Syllabus:  The purpose of a syllabus is to communicate to your students what the course is about, why it is taught, where it is going, and what they will need to do to achieve an acceptable grade. 

One aspect of a syllabus is the schedule.  Consider this a contract between you and the students.  Many of them have important responsibilities outside of school.  They need to be able to predict their schedules as accurately as possible, so don’t make changes unless absolutely necessary.  Requests by the class for changes usually need to be unanimous, and are made to the instructor by the class representative.  Remember that changes in one class will have an impact on other classes, so you may want to consult with other faculty.

Another aspect is general information.  Be sure to include your name, phone/pager number (include limitations on calling) and/or email; your office hours, or how they can contact you to ask questions; your grading policies, including how the final grade will be determined; class time(s), day(s), location(s); and any special rules, including your expectations for participation and attendance and your make-up exam and disability accommodation policies.