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SALEM350: summer 2019

DRESS PROFESH: online
DRESS CODES, dr katie manthey
katie.manthey@salem.edu
PROFESSIONALISM, office hours t/w 12-2
AND (google hangouts)
SOCIAL JUSTICE + by appointment

catalog description
This interdisciplinary course offers an integrative learning experience in which
senior students assume an active role in exploring the concept, practice, and
enactment of dress codes in professional settings from multiple perspectives.
Students will develop and communicate creative responses to professional dress
codes while analyzing the power structures that create and reify these codes.
Assignments will include thrift store shopping and assembling multiple “looks” for
different professional contexts.

required texts, technologies, and times

• Regular access to a computer with internet
• $50 and access to a local (thrift) store
• Some way to save all your materials (jump drive, Mozy, Google Drive, etc.)
*Note: I mean ALL your materials FOR ALL OF YOUR TIME IN COLLEGE AND BEYOND. Seriously.
Don’t ever delete anything. Trust me.

course objectives
1. To learn about the history of dress practices in the workplace
2. To investigate the dress codes in specific jobs
3. To practice talking about dress codes in terms of systems of power
4. To create a bridge between the academic and the experiential

policies
WORKLOAD + ATTENDANCE
This is a graded, 3 semester-hour course, which means that you will be completing
a full semester’s worth of advanced level theoretical work in five short weeks. Each
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week on the schedule represents roughly a fall/spring month’s worth of
coursework, and comes with the expectation of a month’s worth of homework.

Because this is an online course, there is no attendance policy. Instead, it is

imperative that you follow the course calendar and pay attention to deadlines.

LATE WORK
Major projects that are turned in past the deadline will have their final grade
reduced by 10% per day late. Lower stakes assignments (anything with blogs,
reading discussions, etc.) cannot be turned in late or made up. There are absolutely
no exceptions to this rule. If you are going to miss a deadline for any reason, please
let Katie know asap so you can plan to submit your work early.

COMMUNITY ACCOUNTABILITY
I expect you to treat one another and me with respect and maturity. There will
certainly be disagreements among us since we come to this class with a wide range
of experiences and histories. I absolutely will not tolerate any form of racism,
sexism, homophobia, ableism, or body discrimination.

ACADEMIC HONESTY
Plagiarism is a serious academic offense and will result in a grade of zero for the
assignment as well as a referral to honor council. Students are expected to abide by
the Salem Honor Code. Plagiarism is a serious academic offense and students will
be expected to correctly use and cite all sources in this course.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Salem College seeks to
provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with documented disabilities. A
student who is eligible for accommodations should seek assistance through the Office of
the Dean of Undergraduate Studies. (See pp.27 of the 2014 –15 Salem College
Academic Catalog for additional information regarding ADA and the College policy
relating to it.)

assignments
points
Low stakes work 350
Project 1: Defining terms 200
Project 2: *Your* dress codes 200
Project 3: Preparing for the future 250
Total: 1000

grading
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LETTER GRADES (KATIE)
Here's the meaning behind the grades I put on your work (you can use these
statements as clues about how you might work toward a higher grade):

A = An exemplary project reveals an astute and consistently effective understanding

of rhetorical principles, an exceptional range of micro- to macro-level detail, and
very few minor editorial problems. It may indicate students’ willingness to take risks,
to push themselves beyond safe or obvious responses to an assignment. This kind of
exemplary work could be used as a model for classmates to emulate. It may even be
worthy of publication. If it’s a collaborative project, group partners identified a
student’s contributions as outstanding. Perhaps the student took a leadership role.

B = A good project reveals a generally commendable understanding of rhetorical

principles, a generally effective range of micro- to macro-level detail, and several
minor editorial problems. Although good work is more than just acceptable, it may
indicate that a student took relatively safe or obvious approach to an assignment.
Good work is less likely to be considered a model for others. If it’s a collaborative
project, group partners identified a student’s contributions as generally strong.
Partners indicate that the student’s contributions were an important part of the
project.

C = An acceptable project reveals a basic, serviceable understanding of rhetorical

principles, and just enough micro- to macro-level detail. Or an acceptable project
may be inconsistent, offering appropriate detail in some places but not others. A few
major editorial adjustments may be needed. An acceptable project meets minimum
assignment requirements. If it’s a collaborative project, group partners identified a
student’s contributions as unexceptional. Partners may indicate that the student only
did what was asked but did not take any initiative. Partners may indicate that the
student’s contributions had to be revised somewhat.

D = A poor project indicates a significant misunderstanding of rhetorical principles.

Micro- to macro-level details are frequently inadequate or inconsistent. Excessive
errors weaken the writer’s credibility. Inconsistencies and lack of detail may indicate
that an assignment was thrown together at the last minute. If it’s a collaborative
project, group partners identified a student’s contributions as minimal or weak.
Partners may indicate that the student did not do everything he or she promised.
Partners may indicate that the student often missed meetings without attempting to
catch up.

F = An unacceptable project is often incomplete. Significant portions of the project

may have been left undone, or perhaps portions of the project were copied from
other sources without attribution or revision (see above section on “Academic
Honesty”).

LETTER GRADES (COLLEGE)

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Here’s the meaning that the college puts behind your grade:

Highest (%) Lowest (%) Letter

100.00 93.00 A
92.99 90.00 A-
89.99 87.00 B+
86.99 83.00 B
82.99 80.00 B-
79.99 77.00 C+
76.99 73.00 C
72.99 70.00 C-
69.99 67.00 D+
66.99 60.00 D
59.99 0.00 F