Syllabus

Term: 20121 – Session 1 -South Campus
August 24, 2012–December 17, 2012
Broward College
College Success Skills
SLS1501 – 1 College Credit
Course Syllabi

Professor: Doretha Dancy-Pratt Term: Fall 20121 -Ref: #436744
Office Location: Bldg. 71- Room 105 Day: Tuesday 2:00 P.M.- 2:50 P.M.
Office Phone: (954) 201-8986 Class Location: TBA Bldg: 69 Room: 126
Email: dpratt@broward.edu BC Emergency Hot Line (954) 201-4400
Office Hours: 15 Min. Before/After Class Required Text and Support Materials:
Student Success & Career Development (Brief Sixth Edition)
Author: Carol Carter, Joyce Bishop, & Sarah Lyman Kravits
Publisher: Pearson
Broward College Catalog (available in Registration or online)
Broward College Student Handbook (available in Student Life)
1 Colored Folder, 24 Dividers, Pens, Pencils, Highlighter, Scantron Forms and Valid BC Student Email

Course Description:
This course is designed primarily for freshman students. This course serves as an introduction to Broward College and assists students in coping with challenges for college life, clarifying their goals, learning strategies and skills that will help them succeed in college, career, and life.

Learning Outcome Results:
By the end of the semester, students will be able to:
*Understand responsibility for creating a successful college experience.
*Connect with resources that support their academic, career and personal goals.
*Demonstrate familiarity with college organizations, regulations, rules, and support services.
*Develop a personal academic plan.
*Set, pursue, and achieve academic and personal goals.
*Manage time more efficiently to reduce stress.
*Become more culturally competent
*Learn communication and conflict resolution strategies.
*Develop problem-solving and decision-making skills.
*Read a textbook with improved understanding and retention.
*Listen with comprehension, to a lecture.
*Take effective notes.
*Prepare for and take tests.
*Assess and improve general wellness habits.
*Explore career possibilities and aptitudes.

Instructional Methodology:
Because of the interactive nature of this course, a variety of instructional methodology will be used including but not limited to: lectures, group discussions, group activities, guest speakers, exploration activities, and the use of computer and web functions:
Students will have an opportunity to tap into their creativity to further enrich learning.

Cell Phones:
Cell Phones and texting are not allowed in class which means I do not want to see your cell phones during class time. Make your family and friends aware of your class time. You are not to be going in and out of class to talk on your cell phone. If so, I am going to ask you to leave class and mark you absent.

Special note:
Your syllabus is a legal binding contract between you and your instructor and may be subject to change.

College Policy:
Code of Conduct: All students should review and adhere to the Student Code of Conduct manual that is found at: http://www.broward.edu/PolicyAndProcedure/SupportingContent/Pol5.02_New_Format.pdf Rules and regulations are located in the handbook. You are in college. You will be treated and respected as an adult. Discipline problems are not tolerated. ANY discipline problem will be dealt with swiftly and permanently. First a conference will be held with the professor. Second, if behavior continues you will be referred to the Dean of Student Affairs. Third, if behavior in class is at the point of no control, security will be called to remove you from the class.

Attendance/Tardy:
Realizing that student success in college is largely dependant on attending class, it is imperative that you make an effort to attend every class. On certain occasions, circumstances may arise such as sickness, family issues, childcare and unavoidable transportation problems. In such cases it is your responsibility to contact the instructor. Students will be required to meet with your instructor outside of class time and make-up work missed due to absence. Class begins promptly at the time specified on your schedule.

Students who fail to attend class the first two weeks after add/drop will be reported and withdrawn (WN). Students who subsequently stop attending should be withdrawn with a (W) with the last date of attendance clearly referenced. Those who disappeared prior to the 60% mark, having received financial aid, will incur liability. Students who quit after the 60% mark must receive a grade of WF. Please remember F grade must be earned. Do not award F’s to students for failure to attend class. Government audits require that F grades be substantiated with faculty records that prove poor student performance.

Attendance Policy/Students Responsibility Relative to Non-Penalized Absences:
Non-Class Days. Owing to unanticipated circumstances that are beyond anyone’s control or when concerns are raised about the safety and/or security of the students, faculty, staff, and/or facilities, the President of his/her designee has the authority to close a campus or the College. For purposes of grading and attendance policies, the day(s) during which the campus/College is closed shall be considered a non-class day(s). When this occurs, each Faculty member shall determine how best to make-up the lost time.

Non-Penalized Absences. There shall be no penalty for a student who is absent from academic activities because of religious holy day observances in his/her own faith, the student’s serious illness, death in the immediate family, or attendance to statutory governmental responsibilities.

Student Responsibilities Relative to Non-Penalized Absences. A student shall notify instructors in advance of absence(s) to observe a religious holy day(s) in his/her own faith, and shall likewise notify instructors in advance of other absences when practicable under the circumstances. “Death in the immediate family” shall be interpreted to mean mother, father, spouse, child, brother, sister, grandparents or grandchildren. “Statutory governmental responsibilities” refer to such matters as jury duty, subpoena for court appearance, or unplanned military obligation. I a non-penalized absence occurs on the first day of class, the student shall notify the instructor of the reason for his/her absence at the next class meeting. Documentation for non-penalized absences shall be presented by the student should the faculty member request it. The student shall be responsible for the material covered in his/her absence and shall be granted a reasonable amount of time to make up any work or test missed for non-penalized absences.

Withdrawals:
This course is required and withdrawal from this class can affect your entire semester schedule. According to the college withdrawal procedure if you stop attending class prior to withdrawal date, you will be administratively withdrawn from a class and receive a W, or, if it is your third attempt, an F. If you stop attending class after the withdrawal date, you will receive a WF that will then be computed as an F in your Grade Point Average. To avoid this situation, you should remain an active learner in this class and always communicate extenuating circumstances to me. Ongoing communication with the instructor is critical to your course success.

The last day to drop a course is October 31th 2012. With my permission, you can change from credit to audit through October 31th 2012. To receive the audit designation (‘XC”) on your transcript, you MUST attend class regularly. I will not assign either W or XC grades once both deadlines have passed. If you stop attending class and participating in class discussions, submitting assignments or fail to take quizzes or test prior to the withdrawal date, you will be administratively withdrawn from class and receive a W or an “F” if it is your third attempt.

If you withdraw through the Registrar’s Office (online) on or before that date, you will receive a grad of “W”. If you simply stop attending class and do not withdraw yourself through the proper channels, you will receive an “F”.

Academic Honesty Policy/BC College Catalog:
Broward College expects its students to be honest in all of their course work and activities.
Breaches of academic honesty include cheating, plagiarism and misrepresentation, bribery, and the unauthorized possession of examination papers or other class materials that have not been formally released by instructor. A student’s academic work must be the result of his or her own thought, research or self-expression.

Cheating includes, but is not limited to: copying the work of another person (Plagiarism) or permitting your work to be copied by another person, discussing test answers or questions with people who have not completed the test, distributing assignment materials to other students, poses same course materials that have not been formally released to students in the course, and collaborating on the completion of assignments not specifically designated in the syllabus as being group projects”.

Examples: 1) If it appears that two or more students have submitted the same material for any solo assignments, each student involved will receive zero points for that assignment. 2) If it appears that a student has copied an assignment from published materials (including Internet sites), the student will receive zero points for that assignment.

Breaches of Broward College’s policy on academic honesty may result in academic penalties and/or disciplinary action. At the discretion of the instructor, academic penalties may include, but are not limited to, a failing grade for the course. In addition, the instructor or another BC employee may refer a student to the Dean of Student Affairs for disciplinary action in accordance with BC Student Handbook. Such discipline may include suspension or expulsion from the college.

Special Needs:
Students having special needs as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) should:

Inform the instructor and contact the office of Disability Services (Office of Disability Services) at 954-201-7492 so that reasonable and appropriate accommodations can be implemented.

Support Services:
Broward College has a considerable variety of support services available to students such as computers for student use and support labs for college prep classes.

Evaluation and Grading Scale:
You must meet all course requirements in order to pass this course. Your grades will include a variety of class activities, homework, assignments, quizzes, group activities, presentations, career project papers, mid-term and final exam. Your final grade will be based on the following: Vocabulary Quizzes (9)…………………………………………………………………….…20%
Develop Educational Plan with Advisor/Counselor……………………….…………………15%
Develop Resume/GPA/ Pre/Post Self Evaluation…………………………………………….10%
Complete the 9 chapter homework pages assigned/ 9 Typed Journals & 9 Typed Portfolios (Portfolio/Notebook)…………………………………………………………………………20%
Midterm Exam……………………………………………………………………………….15%
Final Exam…………………………………………………………………………………...20%
Total Percentage 100% Note: Some homework assignments will be communicated by email, while others will be completed on notebook paper. However, you must type all homework. Late assignments will be penalized by one grade point reduction each day late. Make-up quizzes will be penalized by 2 points. Extra credit may be awarded by attending “approved” college activities such as student success workshops or completing other pre-approved assignments. Mid-Term Exam & Final Exam are mandatory on given date scheduled.

Grading System:

90 –100 % = A Superior College Level Work
80– 89 % = B Above Average College Level Work
70-79 % = C Average College Level Work
60– 69 % = D Questionable Unacceptable College Level Work
68% & below = F Unacceptable College

Course Contract

I,___________________________________, have received and gone over the syllabus for Professor Pratt Course ID # SLS1501 class. I am in full understanding of the policies for this class and if there was an area I did not understand, I have spoken with the instructor and have received clarification. I am in agreement with and will follow these course policies during this term’s class.