Calumet College of St. Joseph

SYLLABUS FOR FRESHMAN EXPERIENCE: SOCIAL JUSTICE

Term: Summer, 2002 (2001-3) – May 1, 2002 – July 31, 2002

Course Number: RST 110X

Instructor: Dr. Eugene Finnegan

Office: 503

Office Phone: 219-473-4252

E-mail: efinnegan@ccsj.edu

Home Phone: (708-720-1177)

Office Hours: Tuesday and Wednesday - 2:00 - 5:00 PM

Instructor Background:

BA in philosophy and history - Loyola University, Chicago

MBA in marketing - Loyola University, Chicago

MA in theology - Louvain University, Belgium

STD in theology - Trier University, Germany

CCSJ - Director of Religious Studies

CCSJ - Coordinator of Philosophy

CCSJ - Director of Assessment

CCSJ - Assistant Professor of Religious Studies

Course Time: Wednesday 7:00PM- 10:00 PM

Course Description: This course focuses on reading and discussion of social justice issues. There is also an emphasis on college-level skills. This course includes ten hours of community service.

Prerequisite: None

Textbooks:

Becoming a Master Student

by David Ellis (Houghton Mifflin: Boston – 2000) 9^th edition

God, Society, and the Human Person: The Basics of Catholic Social Teaching

by Edward T. Mechmann (Alba House: New York – 2000)

Class notes

Learning Outcomes/ Competencies:

This course will:

• Introduce you to the basic skills necessary to succeed in college
• Develop you as a reflective individual aware of the areas of strengths and weaknesses as regards these basic college skills
• Help you understand the various communities that you are part of and how to connect with and react within them
• Engage you in a community service project
• Have you analyze the competing demands of justice solutions within different communities
• Have you apply this knowledge
• Have you analyze the complexity of learning and life
• Help you to personally synthesize basic understanding of the role of the individual within a community
• Evaluate your own skills and the value of alternative solutions
• Have you compare and contrast different cultural perspectives on the on the relationships between the individual and the community
• Assess the assumptions and implications of significant ideas about human experience

You will:

• Make confident, well organized, and sufficiently documented oral presentations
• Develop constructive interpersonal relationships
• Collaborate productively in group-tasks
• Listen actively, intelligently, critically, and empathetically
• Use word processing software at a basic-level mastery
• Use the Internet effectively as a source of information
• Summarize, paraphrase, synthesize, and evaluate source material
• Write a paper, which includes the elements of good writing as listed under the writing competencies
• Be open to the ideas of others and seriously consider alternative ideas and arguments
• Apply values to ideas and problems

Learning Strategies: (Lectures, reading, thinking, discussions, questions, weekly writing assignments, projects, minute papers, quizzes, and final examination.)

Means by which competencies will be assessed

Diagnostic assessment

· Test to determine learning styles

· Basic skills test

· Attitudinal self perception tests

Formative assessment

· Discussions

· Writings

· Minute Papers

· Quizzes

· Reflective papers

· Oral presentations

· Community service projects

Summative assessment

· Group project

· Evaluation of Community Service learning

· Written essay answers to the final examination

Assessment:

Exams (2) 25 points each x 2= 50% of grade

These tests will be in the computer lab.

Project (1) Do ten hours of community service and write three 250-eassys

5 points each x 3 = 15% of grade

1) Why did you pick this particular project?

2) What has this project done for you, good or bad?

3) How this project helped or hindered someone else?

Each question you will be a 250-word essay

Group project (1) 15 points each x 1= 15 % of grade

Pick one of the first ten Amendments to the Bill of Rights to the USA Constitution

Make a group presentation

Reflective papers (4) 5 points each x 4 = 20% of grade

You will be asked to read one of your responses in class.

Format Rubrics for Written Assignments

1) Name, Date, Course, and Question

2) Double spaced, New Times Roman, font 12

3) Use complete sentences in your paragraph writing

4) Be precise and answer the specific questions that is asked

5) Have a beginning, an end, and a middle

6) Be clear and coherent

7) Be grammatically correct

8) Correct length

Class Policy for Assignments:

All papers are due on the assigned day. All late papers receive an automatic deduction:

1) Papers lose 1 point;

2) Projects lose 1 point;

3) Tests lose 3 points;

4) Absence lose 1 point;

5) On time - gain 1/2 point.

Grading Scale:

A - 96-100% A- - 90-95% B+ - 87-89% B - 83-86% B- - 80-82% C+ - 77-79%

C - 73-76% C- - 70-72% D+ - 67-69% D - 63-66% D- - 60-62% F: 59% and below.

Class Policy on Attendance:

Show up for class and listen attentively. Missing a class more than three (3) times shows a lack of concern and attention. Therefore you will be dropped from this class. Please be on time as a courtesy to all your classmates.

Class Participation:

At the end of every class you will write one thing that you learned and one question that you have that day's class in a "Minute Paper". We will begin the next class with a discussion of your questions. You may ask questions at any time. Please be respectful of someone else's opinion if it differs from yours.

Center for Academic Excellence:

Tutoring assistance is free to all students of Calumet College of St. Joseph. Call the Center for Academic Excellence (CAE), to make an appointment at 473-4287. The Center has experienced and well-trained tutors in most subject areas to help students who are struggling in a course or who are doing well and would like to do better. Regular weekly tutoring sessions are likely to improve your grade.

Statement of Plagiarism:

If an instructor or other Calumet College of St. Joseph personnel find that a student has plagiarized or been involved in another form of academic dishonesty, the instructor or other personnel may elect to bring the matter up for judicial review. The maximum penalty for any form of academic dishonesty is dismissal from the College. The procedures for judicial review are listed under the section of CCSJ handbook that addresses student grievances. (Academic Planner 2001/2002 p.27)

Citation Guidelines:

Calumet College of St. Joseph adheres to citation guidelines as prescribed by the particular discipline (i.e., MLA, APA, and Chicago Manual of Style or Turabian.). All of these guidelines are available in the Calumet College of St. Joseph library or bookstore. These texts outline how to cite references from a variety of sources, including electronic media.

Withdrawal from Classes Policy:

After the last day for class changes has passed (see College calendar), students may withdraw from a course in which they are registered with permission from the faculty member conducting the course. A written request detailing the reason(s) for the withdrawal must be filed with the Registrar. Written request for withdrawal must be received by the Registrar by the last day of classes prior to the final examination dates specified in the catalogue. Written requests may be mailed to the Registrar or faxed to the College fax number 219-473-4259. Students are to make note of the refund schedule when withdrawing from courses. The request is forwarded to the faculty member, who makes the final determination to accept or deny the request. If the request is honored, the student will receive notification of official withdrawal; if denied, the notification will indicate why the withdrawal is disallowed. Note: Degree Completion Division (DCD) students should consult the DCD Student Handbook for information on DCD withdrawals.

An official withdrawal is recorded as a "W" grade on the student's transcript. Dropping a course without written permission automatically incurs an "F" grade for the course (see Refund Schedule).

Course Outline:

Class Dates: Topics/Assignments:

May 1 Introduction and Syllabus presentation

Stereotyping

Self - Assessment

May 8 Different Learning styles

Question 1 due – Work Resume

May 15 Learning Attitudes

Question 2 due – First on Community service

May 22 Basic Academic Skills

Question 3 due – Write a learning discovery and intention statement about yourself

May 29 Classic Justice

Question 4 due – What are you best and worst academic skills?

June 5 Individual and Community

Question 5 due – What is happening to you with your community service?

June 12 MID TERM TEST – Becoming a Master Student

June 19 Relationships

Question 6 due – Write about the best and worst learning experience of your life

June 26 Difficult Social Issues

Debate on Death Penalty, Pacifism, Unions, End of Life, Abortions, and Ecological issues

July 10 Catholic Social Teachings

Group Projects Due on Bill of Rights

July 17 Twentieth Century Documents

Question 7 due – What Effect did my project have?

July 24 Final Exam