Edmund T. Gordon

Class Time:

Location:

Tuesdays, Thursdays: 12:30 - 2 p.m.

Department of African and African-American Diasporan Studies

Office Hours:

Tuesday, Thursday after class.  Please arrange for appointment.

Course Description:

This academic service learning (ASL) course will:*

• Focus on the historical and contemporary role of African and African American women as they embody self-determination and empowerment through community engagement and social justice work.
• Through readings, film, music, reflection activities, classroom discussions, research and community service, this course offers an opportunity to learn about African and African-American women’s role in the shaping of their nations and their communities
• Participate in service to a community partner serving African-American women in a local, national or global community, or participate in the development of a community organization to serve this population.

This course will be conducted as a seminar. That is, students are expected to participate in graduate level type discussion groups and will be evaluated by their preparation and conduct in these discussion groups. Groups of students will be expected to lead selected discussions on readings, films and/or reflections.  Students not selected to lead that week’s discussion are expected to fully participate in the discussions and will be evaluated as such.  The professor’s role is to help facilitate discussion and reflection activities.

Objectives

Course Objectives:  An academic experience that offers historical and contemporary evidence of African and African-American womens‘ self-determination and agency.  Broadly, the curriculum will be connected to service to a community organization serving this population and/or research that contributes to the development of a community organization.

Learning Objectives: 

• That knowledge gained in this course is fully integrated into general knowledge, not viewed as an add-on.
• That students will learn about African and African-American women’s contributions to society
• That students will learn about African and African-American women in Austin
• That via reflective activities, students will have opportunities to learn more about themselves while they learn about this population
• That this combination of academic learning with service to the community will offer students a richer, deeper and more complex understanding of African and African-American women’s agency.

Requirements:

Course Attendance/Class Participation                                               25pts

(Participation includes, but is not limited to, class attendance, course readings, films and discussion participation about those readings, discussion of reflection activities, completion of service hours with community partner.  Effort to critically engage the curriculum, discussions, service assignments).

Preparation/Facilitation of Weekly Discussions:                               25 pts

Service Activities:                                                                               25 pts

Reflection Activities:                                                                           25 pts

Evaluation:

• A                95 – 100 pts
• A-              90 – 94 pts
• B                85 – 89 pts
• B-              80 – 84 pts
• C                75 – 79 pts
• C-              70 – 74 pts.
• D                65 – 69 pts
• D-              60 – 64 pts
• F                01 – 59 pts

Possible Text:

Text will be provided by either Blackboard, email attachment or printed form.

Class Policies

Details

Other Policies

1.         Attendance/Tardiness: Attendance and prompt arrival to class are mandatory.  Beyond two absences, each absence will result in 5 points being subtracted from the final grade points. An individual exception will be made only in the event of properly documented extenuating circumstances beyond the student's control.  Tardiness beyond a few SHORT minutes is not acceptable.  Without a valid excuse, tardiness after attendance is taken will be considered an absence.  Please be considerate of your classmates and the instructor by trying your best to be on time.

2.         Late Assignments/Incompletes: Assignments are due on the date assigned.  Three points per day (including weekends) will be deducted for late assignments.  Incompletes for the course will only be given in the case of extenuating circumstances beyond the student's control. 

3.         Research paper format: Because this course is designed to emulate a graduate student seminar, any research papers for the course requires the APA editorial style as the standard format for all written assignments.  Details of the APA style are included in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 4th Edition.  Abbreviated versions may be found online via Google.

5.         Participation: Student’s level of active participation will be assessed in three ways: through group work, community service, reflection activities and individual classroom discussion.

6.         Group conflict: Groups are expected to resolve challenges within their group context.  The instructor is willing to serve as consultant if groups are unable to resolve their differences. Groups are not penalized in their grade for consulting with the instructor.

7.         Respect: The instructor and classmates have the ethical responsibility to see that the class environment is maintained as a respectful and confidential setting. In addition, a student’s class performance, grade, and any other personal information the student discusses with the instructor will be kept confidential.

8.         Professional Conduct in Class  The professor expects students to act like professionals in class. This means students should arrive on time for class, be prepared to participate in the class discussion, and show respect for one another’s opinions. We will not, nor should we, always agree with one another. In this environment we should be exposed to diverse ideas and opinions, and sometime we will not agree with the ideas expressed by others. However, the professor does require that students engage one another with respect and professionalism.

The University of Texas Honor Code

The core values of The University of Texas at Austin are learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility. Each member of the university is expected to uphold these values through integrity, honesty, trust, fairness, and respect toward peers and community.

Policy on Scholastic Dishonesty

Students who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from the University.  Since such dishonesty harms the individual, all students, and the integrity of the University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced.  For further information, the student may refer to the Web Site of the Student Judicial Services, Office of the Dean of Students (http://www.utexas.edu/depts/dos/sjs/).

Documented Disability Statement

Any student who requires special accommodations must obtain a letter that documents the disability from the Services for Students with Disabilities area of the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement (471-6259 voice or 471-4641 TTY for users who are deaf or hard of hearing). Present the letter to the professor at the beginning of the semester so that needed accommodations can be discussed. The student should remind the professor of any testing accommodations no later than five business days before an exam. For more information, visit http://www.utexas.edu/diversity/ddce/ssd/.

Religious Holidays

By UT Austin policy, students must notify the professor of a pending absence at least fourteen days prior to the date of observance of a religious holy day. If the student must miss a class, an examination, a work assignment, or a project in order to observe a religious holy day, the professor will give the student an opportunity to complete the missed work within a reasonable time after the absence.

Use of E-Mail for Official Correspondence to Students

Email is recognized as an official mode of university correspondence; therefore, students are responsible for reading their email for university and course-related information and announcements. Students are responsible to keep the university informed about changes to their e-mail address. Students should check their e-mail regularly and frequently—daily, but at minimum twice a week—to stay current with university-related communications, some of which may be time-sensitive. Students can find UT Austin’s policies and instructions for updating their e-mail address at http://www.utexas.edu/its/policies/emailnotify.php.

Use of Blackboard in Class

Blackboard may be used in some instances as a means of communication.  However, this course will not use Blackboard exclusively for class assignments, etc.  Your flexibility is required.

Safety

As part of professional social work education, students may have assignments that involve working in agency settings and/or the community. As such, these assignments may present some risks. Sound choices and caution may lower risks inherent to the profession. It is the student's responsibility to be aware of and adhere to policies and practices related to agency and/or community safety. Students should notify the professor regarding any safety concerns.

 Behavior Concerns Advice Line (BCAL)

If students are worried about someone who is acting differently, they may use the Behavior Concerns Advice Line to discuss by phone their concerns about another individual’s behavior. This service is provided through a partnership among the Office of the Dean of Students, the Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC), the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and The University of Texas Police Department (UTPD). Call 512-232-5050 or visit http://www.utexas.edu/safety/bcal.

Emergency Evacuation Policy

Occupants of buildings on the UT Austin campus are required to evacuate and assemble outside when a fire alarm is activated or an announcement is made.  Please be aware of the following policies regarding evacuation:

• Familiarize yourself with all exit doors of the classroom and the building. Remember that the nearest exit door may not be the one you used when you entered the building.
• If you require assistance to evacuate, inform the professor in writing during the first week of class.
• In the event of an evacuation, follow the professor’s instructions.
• Do not re-enter a building unless you’re given instructions by the Austin Fire Department, the UT Austin Police Department, or the Fire Prevention Services office.