HON 102: Pathways to Honors 2
Spring 2019
Associate Professor, Gregg Perkins, MFA
Office: 129 Cass Annex
Office hours by appointment
gperkins@ut.edu
Phone: ex. 3427
Peer Mentor: Cole Wasson
Peer Mentor Email: cole.wasson@spartans.ut.edu
Course Objectives:
The aim of Pathways to Honors 102 is to help introduce Honors students to The University of Tampa’s Honors Program. The goal of UT’s Honors Program is to provide UT’s brightest students a more intellectually engaging and meaningful college experience. To accomplish this, Pathways to Honors 102 is designed to:
- create an intellectually stimulating environment for students
- familiarize students with the array of Honors enrichment opportunities
- foster students’ critical thinking skills
- increase students’ capacities to be global citizens
- develop students’ as scholars and public intellectuals
- instill in students an appreciation for research, discovery, and creativity
- assist students’ academic progress by periodic faculty evaluation and self-evaluation of coursework
- help the students gain an understanding of the “Baccalaureate Experience” at UT
- assist students in developing and implementing an academic plan
- motivate students to adopt the Honors Pledge (below) as a guide for their lives
Honors Pledge:
We, the students of the Honors Program at The University of Tampa, pledge to follow a life of the mind, to devote ourselves fully to intellectual growth and to take responsibility for our own education. We pledge to never stop pursuing the wonder-filled questions of the world, to never stop challenging the academic status quo, and to never choose expediency over excellence. We pledge to work with the faculty to establish an environment of academic integrity and mutual respect and to create and maintain an Honors community that fosters freedom of expression and discovery. By choosing to become a part of this community we each promise to uphold the principles recognized in this statement.
- All readings for the course will be posted online
Attendance & Participation:
Your participation in this class is essential. If you are not present, you can neither participate nor benefit. There will be a limit of two unexcused absences for HON 102. The following can result in excused absences: court-imposed legal obligations, a medical procedure, required participation in University-sponsored events, observation of religious holy days, requirements of military service, illness, injury, hospitalization, deaths in the immediate family, consequences of severe weather, and other crises. Exceeding two unexcused absences may result in failing this course.
For this class to have real value and meaning, it will require your active participation in all class assignments, exercises, presentations and activities, both in and outside of class.
Reporting Sexual Violence/ Title IX Matters:Sexual violence includes nonconsensual sexual contact and nonconsensual sexual intercourse (which is any type of sexual contact without your explicit consent, including rape), dating violence, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, domestic violence, and stalking. You may reach out for confidential help (see contact info below) or report an incident for investigation.
If you choose to write or speak about an incident of sexual violence and disclose that this violence occurred while you were a UT student, the instructor is obligated to report the incident to the Title IX Deputy Coordinator for Students. The purpose of this report is to provide a safe and nondiscriminatory environment for all students. The Deputy Coordinator or his or her designee will contact you to let you know about the resources, accommodations, and support services at UT and possibilities for holding the perpetrator accountable. If you do not want the Title IX Coordinator notified, instead of disclosing this information to your instructor, you can speak confidentially with the individuals listed below. They can connect you with support services and discuss options for holding the perpetrator accountable.
There is an exception to this required reporting for preventative education programs and public awareness events or forums. While the instructor is not required to report disclosures during these instances, unless you make or initiate a complaint, during these programs or events, the instructor or another University official will ensure that the students are aware of the available resources at UT, such as counseling, health, and mental health services, and it will provide information about Title IX, how to file a Title IX complaint, how to make a confidential report, and the procedure for reporting sexual violence.
For more information, see The University of Tampa’s Title IX resources at http://www.ut.edu/uploadedFiles/Academics/Provost/Title%20IX.pdf and
https://www.ut.edu/studentconduct/titleix/.
Students with Disabilities/Additional Services:
If there is a student who has special needs because of any disability, please go to the Academic Success Center in North Walker Hall for information regarding registering as a student with a disability. You may also call (813) 257-5757 or email disability.services@ut.edu. Please feel free to discuss this issue with me, in private, if you need more information.
Academic Integrity Policy:
Cheating, plagiarism, copying and any other behavior that is contrary to University standards of behavior will not be tolerated. Students caught violating any aspect of the University of Tampa’s Academic Integrity Policy will be penalized in all cases. Penalty ranges from “0” on an assignment to “F” for the course without regard to a student’s accumulated points. Students may also face expulsion. It is the student’s responsibility to become familiar with the policies of the university regarding academic integrity and to avoid violating such policies.
For the most up to date information on UT’s Academic Integrity Policy, see here.
Disruption Policy:
Every student has the right to a comfortable learning environment where the open and honest exchange of ideas may freely occur. Each student is expected to do his or her part to ensure that the classroom (and anywhere else the class may meet) remains conducive to learning. This includes respectful and courteous treatment of all in the classroom. According to the terms of the University of Tampa Disruption Policy, the professor will take immediate action when inappropriate behavior occurs.
Course Interruption Due to Adverse Conditions:
In case of any adverse condition or situation which could interrupt the schedule of classes, each student is asked to access the UT Homepage for information about the status of the campus and class meetings. In addition, please refer to ut.blackboard.edu for announcements and other important information. You are responsible for accessing this information.
Advising:
All first-year students are assigned an academic advisor through the Academic Advising Office. I will serve as your secondary advisor.
Grading:
Grades in Pathways to Honors 102 are awarded under the A-F grading system. Please note that HON courses may only be retaken the semester immediately following the semester the original course was taken. In other words, HON 101 is retaken at the same time as HON 102. Be aware that the university allows only 3 courses to be retaken for Grade Forgiveness. Consider this before you use one of these attempts in a 1-credit course. If you wish to take this course for Grade Forgiveness, please follow the procedure in the catalog under Repeating Courses/Grade Forgiveness Policy after you have completed the repeated course.
The percentage breakdown for this course is as follows:
- Attendance to three Honors Symposia & Written Summary of Topic 45%
- Reflection paper on Season 1 of Stranger Things 15%
- Final Essay (~1000 words) on Stranger Things, Seasons 1&2 30%
- Participation in class 10%
Class Outline – Spring 2019 – Weekly Schedule:
Schedule may change if the faculty member deems necessary for increased participation and learning.
Week 1, January 21–25: MLK Day – No Classes
Week 2, January 28: Welcome Back! Checking in with all students. Course Outline.
HOMEWORK: 1) WATCH STRANGER THINGS SEASON 1, EPISODES 1-3
Week 3, February 4: Discussion – Stranger Things Aesthetics and Historical Influences
HOMEWORK: 1) WATCH STRANGER THINGS SEASON 1, EPISODES 4-5
Week 4, February 11: Career Services Presentation
You will attend a Career Services presentation in Reeves Theater on the impact and importance of cover letters, effective resume writing, interview etiquette, dressing for success, the informational interview process and much more.
HOMEWORK: 1) None.
Week 5, February 18: Resumes, References, and Cover Letter Discussions and Edits
Review of resumes, cover letters, and choices for references.
HOMEWORK: 1) WATCH STRANGER THINGS SEASON 1, EPISODES 6-8
Week 6, February 25: Discussion: Stranger Things Season 1
HOMEWORK: Complete Assignment 1 and upload to Blackboard by midnight March 4th.
Week 7, March 4: NSSE Survey & Revising Your Academic Plan
This week, you will meet your mentor in class to complete the NSSE survey. You will also send me your academic plan and what courses you plan on taking in the summer and fall.
HOMEWORK: 1) MAKE SURE YOU HAVE COURSES THAT YOU ARE PLANNING ON TAKING NEXT FALL, 2) FILL OUT TRANSIENT STUDENT FORM IF YOU ARE TAKING COURSES OVER THE SUMMER, 3) LOOK AT HOME IF YOU ARE HEADED THAT WAY OR PLAN ON TAKING COURSES AT HOME
Week 8, March 11: Spring Break
Week 9, March 18: Stranger Things Season 2 Introduction
HOMEWORK: 1) WATCH STRANGER THINGS SEASON 2, EPISODES 1-3
Week 9, March 25: Discussion Stranger Things Season 2 Episodes 1-3
HOMEWORK: WATCH STRANGER THINGS SEASON 2, EPISODES 4-6
NOTE: Last day to withdraw from 14-week classes is March 26th.
NOTE: Freshman registration for Fall 2018 begins March 29th.
Week 11, April 1: Discussion Stranger Things Season 2 Episodes 4-6
HOMEWORK: 1) WATCH STRANGER THINGS SEASON 2, EPISODES 7-9
Week 12, April 8: Discussion Stranger Things Season 2
Week 13, April 15: Financial Literacy Speaker Series
Presentations will be held during the week in Reeves Theater and will feature guest speakers on personal finance. You will hear tips on saving, budgeting, debt, investing, credit cards, etc. Please direct questions to finlit@ut.edu
HOMEWORK: 1) WORK ON STRANGER THINGS TERM PAPER 2) CHECK BLACKBOARD AND MAKE SURE YOUR SYMPOSIA GRADES ARE UP TO DATE
Week 14, April 22: TV Show Pitch Collaborative Groups
HOMEWORK: 1) Collaborative: meet with your collaborator and create a pitch for pilot episode of a television series.
Week 15, April 29: Final HON 102 Presentation of TV Pitches
HOMEWORK: 1) COMPLETE CHANGE OF MAJOR/MINOR/ADVISOR FORM ON SPARTANWEB AND TURN IN-TO ACADEMIC ADVISING
***This syllabus is subject to change, in which case students will be notified either in class, through e-mail or on blackboard.