Instructor Contact Information:

Instructor Name: Chao Dong

Preferred title:  Dr. Dong

Email:  dong_c@utpb.edu

Office: Science & Technology Building 1246

Phone:432-552-2237

Available through Microsoft Teams 365 and in EAB at [link to availability in EAB]

It is important to me to provide you the support you need to be successful in this course. Email is always the best (and usually the fastest) point of contact. While I strive to respond much sooner, allow 2 working days to receive a response. I try to check my email once over weekends.

During the fall and spring terms I keep physical office hours during the semester, and you are welcome to call or to physically come to my office.  We may also arrange a time to meet through Teams (students have access to Teams through the University's Microsoft 365 suite).

Course Description:

This course is designed to smooth the advance of students into the university environment. It is focused on key competencies for personal and academic success. The course is required for all freshman students who have entered with 24 or fewer college credits. No prerequisite.

UNIV 1101 First Year Seminar is designed to help smooth our students’ transition into the university environment. This course is an in-person, traditional classroom learning experience supported by online learning resources.

It is the intent of the instructors of this course to provide the students with the keys to academic success and help them learn how to use them. Thus, our mission is:

• To create an environment that facilitates student
• To develop and promote educational persistence and academic
• To assist student in the development of meaningful educational plans that are compatible with their personal abilities and goals.
• To encourage self-reliance and independence as integral elements of student development in fulfilling their academic goals.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Students who complete this course will enhance social and cultural behaviors that support their academic success, including:

• Connecting to an ongoing learning community.
• Developing negotiation skills with faculty, staff, and peers.
• Collaborating effectively in study groups.
• Identifying and employing campus resources that support their academic success.

Students who complete this course will develop academic behaviors that support their academic success, including:

• Understanding themselves as learners in an academic setting.
• Managing time effectively and organizing their academic materials appropriately.
• Improving their ability to read critically and access challenging texts.
• Employing a system for note-taking, including writing effective summaries.
• Developing higher-level inquiry skills and problem-solving ability.

Required Materials:

• Baldwin, A.(2020). College Success. Houston: OpenStax. URL: https://openstax.org/books/college-success/pages/1-introduction. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. Embedded in the Canvas course.
• Notebook or binder with loose-leaf notebook paper
• UTPB Student Planner or planner of your choice

Graded Material:

• Your course grade for this class includes the following assignments:

  • Weekly reading and preparation assignments (5) to be submitted before These assignments will help you prepare for class discussions. These assignments constitute 25% of your total semester grade.
  • Regular attendance at 5 FYS Roundtable events. Attendance and participation constitute 50% of your total semester grade. You must sign in within the first 5 minutes of the roundtable to be counted present.
  • Roundtable response assignments (5) to be submitted within one week after their respective roundtable events. These assignments are designed to give you practice or reflection on the week's in-person class discussion. These assignments constitute 25% of your total semester grade.

    Course Activity	Percent of total grade	Your grade	Multiply by	=	Weighted grade
    Attendance at roundtables	50%		0.5	=
    Preparation assignments	25%		0.25
    Roundtable application & practice assignments	25%		0.25
    Total	100				=

    Graded Scale:

    Attendance grades are earned in this course on a pass-fail basis. Your instructor will explain the particulars on the first day of class. Arriving late to or roundtable events or leaving early from events will affect your grade.

    Roundtable response assignments are graded on a traditional A-F scale. Only assignments submitted before their respective deadlines will be graded; late assignments are not accepted.

    Course Policies:

    Attendance: Your attendance is a significant part of your grade (50%) and is expected every week. If you know you will not be in class for a university-excused reason, please email your instructor in advance. You are responsible for asking about and catching up on the work you missed.

    Academic Integrity: The integrity of a university degree depends on the integrity of the work done for that degree by each student. The University expects a student to maintain a high standard of individual honor in all scholastic work (Rules and Regulations of the Board of Regents). Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student, or the attempt to commit such acts. Detailed information on scholastic dishonesty, along with disciplinary procedures, is outlined in the Handbook of Operating Procedures, Part 5, Section 1 and the Student Guide.

    Changes to the course. This syllabus is accurate to the best of the knowledge of your instructor. However, from time to time your instructor or the First Year Seminar Course Director will make changes to meet the needs of the course. If changes are made to this syllabus, they will be announced to you.

    Communication: Students should expect to receive a response to their e-mails and within 48 hours during the regular workweek (Monday – Friday). The best way to contact your instructor is via e-mail.

    Course Civility: All students are expected to exercise self-discipline and a respect for the rights of others at all times. Behavioral disruptions that interfere with the business of the classroom or with an individual’s ability to learn may be referred to the Vice President of Student Services for resolution. Please be sure that cell phones are OFF or silent. If you expect to have to get up, please select an inconspicuous position to minimize disruptions. Courtesy to others is important. That means respecting the opinions of others, and in general, doing your part to make this a positive learning environment for all students.

    Late Work. Your instructor will not accept late work. That will result in not earning any credit for the assignment, and that in turn will affect your grade in the course. There are only three exceptions to this rule:

    • If you must miss class for a university sponsored event, please contact your instructor at least one week in advance to discuss alternative A note from your coach is necessary but insufficient; you as an individual must contact your instructor.
    • If you miss work for an illness, the illness must be documented by medical excuse
    • If the Dean of Students issues documentation requesting an extension based on a personal emergency. These exceptions will be granted at the discretion of the instructor depending on the documentation provided and the timeliness of the student in getting said documentation to the instructor.

    End-of-Course Evaluation & Instructor Evaluation. Every student is asked to complete an end-of- course evaluation provided by the instructor.

    Course Schedule:

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