Western Carolina University

The University Experience

Summer 2015 Syllabus

Instructor: Jill VanOrder Course: USI 130-82 CRN 50059

Office: KA 206 (828)227-2941 Location: McKee 208
Email: jmvanorder@wcu.edu Time: Mon-Fri 10:30am-11:20am

Study Hall: Taylor Hayes

Location: McKee 113
Time: M-F 2:30pm-3:30pm

Textbooks
Your College Experience ISBN: 978-1-4576-7264-4 (available in book rental)
The Other Wes Moore (you received a copy during Orientation)
Additional readings and media as assigned.
Course Description
This course provides an introduction and opportunity for you to transition to university life, as you discover the
resources available (academic, co-curricular, community). You will examine the principles of leadership
through the thematic lens of the arts. This subject of this course is you. It is intentionally designed to promote
your self-awareness and personal successin college and in life after collegeby empowering you with
flexible skills and strategies that are applicable across subjects (transferable, cross-disciplinary skills) and across
time (durable, lifelong learning skills).

Purpose
1. connect you with other studentsi.e., to help you form peer-support networks and peer-learning communities;
2. connect you with the collegei.e., to promote (a) your appreciation of the meaning and relevance of the college
curriculum (liberal arts & sciences), (b) your involvement in the co-curriculum (out-of-class experiential
learning), and (c) your use of campus support services (academic-support and student-development services);
3. connect your present college experience with your future goals and plansi.e., to help you relate your current
college experience with your upcoming decisions about your college major, your future career path, and your life
beyond college.
4. connect you with the principles of leadership - i.e., to help you understand the importance of leadership to your
college experience and your life.

Learning Objectives
Students will
1. understand academic policies, procedures and how to access information and resources;
2. identify principle Leadership and personality traits and styles (ethics, integrity, communication skills, perseverance)
3. assess personal needs and goals to effectively connect with the campus community (academic, social, co-
curricular, and civic):
4. identify the interactions and relationships among the curricular, co-curricular, social, and personal dimensions of
their college experience with future goals:
5. connect learning theories (cognitive and emotional) with performance outcomes (academic, social, and personal),
6. interact with other students in order to form peer-support networks and peer-learning communities:
7. clarify values and develop a sense of responsibility for their academic, personal, and career development,
8. develop empathy, respect, and appreciation for others who are different in terms of the ways our society defines
human and group differences, including race, ethnicity, religious backgrounds, linguistic differences,
socioeconomic levels, age, geography, sexual orientation, and national origins,
9. value the meaning and relevance of the college curriculum(liberal arts & sciences);
 10. create study, inquiry, and problem-solving skills and strategies that are applicable across subjects (transferable,
cross-disciplinary skills) and across time (durable, lifelong learning skills).
You may find it helpful to understand the different categories of learning objectives for the course defined at the FYE Program level:

Transition Objectives
1. To help you orient yourself at WCU by making you familiar with academic policies, programs and support resources;
2. To help you cope successfully with the stresses that often accompany major life transitions, such as coming to
college;
3. To create a context in which you can clarify values and continue to develop a sense of responsibility for your
academic, personal, and career development;
4. To guide you to develop empathy, respect, and appreciation for others who are different from you in terms of the
ways our society defines human and group differences, including race, ethnicity, religious backgrounds, linguistic
differences, socioeconomic levels, age, geography, sexual orientation, and national origins.
5. This Course is meant to get you off to a good start in college, and to motivate you to successfully complete your
college education. It is the place to get your questions answered, explore and establish your goals, develop
connections to the campus community, and discover resources that will help you be successful. Your instructor is
also a mentor, a go-to person, when you have questions, insecurities, indecisions, or other difficultiesplease
take advantage of this both in class and individually!

University Objectives
Students will
1. Identify their aptitudes, abilities, and interests and articulate their future goals and aspirations;
2. Modify their behaviors and values in response to knowledge and skills gained from their academic and co-
curricular experiences; and
3. Recognize the synthesis of their university experiences relative to their future education and career plans.

Other Points of Importance and Interest

The First Year Experience aims to foster opportunities that will empower you to not only succeed with their transition to
college life, but to also discover a passion for learning as you become the co-creator of your collegiate
experience. Discover information and resources just for you at fye.wcu.edu

Peer Mentors will work with you in the context of this course to support your academic, personal and creative endeavors.
They will be there to provide encouragement, advocacy, and inspiration.

Service Learning This course embraces the concepts and goals of service learning a teaching and learning strategy that
integrates community service with academic instruction and structured reflection in such a way that the student gains
further understanding of course content, meets genuine community needs, develops career-related skills, and becomes
responsible citizens. You will find many resources and support networks to help you as you help others at the Center for
Service Learning.

Classes meet each week as scheduled in the course calendar; in order to accommodate special activities, some class
meetings will vary in location. A final assessment will be completed during final exam week. The course calendar is
subject to change per the instructor's notification.

Co-curricular Opportunities
This class will require your attendance of arts and co-curricular events outside of the class time, as indicated on the course
outline and calendar. These events are intended to strengthen learning outcomes, and in some cases will define the
outcome and the assessment, such as the completion of papers or projects in response to particular events, performances,
or exhibits, thus having a direct impact on your course grade.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Western Carolina University is committed to providing equal educational opportunities for students with documented
disabilities and/or medical conditions. Students who require reasonable accommodations must identify themselves as
having a disability and/or medical condition and provide current diagnostic documentation to Disability Services. All
information is confidential. Please contact the Office of Disability Services for more information at (828) 227-3886. You
may also visit the offices website: disability.wcu.edu

Attendance
Much of a persons learning and thinking originates in, and is supported by, interactions with other people. What happens
inside the classroom is important for your success with the course. Therefore, your performance on in-class activities and
contributions to class discussion are important to you and to your fellow students, and will be the basis for your course
grade.

As per the Universitys Undergraduate Catalog, the Record, you are allowed up to two absences providing that your
instructor excuses the absence. You are encouraged to consult the complete statement of this policy in the Undergraduate
Catalog. Acceptable excuses include the following:
Clear evidence that you are too ill or otherwise indisposed to benefit from being in class and will be a risk or
distraction to others in the class;
Documented evidence of your required presence in a court of law;
Documented evidence of a personal or family emergency requiring your presence away from campus;
Documented evidence of your participation in an approved university activity (field trip, athletic event, etc.;
documentation will be provided by the university official in charge of the activity, and must be presented before
the time of the absence);
Other circumstances approved by your instructor, preferably prior to the absence.

You must request IN WRITING that each absence be excused before the next regular class period. Your written excuse
must be presented to your instructor as soon as possible after the absence occurs. If you miss class for what you believe is
a good reason, you still must ask, in writing, that the absence be excusedwe want to see that you are acting responsibly
about class attendance. Even if you miss class unexpectedly or accidentally, dont compound the error by failing to turn
in a request for an excuse; if you act responsibly, you might be granted an excuse even with a poor reason. It is up to your
instructor to grant excuses, so dont ever assume your absence wont be excused until you have communicated with your
instructor.

Attendance WILL affect your final grade per course policy. Keep in mind that if you miss a class meeting, you are still
responsible for the material addressed during that meeting and for submitting assignments due at the meeting.

Inclement Weather Policy: Please see the student handbook for the policy on inclement weather.

Academic Integrity: Western Carolina Universitys Code of Conduct, (available via the
online Student Handbook at www.wcu.edu/univcenter/handbook/PDF/Student%20Handbook.pdf),
specifically prohibits all forms of student (and faculty) academic dishonesty, including cheating, fabrication, facilitating
academic dishonesty, and plagiarism. Cheating is defined by the Code as follows: Intentionally using or attempting to use
unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise. Plagiarism is defined by the Code to mean
Intentionally or knowingly representing the words or ideas of someone else as ones own in an academic exercise. You
may also review the University Academic Integrity policy at
http://catalog.wcu.edu/content.php?catoid=20&navoid=346#honestypolicy

Any violation of the Academic Integrity Policy is a serious offense because it threatens the quality of scholarship and
undermines the integrity of the community. While academic in scope, any violation of this policy is a violation of the
student code of conduct (see Article IV.B.1.a.)

Violations of the Academic Integrity Policy include:

Cheating - Using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic
exercise.
Fabrication Creating and/or falsifying information or citation in any academic exercise.
Plagiarism - Representing the words or ideas of someone else as ones own in any academic exercise.
 Facilitation - Helping or attempting to help someone to commit a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy
in any academic exercise (e.g. allowing another to copy information during an examination)

Course Eval is the WCU course evaluation and you are encouraged to participate and complete this on-line evaluation for
this course. We strive to constantly improve course design and delivery your cooperation to complete the Course Eval
provides a mechanism that will help us in our goals to improve teaching and learning outcomes for all students.

Student Responsibility & Etiquette

Class participation: You are expected to be in class on time prepared each class period. You are also
expected to exhibit professional courtesy in attitude, dress, and discourse. You are expected to have read and be
ready to discuss assigned readings and/or event attendance in class.
Food & Drink is NOT permitted in our classroom (other than a water bottle with lid). If you have a special
documented need to have food on hand for health reasons, please notify your instructor to arrange special
accommodation.
The use of cell phones is distracting to your professors and your peers. Please do NOT use your phone at all
during class (unless invited by your instructor). If you have an emergency situation that merits keeping your
phone on vibrate, please see your instructor.
Computers: If you use your laptop to take notes, make sure that is what you are doing. Do not allow yourself to
be distracted by web or email checking, Face Book, Twitter, or anything not related to class. You may be asked
to not use your computer at all during some classes.
Assignments and in-class work: You are responsible for all information given in class (even if absent). Late
assignments/class preparation will NOT be accepted, unless your absence has been excused as per the attendance
policy stated.

Grading

Point Per
Assignment Points Grade
Total University
Syllabus Quiz 10 200-194 A+ 100-97
Myers Briggs Assessment 10 193-186 A 96-93
Service Learning Participation 10 185-180 A- 92-90
Scavenger Hunt Presentation 20 179-174 B+ 89-87
Email Etiquette Responses (2) 20 179-166 B 86-83
The One Book
25 165-160 B- 82-80
Discussion/Participation
Blackboard Journals 25 158-154 C+ 79-77
Who Am I? Sharing Activity 10 153-146 C 76-73
Final (PSA) 40 145-140 C- 72-70
Attendance, Participation, Study Hall 30 139-134 D+ 69-67
133-126 D 66-63
Total Points: 200 125-120 D- 62-60
119 F <59

Explanation of Course Requirements

*Further details will be given during class and posted on Blackboard; all due dates are subject to change*
Email Checks:
Due periodically throughout the semester - 10 points each, (20 points total)
You will receive 2 unannounced email assignments to your catamount email account periodically throughout the
semester. This exercise is meant to help you get in the habit of regularly checking email as this is an essential means by
which the university communicates with students. Instructions on submitting each task will be provided in the emails.
Responses are due within 24 hours of the email going out. There will be no late assignments accepted for this activity.

Scavenger Hunt Presentation

Due date TBA 20 points
This is a group project. Each group will visit the assigned campus resources, talk to a representative and ask a few
interview style questions. The group will present the information to the class. Be creative in your presentation.

Blackboard Journals:
Due each Thursday 5 points each, (25 points total)
These weekly reflection journals are informal journal entries 250-300 words in length. The focus for each weeks journal
will be posted with the assignment in Blackboard.

Who Am I? Sharing Activity:

Due date TBA 10 points
This assignment is designed to be fun! You will show something (Photos, slideshow, song, dance, homemade craft, etc.)
that is a representative of who you are as an individual. This should incorporate concepts that we have covered in class.
You can determine your own topic, such as: This is who I am within my family, the community, as a student, a friend,
etc. This class is about your growth and development as an individual and here is your time to show it

Final Exam:
40 points
The final exam is a cumulative, critical thinking assessment based on your experiences this summer and will be discussed
further into the semester. You will be creating a Public Service Announcement in a small group. I will provide the
expectations during the first week of class.

Course Content Schedule & Topics: Week 4: Who am I? Values and Expectations
Week 1: Academics are important College Identity vs. HS Identity
Communications Learning Style
Blackboard Getting Involved
Study Skills Strengths
Library field trip Purpose
Academic Resources on campus Values
Time management Emotional Intelligence
Stress Management
Week 2: Choices Matter Relationships in College
Liberal Studies
Decision Making Week 5: Leaders, mentors, and the future
Critical Thinking Principles of Leadership
Healthy Habits Leadership Styles
Traits
Week 3: Diversity Mentors
What is diversity? Goal setting
Study Abroad Prioritizing
Disabilities Planning college with the future in mind