Mr. Paul's WMU Web Page
Fall 2008

PHIL 3340 Biomedical Ethics (Syllabus, Reading List)
Class meets from 5:30 to 8:50 in Brown 01028

Monday: 45701, TA: Ted Hartman
Thursday: 45178, TA: Joseph Spino (Office 3022, hours Tues 1 – 2, Thurs 4 – 5)

Office: 3002 Moore Hall
Office Hours: one-half hour after class (or by appointment)
Department Phone: 387-4389

Expected Grading Criteria
There will be three tests (including the final exam), each is worth approximately 30% of your grade. I may, at my discretion, alter the weight of the tests as befits the class. Attendance will account for most of the remaining 10% (a small amount of this remaining 10% may come from participation at my discretion). There may be a curve at the end of the term. The student with the median grade will be assigned as many points as necessary to bring his/her score to a 75% if his/her score is below 75%; every other student will receive equally many points. If the median student's grade is 75% or higher, no adjustments will be made.

Make-Up Work
I will allow a test to be made up in exceptional circumstances only. If you miss a test and your circumstances are exceptional, contact me by email to arrange a make-up. If you know ahead of time that you will miss a test, contact me for arrangements. (Examples of exceptional circumstances: religious observances, death of a family member or close friend, sudden illness, verifiable car accident. Examples of unacceptable circumstances: forgot test date, fight with a friend, dog ate your book.) Assignments cannot be made up if missed, though in exceptional circumstances, if you know in advance you will miss an assignment, you may be allowed to turn it in late. I really, really do not like to give incompletes—if it's looking like you won't be able to complete the semester, please consider dropping the course and taking it another term.

Classroom Disruptions
Please leave your laptop at home. Turn off cell phones and beepers unless you are an emergency worker. Please don’t fall asleep in class. Feel free to bring a snack or a drink if the building's rules allow for it, but please be tactful. There will probably be a break roughly halfway through class, but if you need to leave the room at another time, please be courteous as you do so.

Cheating
I’ve caught students cheating before. The university demands strict adherence to its policies and I intend to enforce them. The University has rules regarding cheating and explains the rights of accused students. Please visit WMU’s web page on the student code for more information.

http://www.osc.wmich.edu/studendconduct/faq.html (You have an obligation to understand the school's plagiarism rules.)
http://atis.wmich.edu/plagiarism.php (This page is an excellent resource for students who aren't 100% sure what counts as plagiarism.)

Grading Scale
Grade Percent
4.0 ..... 90%
3.5 ..... 85%
3.0 ..... 80%
2.5 ..... 75%
2.0 ..... 70%
1.5 ..... 65%
1.0 ..... 60%

Cancellations
I live about 50 miles away and bad weather or road conditions might force me to cancel class; but I've commuted for more than 15 years and I have an excellent record of attendance so don't bet on it. If I do miss class, a note will be posted on the classroom door.

Disclaimer
I reserve the right to make any changes to the course (content, grading, etc.). Further, I reserve the right to establish fair procedures for grading for students in exceptional cases. All and any modifications to this syllabus (whether online or in a handout) will be in accordance with the rules and regulations of WMU. No version of this syllabus constitutes a contract between any combination of the instructor, the instructor's assistant(s), the students, the department or WMU.

Other
Please feel free to email me with any questions you have. I can usually get information across just as well in an email as I can during an office visit, and my office hours tend to be a bit restrictive for students since I commute.

Accommodation for Disabilities
Any student with a documented disability (e.g., physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact Ms. Beth Denhartigh at 387-2116 or at beth.denhartigh@wmich.edu at the beginning of the semester. A disability determination must be made by this office before any accommodations are provided by the instructor.

Student Academic Conduct
You are responsible for making yourself aware of and understanding the academic policies and procedures in the Undergraduate or Graduate Catalogs (found online, http://catalog.wmich.edu ) that pertain to Student rights and responsibilities. These policies include cheating, fabrication, falsification and forgery, multiple submission, plagiarism, complicity, and computer misuse. If there is reason to believe you have been involved in academic dishonesty, you will be referred to the Office of Student Judicial Affairs. You will be given the opportunity to review the charge(s). If you believe you are not responsible, you will have the opportunity for a hearing. You should consult with me if you are uncertain about an issue of academic honesty prior to the submission of an assignment or test.