Course Description

CLA 1001 is a seminar course, which facilitates the integration of CLA learning community courses and collegiate academic expectations. The seminar introduces students to various dimensions of the American university system and sub-topics such as intellectual growth, academic goal-setting, and the exploration of majors.

The seminar meets for two 50-minute class sessions each week. Wednesday class sessions are for study groups under the guidance of the teaching assistant, Lisa Maniak.

Course Objectives

Over the semester, students should achieve the following goals:

• To initiate major and career exploration.

• To develop and practice analytical skills.

• To learn to work with their peers in the process of investigating topics in the university curriculum.

• To become familiar with the various university resources available to provide students with a fruitful and enjoyable university experience.

Expectations

In order to reach these goals, students will have to do the following things this semester:

• Show up to class on time and prepared to discuss the material for that day. Ask questions in class about the materials that we are discussing. Excessive absences will have a negative impact on your grade and severely impair your ability to participate in this class. As there will be time in class devoted to the completion of written assignments, absences will also make the completion of the course requirements more cumbersome for students.

• Treat your fellow students, instructors and guest lecturers with respect during class discussions. Please turn off your cell phones before coming to class.

• Participate fully in group discussions and activities. In small-group activities, each student needs to contribute as much as the other students in the group. Free-loading will annoy others in your group and harm your grade on the assignment.

• Adhere to all of the guidelines for each assignment and turn it in on time. I will not accept late assignments. If you miss the deadline for an assignment, then you will have to achieve the necessary points for passing the class some other way. Grades for assignments will depend on adherence to guidelines, creativity and coherence of communication.

Assignments

Cultural Event Response Paper 0-5 points
due October 18th
3 pages minimum

Attend a cultural event on campus (music, drama, lecture, or something like that). Write a 3-page paper that explains what the event was, when it took place and where. Would you recommend this event to a friend? Explain the appeal or the lack thereof.

Major Exploration Report 0-10 points
reports due on November 15th
3 pages minimum

Choose a potential major at UMD. Write a 3-page overview of the requirements for the major, career possibilities resulting from it and advantages and disadvantages associated with choosing this major. What interests you in pursuing this course of study and/or career path?

Major Exploration Presentation 0-5 points
presentations begin on November 1st
5 minutes minimum

Use this presentation to present the major that you are writing about for the major exploration report. Explain why students should choose this major. You may also choose to collaborate with classmates on this presentation. A group can incorporate a debate about the merits of a particular major into its presentation, or it can compare related majors from different group members. The 5 minute minimum is for each member of a group in a group presentation.

In-Class Debate 0-5 points
debates begin on November 3rd
debate times depend on number of participants and overall interest in the activity

Members of each debate team work together to craft arguments for and against particular policies at UMD or in the larger university community. Teams then argue their respective cases in front of the class, and the class then votes on which side it found more persuasive.

Possible topics include: humanities vs. sciences, state-support of public universities, continued implementation of the Learning Communities at UMD, and other topics that the class thinks up.

CLA 1001 Website 0-10 points
to be completed by December 8th
150 words, one picture, and one link per student in each group

What would you tell next year's incoming students if you could tell them anything? This is your chance to send them a message about what to expect and how to get by in their first semester at UMD. This project will become part of the CLA1001 web page and remain visible to the public for the foreseeable future.

Students may work individually or in groups.

I will allocate time in class for groups to plan and write submissions to the web page and hold one or two classes in computer labs to facilitate this project.

Students may use this project to discuss anything about UMD including the Learning Community program. What appears on the final webpage is subject to my approval, of course, but I will post pretty much anything within reason. I will not approve of the posting of material that could lead to lawsuits or offend community standards.

CLA 1001 Journal 0-10 points
Due December 13th
Keep in-class writing assignments in the CLA 1001 journal I hand out at the beginning of the semester. Turn these in at the end of the semester.

Opinion Piece 0-20 points
Due December 6th
Students must consult with me by November 1st, if you plan to complete this assignment.
7 pages
7 sources (3 of which may be online sources)

Assignment guidelines available upon request. This assignment takes place primarily outside of class. The option is only open to students who discuss it with me by November 1st.

Attendance 0-60 points

Students receive two points for showing up to class on time and staying for the duration. Arriving late or leaving before the instructor ends the class means losing one of these two points.

Grade Breakdown

This is a one-credit, pass/no-pass course. To receive this credit, students must earn a minimum of 85 points. Students earn points by completing the following assignments.

Any infractions against UMD's Scholastic Dishonesty provisions in the Student Conduct Code as stated in the UMD catalogue will receive serious attention and appropriate penalties.

Individuals who have any disability, either permanent or temporary, which might influence their capacity to perform in this class, are encouraged to inform me at the start of the semester. I can make special adaptations of teaching methods, assignments, materials, or testing as required to provide for equitable participation in the course. The Access Center is also available to assist students with disabilities. It is located in the Kirby Student Center and on the web at <http://www.d.umn.edu/access> .

There are several different ways to get the points necessary to passing this class, but showing up on time to each class makes this process the easiest. Points you lose from absences are points that you will have to make up by doing additional assignments. Furthermore, we will devote some class time to the completion of these assignments, so absences can have two negative impacts on your ability to receive the credit.