Student handbook

Normally, failure to write a required final examination will result in a temporary mark of NMR, DNW, or INC for the course. A NMR (No Mark Recorded, no credit granted) and DNW (Did Not Write examination, no credit granted) grade is calculated as 32% into your overall and term averages. An INC (Incomplete Course work, no credit granted) grade has no numerical grade value for one term after the INC is granted. If the coursework is not completed after one term, the INC grade will revert to FTC (Failed to Complete) which is calculated as a 32%.

Documented illness may constitute an acceptable reason for not writing an exam. If you miss an exam because of illness, you should inform your professor and provide a medical certificate documenting the precise period of absence and the nature of the illness. Where circumstances warrant special consideration, instructors may submit a passing grade based solely on term work, or arrange for a deferred examination or assignment. A student can Petition for a grade of AEG (Aegrotat Standing), if 60% of the course work has been completed.

If you become ill during the writing of an examination and are unable to continue, you should ensure, before leaving the site of the examination, that the officer in charge is notified of the situation. In addition, you should notify the course instructor and supply proper medical documentation as soon as possible thereafter.

If you complete an examination, even though you're ill, the subsequent grade obtained in the course normally stands. Subsequent appeals on the grounds of illness may be considered if accompanied by proper medical documentation and submitted as soon as possible after the examination to the course instructor or to the Registrar's Office. Your Department or Faculty will take the illness into consideration, and possibly alter academic decisions regarding eligibility to continue your plan of study, but it is highly unlikely that the mark will be altered.

Medical certificate

A legible medical certificate needs to describe the nature of your illness, the degree of incapacitation, and the precise period of absence. Health Services uses a standard form for medical certificates. If you go to an off campus doctor, you must ask for a medical certificate on the doctor's letterhead detailing the above.

Counseling Services

Counselling Services are located in Needles Hall, room 2080, across from the Registrar's Office. There are counsellors available to help you with a variety of issues, including personal counselling, study tips, etc.

Faculty of Environment's counsellor is Marilyn Perdue. She can be reached at Counselling Services, ext. 35465.

Teaching/course concerns

Teaching is one of the Faculty's primary mandates and we take it seriously. On occasion, you may find that some aspect of a course is unsatisfactory. If so, discuss the problem with the instructor, either individually or with a group of your classmates. If you believe that further action is required, discuss the matter with the instructor's Department Chair/School Director or with the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies.

Petitions, re-assessments, and appeals

A Petition involves instances where a student seeks relief from Faculty or University rules and regulations because of special circumstances normally beyond his or her control, such as illness or bereavement. Petition forms are available for downloading from the Registrar's web site. Appropriate supporting documentation must accompany all petitions.

A student who is convinced that the grade received for an examination, essay, or other piece of academic work is unreasonable, can initiate a Request for a Formal Inquiry or for a Re-assessment. However, the first step in this process is for the student to approach the course instructor and attempt to work the matter out informally. This initial step must take place within one month of the receipt of the grade.  If the problem cannot be resolved in this way, the student may then proceed and submit a Request for a Formal Inquiry or for a Re-assessment to the Faculty's Associate Dean, Undergraduate Studies, within ten working days of receiving the decision for the informal resolution (maximum of twenty working days after submitting informal request to the instructor).

A student who believes that an error in academic judgment or procedure has occurred may initiate an Appeal.  Whenever possible, an informal approach to the person whose judgment is being questioned should precede a formal appeal.  A student may decide to submit a Request for a Formal Inquiry or for a Re-assessment to the Associate Dean, Undergraduate Studies if an attempt to reach a mutually satisfactory solution at the informal level fails.  A formal appeal must be submitted within ten days following the failed informal resolution attempt.

At the informal and formal level students are encouraged to seek advice and assistance from the Undergraduate Associate Dean, Assistant Registrar, University Secretariat, and/or the Ombudsperson.

See the Student Grievance Policy (UW Policy #70) for more information.

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Academic discipline

Academic integrity

An online tutorial has been established to assist first year students in avoiding situations that may compromise their academic integrity resulting in an academic offense. It is strongly recommended that all first year students partake in this 20 minute on-line tutorial.

Student Academic Discipline Policy (Policy 71)

The following is a summary of this policy, which explains actions which go against the University's principles, goals, and regulations.

A university is a community of scholars in which knowledge is generated and disseminated through scholarship and teaching.  All members of the community - faculty, students and staff - are bound to conduct themselves with honesty, integrity, fairness, and concern for others.  Any action, which unnecessarily impedes the scholarly activities of members of the University, is an offence punishable by appropriate disciplinary action which, in the case of students, is described in this policy.

The Ombudsperson (Student Life Centre, ext. 32402) is available to advise students of their rights under this policy and to advise on the procedures to be followed.

The University and its members have the responsibility of providing facilities and surroundings that do not present undue possibility of inadvertently commissioning academic offences.

Academic offences

Academic offences include, but are not be limited to:

• Infringing unreasonably on the work of other members of the University community (e.g. disrupting classes or examinations; harassing, intimidating or threatening others).
• Violation of safety regulations in a laboratory or other academic setting.
• Cheating on examinations, assignments, work term reports, or any other work used to judge student performance.  Cheating includes copying from another student's work or allowing another student to copy from one's own work, submitting another person's work as one's own, fabrication of data, consultation with any unauthorized person during an examination or test, and use of unauthorized aids.
• Impersonating another student or entering into an arrangement with another person to be impersonated for purposes of taking examinations or tests, or carrying out laboratory or other assignments.
• Plagiarism, which is the act of presenting the ideas, words or other intellectual property of another as one's own.  The use of other people's work must be properly acknowledged and referenced in all written material such as take-home examinations, essays, laboratory reports, work-term reports, design projects, statistical data, computer programs and research results.  The properly acknowledged use of sources is an accepted and important part of scholarship.  Use of such material without complete and unambiguous acknowledgement, however, is an offence under this policy.
• Obtaining by improper means examination papers, tests, or similar materials, or using or distributing such materials to others.
• Falsifying academic records, including tests and examinations, or submitting false credentials for purposes of gaining admission to a program or course, or for any other purpose.
• Oral or written misrepresentations which may have an effect on academic evaluations, such as making fraudulent health claims, obtaining medical or other certificates under false pretenses, or altering certificates for purposes of misrepresentation.
• Submitting an essay, report, or assignment when a major portion has been previously submitted or is being submitted for another course without the expressed permission of all instructors involved.

Student Grievance Policy (Policy 70)

Policy 70 describes the procedural steps a student may take to seek remedies for grievances.  The Ombudsperson (Student Life Centre, ext. 32402) is available to advise students of their rights under this Policy and to advise on the procedures to be followed.

Students may initiate a grievance if they feel that a decision or action of a University authority affecting some aspect of her/his University life has not been reasonable, just, or fair.

Ethical Behaviour (Policy 33)

Sexual harassment, discrimination, and abuse of supervisory authority are explicitly cited in Policy 33 as being anti-ethical to the nurturing environment University of Waterloo strives to provide.  Any student who believes that principles expressed in the Policy have been violated is encouraged to consult with - informally and in confidence - a member of the Ethics Committee for advice.  A list of members may be obtained from the University Secretariat in Needles Hall (room 3060, ext. 32749). 

The Ombudsperson (Student Life Centre) and the Sexual Harassment Counselor (Counseling Services, Needles Hall, room 2080, ext. 32814) are also available to advise students.

The full texts of all Policies including 70, 71 and 33 are available electronically.

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Requirements and specializations

Degree requirements

Program specific requirements may be found in the Faculty of Environment chapter of the Undergraduate Calendar under the section for your academic plan.

IMPORTANT - You must normally satisfy the requirements set out in the Undergraduate Calendar for the calendar year in which you first entered the Faculty or you may choose to satisfy a set of requirements specified subsequently.

1. All courses taken within your plan and all the Faculty of Environment (e.g. ENV S 195) are included in your cumulative major average.  Non-degree and post-degree programs do not compute a major average.
2. In Joint Honours plans, a second cumulative major average is calculated including all courses taken in the second major area. Students in Joint Honours Plans must satisfy course and average requirements in both majors to qualify for graduation with the "Joint Honours" designation. 

English Language Proficiency Program (ELPE)

The Faculty of Environment expects you to demonstrate competence in writing. Accordingly, all students newly admitted to the Faculty are required to write the English Language Proficiency Examination (ELPE) during their first year (usually in December). Competence in writing is demonstrated by achieving a passing grade, 65 out of 90, on this exam. If you do not achieve the specified passing grade, you can satisfy this requirement by following one of the other options open to you as listed in the calendar .

You will be ineligible to proceed with your plan of study if you fail to complete this requirement by the end of your second year.

Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)

WHMIS is mandatory for ENV students who are:

1. enrolled in a lab
2. use the ENV work-shop
3. enrolled in a course which stipulates WHMIS as a requirement, i.e. ENVS 200 

Even if you do not fall under one of the above three categories, it is in your best interest to complete the online WHMIS quiz to gain your University of Waterloo-WHMIS certification.  WHMIS certification from sources off campus are not acceptable or recognized at University of Waterloo.

WHMIS is offered during the first three weeks of term via the University of Waterloo ANGEL Course Environment system (UW-ACE), which is used for web-based course management. You will become quite familiar with this system as a number of Professors use it in their course(s).

Upon successful completion of the quiz you will be given the opportunity to print a certificate acknowledging you have completed this milestone.  You will need this certificate to gain access to areas requiring WHMIS certification.

Later in the term, this milestone will be indicated on your official University of Waterloo academic record and will be viewable on Quest.

Problems enrolling for the on-line WHMIS quiz should be directed to the MAD helpdesk, located in EV2-163A, ext. 33416, or by emailing,
env-help@uwaterloo.ca.

Joint Honours, Minors, Options, Specializations & Diplomas

To add a Joint Honours, Minor(s), Option(s), and/or Specialization to your academic plan, a Plan Modification Form must be completed and signed by the advisor for the sub-plan as well as the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies.

Diplomas are not declared until your fourth year when your Intent to Graduate form is submitted.

Joint Honours

Students in Environment may be able to choose a Joint Honours degree.  See your program section of the Undergraduate Calendar or the Academic Officer of your program for details.

Minors

A minor is normally ten courses in a single subject. Minors can be taken in a number of subject areas offered at the University.  For minor availability and requirements refer to the relevant Undergraduate Calendar section,  i.e. Biology Minor, see Biology section of calendar.

Minors offered within the Faculty of Environment:

Environment and Resource Studies, Geography and Environmental Management, International Development, and Knowledge Integration

Options

If you are interested in adding an option, you should refer to the Undergraduate Calendar or contact the coordinator of that option to ensure it is available to students in your plan and requirements are met. If the option is within the ENV Faculty, you can contact your Undergraduate Advisor.

The option will be noted on your transcript. In the event that you do not fulfill the requirements the information will be removed from your transcript prior to graduation.

Options offered within the Faculty of Environment:

Business, Geomatics, International Development, Knowledge Integration, Parks, Sustainable Local Economic Development, and Tourism

Specializations

The Geography and Environmental Management, and Planning academic plans offer a variety of specializations.  The Environment and Business plan offers a specialization in Economics.

Diplomas

The Faculty of Environment offers three diploma programs that can be satisfied concurrent with your degree requirements. Please refer to the Academic Plans section of the Faculty of Environment chapter in the Undergraduate Calendar for more details.

Diplomas offered within the Faculty of Environment:

Diploma in Environmental Assessment, Diploma in Ecological Restoration and Rehabilitation, and Diploma of Excellence in Geographic Information Systems

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Note: There will be no triple counting of any course for any academic credit in the Faculty of Environment.  Double counting of courses applies as follows: once for the plan, and once more for an option, minor, diploma, or specialization or one time each for two subplans.  There is no limit on the number of courses that may be double counted.

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Exams and grades

Missing final exams

Students are expected to be available to write final exams during the entire exam period. Travel arrangements should not be made during this period of time. 

Please see the Academic difficulties portion of this handbook for what to do in case of illness or other extenuating circumstances.

Official final exam period

Final examinations may not be held outside the official examination periods. No instructor shall be permitted to administer, and no student shall be required to write final examinations during the formal lecture period, or pre-examination study days.

Final examinations shall be interpreted in the ordinary sense of the word, usually covering all, or a very substantial portion of, the course material taught during the duration of the course.

Any unresolved disputes between an instructor and student concerning an interpretation of whether an exam should be regarded as a final examination will be decided by the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies.

Grading system, marks and averages

The University of Waterloo uses a numerical grade system. The following clarifies the Faculty's interpretations of specific grades. While these interpretations may not cover all specific situations, and are probably incomplete when applied to individual courses, the Faculty feels that they are sufficient to provide a general guideline and understanding of what the various grades mean.