CSUB 101

Roadrunner First-Year RUSH-A Seminar

W 9:30-10:25

BDC 264

 

Dr. Karen Stocker                                                                    Office Hours:

DDH CC 207                                                                          MF 10:00-11:00

654-6875                                                                                 W 2:30-3:30

kstocker@csub.edu                                                                  Or by appointment

 

 

Course Goals:

This seminar introduces first year students to strategies for academic and career success at CSUB, including, but not limited to, managing time and money, learning how to learn, reading, listening, taking notes, thinking critically, communicating effectively, taking exams and writing papers, avoiding violations of academic integrity, growing personally and interpersonally, living healthfully, and exploring majors and careers. The overarching goals of the course are to improve student knowledge about CSUB, to increase connections and engagement of students with faculty and staff, and to develop a personal plan for success at CSUB.

 

Course objectives:

Through WebCT and class discussions, students will learn about campus policies, academic services, and will develop skills for finding information about CSUB. They will also learn to avoid plagiarism and find out about its consequences. Through out-of-class exercises, students will increase connections with faculty and peers. Students will also identify the skills they need for academic success (including time management, study skills, and critical thinking skills), as well as explore possible majors through interviews with faculty.

 

Course requirements:

Students are responsible for weekly reading assignments and WebCT assignments as well as for attending class regularly and participating fully in in-class activities. Only two absences are allowed for a one-credit course. Absences beyond this number will result as an automatic failure unless the instructor has waived required attendance. All students are expected to attend every class, arrive on time, and remain for the entire class period.

 

Students are also required to meet with me during office hours (or by appointment) at least once during the quarter.

 

Required textbook (available at the campus bookstore):

 

Gardner, John N. and A. Jerome Jewler

2005    Your College Experience: Strategies for Success, 6th edition. Belmont, CA:

Thomson Wadsworth. [referred to as G & J in the syllabus]

ISBN: 0-534-59392-5

 

Other required resources:

• A weekly calendar in which to write deadlines and other important dates

• CSUB Fall 2005 Schedule of Classes

• Internet access and access to WebCT

 

Grading and Assignments:

Out of class assignments (other than WebCT quizzes)    30%

WebCT quizzes                                                                        50%

Office hours visit                                                                         5%

In-class activities                                                                       15%

                                               

Grading scheme:

This is a Pass/Fail course. You must earn a minimum of a “C” average to pass this course.

 

100-93% =  A

92 - 89    =   A-

88-86      =   B+

85 - 83    =   B

82 - 79    =   B-

78-76    =     C+

75 - 73  =     C

72 - 69  =     C-

68 – 66  =     D+

65 – 63  =     D

62 - 59  =      D-

58 and below = F

 

Classroom policies:

1. I will not accept late papers unless you have a documented excuse

(proving illness, death in the family, or participation in university-sponsored events). See the guidelines below for policies related to response papers. All homework is due at the beginning of class on the date listed, and you must attend class that day to have your paper received.

 

3. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed. Missing class more than twice will negatively affect your grade, and since you must be in class to turn in homework, it may affect your grade to have fewer than two absences, as well.

 

4. Please turn off your cell phones or pagers.

 

5. All students must adhere to CSUB’s policy on Academic Integrity, as outlined under Rights and Responsibilities on page 37 of the Fall 2005 Class Schedule. Students who do not do so will receive an F in the course and will face disciplinary sanction by Student Discipline and Judicial Affairs. Please read the following for specifics about what constitutes plagiarism: http://www.csub.edu/ssric/Modules/Other/plagiarism.htm

 

6. Qualified students with disabilities who need appropriate academic adjustments should contact me soon as possible to ensure that your needs are met in a timely manner. Any disability needs to be verified by Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD). Upon such verification, all handouts and assignments will be available in alternative accessible formats upon request.

 

7. Students are responsible for tracking their own grade progress (see “Grading and Assignments,” and “Grading Scheme” above).

 

8. When I grade your papers, I do not want to know who you are, so as to avoid any unfair bias in grading. To this end, I request that you turn in all papers with your name typed on the right corner of the first page only. Fold over this corner of each paper toward the back before you turn in your paper to assure your anonymity.

 

 

Assignments are due on the day under which they are listed. For example, for Wednesday, September 21, complete the WebCT module on the Walter Stiern Library and the corresponding quiz.

 

Wednesday, September 14

Topic: Introduction to CSUB, to WebCT, and to this course.

In-class activity: Welcome to CSUB WebCT module and explanation of WebCT

 

Wednesday, September 21

Norm Hutcherson will talk to us about using the library. Class will meet in WSL Lab 7 (in the basement of the library).

Topic: Library usage

Assignment for today: WebCT module on the Walter Stiern Library and its corresponding quiz on WebCT.

 

Wednesday, September 28

Topic: General Education and Choosing a Major

Assignment: General Education and Majors WebCT module and corresponding quiz; G & J Chapter 12; meet with two faculty members (from different departments) during office hours to find out about their programs.

 

Wednesday, October 5

Topic: How to Register

Assignment: WebCT Module and corresponding quiz on How to Register; G & J Chapter 6

 

Wednesday, October 12

Topic: Advising

Assignment: Web CT module and corresponding quiz on Advising; G & J Chapter 2

In class activities: WebCT Time Management unit and exercise 2.3 from page 35 of G & J

 

Wednesday, October 19

Topic: Academic Integrity

Assignment: WebCT module and corresponding quiz on Academic Integrity; G & J Chapter 9, and pages 171-172 in G and J on plagiarism

In-class activity: exercise on avoiding plagiarism, and information from Turnitin.com

 

Wednesday, October 26

Topic: Administration and Records and Financial Aid

Assignment: WebCT Modules and corresponding quizzes on Administration and records and Financial Aid; G & J Chapter 18

 

Wednesday, November 2

Topic: Students Services

Assignment: WebCT module and corresponding quiz on Student Services; G & J Chapter 8

 

Wednesday, November 9

Topic: Student Activities

Assignment: WebCT module and corresponding quiz on Student Activities; G & J Chapter 14

 

Wednesday, November 16

Topic: Student Programs

Assignment: WebCT module and corresponding quiz (called “Programs”) on Student Programs; G & J Chapter 17