COMS 103- Presentational Speaking in the Organization Lab Syllabus
Section 13- Monday, 6-715pm, Brighton Hall 101
Section 14- Monday 730-845pm, Brighton Hall 101
Lab Instructor- Robert Young
Office Hours: Mendocino Hall 5005, Monday330pm-530pm (alternative hours can be set upon request)
The course is monitored through SAC CT and this will be my main form of communication with you.
(If Sac CT should become inaccessible you can view course info on Dr. F’s website:
SAC CT message response policy: I check my Sac CT messages M-F and am prompt to respond, but any messages sent after 9pm will be responded to by noon the next day. Any e-mails sent on weekends, i.e. after 9pm on Friday and before12pm Monday, will not be returned until Monday at noon.
Emergency e-mail (ONLY to be used if Sac CT goes down and you need to reach me):
Lab goals
Think of your future career as a war (in this job market that is not that much of an exaggeration); every speech you give or presentation you make in your future job is a battle you will fight in an effort to win your war. COMS 103 is the boot camp that will prepare you for your potential occupation. If we keep going with this militaristic metaphor you could consider Dr. Foss-Snowden the reigning commander of your business public speaking boot camp. This would make me your friendly drill sergeant. I am here to put all of the good doctor’s theory into practicum. I am here to whip you into business public speaking shape as fast and efficiently as I can.
This lab is a 4-month language boot camp designed to temper and test every fiber of your public speaking being. It may be tough, it may be taxing, and you may want to throw your course reader at me at some point during the semester. Just please keep in mind during these moments that my attentive critiques and stern grading are a product of something I know to be true: namely, that you are all extremely capable and intelligent individuals who have the potential to be great. The lecture and lab are designed to help you reach the excellence and greatness you are already so close to attaining.
If you work hard in this class (i.e., prepare for speeches, work well with others, ask questions when you need to and listen when you need to) and trust my extensive knowledge in the field of communications and public speaking we can work together to make you the best damn public speaker you never dreamed you could be: This is a promise if you chose to cooperate. However, if you chose not to show up to class, chose not to participate or succumb to fear of public speaking there is not a lot I can or want to do for you.
If you give this class everything you’ve got I am sure that this will be one of the most important and inspiring classes you will remember during your time in college. You will look back and be able to pinpoint exactly when it was you conquered your fear of public speaking, learned to move people with your words and grew into the leader that every company would kill to have.
At the end of this semester it is my hope that each and every one of you will take the leap and accept the challenge to be one of the few, the proud, the public speakers.
Classroom etiquette
1) R-E-S-P-E-C-T: All of the etiquette rules deal with respect essentially. Respect your fellow classmates at all times in class especially during their speeches. When you walk into this lab you are walking into a simulator of the real world business environment. In the real world of business you must be professional, courteous, communicative, intelligent and attentive at all times. I expect nothing less out of you in this lab.
2) You may refer to me as any or all of the following: sir, Mr. Young, instructor, instructor Young, lab instructor Young, teacher, teach, future Dr. Young, future professor Young.
3) I will absolutely NOT tolerate any forms of homophobia (ie “that’s so gay”), racism (ie “what’s up my n&*#% ?), sexism (ie “maybe don’t wear a bra next time”), religious bigotry (ie “my god can beat up yours”) or any of the other isms. If I hear, see or read any of this happening in my lab you will be removed immediately and will face higher repercussions from the university. If someone is annoying you with any of the isms and you don’t feel like directly going to that person talk to me and I can help handle it.
4) NO cell phone disruption during class, especially during speeches. Phones must be OFF, not on silent, vibrate or a low tone. No texting during class either. It irks me like nothing on this earth can. If you are disrupting class with your phone you will be dismissed from class that day and receive NO participation points. If there is an emergency and you are waiting for a call during class see me before class and I will determine if it’s actually an emergency or not. We are trying to prepare you for the real world and having some restraint with your cell phone is part of that…seriously, do you think your future boss will be cool with the fact that you are texting through your organization’s presentation? Yeah, neither did I.
5) Snacking and drinking (non-alcoholic beverages) are allowed in class but please don’t push it by busting out a 5 course meal. A bag of trail mix or something that doesn’t draw too much attention is cool, but don’t lay out a spread from Subway or Gordito Buritto. Oh, and pick up your trash too. Thanks.
7) If you are late for class and a speech is in progress DO NOT COME IN until you hear applause or jeering (just kidding about the jeering part). Trust me, in your future career your boss will not appreciate you being late or barging in on a co-worker’s presentation as you fumble around with your bag or briefcase.
8) You will dress up in business or other speech appropriate attire for your speeches. If you don’t have business clothes, you need to beg or borrow to get them. No one in the business world is going to be receptive to a sales pitch from someone dressed in Dorritos-stained camouflage cargo shorts and a rotted out Sierra Nevada t-shirt.
Grading and Speeches
1)Speech grades will be returned one week after the speech is delivered. Questions or disputes of grades will not be addressed until 1 week after the grade is handed back.
2)Wikipedia: go ahead and use it but I sometimes just for fun I like to go and put false information on the pages of topics I know you are working on. If I catch you spouting off some of the false info I’ve placed on a Wiki page, I’ll know you weren’t actually doing your research and your grade will reflect this. Not doing your research in a professional speech won’t cut it in the real world and it will not cut it here so use websites like Wikipedia carefully. Wiki is the unreliable short cut version of research…almost anything you can find on there you can find from a more reliable first hand source (and they are usually on the internet as well: i.e., Google scholar or Ebscohost on the Sac State Library page).
3)Sign-up sheets for presentations will be available one week prior to the first day of the next scheduled speech according to the course calendar. If you are not present the day of sign-ups, a presentation day will be assigned for you. It is YOUR responsibility to find out which date you were assigned and to be prepared to speak that day. If you are not prepared to speak on your scheduled speaking day, you will receive a 0 for the assignment. BE PREPARED!
4)Finally attendance is OPTIONAL. Should you not show up to class it is YOUR responsibility to find out what you missed (speech sign ups, assignments, etc…) from a fellow class mate, NOT FROM ME. I am not here to do your work or baby sit your academic career. If you miss a speech sign up day you need to contact me and ask when I have assigned you. If you fail to do this and miss your speech you will receive a 0 for the assignment, no questions asked
If you miss a speech due to an emergency like sickness, death in the family, etc… you need to provide a doctors note, funeral notice, hospital wrist band, etc… Failure to produce this documentation will result in an automatic 0. These documents need to be turned in during the next class you attend, absolutely NO acceptations.