ENGLISH 150: Multicultural America

English 150: Multicultural America Office hours: Send Peter a message at [email protected] or Tuesdays &Thursdays come see him on the first floor of the west wing of the UWM Library Section 004 (58581): 11 am – 12:15 pm on Tuesdays or Thursdays between 2:10 and 3 pm. Section 005 (61105): 12:30 – 1:45 pm Merrill Hall 142 SUPPLEMENT TO SYLLABUS Note regarding course information & policies: The policies and About your instructor: information contained in the Humanities GER syllabus: English 150 and on the syllabus addenda are in effect for this course. This supplement provides about assignments, assessments, textbooks, and scheduled activities, including due dates, for this section of Multicultural America. This supplement also provides information about resources for learning and includes additional policies about assessment and conduct, both academic and non-academic. The information, policies, schedule, and assignments published here are subject to change, but, in the event of any change, the class will be advised as early as possible. ABOUT SECTIONS 004 and 005 FINAL EXAMINATION: The final examination for 004 will take place on Tuesday, May 16, from 10 to 12 noon. For 005, the examination will take place on Monday, May 15, from 12:30 – 2:30 pm. The final Peter Blewett PhD examination takes place at a time different from our usual class Peter Blewett has taught in the English Department since 1999. He hours, so make arrangements now so that you can attend the final served on the Milwaukee Public Schools Board of Directors for 12 examination. years, including three years as President and three years as Vice- President. SERVICE LEARNING: Students are required to perform twenty hours of service outside the classroom. A five-hour service credit will be A poet, Peter founded the Cardinal Stritch University Writing awarded to students who participate in the “Beyond Service” Program, where he was selected as the 1999 Educator of the Year. training on either Wednesday, February 22, or Friday, February 24, from 7:30 – 8:30 pm in Union 280. To receive the five-hour credit, students will attend the workshop and post a critique of the workshop in a D2L discussion forum. ASSESSMENT & EVALUATION Service learning: You will complete a service-learning project that builds a stronger Milwaukee community and develops your Common study: We will achieve the course learning outcomes by understanding of the issues that we discuss in the classroom. pursuing a common course of study. Our study will begin in the According to the American Association of Community Colleges, classroom, but you will engage in critical conversation about “Service learning combines community service with academic common readings on D2L for the duration of the course. You will be instruction, focusing on critical, reflective thinking and personal and required to submit a minimum of five short essays (700 words) civic responsibility. Service-learning programs involve students in during the semester, often as a discussion post. These essays will activities that address community-identified needs, while establish a framework for understanding our subject matter. developing their academic skills and commitment to their community.” Creating a strong learning community: When you discuss difficult subjects such as privilege, power, and difference, you can expect to Digital narrative: During our final examination, you will present a arouse strong reactions. Do not make the mistake of thinking that digital story to the class that tells the story of a significant you have less to learn than someone else because your experience development of your multicultural understanding during the course. or academic preparation has given you greater insight into the subjects that we are studying. What matters more than what you ASSESSMENT AND GRADES: Since the assessments provide you may already know is your willingness to help your peers grow and to with the opportunity to demonstrate that you have achieved the learn from them in return. In other words, you have to listen learning outcomes for the course, you must successfully complete respectfully to your peers. all assessments in order to earn credit for the course. All written assessments must be submitted on D2L. Except for hard copies of Individual activities: In addition to participating in class discussions the Service Learning timesheets, paper copies of assignments will on D2L, you are required to attend and discuss out-of-class events. not be accepted. Rubrics for the assessments are based on the For example, on February 3, you are required to attend a UWM field rubrics on the GER syllabus. trip from 1 – 5 pm, and on March 2, we will attend the Distinguished Lecture Series, featuring Kareem Abdul-Jabbar instead of meeting as ASSESSMENT DESCRIPTIONS WITH GRADE PERCENTAGE a class. You will also attend and discuss one other out-of-class event Participation in class activities, timely completion of five essays, of your choosing. Most events from the sociocultural programming and connecting course work to life outside of the classroom. calendar are appropriate. Other approved events will be posted on Ongoing assignments include participating in class and D2L D2L, announced in class, or sent via email. Please feel free to make discussions, attending cultural events, and submitting seven essays the class aware of events that relate to our course topic. in which you reflect critically on course readings and activities. These assignments will usually be posted as D2L discussions. This work accounts for 50% of your course grade. Designing, implementing, and satisfactorily completing a service- learning project by Thursday, April 20, with a written reflection Assignment type Number Point value submitted to the D2L dropbox by the end of Friday, April 28. The 600-word critical essays 5 0-30 points each service-learning component entails a minimum of 20 hours of 400-word critical reflections on 2 0-25 points each service at a site outside of class and provides an opportunity for you outside events to engage with diverse Milwaukee communities Placements are Service learning project hours 20 hours 50 points designed and coordinated through the Center for Community-based 800-word service learning 1 0-50 points Learning, Leadership, and Research at UWM. reflection The service-learning project accounts for 25% of your course 800-word digital story 1 1.100 ints grade.  Principle of equal treatment: According to UWM policy, no Producing and presenting your digital storytelling project. Although student should receive the opportunity to improve a grade the digital story will be the focus of the last three weeks of the that is not offered to all students. course, you will incorporate material from course activities  Penalty for late assignments or assignments submitted throughout the semester into your story. The draft of your digital during class: Unless you show me an incident report from story is due by the end of Monday, May 8, and you will present the UWM helpdesk, I will deduct 20% of the point value for your completed story to the class during the final examination. assignments that are posted late. Assignments posted Make arrangements now to attend the final examination, since during any class meeting will be subject to the 20% penalty. attendance is required to earn credit for the course!  Extensions: If you are up to date with assignments and you The digital story accounts for 25% of your course grade. are in class on time on the dates that assignments are due, then you have an automatic extension of 48 hours to submit those assignments. The automatic extension does not apply GRADES: Grades will be determined on a point system, with 400 to digital story assignments. possible points. You must complete all major assignments, including  Extra credit: You can earn extra points when you critically the discussion essays, service-learning project, and digital story, to discuss relevant events, readings, and issues from life earn credit for the course. outside of the classroom. Discuss items related to our course theme in the “Items related to class” D2L discussion The grade scale is as follows: topic. I will offer one extra credit assignment as well. You A = 371-400, A- = 351-370, B+ = 331-350, B = 301-330; B- = 281-300, may not substitute extra credit items for required C+ = 261-280, C= 231-260, C- = 211-230, D = 171-210, F = Below 171. assignments, so, in order to earn extra credit points, you must, by the end of the course, have submitted all your other assignments. Union 280, 7:30–8:30 pm COURSE SCHEDULE March 2 Distinguished Lecture series: No face-to-face class Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Although the dates on this schedule are subject to change, you will Advance tickets free from Milwaukee Theatre be notified of any change at the earliest possible opportunity. the Union Information 500 W Kilbourn Ave Center 7 pm The final examination times are set by the university and can only March 3 Essay #2 on Meet Me Halfway due. be changed with prior approval by the appropriate Dean. As the March 10 Deadline for D2L post on Ta-Nehisi culminating activity of the course, you must be present at the final Coates and Abdul-Jabbar examination. Note that the time of the final examination differs March 14 – 16 No face-to-face class: Conferences from our usual class meeting time. West wing of the UWM Library 1st floor Due dates are less likely to be changed than other course activities. March 17* Essay #3 on immigration due *Students who are up to Note that course credit will not be awarded unless all course date on assignments may requirements, including service learning, have been met. have an automatic extension until March 24 April 4: Election Day No face-to-face class DATE ACTIVITY April 6 A tribute to survival January 26 No face-to-face class No face-to-face class Milwaukee Public Museum D2L discussion of Greg Jay’s “What is 800 W Wells St. 9 am – 8 pm Multiculturalism?” April 14 Essay #4 on respecting First Nation February 2 or 7 March on Milwaukee Digital Archives cultures UWM Library April 20 Service learning timesheets due February 3 Taking it to the Streets: April 28 Service learning reflection due Student Union, 1-5 pm A Tour of Black Activism in Milwaukee May 5 Essay #5 on Indian Nations of February 17 Essay # 1 on Black Milwaukee due Wisconsin due. February 22 Beyond Service training: Attend either May 8 Digital story draft due Union 280, 7:30–8:30 pm the February 22 or 24 session to May 11 Last day of class receive the 5-hour service credit May 12 Deadline for D2L post on outside event February 24 Beyond Service training: See above May 15, 12:30 - 2:30 Section 005 final examination May 16, 10 am – 12 noon Section 004 final examination If you have any problem with D2L or PAWS, the UWM Help Desk is LEARNING RESOURCES the only appropriate place to make inquiries about technical issues. I do not accept excuses for missing or late work due to technical REQUIRED TEXTS: issues unless you show me the incident report that the UWM help Loew, Patty. Indian Nations of Wisconsin. 2nd ed. Madison: desk sends out after each query. Wisconsin Historical Society. 2013. 978-0-87020-503-3. Telephone consultation is available from 7 am – 12 midnight, 7 days Morales, Jennifer. Meet Me Halfway: Milwaukee Stories. Madison: Terrace, 2015. 978-0299303648. a week. and either of the following: Walk-in consultation is available in Bolton 225 or the Library MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 8th ed. Modern Learning Commons, Monday – Friday, 8 am - 5 pm. Language Association, 2009. 9781603292627. ACCESSIBILITY RESOURCE CENTER (ARC): UWM supports the right Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th of all enrolled students to a full and equal educational opportunity. ed. American Psychological Association. 9781433-805615. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Wisconsin State Statute Other readings will be made available on D2L. (36.12) require that students with disabilities be reasonably accommodated in instruction and campus life. Reasonable CENTER FOR COMMUNITY-BASED LEARNING, LEADERSHIP, AND accommodations for students with disabilities is a shared faculty RESEARCH (CCBLLR). CCBLLR provides support for service learning, and student responsibility. Students are expected to inform me of so please address questions about service learning with CCBLLR. their need for instructional accommodations by the end of the third Established in 2012, CCBLLR strives to improve the student civic and week of the semester, or as soon as possible after a disability has leadership experience through a holistic and seamless approach to been incurred or recognized. I will work either directly with the you community engagement. Learn more about their leadership or in coordination with the Accessibility Resource Center to identify development programs, volunteer programs, and academic service and provide reasonable instructional accommodations. Disability learning programs by visiting their website at CCBLLR. information, including instructional accommodations as part of a student's educational record, is confidential and protected under Email: [email protected] FERPA. Telephone: (414) 229-3161 Office: Union WG28, Monday – Friday, 8-5 pm ARC website: ARC ARC office: Mitchell 112 Telephone: (414) 229-6287 E-mail: [email protected] CAMPUS IT SERVICES (UWM HELP DESK). Memorize this number: 414-229-4040 (toll -free number: 877-381-3459). CULTURES AND COMMUNITIES PROGRAM (CC). CC promotes THE UWM LIBRARY has a truly vast collection of learning materials. campus engagement with the Milwaukee community and provides You can take a tour in person or online. Librarians are available in students with an opportunity to earn the UWM Cultures and person and online to answer questions or help with research. Communities Certificate. Multicultural America satisfies the Core The main page allows students to transact library business or to Course requirement for the CC Certificate. If you take 15 credits of begin their research: CC courses, you can earn a certificate as part of your General UWM Libraries Education Requirements. For more information, visit the CC home page at Cultures & Communities. STUDENT HEALTH AND SAFETY. Everyone who works at this university is here to support you in your academic pursuit. Please ENGLISH DEPARTMENT WRITING CENTER: You have a distinct visit the Campus Health & Safety website and enroll in the SAFE advantage in writing assignments if you take advantage of the Alert system to receive emergency-information text message alerts. Writing Center. More than 43% of the 6000 writers who have visited The SAFE site centralizes emergency and routine safety information the Writing Center in the past five years have been advanced and communications. undergraduates or graduate students from various disciplines. Whether brainstorming, drafting, or revising, all writers benefit NORRIS HEALTH CENTER. Excessive stress or other emotional or from consulting well-qualified tutors. Writing Center tutors undergo health problems can get in the way of achieving the learning extensive training to serve the entire UWM academic community. outcomes. If you are experiencing difficulty with stress or other The Writing Center offers in-person or synchronous online sessions. emotional or health problems, please let me or another staff member know so that we can assist you. For information about Make appointments 24/7 through the Writing Center website: managing stress, or for information about maintaining your Writing Center or by telephone at 414-229-4339 physical, emotional, and mental health, please contact the Norris Health Center at (414) 229-4716. Physical locations: Main location: Curtin 127 Satellite office: Library east wing, first floor

Writing Center hours (beginning February 6): Monday-Wednesday 9-7 pm Thursday 9-4 pm Friday 9-1 pm COURSE & UNIVERSITY POLICIES  attending and being prepared for class Review the GER syllabus and the UWM policy links on the Course Information module page on D2L.  posting and responding to D2L discussions in a timely manner ATTENDANCE: Your regular attendance at face-to-face course sessions not only helps you meet the learning outcomes for this  listening respectfully and responding critically to peers course but also helps establish a strong learning community.  connecting course themes to life outside the classroom Conversely, irregular attendance demoralizes your colleagues and undermines the creation of a strong learning community. If you are  sharing those connections with your peers not present, you cannot participate and you cannot contribute to  doing all that you can to challenge yourself and to helping the work of building and sustaining a strong learning community. others learn Cumulative absences of more than two weeks will result in failing In short, full participation means that you come prepared to class, the course. listen respectfully and critically to others, and present your own It is your responsibility to find out what you missed if you must be ideas thoughtfully. absent. If an emergency forces you to miss class, then you should Some behaviors undermine a learning community: let me know by email at your earliest convenience and make sure  Cell phones and laptops need to be turned off during class. that you know what assignments are due the next class period. It is If you are peering into the screen of a laptop, then you are good to have course buddies who can keep you up-to-date in the not making eye contact and engaging with other members case of an emergency. Unless the reason for your absence also of the class. Texting distracts you and people around you. interferes with your ability to complete assignments, you are expected to complete assignments on time. Absence from class  Arriving after class has started. Although it is better to does not give you an extension to complete assignments. come late than not to come at all, it is best to be on time. If you arrive in class on time, you are given an automatic 24- Sometimes the campus may be closed due to inclement weather or hour extension for any assignment. If you arrive late to other emergencies. You can find out if classes are cancelled by class, you forfeit the automatic extension. calling the UWM SAFE line (414) 229-4444.  Engaging in distracting behaviors, such as side PARTICIPATION: The value of the course depends on your full conversations. participation. Participation means that you help create and sustain a strong learning community. How do you build a strong learning  Asking off-topic questions, such as asking about your community? performance or asking to go the bathroom. You may ask Here are some ways to strengthen your learning community: me questions about your performance or attendance or other items pertaining only to you before or after class or during a break. Appropriate questions are those that be culpable of fraud, as would the absent student if he or pertain to all members of the class, such as questions about she consented to the act. course policies.  Mischaracterization: It is unethical to attribute ideas or POSTING AND SHARING OF GRADES: Posting lists of students’ opinions to people that they do not hold, especially if those names and grades is not allowed. Social security numbers, student ideas or opinions would be offensive to the person. You ID numbers, or any part of those numbers, may not be used to must therefore be careful when you represent a person’s identify final course grades, or exam or assignment grades. ideas or language to do so in an appropriate context. University policy states, “under no circumstances, may individual student grades be shared with other students, nor should grades be  Submitting the same work for credit in more than one emailed to students.” class: I presume that any work turned in for credit in this class has not been turned in for credit in any other class. ACADEMIC CONDUCT: The Humanities GER syllabus discusses The Publication Manual of the American Psychological academic misconduct, but I would like to take the opportunity here Association discusses using previously published work and to emphasize that academic misconduct, including cheating, self-plagiarism in detail. It is not acceptable to use one plagiarism, fabrication, and mischaracterization will not be tolerated assignment to earn credit for more than one class (1.09- in this course. If you have a question about when or how to cite 1.10). sources, please ask me and I will provide you with assistance. Library media specialists and writing center personnel are also NONACADEMIC CONDUCT: If you feel distressed about another available to answer questions that you may have. student’s behavior, please let me know immediately. If you believe Some definitions: there is an immediate threat, please call the University Police at 9- 911 from campus phones or 414-229-9911 from cell phones.  Plagiarism occurs whenever a student uses another person's words, thoughts, or ideas without giving that To maintain an atmosphere conducive to learning, the following person credit. policies are in effect for this course:  Fabrication occurs whenever someone invents or falsifies  Harassment of any type will not be tolerated information. An example of fabrication would be if scholars  Weapons are not permitted in any building on the UWM indicate that they have consulted research that they did not campus consult or when if researchers falsify results.  Behavior that poses a risk to others will not be tolerated. Such behavior will be reported to UWM’s Behavior Review  Fraud occurs when someone claims credit for something Team, which works collaboratively to evaluate the overall they did not do. For example, a student who signs the risk and determine the most appropriate steps to protect name of an absent student on an attendance sheet would the person and the UWM community in a caring fashion. FINAL THOUGHTS

The Wisconsin Idea: The state of Wisconsin recognizes the importance of your education to its future, which is one reason the state capitol is located down the street from the Madison campus of the University of Wisconsin. That close proximity symbolizes the connection between education and our state, whose motto is “Forward.” That link between education and the governance of Wisconsin is sometimes referred to as the Wisconsin Idea.

The Mission of the University of Wisconsin: Our university, as part of the UW system, shares in the UW system mission, which reads in part:

Inherent in this mission are methods of instruction, research, extended education, and public service designed to educate people and improve the human condition. Basic to every purpose of the system is the search for truth.

As you engage in the search for truth during this semester, I hope that you will enjoy learning new things and meeting new people. Please remember three things as we undertake our search for truth:

 The truth is not always easy to discern or to accept,

 I am here to help you engage in that search, and  As a member of an academic community, you are responsible not just for your own learning but for the growth of the entire academic community, in this particular case, your colleagues enrolled in the course.

THANK YOU for reading this supplement to the course syllabus.