Positive class participation, effort and productivity, and attendance and punctuality are expected in this class as they are directly linked to your learning, and as such they don’t give you points. On the other hand, negative class participation and attendance can affect your success in this class by deducting up to 40 points from your final grade.


Attendance & Punctuality | Effort & Productivity | Participation


Attendance & Punctuality -28 points

This is an in-person class and it is important that you arrive to class on time & prepared.

Late arrivals and early departures are disruptive to your peers and yourself. Each tardiness and/or early departure after two will deduct half (0.5) point from your final grade.

Each class we will be learning a new concept and/or technique. When you miss a class it means that you do not learn an essential design concept or skill. In class assignments cannot be made up.

Each unexcused absence above two (2) will result in the loss of two (2) points on your final grade for the course:

Three absences

-2 points

Four absences

-4 points

Five absences

-6 points

Six absences

-8 points

Seven absences

-10 points

Eight absences

-12 points

Nine absences

-14 points

Ten absences

-16 points

Eleven absences

-18 points

Twelve absences

-20 points

Thirteen absences

-22 points

Fourteen absences

-24 points

Fifteen absences

-26 points

Sixteen absences

-28 points

Absences that are documented through medical notes and death certificates should be brought to the Nurse’s office in the Student Center so all your instructors can be made aware of your excused absence.

If you miss class, it is your responsibility to obtain any missed handouts, information, and assignments from the course website. Once you have reviewed the class content and homework for the missed day, e-mail or text your instructor with any questions.

You will be expected to turn in any assignments that were given on their assigned due date, as well as keep your digital portfolio up to date. This means that if you are absent, the following class you must turn in the work that was due on the date of your absence and the new work that is due that day (this also applies to your weekly writing, reading and posts, and e-portfolio assignments, not only projects and exercises).


Effort & Productivity -20 points

Effort and class productivity are defined as staying current with the course site, emails and text messages, and refraining from these negative class behaviors: sleeping in class, taking longer breaks, doing non-relevant work, having non-related parallel conversations, texting or daydreaming in class.

Every time this occurs I will let you know and deduct half (0.5) point from your final grade.

There are four (4) Self-Evaluations offered during the semester. You are required to complete them on time. Each Self-Evaluation you don't complete on time deducts two-and-a-half (2.5) points from you final grade. Self-Evaluations.

You can lose up to twenty (20) points on negative effort and productivity.


Participation -20 points

Participation is a reflection of your class participation in critiques, discussions and presentations.

We will hold a critique at the beginning of class each time a project is due. Projects must be hung on the critique wall by the beginning of class; if you are late arriving in class, your project is late. Everyone will show his/her work to the class for discussion. Everyone must engage in these discussions; it is important to learn the vocabulary of design and speak comfortably about the work presented. Be prepared to speak briefly about your piece, what is successful and what is not. Hanging your work in front of your peers can be a vulnerable, but very fruitful experience. Always remember that we learn just as much from our failures as from our achievements – if not more!

Each class critique, discussion or presentation that you are not ready to participate reduces your grade by one (1) point. You can lose up to twenty (20) points on negative participation.


Attendance & Punctuality | Effort & Productivity | Participation