Course title and number: First Year Experience (FYEX) 101
Term: Fall 2020
Meeting time: Thursday 5:00 – 5:50 pm
Meeting location: Blocker 169
Course Description and Prerequisites
The purpose of Hullabaloo U is to create a welcoming and affirming environment for each new student.
Students will develop self-efficacy, self-awareness, and a sense of purpose; become actively engaged in
the learning environment inside and outside of the classroom; and become socially integrated within the university community.
Prerequisites: None
Learning Outcomes or Course Objectives
- Discover and Connect with Texas A&M University
As a result of this course, students will…- Develop positive relationships and a sense of community with peers, staff and faculty.
- Identify and use appropriate campus resources and engage in opportunities that contribute to
their learning within and beyond the classroom.
- Develop the skills to achieve personal and academic goals
As a result of this course, students will…- Apply appropriate academic success strategies to their courses and learning experiences.
- Identify and apply strategies to effectively manage time and priorities.
- Identify academic resources to support their academic success and timely progress towards a
degree. - Examine and develop strategies that promote wellbeing and explain how wellness impacts their
academic, financial and personal success.
- Contribute to a respectful and inclusive environment
As a result of this course, students will…- Be able to describe the community expectations and their responsibility to ensuring a safe,
respectful and supportive learning environment for all members. - Clarify their values and identity and articulate how these shape their perspectives and
relationships with people who are similar to and different from themselves.
- Be able to describe the community expectations and their responsibility to ensuring a safe,
Instructor Information |
||||||||||||||||||
|
Course Readings and Materials
Supplemental readings/articles/videos/materials provided to you via email or through Canvas.
|
||||||
Grading Policies & Scale |
||||||
|
COURSE REQUIREMENTS & GRADING
Points Grading Scale: Out of 200 assignable points Satisfactory/Passing: 160-200 points Unsatisfactory/Failing: 0-159 points
Several social opportunities will be organized throughout the semester and you can earn 5 bonus points for your attendance and participation at each (max of 10 total bonus points can be earned throughout the semester).
Late Work: Two of our assignments (Life Map & Goals and Do You Know Presentation) are to be prepared outside of class but shared with classmates during class on the assigned date. As such, late work for these assignments will not be accepted and you will earn limited participation points on these class days if you do not complete the assignment prior to class. For the Bystander Intervention Training Documentation and Dear New Aggie Letter, 10% of the possible points for that assignment will be subtracted for each day the assignment is late (after midnight on due date), up to 7 days. Anything not submitted within a week of the due date will earn a permanent zero. If you have extenuating circumstances, please contact me before the due date (either by phone or email) and make prior arrangements, except in the case of excused absences with written documentation. See Rule 7 for more information regarding excused absences http://student-rules.tamu.edu/rule07. Course Assignments
Attendance & Participation This is a course that is dependent on active student participation and engagement. You are expected to attend all class meetings and participate fully. Five points will be deducted from your attendance grade for each unexcused absence. A student will automatically fail upon receiving the 3rd unexcused absence.
Active participation will be assessed through discussions, participation in class activities, completion of in-class assignments and positive attitude. Your participation grade for each class period will be evaluated on the following scale:
As a component of your attendance and participation grade, you will also be required to schedule a one-on-one meeting with your peer mentor (by September 30) AND an instructor (by October 28) as a way to check in about your progress this semester. More information will be provided about this later.
Due to COVID-19, there will be two ways to participate in this course: 1) Participate face-to-face in the classroom or 2) Opt to participate during our class time remotely via Zoom. A consistent Zoom link and password will be provided via email and posted in Canvas to all students prior to the first class period. If participating remotely, you will attend class synchronously (in “real time” on the course’s scheduled day/time) via Zoom. In order to earn your participation points for the day, you must have your webcam turned on and actively participate in class discussion and activities. Class activities and discussions have been designed to allow students to actively participate remotely via Zoom or face-to-face within the classroom. To allow for full participation and community among all classmates, Zoom will be utilized by all students during each class period for small group discussions and activities. As such, each student must bring a device with Zoom capability to each class period.
Life Map & Goals Draw a life map, like those shared in class, which charts your life from birth to being a student at Texas A&M University. Include significant people, places, experiences, goals, values, and/or beliefs. On a separate page, list 3-4 academic, social, personal wellbeing or career goals for your semester and/or your time at Texas A&M. You will share highlights from your life map and goals in a 1-2 minute informal presentation to your classmates.
“Do You Know?” Presentation Each student will be responsible for preparing a brief “Do You Know?” Presentation which will be shared with classmates at the beginning of each class period starting the third week of class. For this activity, you will select a presentation week and a University office, program, resource or opportunity. Then you will research and educate your classmates on this topic or area (2 minutes) during class on your selected week. You can share this information either as a traditional “live” presentation or as a video. Please provide your classmates with a brief handout (no more than one page) sharing the highlights of this resource area (location, contact info, website, hours, services provided, any other relevant information). This will be a way we can learn about all the University has to offer students. The presentation media (video/PowerPoint) and handout are due at midnight the night before class on your chosen week so that materials can be made available to classmates. More details will be provided in class.
Bystander Intervention Training Specific verbiage to be provided to instructors at a later date. At this time, please hold space for this assignment.
Dear New Aggie Letter Write a letter to a future new student that synthesizes your first semester of college. Describe what you’ve learned, experiences that have challenged you, highlights of your first semester, people in the Texas A&M or Bryan/College Station community who have impacted you, and any advice you have for an incoming Aggie. Minimum Length: 1 full page single spaced. A full grading rubric will be provided in class. |
Course Topics, Calendar of Activities, Major Assignment Dates |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Classroom Expectations
To ensure an enjoyable, inclusive, and engaging learning environment, you are expected to openly share
your ideas and express your opinions in class; respect the opinions, values, and identities of your
classmates, instructors, and guests; and honor the open environment of the class by respecting
confidentiality when appropriate. You are expected to do your best work, meet assignment deadlines,
engage regularly in class discussion and activities, uphold the Community Expectations as created by the
class, and treat other members of the class with courtesy and respect. Please be respectful of others by
avoiding disruptive behaviors such as side conversations, cell phone or laptop use, arriving late, and/or
leaving early, etc.
University Policies
Attendance Policy
The university views class attendance and participation as an individual student responsibility. Students
are expected to attend class and to complete all assignments.
Please refer to Student Rule 7 in its entirety for information about excused absences, including definitions,
and related documentation and timelines.
Makeup Work Policy
Students will be excused from attending class on the day of a graded activity or when attendance
contributes to a student’s grade, for the reasons stated in Student Rule 7, or other reason deemed
appropriate by the instructor.
Please refer to Student Rule 7 in its entirety for information about makeup work, including definitions,
and related documentation and timelines.
Absences related to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 may necessitate a period of more than
30 days for make-up work and the timeframe for make-up work should be agreed upon by the student
and instructor” (Student Rule 7, Section 7.4.1).
“The instructor is under no obligation to provide an opportunity for the student to make up work missed
because of an unexcused absence” (Student Rule 7, Section 7.4.2).
Students who request an excused absence are expected to uphold the Aggie Honor Code and Student
Conduct Code. (See Student Rule 24.)
Academic Integrity Statement and Policy
“An Aggie does not lie, cheat or steal, or tolerate those who do.”
“Texas A&M University students are responsible for authenticating all work submitted to an instructor. If
asked, students must be able to produce proof that the item submitted is indeed the work of that student.
Students must keep appropriate records at all times. The inability to authenticate one’s work, should the
instructor request it, is sufficient grounds to initiate an academic dishonesty case” (Section 20.1.2.3,
Student Rule 20).
You can learn more about the Honor Council Rules and Procedures as well as your rights and
responsibilities at https://aggiehonor.tamu.edu.