Participation is a key element of this class. For this online class, attendance and participation takes place in the form of 1) Jamboard discussion forums, 2) peer review, and 3) group activities. All participation will be graded according to our grade contract, and missed participation work cannot be made up. I will check in with you often, and will drop you if you miss more than 25% to 30% of our participation activities.
Reading Policy:
Reading is required for this class. All participation and writing is based on an understanding and application of the reading. Please be prepared each week to read actively, taking notes and making connections.
I am always available to discuss your grades in person or on a private Zoom call. I cannot and will not discuss grade specifics over email as confidentiality laws prevent me from doing so. At no time are your grades up for debate, bargain, negotiation, or trade. I expect that all discussion between you and I will be professional and based on mutual respect for each other as well as an understanding of the course, the syllabus, your work and grade agreement, assignment rubrics, your writing and classwork, and all grading policies.
I check my email several times each day, between the hours of 8am and 5pm (except holidays). I will respond to all emails within forty-eight hours, and usually much more quickly than that. If you email me after 5pm, on weekends or holidays, or while I am in my evening class, I will read your message on the next business day. If you do not hear from me within the 48 hours, please email me again. I expect that you will follow these guidelines when emailing me. Emails that do not follow these guidelines may not be returned.
If you earned an Incomplete grade on a Jamboard discussion forum because of missed peer responses, you may do extra peer responses in the next week's discussion forum, and I will go back and change your grade for the previous week. Note: Jamboard make ups may be done the following week only. So a Week Three makeup can be completed in Week Four only. Makeups more than one week after an incomplete grade will not be authorized. Note: a missed Jamboard post cannot be made up.
As this class is not self-paced, you cannot “catch up” on the work. I’ve created this schedule to help you be successful in your writing and the learning required by this class. Plan on submitting your work on time so you can stay on track with what the class requires. That said, life does happen, and I allow a twenty-four hour grace period for every assignment for this class, no penalty and no questions asked. Additionally, with prior notice, I will allow one major writing assignment* to be up to one week late. If you have an issue in your life, reach out to me and we will figure it out. I am here to help you succeed. Please note: once you get behind in an online class, sometimes even by a single day, it is difficult to get back on track. Use this late policy only as an exception to the rule. Students who use the grace period consistently tend to see their grades reflect their lateness.
Note: the final Author Investigation Argument paper is not subject to the one week extension, as final grades are due soon after our class comes to an end, and I need time to grade it. This paper is, however, covered under the 24 hour grace period.
One of the most important lessons of our class is that revision is where the magic happens. A paper cannot be its best if it is written in one or even two sittings. With that lesson in mind, I will allow you to negotiate a revision and resubmission plan for up to two major papers. All revision negotiations are student-driven and instructor-approved, and all revision plans must adhere to class policies.
If you have technical issues that prevent you from submitting work on time, email notes from your meeting with Canvas. Include the time of your phone call/chat/Zoom call, and the name of the person you met with. Please note that help is available evenings and on weekends. Just call the number listed.
If you have trouble submitting work because of professor error, email me with a time stamped screenshot of the problem, so I know a) that you tried to submit on time, and b) that I need to fix the problem. Do not submit your work via email unless asked to do so.
. . . please do not come to class, especially if you are contagious. Please do not expose us. If I get sick, that means many classes cancelled and many essays left ungraded, which makes all of us cranky. We would much rather see you after you are not contagious, when you are feeling like yourself again. If I believe you are too sick for class, I will ask you to take the day off. Additionally, if there is anything I need to know about your physical or mental health, if you need my assistance finding resources or help of any kind, please reach out to me at any time. For online classes, email me if your illness will interfere with the work for the week.
I agree that certain substances should be legal, and that they can be a helpful tool in life. In fact, I voted to legalize at least one substance, and I hope the scientific community is able to do sufficient studies to constitute legalization nationwide. But just because something is legal does not mean it belongs in a college classroom. Neither alcohol nor cannabis are conducive to college-level discussions or activities; anything illegal is most certainly not conducive. What you do on your own time is your business and yours alone; you will receive no judgment from me. Please, however, leave enough time between partaking in substance use and class time so that you are able to come to class sober.
The MiraCosta Board of Trustees administrative policy #5505 states, “Examples of academic dishonesty include but are not limited to: A.Cheating: Copying from another student or using unauthorized aids or persons during an examination. B.Plagiarizing: Copying someone else’s work or ideas and misrepresenting them as one’s own. C.Falsification: Making up fictitious information and presenting it as factual or altering records for the purpose of misrepresentation. D.Facilitation: Helping another student to cheat, plagiarize, or falsify” (MCC).
According to the policy: “Remedies for violations of academic integrity may include a verbal warning, a lowered assignment grade, submission of an academic integrity report to the Vice President, Student Services, or designee (for placement into the student’s permanent discipline file), or a recommendation to the Vice President, Student Services, for suspension from the class for repeated or egregious offenses at the discretion of the instructor.” (MCC).
In other words, if you didn’t write it, if you didn’t cite it, don’t turn it in. Everything you write for this class must be new and original, written specifically for this class. Any instance of plagiarism, intentional or accidental, will result in a fail grade for the assignment, a filed academic incident report, and a potential fail grade for the class.
As an instructor at MiraCosta College, I am committed to social justice and academic integrity. I will make every effort to foster an atmosphere of friendship, trust, and acceptance in the classroom. Thus, discrimination, intolerance, disrespect, or dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated. Students who disrespect their professor and/or fellow students, or who are disruptive to the class will face disciplinary consequences. Class disruptions also include racist, misogynistic, and/or homophobic statements or harassment. If you feel there might be an issue that impedes you from performing well in class, you must speak to me first.
Language is everything! We will avoid the use of words or phrases like “illegals,” “here illegally,” or “alien.” Instead, we will use the terms “undocumented” and “immigrant.” Be aware that some undocumented students like the term “Dreamers,” but not all. Similarly, anti-immigrant statements or harassment will not be tolerated in this classroom and will face disciplinary consequences. Please be mindful as you choose language and be respectful of everyone’s migration experience in this classroom.
I expect every member of our classroom community to contribute to an inclusive and respectful culture. Dimensions of diversity can include sex, race, age, national origin, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, intellectual and physical ability, sexual orientation, income, faith and non-faith perspectives, socioeconomic class, political ideology, education, primary language, family status, military experience, cognitive style, and communication style. The intersection of these experiences and characteristics must be valued in our community.