Course Syllabus

Course Policies

Student Mental Health and Well-being

This is a community of high-achieving, brilliant individuals, but that does not mean that everything will always be awesome. If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed, depressed, and/or needs support, contact Counseling and Psychological Services.

Additionally:

To get help immediately, if you or someone you know is in a crisis, please call 988 or 212-854-2878 for Columbia’s Mental Health Hotline (24/7).

If you are experiencing concerns, seeking help is courageous for yourself and those who care about you. If your stressors are academic, don’t hesitate to contact me so we can find solutions together, or contact Academic Affairs, who can help you navigate the University’s resources.

Respect for Persons

We embrace diversity of gender, sex, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, family status, and socioeconomic background. Discrimination and harassment of any kind are not tolerated.

• Names/Pronouns: Tell me your name and/or pronouns at any time, in person or by email.
• Accommodations: Reasonable accommodations are available for documented disabilities — contact the Office of Disability Services and me directly. (My office isn't accessible; we can meet via Zoom.)
• GSAPP's full policy: arch.columbia.edu/discrimination-policy

Open Discourse

Respectful debate and disagreement are part of learning. You're invited to challenge course material or your peers' ideas—including arguing positions you don't personally hold for the sake of inquiry, as long as it's done with mutual respect. Please respect the classroom as a space for discourse and inquiry, and while the Chatham House Rule has its faults, it is the standard for our class: debates and discussions should not be attributed to individuals outside the classroom without permission from the parties involved.

Recordings

Unauthorized recordings are prohibited to protect open discussion. Some sessions may require recording; if so, you'll be told in advance and can request alternative arrangements.

Academic Conduct

The GSAPP Honor Code applies strictly. Plagiarism—including submitting AI-generated text as your own—is grounds for failing, at minimum.

• Collaboration: Discussing ideas and assignments with peers is welcome, but all submitted work must be your own.
• Attribution: Credit individual and group contributions accurately.

Full policy: GSAPP Honor Code | Plagiarism Policy

Use of Electronics

Laptops/tablets are welcome for hands-on work and note-taking. Please stay on-task; no other coursework, email, or browsing during class. It's distracting to you and others around you.

Official Communications

Check your email daily. Non-urgent updates may appear on Courseworks, but anything important or urgent will always be emailed.

"Chat, Not Cheat"—AI Tools Policy

AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Manus, etc.) are welcome as thinking and editing aids—not as co-authors.

• Read, don't digest. The use of AI tools to read or summarize readings is prohibited, but it may be a study guide to help you better interact with the readings.
• Disclose every use. Log what tool you used, what you asked it, and how you used the output in this form: AI Tool-Use Disclosure Form. A short reflection on the use is required with each entry.
• You own the outcome. You're fully responsible for anything you submit. Verify every fact, citation, and line of code an AI tool gives you.
• Avoid free tiers. You should not use free versions of AI tools for coursework. Free tiers typically use your inputs—including your ideas and personal data—as training data, and their outputs are measurably of lower quality than paid versions. Columbia offers access to its secure Columbia Chat platform, as well as Gemini access via LionDrive.
• Undisclosed use = academic misconduct. In addition to the disclosure form, don't forget to cite it as you would with any source. Undisclosed use will be treated the same as plagiarism under the GSAPP Honor Code.

If you're ever unsure whether or how to use AI on an assignment, ask before you submit.

Late Submissions

• Tied to a class session (e.g., discussion prep, materials needed for in-class work): no late submissions accepted—the deliverable's value depends on the scheduled session.
• Everything else: a 10% penalty per 24-hour period late, compounding.

Sexual Harassment & Violence Reporting

You deserve a community free of discrimination and gender-based misconduct. Please speak up if you are facing any harassment or violence; it's the only way we can stop it.

Please note, if you disclose an incident of sexual harassment or gender-based misconduct to me, I am required by University policy to report it to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (EOAA) and the Sexual Respect Office so you can connect with resources.

• Report to EOAA