Glendale Community College Sociology 140 Syllabus Section 20377 Instructor: Scott Thompson BA, MAT, MPA E-mail: [email protected] Class Meeting Days and Time: MWF 9:00 - 9:50 A.M. Room Number: CL-12 Required Book(s): Parrillo, Vincent N. Strangers to These Shores: Race and Ethnic Relations in the United States. 10th Edition. Pearson Education. Boston, Massachusetts. Course Objectives: This course is designed to examine contemporary/historical racial and ethnic intergroup relations emphasizing cultural origins, developments, and problems of minority groups in the United States. The goal of this class is to help students learn about sociological issues beyond the scope of popular culture and mass media reporting with the aim of achieving deeper personal understanding regarding today’s world and what the future might hold. My expectation is that you will be able to develop and utilize critical thinking skills which challenge common assumptions and be able to demonstrate sound reasoning for your conclusions. For more information regarding the goals and content of this class go to http://www.dist.maricopa.edu/cgi-bin/cpr.pl?trm=20036&crs=soc140&inst=99 . Course Requirements: Attendance is mandatory. I do not teach or test solely from the textbook. Therefore, attendance is vital to your ability to achieve success in this course. It is vital that your attendance remains in good standing in order to pass the course My policy regarding attendance requires that you miss no more than twelve classes without an official excuse (such as school athletic events or a medical excuse; see student handbook) Note that the instructor in most cases is the judge of what is a valid and legitimate excuse; personal, family and/or work problems are not a valid excuse. In a nutshell, if you miss twelve classes or more you will need to see me. You will also need to see me if you miss two consecutive weeks of class. Failure to see me regarding excessive absences will result in the grade of an F for the course. It is the responsibility of the student to withdraw from the course. This class is a college level course that fulfills a general university requirement in social/behavioral sciences. Therefore, it is important that you take the class seriously and show up attentive and eager to learn. I look forward to working with you and learning more about social issues. If you are having problems with the course please see me so we can determine a course of action. Your assignments for the semester are listed on the next page. Assignments:Points y 3 tests 300 pts ( 100 pts each) y Critical thinking paper 50 pts (The content of this paper will be discussed at a later date) y Short Writing Assignments 50 pts (The content of these papers will be discussed at a later date) (25 pts each) y Ethnic presentations (We will discuss this in detail later) 100 pts Total Points Possible: 500 pts Grade scale: 89.5 - 100% A 79.5 - 89.4% B 69.5 - 79.4% C 59.5 - 69.4% D 59.4% or Below F Class Format: The class will be mostly a mix of lecture material and group discussions regarding race and ethnic social issues. My hope is that you all are eager to participate in class discussions. Many of the issues we will be discussing will challenge common perspectives and should arouse a great deal of interest. Course Expectations: You are responsible for all course material. Anything being discussed in the course can be used for testing purposes. This includes lectures, class discussions, and student presentations. As previously mentioned, I do not teach just from the textbook. It is my expectation you will attend a vast majority, if not all classes during this course. It is mandatory that you be present for the tests. I will not give a make up test without an extremely valid explanation for not being able to take the test when scheduled. (A doctors written order is such an example). The alternative to a missed test without a valid excuse usually involves a very long take home essay test or a score of “0”. If you have a time conflict with the tests please let me know in advance so the matter can be dealt with.Late Assignment Policy: My policy is to grade any late work down one letter grade per class period from the grade that would normally receive. I generally will not accept late work after one week when it was normally due without valid mitigating circumstances. Note: the instructor reserves the right to refuse any late work. Exceptions to this policy require a written statement from a doctor or a very reasonable and valid exception. Do not E-mail me assignments late or not. Assignments are due in paper form at the beginning of class on the date due unless otherwise stated. Students will also be penalized one letter grade if papers are not stapled or held together by a paper clip. Cheating and Plagiarism: In a nutshell; DON’T DO IT. I will spend some time defining plagiarism and how do avoid it. Regarding my policy for cheating and plagiarism; any student caught cheating or plagiarizing will receive an “F” for the course, be expelled from the class, and will be referred to the Dean of Students. Cell Phones: Please turn cell phones off to minimize disruptions. Repeated violations will result in removal from the class. Audio Taping: Please ask permission to audio tape class lectures and discussions. No video taping is allowed. All students must agree in order to audio taping the lectures. Text Messaging: Do not text message during class. Students who text message in class will be ask to leave class for the duration of the class period. Repeated violations will result in the instructor filing a misconduct referral and permanent removal from the course. Ipods and Music Devices: Do not listen to music or wear headphones during class. Violations will result in removal from the class. Repeated violations of this rule will result in the instructor filing a misconduct referral form and permanent removal from the course. Disruptive Students: Students who are disruptive, rude, and/or display a bad attitude toward the instructor or other students will be removed from the class and may be subject to student misconduct disciplinary action. Failing