Expectations
Below are expectations that my students and I have developed together over the years. I will ask you in the pre-course module if you'd like to add or revise any of these expectations.
Expectations of Students
You will strive to be an active participant in this course and try your very best to complete weekly tasks.
You will keep an open mind and practice empathy.
You will treat everyone in the classroom with respect, patience, and kindness.
You will communicate with me so I can support you. You will contact me if you have concerns or questions about assignments.
You will check Blackboard regularly and read feedback provided for each graded assignment.
You will strive to contribute to collaborative activities to ensure other classmates have enough opportunity to reflect and respond to your ideas.
You will do your best to have patience with technology. We will get through it together.
Expect to make some mistakes. You are human. I will help you along the way.
You will bring in your unique experiences and perspcectives to this class. You will be mindful and reflective of your personal experiences, but also keep an open mind and be empathetic.
Expectations of Dr. Boppre
I will use teaching approaches backed by the science of teaching and learning. I may try new things and will ask for your feedback along the way. If something doesn't work as planned, we will reevaluate!
I will treat students fairly and equitably in terms of evaluation and grades.
I will provide timely feedback/grades (usually within a week) on assignments submitted on-time.
I will be approachable and respond to emails/provide feedback promptly (usually within 24-48 hours).
I may not respond to DMs/emails after 5pm or during weekends/holidays.
If I do not know something for sure, I will say so and find out the answer.
If I offer a personal opinion, I will make sure to clarify it as such.
I will ask for feedback throughout the course and make adjustments. I value your input and experiences.
I will do everything I can to help you succeed.
I’m human and will make some mistakes.
I will be flexible and understanding if something comes up and you are unable to submit assignments on-time.
Class Community
I strive to facilitate a fun and inclusive learning environment. I will not tolerate hate speech of any kind in classroom discussions, assignments, or anywhere else. We will be kind, empathetic, and patient with each other - The Care Bear way!
The way I teach may seem different from typical styles (lecturing at students, quizzes/exams). I design my courses so we can learn and grow TOGETHER!
Our course readings and discussions will often focus on mature and challenging topics. Readings and discussions might generate strong feelings—anger, discomfort, anxiety, or confusion. Please be respectful (even when you disagree) and be mindful of the ways that our identities position us in the classroom. Many students may have personally experienced victimization, incarceration, or other traumatic events or know someone close to them who has. Your lived experiences as survivors/victims are valid and important to shape your relationship with the course material.
If at any point the material is too difficult or uncomfortable, you may pause, talk to me about alternatives, and/or access confidential counseling services on campus. You do not need to tell me why or give me details. If I am concerned about your well-being, I may submit a report on your behalf in which the university will reach out to you with resources and help. I will never submit a report without notifying you.
As the instructor for this course, I have a mandatory duty to report to the university any information about possible sexual misconduct (i.e., sexual assault, sexual harassment/exploitation, dating/domestic violence, and stalking) occurring on campus or at campus events. I must also report current child and elder abuse. This includes information shared in class discussions, assignments, or conversations outside class. If I do not report, I face felony charges in the state of Texas. I may not agree with this policy, but I must adhere to it. Discussing these policies is not an attempt to stifle your voices or experiences; rather, it is to ensure that should decide to disclose, it is an empowered and informed decision.
If you would like more information about resources available on campus or beyond to support victims/survivors, you can ask me at any time this semester. You do not need to tell me why you are asking to get help for a friend, another student, or yourself.
Basic Needs
Balancing school, life, work and family can be a challenge. Please communicate with me if anything comes up (e.g., childcare, illnesses, shift changes). Any student who has difficulty affording groceries or accessing sufficient food to eat every day, or who lacks a safe and stable place to live, and believes this may affect their performance in the course, is urged to contact the Office of Student Affairs for support. Please also notify me if you are comfortable doing so. This will enable me to provide any resources that I may possess.
Names and Pronouns
I completed Safe Zone LGBTQ+ awareness training to ensure I am inclusive of students. Everyone has the right to be addressed as and referred to by their name and pronouns (including non-binary pronouns). Class rosters have a student’s legal name and do not include pronouns, therefore, all students will be asked in class to indicate the names and pronouns they use for themselves. A student’s name and pronouns are to be respected at all times in the classroom.
Late Assignments
I pace my classes purposefully with weekly modules. The modules are paced to build on one another. I assign due dates in Blackboard (Mondays 11:59pm) because it can be difficult to stay on track without them, especially online. I also provide detailed feedback to help you improve and allow for resubmissions.
However, life happens and sometimes we may not always be able to submit on-time. Consider them more like "best by" dates.
I do not deduct points for late work. If you are submitting work more than a week late, please communicate with me if links to activities expired.
I recommend submitting assignments no later than a week past the due date to ensure you don't fall behind. I will accept all assignments until the Monday of finals week.
Please understand it may take me slightly longer than usual to grade late assignments. I also may not be able to provide detailed feedback on late submissions. We schedule specific days of the week to grade and if you submit after we've finished grading a specific assignment, it may take us longer to circle back to it.
In the case of extreme extenuating circumstances (such as hospitalization, childbirth, major accident, injury or bereavement) with documentation, late work will be always be accepted. Please notify me as soon as possible of the extenuating circumstance, so we can get you back on track in the course. I do not need details or documentation and I will always believe you.
I enter zeros for missing assignments once they are 1-2 weeks past the deadline. I do this to ensure you have an accurate estimate of your final grade. You can still submit late once a zero has been entered. Please communicate with me if you need to submit an assignment that was assigned a zero.
For assignments requiring peer-review, you must submit on-time in order to participate. If you do not submit an assignment requiring peer-review on-time, I cannot guarantee that I can assign it to a fellow student and vice versa.
Definition of a Credit Hour
Success in this three-credit hour course is based on the expectation that students will spend, for each unit of credit, three hours per unit per week for lecture and preparation/studying or course-related activities. This results in nine hours per week (including classroom lecture) for a total of 135 hours.
Incomplete Grades
The grade of I – Incomplete – can be granted when a student has satisfactorily completed at least three-fourths (75%) of course work for that semester/session with at least a C-, but cannot complete the last part of the course, and I believe that you can finish the course without repeating it. The incomplete work must be made up before the end of the following regular semester. If no additional work has been completed in Blackboard, the incomplete "X" on the transcript will be replaced with an F. In all cases, responsibility for resolving an incomplete grade rests solely with you (e.g., contacting me, submitting missing assignments, etc.). I cannot send reminders, provide as detailed, feedback, or accept resubmissions on assignments. I have the discretion to assign an “X” depending on the circumstances. A consultation must have occurred and a formal agreement must be reached through email in order to grant an incomplete.
For a full description of the process, please visit SHSU's website.
Video and Audio Recording
Video and audio recording of lectures and review sessions without my consent is prohibited. You also may not reuse my slides or other resources I provide without permission. Unless explicit permission is obtained from me, recordings of lectures or slides may not be modified and must not be transferred or transmitted to any other person, whether or not that individual is enrolled.
Please review additional SHSU policies on academic dishonesty, absences, disabilities, and visitors.