Division of Student Success

First Year Experience

USI 130.85 – University Studies
“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but we rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that
beauty.”
-Maya Angelou
Summer 2018
Location: Reid 110
Class Meeting: M-T-W-R
Time: 1:15-2:15PM
Instructor Information

Instructor: Sophia Calhoun

Campus Office/Office hours: UC 321, MWR 12PM-1PM – or any time by appointment
Email: skcalhoun@email.wcu.edu
**Email is the preferred method of communication for this course! I will respond to all emails within 24
hours**
Phone Contacts: Office of Student Transitions: 828-227-3017

Course Aims and Objectives

• Rationale
This course provides an introduction and opportunity for you to transition to university life, as you
discover the resources available (academic, co-curricular, community). This subject of this course is you. It
is intentionally designed to promote your self-awareness and personal success—in college and in life after
college—by empowering you with flexible skills and strategies that are applicable across subjects
(transferable, cross-disciplinary skills) and across time (durable, lifelong learning skills).

• The Purpose of this course is to:

✓ connect you with other students
✓ connect you with the college
✓ connect your present college experience with your future goals and plans

• Goals and Learning Objectives:

By the end of this course, students will:
1. DISCOVER COLLEGE
▪ identify the purpose and function of the campus resources that serve as tools for success.
▪ engage with the campus community.
2. Be Involved
▪ practice the Student Community Creed.
3. Connect the Dots
▪ identify connections between personal experiences and closely related academic knowledge
(i.e., facts, ideas, concepts, experiences).
▪ articulate their own strengths and challenges as learners in dealing with a specific task,
performance, event, etc.
4. Think First
▪ select from available information and resources to solve issues in their collegiate lives and
campus communities.
▪ construct a plan to achieve an intended solution.
5. Exchange Ideas
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 ▪ communicate as appropriate to the context and audience in order to articulate needs or share
information.
6. Calibrate Your Compass
▪ choose learning experiences consistent with their own values and goals.
▪ prioritize values that influence decision making.
Course Materials
Required Texts:
▪ First Year Experience at Western Carolina Univeristy: Strategies for Success,
12th ed. – ISBN: 978-1-319-12957-6 (available in book rental)
▪ The Book of Unknown Americans: the 2018-19 One Book. Custom ed. – ISBN: 978-0-525-56455-3
This book was provided to all new freshmen during Orientation.

Technology:
Computers will be needed to complete some out-of-class assignments.

Background/supplemental readings:
Any additional reading materials will be listed on the course Blackboard.

Accessing Media:
This course will use Blackboard as the online learning management system.

Faculty Expectations of Students/Course Policies

Attendance:
Much of a person’s 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 a portion of your course grade. You are encouraged to consult the complete
statement of this policy in the Undergraduate Catalog.
As per the University’s 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;
▪ 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.
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. Due to the nature of summer courses no unexcused absences are permitted. However,
if concerns arise and class is to be missed please follow the steps explained above.

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 Timely Submissions:
Timely submissions are expected, and therefore late work will only be accepted up to 3 days following the
indicated due date, and for each day that an assignment is late, 10 points will be deducted from the final score.
After 3 days assignments will no longer be accepted.

Technology:
Unless otherwise indicated beforehand, the use of cellphones, tablets, laptops, etc. will not be permitted for this
course. A crucial component of this course is to make connections and build community with one another,
which is something that is difficult to accomplish when screens lend to distractions. Out of respect to the
learning community and to ompimize class times, technology will only be utilized if necessary for the lesson.

Expectations for Submitting Required Work:

Unless otherwise indicated, all assignments are to be submitted via Blackboard by 11:59PM on the specified
due date.

Office of Accessibility Resources:

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.
Office of Accessibility Resources.
135 Killian Annex
828-227-3886
https://www.wcu.edu/learn/academic-services/disability-services/

Course Evaluation:
▪ Course Eval is the WCU course evaluation used for all courses, and you are encouraged to participate
and complete this on-line evaluation for this course. You will receive an electronic notification near the
end of the semester when it becomes available. Your instructor will have no access to your responses.
▪ FYE Course Survey: Your cooperation to complete the end of term FYE course survey will help us in our
goals to constantly improve course design and delivery and learning outcomes for all students.

A Note on Civil Discourse at Western Carolina:

The WCU Community Creed states: “I will respect the rights and well-being of others.” Consistent with
WCU’s core values and our campus creed, the WCU community accepts the freedoms and responsibilities of our
shared community. WCU encourages all to clearly express their own views while at the same time seeking to
understand the varieties of style, identity, and opinion that are held in any diverse community. In order for us
to sustain a learning environment that promotes and values freedom of expression, we have a shared charge to
accept personal responsibility for our actions, reactions, and speech, while seeking to learn from the actions,
reactions, and speech of others.

SafeAssign Tool:
All written work submitted for this class will be submitted to the SafeAssign tool.

Academic Integrity Policy and Reporting Process

This policy addresses academic integrity violations of undergraduate and graduate students. Graduate students
should read inside the parenthesis below to identify the appropriate entities in charge of that step of the
process.

Students, faculty, staff, and administrators of Western Carolina University (WCU) strive to achieve the highest
standards of scholarship and integrity. 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 by nature, a violation of the Code of Student Conduct and will follow the
same conduct process (see ArticleVII.B.1.a.). If the charge occurs close to the end of an academic semester or

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 term or in the event of the reasonable need of either party for additional time to gather information timelines
may be extended at the discretion of the Department of Student Community Ethics (DSCE).

General:
This policy addresses academic integrity violations of undergraduate and graduate students. Students, faculty,
staff, and administrators of Western Carolina University (WCU) strive to achieve the highest standards of
scholarship and integrity. Any violation of this policy is a serious offense because it threatens the quality of
scholarship and undermines the integrity of the community.
Instructors have the right to determine the appropriate academic sanctions for violations of the Academic
Integrity Policy within their courses, up to an including a final grade of “F” in the course in which the violation
occurs.

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

Undergraduate and Graduate Academic Integrity Process:

Additional information is available on the Student Success website under Student Community Ethics:
https://www.wcu.edu/experience/dean-of-students/academic-integrity.aspx

Resources
Writing and Learning Commons (WaLC):
The Writing and Learning Commons (WaLC) is a free student service, located in BELK 207, providing course
tutoring, writing tutoring, academic skills consultations, international student consultations, graduate and
professional exam preparation resources, and online writing and learning resources for all students. To
schedule tutoring appointments, visit the WaLC homepage (http://tutoring.wcu.edu) or call 828-227-2274.

Mentoring and Persistence to Success:

Mentoring and Persistence to Success (MAPS) provides support to students who are either first-generation,
independent, low-income, or have participated in the Academic Success Program (ASP) or Catamount Gap
with: academic advising, mentoring, and personal and social coaching. Contact MAPS at (828) 227-7127 or
email maps@wcu.edu for more information. MAPS is located in Killian Annex, room 205.

Distance Students:
Distance students including students taking classes at Biltmore Park are encouraged to use the online tutoring
service, more information can be found here: https://www.wcu.edu/apply/distance-online-programs/current-
students/tutoring-support.aspx.

Math Tutoring Center:

The Mathematics Tutoring Center in Stillwell 455 provides drop-in tutoring for math courses and math-related
content across the curriculum in addition to workshops on study specific skills specific to math
courses. Tutoring is available on a drop-in basis, MTWR 9:00am-9:00pm and Friday 9:00am-5:00pm. For more
information, please visit http://tutoring.wcu.edu or contact us at 828–227–3830.

Hunter Library:
Hunter Library provides students with access to group and individual study spaces and to thousands of
information resources: print and electronic books, newspapers, and scholarly journal articles.

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These resources can be searched online and often accessed there (http://www.wcu.edu/hunter-library) or
library staff and subject specialists skilled in their specific disciplines can be contacted via the library’s
research guides (http://researchguides.wcu.edu/).

Blackboard Support:
The learning management system for this class is blackboard and can be found at: http://wcu.blackboard.com.
Additional help with blackboard can be found at: tc.wcu.edu, (828) 227-7487 or by visiting the Technology
Commons located on the ground floor of the Hunter Library.

Academic Toolbox:
The Academic Toolbox is available in all WCU courses via the course Blackboard site. It can be found in the left-
hand side column. The Academic Toolbox contains information and contact information for nearly all of the
resources needed by WCU students, including but not limited to: technology assistance, academic services,
student support, co-curricular programs and university policies.

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Course Schedule
Class Topic Reading Due for Class

1 Introductions - Blackboard
2 Unpacking Our Baggage—Diversity 1
3 Make It Stick
4 CAPS & Resiliency Chapter 3 Gardner & Barefoot
5 WCU Resources & Growth Mindset
6 Listening & Deliberative Dialogue— Chapter 12 Gardner & Barefoot
Diversity 2
7 Identity Mapping—Diversity 3 Module Materials on Bb
8 Hunter Library Tour Chapter 10 Gardner & Barefoot
9 Personality Inventories/Learning
Strategies
10 Make it Stick
11 Cherokee Tour
12 Race-Class-Gender—Diversity 4 Module Materials on Bb
13 One Book Henriquez Full Text
14 One Book/Financial Aid Henriquez Full Text
15 Group Presentations
16 Group Presentations
17 Diversity Lesson 5: Soundwalk:
(Critical Thinking & Reflection)
18 Make it Stick: A Review
19 Final Course Discussion & Debrief

Courrse Assignments all assignments are due on the indicated date by 11:59pm on Blackboard
Assignment Due Date
Syllabus Quiz & Formal Email (Checkpoint) June 27
MP 1: Unpacking Our Baggage June 29
MP 2: Resiliency July 1
MP 3: Deliberative Dialogue July 6
MP 4: Identity Mapping July 8
MP 5: One Book July 19
Annotated Bibliography July 22
Presentations July 19 & 23
Soundwalk Reflection (Checkpoint) July 25
Other Checkpoint Assignments Various Dates

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 Assignment/Evaluation Type: Assignments will be allotted points along a 1000 point scale
1. Attendance/Participation (200 points) 20 %
2. Metacognition Practices (MPs) (300 points) 30 %
3. Annotated Bibliography (150 points) 15 %
4. Group Presentations (150 points) 15 %
5. SI & Study Hall (100 points) 10 %
6. Checkpoint Assignments (100 points) 10 %

The grades of A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D- and F indicate gradations in quality from Excellent to
Failure. Please note that a C- grade is less than satisfactory and may not meet particular program and/or
course requirements.

Students must be familiar with the class attendance, withdrawal, and drop-add policies and procedures.

Basis for student evaluation:

Points Earned Letter Equivalent Quality Points per semester hour
970-1000 A+ 4.0
930-960 A 4.0
900-920 A- 3.67
870-890 B+ 3.33
830-860 B 3.0
800-820 B- 2.67
770-790 C+ 2.33
730-760 C 2.0
700-720 C- 1.67
670-690 D+ 1.33
630-660 D 1.0
600-620 D- 0.67
< 600 F 0.0

Other Grades:____________________________________________________________________________________
I = Incomplete S = Satisfactory AU = Audit
IP = In Progress U = Unsatisfactory NC = No Credit
W = Withdrawal

Academic Calendar
This includes dates for all breaks, university closures, final exams, etc. The academic calendar can be found at
http://www.wcu.edu/learn/academic-calendar.asp

Syllabus Updates
This syllabus, along with its course schedule, is based on the most recent information about the course content and
schedule planned for this course. Its content is subject to revision as needed to adapt to new knowledge or
unanticipated events. Updates will remain focused on achieving the course objectives and students will receive
notification of such changes. Students will be notified of changes and are responsible for attending to such changes
or modifications as distributed by the instructor or posted to Blackboard.

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