Policies

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory. You are only allowed two absences for this course after the third absence your final grade will drop one letter, the forth absence will result in failure of the course. This absence policy accommodates standard illness, religious holidays and schedule conflicts during the semester. If you need an excused absence you must ask the Department Head. Arriving late or leaving early twice will count as one absence. Missing the final critique on the last day of class will result in an F for the final assignment.

Grading Scale

94‐100 A – Excellent work. Consistently high quality creative solutions that demonstrate the clear communication of ideas, both visually and verbally. All assignments handed in on time and complete. Students who receive a grade of ‘A’ must set an outstanding example of professionalism and demonstrate an excellent standard of work produced outside the class.
90‐93 A-
87‐89 B+
83‐86 B – Good work that is above average creatively, visually and technically. All assignments handed in on time and complete. Special attention will be given to work produced outside the class and accredited accordingly. A positive attitude and involvement in class.
80‐82 B‐
77‐79 C+
70‐76 C – Competent work that meets the basic criteria. Satisfactory, but with only the minimum work required.
60‐69 D – Poor work that fails to meet the basic criteria, demonstrating a lack of assimilation of principles covered in class. Assignments missing and/or work completed late.
< 60 F – Failure to meet course requirements. Poor involvement in class projects or assignments. Lack of engagement with professor and missing work and attendance problems.

All assignments are to be completed at the beginning of class on the due date. Late Projects will be marked down a letter grade for everyday it’s late, projects that are 5 days late receive an automatic F, except the final project, which I will only accept on the due‐date. Being absent on a due date for an assignment means that your work will be counted as late unless you make arrangements to turn in your work ahead of time.

CLASS CRITIQUES AND EVALUATION OF STUDENT WORK

Robert Morris University is a non-profit educational institution. Receiving and giving critiques on student work at the Media Arts Department at RMU is a required part of the evaluation of student work. 

COPYRIGHT TO STUDENT CLASSWORK

Student work produced in classes is protected by U.S. Copyright Law. Each student owns the copyright to her/his original work the moment the “work is “fixed” in a tangible medium of expression…” 

STUDENT USE OF COPYRIGHTED WORK IN CLASS ASSIGNMENTS

If any part of the class work created is originally someone else’s creation:

  1. the work must be in the public domain available for use without permission (generally work after 1922 is copyrighted); or
  2. written consent from the copyright holder must be obtained to use the copyrighted work. That consent must detail the terms of the use, such as what exactly can be used, how much of it, in what format, if modifications are allowed, and how the work is to be credited. Also the duration of the consent must be listed and any possible terms set on how the work can be used geographically; or
  3. if a course assignment states that it requires or allows the use of existing copyrighted work without consent, the assignment can only be displayed in this class. It cannot be used as part of a student portfolio, displayed publicly, or otherwise after the class has ended. The use has been one-time-only for learning purposes;
  4. Education Exemption allows:
    1.  Display of a copyrighted work
    2. By an instructor or pupil
    3. In a face-to-face teaching activity
    4. In a classroom or similar place

17 U.S.C. § 110(1).

EXCERPTS FROM U.S. COPYRIGHT LAW 

Copyright Law of the United States of America and Related Laws Contained in Title 17 of the United States Code. Circular 92, Chapter 1: Subject Matter and Scope of Copyright, http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html

Information closely related to media arts:

  • § 102 . Subject matter of copyright: In general28
  • § 106 . Exclusive rights in copyrighted works38
  • § 107 . Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use40
  • § 110 . Limitations on exclusive rights: Exemption of certain performances and displays43

DISPLAY OF THIS SEMESTER’S STUDENT CLASSWORK 

Classwork may be displayed on display boards, shelves, TV/computer monitors and/or other display surfaces in the Media Arts Department spaces in the Wheatley Center and/or the Academic Media Center as a part of required classwork in order to provide experience of exhibiting one’s media arts work; in such a case the display identifies the work’s author.

DISPLAY OF STUDENT CLASSWORK OUTSIDE CLASS 

The Media Arts Department at times may display clearly credited student work (unless a student requests anonymity) at different University events on and off campus, and also in print or digital form, or online, as samples of Media Arts student work. Student work displayed outside class will only be displayed on a student’s written permission on the RMU Media Arts Student Copyright Permission Form. Course professors and/or the department will notify by email the students whose work is displayed or stored on reserve as samples of Media Arts student work. 

RMU MEDIA ARTS STUDENT COPYRIGHT PERMISSION FORM 

For your work to be displayed outside the class in which it was produced, you are required to give your written permission to do so. Media Arts course professors and the department have copies of the RMU Media Arts Student Copyright Permission Form available for that purpose. In order for your work to be available for outside class displays, please fill out and turn in a signed RMU Media Arts Student Copyright Permission Form to your course professor who will also sign the form and then turn it in to the department for it to be filed. If you are under 18 years of age, your guardian must sign the form. Each student participating in the semester’s Senior Exhibition is required to fill out, sign and turn in a RMU Media Arts Student Copyright Permission Form to their course professor as exhibiting one’s portfolio publicly in the show is a course requirement. 

MEDIA ARTS ACADEMIC INTEGRITY CODICIL

Students who feature the original imagery of others in their artwork, should ensure that they are familiar with the legal and artistic implications of this appropriation. This would include knowledge of the concepts of “licensing”, “copyright”, “fair use”, and “public domain.” See: the syllabus information on copyright, and http://fairusenetwork.com.

Accessibility Accommodations for Students

Robert Morris University welcomes students with disabilities into all of the University’s educational programs. If you have, or think you may have, a disability that would impact your educational experience in this class, please contact Student Accessibility Services (SAS) to schedule a meeting with the SAS Coordinator and Associate Director Molly Devlin. She will confidentially discuss your needs, review your documentation, and engage with you in the interactive process to determine your eligibility for reasonable accommodations. To learn more about academic accommodations, please visit http://rmu.edu/sas, email sas@rmu.edu, or call 412.397.6884.

Academic Integrity

Academic Integrity is one of this university’s highest ethical values. All students are expected to understand and adhere to the standards of Academic Integrity as stated in the RMU Academic Integrity Policy, which can be found on the RMU website at www.rmu.edu/ai. Any student who violates the Academic Integrity Policy is subject to possible judicial proceedings that may result in sanctions, as indicated in the Policy. Depending on the severity of the violation, sanctions may range from receiving a zero on an assignment, to being dismissed from the university. If you have any questions about the Policy, please consult your course instructor. 

NOTE: The use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology for the completion of coursework is not allowed unless expressly permitted by the instructor for the course. 

Excerpt from Robert Morris University Academic Integrity Policy document (rev. Jan 6, 2025, Section B.6) – Violation of “Fair Use:”

“Fair Use in copyright law is a doctrine that allows one to use brief excerpts of copyrighted materials for teaching or research without permission of or payment to the copyright holder. In particular, students featuring original works of others, including images, videos, etc., in their own works must ensure that they comply with the legal and artistic implications of such use. This includes knowledge of the concepts of licensing, copyright, fair use, and public domain.”

Improper use of any such work or similar authored by other people is a violation of academic integrity as is the failure to comply with “fair-use” requirements. In many cases, written permission from the artist is required for use in a student’s project. Students who feature the original artistic media works of others in their projects should ensure that they have complied with the legal and artistic implications of this use.  This includes knowledge of the concepts of “licensing,” “copyright,” “fair use” and “public domain.” (See www.fairusenetwork.com)

Masking

You may elect to wear face masks in the classroom. Please respect individual decisions about whether to mask. Any negative response to an individual who elects to wear a mask will be reported to Student Conduct. If you are feeling ill but well enough to attend class, we strongly encourage the use of a face mask until you are feeling well.

In an Emergency

RMU Police emergency response telephone number is: 412-397-2424.  

From campus telephones dial only: 2424

RMU Alert

All students are urged to sign up for the RMU emergency alert notifications at www.rmu.edu/rmualert. Always check with RMU to see if classes are in session during inclement weather.

RMU Ready

RMU Ready is a career ready co-curricular program that ensures students develop the essential skills employers value most. Completion of the RMU Ready program is a graduation requirement of all undergraduate students entering the university from Fall 2024 forward. Undergraduate students who entered the university prior to Fall 2024 remain under the Student Engagement Transcript (SET) graduation requirements, and may review their completed SET activities in the RMU Ready app. To learn more about the program visit the RMU Ready webpage https://www.rmu.edu/about/ready, speak with your academic advisor or contact Sara Durzo, RMU Ready Coordinator at ready@rmu.edu.

UNIVERSITY COUNSELING CENTER

Tel. 412-397-5900    Email: counseling@rmu.edu

Counseling is available for RMU students at the University Counseling Center in the lower level of Patrick Henry. Hours:  Monday-Friday 8:30 am-5:00 pm To make an appointment, visit the Center, call at 412-397-5900 or email at counseling@rmu.edu. Website: http://www.rmu.edu/counseling

TUTORING CENTER AT THE CENTER FOR STUDENT SUCCESS

The University Tutoring Center offers peer tutoring in hundreds of undergraduate courses, including in several media arts courses. The tutoring schedule is available at http://studentlife.rmu.edu/center-for-student-success/the-tutoring-center. This is a first comes, first served service without advance appointments.

Information Technology (IT)

  • IT Discounts (including software; Adobe Creative Cloud through OnTheHub network link)) https://www.rmu.edu/it/discounts
  • Adobe through adobe.com: Sign in: enter your RMU email address Company or School Account  Do RMU single sign on Manage Your AccountView and Download My Apps
  • IT website: https://www.rmu.edu/it/home
  • Help Desk: 412-397-2211 From campus phones: 2211 help@rmu.edu