COTTRILL | LIBA 110 Syllabus 1

Subject to change. All changes will be announced in class and on Blackboard. Students are responsible for all changes.

LIBA 111: First-Year Seminar Friday 1:00 – 1:50 pm

(JENS 2W)

Instructor: Dr. Brittany Cottrill Email: bcottrill@grandview.edu Office: 101 Jensen Office Phone: 263-2906 Office Hours: T/H 11-1:30 and by appointment Writing Center: Rasmussen Room 205 Writing Center Phone: 263-2855

This 1 credit class builds on the interdisciplinary approach to a course-specific theme while allowing students to explore personal development, intellectual growth, and what it means to have a liberal arts education. The 1-credit element of the course is designed to build on the previous 3-credit course, and to encourage students to plan and reflect on their education and plan of study.

About LIBA 111 The spring component of Core Seminar 1 is designed to give you the support, encouragement, and information you need to achieve your goals. You’ll begin to define success, evaluate your performance, and work toward measurable goals that you design for yourself. You’ll also be doing some serious reflection on what it means to learn deeply and to discover your passion. Lastly, this course offers you some practical, hands-on opportunities to explore the university experience. We’ll do things like course planning, creating plans of study for the next four years, and preparing for future success.

You will…. Activities demonstrating learning

1. Generate a body of work that engages critical inquiry, information literacy, and written communication in an academically rigorous manner.

Journals, class discussion, readings

2. Evaluate and synthesize information to create and critique how knowledge is made and valued.

Journals, class discussion, readings

3. Discover your strengths, interests, and passions through participating in class and campus activities.

Goals paper, plan of study, final reflection

4. Develop the skills and understanding to support critical, self-directed learning and to utilize campus resources for academic and personal success.

Journals, class discussion, readings

5. Examine who you are as a whole person and how that impacts your potential as a leaner and responsible citizen.

Goals paper, journals, class discussion, readings

LIBA 110 and LIBA 111 are both seminar classes. You’ll remember that a seminar is a type of class where learners come together and discuss a topic in a small group. This course is focused on you, and I will continue to act as a facilitator, resource, and co-learner along with you. Unlike last semester, LIBA 111’s focus is on taking ownership and responsibility for your own learning. We’ll do this through writing, class discussion, activities, guest speakers, and more.

How the course will be taught

Course Description and Prerequisites

COTTRILL | LIBA 110 Syllabus 2

Subject to change. All changes will be announced in class and on Blackboard. Students are responsible for all changes.

Assignments Details

24%

24% 26%

24%

Grade Distribution

Goal Paper

Evaluation Paper

Journals

Plan of Study

Goal Setting Paper (100 points) a brief paper where you will reflect on your overall goals and aspirations and set some specific short-term goals for the semester. Additional information will be distributed in class. Self-Evaluation Paper (100 points) At the end of the semester, you will complete a paper reflecting on your first year as well as the goals you set out in your first paper. Additional information will be distributed in class. Journal (110 points) Each week you will be given a small task to perform or a chapter/reading to respond to. Your responses will be completed on Blackboard before our schedule weekly meeting. Your responses will be approximately 1-page typed (250-300 words) and should include details, readings, and appropriate MLA citations when appropriate. Plan of Study (100 points) One requirement is that students leave LIBA 111 with a 4-year plan of study. We will work on this together. After you have completed the assignment you will write a 1-2 page reflection. Additional information will be distributed in class.

Grade Scale 369-410 = A

328-368 = B

287-327 = C

246-286 = D 0-245 = F

A (outstanding): meets and exceeds the criteria of the assignment, maintains a sophisticated focus throughout, and demonstrates mastery of major principles. B (above average): clearly meets all criteria of the assignment; has a focused purpose throughout and demonstrates solid command of major principles. C (average): meets all the criteria of the assignment and maintains a controlling purpose, though at times the focus my drift. Simply meeting the minimum requirements constitutes a basic “passing” grade; to get a “B” or an “A,” you must exceed those minimum requirements through more sophisticated execution. D (below average): meets some of the criteria but not others. The purpose may be weak or unclear. Perspectives presented may not be original or truly argumentative. F (not acceptable): A paper that receives an F (0-59%) fails to meet more criteria of the assignment than it meets

REQUIRED TEXT

REQUIRED TECHNOLOGY

Bain, Ken. What the Best College Students Do. Cambridge: Belknap P, 2012. Print (ISBN 978-0674066649)

Additional materials posted on Blackboard or handed out in class. You must print documents on Blackboard and bring them to class.

A digital calendar (you may use the program installed on your personal computer, your GV email calendar, Google Calendar, or another system that works for your life)

Sign up for Remind by texting sending the message @happiness to the number 81010

Regular access to a computer with reliable internet, as well as a GV email and Blackboard account (both of which you check at least daily).

COTTRILL | LIBA 110 Syllabus 3

Subject to change. All changes will be announced in class and on Blackboard. Students are responsible for all changes.

A final word . . . I genuinely want each and every one of you to succeed this semester and every semester from here on out. This class is designed to help you be more successful. Give it a chance and I will do my best to make this class useful and maybe even fun for you. Let me know how I can help throughout the semester. I encourage you to take advantage of the resources around you and to keep in touch with me as we go through the semester. If you have any questions about the classroom policies or other class matters, as well as issues that arise across campus, please feel free to talk to me. Here’s to a GREAT spring semester!

Attendance Attendance in this class is mandatory. We only meet once a week, so I expect you to be in class. For every class you miss your final grade will be reduced by 5 pts. Missing more than 3 classes may result in failure of this course.

Revision Policy (optional but encouraged)

Because writing is a process, and most writers find that a work must go through multiple revisions, you may choose to revise your graded essays and projects (not journals). Your revised projects may earn up to a full letter grade from the original graded draft (for example, if your essay earned a 75% then you may revise the essay to no higher than an 85%). It is not possible to get a worse grade on a revision; however, the extent to which the grade increases depends entirely on the success of the revision. If you choose to revise, you must first schedule an appointment with me to discuss your revision strategy within one week of the original paper being returned. Revisions will not be accepted from students who have not met with me.

Late Work All assignments are due at the start of class unless otherwise stated. If you know you will be missing a class when an assignment or paper is due you must turn the assignment in early. Papers submitted after the due date will be penalized 10% for each additional day. Journals will not receive late credit.

Courtesy and Integrity Courtesy and integrity must be shown to everyone in the class. Please be respectful of others’ thoughts, opinions, and views. If you bring your cell phone to class make sure it is turned off. Please do not answer your cell phone in class or text message. Food and drink are acceptable in class as long as they are not distracting and you do not leave a mess. Laptops are also fine to bring to class as long as all sound options are turned off, you stay on task, and you close your laptop when asked or when appropriate.

Academic Honesty In addition to following University sanctioned policy, academic dishonesty in this course will not be tolerated and will lead to a failing grade on the assignment and may lead to failing the course.

Contacting Me Online Email is a wonderful communications tool and I welcome the chance of using it to help you with questions about your writing or about assignments. Please note, however, that email can be unreliable. As a result, I cannot be responsible for any email messages that are lost or addressed incorrectly (and this is not an excuse for late work). *Note: No emails will be replied to between 4:00 pm on Friday and 9:00 am on Monday.

Resources I am committed to the principle of universal learning. This means that our classroom, virtual spaces, practices, and interactions will be as inclusive as possible. Mutual respect, civility, and the ability to listen and observe others carefully are crucial to universal learning. If you are a student with a documented disability and would like to discuss special accommodations, you must contact me during office hours or by email at the beginning of the semester. If you think you might have a learning disability, it is your responsibility to contact the Director of Academic Enrichment and Disability Coordinator and apply for any requested accommodation. The director is Ms. Joy Brandt and she can be reached at 263-2971. Additional support can be found at the Career Center at 263-2955, and at the Counseling Center at 263-2986. Academic support can be found at the Tutoring Center (for all concerns outside of writing and math), the Math Lab, and the Writing Center. The Tutoring Center is located on the second floor of the library. The Math Lab is located in Elings, and the Writing Center is located at 205 Rasmussen.

Course Details

COTTRILL | LIBA 110 Syllabus 4

Subject to change. All changes will be announced in class and on Blackboard. Students are responsible for all changes.

Institutional Undergraduate Syllabus Statement Revised: 7/10/2014 University E-Mail Account It is essential that all students check their Grand View University e-mail account or set their account to forward to a preferred e-mail address. Students may set-up an e-mail auto forward from the myView web site (myView > Campus Life > Technology Resources > myView Mail > myView Mail Forwarding). IDEA Student Ratings of Instruction Grand View University is interested in knowing how learners experience the classroom environment. To that end, all students will be asked to participate in the IDEA survey of student ratings of instruction system at the end of each fall and spring term. IDEA is also administered in some summer classes. Students are asked to provide honest and thoughtful feedback to their instructor through the IDEA process. All student responses are confidential and are not provided to the instructor until after grades are submitted. Academic Responsibility/Academic Honesty In accordance with its mission statement, Grand View University is dedicated to the development of the whole person, and committed to truth, excellence, and ethical values. The University strives to promote appreciation of the dignity and worth of each individual and open interaction among students, faculty and staff. Personal integrity and academic honesty are essential to building a campus of trust. Thus, honesty in all aspects of the college experience is the responsibility of each student, faculty, and staff member. This is reflected in the Grand View University Code of Integrity which states: “As a member of the Grand View University community, and in accordance with the mission of the university and its Lutheran identity, I agree to appreciate and respect the dignity and worth of each individual. I will honor and promote a community of open interaction, personal integrity, active and intellectual engagement, and academic honesty with students, faculty and staff.” The following list describes various ways in which the principles of academic honesty/integrity can be violated. This list is not exhaustive; see the Student Handbook for a complete list.

Plagiarism: The use of another’s ideas, words, or results and presenting them as one’s own. To avoid plagiarism, students are expected to use proper methods of documentation and acknowledgement according to the accepted format for the particular discipline or as required by the faculty in a course.

Cheating: The use or attempted use of unauthorized materials, information, notes, study aids, or other devices in any academic exercise. Cheating also includes submitting papers, research results and reports, analyses, etc. as one’s own work when they were, in fact, prepared by others.

Fabrication and Falsification: The invention or falsification of sources, citations, data, or results, and recording or reporting them in any academic exercise.

Facilitation of Dishonesty: Facilitation of dishonesty is knowingly or negligently allowing one’s work to be used by another student without prior approval of the instructor or otherwise aiding another in committing violations of academic integrity. A student who facilitates a violation of academic honesty/integrity can be considered as responsible as the student who receives the impermissible assistance, even if the facilitator does not benefit personally from the violations.

Academic Interference: Academic interference is deliberately impeding the academic progress of another student.

Procedure for an Incident of Academic Dishonesty Any incident of academic dishonesty requires action by both the student and the instructor directly involved, and the submission of an Academic Dishonesty Report to the Office of the College Deans. If the instructor is unsure how to proceed, she/he may consult with the Student Academic Life Committee at any point in the process.

The faculty member must also provide the student with a copy of the Academic Dishonesty Report. The report form should identify the following series of consequences:

If it is the student’s first incident of academic dishonesty: o The instructor can impose a range of sanctions from

the following, depending upon the nature of and degree of seriousness of the incident:

A warning with opportunity to rectify the violation

A failing grade for the academic exercise with no opportunity to rectify the violation

A failing grade for the course o The student will receive a letter from the Provost

and Vice President for Academic Affairs about the incident, the University’s expectations regarding academic honesty/integrity, and future possible consequences should the student commit another act of academic dishonesty during their enrollment at Grand View. Copies of the letter will be sent to the student’s academic advisor, the instructor, and the registrar.

Following a second incident of academic dishonesty, the student minimally will fail the course and be placed on academic dishonesty probation. Upon receiving notification from the instructor of a violation, and determining that it is a second violation, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs must notify the student about the incident. This letter will inform the student of her/his failing grade and placement on probation. Copies of the letter will be sent to

COTTRILL | LIBA 110 Syllabus 5

Subject to change. All changes will be announced in class and on Blackboard. Students are responsible for all changes.

the student’s academic advisor, the instructor, and the registrar.

When a student is reported for a third incident of academic dishonesty, the student will fail the course and will be suspended from the University, and the suspension for academic dishonesty will be noted on the student’s transcript. Upon receiving notification from the instructor of a violation, and determining that it is a third violation, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs must notify the student about the incident. This letter will inform the student of her/his failing grade and suspension. Copies of the

letter will be sent to the student’s academic advisor, the instructor, and the registrar. Should the student appeal the decision, he/she will be allowed to complete the term during which the appeal is heard; if upheld, the suspension will occur during the regular term following the appeal.

Students suspended for Academic Dishonesty must follow the same procedures for readmission as those listed for students who have been academically suspended—with the exception that they will not be required to enroll elsewhere during their suspension.

When a student has returned to Grand View after being suspended for a third violation and is subsequently reported for a fourth incident of academic dishonesty, the student will fail the course and will be suspended immediately from the University, and the suspension for academic dishonesty will be noted on the student’s transcript. The suspension will remain in force during the appeal process; if the suspension is upheld, the student will be expelled from the University.

Netiquette (from ‘Internet etiquette’) "Netiquette" refers to the standards for appropriate interaction in an online environment. Students are expected to display proper netiquette in their communications with their teacher and with other students. This includes using proper written English, being polite, by disagreeing agreeably when necessary, including your name and other necessary identifiers on any communication. If an email or discussion post ever concerns you, please notify the instructor right away in a private manner. Accommodation Grand View University prohibits unlawful discrimination and encourages full participation by all students within the university community. When a student requires any instructional or other accommodation to optimize participation and/or performance in this course, it is the responsibility of the student to contact both the instructor and the Associate Director of Student Success: Academic Support and Disability Services and apply for any requested accommodation. The associate director is Ms. Joy Brandt and she can be reached at 515/263-2971. Class Attendance Students are responsible for adhering to the attendance policies as expressed by the instructor/department. Furthermore, the Federal Government requires that students receiving financial aid attend classes. Students, who are identified by the instructor as not attending classes, will be reported. Students who fail to return to classes may lose all or a portion of their financial aid. Classroom Conduct Students should conduct themselves as responsible members of the University community respecting the rights of others. Any student behavior interfering with the professor’s ability to teach and/or the student’s ability to learn constitutes a violation of the Code of Student Conduct found in the Grand View Catalog. The

professor may ask the student to leave the classroom and that student will be subject to disciplinary sanctions. Appeal of Final Course Grade or Faculty Member’s Final Academic Disciplinary Action Students who wish to appeal a final course grade or other academic disciplinary action of an instructor must complete at least section I.A. of the Academic Appeal Form on-line within fourteen calendar days after the published due date for the final grade submission of the academic term in which the issue of disagreement occurred. Visit site below to complete first part of the form. https://secure/grandview.edu/gradeappealform.html This form must be submitted electronically to the Office of the Provost. Nursing Students appealing a grade in a nursing course must follow the Nursing Division procedures. Use of Blackboard and MyGrades The MyGrades tool of Blackboard is intended to be a communication tool and to facilitate information sharing between instructors and students. The grades and feedback posted on MyGrades are not to be interpreted as the final grade submitted by the instructor. Discrepancies and mistakes can be made in using and interpreting the technology – by both student and instructor. Refer to the grade policy in the syllabus for a full understanding of how your grade is calculated. Students will find their final grade on myView > myTools > Academic Profile > Grades by Term. Assignment of Credit Hours With successful completion of this course, Grand View University will award you a specified number of credit hours on your transcript. Our accrediting body, the Higher Learning Commission, as well as the US Department of Education have standards in the definition of what counts as a credit hour (see GV Catalog for a full definition) so that students receive the full educational experience we claim. This course will involve face-to-face class time and outside learning activities to fulfill credits awarded.

The Unicorn Code 1. Unicorns never cheat. 2. Unicorns always lend a helping hand. 3. Unicorns don’t talk to strangers. 4. Unicorns respect the Earth.

5. Unicorns are never late. 6. Unicorns aren’t conceited. 7. Unicorns don’t judge people. 8. Unicorns always give 100%.

9. Unicorns graze on peace and love. 10. Unicorns don’t do drugs. From:

http://www.mcphee.com/blog/2010/02/15/creation-of-the-unicorn-code/

COTTRILL | LIBA 110 Syllabus 6

Subject to change. All changes will be announced in class and on Blackboard. Students are responsible for all changes.

* Subject to Revision

Week Class discussion Homework due for following week

Week 1 1/9

Introduction to the course, policies, expectations; SMART semester goal paper assigned

Bring copies of all of your course syllabi to the next class

Week 2 1/16

Goal Setting paper due; Mapping Your Semester Read chapter one in What the Best College Student Do; Complete journal #1

Week 3 1/23

The Roots of Success See Journal #2: Locate and print/save the checklist for your major and core requirements; Locate the course rotation on myView; bring all of these to class

Week 4 1/30

Meet in KRUMM Centrum Plan of Study; major requirements

Read chapter two in What the Best College Students Do; Complete journal #3

Week 5 2/6

What Makes an Expert? Complete journal #4 about the value of getting involved

Week 6 2/13

The value of getting involved Read chapter three in What the Best College Students Do; Complete journal #5

Week 7 2/20

Managing Yourself Complete the reflection task on course planning; Complete journal #6

Week 8 2/27

Meet in KRUMM 26 Course Planning

Read chapter four in What the Best College Students Do Complete journal #7

Week 9 3/6

Plan of Study Reflection due; Learning to Embrace Failure

Reading TBA; Make sure to read the journal prompt (#8) because it is a week-long journal; Complete journal #8

Week 10 3/13

Making smart choices Read chapters five and six in What the Best College Students Do; Complete journal #9

Week 11 3/20

Spring Break – No Class – Make sure to complete your reading and journal

Week 12 3/27

Solving Problems and Finding Encouragement Read chapter seven in What the Best College Students Do Complete journal #10

Week 13 4/3

Curiosity in Learning Read chapter eight in What the Best College Students Do Complete journal #11

Week 14 4/10

Making Hard Choices Work on self-evaluation paper; Be prepared to present this in class next week

Week 15 4/17

Wrapping Up; course evaluation; Self-Evaluation Paper Due (on Blackboard)

Course Calendar