First Year Experience

USI 130-81: University Studies Syllabus

Fall 2016
BL 404
T/R 11-11:50

Reach for the sky, so if you fall you land on a cloud.

Kanye West

Instructor Information
Instructor: Kelsey Woodford
Campus Office/Office hours: By appointment only, please Email.
Email: kwoodford@wcu.edu
Office Hours: Please make office hours by appointment vis email/text
Phone Contact: (704)222-4547
*Please no calls/texts after 10 p.m.

Rationale/Purpose of this course

This course provides an introduction and opportunity for you to transition to
university life, as you discover the resources available (academic, co-
curricular, community). You will examine the principles of leadership and
make connections through the thematic lens. This subject of this course is
you. It is intentionally designed to promote your self-awareness and
personal successin college and in life after collegeby empowering you
with flexible skills and strategies that are applicable across subjects
(transferable, cross-disciplinary skills) and across time (durable, lifelong
learning skills).

The Purpose of this course is to:

1. connect you with other studentsi.e., to help you form peer-support
networks and peer-learning communities;
2. connect you with the collegei.e., to promote (a) your appreciation of
the meaning and relevance of the college curriculum (liberal arts &
sciences), (b) your involvement in the co-curriculum (out-of-class
experiential learning), and (c) your use of campus support services
(academic-support and student-development services);
3. connect your present college experience with your future goals and
plansi.e., to help you relate your current college experience with your
upcoming decisions about your college major, your future career path,
and your life beyond college.
Course Aims and Objectives
Transition Objectives for the course include the following:
1. To help you orient yourself at WCU by making you familiar with
academic policies, programs and support resources;
2. To help you cope successfully with the stresses that often accompany
major life transitions, such as coming to college;
3. To create a context in which you can clarify values and continue to
develop a sense of responsibility for your academic, personal, and
career development;
4. To guide you to develop empathy, respect, and appreciation for others
who are different from you in terms of the ways our society defines
human and group differences, including race, ethnicity, religious
backgrounds, linguistic differences, socioeconomic levels, age,
geography, sexual orientation, gender, and national origins.
5. This Course is meant to get you off to a good start in college, and to
motivate you to successfully complete your college education. It is the
place to get your questions answered, explore and establish your
goals, develop connections to the campus community, and discover
resources that will help you be successful. I (your instructor) am also a
mentor, a go-to person, when you have questions, insecurities,
indecisions, or other difficultiesplease take advantage of this both in
class and individually!

Specific Learning Objectives:

By the end of this course you will:
Discover College
You will identify the purpose and function of the campus resources that
serve as tools for success.
You will engage with the campus community.
Be Involved
You will practice the Community Creed.
Connect the Dots
You will identify connections between personal experiences and closely
related academic knowledge (i.e., facts, ideas, concepts, experiences).
You will articulate their own strengths and challenges as learners in
dealing with a specific task, performance, event, etc.
Think First
You will select from available information and resources to solve issues
in their collegiate lives and campus communities.
Students will construct a plan to achieve an intended solution
Exchange Ideas
You will communicate as appropriate to the context and audience in
order to articulate needs or share information.
Calibrate Your Compass
 You will choose learning experiences consistent with your own values
and goals.
You will prioritize values that influence your decision-making.

Learning Community:
In a Learning Community students are organized into cohorts that appeal to
their interests and goals, and may also include a residential co-location -
thus the collaboration among educators reinforces and promotes integrated
learning. Cohorts may enroll students in two or more courses (LC) or may
connect one course with a residential component (LLC).

Course Materials
Required Texts:
Your College Experience: Strategies for Success, 10 ed. ISBN: 978-0-
th

312-60254-3 (Available in book rental)

The Bright Continent: the 2016 One Book. Custom ed. ISBN: 978-0-
544-93255-5 (This book was provided to all new freshmen during
Orientation)

Background/supplemental readings:
Background and Supplemental readings will be accessed via our course
Blackboard.

Faculty Expectations of Students & Course Policies

My teaching philosophy:
My goal as your instructor is to help you learn how to learn, to become a
critical consumer of knowledge. Through this course, we will learn together,
challenge each other, and develop both academically and personally. I dare
my students to become intellectually curious and to embrace your inner-
nerdiness. Your opinions and ideas are just as, if not more important, to the
meaningfulness of this course than my own opinions.

Attendance and Participation:

Much of a persons learning and thinking originates in, and is supported by,
interactions with other people. What happens inside the classroom is
important for your success with the course. Therefore, your performance on
in-class activities and contributions to class discussion are imperative to you
and to your fellow students, and will be the basis for your course grade. You
are encouraged to consult the complete statement of this policy in the
Undergraduate Catalog.

As per the Universitys Undergraduate Catalog, acceptable excuses include

the following:
 Clear evidence that you are too ill or otherwise indisposed to
benefit from being in class and will be a risk or distraction to
others in the class;
Documented evidence of your required presence in a court of
law;
Documented evidence of a personal or family emergency
requiring your presence;
Documented evidence of your participation in an approved
university activity (field trip, athletic event, conference
presentation, etc.; documentation will be provided by the
university official in charge of the activity, and must be
presented before the time of the absence);
Other circumstances approved by your instructor, preferably
prior to the absence.

Attendance WILL affect your final grade per course policy. Keep in mind
that if you miss a class meeting, you are still responsible for the material
addressed during that meeting and for submitting assignments due at the
meeting. Each class is worth 5 points; there are a total of 90 attendance
points possible in this course. Excused absences will not affect your course
grade; every unexcused absence will result in the deduction of 5 points from
your attendance/participation grade. Since our class will only meet 19 times
during the summer session it is essential you be in every class. Three or
more unexcused absences will result in the loss of an entire letter
grade in the course (an A- becomes a B-, a B- becomes a C-, etc.). In this
course and many others you CANNOT be successful if you do not attend
class, it is essential for your academic success.
Attendance DOES NOT equal Participation. If you come to class and are
unengaged, do not participate in course discussion or activities; you WILL
NOT receive attendance/participation points for that day. You are expected to
be both, MENTALLY and physically, present in this course to earn full credit.

Timely Submissions of Assignments:

You are expected to submit all your assignments in the appropriate format
(i.e., via Blackboard, in class, via email, etc.) AND on time.
Late Assignments All late assignments will automatically lose a letter
grade (an A- becomes a B-, etc.). No assignments will be accepted a
week past the assignment due date. If you know your work will be late
for some reason (i.e., illness, emergency, etc.) please discuss this
matter with me in advance.
Make-Up If for some reason you need to make-up an assignment you
will need to schedule a time to do that by emailing me.
Extra-Credit If you come to class and participate, if you take your
assignments seriously the first time, and submit all your assignments
on time there is NO REASON you will need extra credit to be successful
in my course. There will be no extra credit.
Expectations for Submitting Assignments:
All assignments due dates and how they will be submitted will be specified
on the course calendar (see course calendar below).

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Western Carolina University is committed to providing equal educational
opportunities for students with documented disabilities and/or medical
conditions. Students who require reasonable accommodations must identify
themselves as having a disability and/or medical condition and provide
current diagnostic documentation to the Office of Disability Services. All
information is confidential. Please contact the Office of Disability
Services at (828) 227-3886 or visit Suite 135 Killian Annex for an
appointment.

Student Support Services

Student Support Services provides support to students who are either first-
generation, low-income or those who have disclosed a disability with:
academic advising, mentoring, one-on-one tutorial support, and workshops
focused on career, financial aid and graduate school preparation. You may
contact SSS at (828) 227-7127 or email sssprogram@wcu.edu for more
information. SSS is located in the Killian Annex, room 138.

Course Evaluations
Course Eval is the WCU course evaluation and you are encouraged to
participate and complete this online evaluation for this course. We strive to
constantly improve course design and delivery your cooperation to
complete the Course Eval provides a mechanism that will help us in our goals
to improve teaching and learning outcomes for all students. You will receive
an electronic notification near the end of the semester when it becomes
available. Your instructor will not know.

Civility and Course Ground Rules:

The WCU Community Creed states: I will respect the rights and well-
being of others. Each student may possess different ideas, as well as
different ways of communicating those ideas. Because of these differences,
respect and civility are integral to maintaining the quality of the academic
environment and free inquiry. This course is all about you, and in this course
you may disagree with me, or your classmates, in fact welcome differences.
However, if I believe you are being disrespectful of myself or others you will
be asked to leave and your course grade will reflect your absence. I have a
zero tolerance policy for bullying, or being uncivil.
Food & Drinks:
I do permit food and drinks in class provided they do not become a
distraction for anyone (including yourself). Noisy or excessively odorous
foods are likely to be distracting, please consume them before class.

Technology:
Please refrain from using technology in this course, If you are doing class
work on your device, that is fine, otherwise, save your next check-in, text,
etc. until after class.

Course Communication:
As needed, I may send messages to the entire class or to specific students
through email (your Catamount Email). I will assume you have received
and read it. Not seeing the message because you did not check is no excuse,
so check both your email and Blackboard regularly.

Academic Integrity Policy and Reporting Process

Students, faculty, staff, and administrators of Western Carolina University
(WCU) strive to achieve the highest standards of scholarship and integrity.
Any violation of the Academic Integrity Policy is a serious offense because it
threatens the quality of scholarship and undermines the integrity of our
community. While academic in scope, any violation of this policy is by nature,
a violation of the Code of Student Conduct and will follow the same conduct
process (see Article VII.B.1.a.). If the charge occurs close to the end of an
academic semester or term or in the event of the reasonable need of either
party for additional time to gather information timelines may be extended at
the discretion of the Department of Student Community Ethics (DSCE).

General:
Instructors have the right to determine the appropriate academic sanctions
for violations of the Academic Integrity Policy within their courses, up to and
including a final grade of F in the course in which the violation occurs.

Definitions:
Cheating Using, or attempting to use, unauthorized materials,
information, or study aids in any academic exercise.
Fabrication Creating and/or falsifying information or citation in any
academic exercise.
Plagiarism Representing the words or ideas of someone else as ones
own in any academic exercise.
Facilitation Helping or attempting to help someone to commit a
violation of the Academic Integrity Policy in any academic exercise
(e.g. allowing another person to copy information during an
examination).
SafeAssign Tool
SafeAssign is a tool WCU faculty use to prevent and discourage academic
dishonesty. All written work submitted for this class is eligible for submission
to the SafeAssign tool via Blackboard at the instructors discretion.
Undergraduate and Graduate Academic Integrity Process:
Additional information is available on the Student Success website under
Student Community Ethics:
http://www.wcu.edu/experience/dean-of-
students/AcademicIntegrity/academicintegrity.asp

Resources
Writing and Learning Commons (WaLC):
The Writing and Learning Commons (WaLC) is a free student service, located in
BELK 207, providing course tutoring, writing tutoring, academic skills consultations,
international student consultations, graduate and professional exam preparation
resources, and online writing and learning resources for all students. To schedule
tutoring appointments, visit the WaLC homepage ( http://tutoring.wcu.edu) or call
828-227-2274.
Intercultural Affairs:
The ICA office offers a variety of workshops, trainings, and conferences
throughout the year. Visit the ICA office (227 AK Hinds University Center) or
our website (http://ica.wcu.edu) for details.

Blackboard Support:
The learning management system for this class is Blackboard and can be found at:
http://wcu.blackboard.com. Additional help with blackboard can be found at:
tc.wcu.edu, (828) 227-7487 or by visiting the Technology Commons located on the
ground floor of the Hunter Library.

Grading Procedures
As mentioned earlier in the syllabus attendance and participation are
essential for your success in this course and thus weighted the heaviest
toward your final grade. Additional assignments, quizzes, midterm exam, and
final exam account for the remainder of the course credit.

Attendance/Participation 100 Points Possible (5 pts./per class)

Reflective Journals 50 Points Possible (10 pts. each)
Who are you project? 100 Points Possible
Service Learning Reflection 100 Points Possible

One-book Chapter Presentation 100 Points Possible (20%)

One-book Event Reflection 50 Points Possible (20%)
Out of Your Comfort Zone Project 50
Total Points Possible 50 Points Possible (100%)

Points Earned Letter Equivalent Quality Points Earned Per Course

Credit
535-550 A+ 4.0
515-534 A 4.0
500-514 A- 3.67
485-499 B+ 3.33
465-484 B 3.0
450-464 B- 2.67
435-449 C+ 2.33
415-434 C 2.0
<433 U 0.0

Grading basis for student assignments:

Percentage Points Earned Letter Equivalent
97-100 A+
93-96 A
90-92 A-
87-89 B+
83-86 B
80-82 B-
77-79 C+
73-76 C
70-72 C-
67-69 D+
63-66 D
60-62 D-
< 60 F

Other Grades:
I = Incomplete S = Satisfactory
AU = Audit
IP = In Progress U = Unsatisfactory
NC = No Credit
W = Withdrawal

Syllabus Updates
This syllabus, with its course schedule, is based on the most recent
information about the course content and schedule planned for this course.
Its content is subject to revision as needed to adapt to new knowledge or
unanticipated events. Updates will remain focused on achieving the course
objectives and students will receive notification of such changes. Students
will be notified of changes and are responsible for attending to such changes
or modifications as distributed by the instructor or posted to Blackboard.

Assignment breakdown:
Attendance and class participation
Attendance will be the primary determining factor in your grade for this
course. You will be asked for very little work outside of class, so your
presence and participation will form the substance of this course. You are
expected to be prepared for class, to raise questions based on the readings,
to volunteer for class activities, and to participate in class discussions. Active
participation is graded based on your verbal participation in every class. You
are responsible for turning assignments in on time as indicated by the
scheduled date (due at the beginning of class) on the syllabus or otherwise
stated by the instructor. Students should attend all classes; missing classes
and/or not actively participating in classes will affect your attendance grade.

Attendance Policy
You are allowed two (2) absences during the semester. After 2 absences,
however, your grade will be reduced by a half letter for each additional class
missed (i.e. if you have missed 3 classes, and had an A in the class, it will
be reduced to an A-, and so on and so forth). There will be some events
that take place in the evening at which I will require attendance. In the event
that this occurs, a regularly scheduled class will be cancelled. If you are
unable to make that event due to other classes, work, etc., please e-mail the
instructor for an alternate assignment or program prior to the scheduled
program.
Note: If you choose to spend time on your cell phone, tablet, etc. during class
time, the instructor reserves the right to mark you as having an absence for
that class period.

Reflective Journals
These journals should focus on your experience throughout each week and
can address a wide array of topics including your coursework, service
learning experiences, extracurricular activities, etc. Each response must be
at least 2 pages in length and you must address the following guidelines:
Describe your coursework, experience, and/or activity in detail (MORE THAN
ONE SENTENCE) What did you learn/do? Did you enjoy the experience(s)?
Will your participation benefit your journey at WCU?

This assignment must be submitted by the deadline via Blackboard and

please follow standard APA guidelines.
All journals are due by 11:59 via Blackboard on the due dates (found
on course calendar)
100 points

Whats your story?

Whats your story? Who are you? What are your values, your beliefs, your
interest? What motivates you to be successful? What scares you? What do
you hope to get out of college? Using some (most) of these guiding questions
create a 3 minute presentation. Be creative! Create a poem, a rap, a movie,
write a song, a PPT slideshow etc. OR If you would prefer to do a
traditional paper that is fine too. If you chose to write a paper it should be 2-
3 pages, Times New Roman 12pt. font, 1 inch margins, double-spaced. If you
do choose to write a traditional paper, you still must present your paper to
your class.
Presented in class Tuesday, September 13
50 Points

Service Learning Reflection

As the leaders of the movement of service at WCU, you will be engaged in
different service learning activities throughout the semester. You will write a
2 page reflection on your service experience and submit it on Blackboard.
Please address the following questions: What community
partner/organization did you work with? What did you do? What did you learn
while participating in this activity? Did you meet anyone new while
participating in this activity? Did you enjoy the activity? Do you see yourself
participating in this activity or a similar one in the future? This assignment
must be submitted by the deadline via Blackboard and please follow
standard APA guidelines.
Due in class- Tuesday, September 27
100 points

One Book Chapter Presentation

In groups (4-5 students), you will select a chapter from The Bright Content
and as a group give a 10 minute presentation in class on your selected
chapter. You will provide a brief overview of the chapter (3 min), an analysis
of how the chapter is related/connected to your lives (5min), and a critical
reflection on what was most important about this chapter? (2 min).
Due/Presented in class Tuesday, October 11-13
100 points

One Book Event

You must attend at least one Bright Continent event and write and submit a 2
page reflection on Blackboard. Please address the following questions: What
event did you attend? What did you do at this event? Did you learn anything
new about the book from attending this event? Did anything you learned
from this event correlate with your coursework? Would you attend any event
such as this in the future?
Due in class- Tuesday, November 15
100 points
Out of Your Comfort Zone Project
Throughout the semester you will have many opportunities to do something
out of your comfort. This can be anything from sitting alone at a meal,
talking to a stranger, attending an event alone, going rocking climbing..etc.
You have the entire semester to think of something. In our class final, you will
present to the class. Tell us what you did, how you felt before/during/after,
would you do it again? What was the hardest part? What was the most
rewarding aspect? What did you get out of it?
Due in final class
50 points