[Dedicated to the memory of Professor Phil Dorin, teacher, mentor and friend.]

Course Description from the Latest University Bulletin

Introduction to data types, information structures, and algorithms. Topics include: collection classes and interfaces for sets, lists, stacks, queues, and dictionaries; implementation techniques such as arrays, linked lists, and efficient tree structures; introduction to computational complexity; elementary sorting; hashing.

Course Prerequisites

This class uses Java for its concrete examples, homework, and exams. There will be some class time [but not much] spent reviewing Java fundamentals. You are more than welcome to ask for whatever clarification you need at any time, either in class or out. If you require additional practice with Java, there are any number of online tutorials which you can use to hone your skills. In addition you can use other professors' web sites [either LMU or other schools] and things like Code Academy, Kahn Academy, codingbat.com, and Stack Overflow to help you when you are stuck.

Course Structure

This course will be online, with a combination of synchronous and asynchronous content. Lessons given during synchronous sessions will be recorded to support students in different time zones. Some of the content will be distributed asynchronously via videos and readings outside of classroom hours.

Instructions to Access Brightspace

You will also need to have access to the BrightSpace course page for section 3 or for section 4 for this class. On those pages you will find the link to the Zoom room for the online class, as well as some video information of course content and how-to demonstrations. Your access to that site should be automatic; if you have problems accessing it contact me or the LMU IT department for assistance.

Note that the course description above is not very specific.... there is more detail below!

Programming, like anything else, takes practice and perseverance. You must be willing to make mistakes, to learn how to fix them, and to learn not to be afraid of them. Humans [and now even computers!] learn by making mistakes, and this is the place to do so without fear.

Course Goals, Objectives, and Learning Outcomes

The goals of this course

When you finish the course, you will be able to:

understand analytic programming concepts such as asymptotics, time-complexity, and space-complexity – that not all programs are created equal; two programs that perform the same task may not do so with the same efficiency or cleanliness be introduced to a wide range of Abstract Data Types [ADTs] and learn which are best suited for which tasks, including: arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, heaps, hash tables, sets, trees, and graphs gain a deeper understanding of class hierarchies, classes vs. objects, and implementing ADTs in concrete classes learn the Application Programming Interfaces [APIs] for popular Java collections, and how to use them in a variety of non-trivial programming tasks identify beneficial and detrimental interactions between ADTs and algorithms that operate on them

Expected Workload

In accordance with the LMU Credit Hour Policy, this 3-unit course will require 9 hours of work per week, which includes the time spent in class and lab sessions. Outside work will consist of homework and reading/study of textbook material.

What You'll Need for Success

In a nutshell, here's what you'll need to do to be successful in this course. *YOU* promise to: Attend all classes — come prepared, having done the reading Do all the assigned homework, including watching videos, visiting web sites, reading articles Participate in class discussions, exercises, and activities Ask LOTS of questions, both in class and out of class Do well on the tests, which if you do the previous things will be no problem!

…and *I* promise to:

…and *I* promise to:

Ensure that learning outcomes for the course are clearly stated in this syllabus and are addressed during the semester Be accessible and available during office hours and by appointment for interactive discussions, which can be one-on-one or in small groups Provide constructive assistance and feedback to help you understand the material; such assistance and feedback can be via e-mail or text chat, or in person during office hours Challenge you to do your best work and improve your interest in the topics presented Always let you know as early as possible in advance, whenever I can, if there are any changes to the course or related materials Always allow you to take photos of the whiteboard and to record lectures if you wish Do whatever I can to ensure you leave this course with more skill than you had when you came into it

Instructional Methods

Course content will be delivered using a combination of lecture, discussion, problem-based learning, group work, projects, presentations, critiques, community-based learning, portfolios, etc. All work will be submitted using an individual GitHub repository. Use of GitHub and all other tools required for the course will be explained during class sessions.

Textbooks and Resources

There are three optional textbooks for this course:

• Data Structures and Algorithms in Java, 2 ed.
  Robert Lafore
  ISBN-13: 978-0672324536
• Effective Java
  Joshua Bloch
  ISBN-13: 978-0134685991
• Clean Code
  Robert C. Martin
  ISBN-13: 978-0-13-235088-4

Although none of these are required, they are quite useful because they contain all the concepts that will be covered. The first book is a golden oldie but in spite of the fact that it is somewhat dated, the concepts in it are fundamental, and they are presented clearly so you can understand them rather easily.

The other two books will be used for ancillary material. They are VERY good for you to have on your own programmer's bookshelf in some form, because they are full of lessons to help you write high-quality and easily maintained code.

WORD OF WARNING: There exist two different textbooks with the same name. Data Structures and Algorithms in Java is apparently a popular name. We will be using the book by Robert Lafore, NOT the book by Goodrich and Tamassia. The G&T book is very good, and it's in its 6th edition. However, the Lafore book is the one we will be using. Actually, either one will work for the concepts we'll be discovering…

THE BOOKS ARE NOT AVAILABLE IN THE LMU BOOKSTORE. They are available at many other fine retail outlets, both online and brick-and-mortar. We will be using them for homework assignments, general reading and information, as well as for tutorials both in and out of the classroom.

Although we won't be covering the books in their entirety for this class, we will be using them as primary resources.

There is also a large number of other resources which can be used to "mine the gold" for related information about data structures. The topic is a very broad field, which has been around for a very long time, and touches almost every aspect of compjuter science. Any google search on data structures will turn up at least ten million links. Many of these will be shared during class, and you will be required to find some information about specific topics on your own. You may even be required to use the LMU library, [GASP!!] so be prepared!

General Course Topics Outline

A list of topics that are covered, and the approximate order and time frame in which they will be discussed, is available on the class notes page for this site.

Reading Assignments

Chapter readings from the text books and the dates by which these readings should be completed are listed below. Note that you should have read the chapter material prior to the first day of class of the week listed [except where noted], and you should be ready to discuss the text, ask questions about the concepts, and begin working with some of the implementations of the concepts in class. It is also a good idea to at least read (or preferably try) the exercises contained in [and at the end of] each chapter.

Here is the reading list:

1. Week 1 [due Wed/Thu] [38 pages]:
   • Lafore book: all of chapter one
   • Bloch book: all of chapters one and two
2. Week 2 [39 pages]:
   • Lafore book: all of chapter two EXCEPT the workshop applet sections
   • Bloch book: chapter 3, item 9, starts on page 42
   • Bloch book: chapter 3, item 11, starts on page 53
3. Week 3 [66 pages]:
   • Lafore book: all of chapter four
   • Bloch book: chapter 4, item 12, starts on page 59
   • Bloch book: chapter 4, item 14, starts on page 71
4. Week 4 [71 pages]:
   • Lafore book: all of chapter five
   • Bloch book: chapter 4, item 16, starts on page 84
   • Bloch book: chapter 4, item 17, starts on page 89
5. Week 5 [35 pages]:
   • Lafore book: all of chapter three
   • Bloch book: chapter 6, item 23, starts on page 119
   • Bloch book: chapter 6, item 25, starts on page 126
6. Week 6 [14 pages]:
   • Lafore book: re-read chapter two section on big-O notation
   • Bloch book: chapter 6, item 28, starts on page 136
   • Bloch book: chapter 7, item 29, starts on page 141
   • Bloch book: chapter 7, item 30, starts on page 145
7. Week 7 [65 pages]:
   • Lafore book: all of chapter eight
   • Bloch book: chapter 7, item 38, starts on page 165
   • Bloch book: chapter 8, item 40, starts on page 172
   • Bloch book: chapter 8, item 42, starts on page 176
8. Week 8 [31 pages]: Lafore book: all of chapter nine
9. Week 9 [51 pages]: Lafore book: all of chapter ten
10. Week 10 [31 pages]: Lafore book: all of chapter twelve
11. Week 11 [55 pages]: Lafore book: all of chapter eleven
12. Week 12 [55 pages]: Lafore book: all of chapter thirteen

Homework Assignments

All written homework assignments are due at the beginning of the class on the date they are due. Deviation from this process requires prior consent of the instructor. Every effort is made to ensure assignments, required deliverables, and due dates are prominently posted on these pages; it is your responsibility to make sure you know what is due and when it is due.

You may certainly turn assignments in late; I will happily accept them, but they will be reduced in grade by one letter for each day they are late. Day means day, not workday or class day; an A+ homework due on Thursday which is not turned in until the following Tuesday will unfortunately only earn a failing grade, unless some prior arrangements are made with the instructor due to illness or some major schedule conflict. However, if you want to turn something in late, I'll still provide feedback even for assignments which have no chance of any credit; I keep this policy to allow you to get the learning benefit of the assignment even if you don't get a grade for it. My philosophy is that it is important for the students to know the material, even if an assignment doesn't get the best marks.

All assignments must use proper American English and/or Programming Language spelling and grammar. Failure to do so will cost you points on every assignment, so get a spell-checker and a grammar checker, or find a friend who is proficient to proofread your work before it is submitted.

Other than these simple rules, there are no requirements for formatting, fonts, colors, diagrams, or anything else with respect to your homework assignments, other than good code craftsperson-ship.

There will be four homework assignments during the semester, due on the dates shown in the list below. Each assignment will contain several exercises to help give you experience with the concepts covered. Each of these assignments is detailed on a separate web page; they are available from the links below. Solutions will be provided after ALL the assignments are handed in. This policy provides a motivation for everyone to turn assignments in on time, since NO ONE gets the solutions until EVERYONE has submitted their work.

Homework will be done in PAIRS. This does NOT mean divide up the work so that one person does one half and the other person does the other half. YOU MUST BOTH WORK ON THE ENTIRE ASSIGNMENT TOGETHER! Failure to work on the entire assignment as a pair will cost you one letter grade for that assignment.

Homework submissions will be done using GitHub. You will need to make an account if you don't have one already, then create a repo under that account. Note that BOTH partners will need access to the repos so that you can both access it. Name the repo CMSI281_[your names] so that I can tell who is on the team. In that repo, make four folders called homework01 through homework04 for the submissions.

Make sure the repo is a PRIVATE repo. I realize that this kind of flies in the face of the idea of "Open Source Culture"; however, the reason is that if the repo is public, I can't post updated evaluations since everyone will be able to see your results, which are Personally Identifiable Information [PII] and thus must be kept private.

MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE BOTH ABLE TO ACCESS THE REPO, AND MAKE SURE TO ALSO INVITE ME TO BE A CONTRIBUTOR so that I can upload your evaulation results.

1. Homework #1 — Due date Thursday of week 04 [2020-09-24]
2. Homework #2 — Due date Thursday of week 08 [2020-10-22]
3. Homework #3 — Due date Thursday of week 11 [2020-11-12]
4. Homework #4 — Due date Thursday of week 15 [2020-12-10]

Exams, Quizzes, Tests, and Projects

There will be two quizzes during the semester, scheduled for Thursday of week 6 [2020-10-08] and Thursday of week 12 [2020-11-19]. Note that they are interspersed with the homework assignments, such that there will not be any homework assignment due on a test date. Note that due to popular convention, the quizzes will be known as tests henceforth. Tests are cumulative.

There will be a final exam, which will be scheduled per the university's official exam schedule. Check the date and time on the schedule Final Exam schedule, which is easily available here. The final is a cumulative final, which covers everything for the entire semester.

Missed quizzes or tests: it is the responsibility of the student to provide adequate advance notice to the professor if a scheduled quiz or test is going to be missed. If you have a conflict in schedule which will cause a missed exam, please notify the professor at least two days in advance, if possible, to avoid a failing grade for that exam. Prior arrangements must be made in order for a make-up exam to be taken, since this situation requires the professor to create a second copy of the exam/quiz/test.

Use of Technology

You will need access to a computer of some variety. You'll need this computer so as to participate in the in-class exercises, live-code sessions, and to do the homework/labwork. Also, since all classes this semester will be online, you will need to be able to use the zoom conference application, which will require a camera, speakers/earbuds/headphones, and microphone. If you are unable to attend class at the regular online class hour, there will be videos posted in the course link on LMU's BrightSpace course management tool so that you can view them at another time. There are two sections of this course, and videos for both sections will be posted to both BrightSpace repositories so that everyone can see what happened in both sessions. I want everyone to get the benefit of the entire course, not just what happened in YOUR section!

You should download and install the Java Software Development Kit [JDK] from the Oracle Java website. For purposes of this class, just about any version later than Java 1.8 will work fine. Downloads of the latest version at this writing [Java 14] are available for all platforms here.

You will also need to install and use some sort of text editor into which you can type your code in ASCII/Unicode text-only form. You cannot use a word processor such as Microsoft Word or Mac's TextEdit [unless you configure it properly] or other word-processing software which puts in special characters that the Java compiler won't recognize. Several possible free tools are available, such as the following:

• Visual Studio Code [VSCode]
• Atom
• Sublime Text
• Notepad++
• TextPad

You can certainly use Notepad [on Windows] or TextEdit [on Mac, if properly configured for plain text] to edit your source code, but it can be difficult to collaborate with these tools due to the lack of line numbers at the left margin. Also, there is no syntax coloring in those editors. On Mac, in the terminal window you can use the "vi" editor, but it takes some getting used to and is rather an "acquired taste".

Another helpful tool is a testing framework. While test code, or at least skeletons for test code, will be provided to you for some projects, there is a very nice free test framework called J-Unit that can help you a lot. It is available for free download from this site, which also has complete instructions for setup and use, and some sample code to help you make sure it works. After you have downloaded both files, follow the Getting Started instructions at this location.

Attendance and Participation

Although attendance is not mandatory, it is in your own best interest to attend every class. Much of the material will be discussed in class, so counting on the book for all information which appears on tests will not provide you with complete information. In addition, there will be coding done during class time, and in-class exercises in small groups which you will miss out on if you are not there.

Obviously, if you skip too many classes, you will likely fail the class, since you will miss important parts of the material; this is a simple and self-fulfilling prophecy.

I want to emphasize that I care about your learning. As part of your learning process in this class, I would like to invite you to evaluate yourself and participate in your own assessment for the class. It is important to me to know how you are doing — for example, are you understanding the concepts, are you able to put them into real-life situations and examples, are you connecting and engaging with the material, are the explanations clear to you. To that end you will be periodically filling out a form called a mud card [because there are some concepts in each learning unit that might be muddy]. We'll be working together to design them during a class meeting early in the semester, and will then be using them several times during the remainder of the term to help both you and me understand your progress and process.

Mud cards are available through the BrightSpace course page [for section 03] and BrightSpace course page [for section 04] for this class. The version that is currently posted is simply a placeholder, but feel free to take a look at it to get some ideas of things that you might want to contribute when we make the official version.

The class participation rubric appears with the grading stuff in the tables below.

Extra Credit

There will be no extra credit given in this course.

Grading

Grades for the course are assigned according to the weighting factors shown in the tables below.

Final letter grades will be assigned based on the following scale:

Percent	Letter	Rating and Achievement
91 - 100%	A / A-	Professional quality work; outstanding
81 - 90%	B+ / B / B-	Entry-level quality work; above average, shows extra effort and interest
71 - 80%	C+ / C / C-	Satisfactory work; expected with reasonable effort
61 - 70%	D	Substandard work; minimal effort shown
60 or less	F	Thank you for playing; see you next semester

Evaluation Item	Weight
Homework (total, all 4)	20%
Quiz #1	20%
Quiz #2	20%
Final Exam	30%
Class Participation	10%

Class participation is assigned for each class meeting based on the following rubric:

Class Participation Criteria	Value
Absent *without* prior notification/agreement of professor	0
Absent *with* prior consent/agreement of instructor	2
Present in class, and hopefully: Demonstrates excellent preparation from readings and other material. Offers analysis, synthesis, and evaluation; puts together pieces of the discussion to develop new approaches that take the class further.	5

Also of note…

An incomplete will be granted only when the requesting student has done at least 80% of the coursework, and has at least a B average in the course work completed. This policy is standard LMU policy.

Leave of Absence/Withdrawal Policy:

Please read the policy in the University Bulletin.

All work is evaluated for both technical merit and quality of written and/or oral presentation. Find yourself a good spelling and grammar checker, or a trusted human editor, if you are having any difficulty with the rules of standard English language usage. Another excellent resource is the Academic Resource Center, located on the south side of Daum Hall. The center takes appointments, and also allows drop-in consultation sessions, and they have a number of good benefits. Call (310) 338-2847 to schedule an appointment. (For those that don't know, Daum Hall is the building where the LMU Security and Parking office used to be. ARC is on the second floor.)

Another thing to remember is, your coding style is an important part of your assignment evaluations. I WILL NOT HESITATE to take points off for code that has hard-coded number

FAIR WARNING!!! DANGER WILL ROBINSON!!! FAIR WARNING!!!

In this class, documentation which is not of professional quality is no longer acceptable. Spelling, grammar, and internal document consistency all count and will cost you big-time if not correct! I will not hesitate to knock off a full letter grade on an otherwise perfectly correct assignment if there are egregious and/or numerous spelling/grammar errors. In addition, coding style will play a large part in determining the grade on the code for the homework/labwork. It is the job of each student to properly structure, comment, and indent, to select the proper names for variables, and to not hard-code values. NO MAGIC NUMBERS!

FAIR WARNING!!! DANGER WILL ROBINSON!!! FAIR WARNING!!!

Course Evaluation

Student feedback on this course provides valuable information for continued improvement. All students are expected to fairly and thoughtfully complete a course evaluation for this course. All course evaluations for the Seaver College of Science and Engineering are administered online through the Blue^™ evaluation system. You will receive an e-mail notification at your Lion e-mail address when the evaluation form is available. You may also access the evaluation form on Brightspace during the evaluation period. A few minutes of class time will be reserved for you to complete a course evaluation near the end of the semester. Please bring a laptop, smart phone, tablet or other mobile device to class on this date so that you can access the online evaluation platform.

Academic Honesty and Integrity

General Statement

Loyola Marymount University is a community dedicated to academic excellence, student-centered education, and the Jesuit and Marymount traditions. As such, the University expects all members of its community to act with honesty and integrity at all times, especially in their academic work. Academic honesty respects the intellectual and creative work of others, flows from dedication and pride in performing one's own best work, and is essential if true learning is to take place. As an LMU Lion, by the Lion's Code, you are pledged to join the discourse of the academy with honesty of voice and integrity of scholarship.

Academic dishonesty will be treated as an extremely serious matter, with severe consequences that can range from receiving no credit for an assignment or test to failing the class, to expulsion.

• It is never permissible to turn in any work that has been copied from another student or copied from a source [including the Internet] without properly acknowledging/citing the source.
• It is never permissible to work on an assignment, exam, quiz or any project with another person unless your instructor has indicated so in the written instructions/guidelines.
• It is your responsibility to make sure that your work meets the standard of academic honesty set forth in the LMU Honor Code and Process. The LMU Academic Honor Code and Process can be found at: https://academics.lmu.edu/honesty/.

LMU Academic Honesty Policy https://academics.lmu.edu/honesty/:
Unauthorized Access to or Alteration of Privileged and Proprietary Information:

• Unauthorized access to and/or use of privileged University documents, files, or information and/or alteration thereof by electronic or any other means.
• Unauthorized access to and/or use of proprietary information. For example, the unauthorized dissemination of research prior to publication.
• Unauthorized access to and/or use of University course resources and materials. For example, distributing any course materials [syllabus, assignments, exams, etc.] without explicit permission from the instructor. Therefore, dissemination or sharing of any classroom recording [e.g., Zoom or other videos posted by the instructor] without the permission of the instructor would be considered unauthorized use and, therefore, prohibited

Special Accommodations

Students with special needs who require reasonable modifications, special assistance, or accommodations in this course should promptly direct their request to the Disability Support Services [DSS] Office. Any student who currently has a documented disability [ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Learning, Physical, or Psychiatric] needing academic accommodations should contact the DSS Office [Daum Hall 2nd floor, 310-338-4216] as early in the semester as possible. All discussions will remain confidential. Please visit http://www.lmu.edu/dss for additional information.

Students should also keep in mind that resources are available through the Library [https://library.lmu.edu] and Information Technology Services [https://its.lmu.edu]. The DSS Office can help students connect with the appropriate person at the Library and ITS.

Respect For Self And Others

As an LMU Lion, by the Lion's code, you are pledged to join the discourse of the academy with honesty of voice and integrity of scholarship and to show respect for staff, professors, and other students.

The following LMU documents are available to reference:

• LMU's Community Standards, which defines prohibited conduct (IV.D): [see page 8, section O, item 7 of the Community Standards document]
• The Lion's Code [see LMU's Community Standards at the link immediately above.]
• The LMU Student Affairs brochure Disruptive and Threatening Student Behavior (Fall 2010): [See Disruptive Behavior Brochure.]

For more information on this or any other conduct issues, please refer to the Student Codes and Policies section in the Community Standards. You can find any and all other related data from the Office of Student Conduct & Community Responsibility web page. Also check the main Student Affairs Department Website.

Expectations for Classroom Behavior

Electronic Devices: Pretty easy — please turn off your cell phone ringer during class time. That's it for me, but there's more from LMU at this link.

The official LMU language for this is:

Please turn off and put out of sight all electronic devices (other than those and when allowed) during class-time. The interruptions and/or distractions they cause disrupt class and interfere with the learning process. Even if you are not on video, it's distracting to you.

Expectations for Classroom Behavior in an Online Learning Environment

1. Netiquette: In addition to LMU's Community Standards, The Lion's Code and Guidelines on LMU Student Classroom and Course-Related Behavior, students should adhere to Netiquette. Your instructor and fellow students need a safe, online learning environment. All opinions and experiences shared, no matter how controversial they may be perceived to be, must be respected in the spirit of academic discourse. You are encouraged to critique an idea but should not attack an individual. Working as a community of learners, we can build a respectful space for discourse. Below are some tips for good netiquette:
   
   • Listen actively: listen to understand, to learn, and to receive information.
   • Present ideas appropriately
     
     1. Avoid the use of offensive language
     2. Be aware if Internet Language. For example, do not capitalize all letters since this suggests shouting.
     3. Popular emoticons such as 😜 or 👍 can be helpful to convey your tone but don't overuse them
     4. Use an appropriate and respectful tone when communicating formally or informally.
   • As in a classroom-based session, engaging in private chat during remote class discussions and presentations is disruptive.
   • Do not work on other things during class attendance
   • It may be tempting to multitask during class, but this will impede your learning. Your full focus on the conversation and class materials is required.
   • Before posting your question to a discussion board, check if anyone has asked it already.
   • Don't post irrelevant links, comments, thoughts or pictures.
   • If you refer to something your classmate said earlier in the discussion, quote just a few key lines from their post so that others won't have to go back and figure out which post you're referring to.
   • Respect the opinion of your classmates. If you feel the need to disagree, do so respectfully and acknowledge the valid points in your classmate's argument.
   • Be willing to express dissent. There should be space for non-majority opinions.
   • Edit before you push the Send button.
   • Students are expected to attend class sessions without interruptions.
2. Zoom Sessions:
   
   • Please keep your camera on.
   • Please keep your microphones muted until it is your turn to speak.
   • Please use the raise hand feature or use the chat if you have a question or comment.
   • Be an active participant in the breakout sessions.
   • All Zoom sessions will be recorded and put on Brightspace. Please review these if you are unable to attend or need to leave early. Note that I will be intending to break recordings into short parts, shooting for about 10 minutes each, so there will be some stopping and re-starting of videos.
3. Safety and Privacy in the Remote Learning Environment:
   

   Students and faculty have a reasonable expectation for privacy in all learning spaces. Bimodal and remote learning can involve the use of synchronous video conferencing, asynchronous recorded lectures, live and online discussions, as well as online forums. In these venues, privacy is a priority for a safe learning environment. See Lion's code.

   As a member of our online community, please follow these privacy guidelines:
   

   • Videos captured during class meetings should be used only to support student learning and to prepare students for effective learning.
   • Do not share screenshots or images from sessions.
   • Do not record any sessions with your own device; asynchronous classes will be posted in a secured page on Brightspace and may not be downloaded, manipulated, or distributed, or uploaded to a public page for any reason [unless with instructor permission].
   • Do not share class access information such as Zoom links etc.

Because of the nature of the class delivery method during remote zoom times we will also take a look at a document which will serve as a guide for everyone in the class. This Netiquette Document is published here and on the Brightspace site [Section 03] and [Section 04]. We will take a look at it during the first week of class and will work to make it agreeable to everyone involved.

Emergency Preparedness

Public Safety can be reached 24/7/365 at 310.338.2893 [or x222 from a campus phone]. In a life-threatening emergency, call 911 first and then call Public Safety if possible. To report an incident, call Public Safety, submit an e-report on the Public Safety website or via the Rave Guardian mobile app, or visit Public Safety in Foley Annex. Review evacuation information and other safety tips posted in each learning space. Make sure you're registered to receive emergency alerts – confirm your contact information at lmu.edu/alert, and download Rave Guardian in the Apple or Google Play store. For more information and emergency preparedness tips, visit https://publicsafety.lmu.edu.

To report an emergency or suspicious activity, contact the LMU Department of Public Safety by phone (x222 or 310-338-2893) or at the nearest emergency call box. In the event of an evacuation, follow the evacuation signage throughout the building to the designated safe refuge area where you will receive further instruction from Public Safety or a Building Captain.

For purposes of evacuating the building, our safe area is the sunken gardens. There will be people to guide you.

For more safety information and preparedness tips, visit http://www.lmu.edu/emergency.

Office Hours / Communication / Contact Information

Office hours are listed at the top of this syllabus page. I will make every effort to be available during those hours, and if I cannot for some emergency reason, I'll make sure you all know about it in advance if possible. Office hours, [due to the pandemic] will be held on zoom in my personal meeting room. A link to the office hours z'room is provided on the BrightSpace course page.

I am also always available by e-mail at: my LMU mail address

There is a class slack channel on the LMUCS workspace, named cmsi-286_fall2020. I post to that channel with information at times, and it's a good place to ask/answer questions. It won't hurt you to join! You can also DM me in that workspace.

Beginning in Fall 2020, the LMU CS department is trying a new communication method using Discord for our virtual office hours, and as a virtual Keck Lab environment. Feel free to join up there as well, and post there with your colleagues in the department!

YOU MUST CHECK YOUR LION EMAIL ADDRESS OF RECORD. I will start by sending all email blasts to everyone's lion.lmu.edu email address. If you specifically provide me with a preferred alternative email to use I will be happy to oblige. I create a distribution list to which I send all general communications in addition to the slack channel, so it is important for me to have an email address which you will check on a regular basis.

Tentative Nature of the Syllabus

If necessary, this syllabus and its contents are subject to revision. Students are responsible for any changes or modifications announced or distributed in class, emailed to students' LMU Lion accounts or posted on LMU's course management system, Brightspace. If you are absent from an in-person or online class meeting, it is the your responsibility to check Brightspace [and/or the course website] and to check with the professor to see if you missed any important class announcements. Students should not rely on word-of-mouth from classmates.