Principles of Community, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Academic Integrity:

As members of the University of California, Santa Cruz, we are committed to promoting and protecting an environment that values and supports every person in an atmosphere of civility, honesty, cooperation, professionalism and fairness. We embrace diversity in all its forms and we strive for an inclusive community that fosters an open, enlightened and productive environment. We believe free exchange of ideas requires mutual respect and consideration for our differences. We are a participatory community united by shared commitments to service to society; preservation and advancement of knowledge; and innovative teaching and learning. We promote mutual respect, trust and support to foster bonds that strengthen the community. We are committed to due process, respect for individual dignity and equitable access to resources, recognition and rewards. We seek to advance common goals through reasonable and realistic practices, procedures and expectations. We celebrate the heritage, achievements and diversity of the community and the uniqueness and contributions of our members. (The statements above are mostly excerpts from the webpage: UCSC Principles of Community. Please click on the link to read more.)

As the instructor of this course, I accept the responsibility to pursue these principles in an atmosphere of personal and intellectual freedom, security, respect, civility and mutual support. I welcome and value helps, suggestions, expressions of opinion from every member involved in the learning process and the academic space. I explicitly acknowledge that the space of remote instruction (e. g., Zoom meetings, webpages, and all forms of electronic information used and referenced in the learning process) is considered part of UCSC, and therefore part of our teaching and learning community. I also want to be totally clear that all work that you hand in has to be your own original work. Cheating and academic dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated (please see this Academic Integrity webpage).