RON'S CLASS RULES, or:
                      
                WHY YOU SHOULD NOT TAKE THIS CLASS
                
(1) Hard work. 
Expect to spend 15-20 hours a week on this class, more than in any of the other 
sections of this course. If you are not sure you can devote this much time to this 
class, you should not be taking it.

(2) No excuses. 

We will automatically drop the lowest (or missing) midterm exam, two homework assignments and
two quizzes. This includes any work you may have missed due to medical reasons,
family emergencies, oversleeping, time conflicts, etc. There will be no makeups
EVER - except for the final exam. If you ask for a makeup or for any other
special treatment, a trap door will open underneath you and you will find
yourself locked for the rest of the semester in the infamous Math Dungeon below
the basement of DRL, surrounded by enormous piles of calculus textbooks. (The
only exception will be in case of a prolonged, certified, serious medical
problem. If this causes you to miss MORE than one midterm, two homework assignments or two
quizzes, we will have to work something out. But this applies only after you
have exhausted the automatic drops. The above policy concerns midterms, homework and
quizzes. For the final exam, there WILL be a makeup, to be given during the
first week of Fall 2009. (If you miss more than one midterm exam due to a
doctor-certified illness or other documented emergency, we will make up a grade
for you based on other evidence. Usually this means that we will base the grade
on your performance on the part of the final exam which covers the same
material as the missed midterm.) I realize this system is not perfect and not
100% fair. But it comes close. And it is the one used in this class.

(3) No late assignments.
TA's are people too. In fact, they are students like you, with exams and 
assignments and deadlines. So please respect your TA's needs, and DO NOT ask him to 
accept late or old homework assignments. If you do, please review the
information above concerning the trap door.

(4) Respect.
I may be old fashioned, but I cannot tolerate disruptive activities such as 
eating, reading a newspaper, or chatting in class. (Nor, for that matter, can 
many of you, especially those sitting in the back rows and struggling to hear 
me.) If you disrupt class, I will ask you to leave the room. If you do so again, 
I will reduce your grade according to circumstances.

(5) Honesty and fairness.
To a large extent, your grade depends on your performance as compared with that 
of your fellow students. If you hand in an assignment or an exam which includes 
material copied from other students, or from a solution manual, or from any 
other source, you are cheating your friends. Cheating will not be tolerated.


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