• Name: Max Bender
• Office: Davis 203
• Office Hours: Bender's Schedule
• Email: mbender@... (usual Colby email). If I don't get back to your email within 24 hours, shoot me a follow-up.

• Name: Eric Aaron
• Office: Davis 113
• Office Hours: M 4-5pm; Tu 3:30-4:30pm; W 2:30-3:30pm; F TBD; and by email appointment
  (Office hours may change if needed)
  Please feel free to come by and chat--I look forward to talking with you!
  For the time being, you may be asked to wear a mask when in my office hours.
• Email: eaaron@... (usual Colby email). Email is the preferred way to contact me.
• My website has all of the above information about me and more!

TA Details

See here

Course Text

There is no required textbook for this class. There are many exceptional online resources, however, for supplemental help in this class.

Here are some links to free online data structures textbooks:

• A Practical Introduction to Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis, Java version, by Clifford Shaffer
• JavaHyperText and Data Structures, by David Gries

If you would like more help finding good supplemental material, feel free to reach out to me!

Grading

• Labs and Projects (40%): Hands-on opportunities to implement and explore concepts from lecture. See the CS231 Spring '25 Projects and Labs page for lateness policies and other details regarding projects and labs this semester.
• Exams (50%): Opportunities to demonstrate your ability to answer questions about course material. There will be 3 required midterm exams, at the dates listed on the exams page. An optional final exam will be scheduled during the final exam period, which will have the same weight as your other exams. You can choose to take it to improve your exam grade, or if you're satisfied with your grade, you may choose not to. In that case, your exam grade will be the average of your midterm grades.
• Participation (10%): I expect you to actively contribute to discussions in the classroom. Attend lectures and labs. It is not a problem if you know that you will not be able to attend a lecture, but please email me in advance to let me know.
  The most fail-safe way to succeed in this course is to come to every lecture ready to engage in the material. The general flow of classes each day / week will typically look like:
  • Friday: we wrap up our current topic and motivate the next one
  • Monday: we begin an in-class worksheet on the next topic
  • Wednesday: we go over implementation of the current data structure in Java
  The worksheets described above will account for 60% of your participation grade.

Lateness Policies

• Projects: See the CS231 Spring '25 Projects and Labs page for lateness policies and other details regarding projects and labs this semester.
• Exams: It is up to you to make sure that you are available at the above dates for the exams. We will absolutely do our best to be flexible for students who give us plenty of warning that they won't be able to attend the dates listed, but will be less forgiving to a student who doesn't show up to an exam without warning.
• Participation: N/A (worksheets are due when they're due)

As always, extenuating circumstances will be considered--please talk with your Prof. about any concerns that arise during the semester!

Tips for Success! How to succeed in this Course:

• Labs and Projects: Come to lab ready to focus on the new project. Ask the instructor and TAs for help if you need it.
• Midterms: Study for the midterms by reviewing posted Lecture Notes, making sure you understand concepts and content on worksheets, and making sure you deeply understand the code you submitted for labs and projects. Ask questions if something isn't clear! Attend the Midterm Exam review sessions, and come prepared with questions to ask.
• Participation: Ask or answer questions in class. Do the worksheets. Come to office hours and ask questions or discuss cool aspects of CS231 material.
• Final Exam: The final exam will be similar to a Midterm. The best way to study for the final exam is to look over the Midterms and Homeworks, and to attend the Final Exam review session. Also, read through your notes and make sure you understand everything in them.
• In general: Talk with us! Visit your lab or lecture instructor if you have questions--please come to our office hours to discuss what's on your mind! We want you to succeed and will do our best to consider each student's individual needs. Additionally, we highly recommend attending the evening TA sessions, where one or more TAs who have taken CS231 before are available to help with assignments. There may also be a limited number of personal tutors available upon request.

Use of Computers / Technology during Class Meetings

Scientific studies (e.g., Sana et al., 2013) demonstrate that the use of phones, computers, tablets, wearables, or other electronic devices during class meetings negatively affects the learning environment in the classroom---not just for the user of the device, but for classmates around them as well. To improve our learning environment, and as a courtesy to your classmates, the use of such devices during class meetings is discouraged and restricted: The only permitted devices are tablets, used only for the purpose of note-taking during class meetings; your Prof. may tighten or alter this policy as the semester goes along. If for any reason it is important that you use another device during a class meeting, please talk with me about how best to accommodate you!

Policy on Collaboration and Academic Integrity

Your work on Exams must be entirely your own, without any sources of outside assistance (unless explicitly authorized). You may be permitted to use outside sources for help on Worksheets, although the use of generative AI is restricted (see below). For additional Academic Integrity policies, see the CS231 Spring '25 Projects and Labs page.

Your professor reserves the right to ask students to verbally explain the reasoning behind any answer or code that they submit and to modify grades based on the answers. It is vitally important that you turn in work that is your own! Reports of academic dishonesty are handled by an academic review board and a finding of academic dishonesty may result in significant sanctions. Please also see the Statement on usage of generative AI below. For more details on Colby’s Academic Integrity policies and procedures, see https://www.colby.edu/academics/academic-integrity/.

Statement on Usage of Generative AI for CS231 Lecture Class Meetings

The use of generative AI tools (ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, IntelliSense, etc.) for written language, code generation, algorithms, ideas for solutions, etc. is not permitted on CS231 worksheets. The goals of CS231 focus on learning and demonstrating command of concepts, understanding programming techniques, analyzing programs, and understanding Computer Science from first principles / foundations; in general, the use of generative AI is inconsistent with this focus. If you have questions about this policy, or specific cases where you think using generative AI would improve the learning of course content from first principles / foundations, please ask me!

Statement regarding Academic Accommodations

The following is standard suggested language regarding Academic Accommodations at Colby. It applies to this course.

I am committed to creating a course that is inclusive in its design. If you encounter barriers, please let me know immediately so we can determine if there is a design adjustment that can be made. I am happy to consider creative solutions as long as they do not compromise the intent of the assessment or learning activity.

If you are a student with a disability, or think you may have a disability, you are also welcome to initiate this conversation with the Dean of Students Office. The Dean of Students Office works with students with disabilities and faculty members to identify reasonable accommodations. Please visit their website for contact and other information: https://life.colby.edu/get-support/access-disability-services/. If you have already been approved for academic accommodations, please connect within the two weeks of the start of the semester so the office can develop an implementation plan.

The Colby Affirmation

Colby College is a community dedicated to learning and committed to the growth and well-being of all its members.

As a community devoted to intellectual growth, we value academic integrity. We agree to take ownership of our academic work, to submit only work that is our own, to fully acknowledge the research and ideas of others in our work, and to abide by the instructions and regulations governing academic work established by the faculty.

As a community built on respect for each other and our shared physical environments, we recognize the diversity of people who have gathered here and that genuine inclusivity requires active, honest, and compassionate engagement with one another and surrounding communities. We agree to respect each other, to honor community expectations, and to comply with College policies.

As a member of this community, I pledge to hold myself and others accountable to these values wherever I may find myself.

Title IX Statement

The following is standard suggested language regarding Sexual Misconduct / Title IX at Colby. It applies to this course.

Colby College prohibits and will not tolerate sexual misconduct or gender-based discrimination of any kind. Colby is legally obligated to investigate sexual misconduct (including, but not limited to, sexual assault and sexual harassment) and other specific forms of behavior that violate federal and state laws (Title IX and Title VII, and the Maine Human Rights Act). Such behavior also requires the College to fulfill certain obligations under two other federal laws, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Statistics Act (Clery Act). To learn more about what constitutes sexual misconduct or to report an incident, see: https://life.colby.edu/your-safety/sexual-violence-title-ix/

I am committed to all Colby students feeling safe, accepted, and included in all aspects of their college experiences, including this course. Colby prohibits and will not tolerate sexual misconduct or gender based discrimination of any kind and is obligated, by federal and state laws, to respond to reports and provide resources to students. As your professor I am considered a "responsible employee" which requires me to report incidence of sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating violence, or stalking to the Title IX Coordinator.

If you wish to access confidential support services, you may contact:

• Counseling Services: 207-859-4490
• Dean of Religious and Spiritual Life, Kate Smanik: 207-859-4272, kesmanik@colby.edu
• Director of Student Access and Disability Services, Kevin Murray: 207-859-5166, kjmurray@colby.edu
• Assistant Dean of Student Success, Kay Shirley: 207-859-4560, kshirley@colby.edu
• Colby Health Services: 207-861-6860, healthservices@colby.edu
• Maine's 24/7 Sexual Assault Helpline: 1-800-871-7741

Mental and Emotional Health

The following is standard suggested language regarding Mental and Emotional Health at Colby. It applies to this course.

I am invested in the mental and emotional health of my students. Even as I establish and maintain the academic standards of my course, I value each of you as individuals with complex lives, identities, and challenges.

Throughout the semester, the responsibilities of your Colby education may interact with situational as well as ongoing mental and emotional challenges in foreseeable and unforeseeable ways. If you are in need of reasonable flexibility due to an emotional situation or an ongoing mental health issue, please communicate as openly as possible with your Class Dean, and/or members of the office of Access and Disability Services, preferably in advance of the need, so that we can discuss how your circumstances interface with course requirements. Together, we will consider what is needed and what is possible. If we can discuss the situation, we can manage the situation together.

Please do not allow academic responsibilities to prevent you from getting help you need. Our Colby Counseling Services staff (207-859-4490) and the staff in the Dean of Studies office (207-859-4560) are available to connect with you. The safety of my students and every member of this community is paramount. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide or may be a danger to themselves or others, please call the on-call counselor immediately (207-859-4490, press ‘0’).

Respect For Diversity

The following is standard suggested language regarding Respect for Diversity and Religious Holidays at Colby. It applies to this course.

It is my intent that students from diverse backgrounds and perspectives be well-served by this course, that students' learning needs be addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity that students bring to this class be viewed as a resource, strength and benefit. I expect you to feel challenged and sometimes outside of your comfort zone in this course, but it is my intent to present materials and activities that are inclusive and respectful of all persons, no matter their gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, culture, perspective, and other background characteristics.

Colby College supports the religious practices of students, faculty, and staff. Students are expected to notify their instructors of their intent to fulfill the obligations of their religious tradition well in advance of these days. For this class I ask that you notify me by email at least 14 days in advance of the date in question.

Class rosters are provided to each instructor with the student's legal name. I will gladly honor your request to address you by an alternate name and/or gender pronoun. Please advise me of this early in the semester so that I may make appropriate changes to my records.