Orientation Guide

Software Engineering Program Orientation Guide, v.5

Copyright 2006 Carnegie Mellon University
Software Engineering@Carnegie Mellon is a registered trademark in the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.

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employment, or administration of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex or handicap in vio-
lation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 and Section 504 of the Reha-
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In addition, Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate in admission, employment or administration of its programs on
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executive orders. However, in the judgment of the Carnegie Mellon Human Relations Commission, the Department of Defense
policy of, "Don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue," excludes openly gay, lesbian and bisexual students from receiving ROTC scholar-
ships or serving in the military. Nevertheless, all ROTC classes at Carnegie Mellon University are available to all students.

Inquiries concerning application of these statements should be directed to the Provost, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes
Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, telephone 412-268-6684 or the Vice President for Enrollment, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000
Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, telephone 412-268-2056.

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preceding three years. You can obtain a copy by contacting the Carnegie Mellon Police Department at 412-268-2323. The security
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Obtain general information about Carnegie Mellon University by calling 412-268-2000.

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Software Engineering@Carnegie Mellon

Contents

Overview
Distance Education 5

Getting Started
Course Materials 7
Companion Guide 7
Homework Submission 7
Lectures 8
Computer Accounts 9
Andrew User ID & Password 9
Forwarding Your Andrew Account 9
Blackboard Website 9
Discussion Board 10
Virtual Classroom 10
Communication Conventions 10
Chat Abbreviations 13

Learning Support
Your Instructor 15
The HelpDesk 15
Program Support 15
University Libraries 16
If the Unexpected Happens... 16

Life-long Learning
Your Colleagues 17
Your Learning Style 18
Your Control and Focus 18
Learning in Your Life 19
The Plan 19

Policies & Procedures

Registration 21
Course Changes 21
Course Completion 21
Official Records 21
Grade Reports 22
Transcripts 22
Grade Changes & Missing Grades 22
Name & Address Changes 22
Evaluation and Grading 23
Program Expectations 23
Incompletes 23
Tuition Payment & Refund 24
Student ID Cards 25
Reasonable Person Policy 25
Cheating and Plagiarism Policy 25
Copyright Policy 26

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Software Engineering@Carnegie Mellon

Overview

Distance Education

In the Fall of 1996, the School of Computer Science offered its first software
engineering course—Managing Software Development—at a distance. Today,
professionals can select from an expanding menu of courses. We offer our
software engineering courses at a distance as either continuing education or
graduate education courses. As the program continues to grow and mature,
new classes will be developed and the current curriculum will be updated to
reflect the current trends in software engineering.

For the working professional, taking a course at a distance offers many ad-
vantages over taking a course on the Carnegie Mellon University campus.
Continuing your education is critical in a field in which changes occur daily.
A Distance Education course allows you to acquire in-depth knowledge of
emerging technologies in a way that fits into your schedule and budget.

A quick look at where some of our former students are located reveals an-
other added advantage: students participating from locations like Alaska,
India, Ecuador, California, and Brazil bring with them a breadth of experience
to your course discussions. Our courses invite discussion, opinion-sharing,
and debate on the Discussion Board and in the Virtual Classroom.

This guidebook will orient you, the new Carnegie Mellon student, to distance
education as it applies to software engineering practices and methods edu-
cation. In this guidebook, you will find information about course materials
and resources, various forms of support available to you, and tips on life
management. As you continue your education at Carnegie Mellon, you may
need to refer back to this guide from time to time.

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Software Engineering@Carnegie Mellon

Getting Started

Course Materials

Technological advances and the growing availability of technology to the

public have rejuvenated and breathed new life into distance education. As
a method of instruction, distance education challenges students’ current
educational paradigm by asking them to think beyond the classroom, beyond
the campus’ physical boundaries.

Completing the course readings and watching the lectures is just one part of
your learning. A successful learning experience also includes participating
in class discussions, interacting with the course instructor, teaching assistant,
and your fellow students, and completing homework assignments.

In distance education, the concept of course materials goes beyond a textbook

and syllabus to include lectures on DVD, course Blackboard websites,
discussion boards, chatrooms, and course Companion Guides. It is the
combination of these various course materials that provide a successful
learning experience for students across the globe.

Each course is organized in sections which build upon key concepts. You are
required to master these concepts in order to progress to the next section.
Your best approach to successfully complete your course is to follow three
simple steps
1. Do the assigned readings.
2. Watch the lecture.
3. Complete the activities.

Companion Guide

Each Software Engineering course has a corresponding Companion Guide.

Every time you enroll in a new course, a Companion Guide specifically
developed for that course will be available to you via the Blackboard course
site. The Companion Guide shepherds you through the course by including
grading criteria, course objectives, lecture overviews and objectives,
homework activities, the required readings, and a complete bibliography.

Homework Submission

With most courses, either on campus or at a distance, you will be required

to complete homework assignments to demonstrate your mastery of the
material. At the beginning of each course, the instructor will advise which
method to use to submit your homework.

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 No matter how you submit your homework assignments, it is essential
that you include your name and the title of the assignment on the actual
assignment. If you submit your assignments electronically, via an e-mail
attachment or an upload on the web, you should submit one assignment at a
time.

Lectures

Course lectures are available on DVD. You will need to have access to a
computer with a DVD drive. Please note that these DVDs will not work in
your home entertainment unit.

Most courses are captured using Tegrity, which combines video with slides
that are indexed for quick navigation of the lecture session.

Using Tegrity to view lectures on a Windows system is fairly easy. On the

disk, find the folder for the lecture you wish to view. Open the folder and find
the file marked “default”. Open this file. A Tegrity Web Learner window will
open on your screen. Click the “First Time User” link (5.0 and later version)
to let Tegrity software check your environment for any missing components.
The missing components will either be automatically installed on your system
or you’ll be referred to the relevant download page.

Using Tegrity on a Macintosh is a little tricker. The minimum requirements to

view Tegrity sessions on a Macintosh are:
• Mac OS 8.1 or higher
• 64MB RAM or higher
• IE 4.5 or Netscape 4.01 or higher
• 28.8 kbps Modem or faster

You may find it easier to install the necessary software on your machine
prior to viewing a lecture for the first time. The following components are
necessary in order view Tegrity sessions on a Macintosh:
• Tegrity Viewer
• Windows Media Player for Mac
• MRJ 2.2

Help for the Tegrity software can be found at:

http://www.tegrity.com/support_faq.html

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Computer Accounts

Students registered in a course will be assigned an Andrew Account. Andrew

is Carnegie Mellon’s electronic mail and bulletin board system. The accounts
are administered by the University and are phased out once you have
completed your course.

Andrew User IDs & Passwords

Only authorized students can access the Blackboard website by logging in

with their Andrew ID. If you’ve used your Andrew account in the past, the
userid and password are the same. If you don’t know what your userid is,
please go to :
http://www.cmu.edu/directory
and type in your name—it will return with your userid. Your initial
password is usually your student ID number (if international), or the first 8
digits of your social security number. To find out more information about
your Andrew account or about changing your password, please see:
http://www.cmu.edu/computing/freshstart/account.html

Forwarding your Andrew Account

Anytime anyone sends e-mail from Blackboard, the e-mail will go to your
Andrew account. You are all certainly welcome to access your Andrew
account directly (see <http://www.cmu.edu/computing/documentation/
index_mail.html> for details), however, if you’d prefer not to have to check
different accounts, there are two ways to forward your e-mail.
IMPORTANT—Please set this up immediately as mail forwarding will
only forward email sent to you after you’ve set it up. It will not send prior
messages and you could lose any email your instructor sent to you before
hand. DO NOT wait until after the course has started to set this up.
1. Telnet to unix.andrew.cmu.edu. Use your Andrew userid and password to
login. Then, type “forward name@account” where name@account is the
userid you want to have the mail sent to.

2. Go to http://www.cmu.edu/myandrew and click on the “CMU Name

and Forwarding” link under the E-mail Options heading. It will walk you
through the steps from there.

Blackboard Website

Each course has its own Blackboard website which includes a general
overview of the course, the course syllabus, the course Companion Guide,
class roster, readings, assignments, Virtual Classroom, and Discussion Board.

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 The Virtual Classroom and Discussion Board provide the means for
establishing and facilitating dialogue among you, other students, and
your teaching instructor. You can get questions about the course material
answered, debate the virtues of, and flaws in, current software engineering
practices, and exchange information with other students about current
practices in their own companies.

We strongly encourage both new and continuing students to familiarize

themselves with the site as soon as possible.

In order to access the site, please go to

http://www.cmu.edu/blackboard/

Select the “CMU User” button. Login using your Andrew ID and password.

Once you’ve logged in, you can begin to personalize your area with a
calendar, tasks, etc. In addition, if you select the “Courses” tab, it will pull up
any courses you are registered for that are available on Blackboard.

Documentation for the Blackboard system is available at:

http://www.cmu.edu/blackboard/help/how_to/

Discussion Board

Like many names given to new technology, using the name “bulletin board”
to describe your class communications fails to adequately capture its full
capability—much like the “horseless carriage” failed to adequately describe
the automobile. An electronic bulletin board system embodies the concept
of asynchronous communication. For distance learning, it allows students to
carry on a dialogue without being constrained by time and space. Learning
takes place through discussions and debates that can be carried on anytime,
anyplace, and continued indefinitely.

Only one element limits the discussion board: your decision to use it. The
system can be under utilized by students much like the exercise bike that
sits off in the corner of the bedroom. Its value is only as good as a person’s
decision to use it. When you and your colleagues maximize the system, your
learning experience deepens as a result of greater intellectual exchange,
probing questions, and problem-solving strategies. The discussion board
replaces those informal conversations before, after, and in-between classes
that would take place if taking this course on campus. Make the most of the
board—it has the potential for your richest moments of learning.

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Virtual Classroom

As a distance education student, you reap the benefits of recent advances in

chatroom technology—a technology that offers you a way to communicate
in real time through your keyboard and computer with others throughout
the world. Imagine—you will be involved in “classroom” discussions with
men and women who live thousands of miles away, but who share common
interests and concerns about the software development industry.

In distance education, the chat replaces your professor’s office hours, that
time before and after class when you clarify a point or ask a question about a
class lecture. Additionally, your instructor will facilitate discussions on topics
requiring your analysis and synthesis of key concepts found in your readings
and the lectures.

At the start of the course, you and other participating students will receive
an e-mail message from your instructor to arrange a time and day for your
weekly chat sessions. Although your attendance at these chat sessions is not
required, most students have found it extremely helpful. If you miss a chat
session, you can review a transcript of the class chat, posted in the Archives.

At this time the Virtual Classroom is not supported by Carnegie Mellon. If

you have trouble with the Virtual Classroom, please contact the Courseware
Specialist who will try to assist you.

In the event that too many students have trouble with the virtual classroom,
your instructor may direct you to use ParaChat instead. You will find links
and user guides to the ParaChat classrooms in the “External Links” section of
your course site.

Communication Conventions

If you have never used a chatroom before, you may find following the format
somewhat disconcerting at first. In a classroom, you know by observing a
raised hand, or a facial expression—visual cues—who will be speaking next,
or when someone is finished completing a thought. Because the chatroom
lacks these visual cues, discussion is often facilitated using communication
conventions. Listed below are several chatroom conventions commonly used.
Read them over and use them during your chatroom sessions to make your
experience more profitable.

Since the sessions are threaded conversations, it will help if you begin each
entry with the subject in parenthesis.

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 When your instructor asks a question, you can let him know immediately that
you are typing a response by typing in the # symbol. This quick response
allows you to type your message and lets everyone know that the question is
not being ignored or left unanswered.

[irene]: (CMM eval) Does anyone have any experience with a CMM
evlautation in their company?
[jay]: #
[jay]: (CMM eval) I got a chance to visit a company which got Level 5
certified. In India
[irene]: (CMM eval) Jay, tell us your experience!!
If your response to a question or your comment on a topic is going to be
especially lengthy, you can send a partial response with a + symbol at the
end of the first part. This symbol will let others know that you have more to
say.
[irene]: (CMM) Was it Motorola?
[jay]: They had applying for level 4 , but apparently (No, it is wipro) were
found to +
[jay]: be good enough for level 5
[alan]: (CMM) What about Digital (India?)
If you have completed your response, indicate so by including a / symbol
at the end of it. Typing this symbol will allow the discussion to continue
without anyone hesitating or misconstruing your communication.
[irene]: (level 5) There is a very nice article about the space shuttle, the
first level 5 company... I can give you the reference if you want... /
[jay]: They had had a measurement process in place for the past
three years. +
[chris]: (level 5) post it on the sda?

Like many on-campus classroom discussions, chatrooms also fall prey

to getting “off the track.” As much as possible, please try to keep the
conversation relevant to the topics scheduled for discussion. If you are having
extensive difficulty with an assignment, or trouble understanding a course
concept, please contact your professor or teaching assistant by e-mail or
telephone for one-on-one assistance.

 Cut & Save

Conventions Reference Guide

When responding to a question: # symbol.

When typing a lengthy response: + symbol at the end of part 1
When completing your response: / symbol at the end

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Chat Abbreviations

Since chatrooms require students to type their responses, we offer some abbreviations to help you cut
down on the amount of typing you need to do. The list below covers abbreviations used most frequently
by the general public.

AFAIK As Far As I Know IMO In My Opinion

ASAP As Soon As Possible IOW In Other Words

ATM At The Moment IRL In Real Life

BBL Be Back Later IYKWIM If You Know What I Mean

BBS Bulletin Board System JMO Just My Opinion

B4 Before JTLYK Just To Let You Know

BTW By The Way L8R Later

CID Crying In Disgrace LOL Laugh Out Loud

CYA See Ya OIC Oh, I See

EMSG E-mail Message OTTOMH Off The Top of My Head

DYJHIW Don’t You Just Hate It When PDQ Pretty Darn Quick

FWIW For What It’s Worth PMFJI Pardon Me For Jumping In

FYI For Your Information QSO Conversation

GMTA Great Minds Think Alike RFD Request for Discussion

HIWTH Hate It When That Happens SHID Slaps Head In Disgust

IC I See SITD Still In The Dark

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Software Engineering@Carnegie Mellon

Learning Support

Effective life planning requires built-in “what-if” plans. While taking a course,
you may have many questions about the course material, the course website,
or simply require more information about your assignments. Several options
are available to you to get your questions answered.

Instructor

Your course may be taught by the developer of the course or by an instructor

selected from a pool of qualified software development professionals who
have successfully completed the course you are enrolled in—they know ex-
actly what you are going through. Your instructor will help you throughout
the course when you have questions regarding the course activities and as-
signments. You will receive your instructor’s telephone number and e-mail
address at the start of the course so that you may contact your instructor with
your questions or concerns.

The HelpDesk

As well conceived as the advances in technology are, time-to-time, equipment

or software fail. If you experience a problem write to us at:
dehelp@cs.cmu.edu

When writing, please include your reason for writing in the subject of your
e-mail message. In your message, describe, in as much detail as possible, the
nature of the problem. For example, instead of writing, “I can’t access the
chatroom,” please write, “I clicked on the chatroom link and a box popped
up asking for my userid and password, when I typed them in, I got this error
message: ‘invalid user id’.” The more details you provide, the faster our turn-
around can be in resolving your problems. We endeavor to answer your ques-
tions within two or three days except under unusual circumstances.

Program Support

If you have a question and are not sure who to contact, our Program Admin-
istrator will be able to help you or put you in touch with someone who can.
Please write to:
Program Administrator
Carnegie Mellon University
5000 Forbes Ave, Wean 4613
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
412-268-5067
jtlsmith@cs.cmu.edu

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 University Libraries

Remote User Access to the Carnegie Mellon libraries is now available. For
instructions on configuring your computer and using the services, go to:

http://www.library.cmu.edu/Services/remote.html

If the Unexpected Happens...

Life occasionally throws us a curve ball instead of a straight-down-the-line

pitch. Situations arise—a three-week bout with the flu or an unexpected busi-
ness trip—that throw off your planning cycle. Again, knowing possible con-
tingency plans reduces the possibility of creating chaos in your life.

If circumstances in your life prevent or delay your ability to complete this

course, contact your instructor or the Program Administrator as soon as pos-
sible. Feel free to communicate by e-mail or telephone, whichever works best
for you.

If you are taking a course for credit you may either ask for a Leave of Absence
or Withdrawal from the University. Please see the Policies & Procedures sec-
tion, beginning on page 21, for more information on Leave of Absence and
Withdrawal from the University.

Students taking a course for non-credit may defer for one semester or drop
the course if they have no intention of completing the course. Please see the
Policies & Procedures section for more information on deferring a course.

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Software Engineering@Carnegie Mellon

Life-Long Learning

People involved in software engineering hold the future in their hands. Dur-
ing job interviews, professionals were once asked, and probably still are
asked, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” The rapid advances in
technology—technology created by students like yourself—have made that
an unanswerable question. Five years from now, your work may, and prob-
ably will, involve technologies not yet in existence. When working in a field
where change is so rapid, planning your career seems, at times, an impossible
task. Taking time to reflect on your interests, the direction of your career is es-
sential—can you have greater control?

You will find that students participating in distance education courses often
approach their lives with the mind set of a life-long learner. They periodically
set time aside to question where they are in their personal and professional
lives. Do I still enjoy my work? Am I enjoying time with friends and family?
Are the expectations I hold for myself realistic? They closely consider the
quality of how they live their lives.

We designed the distance education courses to encourage you to take charge

of your learning experience: advancing your own knowledge and skills by
applying the lessons learned to your everyday work experiences. That real-
world application is what makes these courses worth your time and effort.

Your Colleagues

Students who participate in the online program are experienced, working

professionals just like yourself. Typically, students enrolled in distance edu-
cation courses enjoy working with technologies independently, can manage
assignments and time well, and like to voice their opinions. Walking into a
classroom, at any age, can sometimes seem intimidating. In a classroom on
campus, you have the ability to look around, and when you see that the other
students are not much different than you, you soon begin to relax and look
forward to the semester ahead.

Learning at a distance makes adjusting more difficult. To help you get to

know your fellow students, we encourage you to engage other students in
conversation on the Discussion Board.

Although becoming familiar with other students in your course helps ready
you for self-directed education, studying at a distance requires considerable
self awareness, self discipline, and the ability to manage your time well.

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 Your Learning Style

Each student in your course prefers to learn in different ways. Gaining insight
into your own learning preference will help you to stay focused and moti-
vated to continue your studies. Our students have found the book, Please
Understand Me1, by David Keirsey helpful because it includes a brief survey
to help you identify your temperament and character type. Easy to read, the
book offers you insight into how you learn best. Understanding the way you
learn will help you solicit specific learning strategies throughout your course.
For example, if you learn that you are more impulsive, action-oriented in
your learning, you may find the chatroom discussion too slow paced, prefer-
ring instead the lively interaction of a classroom. With this self knowledge,
rather than becoming frustrated with your learning, you may wish to set up a
telephone conference call with several of your classmates to supplement your
chatroom discussions.

The teaching strategies developed and used in our courses target a range of
learning preferences. So, while you may find one strategy difficult to embrace,
another strategy should help you understand the course content and success-
fully complete the course.

Your Control and Focus

As a working professional, your life may seem like a continuous series of in-
terruptions. No sooner do you settle down to that pressing project, then a co-
worker stops by with a long list of questions about next week’s project. How
do you get any work done? In his book, How to Get Control of Your Time and
Your Life2, Alan Lakein asks, “What is the best use of my time right now?”
This question gets to the heart of time management. Planning is the most ef-
fective way to gain control of your time and life. And although plans may not
always unfold as expected, they do serve as a starting and ending point. If
you don’t plan, your time becomes open and accessible to anything and any-
one. If you know at the start of your day what you must complete by the end
of that day, it becomes easier to ignore distractions, to say “no” to additional
work assignments, and to focus on the task at hand.

Students who have completed our courses state that effective time man-
agement is essential for academic success. Like any skill, time management
can be learned. As an assist to you, we have included the following time man-
agement practices.

1
Keirsey, David. Please Understand Me. November 1984, Prometheus Nemesis Book Co.
2
Lakein, Alan. How to Get Control Over Your Life. New American Library, 1996.

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Learning in Your Life

It can be difficult to find the time in your life to read the required materials,
watch the lectures, and complete course activities and assignments. We asked
students enrolled in our courses how they found that time and we pass along
their suggestions to you.

Learn at Work
Your company may have a video player that you can use during your lunch
hour during the week. Or you may have a CD drive on your office computer.
Building that time into your schedule once a week ensures that you view the
lectures. You may want to coordinate your viewing day with your class cha-
troom day. Watching the lecture one or two days before the class discussion
will help keep the information fresh in your memory. Any questions or is-
sues that arise as you watch it will also be readily at hand. Have copies of the
slides with you so that you can take notes while you watch.
Scheduling one lunch hour a week to complete assigned readings can also
maximize the best use of your time. Try to find a quiet place away from your
office where telephones or co-workers cannot disturb you. Consider spending
that time at the nearby branch of your local library.

Wake up an hour early once a week

In the early morning hours, before the rest of your household wakes—bring-
ing with them their distractions—sit and watch the videotape or complete the
week’s activities in that early morning quiet. If you’re not a “morning per-
son,” the end of the day may be more preferable. But plan your day and your
time so that the week doesn’t slip by without completing your studies. Time
has a way of getting away from all of us.

Bring on the popcorn!

Nobody said that continuing your education has to be dull. Distance edu-
cation offers the flexibility of when, where, and how you study. So whether
you make yourself a bowl of your favorite popcorn, or bring in your favorite
take-out, you take control. It certainly beats an 8:00 A.M. lecture on campus!

The Plan

Ideally, it is best to set up two planning cycles: one for the entire course cycle
and another for each lecture. Your course planning cycle includes all the read-
ings, lectures, chatroom sessions, debates, and assignments to be completed
for the course. The Course Syllabus provides this overview for you. You may
feel overwhelmed when you first look at this overview—especially when you

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 think of everything else going on in your life right now. But when you divide
these requirements by lectures, you begin to see how manageable the courses
really can be.

First, look at the dates of the major assignments. Mark off dates at least three
weeks ahead of the assignment due date. Now look at each lecture individu-
ally. Mark the number of readings and activities required for each lecture.
Gauge your reading time for each lecture and plan time to follow-up on the
questions prior to your next chatroom session. If you map out an estimate
for each lecture, you can create plans. Each course also provides a grading
criteria so you can get a better idea of the amount of effort required for each
assignment.

Remember, you will want to read some of the articles several times, thinking
through their content. As one former student aptly stated, “...the readings are
the heart of the course...they had so much relevance to the work I did every
day. If someone skims over them quickly or doesn’t read them at all...well,
they’re only cheating themselves.”

Keep in mind that plans are just that—plans. And even carefully crafted plans
can go awry. As you continue through the course, try to spend 30 minutes
each Sunday to map out a weekly plan that will help you to manage the week
ahead. When you ask yourself, “What readings do I need to complete this
week to be ready for the Virtual Classroom discussion?” “What questions
would I like to post on the Discussion Board?” “Do I need to clarify points
from last week’s reading?” you develop a disciplined and productive ap-
proach to your studies.

So, good luck, good learning, and know that even though we are at a dis-
tance, we’re only a telephone call, an e-mail message, or fax away!

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Software Engineering@Carngie Mellon

Policies & Procedures

Registration

A list of courses offered and the deadlines for registration are listed on the
Software Engineering@Carnegie Mellon website:

http://www.distance.cmu.edu/admissions/schedule.html

It is your responsibility to register for the course you wish to take.

Course Changes

Courses may be cancelled due to low enrollment. Changes to the instructional

staff may also be made. The Program Administrator will notify you if any
changes are made to the course you are registered for.

Course Completion

If you are unable to complete a course, please contact the Program Adminis-
trator or your instructor as soon as possible.

Credit

A “Leave of Absence” is a temporary leave from the University, with the firm
and stated intention to return. A “Withdrawal” is permanent and should only
be requested if you have no intention to ever return.

Withdrawals or Leaves taken at any time will not result in any academic
penalties for the student—i.e., no permanent grades are recorded for courses
taken during that semester. If you Withdraw from the University, a “W” will
appear on your transcript. See the Evaluation & Grading section for an expla-
nation of grades.

Non-credit

If you cannot complete a course, you will need to contact the Program Ad-
ministrator to discuss deferring to the next session of that course.

Official Records

Student records, both academic and personal, are confidential records and are
only released to the appropriate faculty or administrative officers. Release of
these records to other persons, such as other colleges, employers, prospective
employers, and government and legal agencies, shall occur only upon ap-
proval of the student or graduate, or upon subpoena.

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 Grade Reports

The Carnegie Mellon Registrar mails grade reports to the permanent ad-
dresses of all students at the end of each semester. Grade reports are mailed
directly to your current address.

Transcripts

Official transcripts are issued only by the Carnegie Mellon Registrar. For more
information on obtaining an official transcript, please visit:

http://www.cmu.edu/hub/transcript.html

Grade Changes & Missing Grades

Occasionally, clerical errors are made. If your course grade is incorrect or

missing on your final grade report you must immediately notify your in-
structor of the error.

Name & Address Changes

Please contact the Program Administrator if there is a clerical error, or your

name changes due to marriage/divorce, adoption, or court order. In addition,
you will need to fill out a change of name form for the University. You can
find the necessary forms at:

http://www.cmu.edu/hub/docs.html

Likewise, if your postal or electronic mail addresses change, please notify the
Program Administrator as soon as possible. It is very important that the Uni-
versity and the Software Engineering@Carnegie Mellon program have your
current postal and electronic mailing addresses.

Evaluation & Grading

Credit

Students who take courses for credit are assigned a letter grade upon com-
pletion of the course. Grading is as follows:

Grade Meaning
A+ Outstanding
A Excellent
A- Very Good
B+ Above Average
B Average

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 B- Below Average
C+ Poor
C Very Poor
D or R Failure

Grades which do not affect the Grade Point Average are as follows:

I Incomplete
W Withdrawal
P Pass
F Failure

For a more detailed explanation of grading, units, and quality points, visit:

http://www.cmu.edu/hub/grading

Consult your course Companion Guide for details on the grading factors that
will be used to evaluate your work for your course.

Non-credit

Students who take courses for non-credit are evaluated on a pass/fail basis.
No letter grades will be awarded for non-credit course work. Consult your
course Companion Guide for details on the grading factors that will be used
to evaluate your work for your course.

Program Expectations

Students taking courses for graduate credit must earn a minimum grade of
“B” in all courses. Students taking courses for non-credit must earn an as-
sessment of “pass” or better in all courses.

Incompletes

All students must complete the requirements for the course they are regis-
tered for by the end of the semester. The course instructor will determine any
exceptions and notify the Program Administrator in writing with the reason
for lack of completion and a deadline by which the grade will be submitted.

Immediately following each final grading period, a “reminder” letter will

sent by the Carnegie Mellon Registrar to all students who were assigned “I”
grades. The letter reminds the student that the “I” grade must be substituted
with a permanent grade by the next semester’s last day of classes, or the “I”
grade will be converted to “R”. It is important that you retain contact with
your instructor while you complete the remaining work for your course.

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 Tuition Payment & Refunds

Credit

After registration has taken place, the Enrollment Services Department of

Carnegie Mellon will send an invoice to you. The invoice may arrive after the
course has begun, but you will need to return it as soon as possible so that the
registration will become effective.

Enrollment Services assumes that students will take courses each semester
until graduation, but this is not the case with distance education and part
time students. If you receive an invoice and are not taking a course that se-
mester, please make a notation on the invoice that you are a distance educa-
tion student and are not taking a course this semester. Return the invoice to
Enrollment Services. If you have any problems with billing, please contact
Enrollment Services at 412-268-8186.

Tuition for the coming academic year is announced by the end of February
each year and may change from year to year. Tuition payments for Fall are
due by the second Friday of August. Spring tuition payments are due by the
first Friday in December. Summer tuition is due the last Friday in April.

Tuition refund is governed by the Carnegie Mellon University policies. For

more detailed information about the University’s Tuition Payment and Re-
fund Policy, see:

http://www.cmu.edu/hub/grad.html

Non-credit

The Distance Education Program office will handle billing for non-credit
courses. Checks or credit card information should accompany your appli-
cation. If you need an invoice, please contact the Program Administrator. A
receipt will be sent as soon as possible after you have registered. Course ma-
terials will not be sent until you have paid the course fee.

In order to receive a tuition refund you must notify the Program Adminis-
trator within the first two weeks of the course. The full tuition charged will be
refunded with the exception of $100. You must return all course materials to
receive a tuition refund.

Note: If you defer to the next session, you will not receive a refund. The tu-
ition will be credited towards the next session.

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Student ID Cards

At the present time, Carnegie Mellon identification cards are not available to
students taking courses at a distance. We do, however, offer student status let-
ters which may be used to receive an educational discount on the purchase of
software you may need for your course.

Reasonable Person Policy

Maintaining academic integrity—scholarship free from fraud and decep-

tion—is an important objective of Carnegie Mellon.

While the university has a very precise policy on academic integrity, the
School of Computer Science (SCS) has a long history of honoring the principle
of academic integrity, rather than enforcing the rules to the letter. The “rea-
sonable person principle” encourages all members of the SCS community, on
and off campus, to approach problems as a reasonable, responsible person. In
addition, it is advisable to avoid actions that hinder the welfare of others.

Cheating and Plagiarism Policy of Carnegie Mellon

Students at Carnegie Mellon are engaged in preparation for professional activ-

ity of the highest standards. Each profession constrains its members with both
ethical responsibilities and disciplinary limits. To assure the validity of the
learning experience a university establishes clear standards for student work.

In any presentation it is the ethical responsibility of each student to identify

the conceptual sources of the work submitted. Failure to do so is dishonest
and is the basis for a charge of cheating or plagiarism, which is subject to
disciplinary action.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not necessarily limited to

1. Plagiarism, explained below.

2. Submission of work that is not the student’s own for papers, assignments,
or exams.
3. Submission or use of falsified data.
4 Theft of, or unauthorized access to, an exam.
5. Use of an alternate, stand-in, or proxy during an exam.
6. Use of unauthorized material including textbooks, notes or computer pro-
grams in the preparation of an assignment or during an exam.
7. Supplying, or communicating in any way, unauthorized information to
another student for the preparation of an assignment or during an exam.

25
 8. Collaboration in the preparation of an assignment. Unless specifically per-
mitted or required by the instructions, collaboration will usually be viewed
by the university as cheating. Each student, therefore, is responsible for
understanding the policies of the course as they refer to the amount of help
and collaboration permitted in preparation of course assignments.
9. Submission of the same work for credit in two courses without obtaining
the permission of the instructors beforehand.

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, failure to indicate the source with
quotation marks or footnotes where appropriate if any of the following are
reproduced in the work submitted by a student

1. A phrase, written or musical.

2. A graphic element.
3. A proof.
4. Specific language.
5. An idea derived from the work of another person.

In cases where academic integrity is questioned, a student will be given

oral or written notice of the charge by the instructor. Procedures allow for a
student to appeal the charge through informal discussions with the instructor,
department head, dean, or campus executive officer. If a failing grade or dis-
ciplinary action is recommended, the student and instructor will be afforded
formal due process.

Copyright Policy of Carnegie Mellon

Note: This statement serves as Carnegie Mellon University’s copyright policy

originally issued to campus on February 22, 1995 as a presidential policy
memo, Copyright Policy of Carnegie Mellon University. Questions on policy
content should be directed to Gloriana St. Clair, university librarian, 412-268-
2447, or to the university attorney, 412-268-3708.

Reason for the Policy

To teach, members of the university faculty often find it necessary to make

available to their students copyrighted material other than text books. Fre-
quently the best way to do that is to copy such material and distribute it to
the students.

The Copyright Act of 1976, 17 U. S. C. sect. 1 et seq. (effective January 1, 1978),

provides for duplication of copyrighted materials of others where the copying
is considered a “fair use” of the material.

26
To facilitate legitimate copying by university faculty and staff within the pur-
view of the Copyright Act while carrying out educational, research, creative
and scholarly pursuits, the university is publishing this copyright policy
statement.

This statement presents Carnegie Mellon University’s criteria for copying

copyrighted materials.

Policy Statement and Regulatory Compliance

1) It is the policy of Carnegie Mellon University that all members of the uni-
versity community must comply with U.S. Copyright Law.

2) Copyrighted materials may be copied freely by the owner of the copyright

on the materials.

Fair Use Standards

3) Faculty and staff are permitted to use and duplicate copyrighted materials
of other parties for educational and classroom uses, provided such activities
are within the fair use standard, 17 U. S. C. sect. 107.

The fair use standard requires consideration and balancing by university

faculty and staff members of the following factors to determine if duplication
or use by a third party constitutes a fair use

A. The purpose and character of the use, including whether the use is of a
commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes.

Non-profit educational purposes, such as duplication for class room

purposes rather than commercial purposes, generally tend to support a
finding of fair use.

B. Nature of the copyrighted work.

Is the work published or unpublished, fact or fiction? Published factual

works, such as form books, dictionaries or other factual works, by their
nature more readily support a finding of fair use than do unpublished
works or non-factual, fictional, creative works.

C. Amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copy-

righted work as a whole.

If the portion of the work copied or used in relation to the entire work
is quantitatively and qualitatively insignificant that supports a finding
of fair use. No specific number of words or percentage copied of the

27
 work is set as being permissible. However, see the “safe harbor” guide-
lines discussed below. Copying of a minor portion of a work may be
found to be other than a fair use if the portion constitutes the essence or
critical part of the copied or used work.

D. The effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copy-
righted work.

This factor is considered the most important element to be considered

under the fair use analysis. Duplication or use of a copyrighted work
that is not detrimental to and does not diminish the potential market
for the work will support a finding of fair use.

E. The copyright holder explicitly releases the published materials from

strict observance of the law.

Frequently publishers, particularly association and scholarly publish-

ers, will exempt educational uses of their materials from strict ob-
servance of the copyright law. Exemptions must be stated within the
published materials. In such cases, it is permissible to copy the materi-
als without permission or recompense, up to and including the limits
set by the publishers, even when they exceed fair use requirements. On
the other hand, a publisher may not claim rights in published materials
which exceed those established under law. Though such claims may be
made, faculty are under no legal obligation to follow them.

F. The faculty member has obtained the right to use the materials in writ-
ing from the copyright holder who has explicitly released purposes.

Notwithstanding the limitations of the law, publishers generally have

established copyright clearance offices and standard practices to allow
for educational uses in excess of legal limitations. Frequently, pub-
lishers will not ask for payment and all that is required is a written
request for permission to use materials for classroom purposes.

4) The following duplication activity generally will not per se constitute fair
use and should not be engaged in by university faculty or staff without per-
mission from the copyright owner

A. Duplication of materials for profit.

B. Duplication of material from published textbooks.
C. Duplication of unpublished materials.
D. Duplication of computer software for multiple use.
E. Duplication of the same materials for classroom use term after term.

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“Safe Harbor” Guidelines

5) Fair use analysis is, in many circumstances, a complex and difficult analy-
sis. As an alternative, private organizations representing educational institu-
tions, authors and publishers have developed an Agreement On Guidelines
For Classroom Copying In Not-For-Profit Educational Institutions With Respect To
Books And Periodicals; representatives of music publishers and music teachers
have developed Guidelines For The Educational Uses Of Music; and represen-
tatives of educational institutions, copyright proprietor and creative guilds
have developed Guidelines For Off-Air Recording of Broadcast Programming For
Educational Purposes. These three guidelines provide a “safe harbor” with re-
gard to fair use, in that any copying or use within these guidelines should be
well within the limits of fair use, although other broader activities may also
be within the fair use doctrine. These three established guidelines are avail-
able in the Libraries and at University Printing and Publications.

Contact

Questions concerning this policy or its intent are to be directed to:

University librarian, 412-268-2447
University attorney, 412-268-3708

Examples of Fair Use Practice

Each of the examples below is intended to be illustrative and contains only

a minimal amount of information needed to outline the circumstances. More
adequate detail is provided in the “safe harbor” guidelines. Numerous other
examples might be used to illustrate the law. In all instances, materials copied
for classroom purposes must include a notice of copyright.

Case I

Perusing a journal in the library, a faculty member has discovered a copy-

righted article which is highly relevant to a class she will be teaching in a
few days. She does not have ample time to contact the publisher and obtain
permission to make copies for a class of 35 students. The faculty member may,
on a one-time basis, make these copies. However, subsequent use in another
term would not usually be within the fair use principle. The decision to use
the copyrighted work is “spontaneous” and so close in time to the class in
which it would have maximum teaching effectiveness that any delay seeking
permission would be unreasonable.

29
 Case II

Several months in advance of the term a faculty member has gathered ten
articles, from various journals and two book chapters, which are to be as-
signed as supplementary reading to a class. The faculty member may place
two copies of the materials on reserve in the library and ask that classes read
them during the term. If students make copies of said materials, such copying
must be limited by fair use standards. The faculty member may not, without
the publisher’s permission, ask departmental staff to make multiple copies
(anthologies) of the materials for circulation to the class members, even on a
cost recovery basis only.

Case III

A faculty member has found material out of copyright and/or in the public
domain (e.g., U.S. Government Publications). There are no limitations on
copying for classroom use.

Case IV

A faculty member has found three articles (each less than 2500 words) from
different issues of the same periodical and an essay of less than 2500 words
from a collected work useful to a class currently being taught. It is within
fair use practice to copy these for members of the class so long as it is for a
single term, and copying of the same materials is not repeated in a later term.
Further, the faculty member should not engage in more than nine instances of
such copying during the term.

Case V

A faculty member has excerpted a section of a chapter from a work of fic-

tion and heavily annotated it for purposes of illustration in a creative writing
class. This would be legitimate use for classroom purposes under fair use
even if copied for each class member.

Case VI

A faculty member has purchased a software program which is useful for

doing a few class exercises. It is licensed for use on one machine. The fac-
ulty member may put a single copy on reserve for specified use in doing the
exercises. The faculty member may not concurrently use the original copy, nor
may students copy it for use on their own computers. Students should not
only be warned that the software is copyrighted material but also that copy-
ing it is in violation of the law.

30
Case VII

A faculty member has, over a number of years, gathered materials, copied

them as anthologies and distributed them to all members of the class with a
prominent notice of copyright, but on a cost recovery basis. This is a perfectly
legal use of copyrighted materials, so long as permission has been obtained in
writing from the publishers for use of the materials and the faculty member
has adhered strictly to the requirements of the publisher.

Case VIII

A faculty member who authored a text now out of print has decided to assign
several core chapters for class reading. The chapters are copied and distrib-
uted by the faculty member to each member of the class. This is a violation of
copyright. The faculty member assigned the copyright to the publisher and
was remunerated with royalties. Authorship conveys no right to copy this
material and the copyright is still in effect. Permission must be granted by the
publisher for this copying to be legal since it is outside the fair use standard.

31