Student Responsibilities and Grading for NR 6

1) Attendance

We expect you to attend all class activities. Effort and participation are evaluated on the basis of small section discussions and activities. We hope that the small class size will allow everyone to feel comfortable as participants. Please talk to your instructor privately if you are having difficulty. The course explicitly considers racial and gender values and their role in the natural resource profession. Open discussion in a safe environment is key to consideration of individual values.

2) Reading (weekly)

Click here for readings, which are assigned for each week. They contain material designed to support topics presented by our speakers and to provide insights into race and culture issues. The readings are short, so we expect that you will have the time to read them carefully and respond to the ideas and information presented.

3) Reflective Writings (weekly)

a. Assignments are due by Noon on Wednesdays. A drop box with folders for each discussion section is in room 220 Aiken (Dean's Office area). Place your paper in the folder marked with your discussion leader's name.

b. In discussion sections on Thursday come prepared to discuss your reaction and thoughts about the speaker and reading(s). This discussion may spark new ideas for you.

c. Take risks and explore your own voice on the topics raised by the readings and speakers.

d. What should I write?

These writings are a place to practice personal expressive writing -- an individual record of your learning.  They should be thoughtful, reflective pieces -- not only a report about what was stated in an article or by a speaker, but critical thinking about the new information and synthesis to create new ideas.

    Put your name, date, name of the reading author/speaker, and your discussion leader's name at the top of each paper. Not doing this is the most common reason students do not get credit for their work.

    Please type between one and two pages (12 pt font. 1 inch margins, 1.5 line spacing) for each assignment. Please print double sided if possible. Your paper should have two sections with a heading for each:

    Section 1. Description
    In this section of your paper, report briefly on what was in the readings and what happened in the lecture. This section should be no longer than 1/3 of a page. Depending on the length of your sentences, this section may be between 2 and 5 sentences.

    Section 2. Interpretation/Reflection
    In this section interpret how the material relates to you and your experiences. How does the information match or conflict with your experiences and ideas? Do you have any difficulties with the material? If so, what are these? Does it resonate or have relevance for settings outside of NR 6 (for example, work, family, friends, the residence halls, the campus, the world?)? Comment on these connections.What questions does the material raise for you? How might it affect your future thinking and/or actions?

Respond to both the speaker and the readings for the week. If more than one reading is assigned for a particular week, combine your reactions to all of them into a single reflective writing. You should demonstrate thoughtful effort in the assignment through critical thinking, deep examination, and articulation of your learning.  Papers will be evaluated on a three-point scale:

   
    Check Plus:  Both sections are present, address the readings and the lecture, and the paper shows excellent critical thinking, synthesis, and reflection.
    Check: Both sections are present, address the readings and the lecture, and the paper shows average critical thinking, synthesis, and reflection.
    Check-minus: A section is missing and/or the paper does not address either the readings or the lecture and/or the paper shows poor critical thinking, synthesis, and reflection.

Please take the time to read your instructor's comments on your assignments and incorporate them into future submissions.  We expect to see effort in developing your critical thinking, interpretation, and reflective writing skills over the course of the semester.

4) Autobiographical Essay

To assist in developing a personal perspective on race and natural resource issues, we would like you to write an autobiographical essay that touches on the more influential experiences that you have had with respect to natural resources and the environment and race and culture issues. This will help you to explore the way in which your attitudes have been shaped by experience, institutions and people in your life.

The autobiographical essay directions will be discussed in class.You will submit a draft and your discussion group leader will assist you with this project by providing feedback on your draft. Click here for directions.

5) Action Plan

The purpose of this assignment is to identify actions you can take to make positive contributions to the university community and to society with respect to issues of difference and diversity. Click here for directions.

6) Grading

For purposes of grading, the components of the course will be balanced in the following way:

7) Academic Integrity

We expect you to follow UVM's Code of Academic Integrity when preparing assignments for NR 6. Offenses against the Code of Academic Integrity are deemed serious and insult the integrity of the entire academic community. Any suspected violations of the code are taken very seriously and will be forwarded to the Center for Student Ethics & Standards for further investigation. To read the Code of Acacemic Integrity in its entirety and to learn more about procedures for reporting alleged violations, visit the Center for Student Ethics and Standards website.

8) Religious Holidays

Students have the right to practice the religion of their choice. Each semester students should submit in writing to their instructors by the end of the second full week of classes their documented religious holiday schedule for the semester. Faculty must permit students who miss work for the purpose of religious observance to make up this work. Interfaith Calendar.