First Year Seminar Fall 2004

ZINT 101-38

“Not Your (typical) Course” (NYC)

Anne & Patrick Chang, Instructors

Updated: December 5, 2004

Home phone: 201-818-8578 Pat’s Office: 201-684-7591

Anne’s cell: 551-427-9008 Pat’s cell: 201-206-0931

Anne’s e-mail: achang@ramapo.edu Pat’s e-mail: pchang@ramapo.edu

Office hours for either instructor by appointment.

The international, cultural, and commerce center of the world is 28 miles east of Ramapo College: New York City. If you are coming to college not merely to accumulate a collection of credits, but to become a truly educated citizen of the world, then this course is a good start! We’ll be regularly in Manhattan to visit Ramapo faculty, staff, and alumni in their lives as ethnomusicologists, writers, scientists, international advocates, artists, actors (to name just a few) and residents of “The Big Apple.” Potential activities might include trips to museums and avant garde plays, adventurous dining, exploration of neighborhoods, and analyses of city architecture leading to rigorous but creative academic projects that will forge an individual connection between you and New York.

Caveats:

n Although efforts will be made to keep student costs down, you should expect to incur some extra expense with this course, for example, some transportation, food, etc. (Our students from last year asked us to emphasize this to you.) You will be required to go into NYC on your own for a variety of assignments, and more so if you choose Service Learning.

n If you’re looking to do “classic” NYC tourist activities like big Broadway shows or visiting “The Hard Rock Café,” this is not the course for you.

n Since our class does not meet at regular intervals, you need to pay close attention to our schedule of class times. We will post the schedule on Luminis and it is your responsibility to check this and to be in the right place at the right time. Because of the nature of arranging the many logistics of this type of course, there will inevitably be several changes to the currently posted class times, locations and even dates. We will post changes in such information as soon as we know them.

n We hope to make this class an enjoyable and engaging experience, but make no mistake: you will be doing a lot of work. Do not judge the difficulty of this class by the first walking tour held during orientation. Your research and writing skills will be challenged in this class, and there will be a good amount of work required outside of our class time.

Course Policies

Attendance: Because of the unusual nature of our class schedule (we meet for longer sessions, but less days), attendance is paramount. So much will be covered each time we meet and we expect you to be at each and every class. Extenuating circumstances should be discussed with the instructors ahead of the class date in question.

Grading: Your final course grade will be determined by the following:

25% Attendance & Participation

25% Midterm Project

25% Final Project

25% Other Assignments and Quizzes

Assignments: Assignments are due at the beginning of class time on the date required. No late assignments will be accepted without prior approval from the instructors. (Note: prior approval means you contact us with enough time to discuss the potential extension – this, for example, does not mean e-mailing us the night before it is due!!) In other words, unless you have arranged with us ahead of time for another due date, any assignment turned in after the due date will be an “F.” There will be no extra credit opportunities for you to “make up” an assignment.

All written assignments must be typed, double spaced, stapled, and have a cover page. The cover page must include your name, the date the assignment is due, the course and section number, and some sort of title (of your choosing) for the assignment. If you hand in an assignment not in the correct format, we will not accept that assignment and it will be an “F.” Please take this literally – in other words, if you turn in a paper that isn’t stapled, for example, it will be an “F.”

All references and citations must be done in MLA (Modern Language Association) format. You should consult the MLA style manual in our required book list (you most likely have this same manual required for your English class) for proper format requirements for a given citation. (We actually check your format in grading your papers.)

You will be graded on spelling, grammar, word usage, citation format, etc. as well as content!

You should always have with you the capacity (paper, pen, PDA, etc.) to take notes while meeting for class sessions, including those meeting in NYC. While we strive to provide as much information as practical to you via Luminis, there will be some verbal instructions given to you as well, and you will be held responsible for them.

There will be assignments given throughout the semester, usually pertaining to the various topics and areas of Manhattan that will be covered at that time in the course. There will also likely be some “surprise quizzes” incorporating knowledge you gained from the readings. In addition to these assignments, there will be two quite substantial projects required. You will be given specific details about each of these assignments on separate project description sheets, but, in sum, here are the basics about the two assignments.

The midterm project, due Saturday, October 23^rd, will require you to research an area of Manhattan not covered extensively in our class and write an approximately 10-15 page “chapter” of “The Not Your (typical) Course’s Not Your Typical Guide to Manhattan.” This will involve you doing extensive research incorporating several fields of study (for example, history, architecture, political science, visual arts, etc.) The goal of this project is to result in a polished chapter that can be combined with other chapters by members of the class to be put on reserve in Ramapo’s library! Please see the Midterm Project Description for proposal due date and detailed project requirements, which will be given to you during your first class.

The final project, due Saturday, December 4^th, will require you to find some film or TV show that has a scene allegedly taking place in Manhattan, but you can see it wasn’t actually filmed there (now that you’re a savvy New Yorker). For this project you will research the scene, and “re-shoot” it (using a video camera) on a Manhattan location of your choosing, making it more authentic. Although each student will produce their own scene for submission, the work will be done in small groups assigned from the number of students choosing to do the final project. The product will be both a small paper and the video itself. Please see the Final Project Description for proposal due date and detailed project requirements, which will be given to you a bit later in the semester.

Service Learning: In lieu of either the midterm project or the final project (not both), you may elect to do an approved service learning experience. This option, coordinated by The Cahill Center for Experiential Learning and Career Planning, will be explained in detail during our first classroom session. In brief, for this option you will be required to meet with The Cahill Center and attend any orientation/reflection sessions as required by the Cahill Center, complete 20 hours (before December 4^th) of community service in Manhattan at approved sites, and write comprehensive and reflective journal entries for this experience. Your completed Service Learning journal will be turned in to us (instructors) and will be graded. The Service Learning journal is due on Saturday, December 4^th.

If you are choosing to do this Service Learning option, you must commit to this in writing, through e-mail to both instructors no later than noon on October 9^th. This e-mail must also include which project (midterm or final) you are opting out of by doing Service Learning. If we do not hear from you by this deadline, you will be considered committed to doing both the midterm and final projects.

Note: this Service Learning option will necessitate some greater expense in terms of commuting costs, etc. as you will be making more independent trips into Manhattan on your own. Transportation, meals, etc. will not be provided.

Policy on Academic Integrity

Every member of the Ramapo community is expected to be honest and forthright in their academic endeavors. Since violations of academic integrity erode community confidence and undermine the pursuit of truth and knowledge at the College; academic dishonesty must be avoided. There are four broad forms of academic dishonesty:

n Cheating is an act of deception by which a student misrepresents his or her mastery of material on a test or other academic exercise.

n Plagiarism occurs when a person represents someone else’s words, ideas, phrases, sentences or data as one’s own work. When a student submits work that includes such material, the source of that information must be acknowledged through complete, accurate, and specific footnote references; verbatim statements must be acknowledged through quotation marks. To avoid a charge of plagiarism, a student should be sure to include an acknowledgement of indebtedness.

n Academic Misconduct includes the alteration of grades, involvement in the acquisition or distribution of unadministered tests, and the unauthorized submission of student work in more than one class.

n Fabrication refers to the deliberate use of invented information or the falsification of research or other findings with the intent to deceive.

If we have reason to question a potential case of plagiarism, we may ask you for a computer disk with your paper on it and run it through the anti-plagiarism software, Turnitin.

Instances of academic dishonesty in any form will result in a failing grade for the course and possible disciplinary action.

Students With Disabilities

Ramapo College of New Jersey supports the protections available to students with disabilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

The Office of Specialized Services facilitates equal access to the programs and activities at Ramapo College for students with documented physical, sensory, learning, or psychological disabilities. Students must initiate contact with this office (201-684-7514) in order to receive services or to arrange appropriate accommodations and/or academic adjustments. Comprehensive documentation of a disability from a licensed physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker or certified learning disabilities specialist must be submitted in order to establish eligibility and to determine which accommodations and/or adjustments are appropriate for each student.

Any student with a disability who believes that he or she has been discriminated against should refer to the Ramapo College Anti-Discrimination Policy Statement and Discrimination Complaint Procedures published in the Student Handbook for resolution of the grievance.

First Year Spectacular

At a date to be announced (usually early December), all FYS sections will exhibit aspects of their seminars to members of the Ramapo community. These exhibits can consist of poster presentations that include photos, examples of class work and final projects, multimedia presentations, student performances and other forms of exposition that are representative of the individual seminar. All FYS students will be expected to participate and represent their seminar section in some way.

Our section would greatly benefit from photos you take of your class experiences (both with our class and on your own), so if you happen to like taking photographs, please do so and hang onto them or submit them to the Luminis photo site. Any that you can offer to be used in our section’s display will be very helpful.

Books:

Fodors LLC. Fodor’s Flashmaps New York: The Ultimate Map Guide (7^th Edition). New York: Fodors, 2003.

Grader, Rob. The Cheap Bastard’s Guide to New York City (2^nd Edition). Connecticut: Globe Pequot Press, 2004.

Hacker, Diana. Rules for Writers (5^th Edition). Boston: Bedford Press, 2003.

Kahn, Robert, ed. City Secrets: New York City. New York: The Little Bookroom, 2002.

Class Schedule (This is tentative – times, topics, and dates are subject to change.)

Monday, Sept. 6^th (Labor Day) 9 a.m. – 10 p.m. Walking Tour, location: meet near South Entrance.

Saturday, Sept. 11^th noon – 4 p.m. on-campus class, location: E214.

Friday, October 1^st 3:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. First Year Sanity Session #1, “Stayin’ in the Green Zone,” location: Pavilion I. Note: This is the deadline for you to register online for two Sanity sessions of your choosing.

Saturday, October 2^nd 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Circle Line Tour of Manhattan & Midtown Adventure, location: meet at the Visitor’s Circle.

Wednesday, October 6^th Midterm Proposal Due

Saturday, October 9^th 10 a.m.-10 p.m. The Underground Music Scene with Prof. Kai Fikenstcher and Famous Haunts of Artists, Writers and Musicians with Prof. Al Romano, location: meet at the Visitor’s Circle. Note: Due: e-mail committing to the Service Learning option.

Friday, October 15^th 3:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. First Year Sanity Session #2, “Please Write Back,” Sexual Assault and America’s Schools, location: H129.

Saturday, October 23^rd 10:30 a.m. – 8 p.m., The United Nations and Non-governmental Organizations, Guests: Prof. Cliff Peterson and Ms. Vivian Nilsson (Ramapo Alumnus), location: United Nations main lobby . Note: Midterm Project Due

Saturday, November 6^th noon – 10 p.m. Broadway, Eve Ensler’s “The Good Body,”

meet at New York Public Library, 42^nd Street and 5^th Avenue.

Friday, November 12^th 3:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. First Year Sanity Session #3, Sexuality Panel, location: SC 219. Note: Final Project Proposal Due

Saturday, November 13^th 10 a.m.-6 p.m. The Harlem Renaissance, Guests: Prof. Henry Davis, Dean of SSHS meet at the Visitor’s Circle.

Satuday, December 4^th 10 a.m. – 9 p.m., Museum Mile and the American Museum of Natural History, Guests: Prof. Eddie Saiff (Coordinator of Honors Program) and Ms. Jackie Skrzynski (Director of Advisement), meet at the Visitor’s Circle. Note: Final Project Due/Service Learning Journal Due

Saturday, December 11^th 1 p.m. – 6 p.m. Course Wrap – Up, location: York Room.

Important Dates:

The following are important dates/events for you to be aware of, and although we will not take attendance at the events listed below, they would be to your benefit/enjoyment to attend.

Monday, Sept. 13^th: Last day to add/drop a class online. Last day for 100% tuition refund. Last day for 50% housing refund. (Note: if you receive permission/authorization to add a class, you must still register for it.)

Wednesday, Sept. 22^nd: Opening Convocation, Lani Guinier, speaker. 2 p.m. Bill Bradley Sports and Recreation Center.

Monday, Sept. 27^th: Last day to drop a class without a “W” grade – must use form from Registrar’s Office. Last day for 50% tuition refund.

Friday, October 15^th, 8 – 10 p.m. and Satuday, October 16^th, 11:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Ramapo Family Weekend

Monday, November 1^st: Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” grade – must use form from Registrar’s Office and obtain proper signatures.

Check Web for Students for registration dates (will be in November) for both Winter and Spring sessions.

Practical Travel Matters

We want you to become savvy New Yorkers, and, to that end, we will provide bus transportation for only the first three Manhattan classes. After that, you will be expected to get into NYC on your own, meeting us at a predetermined location in Manhattan (note on the class schedule when we will be gathering at the Visitor’s Circle and when we will be all meeting up in the city.

For group bus trips, departures will be promptly at the time specified. If you fail to be there when we leave, it is your responsibility to meet us at our destination, or you will be considered absent. You should be certain to eat before departing, as only dinner will be provided for you when we’re in the city. If, for some reason, you are unable to continue on during one of our city visits, it will be your responsibility to get back to campus on your own. ALWAYS bring extra money for purchasing water, snacks or other incidentals you might want or need while in NYC.

Unfortunately, because of budgetary constraints and also because this is a course like any other college course, we cannot accommodate guests not enrolled in this course.

While we do not consider Manhattan to be an unsafe place, common sense precautions should prevail, including, but not limited to:

n Be aware of your surroundings and the people near you, even when you are walking/standing with our group. Wallets are best kept in front pockets and do not have your bag facing the back of you. Pickpockets do exist and tend to prey on people who are not aware.

n Do not flash around lots of cash or jewelry.

n Do not hang your bag on the back of a chair or anywhere where you are not touching it. Believe it or not, someone can lift a bag from the back of your chair even while your friends are facing you during a meal!

n Walk confidently, even if you are unsure of your directions.

Finally, please realize that whenever you are off-campus, you are representing Ramapo College. We expect you to maintain high standards of decorum at all times. This includes consideration and respect for all of our guest presenters, current Ramapo faculty/staff or not – in other words, we do not expect to see you listening to your CD or making phone calls during a tour/presentation/guided walk (except for the one class where you may be asked to bring a portable CD player!). This respect should also extend to the restaurants we visit – you will probably be trying some unfamiliar foods. We do not expect you to love everything you try, but we do expect (barring a stated allergy) you to try everything and, if it is not your favorite dish, to remember to respond the way you would want someone to react if you had just cooked the dinner.