Several campus policies to be mindful of as you participate in this and other courses at Pierce can be found by visiting the web pages on the Pierce website linked below:
The Pierce College Academic Accommodations Center (AAC) is the program on campus providing services to students with disabilities. If you have a disability—or if you suspect you might have additional learning needs—please contact the AAC for assistance.
AAC Website
The student health center is a resource meant to help you address physical and social/emotional wellness needs. If you encounter any problems with your overall wellness during your time at Pierce, please contact the health center right away to get the help you need.
Phone: (818) 710-4270
In order for the best learning to take place, students need to feel safety, support, and a sense of belonging. I want each and every student who enrolls in my courses to know that you are a valuable part of the learning environment because of (not in spite of) the myriad ways in which you differ from me and from your classmates. If you experience difficulties or hardships that get in the way of your success in the class, please let me know if I can do something to help you.
Some of the readings and discussions for the course will contain material that you may find unpleasant, challenging, or disagreeable. I will do my best to provide content warnings regarding readings that involve violence or sexually explicit content; students may request alternate assignments if/when the content is upsetting.
In our class discussions, all students must be respectful and considerate of peers, especially as it relates to treating everyone with dignity and humanity. Comments or language that undermine the basic dignity and humanity of any person or group of people—in or out of the class—will not be tolerated.
I am committed to showing up for you in this course. If you commit to showing up for yourself, I am certain that you will get a lot out of our work together.
I strive to set up my assignments in such a way that students who apply themselves can do well, regardless of past educational and life experiences. Some students may feel as though the workload is too much—that even with easier assignments or extra time, there's a chance they may not be able to pass the class. Other students may be able to pass my class—perhaps even with a high grade—simply by doing the work, without putting in what feels like much effort.
If you feel as though the work is too challenging, I'm glad to know that the class is providing you with opportunities for growth! While I have had quite a few students who felt similarly, I have very rarely seen students who stay motivated fail to do well in the class. Please take a moment to consider the various activities in your life that take up your time and mental space. Is it possible to shift your priorities in such a way that you can be more successful in this class? Meet with me during office hours and let's talk about how we can work together to ensure your success. I'm here for you.
If you feel as though you aren't learning as much as you would like, I'm glad to know that you have a passion for learning! Please take a moment to consider whether you are taking the time to bring your creativity and enthusiasm to the assignments for this class. Is it possible to challenge yourself a bit more by taking your writing assignments to another level? Meet with me during office hours and let's talk about how we can work together to make sure you get as much learning and valuable academic experience from this course as possible.
One critical element of the campus and district policies to keep in mind is the policy on Academic Integrity. For the purposes of this course, it may suffice to simply say that all work submitted must be yours and yours alone, and no work that has been submitted previously in another course is acceptable for submission here. Assignments containing plagiarized material will receive a grade of 0 (zero), and I will contact you to discuss how to avoid plagiarism (including the tips listed below). Repeated instances of plagiarism will be reported to the Dean of Student Engagement for investigation and possible disciplinary measures.
Using outside sources is an important part of academic writing, but it must be done properly.
Any time you use outside information in your writing, you must provide an in-text citation to indicate the source of that information. This includes any and all words, work, and ideas from others.
In-text citations should correspond to entries on the Works Cited page (MLA style) or References page (APA style). Listing sources at the end of your document without using in-text citations is not sufficient, nor is providing an in-text citation without a complete entry at the end of the document. Both are required for all source information used.
Facts that are considered common knowledge or that are easily referenced from an abundance of outside sources may not always require citations. However, if you're unsure—provide a citation just to be safe.
If you want to use work of your own that has been submitted previously (or simultaneously) in other classes/instructors/institutions, consult with me first. Submitting "recycled" work without contacting me beforehand may result in a grade of 0.
For on-campus courses that meet face to face, attendance is essential. An abundance of valuable information about our course assignments and materials will be provided in face-to-face sessions, so please be aware that you may be dropped from the class if your attendance is not consistent (see inactive policy below).
Online courses will not involve any face-to-face meetings on campus or required synchronous attendance online (e.g. Zoom class sessions), so students' status as active or inactive is measured by time spent in the Canvas shell and assignments submitted.
If you do not intend to remain enrolled in the course, it is your responsibility to drop the course using your SIS dashboard (mycollege.laccd.edu). I will check for inactive students several times during the term and attempt to contact those who have become inactive prior to dropping anyone from the course.
Many assignments are eligible for late submission with point deductions automatically calculated by the Canvas gradebook--10% per day, up to 40% total deduction. Generally speaking, if an assignment is still open in Canvas, you can still submit work for partial credit.
If you know in advance that you might not be able to submit an assignment on time, you can email me prior to the submission deadline to let me know when you will turn it in. As long as you contact me prior to the deadline and submit your work by the time you indicated, you will not have points deducted for late submission. (You may need to remind me with a submission comment that you received an extension.)
While I am generally flexible regarding late work, I strongly urge you to avoid getting behind. In my experience, the more a student gets behind, the less likely that student is to get caught up sufficiently to earn their desired grade. Keeping up is easier than catching up.
Students who fail to attend on-campus classes for a full week or who miss 2 consecutive essay assignments will be considered inactive and may be dropped.
Students who fail to sign into online courses for a full week or who miss 3 consecutive assignments of any type will be considered inactive and may be dropped.
Students who fail to attend on-campus classes for two weekdays or who miss 2 consecutive essay assignments will be considered inactive and may be dropped.
Students who fail to sign into the course for two weekdays or who miss 3 consecutive assignments of any type will be considered inactive and may be dropped.
According to the district policy regarding withdrawing, dropping, and/or repeated attempts to complete a course, students may only attempt a course 3 times within the LA Community College District.
last day to drop without a grade of W is 9/11/2022
last day to drop with a grade of W is 11/20/2022
last day to drop without a grade of W is 1/8/2023
last day to drop with a grade of W is 1/28/2023
last day to drop without a grade of W is 2/20/2023
last day to drop with a grade of W is 5/7/2023