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General Studies 100B
University Seminar
Fall 2003
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Contact
Information
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Instructor:
Ann M. Johns;
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E-mail:
ajohns@cox.net |
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Office:
NH 221;
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Office
phone: 619-594-6331 |
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Office
hours: 3:00-4:00T;
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4:00-5:00W;
8:30-9:30TTh; 11:00-12:00Th
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Overview
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General
Studies 100B has been designed for you by people who have studied
the issues that concern first-semester freshmen and the factors that
determine your success. Our class will meet at various locations (and
you will visit other locations, as well) because we want to introduce
you to the campus. Please record these meeting places in your personal
calendar. During the semester, we will also talk about your goals,
your major, your classes, and your concerns.
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Class
Goals
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Here
are some of the class goals:
- To
assist you in your personal, social, and academic transition to
university life.
- To
provide you with an opportunities to participate in discussions
and to interact with a faculty member in a small group setting.
- To
improve your academic performance and persistence.
- To
give you opportunities to discuss your personal and academic development
and goals in a risk-free environment.
- To
introduce you to campus resources and opportunities for involvement.
- To
help you to become familiar with your roles and responsibilities
in the university community.
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Required
Texts
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You
need to have a daily planner, access to Blackboard,
and a current university catalogue.
- Attendance
and participation in weekly class sessions. If you cannot attend
a class or conference, please e-mail or phone me in advance. (You
cannot pass the class if you miss more than two sessions.)
- Completion
of assignments: Several activities and three short papers, typed
and proofread.
- Timely
arrival: to classes, conferences, and resource visits.
- Collecting
materials and obtaining an e-mail address.
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Course
Requirements
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Grade
Distribution
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This
is a one-unit, credit/no-credit class that counts for graduation. |
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Schedule
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Week
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Date
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Topic
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Assignments
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Comments
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1
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9/3 |
Getting
acquainted. |
Complete
the "Making SDSU My Own" sheets and bring them
your daily planner to your conferences. Obtain an e-mail account.
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Scheduling
the first conferences with the instructor. Instructions for Blackboard.
Get a functioning e-mail address now, please! |
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2
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9/10 |
No
scheduled class. |
With
your partner, complete the scavenger hunt assignment.
Bring your syllabi and textbooks from one other class.
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Conferences
with your instructor throughout the
week. |
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3
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9/17 |
Report on the scavenger hunt. Discussion of
academic goals.
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Do
something on campus. Go to a club meeting, attend a play, concert,
or game.
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Meet
in the classroom. |
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4
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9/24 |
Library
visit. |
Visit
the department of your major and go on-line. Be prepared to pose questions
about majors and classes to the student panel. |
Meet
in the library. |
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5
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10/1 |
Student
panel. |
Complete
work on investigating a major. |
Meet
in the classroom. Tell the students what you did
in terms of an activity. |
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6
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10/8 |
Career
Services. |
Second
written assignment: Write your retirement speech. |
Meet
at Career Services, Student Services East, 1200. |
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7
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10/15 |
Career
Goals |
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Meet
in the classroom. Discuss career goals. |
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8
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10/22 |
Topic
to be announced. |
Prepare
questions for advising. |
Meet
in our classroom. |
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9
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10/29 |
Advising
Center. |
Prepare
class schedule and bring to your instructor conference. |
Meet
at the Advising Center, Student Services 1551 |
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10
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11/5 |
No
class. |
With
your partner, prepare questions for the faculty interviews. |
Conference
with the instructor. Bring your proposed schedule for spring semester.
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11
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11/12 |
Faculty
panel. |
Prepare
presentation about the faculty panel. |
Meet
in class. |
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12
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11/19 |
Presentations
on faculty panel. |
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Open
discussion, particularly about majors. |
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13
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11/26 |
No
class. |
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Conferences.
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14
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12/3 |
Wrap-up. |
Final
writing assignment: A letter to
yourself, which I will mail in the spring. Include a stamped, self-addressed
envelope. |
Prepare
pot-luck food.
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15
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12/10 |
Class
party. |
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Note:
We will meet in the classroom if it is not otherwise indicated. There
may be schedule changes as student need is determined.)
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Advise
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"Work
hard but have fun. You only get to do this once!" |
| "The
worst part of freshman orientation was the statistics! Don't get swallowed
up in 'only 18 percent of students get A grades and 40 percent get
a C average during freshman year.' Study hard and believe in yourself."
Senior, Psychology/Pre-med, University of Iowa. |
| "Know
the syllabus backward and forward so that you can know when to focus
hard and school and when you can relax." Senior, Human Development
and Family Studies |
| "Find
an activity you're interested in and go participate in it. It doesn't
matter if it's academic, athletic, or something else. If the activity
interests you." |
"Find
out exactly what your major requires, meet with an advisor, and work
out your entire schedule for the next four years. That way you don't
have
to spend another year catching up!" Senior, Biology, |
| "I
started sending out resumes in September of my freshman year. That
is why I have a job now." Psychology major, SFSU. |
| "You
will spend a lot more time doing homework in college. Many teachers
believe that their class is your only class!" Psychology student,
St. Louis U. |
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All
quotations are taken from Anderson, T. & S. Basili (2003). Once
upon a campus.
New York: Simon and Schuster.
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