Political Science 361/International Studies 361
Issues in World Politics
Spring 2021
Bill Newmann, Political Science Department
Office Hours: By Appointment only. Please email, and we can set up a zoom appointment.
Phone: Office: 828-2076 (main POLI number)
E-mail: wnewmann@vcu.edu
Newmann's home page: www.people.vcu.edu/~wnewmann with links to other Newmann syllabi and other fun stuff.
VCU Information on the University’s Response
to the Coronavirus
This is
the place to find updates on university policies
Structure
of the Class
VCU has
gone to a fully virtual course delivery this spring. For now, there will be no in-class session
for this class. VCU may allow in-class sessions later in the semester (March 8
seems to be the date if things work out). The class is set up for students to take
it synchronously (at the regularly scheduled time) and asynchronously (viewing
recordings on their own schedule, but following the weekly schedule of the
class. If we get the chance to move back to in-class sessions also, I’ll
explain how that will work. Here are the basics:
o I will set up a Zoom meeting session for every class period, and you will receive an invitation for those sessions which includes a link and a password. Do not share this password.
o A few minutes before class time, click on the link. I won’t use the waiting room function; you’ll be able to connect right to the meeting. That way if you come in late, I don’t have to manage things.
o Please mute your audio
o You are not required to join with video
o If you have questions, use the chat function to ask the question. I will then repeat your question and give a try at answering it.
·
I
will record every class and post it on the Canvas site.
All the lectures will go into the Media Gallery on Canvas. I’ll send an
announcement when the latest recording is available. I will also link it to the
syllabus. That way, everyone who cannot
attend the class at the given time, either in person or off campus, can watch
the class later when it makes more sense for them. I’m doing this because I
know a lot of people are in unusual situations due to the pandemic and I want
to make this as flexible as possible. I won’t take class attendance to see who
is listening live.
·
How
do you choose what to do? Choose based
on whatever is easiest for you. It’s not a permanent choice. You can switch
back and forth, however, you want to do this.
Of course, whatever you decide, you are responsible with keeping up with
class lectures, readings, and assignments. You will not be able to ignore the
class for weeks at a time then listen to all the lectures the day before the
exam and expect to do well. Don’t treat
this like a Netflix series that you can binge the weekend before the exam. It
will not be pretty. Keep up with the
daily schedule as spelled out below.
·
The
map quiz and both exams are take homes. How this will work is detailed below.
·
The
paper will turned over email.
·
I
won’t have regular office hours, but if you’d like to schedule an appointment, we’ll
just do that over zoom.
Important: Students and
employees who develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19, or who test positive
for COVID-19, must inform Student Health Services or Employee Health Services.
Both Student Health Services and Employee Health Services can now be contacted
via a call center line at 1-804-MYCOVID or 1-804-692-6843, where students and
employees who are experiencing symptoms can discuss testing options and other
appropriate next steps.
Introduction:
The best part of POLI/INTL 361 is that it allows a professor to teach about the subjects that they know best, even if they don’t fit into the standard course options. We’ll focus on two issues in readings and lectures: The Nuclear Arms Race and US-Chinese Relations. My dissertation and first book was on nuclear strategy and nuclear arms control. A book I just finished was on US decision making on policy toward China. Your research paper will look at a third issue: cyber conflict: the use of computers as weapons.
The Nuclear Arms Race The first half of the semester will focus on the impact of nuclear weapons on world politics. Scholars generally feel there are two nuclear ages. The first nuclear age is the classic cold war rivalry between the US and USSR. Both nations had the ability to wipe each other off the face of the planet, and the effect that had on both nations was, as you might guess, transformative. Or was it? We’ll look at the classic thinking on nuclear weapons and deterrence, and address whether nuclear weapons fundamentally transformed nuclear politics and great power rivalry or whether they simply represented a more efficient way of destroying your enemy. This section focuses on US and Soviet nuclear weapons deployments and capabilities, nuclear strategy, the debates about how to design the best nuclear deterrent, extended deterrence, the problems of ICBM vulnerability, ballistic missile defense, and arms control (SALT, START). The second nuclear age is the post-Cold war era. Scholars generally argue that the ultimate danger has been reduced (the probability that the US and Russia will attack each other with thousands of nuclear warheads is very low), but the politics of nuclear weapons is more complex, and the likelihood of actual use of nuclear weapons may be greater. What has changed? China has entered the arena as a growing nuclear power. India and Pakistan, countries that have fought numerous wars since their 1947 independence, both have growing nuclear arsenals. North Korea has a small, but technically sophisticated nuclear arsenal. Iran may or not be building nuclear weapons. Israel has nuclear weapons (shhhh), but denies it. The complexity is easy to see. There old US-Russian deterrent relationship still exists, but how will China enter into that equation? India and Pakistan have their own deterrent relations, and China is part of that equation as well. Preventing small states like North Korea, Iran, and Iraq from developing nuclear arsenals through the Nuclear Non-Proliferation regime has been very difficult and controversial (on again off again negotiations, sanctions against Iran and North Korea, and an invasion of Iraq). Add credible ballistic missile defenses, the use of conventional warheads on ballistic missiles (Prompt Global Strike), and new hypersonic missiles, and deterrence becomes a dizzying equation. We’ll hit on all these topics in a chronological manner. We can’t understand where we are unless we know where we’ve been.
US-Chinese
Relations Are we witnessing the origins of
the next cold war? Some people are absolutely sure that the US and China are
moving toward a relationship similar to the US-Soviet relationship of the cold
war. They look at China's potential, its rapid economic growth, its huge
population, its rapid increases in military spending, and assume that China
will behave as every other rising power has in the past - its wealth will lead
to power and its power will lead to expansion. The specific disagreements may
center on China's human rights record, its actions in the South China Sea, its
one party Communist state, or its sales of missile and nuclear weapons
technology to states such as Iran or Pakistan, but underneath it all is a
struggle between the current superpower -- the US -- and a rising challenger --
China. Others feel US-China relations
can go in any direction. The US and China can find common ground in their
economic interests or growing hostility over their differences in ideology or
their power rivalry. The issue of Taiwan, of course, often is the beginning and
end of the discussion. While the US and the USSR fought the cold war with great
intensity, they never had an issue such as Taiwan. To China, Taiwan has been
seen as a renegade province that must be returned to mainland control to
fulfill China's ambitions as a great power and to finally end the humiliation
of China's colonial era. It is a matter of Chinese nationalism and a test of
the Communist party's leadership and legitimacy. For the US, Taiwan is a
democratic ally that can't be abandoned to a dictatorship and a test of US
reliability and willingness to remain a superpower in East Asia. In the early part of the Cold War, the US and
China were enemies who even fought directly during the Koran War (1950-1953). When relations between China and the USSR
deteriorated (mid-1950s on), the US took advantage of that growing Sino-Soviet
split to open relations with China (Nixon’s famous trip to China in 1972). From
that point until the end of the Cold War containing Soviet power in East Asia
was what brought the US and China closer. Once the Cold War ended, US-China
relations were cemented by both nation’s interest in economic growth. In the 21st century, US-China
relations have begun to deteriorate.
Both US political parties have begun to question whether US-China trade
is good or bad for the US. Once trade no
longer provides the glue to the relationship, China’s persecution of Uighurs in
Xinjiang, its crackdown on Hong Kong, its generally tightening of restrictions
on freedom of speech and the press become larger issues in US policy. Under Xi Jinping, China’s president and
Communist party leader since 2012, China has moved toward a more assertive
foreign policy. The China Dream calls
for a return to leadership in East Asia and global prominence. We’ll look at Chinese strategic thinking from
the dynastic era to today and consider how Xi Jinping’s foreign policy in the
South China Sea, toward Taiwan, and through the Belt and Road Initiative will
impact East Asia and the global balance of power.
The Research Paper: Cyber conflict. One of the big debates today in international politics is whether cyberwar (the use of computers as a key component of an attack) is as fundamentally game changing as nuclear weapons were after World War II. Will we talk about the cyber age the same way we talk about the nuclear age? Or do computers simply give us a new way of waging the same old types of conflicts? The way we’ll approach this topic is by having you read a book, and write an analytical book review that will include some research to back up your analysis. More detailed instructions are in the paper instructions link. The short version is this: You’ll read Thomas Rid. Cyberwar Will Not Take Place (Oxford University Press, 2017). Rid makes a strong and clear argument. Your job is to agree with him or disagree with him and explain why.
Learning
Outcomes
1.
Students
will be able to differentiate between the complexities of the first and second
nuclear ages, and be able to evaluate the relationship between technological
developments and national security strategies
2.
Students
will be able to differentiate between the nuclear strategies of various nations
and be able to evaluate the nuclear relationships between nation states of
varying nuclear capability.
3.
Students
will be able to differentiate between and evaluate the range of nuclear
non-proliferation strategies.
4.
Students
will be able to identify and analyze the complexity of US and Chinese national
interests, national security strategies, and historical foreign policy
legacies.
5.
Students
will be able to identify and analyze the complexity of the issues where the US
and China may come into conflict, including the rules of the international and
regional order, trade, human rights, the South China Sea, North Korea, and
overall leadership in East Asia
6.
Students
will demonstrate the ability to research and write a paper for political
science
Texts
You
need to read them, but you don’t have to buy them. The books are available at
the Virginia Book Company on Shafer St., the VCU Bookstore, and
Bookholders. If anyone has problems getting
access to the texts, for any reason, let me know as soon as possible so you
don't get too far behind in the reading. I will try to get the books on reserve
at Cabell Library, but a couple of them are not available yet. Both Shambaugh
and Rid are available online through the library.
Grading
System: Grades
will be determined through the following:
|
February
4 This will be a take home quiz. I will put the maps in the Files
folder of Canvas at about 9:00 AM on Wednesday February 3. The answer sheets
are due back to me at midnight on February 4 (as February 4 becomes February
5), but this is a soft deadline, so sweat an extra few hours. |
5% of the grade |
|
|
Exam
1 |
March
16 This will be a take home exam. I will place the exam in the Files folder in Canvas after class on
March 18. It will be due back to me (emailed) by 5:00 PM on Monday March
22). We will have class on March 16
and March 18. |
30%
of the grade |
|
Paper
Due: April 29: At Midnight (as the 29th becomes the 30th;
a soft deadline though) |
35%
of the grade |
|
|
Exam
2 |
Thursday May 13:
This will be a take home exam. I will place the exam in the Files folder of
Canvas at about 9:00 AM on May 11. It will be due back to me (emailed) by
midnight on May 13 (as May 13 becomes May 14). (This is Eid al-Fitr, so if
that causes any scheduling conflicts, let me know.) |
30%
of the grade |
|
|
|
How do you calculate your grade? Use the percentages from the above table. So, if you received the following grades, you would calculate your grades in the following manner:
I give you this very detailed formula for a number of reasons. You should never be unaware of what your class average is. You can calculate it at any point in the semester. If your grade is not what you'd like it to be, you should know, and you should come see me about it. Do not come to me after Exam 2 and say that you're having trouble in the class. It's too late at that point. But any time in the semester that you feel you are having trouble, or not doing as well as you feel you should, come talk to me. During my office hours and by appointment I am happy to talk to you about the class
Grading scale: I use a typical scale: A = 90-100; B = 80-89; C = 70-79; D = 55-69. Borderline grades are considered in the following manner.
· If your grade is 69.5, 79.5, or 89.5 or higher, then you may be a candidate for a round up to the higher grade (Notice those numbers in the sentence; do not ask for a higher grade if your average is a 68 or 78 or 88 or lower; those are not borderline averages).
· You may become a candidate if your grades are borderline and if your grades have been going up during the semester.
· That means that if you are borderline, but your last exam is lower than the previous exams (you are between a B and C, but your third exam is a C for example), you will probably get the lower grade.
· If you are borderline, and your last exam is higher than the previous exams (you are between a B and C, but your third exam is a B), you may get the higher grade.
· Another factor I consider is the typical grade you receive. Let’s say we have four grades for the class and three are grades of B and one is a C (bad day) and your average is a 79.6, you are a candidate for receiving a B. If you have four grades and three are grades of C and one is a grade of B, you are probably not a candidate for the higher grade
· There is no extra credit for this class. Please do not ask.
Speaking of grades: The withdrawal date is May 5
You will be asked to identify 100 different countries, cities, regions, or
bodies of water on six different maps.
These countries, cities, regions, or bodies of water are listed in the link above. There is a separate list for each map. On February 3, I will place five maps in the
Files folder on Canvas. On those maps,
all the countries, cities, regions, or bodies of water you need to identify will be marked with a
letter. Your job will be to match the
letter with the countries, regions, or bodies of water. Use
the lists in the link as your answer sheet. You’ll see a space to put in the
letter. Then save it and email it to me
by the deadline. Please see the
instructions about how to name the file.
I will put the actual maps in the Course Documents folder on February 3 at about 9:00 AM. Your answers are due at midnight February 4 (as February 4 becomes February 5), but that is a soft deadline, so don’t sweat an extra hour or two. This assignment is super easy, and, of course, it is open book. Given the in class/online nature of the course, this won’t be tough. It just forces you to take a little time to look at a map.
Paper Due: April 29: Emailed to me
by midnight (as April 29 becomes April 30), but this is a soft deadline so
don’t sweat an extra few hours.
I will
review rough drafts, outlines, and even completed papers, if emailed to me by
April 22. This is not required, but an
opportunity for you let me review your paper and get it back to you so you can
use my comments to rewrite your paper.
The following instructions are
important. Please pay attention to them.
If you don't you will wind up hurting your grade:
·
LATE PAPERS: The late penalty is ten points per day, meaning that after
class begins your paper, if a 95, is now an 85, after two days it is a 75,
after three it is a 65, and so on down to zero.
EXAMS: The exams are take home exams. You will have roughly two days to complete each exam. The exams will be short answer and essay. At least one week before the exam I will put a review sheet online. It will be linked to the syllabus below this paragraph. In general, the review sheets should be used as your study guide for the exam. The review sheet will include some terms that are from the readings only, so that you can go back and review those items from the readings. Once you have the review sheet, feel free to ask me questions about the terms. This is the best way to study for the exam. If you understand the terms on the review sheet, you can define each one and see how each one relates to the larger concepts and issues we've discussed in class, you should do just fine on the exam.
Review
One: North Korea addition
Recording of Review
Session March 17
How does a take home exam work?
Basics
·
Midterm: I will
place the exam in the Files folder in Canvas after class on March 18. It will
be due back to me (emailed) by 5:00 PM on Monday March 22). We will have class on March 16 and March 18.
·
Final: I will place the exam in Files folder of Canvas at
about 9:00 AM on May 11. It will be due back to me (emailed) by midnight on May
13 (as May 13 becomes May 14). (This is Eid al-Fitr, so if there are any
scheduling conflicts, talk to me)
·
Type or write the exam.
·
Either way, email me a file or pdf or even jpeg of the written
answers by the deadline
·
11- or 12-point font
·
One-inch margins
·
Double-spaced
·
Please use your name as the name of the file you send me. I’d be happiest if you named the file like
this: Your name Exam 1 POLI 361 (so if it was my exam, it would be Newmann Exam
1 POLI 361)
·
The exam is open notes (so you can use your notes, the book, the
review sheet, and the PPT slides)
·
I do not expect any outside research on this at all
·
Each exam will consist of two parts.
o
The first part will be short answers (a choice of 2 out of 8-10). I’m
looking for about a half page for a short answer. Identify the term and tell me
why it is important. All terms are lifted directly from the review sheet.
o
The second part of the exam will be an essay question. There will be multiple questions to choose
from here too. As we get closer to the exams, I will talk more about the essay
format.
·
You have choice of what you want to answer in each part,
so read the directions carefully
·
Each question has a specific page number target. You can go
over the limit, not a problem, but don’t go too far over the limit. You don’t
need to.
·
I think two to three hours will be enough time
for you to write the exam and do well. You can take more time of course, as
much as you need. The point here is that I don't think you end to spend
hours and hours.
·
It might be helpful to read the questions, then review your notes,
and the review sheet. Maybe make an outline of the essay. And then start
to write.
·
As always, the review sheets should be very helpful. You can use
the review sheets while you take the exam. It might be a good organizational
tool.
·
Feel free to email me questions if you have them, but as usual,
there are limits to how I can help you.
And, important:
·
Sharing this exam with anyone outside the class is a violation of
the VCU Honor Code
·
Working with another student in the class or anyone else while you
take this exam is a violation of the VCU Honor Code
·
As with any take home, the plagiarism rules that
exist for research papers apply here. Your exams must be your written
work. I will run this through the standard plagiarism programs as I do with all
research papers.
COURSE AND READING SCHEDULE
Lectures will be based on Power
Point Presentations. As they are ready, they will be posted for the week we’ll
use them in the course schedule.
Week 1: January 25-29 Introduction to the Class and Intro to Nuclear Weapons
· Kaplan, Introduction and Chapters 1-3
·
January 26 Recorded Lecture: Introduction
·
January 28 Recorded Lecture: Functions
of Force One
Week
2: February 1-5 Strategy
and Arms Control in the First Nuclear Age I
Map Quiz: February 4: See full instructions above. I will put the maps in the Files folder of Canvas at about 9:00 AM on Wednesday February 3. The answer sheets are due back to me at midnight on February 4 (as February 4 becomes February 5), but this is a soft deadline, so sweat an extra few hours.
· Kaplan, Chapters 4-7
·
Weapons
in the First Nuclear Age PPT
· February 2 Recorded Lecture: Concepts Two; Weapons One
·
February 4 Recorded Lecture: Weapons
Two
Week 3: February 8-12 Strategy and Arms Control in the First Nuclear Age II
· Kaplan, Chapters 8-10
·
Nuclear
Strategy PPT
·
Arms
Control PPT
· February 9 Recorded Lecture: Weapons Three; Strategy One
·
February 11 Recorded Lecture: Strategy
Two
Week 4: February 15-19
The Second Nuclear Age I: Russia, China, and Ballistic Missile Defense
· Kaplan, Chapter 11
· Panda, Introduction and Chapters 1-3
· February 16 Recorded Lecture: Arms Control One
Week 5: February 22-26 The Second Nuclear Age II: India and Pakistan
· Panda, Chapters 3-6
·
Second
Nuclear Age: US Russia China PPT
·
February
25 Recorded Lecture: Arms
Control 2; Intro Second Nuclear Age
Week 6: March 1-5 The
Second Nuclear Age III: Iran and North Korea
· Panda, Chapters 7-9
· Non-Proliferation Basics PPT
· March 2 Recorded Lecture: US, Russia, China
· March 4 Recorded Lecture: Non-Proliferation Basics
Week 7: March 8-12 The Second Nuclear Age IV: New Threats and New Weapons
· Panda, Chapters 10-11
·
India and Pakistan
PPT
·
Iraq and Iran PPT
·
March 9
Recorded Lecture: India
and Pakistan
·
March 11
Recorded Lecture: Iraq
and Iran One
Week 8: March 15-19
Exam 1: March 18 (This will be a take home exam. I will place
the exam in the Files folder in Canvas after class on March 18. It will be due
back to me (emailed) by 5:00 PM on Monday March 22).
·
We will have class on March 16 and March 18
·
No Readings
·
March 16 Recorded Lecture: Iraq
(Regime Change) and Iran
·
March 18 Recorded Lecture: North
Korea
Week 9: March 22-26 Hegemony and Great Power Conflict:
Western and Chinese Views
· Shambaugh, Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 10
·
US-China
Relations and IR Theory PPT
·
March 23
Recorded Lecture: US-China
Relations Big Picture
·
March 25
Recorded Lecture: US-China
Relations Big Picture Two
Week
10: March 29-April 2 Cold
War US and Chinese Foreign Policy One
Week
11: April 5-9
Cold War US and Chinese Foreign Policy Two
Week 12: April 12-16 Post-Cold War US-China Relations One
Week 13: April 19-23 Post-Cold War US-China Relations Two
Last day for turning in optional
rough drafts: April 22
·
Hayton, Chapters 5-7
·
April 20 Recorded Lecture: US
and China Foreign Policies One
·
April 22 Recorded Lecture: US
and China Foreign Policies Two
Week 14: April 26-30 Trade, Hong Kong, and the South China Sea
Paper Due April 29 at midnight (as April 29 becomes April 30), but it is a soft deadline; don’t sweat a few hours after midnight)
·
No
Readings
· April 27 Recorded Lecture: US China Trade One
· April 29 Recorded Lecture: US China Trade Two; South China Sea One
Week 15: May 4 The Future
·
Hayton, Chapters 8, 9, and Epilogue
·
May 4
Recorded Lecture: South
China Sea Two
May 5: Withdrawal date.
Exam 2: Thursday May 13: This will be a take home exam. I will place the exam in Canvas in the Files folder at about 9:00 AM on May 11. It will be due back to me (emailed) by midnight on May 13 (as May 13 becomes May 14). (May 12-13 is Eid al-Fitr. If that causes a conflict for anyone in the class, please let me know, and we can find a way to work around it.)
Other Important
Stuff
Political Science Advising
If you are a Political Science major we highly recommend that you
meet with your friendly and helpful POLI advisors, Nathan Bickett and Jen
Clayton, at least once a semester to make sure you are on track - doing what
you need to do and not doing what you don’t need to do - and to discuss your
academic and professional goals. Current minors and those considering a POLI
major or minor are also encouraged to visit.
You may make an appointment through the
Navigator app or through a link on your VCU Portal. You may also reach us at poliadvisor@vcu.edu
Political Science Librarian
Nia Rodgers is the librarian for Political
Science. She can help you find peer-reviewed materials to use in your research.
She can be reached at: slrodgers@vcu.edu
or you can make an appointment at: https://vcu.libcal.com/appointment/8778
Where can you find
information on international affairs?
This is the
questions students always ask me: “Where do I find good information on
international affairs. I’m looking for something unbiased and something that
doesn’t always look at the world through American eyes (as in how do these
developments affect the US).
Here’s
the short answer: For day by day coverage of events
in the world:
On a weekly basis:
The
Economist: www.economist.com. This is a Britain-based weekly which covers
world politics and world business. There
really is nothing else like it in the comprehensive nature of its
coverage. You can also buy it on the
newsstand, but the web is free. It
covers world politics very well.
Long Term Views of Crisis and Conflict:
International Crisis Group: www.crisisweb.org.
This is the International Crisis Group, a non-profit organization that
studies, analyzes, and makes recommendations about how to resolve various
crises in the world. There is nothing
better for the in-depth examination of current world events and the dilemmas of
problem solving and peace making. It has
reports (30-50 pages), briefings (10-30), and a weekly briefing (Crisis Watch),
which you can get on the web site or sign up for e-mail delivery.
VCU Syllabus Statements
Campus emergency information
Sign up to receive at alert.vcu.edu/signup/.
It is essential to keep your information up-to-date within VCU Alert and to
keep your permanent address and emergency contact information current in
eServices.
VCU uses a variety of communication methods to alert the
campus community about emergency situations and safety threats. Learn more
about types of alerts at alert.vcu.edu/know/typesofalerts.php
Know the emergency phone number for the VCU Police
(828-1234), and report suspicious activities and objects.
Class registration required for attendance
Students may attend only those classes for which they have registered. Faculty
may not add students to class rosters or Blackboard. If students are attending
a class for which they have not registered, they must stop attending.
Honor System: upholding academic integrity
The VCU Honor System policy describes the responsibilities of students, faculty
and administration in upholding academic integrity. According to this policy,
"Members of the academic community are required to conduct themselves in
accordance with the highest standards of academic honesty, ethics and integrity
at all times." Students are expected to read the policy in full and learn
about requirements here: https://conduct.students.vcu.edu/vcu-honor-system/
Computer and network use
All students are expected to know and comply with VCU's Computer and Network
Use policy, which can be reviewed at policy.vcu.edu/universitywide-policies/policies/computer-and-network-resources-use.html.
Important dates
Important dates for the semester are listed in the VCU Academic Calendar: https://academiccalendars.vcu.edu/
We care about your success!
Virginia Commonwealth University has launched an Early Alert initiative to
support student success. As your professor, if I am concerned about your
academic performance in the first few weeks of this class, you and your
academic advisor may receive a Progress Report email with links to appropriate
academic support resources. You are encouraged to reach out to me after class
or during my office hours for additional support. Your academic advisor, the
Writing Center, and the Campus Learning Center may also follow up to provide
additional layers of support to you.
Attendance and consequences of poor attendance
The instructional programs at VCU are based upon a series of class meetings
involving lectures, discussions, field experiences, special readings and
reporting assignments. Therefore it is important for each student to be in
attendance on a regular basis. A student who misses a class session is
responsible for completing all material covered or assignments made during the
absence.
Students having attendance problems should contact their
instructor to explain the reasons for nonattendance and to discuss the
feasibility of continuing in the course. If the student has fallen so far
behind that the successful completion of the course is impossible, the student
should withdraw from the course before the end of the first 10 weeks of
classes.
If the student continues to miss class and does not
officially withdraw from the course, the instructor may withdraw the student
for nonattendance with a mark of W before the end of the first 10 weeks of
classes or may assign an academic grade at the end. Withdrawals are not
permitted after the end of the first 10 weeks of classes. For classes that do
not conform to the semester calendar, the final withdrawal date occurs when
half of the course has been completed. Withdrawal dates for summer session
classes are provided on the Summer
Studies calendar.
Career Services
Looking for ways to tie what you are learning in your class to your future
career or professional goals? VCU Career Services provides career planning
services for all current VCU students and alumni. Career Services can help
students with finding a work-study job on/off campus, resume writing, internship
development, interviewing, preparing for graduate school, networking, or job
searching,. Students are invited to attend career events and workshops, and
schedule individualized career advising appointments. Career Services is
located on the ground floor of University Commons, in room 143. For more
information and to make a career advising appointment, visit the VCU Career Services website.
Managing stress
Students may experience situations or challenges that can interfere with
learning and interpersonal functioning including stress, anxiety, depression,
alcohol and/or other drug use, concern for a friend or family member, loss,
sleep difficulties, feeling hopeless or relationship problems. There are
numerous campus resources available to students including University Counseling
Services (804-828-6200 MPC Campus, 804-828-3964 MCV Campus) which provides
brief therapy treatment, University Student Health Services (MPC 804 828-8828,
MCV Campus 804 828-9220) and the Health Promotion and Well-Being Center
[The Well] (804-828-9355). 24 hour emergency mental health support is available
by calling (804) 828-6200 or utilizing the National Suicide Prevention
Lifeline (1-800-784-2433).
Mandatory responsibility of faculty members to report
incidents of sexual misconduct
All employees, including faculty, department chairs and deans, are required to
report any incidents of sexual assault, sexual exploitation and partner or
relationship violence to the university's Title IX Coordinator.
Confidential offices which can provide support at VCU are:
University Counseling Services (804) 828-6200
For more information about Title IX, please visit please
visit https://equity.vcu.edu/.
Military short-term training or deployment
If military students receive orders for short-term training or for
deployment/mobilization, they should inform and present their orders to
Military Student Services and to their professor(s). For further information on
policies and procedures contact Military Student Services at 828-5993 or access
the corresponding policies.
Student email standard
Email is considered an official method for communication at VCU. Students are
expected to check their official VCU email on a frequent and consistent basis
(the university recommends daily) in order to remain informed of
university-related communications. Students are responsible for the
consequences of not reading, in a timely fashion, university-related
communications sent to their official VCU student email account. Mail sent to
the VCU email address may include notification of university-related actions,
including disciplinary action. Students must read this standard in its entirety
at https://ts.vcu.edu/media/technology-services/content-assets/university-resources/ts-groups/information-security/StudentEmailStandard.pdf
Student financial responsibility
Students assume the responsibility of full payment of tuition and fees
generated from their registration, all charges for housing and dining services
and other applicable miscellaneous charges. Students are ultimately responsible
for any unpaid balance on their account as a result of the University Financial
Aid Office or their third party sponsor canceling or reducing their award(s).
Students representing the university – excused absences
Students who represent the university (athletes and others) do not choose their
schedules. All student athletes should provide their schedules to their
instructors at the beginning of the semester. The Intercollegiate Athletic
Council strongly encourages faculty to treat missed classes or exams (because
of a scheduling conflict) as excused absences and urges faculty to work with
the students to make up the work or exam.
Students with disabilities
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, require that VCU provide "academic
adjustments" or "reasonable accommodations" to any student who
has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life
activity. To receive accommodations, students must register with the Office
of Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity on the Monroe
Park Campus (828-2253) or the Division for Academic Success on the MCV campus
(828-9782). Please also visit the Student Accessibility and Educational
Opportunity website via https://saeo.vcu.edu/ and/or
the Division for Academic Success website via https://das.vcu.edu/ for additional
information.
Once students have completed the registration process, they
should schedule a meeting with their instructor (s) and provide their
instructor (s) with an official accommodation letter. Students should follow
this procedure for all courses in the academic semester.
Withdrawal from classes
Before withdrawing from classes, students should consult their instructor as
well as other appropriate university offices. Withdrawing from classes may
negatively impact a student’s financial aid award and his or her semester
charges. To discuss financial aid and the student bill, visit the Student
Services Center at 1015 Floyd Avenue (Harris Hall) and/or contact your
financial aid counselor regarding the impact on your financial aid.
Faculty communication about students
VCU instructional faculty, administrators and staff maintain confidentiality of
student records and disclose information in accordance with the Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This means that VCU officials may
disclose student record information without the consent of the student in
certain situations. To support university operations, for example, VCU
officials share information about students with other educational officials as
necessary to perform their job duties. FERPA permits this disclosure to school
officials who have a legitimate educational interest in the student
information. In addition, VCU officials have obligations to report information
shared by a student depending on the content of that information, for example,
in compliance with VCU’s policy on the duty to report. Unless FERPA permits a
certain disclosure, VCU generally requires consent from a student to disclose
information from their education record to another individual. You may find
additional information on the VCU FERPA website: http://rar.vcu.edu/records/family-educational-rights-and-privacy-act/.