Policies

The time spent in our online classroom will be a learning experience for all of us. I ask that you are respectful of your fellow students’ viewpoints, opinions, and lifestyles. We will be sharing in our learning and writing, and it is important that everyone knows they are welcome and valued. I am so excited to hear your views on the topics we discuss and learn from your perspectives and experiences, but with that, I want everyone to feel free and safe to share. To ensure that we all work together successfully, below are some course policies.

Attendance

I want you here with us! Your perspective is valuable, and it wouldn't be the same without you. I am excited for you to contribute to discussions, ask questions, propose answers, submit assignments, and collaborate with your peers. You'll have many opportunities to participate in the coming weeks, and I am excited to see what you have to share!

Here are the brief "rules" we will follow to guide participation:

check-in and interact in the course at least twice a week;
participate in all discussions--the first reply each week is due on Wednesday;
connect with me beforehand if you are going to be disconnected from the course for more than 3 days.

This course follows a weekly schedule. Each week you will interact with your peers in weekly discussions, and complete a series of activities and assignments. The weekly schedule allows us to learn from one another, and it keeps everyone on a path toward our learning goals.

Your participation is an important part of the success of this course, but we also recognize that you each have other courses, family and friends to visit with, and, because we are human, sometimes we are just swamped or under the weather. If you have reached a point where you can't meet a deadline, please contact me--we will work together to make a path to success.

As a reminder, here is GCCCD Policy on dropping and withdrawing as well:

It is the student’s responsibility to drop all classes in which he/she is no longer participating (for online classes).
It is the student’s responsibility to drop all classes in which he/she is no longer attending (for on campus classes
It is the instructor’s discretion to withdraw a student after the add/drop deadline (include date) due to excessive absences.
Students who remain enrolled in a class beyond the published withdrawal deadline, as stated in the class schedule, will receive an evaluative letter grade in this class (A, B, C, D, F).
Students who miss more than 8 hours of instruction (or 4 classes in our case) may be dropped from the course

Communication Policy 🗣️😀

I enjoy hearing from you. No question or concern is too small, and there's no such thing as a "stupid question." With that being said, please talk to me. Send me emails, come into our Zoom office hours, or let me know if you need to see me on campus. If something is going on in your life that may be hindering your ability to participate in our course, let me know. Issues arise in your lives, and I am sure they will arise in mine, so keeping communication open and consistent in key. Hearing from you about anything is never a bother. I much rather talk to you than grade essays.

Email: kim.lenox@gcccd.edu

What You Can Expect From Me:

Weekly communication will be send through announcements, usually 1-2 a week.
Responses to all student questions within 24 hours
Feedback on assignments within 48 hours, except for essays, which will be graded within a week
Post a few times within weekly discussion to help guide conversation if needed

Feedback and grading comments

I will provide feedback and grading comments to help you improve your concept attainment and skill mastery in this course. I encourage you to respond to my grading comments and ask questions or begin a dialogue about how to improve your work (if necessary). I will respond to your questions/comments within 24 hours (if not sooner).

Canvas Inbox

I will use the Canvas Inbox to message the entire class. Also, if you start to fall behind, I'll use the Canvas Inbox to check-in with you and learn how I can best support you.

Course Announcements

As needed, I will post announcements on our Canvas homepage. You are welcome to reply to my announcements as well.

Late Work:

My overall expectation is that you will submit your work on time. There are two reasons for that. First, submitting on time sets you up to be successful. It can be hard to catch up if you fall behind. Second, it allows me to give you timely feedback, so that you can continue to grow and improve.

With that being said, I do understand that life happens, and there might be a time when you can't submit your assignment before the due date. Believe me, it happens to me! If an extension is needed, I am happy to talk to you about it. My goal is for you to do well, learn a lot and pass the class, so I would want us to work together to make that happen.

Campus Code of Conduct

Cuyamaca College has a clear Code of Conduct . Take a look!

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is using someone else’s words or ideas without giving the appropriate credit (you might check out the Cuyamaca College Academic Honesty guide as a resource). In a writing class, it may be tempting to plagiarize. Maybe you feel like you don’t have time to do the assignment, or you are confused by the directions, or maybe you just don’t think you can do it well. As a second language English learner myself, I remember feeling that way. I can also tell you that as an instructor, I have felt frustrated and discouraged when I see students plagiarize because I really believe that you are all capable, if you give yourself the opportunity.

I want you to learn. You will have to trust me when I say that writing and communicating well will be really valuable skills for your future. Well, the only way I can help you improve your writing is if you submit your writing to me. Remember my late work and grading policy? I will work with you if you need more time, I am happy to answer any and all of your questions, I want you to revise. If you find yourself being tempted to plagiarize, talk to me instead. Let’s make our class meaningful to your learning and your experiences.

Keep in mind that if I do catch plagiarism in your writing, I will reach out to you, so we can talk about it. This is not meant to be a punitive discussion where I scold you. It will be a space for us to discuss what led you to make that choice and what we can both do better in the future.

If plagiarism occurs more than once, I am required by the school to report it to the Chair of the English Department and the Dean of Student Affairs. The college tracks incidents of misconduct to ensure that students aren’t engaging in multiple violations across different classes or semesters. Academic misconduct can be grounds for earning a zero on the assignment(s) in question, and may result in sanctions such as suspension. I have full faith that we do not have to get here. Let's work together.

AI Policy

Generative AI software (such as ChatGPT or DALL-E) is a rapidly emerging tool that students may choose to use. If you decide to use AI tools, you must follow the same standards outlined in the SLCC Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities regarding plagiarism and academic integrity. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work is a violation of these standards.

If you use generative AI in your coursework, you must clearly indicate that you have done so. Failure to properly disclose AI use or using AI in unauthorized ways may result in [insert specific consequences here, consistent with Board Policy.

Acceptable and Unacceptable Uses of AI in This Course

You may use generative AI tools in this course for the following purposes (insert what is allowed for your class):

Brainstorming and refining ideas
Developing or narrowing your research questions
Locating information on your topic
Checking grammar and writing style

You may not use AI tools in this course for the following purposes (insert what is not allowed for your class):

Writing entire drafts, paragraphs, or full assignments
Creating content for discussion boards, chat participation, or other activities where your individual voice is required
Completing group work assigned specifically to you (unless all group members agree and it aligns with course guidelines)

Students are responsible for the accuracy, legality, and ethical use of any content generated by AI tools. All AI use must be properly documented and cited in accordance with SDCCD academic honesty policies. Assignments that use AI tools outside of approved parameters will result in a grade on 0.

If you are unsure whether a certain use of AI is permitted, ask your instructor before proceeding.

Online Etiquette

Often referred to as "netiquette," here is a gentle reminder of the interaction practices and rules we'll follow in all our interactions in this course.

If you ever feel that someone is not following these rules, please send an email to me using the Canvas Inbox and describe your concerns.

View a text-only version of The Core Rules of Netiquette in a new window.

Diversity Statement and Respectful Conduct

I would like our class to be a supportive learning environment that values and builds on the richly diverse identities, perspectives, and experiences of our group. Please help me develop this environment by honoring the diverse identities of your classmates and letting your instructor know (via anonymous surveys or email, for example) if an assignment, comment, etc. makes you feel uncomfortable.

Both in the readings and in discussions, you will likely encounter cultures, ideas, and values that differ from your own. These are valuable opportunities to learn more about different perspectives and where they intersect with yours. We all see the world from a point of view informed by our experiences and backgrounds, and what we read and discuss can open new windows through which to understand both our course content and world around us. You are encouraged to contribute your ideas about course content freely, but please remember to demonstrate respect for your classmates and instructor. We all have unconscious biases that stem from our experiences, and recognizing and discussing them can lead to unexpected insights.

Conversely, disrespectful or threatening responses tend to shut down conversation and insight, and so these kinds of comments will be promptly addressed by your instructor. To keep our interactions safe and productive, please know that anyone who repeatedly engages in disrespectful or otherwise inappropriate behavior will be locked out of the discussion for the week and/or face student misconduct charges. Please join me in creating a comfortable and productive learning environment for us all.

What You Can Expect From Me:

I will provide you with a clear, organized course that is designed to ensure you meet our course outcomes in a meaningful way.
I will provide a variety of assignments to ensure your learning needs are met.
I will be actively present in your learning.
I will provide a supportive and safe environment for you to share and discuss ideas with your peers.
I will reach out to you when I sense that you need support.
I will treat you with dignity and respect and be flexible to support your individual needs.
I won't be perfect. I am human, and I make mistakes sometimes. I will view mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow.

What I Will Expect From You:

You will strive to be an active participant in this course and meet most due dates.
You will maintain an open line of communication with me so I understand how to support you.
You will contact me if you have a concern with meeting a due date.
You will strive to regularly contribute to collaborative activities to ensure other members of our community have ample opportunities to read/listen, reflect and respond to your ideas.
You will teat your peers with dignity and respect.
You will do your best to have patience with technology. There will be hiccups; expect them. We will get through them together.
You will give yourself grace. Expect to make mistakes. You are human, and you get stressed. Try not to get frustrated. You will learn, and we will get through it together.

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