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This article presents one view on classroom rules. The comments open up the floodgates of counter opinions. Comments in this case break down into snarkiness and vitriol; I'm sure that a face-to-face conversation with colleagues about such policies would be much more productive.

Some interesting examples here of times when annoying classroom behaviors can be symptoms of issues with a student's wellbeing, and a few ideas of ways we can help students cope without just abandoning rigor. "Too often when faculty discuss students with mental-health conditions, the conversation ends in the same place: Either we establish rigorous standards or we coddle students. But that is a false binary."

Syllabi have to include clear policies, but Ed Cunliff says "I have yet to see a policy on syllabi that demands they bore the reader!" By addressing writing style, formal structure, and graphic design, Cunliff tries to make his syllabi lively, engaging documents. What do you do to get students interested in the syllabus?

The way you state policies and practices on a syllabus communicates quite a bit about the classroom environment you're trying to shape. In this column, Mark Sample talks about revising his accessibility statement to best communicate his goals of academic success and inclusion.