|
UN 101
Freshman Seminar
Saint Martin’s College
Course Syllabus
|
Dr. Richard
L. Langill |
Fall, 2009 |
|
email:
rlangill@stmartin.edu |
Office: Old
Main #333 |
|
Office
Hours: MWF 8-9 and 10-11 am |
T TR 9:30-10:50 |
PURPOSE OF THE COURSE
This course has several objectives.
First, the course seeks to provide a perspective on your college
experience that will assist you in making a successful transition from
high school to college. Second, it seeks to help students
understand their personal strengths, their values, and life goals.
Third, the course seeks to provide an
orientation to the college and its services. Fourth, the
course is designed to facilitate a common freshman experience by reading
a book in common. This year the faculty have selected
the book, Dead Man Walking:
An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the United States by Sr.
Helen Prejean.
All students
will read and discuss this work in class. The book provides a
personal perspective on the dead of Elmo Patrick Sonnier who was
sentenced to death for murder. Sr. Prejean served as Sonnier's
spiritual advisor before his execution. The book is a powerful
critique and indictment of capital punishment.
The final objective of the
course is to explore an academic component chosen by the instructor.
Given my background in international affairs, I have selected several
current foreign policy topics for discussion. Students will read a short monograph published by the Foreign Policy
Association. There will be a group presentation with discussion on
these topics in class. Students will also write a short research
paper on one of these topics.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
The course will be
conducted primarily as a lecture/discussion course with discussion
strongly encouraged. I do not plan to test extensively in this class.
Your grade in this class will depend on your class
participation/discussion in class, your attendance, the class
presentation and research paper.
THINK PIECE
One of your writing
assignments will be a “think piece” on Dead Man Walking. Think pieces
are essays which give the student the opportunity to reflect, consider,
ponder and think about the ideas of the book. This assignment is
designed to enable you to actively converse with the ideas presented in
the book. There is only one caveat for this assignment. Don’t tell
me the story of the book. Tell me what it means, what you
learn from the story, what you think about the story, whether you agree
or disagree with the ideas of the book. These think
pieces on Dead Man Walking are are due on October 19th.
RESEARCH PAPER
Students will
select one of the topics from the FPA monograph early in the semester.
The instructor expects that there will be 2-3 students working on each
topic. Collectively, these students will prepare and present a short
oral presentation on the topic in class. They will individually write a
7-10 page research paper on the topic.
This research paper
should be divided into several short parts. The first part of the paper
will examine the nature and dimensions of the problem. What’s the
problem? How did it become a problem? What are the causes of the
problem. This background section should lead into the second part of
the paper which will focus on US policy toward the problem. What has
the US done to deal with the problem? How does the US see the problem?
What’s the administration’s policy on the problem? The final
section of the paper is the evaluative component of the paper. In this
section, I want you to tell me what you think about the problem. What
do you think should be done about the problem or issue? Do you agree or
disagree with the US policy on this topic?
This research paper
should be research thoroughly using quality sources. The paper should
follow an acceptable research format, i.e. Turabian format or MLA
format. The paper MUST be appropriately footnoted with sources and
pages appropriately identified. The research paper MUST have a
bibliography which reflect what the student read and included in the
paper.
Students
should be aware of the following dates:
|
Sept 3 |
Selection of Topics |
|
Sept 15 |
Preliminary Bibliography Due |
|
Oct 20 |
Dead Man Walking "Think Piece" Due |
|
Nov 3 |
Rough Draft of the Paper Due |
|
Dec 1 |
Final Draft of the Paper Due |
GRADES
Grades
for the course will be based on the following formula:
|
Attendance/Participation |
20 % |
|
Think Piece |
20 % |
| Class
Presentation |
20 % |
|
Research Paper |
40
% |
PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism is a serious academic offense punishable by a
failing grade and in some cases expulsion from the
institution. Do not even consider plagiarizing a paper.
If you are unsure about what constitutes plagiarism, check
the SMC College Catalog or SMC Student Handbook.
ATTENDANCE
Attendance is an essential part of this course. Students
will be allowed 2 unexcused absences for any reason.
Beyond this limit, students will be penalized 5 points per
class missed. Excessive unexcused absences may result in
failure in this class. The instructor reserves the
right to use pop quizzes if attendance proves to be a
problem. Individual
problems with attendance should be discussed with the instructor.
SERVICE PROJECT
The class will engage
in a service project as part of the requirements for the
course. The instructor will put together a group to
come up with ideas for this project.
COURSE
ACCOMMODATIONS
If you need course
adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if
you have medical or safety concerns to share with me, or if
you need special arrangements in case the building must be
evacuated, please talk with me as soon as possible.
BOOKS
Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the
United States by Helen Prejean. 1994
GREAT DECISIONS 2009. Foreign Policy Association.
NY. 2009 |
COURSE
OUTLINE
| Sept |
1 |
Intro to
Syllabus |
| Sept |
3 |
Introductions: Building a
Sense of Community |
| Sept |
8 |
Introduction
to the Library |
| Sept |
10 |
The Abbey and Abbey
Church- Fr. Killian O.S.B.
|
| Sept |
15 |
Doing Library Research and Creating a Bibliography |
| Sept |
15 |
Preliminary Bibliography Due |
| Sept |
17 |
Note-Taking
Skills Works |
| Sept |
22 |
Preparing and Taking Examinations |
| Sept |
24 |
Dead Man
Walking - Movie |
| Sept |
29 |
Dead Man
Walking - Movie |
| Oct |
1 |
Sr. Helen
Prejan (Worthington Conference Center) |
| Oct |
6 |
Dead Man Walking-
Discussion |
| Oct |
8 |
General
Education |
| Oct |
13 |
Student Conferences |
| Oct |
15 |
Student Conferences |
| Oct |
20 |
Reading Textbooks Effectively |
| Oct |
20 |
Dead Man Walking "Think Piece" Due |
| Oct |
22 |
Career
Planning |
| Oct |
27 |
Planning for
Retirement |
| Oct |
29 |
US and
Rising Powers- Presentation and Discussion |
| Nov |
3 |
CNBC
Special: China |
| Nov |
3 |
Rough Draft of
Research Paper Due |
| Nov |
8 |
Afghanistan
and Pakistan |
| Nov |
10 |
Film:
Afghanistan |
| Nov |
15 |
Energy Policy |
| Nov |
17 |
Film:
Energy Film |
| Nov |
22 |
Cuba on the
Verge |
| Nov |
29 |
Film: Cuba |
| Nov |
29 |
Egypt |
| Dec |
1 |
Film:
Palestinian Issue |
| Dec |
1 |
Final Draft of the Paper Due |
| Dec |
3 |
Human Rights
in a New Era |
| Dec |
8 |
Movie: "Taxi to
the Dark Side" |
| Dec |
10 |
Evaluating
Freshman Seminar |
|
