First-Year Seminar Fall 2006
INTD 101-38
“Not Your (typical) Course” (NYC)
Anne & Patrick Chang,
Instructors
Angie Aggrey & Christine
Harrigan, Peer Facilitators
Updated:
Home phone: 201-818-8578 Pat’s
Office (in Provost’s office):
201-684-7731
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
Angie’s e-mail: aaggrey@ramapo.edu,
Christine’s e-mail: charriga@ramapo.edu
Office hours for either instructor by appointment.
Prerequisites: First year, first semester students
Class Meeting Time: This class meets on various Saturdays,
roughly from
College phone number for
special announcements and college closings:
201-236-2902
Course Description
The international,
cultural, and commerce center of the world is 28 miles east of
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 previous classes 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. Using Luminis
is critical to success in this course for schedules, communication, and
even some assignments.
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.
Peer Facilitators
As an added resource for
first-year students, each section of First-Year Seminar (FYS) will have a peer
facilitator. These specially trained
students will attend FYS classes and assist the instructors with the academic
topics covered in this seminar. They
will serve as discussion leaders on issues presented at the Personal
Development Workshops (PDW’s). Peers
will also facilitate discussions on the class readings. Your peer facilitators will be your mentors
and will be available to you to provide guidance on navigating the different
personal and social hurdles that you may encounter in your first year at
Ramapo.
Course Objectives
Through this section of
First-Year Seminar, you will not only learn about
n
develop proper
academic research skills, including, but not limited to, the correct use of MLA
citation format and the ability to seek out legitimate sources of information
for academic papers
n
be able to read
various sources of information, synthesize salient points, think critically
about what you’ve encountered, and be able to articulate your analysis both
verbally and in written form
n
learn to pay
attention to detail, both in your experiences and in fulfilling assignment
requirements
n
hone your
self-management, organizational and interpersonal skills
n
improve your
writing ability (grammar, structure, content, format) in several forms,
including short essay, personal narrative and research paper formats
Automobile Association Developments Limited. Fodor’s Exploring
Fodors LLC. Fodor’s
Flashmaps
Grader, Rob. The Cheap Bastard’s Guide to
Jackson, Kenneth T. &
Dunbar, David S., eds.
centuries.
Raimes, Ann and Maria Jerskey. The Open Handbook:
Keys for Writers.
Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The dark side of the all-American meal.
Harper
Perennial: 2005. ISBN 0060838582
Course Requirements
There will be assignments
given throughout the semester, usually pertaining to the various topics and
areas of
These assignments will
include (but are not limited to) a short paper (approx. 5 pages) based on your
experience with doing an activity from the “Cheap Bastard’s” book (due Oct.
28), writing a short paper (approx. 5 pages) synthesizing a reserve reading, writing
short essays reacting to a question posed by the instructors through the
message board on Luminis following each class session, threaded discussions (also through Luminis)
on topics posed by the instructors relating to class session experiences, and
small group assignments called “Perambulation/Meanders” where you will work
with several classmates to organize and conduct an information-gathering
assignment in a particular section of Manhattan (typically we assign 3 of these
to mostly be conducted during class time, but are handed in and graded.) There
will also likely be some “surprise quizzes” incorporating knowledge you gained
from the readings (this includes readings from the required books, reserve
readings and online reading assignments).
In addition to these smaller
assignments, you will need to successfully complete two substantial
projects. Because different students
learn in different ways, you will have the option of choosing to do two out of
three projects. They are all equally
rigorous, and all will result in a greater integration and understanding of the
topics we cover in class. You will be
given specific details about each of these assignments, but, in sum, here are
the basics about the three projects.
The Midterm Project
This is due Saturday,
October 21, and will require you to research an area of
The Final Project
This is due Saturday,
December 2, and 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
Service Learning
This project must be
completed before December 2nd and
is coordinated with The Cahill Center for Experiential Learning and Career
Planning. It 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 2) 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 2, and must be in the same format as any paper for this
course -- see required format for all written assignments as indicated in this
syllabus – e.g., cover page, stapled, etc.).
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
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
Experiential Component
This course will provide
more than the minimum 5 hours of unmonitored course-related experience outside
the classroom, as required by all 4 credit Ramapo courses. The midterm project, final project, service
learning, “Cheap Bastard Paper,” and several other assignments will require you
to do work for this course, on your own, in
General Education Program Course
This course fulfills the
First-Year Seminar category of the general education curriculum. Like all First-Year Seminars (FYS), in
this course you will develop critical thinking skills that are basic to college
level study, regardless of your area of interest. Your ability to think
critically will be enhanced by reading, writing, engaging in thoughtful group
discussions, and by participating in experiential learning.
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% Other Assignments and Quizzes
Choose two out of three
of the following:
25% Midterm Project
25% Final Project
25% Service Learning
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.
IMPORTANT – Review this information whenever you do
a written 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 that information.
Policy on Academic Integrity
Every member of the Ramapo
community is expected to be honest and forthright in their academic
endeavors. Everyone is expected to be
familiar with and understand the
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 file
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
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.
Class Schedule (This is tentative – times, topics, and dates are
subject to change.)
Tuesday, Sept. 5th
Friday, September 8th
Saturday, Sept. 9th
Wednesday, Sept. 13th
Saturday, Sept. 16th
Monday, Sept. 25th (deadline to sign up with the Cahill Center for
the service learning option, AND deadline to sign up with instructors for the
service learning option)
Saturday, Sept. 30th Midterm Project Proposal Due
Wednesday, Oct. 4th
Saturday, Oct. 7th
Wednesday, October 11th
Saturday, Oct. 14th
Saturday, October 21st
Wednesday, Oct. 25th
Saturday, October 28th
Wednesday, November 1st
Saturday, November 4th
Wednesday, November 15th
Satuday, December 2nd Final
Project Due/Service Learning Journal Due
Wednesday, December 6th
Saturday, December 9th
Personal Development Workshops
As new college students,
you’ll encounter situations where you’ll be expected to make personal choices
on issues that arise in social settings.
To help you in making your choices, Personal Development Workshops have
been incorporated into your First Year Seminar so that you can participate in
open discussions with your classmates and your peer facilitator on these
important development issues.
Three times during the
semester, your section will meet with a few other seminar sections for an
interactive presentation by a professional staff member or panel of
experts. After these workshops, you will
have a follow-up discussion with your peer facilitator. Below is the schedule of topics for these
workshops – these workshops are included in your class schedule found in this
syllabus. The schedule of Personal
Development Workshops can be found below with updates to be provided on the web
at: http://www.ramapo.edu/academics/firstYear/devworkshops.html
.
Personal Development Workshop #1:
Preventing Violence on Campus
Wednesday, Oct. 4th, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00
p.m., location Alumni Lounges, Student Center
Description: Using a video developed by students and staff
at
Presenter: Mandy
Restivo, Director of the Women’s Center & Diversity Education Programming
Personal Development Workshop #2:
Valuing Diversity:
Revealing the Benefits
Wednesday, Oct. 25th, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., location Alumni
Lounges,
Description: This interactive workshop focuses on building
awareness of diversity in its broadest sense and investigates its visible and
invisible dimensions. Students will
discuss stereotyping and labeling as part of a group exercise and together
explore the impact of learning from and valuing diverse perspectives, thoughts,
and approaches.
Presenters: Kathy
Zeno, Assistant Professor of Marketing
Mandy Restivo, Director of the Women’s Center
& Diversity Education Programming
Personal Development Workshop #3:
Career Portfolio Project
Wednesday, November 15th, 11:30 a.m. –
1:00 p.m., location Alumni Lounges, Student Center
Description: Explore,
Engage and Empower is the theme
of this workshop designed to introduce you to the career development
process. Self-assessment and a
pro-active approach are the foundation to the successful integration of one’s
personal, academic, and professional goals.
After completing a self-evaluation, students will learn ways to
construct their professional portfolio.
Presenters: Debra
Stark, Assistant Director/Career Development and Placement
Amy Bravo, Co-Op Education/Career Coordinator
Robert
Sproul, Adjunct Professor/Psychology, Social Issues, First-Year Seminar
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.
Sept. 8th: Opening
Convocation,
Sept. 11th: Last day
for Schedule Adjustments. Last day to
withdraw with 100% tuition refund. (Note: if you receive permission/authorization to
add a class, you must still register for it.)
Sept. 25th: Last day to withdraw with 50% tuition and/or
housing refund.
Oct. 30th: Last day to
withdraw from a course with a “W” grade – must use form from Registrar’s Office
and obtain proper signatures.
Nov. 22nd –
26th: Thanksgiving Recess.
Dec. 16th –
22nd: Final Exam Week.
Sunday, Dec. 23rd: Final Exam
Snow Make-up Day.
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
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
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