LAMAR STATE COLLEGE ORANGE SYLLABUS

Academic Studies

ENGL, 2326, American Literature, 80S

COURSE INFORMATION

Instructor Name Andrew Preslar
Building/Office Number Academic Center (AC), Room 210
Office Hours M 8:00 AM-9:30 AM, 11:00 AM-1:30 PM (AC 210)
M 9:30 AM-10:45 AM (GSC, RLB 2nd floor)
T 8:00 AM-11:00 AM, 12:30 PM-1:30 PM (AC 210)
W 8:00 AM-9:30 AM, 11:00 AM-1:30 PM (AC 210)
R 8:00 AM-11:00 AM, 12:30 PM-1:30 PM (AC 210)
R 11:00 AM-12:15 PM (GSC, RLB 2nd floor)
and by appointment
Virtual Hours Online: MW 1:30 PM-2:30 PM
video office hours available on request
Office Telephone (409) 882-3357
Email Address andy.preslar@lsco.edu


Course Description

ENGL 2326 3-3-0 American Literature (23.1402) Selected significant works of American literature. May include study of movements, schools, or periods. Prerequisite: ENGL 1301. AC.


Required Textbook & Materials
Required Textbook & Materials
Norton Anthology of American Literature, Volumes A and B - With Access
By Levine, Robert S.
Edition: 10th (2022)
Publisher: WW Norton
ISBN 13: 9780393884425

Bookstore web page: 
https://lamar-orange.bncollege.com/course-material/course-finder

Gator Book Pack web page: 
https://www.lsco.edu/gatorbookpack/gator-book-pack.asp


Upon registration for classes, LSCO students are automatically charged $14 per semester credit hour for access to all required textbooks, lab manuals, lab codes, and electronic books on the first day of class through the Gator Book Pack. Information about the LSCO Gator Book Pack as well as responses to common FAQs can be found on LSCO's webpage. ALL STUDENTS WILL HAVE UNTIL THE SECOND DAY OF THE SEMESTER TO OPT-OUT OF THE GATOR BOOK PACK.

Every student MUST have access to the required textbooks by the week of class. The student will be responsible for all assignments given. Failure to have a text may result in being dropped from the class. Failure to follow instructions (written or oral) will result in penalties.


Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

Upon successful completion of this course, students will acquire the following course learning outcomes:

Core Objectives

Course Learning Outcome 1 Core Objective Associated Course Activities/Assignments/Projects
Identify key ideas, representative authors and works, significant historical or cultural events, and characteristic perspectives or attitudes expressed in the literature of different periods or regions.  Critical Thinking; Social Responsibility Students will read an extensive selection of masterworks deriving from different periods and major authors in American literary history and will be able to discern, describe, and explain the importance of the elements of those masterworks, demonstrating competency through discussion, objective and essay testing, and journal writing as required by the instructor.
Analyze literary works as expressions of individual or communal values within the social, political, cultural, or religious contexts of different literary periods. Communication, critical thinking, social responsibility, personal responsibility Students will analyze, identify, and explain the personal, social, cultural, ideological, political, and/or religious values that inform the masterworks of American literature from a range of periods and genres, demonstrating competency through discussion, objective and essay testing, and journal writing as required by the instructor. Assessment measures include research projects, small group work, analysis of peer-reviewed journals, class discussions, and objective, short answer, and essay test questions.
Demonstrate knowledge of the development of characteristic forms or styles of expression during different historical periods or in different regions.  Communication, critical thinking, social responsibility  Students will analyze, identify, and explain the aesthetic values and their relationship to and/or derivation from the personal, social, cultural, ideological, political, and/or religious values exemplified in the masterworks of American literature from a range of periods and genres, demonstrating competency through discussion, objective and essay testing, and journal writing as required by the instructor.
Articulate the aesthetic principles that guide the scope and variety of works in the arts and humanities.  Communication, critical thinking, social responsibility Students will analyze, identify, and explain the aesthetic values and their relationship to and/or derivation from the personal, social, cultural, ideological, political, and/or religious values exemplified in the masterworks of American literature from a range of periods and genres, demonstrating competency through discussion, objective and essay testing, and journal writing as required by the instructor.
Write research-based critical papers about the assigned readings in clear and grammatically correct prose, using various critical approaches to literature. Communication, critical thinking, social responsibility, personal responsibility Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze, identify, explain, provide illustrative examples of, and compare and contrast the uses of a variety of elements of form in masterworks from different genres, eras and artists, properly acknowledging sources and demonstrating competency through discussion, essay testing, and journal writing as required by the instructor

Program Goals Addressed in ENGL 2326 American Literature

  
Communication: Students will develop, interpret, and express ideas through written, oral, and visual communication Activities: Students will read, interpret, critique, and write an array of critical responses in different styles and informed by a range of rhetorical dynamics, developing appropriately focused topics with authoritative, ample, relevant and appropriate content organized effectively and supporting a college-level thesis using relatively error-free prose written in a style and with a tone appropriate to the audience, purpose, and genre. Measures: reading quizzes, objective test items on unit and final exams; rubric-driven exercises assessing published compositions; student critiques; and the researched critical analysis paper (planning and drafted components)
Critical Thinking: Students will demonstrate creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information Activities: Students will read, analyze, and interpret an extensive schedule of selections from the course text written in multiple genres and addressing a range of audiences and purposes; students will complete unique invention, organizational, compositional, revision, and/or reflective exercises designed to promote analysis, exploration, synthesis, and reflection Measures: discussion responses online and on assigned exercises and exams; invention, audience analysis, organizational planning, assessment of content, and revision of researched critical analysis essays in individual and collaborative assignments; rubric-driven assessments of published and personal compositions 
Social Responsibility: Students will gain and demonstrate intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities.
 		 Activities: Students will be given the opportunity to understand social and historical issues of British literature, think critically about these issues, and read and write about social timeframes and how our current society and each period informs us about what is happening. Measures: discussion responses in class and online, essay questions, and collaborative assignments
Personal Responsibility: Students will demonstrate the ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making.
 		 Activities: students will attend class regularly, observe and conform to requirements of course policies and procedures; show respect for other members of the class, the instructor, the learning environment, and the institution; and will meet assignment boundaries, deadlines, and other obligations to the course, the other students, and the institution   Measures: reading quizzes; documented participation in discussion, journaling, or blogging assignments; researched writing assignment(s) as required by instructor; event logs; personal responsibility checklist and reflection assignment




Course Topical Outline

Unit Zero Introductory Materials and Course Policy Review
Unit One Contexts, Terminology, and Course Study Guides
Unit Two Colonial Literature (Test 1)
Unit Three Post-colonial / Antebellum Literature (Test 2)
Unit Four Research Methods; Acknowledging Sources; Writing Process 
Unit Five Signature Assignment: Strategic Planning of a Researched Critical Analysis Paper
Unit Six 19th Century Postwar Prose (Test 3) 
Unit Seven 20th Century Modern and Postmodern Era
Unit Eight Final Exam
   
   
   
   
   
   
   




Major Assignments Schedule

Note: Readings for Units Two and Three will come from Volume 1 of the course’s two-volume text. Readings for Units Six and Seven will come from Volume 2 of the text. 

Note: All readings listed in the syllabus and activity schedule are required readings. Primary readings will be covered in quizzes and tests, and are listed in normal font. Supplemental readings are identified in italic font. They are required but will not be covered in quizzes or tests. They will be addressed in the Social Responsibility assignments and in the course’s signature project requiring the planning and composition of a critical analysis essay due near the end of the semester. Due dates are subject to change with prior written notification.

Week 1
03/18-03/24
Unit 0: introduction, overview;
      review syllabus, course policies, review materials 
              reading:
                  content files, items found on Blackboard Information page
Unit 1: Contexts, Terminology, and Course Study Guides
       explore elements of literature; vocabulary and practice of literary criticism; annotation and 
          critical/analytical reading
              reading: 
                   content files, items in Unit 1 Learning Module on Blackboard Content page (work in
                      this unit is ongoing)
            post to discussion board
Unit 2: Colonial Era
     begin study of Colonial literature
     complete supplemental readings:
            reading: Native American Oral Literature: pp. 31-44
                          Communications from Explorers: pp. 45-62
     begin study of John Smith’s writings
            reading: pp. 62-78 (Smith)
            post to discussion board
Unit 2: Colonial Era
     conclude study of John Smith’s writings
     complete Quiz 1: John Smith (due 03/20)
     begin study of Anne Bradstreet’s and Edward Taylor’s poetry
            reading: pp. 121-138 (Bradstreet)
                            pp. 161-164 (Taylor)
     begin study of Benjamin Franklin’s writings
            reading: pp. 188-248, middle of the page (Franklin)
            post to discussion board
Unit 2: Colonial Era
     conclude study of Bradstreet and Taylor
     complete Quiz 2: Bradstreet (due 03/22)
          post to discussion board
Week 2
03/25-03/31
Unit 2: Colonial era
       complete Quiz 3: Taylor (due 03/25)
       continue study of Franklin’s writings
            reading: pp. 248-264 (Franklin)
    complete Quiz 4: Benjamin Franklin (due 03/25)
    complete supplemental reading
            reading: pp. 267-287: Samson Occom, Sarah Kemble Knight, William Bartram
    conclude study of Unit 2 literature
    complete supplemental reading
            reading: pp. 340-384: Olaudah Equiano
     prepare for Unit Test 1
     prepare Social Responsibility Assignment 1
            reading: no new reading
     post to discussion board
Unit 2: Colonial Literature
     complete Unit Test 1 (03/29)
     submit Social Responsibility Assignment 1 (03/29)
Week 3
04/01-04/7
Unit 3: Post-Colonial and Antebellum Era
     begin study of Washington Irving, James Fennimore Cooper, and William Cullen Bryant
            reading: pp. 466-480 (Irving)
                           pp. 480-486 (J. F. Cooper)
                           pp. 488-493 (W. C. Bryant)
     post to discussion board
Unit 3: Post-colonial and Antebellum Era
     continue study of Irving, Cooper, and Bryant
     complete Quiz 5: Irving (due 04/01)
     begin study of Nathaniel Hawthorne
            reading: pp. 604-654 (Hawthorne)
     complete supplemental reading
            reading: pp. 581-583; 584-593; 594-597: Petalesharo; Boudinot; Black Hawk
     post to discussion board                                      
Unit 3: Post-colonial and Antebellum Era
     complete study of Hawthorne
     complete Quiz 6: Hawthorne (due 04/05)
     begin study of Edgar Allan Poe’s writings    
            reading:  pp. 664-714 (Poe)
Week 4
04/08-04/14
Unit 3: Post-colonial and Antebellum Era
     complete study of Poe
     complete quiz 7: Poe (due 04/08)
     complete supplemental readings
            reading: pp. 729-738: Catherine Beecher, Elizabeth Stanton, Sojourner Truth
     begin study of Emily Dickinson
            reading: pp. 1224-1249 (Dickinson)
     post to discussion boards
Unit 3: Post-colonial and Antebellum Era
     conclude study of Dickinson’s writings
     complete quiz 8: Dickinson (due 04/10)
     prepare for unit test 2: postcolonial/antebellum literature
     prepare Social Responsibility Assignment 2
            reading: no new reading
     post to discussion boards
Unit 3: Post-colonial and Antebellum Era
     complete unit test 2: postcolonial/antebellum literature (due 04/12)
     submit Social Responsibility Assignment 2 (due 04/12)
Unit 4: Research Methods; Acknowledging Sources; Writing Process
     review content over the writing process, research considerations (all)
Unit 5:Signature Assignment: Strategic Planning of a Researched Critical Analysis Paper
     Review the assignment descriptions
     begin reading Volume 2
Unit 6: 19th-Centurey Postwar prose
     begin study of Mark Twain
            reading: pp. 86-186 (Mark Twain)    
     post to discussion boards
Week 5
04/15-04/21
Units 4,5: Planning and Writing the Signature Assignment
     Submit a topic proposalfor the Critical Analysis project (due 04/15)
Unit 6: 19th-Centurey Postwar prose
     continue study of Mark Twain
      complete quiz 9: Mark Twain (due 04/17)
            reading: pp. 186-282 (Twain)
     post to discussion boards
Unit 6: 19th-Centurey Postwar prose
     conclude study of Mark Twain
     complete quiz 10: Mark Twain (due 04/19)
     begin study of W.D. Howells, Ambrose Pierce
            reading: pp. 293-310 (W. D. Howells, Ambrose Bierce)
     post to discussion boards
Units 4, 5: Planning and Writing the Signature Assignment
     complete primary research for the Critical Analysis project
     begin secondary research for the Critical Analysis project
Unit 6: 19th-Centurey Postwar prose
     begin study of Henry James’ works
            reading: pp. 331-367 (Henry James)
       post to discussion boards
Week 6
04/22-04/28
Units 4, 5: Planning and Writing the Signature Assignment
     complete secondary research for the Critical Analysis project
     prepare the Annotated Bibliography
Unit 6: 19th-Century Postwar prose
     conclude study of Henry James’ work
            reading: pp. 367-403
     complete supplemental readings for Susan Glaspell, Sherwood Anderson
            reading: pp. 683-693 (Susan Glaspell)
                            pp. 695-704 (Sherwood Anderson)
     complete quiz 11: Henry James (04/22)
     prepare for test 3: postbellum prose
     post to discussion boards
Units 4, 5: Planning and Writing the Signature Assignment
     complete the formal outline (required); begin first draft (optional)
Unit 6: 19th-Century Postwar prose
     complete unit test 3: 19th-Century postwar Prose (04/26)
Unit 7: 20th Century Modern and Postmodern Era
     begin study of Robert Frost’s, E.A. Robinson’s poetry
            reading: pp. 672-682 (Robert Frost)
                             Bb content file (unit 7, item 5 for Edwin Arlington Robinson)
     post to discussion boards
Week 7
04 /29-05/05
Units 4, 5: Planning and Writing the Signature Assignment
     complete the first draft of the researched critical analysis paper (optional)
Unit 7: 20th Century Modern and Postmodern Era
     conclude study of Robert Frost’s, E.A. Robinson’s poetry
     complete Quiz 12: Frost and Robinson (due 04/29)
     begin study of T.S. Eliot’s poetry
            reading: pp. 763-766, 769-784 (Eliot)
     post to discussion boards
Units 4,5: Planning and Writing the Signature Assignment
     complete the final draft of the researched critical analysis paper (optional)
Unit 7: 20th Century Modern and Postmodern Era
      complete study of Eliot’s poetry
     complete quiz 13: T.S. Eliot (due 05/01)
     begin study of Ernest Hemingway’s prose
            reading: pp. 1060-1068 (Hemingway)
     complete supplemental readings
            reading: pp. 1070-1077 (Langston Hughes)
                           pp. 1093-1099 (Richard Wright),
                        pp. 1135-1144 (Eudora Welty)
     post to discussion boards
Units 4, 5: Planning and Writing the Signature Assignment
     Complete preparation of all project materials (for submission on 05/01/2023)
Unit 7: 20th Century Modern and Postmodern Era
     begin study of G. Brooks’, F. O’Connor’s, T. Morrison’s, and S. Plath’s works
            reading: pp. 1251-1254 (Brooks)
                              pp. pp. 1300-1315 (O’Connor)
                              pp. 1488-1502 (Morrison)
                            pp. 1504-1509 (Sylvia Plath)
     complete supplemental readings
            reading: pp. 1588-1594 (Alice Walker)
                           pp. 1596-1599 (Yusef Komunyakaa)
     post to discussion board
Unit 8: Final Exam
     prepare essay component of the final exam for submission (due 05/06)
Units 4,5: Planning and Writing the Signature Assignment
     submit all project materials to Bb(due 05/01)
Unit 7: 20th Century Modern and Postmodern Era
     conclude study of all assigned readings in Unit 7
            reading: no new reading
     post to discussion board
Week 08
05/06-05/07
Unit 8: Final Exam
     complete final exam review
Unit 8: Final Exam
     complete the objective component of the final exam (due 05/06)
     submit essay component of the final exam (due 05/06)
    

Final Exam Date 05/06 (essay andobjective components):

proctoring required with BioSig

(no fee) or approved proctor (request prior to 05/01)

 
 
Assignments by due date:
Quiz 1: John Smith (3/20)
Quiz 2: Anne Bradstreet (03/22)
Quiz 3: Edward Taylor (03/25)
Quiz 4: Benjamin Franklin (03/27)
Unit Test 1: Colonial Literature (03/29)
Social Responsibility Assignment 1 (03/29)
Quiz 5: Washington Irving (04/01)
Quiz 6: Nathaniel Hawthorne (04/05)
Quiz 7: Edgar Allan Poe (04/08)
Quiz 8: Emily Dickinson (04/10)
Unit Test 2: Post-Colonial Literature to the Civil War (04/12)
Social Responsibility Assignment 2 (04/12)
Quiz 9: Mark Twain (04/17)
Quiz 10: Mark Twain (04/19)
Unit 3 Test: Post-Civil-War Literature to the Modern Era (04/26)
Quiz 11: Robert Frost and E. A. Robinson (04/29)
Quiz 12: T. S. Eliot (05/01)
Signature Assignment Part 1: Strategic Planning (05/03)
Signature Assignment Part 2: Researched Critical Analysis Essay (05/03)
Final Exam: Objective Component (05/06)
Final Exam: Essay Component (05/06)


Final Exam Date

May 4, 2024 - 12:00 AM   Through  May 6, 2024 - 11:59 PM


COURSE POLICIES

Academic Honesty

Faculty who suspect violation of academic honesty, cheating, plagiarism, collusion, or abuse of resource materials may assign an academic penalty. Students must be notified of their right to appeal before the academic penalty is imposed.

Students subject to penalty due to academic honesty have the right to appeal the decision. Refer to the current LSCO Catalog for details on the appeal process.
Unauthorized collusion, plagiarism, use of internet resources on quizzes and tests, and use of artificial intelligence agents to create an essay for submission are all examples of breaches of academic honesty. 

Faculty who suspect violation of academic honesty, cheating, plagiarism, collusion, or abuse of resource materials may assign an academic penalty. Students must be notified of their right to appeal before the academic penalty is imposed.

Students determined to be in violation of the course's and college's academic honesty policy by cheating, plagiarizing, colluding, misusing internet resources during quizzes or other assignments, sibmitting AI-generated text, or misrepresenting the work of others as one's own will receive a grade of "F" on the assignment in question for the first offence. A second offense will result in the student's expulsion from the course with a final course grade of "F."

Students subject to penalty due to academic honesty have the right to appeal the decision. Refer to the current LSCO Catalog for details on the appeal process.




Electronic Communication

LSCO students are required to use either their LSCO Blackboard account or their LSCO email account (Office 365 / Microsoft Outlook) for all electronic communication. In order to ensure the privacy and identity of the student communicating via electronic methods, LSCO faculty will direct students to use their LSCO email accounts rather than personal accounts. If a student has trouble accessing their LSCO email account, they should contact the LSCO Help Desk at (409) 882-3033 or helpdesk@lsco.edu.




Attendance Requirements

Federal regulations require students who receive financial aid to have begun "attending" and participate substantially in each course for which they are enrolled on or before the official census reporting date outlined on the LSCO Academic Calendar. Students documented as "not attending" a course upon the census date are assumed (for financial aid purposes) to have not begun attendance for that course, negatively affecting their financial aid eligibility and disbursement.

Attendance in an ONLINE course is verified by substantial participation in the course on or before the census date published in the LSCO Academic Calendar. Substantial participation in this online course is defined as logging in and completing/participating in at least one requirement of the course. Note: Simply logging in to your online course does not constitute attendance.

Hybrid classes are a mix of face-to-face and online environments. Students will be expected to attend a certain number of classes as required by the instructor. (Include the policy on absences and tardiness.) In addition to classroom attendance, your weekly active participation in the online component (Blackboard and/or homework software) will be considered and expected.

Attendance Requirements
Attendance is mandatory and attendance records of every class will be kept by the instructor. Students who for whatever reason miss the equivalent of more than 300 minutes of class (2 weeks without completing coursework) will be penalized 1 point on the final class average per each additional 50-minute increment of class time (calculated as a function of work completed in a calendar week according to the ENGL 2326-82A Spring 2024 Activity and Assignment Schedule). Dual credit students with excessive absence (defined as failure to engage in and complete significant credit-bearing coursework) will also be reported to their high school administrators for counseling, as well as for discipline if appropriate.

The conscientious student will confer by phone with the instructor prior to an absence.

It is the responsibility of the student to initiate a drop or withdrawal, even if the student is seriously ill or has been injured. It is furthermore the responsibility of the student who chooses to drop a class to personally verify that the drop form is completed and processed on or before the deadline dates. Students who do not attend class and who fail to drop or withdraw from the course will receive a final grade of “F” for the course.
 


Make-up Work Policy

Make-up Work Policy

Make-up Work (No Penalty Assessed):
Due dates are important elements of most major college assignments. A student who misses or submits late work with prior approval may make up the missed work with no penalty according to a schedule determined by the instructor. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor BEFORE THE deadline for submission of the assignment in question. Appropriate documentation may also be required. A student who fails to communicate with the instructor prior to the deadline being missed or who fails to give an acceptable reason for the late submission WILL be penalized as late work (see below).

Late work (penalty assessed):
Assignments are due on the due date, at the time stipulated in Blackboard to be the assignment or test deadline. Major projects (research, writing, or presentation projects, tests) submitted after the deadline without prior authorization will be considered late and will be penalized 5 points per calendar day late. Quizzes will not be accepted late without instructor permission. Emergent or exigent circumstances could mitigate the application of this policy.

Work after a deadline but with prior approval may be rescheduled only with the instructor’s permission. See section entitled “Make-up Work” for further information regarding penalty-free submission of late work.
 


Classroom Etiquette


Exam Policy

Exam Policy
Quizzes, unit exams, and the final exam will be administered online. Proctoring using BioSig, a proctoring and identify verification service provided to students at no cost to them, will be required for all quizzes and tests. If a student or group of students acting in collusion is determined to have committed a single offense of academic dishonesty, such person or persons will receive a grade of “F” on the assignment during which the breach occurred. A second offense will result in expulsion from the course.
   


Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Students should use AI technology responsibly and ethically. This includes refraining from using AI to engage in harmful or unethical activities, such as generating false information, spreading misinformation, or engaging in malicious behaviors. The use of AI should align with the principles of academic integrity, honesty, and respect for others. Students are responsible for adhering to LSCO's Academic Honesty policy found in the Student Handbook. LSCO's full AI policy can be found at AI Policy | Lamar State College Orange (lsco.edu)


Expected Time Requirement for this Course

For every hour in class (or unit of credit) taught in a 16-week session, students should expect to spend at least two to three hours per week studying and completing assignments. Example: For a 3-credit hour class taught in a 16-week session, students should prepare to allocate approximately 6 to 9 hours per week outside of class studying and completing assignments. For a 3-credit hour taught in a 10-week summer session, students should prepare to allocate approximately 10 to 15 hours per week outside of class studying and completing assignments. For a 3-credit hour taught in an 8-week session, students should prepare to allocate approximately 12 to 18 hours per week outside of class studying and completing assignments. For a 3-credit hour taught in a 5-week summer session, students should prepare to allocate approximately 20 to 29 hours per week outside of class studying and completing assignments.


Grading and Evaluation Method

The student's grade will be determined by compiling scores on the following assignments:
• 3 exams                                                        300 points
• composite quiz score*                                   100 points
• Social Responsibility Assignment 1                 50 points
• Social Responsibility Assignment 2                 50 points
• SIGNATUE ASSIGMNENT: researched         200 points
Critical Analysis project (submission of
planning, research, drafting, revisions,
and a finished critical analysis paper)
• online discussion postings (20 @ 5ea.) **      100 points
• final exam: objective test                                 100 points
• final exam: essay                                             100 points

*Quizzes will be given over assigned readings and study notes. Scores will be averaged together at the end of the semester for a composite quiz score. Each student’s lowest quiz grade will be dropped prior to averaging.

**Students are expected to post three (3) postings per week to course discussion boards until a total of twenty approved contributions to class discussion topics have been posted. Topics will open and close as we progress through the course material. A student may submit as many postings as he or she pleases, but no more than 3 postings per week will be counted toward the required total, requiring that postings be spread out over the course of the semester. Grading for postings will be completed on a pass/fail basis according to a scale described in the rubric included in the Unit 0 learning module in the Bb content section. Discussion posting grades for progress reports, if applicable, will be based on a three-postings-per-week possible point total. (i.e., if by Week 4 a student has contributed 9 acceptable postings, the grade will be the percentage determined by dividing the number of postings contributed (9) by the required number (12).
 

Instructor Response Time

The instructor will respond to emails within 24 hours, excluding weekends and holidays. On weekends and holidays, the instructor will respond to emails from students within 24 hours of the first business day following the weekend or holiday.


Participation Requirements

Participation Requirements
Weekly participation and engagement in the courses are critical for student success. Assignments should be completed by the due date. Students should also refer to the instructor’s attendance policy for additional information. (See LSCO Student Handbook, Class Attendance.)





Review of Test Grades

Review of Test Grades
Students wishing to review or contest a grade for a major assignment should contact the instructor within three (3) calendar days of the class period in which the student receives the grade, and no later than three (3) class periods prior to the end of the term.




Student's Responsibility

This syllabus contains information, policies, and procedures for a specific course. By enrolling, the student agrees to read, understand, and abide by the rules, policies, regulations, and ethical standards of Lamar State College Orange as those contained in the current LSCO Catalog and schedule of classes.


Syllabus Content

The instructor reserves the right to make changes to this syllabus if deemed necessary. All changes will be provided to the students orally or in writing before the implementation of the change.


Textbook and Required Materials Access

Every student MUST have access to the required textbooks by the second week of class. The student will be responsible for all assignments given. Failure to have a text may result in being dropped from the class. Failure to follow instructions (written or oral) will result in penalties.


STUDENT SUPPORT RESOURCES

Mental Health Resources

TimelyCare is a virtual health and well-being platform that is available 24/7 for all non-dual credit enrolled LSCO students. There is no cost to eligible students for this service. TimelyCare’s providers offer emotional support, mental health counseling, health coaching, psychiatry, and basic needs support. Non-Dual Credit students enrolled in classes can log in to the TimelyCare website or app available at timelycare.com/LSCO.


Advocacy Information

Any student who faces challenges securing their food or housing and believes this may affect their performance in the course is encouraged to contact the advising office for guidance on how to identify possible resources. Please notify the instructor of your circumstance if you are comfortable doing so.


Affirmative Action

LSCO is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution which provides educational and employment opportunities on the basis of merit and without discrimination or harassment in full compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 503,504); Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972; the Vietnam Era Veterans Assistance Act of 1974; Article 522lk V.A.C.S.; and Executive Orders 11246 and 11758.


Title IX of the Education Amendments

LSCO prohibits discrimination, including sexual harassment and retaliation, against any student on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability, or any other basis prohibited by law. Any student who believes that he or she has experienced prohibited conduct or believes that another student has experienced prohibited conduct should immediately report the alleged acts to the Title IX Coordinator, Patty Collins, at patty.collins@lsco.edu.


Blackboard Resources

LSCO students will access Blackboard through the MyGator portal. Login credentials will use the following format: username@my.lsco.edu and Password. For help in identifying your Username/Password, visit https://www2.lsco.edu/sspr/.

Blackboard student resource videos and help-sites are available at https://www.lsco.edu/distanceed/blackboard-student.asp.


Career Coach

Lamar State College Orange provides career advising services to all students and alumni through Career Coach, an online career planning tool. Career Coach assists students through all phases of developing, initiating, and implementing career plans.

Information regarding employment opportunities and career options are provided along with access to live local job postings. Full-time and part-time employment opportunities, as well as internships, are available through Career Coach. Visit https://www.lsco.edu/advising/career-planning.asp for more details on how to use LSCO's Career Coach to plan for and learn more about your future career.


Gator Assistance Services

Lamar State College Orange provides currently enrolled technical students support for daycare costs as well as other services.

Visit https://www.lsco.edu/advising/gator-assistance.asp for details on assistance services.


Gator Success Center

Students are encouraged to make an appointment or walk in to receive tutoring, support services, or access to an open computer lab. Face-to-face and online supplemental instruction sessions are available to help students through any LSCO course. Reach out to learning.center@lsco.edu for more information on how students can receive academic support.


Library Services

Students are encouraged to visit library.lsco.edu to find the library's current operating hours, access the catalog to locate print materials, and access GatorSearch to explore the vast electronic collection. The library provides over 77 electronic database collections that include eBooks, newspapers, magazines, academic journals, and streaming video. The physical library contains a specialized collection of research materials specifically chosen to support the degrees and courses offered. Additionally, Students with research questions or questions about library services are encouraged visit the library in person, call 409-882-3352, access the chat on the library webpage, or to email their question to lscolibrary@lsco.edu.


Student with Disabilities

Under the Texas State System, Lamar State College Orange complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, pertaining to the provision of reasonable academic adjustments/auxiliary aids for students with disability. We strive to provide reasonable academic adjustments/auxiliary aids to students who request and require them.

Students who believe they have a disability requiring an academic adjustment/auxiliary aid are encouraged to contact the Special Populations Advisor at (409) 882-3393 or visiting the Advising Office located on the first floor of the Ron Lewis Library Building (RLB) room 113. Students are encouraged to apply before the start of the semester when at all possible. The Accommodation Request Form and details regarding the appropriate documentation needed can be found here: https://www.lsco.edu/advising/disability.asp. Once approved, the signed accommodation form provided by the Special Populations Advisor must be submitted to the instructor at least two business days in advance of need.


Upswing 24/7 FREE Tutoring Services

Lamar State College Orange provides currently enrolled students with access to online tutoring through a partnership with Upswing, an online tutoring platform. Tutors are available 24/7 online in almost every subject.

Visit https://www.lsco.edu/tutoring/online-tutoring.asp for details on how to log-in to the FREE services.


INSTITUTIONAL POLICIES

Campus Closure

In the event of an emergency campus closure in excess of three class days, Lamar State College Orange's classes will continue via the use of Blackboard. In such an instance, the college website, www.lsco.edu, will have information concerning the event and anticipated re-opening plans.


Civility

Please be considerate of other classmates' feelings, ethnic background, cultural differences, situations, and level of maturity. Students will be asked to leave the course if disruptive or inappropriate behavior is exhibited in any of the course requirements. If your instructor feels that you have not contributed appropriately to course requirements, your final course grade may be reduced accordingly.

The instructor reserves the right to manage a positive learning environment and will not tolerate inappropriate conduct in the course. Rude correspondence (discourteous or impolite, especially in a deliberate way) in e-mails, telephone calls, in person, or comments made to other class members, the instructor, or the office staff.


Contingency Plans

Students should develop a backup plan should their computer system or their Internet provider fail. Computer or internet connectivity issues are not valid excuses for missing a deadline. The College provides many opportunities for using computer equipment, as do many public libraries. Refer to the LSCO website for operational hours of the Library and Success Center.


COVID Notification Policy

Students who have been diagnosed with COVID 19 are required to report their condition to their instructor and to the College via the COVID Notification Form. Guidance on how to proceed will be delivered to the student's email after completing the required notification form.


Credit Transfer

Students should check in advance with the institution to which they plan to transfer credit to confirm transferability.


Criminal Background Policy

LSCO awards some certificates and degrees in which a criminal history MAY disqualify candidates from becoming licensed, certified, and/or employed upon degree/certificate completion. Students with a criminal background enrolling in courses leading to a degree/certificate in Criminal Justice, Cosmetology, Emergency Medical Technology, Massage Therapy, Medical Assisting, Vocational Nursing (VN), Registered Nursing (RN), Pharmacy Technician, Real Estate, or Teacher Preparation program are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to discuss the certification and/or licensing regulations of the program with the program director listed in order to learn more about the current guidelines related to criminal history as well as the right of individuals to request a criminal history evaluation letter.


Drops and Withdrawals

Never attending or ceasing to attend classes DOES NOT constitute a drop or withdrawal. You remain registered until you request a drop from the instructor. Failure to act in a timely manner will result in an "F" grade for the course. It is the student's responsibility to follow up with the LSCO advising office to ensure that all drops/withdrawals are processed as desired.


Grade of "Incomplete"

The grade of "I" may be given when any requirement of the course, including the final examination, is not completed. Students seeking an incomplete should have completed 75% of the course requirements and be passing the course at the time of the request. Arrangements to complete deficiencies in a course should be made in advance of the end of the semester with the instructor. The instructor will process the Incomplete form online, and a confirmation will be sent to the student's LSCO email.

Incomplete work must be finished during the next long semester. If not, the Office of Admission and Records must change the "I" grade to the grade of "F." The course must then be repeated if credit is desired. An "I" grade also automatically becomes an "F" if the student registers for the course prior to removing the deficiencies and receiving a grade change. The instructor may record the grade of "F" for a student who is absent from the final examination and is not passing the course.


Grade Appeals and the Academic Grievance Process

Grade determination and awarding of grades in a course are the responsibility of the instructor and should be calculated according to college policy, procedures, and written details provided in the course syllabus. NOTE: Final grades are available to students within 48 hours of the instructor posting the grade in Banner. Students may view final grades by logging into MyGator and then accessing Gator Self-Service.

An academic appeal process is afforded to students who desire to dispute a grade or any decision that affects the student's ability to complete and earn a grade for the course provided it is not related to a violation outlined in the LSCO Student Code of Conduct. If an informal conference with the faculty member regarding an academic complaint fails to reach the outcome requested by the student, the student may initiate the formal process outlined below. Even after initiating the formal complaint process, students are encouraged to seek informal resolution of their concerns. A student whose concerns are resolved may withdraw a formal complaint at any time.

Refer to the current catalog or for details on the formal grade appeal process.


Institutional Educational Goals

Lamar State College Orange has identified seven educational goals to specify the knowledge and skills that students should gain from completing academic and technical programs with the College. These goals are:

  1. Critical thinking (General Education, Technical) - Students will be able to demonstrate creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information.
  2. Communication (General Education, Technical) - Students will be able to effectively develop, interpret and express of ideas through written, oral and visual communication.
  3. Empirical and quantitative skills (General Education, Technical) - Students will be able to manipulate and analyze numerical data or observable facts and create informed conclusions.
  4. Teamwork (General Education, Technical) - Students will be able to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal.
  5. Social responsibility (General Education, Technical) - Students will be able to recognize and acquire a sense of intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national and global communities.
  6. Personal responsibility (General Education, Technical) - Students will be able to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making.
  7. Professional competency (Technical) - Students will be able to recognize or demonstrate skills and that depict professional values and employability. If the career has licensure or certification requirements, students may prepare for the licensure and certification in a capstone course and sit for the licensure or certificate at the end of the program.

MyGator and Log-In Credentials

Current students will access many LSCO applications through the MyGator portal. Login credentials will use the following format: username@my.lsco.edu/Password. For help in identifying your username/Password, visit https://www2.lsco.edu/sspr/.

It is a violation of College policy, state laws, and federal laws for anyone to gain or help others gain unauthorized access to MyGator or any LSCO application or service. All accounts shall be for use by a single individual - the person for whom the account was approved or assigned. This includes Blackboard accounts as well as any application within MyGator. Sharing or loaning accounts is strictly prohibited, can be construed as a form of cheating, and violates College policy, state laws, and federal laws.


Policies and Procedures

LSCO adheres to the policies and procedures established in the Texas Education Code, Texas State University System Rules and Regulations, LSCO Faculty Handbook, LSCO Student Handbook, and LSCO Catalog.


Prohibited Items in the Classroom

No food or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom. Only students enrolled in the course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission. It is inappropriate for minor children to be on campus due to the potential liability to the College, the risk of harm to the children, and decreased employee productivity due to distractions and disruptions.


Student Privacy

The privacy of all students, including Distance Education students, is protected through strict adherence to the rules of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. LSCO's statement regarding the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act can be found in LSCO's Student Handbook, page 70. Additional information regarding privacy for Distance Education students can be found in the Distance Education Handbook, appendix D.