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Contrary to popular (and false) belief, I consider that an excellent final grade should be the result of excellent performance both at the Testing Center and in the classroom. An "A" should not be given simply because someone is "nice" (whatever that means) or has a testimony of the gospel. That high grade should be reserved for those who read all the assignments, attend class regularly, participate in classroom discussion frequently, and study for the exams diligently.  This is the breakdown of the total points possible in this class:

Midterm Exercise Response Paper Final Exercise Class Participation Total Points

150 points 150 points 200 points 100 points  (Attendance, Comments) 600 points

And the final grades will be assigned according to the following scale:

A    585-600	B-   525-539	D+  460-474
A-   570-584	C+  505-524	D   445-459
B+   555-569	C    490-504	D-  430-444
B     540-554	C-  475-489	F   001-429

Exams Approximately one week before each exercise we will review a study list with all the questions of the exam. These study lists will be available under the course schedule on the web.  They will not be handed out in class. The exercises will consist of multiple-choice questions and will usually cover material found in the scriptures and in the student manual. The midterm will be available at the Testing Center for a reasonable period of time. The final exam will not be given before the assigned date. Lateness for unjustifiable reasons (e.g. forgetfulness, frolics, etc.) will be penalized with a 20-point discount in the midterm or final exam score. Any concerns over ambiguities in the exams should be resolved as early as possible. Partial points (1 point in midterm questions and 2 points in final's questions) may be given in cases of ambiguous or partially correct answers. What If You Are Not LDS? No problem at all.  I am a convert to the LDS Church, and I respect whatever religious background you come from. I will never be my intention to offend you or hurt your feelings.  I will teach you according to my beliefs in the hope that if you do not accept the restored gospel, at least you will become a friend of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and help dispel many of the myths and misconceptions about it. What If English Is Not Your Native Language? Once again, no problem.  You are welcome to pray in class in your own language ... provided that there is someone available to translate your words into English--for the benefit of all those present.  Take a look at the Apostle Paul's words on the subject: "For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.  ... [When] thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room ... say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?"  (1 Corinthians 14:14, 16) Disabilities & Special Circumstances If you have a diagnosed disability or believe that you have a disability that may require reasonable accommodation, let me know right at the beginning of the term. My role and function as a teacher are to assist you in achieving spiritually enriching, rewarding, and intellectually stimulating experiences in and out of the classroom. Your concerns and suggestions--whenever you have them--will always be appreciated.

Participation Class participation will be judged on both the amount and the quality of your questions, comments and contributions to the progress of your peers. The breakdown for those 100 precious points is the following:  Attendance     up to 50 points A lot of money and resources are spent in your maintenance in college. So, the least one can do is to attend classes and try to gain the most from them. Occasionally, circumstances may lead you to miss one class period.  Absences due to illness, job interviews, athletic & performance groups, or field trips in other classes will count as absences and there will be a penalty of minus 5 points for each absence.  Students who accumulate more than 7 absences will automatically receive a failing grade in the class.   Comments in Class      up to 50 points In every class period 4 or 5 students will be invited to share their thoughts, impressions, or questions on that day's reading assignment. Every participation in this "sharing time" will represent 15 points towards the total participation points in the course. Those who miss their opportunity twice will not receive any points for that particular round of sharing time. Our objective with this exercise is to learn from the inspired insights we will gain while studying the scriptures. Please, avoid "half-baked" remarks (i.e. overly simplistic or unrelated to the assigned chapters) or mere quotations from general authorities. As a college student you must develop analytical skills and find the practical implications of your readings. Our class periods should be seen as opportunities for mutual enlightenment. I encourage and expect many exchanges of ideas and gospel-based life experiences. If you consider yourself shy, I recommend that you put your shyness in a box and mail it to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean (the Pacific isn't far enough). While in college, take advantage of the resources available to you and "re-engineer" yourself, thus becoming an active participant in a society. Term-long silence will be rewarded with 0 (zero) points. Frequent "parallel conversations" may be penalized with a 5-point discount. Still, I recognize that shyness might not be conquered in a single term.  So, for those who do not want to speak up, I will accept an alternative assignment: A monthly written (2-page, double-spaced) remark that the student (or myself) will read in class.  One per month, each due before the end of the month and each worth 10 points. Official Communications Class announcements will be made via e-mail.  You are responsible to check your e-mail "inbox" regularly.  E-mail messages sent to BYU Hawaii e-mail addresses are considered official notification of course policies and procedures.

Official University Statements on Sexual Harassment & Disabilities

Preventing Sexual Harassment

Title IX of the education amendments of 1972 prohibits sex discrimination against any participant in an educational program or activity that receives federal funds, including Federal loans and grants. Title IX also covers student-to-student sexual harassment. If you encounter unlawful sexual harassment or gender-based discrimination, please contact the Human Resources Service at 780-8875 (24 hours).

Students With Disabilities
Brigham Young University-Hawai'i is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere, which reasonably accommodates qualified person with disabilities. If you have any disability that may impair your ability to complete this course successfully, please contact the students with Special Need Counselor Leilani Auna at 293-3999 or 293-3518. Reasonable academic accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified documented disabilities. If you need assistance or if you feel you have been unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of disability, you may seek resolution through established grievance policy and procedures. You should contact the Human Resources Services at 780-8875.