Fall, 2011 UNIV 1301 SYLLABUSFall, 2011 UNIV 1301 SYLLABUS  Course Information Course name & section CRN: University Seminar, CRN 14151. Class meeting time: 8:30 am – 9:20 am MWF. Class meeting place: EDUC 318. Percentage online (if applicable) 49% or less. Contact Information  Name & title: Owen Williamson, MA, Lecturer. Office number/building: 209 Education. Office hours: To be announced. Office phone number: 915-747-7625. Email address: [email protected] (preferred method of contact!). Peer Leader: To be announced. Librarían: : Juan Sandoval; 747-6713; LIB 212; [email protected] Advisor: Sergio Contreras;747-5361; AAC; [email protected] Class online address: http://utminers.utep.edu/omwilliamson/univ1301aContact information for fellow classmate(s)Name, phone and e-mail of two classmates: 1. ___________________________________________________________2. ___________________________________________________________  Course Description: Seminar in Critical InquiryUniversity 1301 is a 3-credit hour course created to help you make a successful start at UTEP. Thiscourse will strengthen your academic skills and will help with your transition to university life byoffering you a “taste” of what it is to be a university student. You will receive considerable support in the course. Your section will be taught by an instructionalteam consisting of an instructor, student peer leader, and university librarian. In addition, you will workclosely with others, forming friendships with classmates. The goals, instructional team and class sizeall combine to make University 1301 a course designed for your college success.  Learning objectives (what students will know or be able to do at the end of the semester): o What content knowledge students will gain from the course o What skills students will gain from the course.Goal 1. Students will begin to understand their roles, opportunities, and responsibilities that impact theirsuccess within the context of the university. Objective 1.1 Students will explore one or more academic topics to become familiar with specific academic disciplines. The academic topic of this course will be “the rhetoric of food.” Objective 1.2 Students will demonstrate knowledge of the rules of academic integrity and will practice acceptable academic behavior. Students will do primary research and do written and online assignments related to the two threads of the course.  Objective 1.3 Students will become familiar with current UTEP academic policies and requirements in order to remain in good academic standing and graduate in a timely manner. Students will study these requirements in the Borders textbook, and in classroom activities and out-of-class assignments. Objective 1.4 Students will participate in appropriate advising procedures to develop a plan of study. Academic advising personnel will be scheduled to speak to the class at least twice during the semester.  Objective 1.5 Students will examine personal and social transition issues affecting college success.Both threads of the course will be directed to this goal, specifically, with the Borders text and through exploration of personal and social issues related to food and eating. In this latter thread students will be assigned to visit and review a restaurant, café or food vendor of their choice (on oroff campus), and will be invited to attend the UTEP formal “manners” dinner for extra credit if they wish. [Note: an alternative assignment will be available on request for students who, due to serious religious, ethical or cultural reasons, or because of a diagnosed disability or medical condition, are unable to eat at any local commercial food establishments. Verification of disability or medical condition may be requested.]Goal 2. Students will learn about and practice essential academic skills in order to strengthen performance in the university setting. Objective 2.1 Students will work to improve critical thinking and problem-solving skills. They will be assigned to critically analyze their own attitudes and findings about food and eating.  Objective 2.2 Students will work to improve oral, written, and electronic communication skills. Students will communicate by electronic means and by use of blogs and wikis. They will do written and oral assignments in class.  Objective 2.3 Students will work to improve library and electronic research skills. They will research a self-chosen subject related to the class academic theme (the rhetoric of food), to produce a final report.  Objective 2.4 Students will work to improve discussion skills in both small and large groups. Theywill engage in class discussions on selected themes related to both threads of the course, and will produce a final collective report on their group research.  Objective 2.5 Students will work to improve appropriate skills and strategies for academic survival and success (e.g. active learning skills, note-taking, reading, test taking, time management, etc.). They will work toward this goal through completion of assignments in both class textbooks. Goal 3. Students will begin to build a network of faculty, staff, and peers in order to create a supportive and positive learning experience/environment. Objective 3.1 Students will meet at least twice with the instructional team (instructor and peer leader) to discuss academic progress and transition to UTEP and to explore options for improvement. These required conferences will be scheduled during the semester for each student.  Objective 3.2 Students will meet at least once with other appropriate staff and instructors, such as their academic advisor, their other professors and/or teaching assistants, and the librarian assigned to their UNIV 1301 section. These meetings will be scheduled during the semester.  Objective 3.3 Students will participate in group activities and learn more about group roles and facilitation skills. The students will work together in groups to produce a final oral and written report, including a multimedia or culinary component. Members of a work group will also be encouraged to collaborate on a voluntary basis on all other written homework assignments except for the assignments from Jacob’s textbook. Objective 3.4 Students will become familiar with the university’s student organizations, services, and departments. They will be required to report on two