brain (Hardcover)
by David Shenk. Hardcover: 352 pages; Publisher: Doubleday (September 5, 2006).
ISBN: 0385510101. (Paperback edition is also fine).

Read, Write, Checkmate: Enrich Literacy with Chess Activities by Alexey W. Root.
Paperback: 128 pages. Publisher: Teacher Ideas Press, an imprint of Libraries Unlimited;
(March 30, 2009). ISBN-10: 1591587549. ISBN-13: 978-1591587545.

Suggested Course Materials


Children and Chess: A Guide for Educators by Alexey W. Root. Paperback: 136 pages;
Publisher: Teacher Ideas Press, an imprint of Libraries Unlimited; 1st edition (March 30,
2006). ISBN-10: 1591583586. ISBN-13: 978-1591583585.

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Sixth Edition


Publisher: American Psychological Association, (July, 2009).
ISBN: 1-4338-0561-8, ISBN 13: 978-1-4338-0561-5.

Note that The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association is


abbreviated as “APA” throughout this syllabus and the online course.

Technical Requirements
Computer requirements, browser configuration, tools and resources, and 24/7 help desk
are listed on this following Web page:
http://www.telecampus.utsystem.edu/technicalinformation.aspx

Assignments & Academic Calendar


(Topics, Reading Assignments, Due Dates, Exam Dates)
Each Unit takes about two weeks if an ED 4359 student follows the 16-week
schedule. Each unit takes about one week if an ED 4359 student follows the second 8-
week schedule. It is highly recommended that each student register early for the courses
so that he or she may follow the 16-week schedule. Schedules are stated on the Course
Calendar, a separate document from this syllabus. Each student completes assignments
according to the Course Calendar schedule (16-week or 8-week) that he or she is on.

Course Syllabus Page 2


There are no exams in the course. Since this course is online, the students read my
“lecture” for the Unit. Students also have reading assignments for each unit, and must
summarize and analyze those readings in online group threaded discussions.
For all Discussion Board postings, consider the implications of the readings and
the Discussion Board prompt in terms of your proposed chess program for an institution.
When posting on the Discussion Board about the week’s readings, show knowledge of
those readings by making summary-style statements and giving quotes about the
readings. For example, “David Shenk described chess and its role in the Muslim
Renaissance. Chess looked different in those days from what we play today, but there
were also similarities.” Support those statements with quotes or paraphrased sentence(s),
followed by the page number or URL of those sentences. “Shenk (2006, p. 31) shows a
diagram of Islamic Chess, where the board (unlike today’s chess board) doesn’t have
checkered squares.” Then give a reaction to the reading, or its implication for chess at
your institution. “Members of my institution need to learn that Islam shares history with
western culture. By showing that the western and Islamic peoples both play chess, and
have for centuries, I hope to promote greater cultural understanding in this time of war in
the Middle East. One step toward that understanding will be to teach them that chess was
and is a part of Islamic culture, and give examples such as this chess diagram on page 31
from Shenk (2006).”
By participating fully in each Discussion Board question, you will be, in effect,
writing parts of your Paper #1. You will be able to re-use postings you’ve done from the
Discussion Board in your Paper #1. For each unit, one through eight listed below,
students read my “lecture” for the unit. Log into the UT TeleCampus
www.telecampus.utsystem.edu. Once in the BlackBoard platform course, click on
“Outline” from the left menu. Within Outline, select the Unit whose lecture you wish to
read. Within the Unit, use the “Go to page” and arrow buttons to read every page in the
Unit.

Unit One:
Here are the objectives for this Unit, and the points you earn for achieving each objective.
More details about each objective can be found by reading the pages of the online Unit.
I. Students will acquire the course texts and CD. Students will read chapters 2 and 3 of
Read, Write, Checkmate and compare how chess is taught in that book to how it is taught
in chapters on the same topic on the CD. From his or her UTD email, the student will
email the instructor a three paragraph response. (50 points)
II. Students will select an institution about which to write a Paper #1 (program proposal)
to improve, or develop, a chess program there, and, from their UTD email account, email
their choice to the UTD instructor. The instructor will email back and forth with the
student until a clear agreement is reached. (20 points)
III. Students post a self-introduction on the Discussion Board, in Discussion A. The self-
introduction will tell the student’s chess level, major in college (or degree earned), job,
and other general introductory information. (30 points)
IV. Students know all the rules of chess. Read Shenk (2006, Appendix I) if you are still
shaky about basic chess rules. (0 points)

Unit Two:

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Here are the objectives for this Unit, and the points you earn for achieving each objective.
More details about each objective can be found by reading the pages of the online Unit.
I. Play at least 5 moves of chess with a classmate. The instructor will assign you a
classmate to play with. You will need to finish the game by Unit Six, to post about it
again in Unit Six. For Unit Two, you will post the notation and annotations of the first
five moves of the game in Discussion B. Read Chapter 4 of Read, Write, Checkmate for
how to notate and annotate a chess game. (50 points)
II. Post on Discussion C the one best chess book, Web site, or piece of chess software for
your proposed chess program. Tell why this one curriculum item is best for your
institution (remind us of the name of the school, grade levels OR the name of the center,
ages taught, etc.). Your Paper #1, which is a chess program proposal, is based on this
discussion and subsequent discussions! Read Tom Brownscombe’s essay “Chess
Resources for Classroom Teachers” in Redman (2006). (50 points)

Unit Three:
Here are the objectives for this Unit, and the points you earn for achieving each objective.
More details about each objective can be found by reading the pages of the online Unit.
I. Discussion Board D: Identify the characteristics of successful chess lessons according
to Shenk and MacEnulty. Tell which characteristics you plan to implement in your
proposed chess program, and describe how you would ensure their implementation. (50
points).
II. To be successful on Discussion D, students read and quote from Shenk (2006),
“Chapter 12: The Next War”; Redman (2006): David MacEnulty essays “Tips and Tricks
for Teaching Total Beginners,” and “Developing a Successful Chess Program in the
Elementary School.” (0 points)
III. For Discussion E, tell how your instructor, Dr. Alexey Root, improved her Chess
Program at Strickland Middle School in 2007-2008. (15 points)
IV. For Discussion F, share what ideas from the assigned readings (Unit Three, Part V)
you will borrow for your Paper #1. (35 points)
V. Students read and quote from Chapter 1, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, and Appendixes A and
B of Read, Write, Checkmate to successfully answer Discussions E and F. (0 points).

Unit Four:
Here are the objectives for this Unit, and the points you earn for achieving each objective.
More details about each objective can be found by reading the pages of the online Unit.
I. Discussion Board G. What are the mental processes associated with chess? Which
processes are most in need of development among your community’s members? (50
points).
II. To be successful on Discussion G, students read and quote from Shenk (2006):
Chapter 7, “Chess and the Working Mind.” Students also read and quote from Redman
(2006): Bart essays, “How children solve simple endgame problems” and “What is
known about what occurs in the brain.” (0 points)
III. Discussion Board H: What negative outcomes are associated with chess, and how can
those be avoided? Are there particular negative outcomes that members of your
community might be susceptible to? (50 points)

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IV. To be successful on Discussion H, students read and quote from Redman (2006):
Problems section which includes Root, “Crying” and Kiewra & Igo, “Distractions.”
V. ED 5345 students read the first half of Birth of the Chess Queen by Yalom (2004). (0
points)

Unit Five:
Here are the objectives for this Unit, and the points you earn for achieving each objective.
More details about each objective can be found by reading the pages of the online Unit.
I. Discussion Board I: What are some of the connections of chess to history? All students
will show a thorough understanding of the Shenk readings and show how they might use
chess history at their institution. ED 5345 students cite also from all parts of Birth of the
Chess Queen. (100 points; this means an extra long and detailed answer.)
II. To succeed on Discussion Board I, all students in ED 4359 and ED 5345 read Shenk
(2006), “Openings” section, chapters 1-6. In Redman (2006), read the “In the Spirit of
Caissa: Chess and Holistic Education” essay by Ed Hirsch. (0 points)
III. For Discussion I, and to continue preparing for their Paper #2, ED 5345 students will
read the second half of Birth of the Chess Queen. (0 points)
IV. Rough draft of Paper #1 is due. Turning in your rough draft by the due date for Unit
Five is worth 300 points toward your Paper #1 grade. (300 points toward Paper #1 grade)
V. Complete APA Tutorial by the due date for Unit Five. (50 points toward Paper #1
grade)

Unit Six:
Here are the objectives for this Unit, and the points you earn for achieving each objective.
More details about each objective can be found by reading the pages of the online Unit.
I. Discussion Board J: Play, notate, and analyze the remaining moves of your chess game
with your classmate opponent, which you first posted about during Unit Two (50 points).
II. Discussion Board K: Summarize and analyze your choice of one of the following
author’s essays from Redman (2006): Redman, Kopec, Bayley, Moreno, Potts, Kiewra
(“Developing Masters” essay), Samer, or Gobet & Jansen. Show how the essay applies to
your institution. (50 points).
III. ED 5345 students only: Paper #2 is due.

Unit Seven:
Here are the objectives for this Unit, and the points you earn for achieving each objective.
More details about each objective can be found by reading the pages of the online Unit.
I. Discussion Board L: Which chess in education research study do you think would be
most persuasive to leaders of your target institution? Describe the methods, results, and
implications for members of your institution of the study that you selected. To be
successful on Discussion Board L, read in Redman (2006) all of the following: Eberhard,
Gobet & Campitelli, Benson, and Ferguson. (50 points).
II. Discussion Board M: Give one example of chess as metaphor, art, sport, science, or
symbol that you plan to use in Paper #1. To be successful on Discussion M, read Shenk
Chapters 9-10 and Appendix 3 or quote from Redman’s essay within this Unit. (50
points).

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Unit Eight:
Here are the objectives for this Unit, and the points you earn for achieving each objective.
More details about each objective can be found by reading the pages of the online Unit.
I. Paper #1 is due for all students.
II. Discussion N: Funding opportunities. All students search online and find funding
source(s) for their proposed program. Post the granting institution, description of grant,
and the link. ED 4359 students describe one opportunity. ED 5345 students summarize
three opportunities. (50 points).
III. Email me what you liked about the course, what you didn’t like, and your suggestions
for future versions of this course (50 points).
IV. All students submit the online evaluations of the course via UT TeleCampus.
These are anonymous evaluations. (0 points)

Grading Policy
(including percentages for assignments, grade scale, etc.)
Each Unit is worth 100 points. Thus the Units are worth 800 points (50% of an
ED 4359 student’s course grade) and the Paper #1 is worth 800 points (the other 50% of
an ED 4359 student’s course grade). Please see previous section of this syllabus for
detailed point by point break-down within each 100 point unit. Please see after the
grading scale for criteria for your Paper #1. Grading scale is as follows (out of 1600
points possible):
1584-1600 A+
1472-1583 A
1440-1471 A-
1408-1439 B+
1312-1407 B
1280-1311 B-
1248-1279 C+
1152-1247 C
1120-1151 C-
1088-1119 D+
992-1087 D
Below 991 is an F
The Gradebook may be set up slightly differently, because 4359 and 5345 share a
Gradebook. Your points and grades will follow the chart above.

Here are the guidelines for that Paper #1 assignment:


Paper #1 final draft is due by the last class day (end of Unit Eight). It must be a
minimum of 5 double-spaced pages and a maximum of 10 double-spaced pages. All
students taking ED 4359 write a proposal (Paper #1) for introducing, expanding, or
formalizing chess at an educational, recreational, community or worship institution.
Turning in a rough draft of this paper is required. The final draft of this paper is due on
the final day of class. There is no final exam for this course. You will email Paper #1 to
me in Word format as an attachment. If you do not have Word, you can paste your paper
in the body of your email. There should NOT be graphics or illustrations with this paper.

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The sections of the paper are developed through your coursework. Paper #1 is
based on the curriculum theory of Ralph Tyler (The Tyler Rationale), which states that
three sources must be addressed by curricula. Those sources are content, societal
concerns, and developmental needs of learners.
Here are the questions your Paper #1 must answer for me to get a good grade:
1) Is this a proposal for a new chess program, or an improvement of an existing program?
Does the proposal detail the institution (name, location, mission), the learners (ages,
developmental needs, cognitive abilities), and the chess resources (books, software, Web
sites, and other chess content) that will be involved? Are positive and negative effects of
chess or the chess program covered? Are appropriate metaphors used? Does Paper #1
show how the chess program will meet the needs of the learners, the institution, and the
community?****Addressing the questions listed here, in 1), will earn 40% of your Paper
#1 grade*****
2) Does the Paper #1 use the readings from this course (Shenk and essays from Redman’s
book mostly, and also resources that students investigated in Discussions such as books
and software for learning chess.) to support its points?*****Citing course texts to support
your Paper #1’s arguments will earn 40% of your Paper #1 grade*****
3) Is APA citation used? By the way, when I say APA citation I am only referring to
a) (author, date) or (author, date, p. #) in the text of your paper, i.e. the main part of your
paper and
b) Your References section
So when you learn APA citation, please concentrate on getting these parts
correct.*****Having correct APA citation will earn 20% of your Paper #1 grade*****
Paper #1’s grade will not be reflected in your semester grade for the course if it is
turned in after the last day of class, as indicated by the Course Calendar for this class.
Paper #2, referred to in Unit Six, is for ED 5345 students only.

Course & Instructor Policies


(make-up exams, extra credit, late work, special assignments, class attendance, classroom citizenship, etc.)
Each unit is valued at 100 points. Because the course is 8 units long, the highest possible
score for unit completion is 800 points. Paper #1 is another 800 points toward your grade.
The grading scale, out of 1600 possible, is elsewhere in the syllabus. Most assignments
within each 100 point unit are worth 10-60 points. Late assignments are penalized 5
points per day late. Deadlines are indicated by the Course Calendar. However, no
assignments are accepted after the last class day, i.e. late penalties no longer apply
because you just get a zero after the last class day on any missing assignments. For
example, the last day to turn in your final draft of Paper #1 is on the last day of class. If
you cannot complete Paper #1 or other assignments by that date, you get zeroes for those
assignments. If you have extenuating circumstances, see the policy on Incomplete grades
in this syllabus for your options.

Student Resources
Access to many University resources are available to students. Some sources of interest
include:

UTD Distance Learning: http://www.utdallas.edu/distancelearning/students

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McDermott Library: Distance Learners (UTD students who live outside the boundaries of
Collin, Dallas, Denton, Rockwall, or Tarrant counties) will need a UTD-ID number to
access all of the library’s electronic resources (reserves, journal articles, ebooks,
interlibrary loan) from off campus. For UTD students living within those counties who
are taking online courses, a Comet Card is required to check out materials at the
McDermott Library. For more information on library resources go to
http://www.utdallas.edu/distancelearning/students/libraries.html

Technical Support
If you experience any problems with your UTD account you may send an email to:
assist@utdallas.edu or call the UTD Computer Helpdesk at 972-883-2911.

Field Trip Policies


Off-campus Instruction and Course Activities

Off-campus, out-of-state, and foreign instruction and activities are subject to state law and
University policies and procedures regarding travel and risk-related activities. Information
regarding these rules and regulations may be found at the website address
http://www.utdallas.edu/BusinessAffairs/Travel_Risk_Activities.htm. Additional information is
available from the office of the school dean. Below is a description of any travel and/or risk-
related activity associated with this course.

Student Conduct & Discipline

The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and regulations
for the orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It is the responsibility of each student and
each student organization to be knowledgeable about the rules and regulations which govern
student conduct and activities. General information on student conduct and discipline is contained
in the UTD publication, A to Z Guide, which is provided to all registered students each academic
year.

The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of
recognized and established due process. Procedures are defined and described in the Rules and
Regulations, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Part 1, Chapter VI, Section 3, and
in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities of the university’s Handbook of Operating
Procedures. Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the
Dean of Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and
regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-6391).

A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of citizenship.
He or she is expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the Regents’ Rules,
university regulations, and administrative rules. Students are subject to discipline for violating the
standards of conduct whether such conduct takes place on or off campus, or whether civil or
criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct.

Academic Integrity

The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty. Because
the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work done by the

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student for that degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high standard of individual
honor in his or her scholastic work.

Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions related to
applications for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s own work or
material that is not one’s own. As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one of the
following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or falsifying academic records. Students
suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary proceedings.

Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from any other
source is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on plagiarism (see
general catalog for details). This course will use the resources of turnitin.com, which searches the
web for possible plagiarism and is over 90% effective.

Email Use

The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication between
faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the same time, email raises some issues
concerning security and the identity of each individual in an email exchange. The university
encourages all official student email correspondence be sent only to a student’s U.T. Dallas email
address and that faculty and staff consider email from students official only if it originates from a
UTD student account. This allows the university to maintain a high degree of confidence in the
identity of all individual corresponding and the security of the transmitted information. UTD
furnishes each student with a free email account that is to be used in all communication with
university personnel. The Department of Information Resources at U.T. Dallas provides a method
for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to other accounts.

Withdrawal from Class

The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-level courses.
These dates and times are published in that semester’s course catalog. Administration procedures
must be followed. It is the student’s responsibility to handle withdrawal requirements from any
class. In other words, I cannot drop or withdraw any student. You must do the proper paperwork
to ensure that you will not receive a final grade of "F" in a course if you choose not to attend the
class once you are enrolled.

Student Grievance Procedures

Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities,
of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures.

In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other fulfillments
of academic responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make a serious effort to
resolve the matter with the instructor, supervisor, administrator, or committee with whom the
grievance originates (hereafter called “the respondent”). Individual faculty members retain
primary responsibility for assigning grades and evaluations. If the matter cannot be resolved at
that level, the grievance must be submitted in writing to the respondent with a copy of the
respondent’s School Dean. If the matter is not resolved by the written response provided by the
respondent, the student may submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If the grievance is not
resolved by the School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written appeal to the Dean of
Graduate or Undergraduate Education, and the deal will appoint and convene an Academic
Appeals Panel. The decision of the Academic Appeals Panel is final. The results of the academic
appeals process will be distributed to all involved parties.

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Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of
Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and
regulations.

Incomplete Grade Policy

As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably missed at
the semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An incomplete grade
must be resolved within eight (8) weeks from the first day of the subsequent long semester. If the
required work to complete the course and to remove the incomplete grade is not submitted by the
specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed automatically to a grade of F.

Disability Services

The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational opportunities
equal to those of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in room 1.610 in the
Student Union. Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and
Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is:


The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22
PO Box 830688
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688
(972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)

Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable adjustments
necessary to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For example, it may be necessary
to remove classroom prohibitions against tape recorders or animals (in the case of dog guides) for
students who are blind. Occasionally an assignment requirement may be substituted (for example,
a research paper versus an oral presentation for a student who is hearing impaired). Classes
enrolled students with mobility impairments may have to be rescheduled in accessible facilities.
The college or university may need to provide special services such as registration, note-taking, or
mobility assistance.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an
accommodation. Disability Services provides students with letters to present to faculty members
to verify that the student has a disability and needs accommodations. Individuals requiring special
accommodation should contact the professor after class or during office hours.

Religious Holy Days

The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required activities for
the travel to and observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose places of worship are
exempt from property tax under Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas Code Annotated.

The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible regarding
the absence, preferably in advance of the assignment. The student, so excused, will be allowed to
take the exam or complete the assignment within a reasonable time after the absence: a period
equal to the length of the absence, up to a maximum of one week. A student who notifies the
instructor and completes any missed exam or assignment may not be penalized for the absence. A
student who fails to complete the exam or assignment within the prescribed period may receive a
failing grade for that exam or assignment.

If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the purpose of
observing a religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about whether the student has

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been given a reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or examinations, either the
student or the instructor may request a ruling from the chief executive officer of the institution, or
his or her designee. The chief executive officer or designee must take into account the legislative
intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student and instructor will abide by the decision of the chief
executive officer or designee.

These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Instructor.

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