CORE 120 Syllabus Spring 2016

7/25/2019 CORE 120 Syllabus Spring 2016

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1

What makes a community good,

just and sustainable? Our goal this semester is toexamine several communities to seewhether, and how, a community canbe good, just, and sustainable. We’llstart the semester by coming up withsome definitions of our primaryterms: community, justice andgoodness. To do this, we’ll read partsof one of the most important textsin Western political philosophy:Plato’s Republic. Once we have our

definitions in place, we’ll apply themto historical and contemporaryAmerican communities.

We’ll finish the class with a lookat two of the most influentialeconomists in Western history—Adam Smith and Karl Marx—and

question their views of what makesa society sustainable.

History, philosophy, sociology,economics—the material in thisclass is heavy, but it is also incrediblyfascinating. The readings may bedifficult, the questions asked mayrequire a lot of thought, what youlearn here will likely not lend itselfdirectly to your area of study. Yet,what you will learn in 120 will no

doubt contribute to your life and thecommunities you belong to.

In COR 120, the onus is on you,and you are expected to be an activeparticipant in your own learning.There will be no real lectures.Instead, I will be your guide as

together we explore our notionsabout communities and our roles inthem. As we read our texts, you wilformulate your own ideas based onhypotheses and evidence and from

your research.This method of instruction relie

heavily on you and your activeengagement in the class. Thus, it i

very important that you keep upwith the readings and assignments—

without that preparation, we won’be able to do anything meaningfuin our class time together. This is thefirst step to being a good clascommunity member.

What else does it take to have agood , j u s t an d su s t a in ab lecommunity? What does it take tobe such a community member?

Let’s find out. Note: For the official 120 cours

description see the final page of thsyllabus.

CORE 120

S E C T I O N S

1 0 , 1 1 , 1 2

T U E S D A Y S

A N D

T H U R S D A

Y S

S p r i n g

2 0 1 6

on pts

questions?concerns?

contact me

here:>>>

email: [email protected]

phone/text: 715.937.0507

office/office hours: Aiken100/TBA

Course Website: We’ll useCanvas. Find it under“Current Students.”

An Overview of the Course, Expectations, Assignments, and Objectives

Your Instructor:

Brett Sigurdson

o m ni yf

in this

syllabus>>>

What isConcepts ofCommunity?

Grade

Breakdown

WritingResources

Nitty-GrittyDetails

Course Calendar

Class Cohort

Christine [email protected]

Plato, Republic

Trans. by C.D.C Reeve

ISBN:9780872207363

Teachings from the

Worldly Philosophy by

Robert Heilbroner

ISBN:9780393316070

Albion’s Seed: Four British

Folkways in America by

David Hackett Fischer

ISBN:9780195069051 B o o k s



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Everything that youneed to succeed in thiscourse

AssignmentsThe bulk of your overall grade willcenter on a series of linked papers

called the Community Project, thedetails of which you can find on thefinal page of the syllabus and onCanvas. The remaining assignments willconsist of a Ways Report, briefdiscussion responses posted to Canvas, aw r i t i n g n o t e b o o k , a n d c l a s sparticipation (more on these below).

The best way to keep up withassignment due dates is to be in class.The second best is Canvas. There youwill find information on the class,including digi ta l copies of a l lassignments, your grades, links to

important websites, and postingsconcerning class discussions and topicsof interest to our work.

Late work will be penalized a fullletter grade per 24 hours beyond thedue date (so a B paper will become a Cpaper). You may ask for extensions onassignments if you have a good reasonfor handing in the assignment late.What counts as a good reason?Anything that would be considered agood reason in the business world— personal illness or a family emergency.What doesn’t count as a good reason?

Claiming not to know that theassignment is due, a computer crash,poor time management or any form ofprocrastination.

In all cases, I reserve the right tomake the final call on an extension andits length.

AttendanceAs a student in this class, you areexpected to contribute to your fellowstudents’ edification and growth. Assuch, a certain level of decorum must bemaintained so that we may all benefit

from each other’s experiences, opinions,and perspectives.

To that end, repeated absences willnegatively affect your grade. You maymiss a maximum of four classperiods. More than four absences willlead to automatic failure. Keep in mind,I do not distinguish between excusedand unexcused absences—if you miss,

you ’re absent . However, i f anemergency will keep you from attendingclass for multiple days, please reach outto me and we can work something out.

Should you ever miss class, need

more information, or need a workshoppartner, please reach out to someone inclass for help.

Finally, I don't take off points fortardiness. If you're going to be late, stillcome. You'll learn more in 45 minutesof class than missing completely.

Class ParticipationWe’re going to talk about ideassurrounding communities—a lot. I wantto know your perspective, your tastes,

your interpretations, your ideas. You

should want the same from yourclassmates. So, please show up for classready to talk and listen.

A significant portion of your gradewill depend on your participation in

class. Students will receive an overaparticipation grade based on 1completed writing notebooks, 2engagement in small-group activities, 3attending class on time and beinclearly prepared, 4) being engaged inclass material and/or discussions, 5proper communication with me, and 6proper use of technology. By mid-termI will share a rubric outlining youperformance with a letter grade. You

will have the remainder of the semesteto improve the participation areas thaare lacking for your final grade.

Please know I will ensure ouclassroom is a safe place. You should feecomfortable sharing your ideas withoufeeling judged.

Technology

All cell phones and computermust be put away at all timeduring class. You will be asked tleave your phone in your bag or on thtop of your desk. You will gain participation point every day that youdo not touch your mobile device. Youwill lose a point when I see you interacwith it during class.

You may not take notes on youcomputer unless you have a speciaaccommodation from AccommodatioServices allowing you to do so. I wiloccasionally ask you to bring youcomputers to class to work on specifiassignments, but this will be thexception, not the rule.

CORE

120

Spring

2016

In addition to skills and knowledge,

Champlain College aims to teach

students appropriate Ethical and

Professional Standards of Conduct.

The Academic Honesty Policy

exists to inform students and

Faculty of their obligations in

upholding the highest standards of

professional and ethical integrity.

All student work is subject to the

A c a d e m i c H o n e s t y P o l i c y .

Professional and Academic practice

provides guidance about how to

properly cite, reference, and attribute the

intellectual property of others. Any

attempt to deceive a faculty member or to

help another student to do so will be

considered a violation of this standard.

The penalty for plagiarism in this course

may include, but is not limited to, failure of

English 112. For questions or concerns, I

encourage you to consult a reputable

source, the Writing Center, or me.

AcademicIntegrity

Whoever degradesanother degrades me,and whatever is done orsaid returns at last tome.

Walt Whitman



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WORKSHOPSWhile this isn’t a writing class per se, you’ll be writing a lot,

and I’ll expect to receive top-notch papers from you. The best

way to find out if your paper is successful is to get feedback

from other people. To that end, we’ll spend a number of class

sessions doing workshops throughout the semester.

Each workshop will be worth 10 points. If you miss a

workshop due to absence, you can still get the points by finding

a partner with whom to exchange papers. You must read a

paper as well as exchange your own. Each partner must verify

he or she workshopped in order to get the points.

If you don’t have a paper to share, don’t come to class. Use

the time to work on your paper.

I expect you to take workshops seriously. They aren’t a time

to talk or do work for other classes. In order to realize the true

value of workshops, you’ve got to come prepared each time

ready to talk about your revised work

Ultimately, it’s up to you to take advantage of the workshop

experience. You must come to class ready to get good feedback

and offer it to your partner. Simply participating in workshops

doesn’t guarantee your paper will improve. You’ve got to be an

active participant in the workshop process. Ask questions.

Listen. Ask more questions. Do this until there are no more

questions

Everything that youneed to succeed in thiscourse

Writing NotebookTo encourage you to think about coursematerial in class and outside of it, you willbe asked to purchase a notebook solely forin-class fast-writing assignments andseveral-times-weekly at-home entries. Yournotebook will be the place where youexplore your ideas, doodle, react to writingprompts, and—hopefully—awake to theworld around you. You’ll find a templatefor the at-home journal prompts onCanvas throughout the semester.

The type of notebook that you provideis of little significance. What matters is that

you are comfortable writing in it and that you use it only for this class.

I will require you to turn in your writingnotebooks throughout the semester,

something which will count towards youroverall grade. I have a strict deadline fornotebooks. If I leave campus without yourwriting notebook, you will not receivepoints for the assignment. If you will beaway from class, you can send it to classwith someone.

Class PhilosophiesThis is not a difficult class, though it’s noteasy either. The most successful students inmy courses aren’t necessarily the bestwriters; rather, the most successful studentssimply do the work. To succeed in this

class, you simply need to show up, do eachassignment, and push yourself to create

your best work. While the quality of yourwork takes precedence over anything elsein terms of your grade, the above-mentioned things will lead to quality work.

But, just so we’re all clear on what Iexpect from you and what you shouldexpect from me, I’ve put together thisbrief list:

What I Expect from You

If you are prone to expressingentitlement, laziness, or excuses,please see your advisor aboutdropping this class. No matter what,

you each have something to gain fromthis class. I expect all my students topush themselves. You will not be ableto coast through this class on pastsuccess, by doing the bare minimum

of work, or by blaming yourperformance on external factors.

I ask that you be curious, humble,and accountable. Education is anopportunity, a perpetual chance toanswer questions that interest you.School is not a chore—if it is, youprobably shouldn’t be here; rather, it’san opportunity for you to fill yourselfwith new and valuable insights. Themost successful students are curiousabout the world around them, humblein the face of the knowledge they have

yet to learn, and accountable for the

work they do or have yet to do. Are you this kind of student?

You a re r e spon s i b l e fo rproactively asking me for extra help orother accommodations when youneed it. If you plan to ask for specialaccommodations on assignments, oran extension of a due date, you mustdo so at least 24 hours before theassignment is due.

You have a number of ways tocontact me. I expect you to work withme if you are having problems with

your work or the course. Please don’twai t un t i l the end-of -courseevaluations to share your issues orstruggles with this class.

Finally, let’s face it: technologybreaks. servers go down, transfers timeout, files become corrupt. The listgoes on and on. These are notconsidered emergencies. They arepart of the normal productionprocess. An issue you may have withtechnology is no excuse for late work.You need to protect yourself by

managing your time and backing up your work.

What to Expect from Me

As your instructor, I will:

Prepare for the semester and foreach class to guide you through whatwe are learning

M a k e a s s i g n m e n t s a n d

requirements clear to youGive you extra help when you ask

for itMake our classroom a safe and

productive place in which to learnMaintain high standards in class

in order to mimic the standards towhich you will be held in the workingworld

At any point during the semesterI will be happy to respond toquestions or concerns regarding thiscourse, your performance, or yourgrade. Please feel free to visit me

during my office hours or to make anappointment.

Students RequiringAccommodations

If you believe that you requireaccommodations in this class, please contactCounseling and Accommodation Services assoon as possible. You will be able to schedulea meeting with Denise Myers and have yourdocumentation reviewed. During thatmeeting, Denise will provide you with lettersfor your faculty, which will detail your

needed accommodations. It is the student'srespons ibi l i ty to seek and secureaccommodations prior to the start of a tesor project.

Contact: Denise Myers, Counseling andAccommodation Services, via phone( 8 0 2 . 8 6 5 . 5 4 8 4 ) o r e m a i([email protected]). Her office islocated in Skiff Hall, room 100.

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mailto:[email protected]




4

Identify and apply the fundamental

language and methods of each focus

discipline to critically evaluate materials

within that discipline

Compare/contrast approaches from

various focus disciplines – identifying th

strengths and limitations of each

Relate the fundamental language,

methods, and approaches of the focus

disciplines to professional fields and pro

at Champlain

Integrate multiple definitions of the

concept of community and present a

cohesive understanding of the commun

to which they do and do not belong

Relate the approaches from the focus

disciplines in COR 110 with those in CO

120, and identify the strengths and

limitations of all focus disciplinesTo identify the characteristics of a

community of scholars and recognize th

value of appropriate participation

To identify and apply appropriate

communication strategies and practices

interdisciplinary setting

In conducting research, to identify

appropriate starting points, search strate

and basic information sources within ea

discipline and begin to evaluate, incorpo

and cite sources ethically, effectively, and

efficiently

To apply the methods and standards

writing learned in Rhetoric II to relevan

coursework

C O R E

1 2 0

S p r i n g

2 0 1 6

Week One [January 18–22]T: Introductions Bring Writing

Notebook, Textbooks

TH: San Francisco 2.0, Bowling

Alone

Week Two [January 25–29]

T: Syllabus Talk, Introduce

Community Project

TH: Republic, Book 1

Week Three [February 1–5]

T: Republic, Books 1 and 2


Week Four [February 8–12]


TH: Republic, Books 3 and 4

Week Five [February 15–19]



Week Six [February 22–26]

T: Plato and Rhetoric

TH: Library Literacy—Bring

computers

Week Seven [Feb 29–March 4]

T: Proposal Workshop or Town

Meeting

TH: Annotated Bibliography

Workshop

Community Project Proposal/ Annotated Bibliography Due

Week Eight [March 7–11]

T: Ways Reports [1–5]

TH: Ways Reports [6–10]

Spring Break [March 14–18]

Week Nine [March 21–25]

T: Ways Reports [11–15]

TH: Ways Reports [16–20]

Week Ten [March 28–April 1]

T: Smith and Capitalism

TH: Thomas Piketty

Week Eleven [April 4–8]

T: Park Avenue

TH: Marx, Socialism,

Communism

Week Twelve [April 11–15]

T: The Rise and Fall of Socialism

TH: Research Paper Workshop/

Work Day

Community Project ResearchPaper Due

Week Thirteen [April 18–22]

T: Marcuse and the One-

Dimensional Man

TH: Gary Snyder and Wendell

Berry

Week Fourteen [April 25–29]

T: How Many People Can Live on

Planet Earth?

TH: Workshop/Work Day

Community Project Letter Due

Week Fifteen [May 2–6]

Finals—TBA

Community Project Due

This is a broad overview of this course’s trajectory. This will most likely evolve

and change as we progress and figure out where we need to spend more or less time.

Homework will be given each day in class and on the class blog. You should read

each chapter before the day it is listed on the schedule.

Champlain College is taking precautionary measures to ensure that this class can continue in a"virtual environment" even during an extended emergency such as severe weather, contagious disease,

physical infrastructure failure, campus closure, or similar incident. This course will continue eitheronline through a college-provided learning management system (Canvas), or through some other

process unless cancelled.In the event of such an emergency, students are expected to continue instructor-designated class

activities, as directed by the instructor. Due to the nature of the "virtual environment" learning activitiesmay differ slightly from the on-campus course. In order for this emergency preparedness plan to beeffective, you are asked to ensure that you will have a computer and internet access at the location in

which you will reside during an extended campus closure, prepare yourself with the basic skills of logging into Canvas via the dashboard, finding your course(s) and entering them, and participate in a"warm up" online activity in the "virtual environment" when directed to do so by your instructor.

Business Continuity

Feeling depressed? AnxiousGet help

Counseling & Accommodation Service

Center: [email protected]

The Writing Cente

The Champlain Writing Center profree one-with-one writing support fomembers of the Champlain communityChamplain Writing Center has

locations. The first is located on the sefloor of the Miller Information Comand is open between 1-4 MonFriday. Evening hours are also availab

the SMART space, located in Coolidge between 5-8 Sunday-Thursday.

course calendar...





5

THE 120 CATALOG

DESCRIPTION

[‘CAUSE IT’S REQUIRED]

C O R E 1 2 0

S p r i n g

2 0 1 6

Helpful Words >>>

Major

Assignments

>>>>>

Community Project

This project will be a series of linked assignments that ask you to

explore a community while making it better. They are:

Proposal/Annotated Bibliography. You’ll be asked to submit a

proposal detailing a community you want to explore in your research

project, an issue that community is facing, and a project to help address

this issue. You’ll also provide an overview of five sources that you’ll use in

your research paper. 100 points

Research paper : Based on your own research, you will report on acommunity and an issue facing it. This should be a minimum of 10 pages.

150 Points

Letter .Using evidence you found through your research as a

foundation, you will write a letter to a local, state, or federal

representative urging he or she to act in accordance with your viewpoint.

100 Points

Final Project Essay. To close out the community project, you’ll be

asked to reflect on the project you did in a brief essay (and if you’ve done

something tangible, you’ll also turn this in). Finally, you’ll discuss your

work with your classmates during our final. 150 Points

Final Portfolio: This isn’t so much an assignment as a second chance

for you to improve upon three of the assignments above—the annotated

bibliography, the research paper and the letter. At the end of the

semester, you’ll have the

opportunity to resubmit

these to improve your

work (and your score).

Ways Report: Using David Hackett Fischer’s Albion’s

Seed as a guide, you’ll write a brief essay on a current

American norm and compare it to the “ways” of thePuritans and Cavaliers.You’ll discuss your findings in

class in weeks eight and nine. 50 points.

In the age of instantaneous and opencommunication, economic globalism andintercontinental travel, never has thequestion of the possibilities and limits ofhuman community been more important.

What are the practices and institutions thatbind us together? What are the structuresof communities and how do these limitand define us as individuals? Exploringsuch questions through history, philosophy,sociology and economics, students willdevelop an interdisciplinary perspective oncommunity in the modern world and theirplace in it.

IMPORTANT COR 120 is offered in

partial fulfillment of the New England

Association of Schools and College’s

requirement that one-third of a student’s education at

a NEASC-accredited institution be comprised of

general education courses. According to NEASC,

which is Champlain College’s accrediting body, “The

general education requirement . . . ensures adequate

breadth for all degree-seeking students by showing a

balanced reg ard for what are traditionally referred to

as the arts and humanities; the sciences including

mathematics; and the social sciences.

General

education requirements include offerings that focus on

the subject matter and methodologies of these three

primary domains of knowledge as well as their

relationships to one another.”

>>>>

Grade Scale ! 100=A+

93–99=A

90–92=A-

87–89=B+

83–86=B

80–82=B-

77–79=C+

73–76=C

70–72=C-

63–69=D

0–59=F

Note: The content of these

assignments, the point values,

and even the assignments

themselves may change as we go

through the semester.

Perhaps the most poignant image of our time is that of Earth as

seen by the space voyagers: a blue sphere, shimmering with life

and light, alone and unique in the cosmos. From this perspective,

the maps of geopolitics vanish, and the underlying

interconnectedness of all the components of this extraordinary

living system—animal, plant, water, land, and atmosphere—

becomes strikingly evident.

Richard Benedick

CORE 120 Syllabus Spring 2016

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