Required Policy/Syllabus Statements for Instructors in the College of Arts & Humanities
The Student Code of Conduct, included in PPM 6-22, notes that students may expect the following from their instructors:
A syllabus [that] outlines course requirements and instructor availability to be distributed the first week of class;
Experience academic evaluation through orderly procedures and criteria, which are announced within 14 calendar days of the first day of class and which are designed to prevent prejudice and arbitrary judgment;
Inquire and be informed by instructors of sanctions they may impose in the different courses they teach for the basic types of inappropriate behavior and academic dishonesty;
Have access to faculty members in formal classes, during scheduled office hours, and/or by scheduling appointments;
In keeping with these expectations and others articulated throughout the PPMs, the College of A&H Dean’s office reminds instructors to include the following on Syllabus or Policy Statements that instructors provide to students during the first week of classes:
1.A description of required work and a clear articulation of how that work will be evaluated (grading criteria).
2.Absence policy.
3.Office hours.
4.A definition of academic dishonesty and its consequences.
5.“Core Beliefs” Statement.
6.Disability Accommodation Statement.
7.Emergency Closure Statement.
If the course provides GENED credit, a statement of expected learning outcomes and how those outcomes will be assessed.
Templates for items 4-7:
Academic Dishonesty: As specified in PPM 6-22 IV D, cheating and plagiarism violate the Student Code. Plagiarism is “the unacknowledged (uncited) use of any other person’s or group’s ideas or work.” Students found guilty of cheating or plagiarism are subject to failure of a specific assignment, or, in more serious cases, failure of the entire course.
Core Beliefs: According to PPM 6-22 IV, students are to “[d]etermine, before the last day to drop courses without penalty, when course requirements conflict with a student's core beliefs. If there is such a conflict, the student should consider dropping the class. A student who finds this solution impracticable may request a resolution from the instructor. This policy does not oblige the instructor to grant the request, except in those cases when a denial would be arbitrary and capricious or illegal. This request must be made to the instructor in writing and the student must deliver a copy of the request to the office of the department head. The student's request must articulate the burden the requirement would place on the student's beliefs.”
Disability Accommodation: PPM 3-34 notes: “When students seek accommodation in a regularly scheduled course, they have the responsibility to make such requests at the Center for Students with Disabilities before the beginning of the quarter [semester] in which the accommodation is being requested. When a student fails to make such arrangements, interim accommodations can be made by the instructor, pending the determination of the request for a permanent accommodation.”
Emergency Closure: If for any reason the university is forced to close for an extended period of time, we will conduct our class . . . [via e-mail, WebCT, Blackboard, etc.]. Look for announcements on. . . [Weber e-mail, our listserv, etc.].
Final note: PPM 4-9a states: “Faculty members shall prepare a syllabus for each course they teach and place it on file with the department chair.” Please be sure to submit a copy of your syllabus/policy sheet to your department chair.
Sample Syllabus
Welcome to ENGL 3080: Critical Approaches to Literature
Fall 2012
Contact Information:
Instructor: Professor Madonne Miner. Office: Val Browning Center rm 312; ; I am happy to schedule appointments with you. I generally am available in my office before and after class.
Class Description:
Students will study and practice a variety of critical approaches to literature, such as New Criticism, ecocriticism, feminism, Marxism, deconstruction and cultural studies. Students will investigate the assumptions behind such theories, practice reading various texts from particular critical perspectives, and apply theoretical approaches in writing. Primarily for English majors and minors.
Learning outcomes:
1. Demonstrate knowledge of various critical theories
2. Read and write about texts from particular critical perspectives
How we will meet these learning outcomes:
This course requires your attendance and active participation, as much learning takes place during class discussions. You will practice your knowledge of various critical theories by writing four essays employing different theories, reporting orally and in writing on critical responses to two of our texts, and taking three exams.
Evaluation of your progress toward meeting the learning outcomes:
1. Class Attendance: every student receives four (4) "free absences." Use these absences wisely, as any absences over four (even for the best of reasons) will count against your final grade. I will send around a sign-in sheet each day; it is your responsibility to sign the sheet.
2. Participation in class discussion: the best way to really own the critical approaches we are studying is by working with them. This work includes class discussion. I will keep a running tally of your contributions to class; those contributions may be in large-group or small-group work. They may include insightful questions as well as insightful comments. This participation tally can help boost your final grade.
3. Four essays, insightful, well-argued, well-organized, and submitted on time. In fairness to your fellow-students, I will impose a grade penalty on essays submitted late, and will not accept essays 24 hours after the deadline. Each essay is worth 10% of your grade, for a total of 40%.
4. Two short reports, written but also delivered orally in class. Each is worth 5% of your grade, for a total of 10%
5. Two exams during class-time. Each is worth 15%, for a total of 30%.
6. One final exam during the final examination period, worth 20%.
Core Beliefs:
WSU recognizes that sometimes course content may conflict with a student's core beliefs. Such might be the case in this class, where we read texts and theories dealing with human sexuality, economics, gender and class roles, and so on. If you believe course content will present problems for you, you are welcome to withdraw from the class.
Disability Accommodation:
If for any reason you need a disability accommodation, please provide me with documentation from the Students with Disabilities Office before the end of the second week of the semester, and I would be happy to work with you.
Forced Closure:
If for any reason the university is required to close down, we will continue our class on-line. Look for e-messages from me.
Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is the theft of someone else's ideas or expression of those ideas. Please be sure that if you use someone else's words or ideas, you appropriately cite your sources. I will follow all university regulations in punishing plagiarists.
Canvas:
Weber State currently uses a course software system called Instructure/Canvas. Please log onto the class website for electronic copies of our course materials, including assignment sheets, announcements, and grades:
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Course Schedule
On the left side of this sheet is a date; on the right, a reading and/or writing assignment for that date. Please be sure to come to class fully prepared to discuss the assignment for that day. Some assignments will require multiple readings.
T 8/28 Introduction: why critical approaches?
Th 8/30 "The Work of the Critic," Dickstein (Xerox); The Turn of the Screw, ch 1-6.
T 9/4 Complete Turn of the Screw
Th 9/6 "Early Reactions," pp. 149-161 in Norton Critical
T 9/11 Goddard, 161-68; Wilson, 170-73, Heilman, 177-84.In Norton Critical.
Th 9/13 Robbins, "They Don't Much Count" (Xerox): Marxist critical approach
T 9/18 "Intro to Deconstruction" (xerox);Felman, "Madness of Interpretation" (xerox).
Th 9/20 continuation of Felman discussion and FIRST TEST
T 9/25 FIRST ESSAY due in class; submit on-line by 11:59 PM, 9/25
Th 9/27 As I Lay Dying, pp. 1-70.
T 10/2 As I Lay Dying, pp. 71-149.
Th 10/4 Background & Contexts, pp. 151-70; map p. 196; Cultural Contexts, pp. 205-26.
T 10/9 Vickery, pp. 236-48; Brooks, pp. 248-62. Short comparison essay: 10/4 and 10/9.
Th 10/11 Fowler, pp. 315-28; O'Donnell, pp. 329-35.
T 10/16 Gray, pp. 336-47; Limon, pp. 348-67.
Th 10/18 SECOND TEST
T 10/23 SECOND ESSAY due in class; submit on-line by 11:59PM, 10/23
Th 10/25 Acknowledgments & Intro xiii-xix; Silent Spring, ch's 1-4.
T 10/30 Silent Spring, ch's 5-8.
Th 11/1 Silent Spring, ch's 10, 11, 12, 14.
T 11/6 Silent Spring, ch 16, 17. Afterword by Wilson, pp. 357-64.
Th 11/8 Short report on critical response to SS; in-class presentation
T 11/13 THIRD ESSAY due: employ a critical approach to Silent Spring..
Th 11/15 Handmaid's Tale, ch 1-5 (pp. 1-98).
T 11/20 Handmaid's Tale, ch 6-10 (pp. 129-243).
Th 11/23 Thanksgiving Break
T 11/27 Handmaid's Tale, ch 11-end (pp.243-395)
Th 11/29 Short report due: read critical essay on HT and analyze that essay's approach
T 12/4 FOURTH ESSAY due: employ a critical approach to HT.
Th 12/6 Wrap-Up Discussion and Evaluation: Why Critical Approaches?
FINAL EXAM as posted in calendar