Ohio University Syllabus Guidelines: 3. Guiding Principles

The following guiding principles establish the framework for Ohio University’s approach to course syllabi (public-facing) and course policies and guidelines (student-facing). They balance compliance with statutory requirements, University policy, and accrediting standards, while supporting faculty academic freedom, disciplinary integrity, and student success.

1. Compliance with Law and Policy. Course syllabi must meet the requirements of Ohio Revised Code §3345.029, University Policy 40.003, University Policy 18.010, and related regulations. Required elements must appear in both the course syllabus and course policies and guidelines to ensure consistency across versions.
2. Complementary Information. The course syllabus provides the elements required by state law and University policy, ensuring consistency and public accessibility. Course policies and guidelines extend beyond these required elements to include additional information that enhances teaching, clarifies expectations, and supports student success. Together, the two documents provide a comprehensive framework for communicating course requirements and opportunities.
3. Academic Freedom. Faculty retain the right to determine course content, pedagogy, instructional materials, and methods of evaluation within the framework of university policies and disciplinary standards.
4. Flexibility. Both course syllabi and course policies and guidelines may be adapted as needed to support student learning, respond to student interests, incorporate updated or newly available content, and address unforeseen circumstances such as illness, weather events, or technical disruptions. Faculty should communicate changes in a timely manner to ensure students remain informed of course expectations.
5. Intellectual Diversity. Consistent with ORC §3345.0217 and University Policy 18.010, faculty are expected and encouraged to exercise their professional judgment in determining how to present and engage with intellectual diversity within their academic disciplines. This includes both how intellectual diversity is incorporated into teaching and how consensus or foundational beliefs of a discipline are discussed and endorsed. Faculty and students alike are free to engage in classroom instruction, discussion, and debate, with the expectation that faculty will create an environment in which students can express intellectual diversity.
6. Student Success and Support. Both the course syllabus and course policies and guidelines serve as planning tools that help students succeed by clearly communicating expectations, resources, and responsibilities. Transparent, accessible information enables students to manage their workload and access available support.
7. Professional Ethical Standards. Course syllabi, policies, and guidelines should reflect ethical academic practice, including fairness, honesty, respect, consistency, and nondiscrimination. These principles reinforce University values and expectations for professional conduct.
8. Disciplinary and Accrediting Norms. In addition to statutory requirements, course syllabi should align with disciplinary standards and accrediting body expectations, where applicable. This ensures course materials and expectations remain consistent with professional and academic norms.
9. Intellectual Property. Faculty have the right to protect the originality and ownership of their teaching materials, including the arrangement and sequencing of topics, readings, and assignments. Public posting of course syllabi should be limited to the information required by law, while the more detailed pedagogical content remains within course policies and guidelines provided directly to students.