Policies

Major Assignments

RCL II has four major units: Articulating Beliefs, Deliberating, Persuading & Advocating, and Presenting Yourself. Additionally, students will keep two major blogs throughout the semester–a passion blog and civic issues blog. All major assignments must be completed in order to pass this class. Specific details on the assignments will be available on this course website and discussed in class. Please note that, though RCL II sections are rather standardized, your instructor has the discretion to offer some adjustments to the course schedule and assignments as he or she sees fit.

Assignment Final Grade Values

Unit Five: 10% Articulating Beliefs

This I Believe Podcast

Unit Six: 30% Deliberating in our Communities

  • Presenting and Moderating 10%
  • Deliberation Guide and Menu 10%
  • Post-deliberation Letter (500 words) 10%

Unit Seven: 30% Persuading and Advocating

  • Issue Brief 20%
  • Advocacy Project 10%

Unit Eight: 10% Presenting Ourselves

  • E-Portfolio  10%

Participating  20%

  • Blogs 15%
  • Participation and Attendance 5%

Grading Scale

Please note that this is the standard grading scale offered by the College of Liberal Arts. Given the exact range of grades, students should not expect “rounding up.”

A = 95 to 100, A- = 90 to 94.99, B+ = 87 to 89.99, B = 83 to 86.99, B- = 80 to 83, C+ = 75 to 79.99, C = 70 to 74.99, D = 60 to 69.99, F = 59.99 and below. Note: The Penn State grading scale does not allow the option of awarding grades of C-, D+ or D- grades.

**If you disagree with a grade that you receive, you may submit a written request to dispute the grade. The written request should outline your argument, why you believe you should receive a different grade. Disputes will only be accepted from students who are registered in the course. The professor must receive the written request no later than three calendar days after the grade was assigned (electronic submissions of a dispute are acceptable). After review, the professor reserves the right to agree or disagree with the grade dispute.

Participation and Attendance

Participation and attendance are strongly encouraged. I take daily attendance. Participation has several dimensions, not the least of which is presence in class. This doesn’t simply mean bodily presence, but actual attunement to the class discussion. Engaged, vocal contributions, group work, and online posting and commenting are considered central to the success of the class. Also valuable is recognizing when it’s time for other students to contribute. There will be opportunities to contribute in small-group discussion. All in-class activities represent opportunities to work out ideas.

While it is best not to miss class, you are permitted two absences without a grade penalty. Each absence in excess of three will result in a one percent deduction off your final grade (independent of grades received on course work). Additionally, your participation grade may be affected with each absence beyond the allotted two. *Three late arrivals will equal one absence. Students who come to class without having completed the assigned reading or writing may be counted absent as well. Students may present documentation of illnesses, university-approved activities, and other extenuating circumstances to count their absences as excused.

You run that risk if you exceed three unexcused absences for a MWF class or two unexcused absences for a TR class. (These are absences that you can take with no penalty, grade-wise.) If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to get the assignments, class notes, and course changes from a classmate.

In-class work cannot be made up. While it is understood that emergencies/University-sanctioned activities may arise which result in you missing one or more classes, frequent absences will negatively impact final grades.

Special attendance situations will be handled on a case-by-case basis. In these cases, it is important that you keep your instructor apprised in such circumstances.  

To learn more about the University’s attendance policy (Faculty Senate Policy 42-27). The relevant portion reads: “A student should attend every class for which the student is scheduled and should be held responsible for all work covered in the courses taken…. A student whose irregular attendance causes him or her, in the judgment of the instructor, to become deficient scholastically, may run the risk of receiving a failing grade or receiving a lower grade than the student might have secured had the student been in regular attendance.”)

And procedures for obtaining class excuses, please consult the Class Excuses page provided by University Health Services.

Late Assignment

Late work will be penalized at the rate of one letter grade per day, and only if prior arrangements have been made with the instructor. Late work for which no such arrangements have been made will not be accepted for a grade (but must be turned in, nonetheless). If the assignment is due in class, please do not come in and ask if you can email it later; the answer will be no.

If you are scheduled to present on a particular day and miss your presentation slot, you will receive a zero for the assignment (but must still complete it). In other words, if you are on the docket to speak first and are not present when presentations are to begin, whether you come to class at all or not, you will receive a zero for the assignment.

  • Speaking assignments typically have a written component. Not having this written component will bar you from presenting, resulting in a zero.
  • All assignments should be typed using a standard font, such as Times New Roman. Please use one-inch margins and a font size between 11-12 point. Handwritten work is never accepted.
  • Staple all work that is more than one page. (No paper clips or folding over, please.) Do not come to class asking me for a stapler. I don’t carry one with me.
  • Carefully proofread all assignments before submitting.
  • Submissions should include your name, the course name (ENG 138T), and the date as a heading on the first page.
  • Never wait to print your work until just before class. There is no acceptable excuse outside of an emergency (for which you must offer proof) for not turning your work in on time.

Plagiarism Statement

Plagiarism is a breach of academic integrity that includes but is not limited to the act of presenting another person’s words or ideas as your own without attribution; the act of piecing together multiple unattributed sources to create the illusion of originality; or the act of resubmitting without acknowledgment and permission from the current course instructor significant passages of previously submitted work, even if the work is your own.

The College of the Liberal Arts policy on plagiarism is available online at: http://www.la.psu.edu/current-students/student-services/academic-integrity. If you have any questions about plagiarism and its consequences (or about any other feature of academic integrity) please ask. Plagiarism indicates disregard for ethical standards, your instructor, and your peers. If plagiarism is discovered in your work, you risk failing the assignment and possibly the course. You will also be referred to the College Committee for Academic Integrity, and may be referred to the Office of Student Conduct, which could result in probation, suspension, or expulsion.

Accessibility Statement

Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University’s educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources Web site provides contact information for every Penn State campus: http://equity.psu.edu/sdr/disability-coordinator. For further information, please visit the Student Disability Resources Web site: http://equity.psu.edu/sdr. In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation: http://equity.psu.edu/sdr/applying-for-services. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus’s disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.

Nondiscrimination Statement

The University is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission and employment for all persons.  It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information or political ideas.  Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University’s educational mission, and will not be tolerated. Direct all inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policy to the Affirmative Action Office, 328 Boucke Building.

Note: The Pennsylvania State University encourages qualified persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation in this course or have questions about physical access, please tell the instructor as soon as possible.

Mobile Devices and Computer Access

Please silence and put away your mobile devices before entering class. Please avoid the temptation to spend instructional time perusing course sites unrelated to instruction and learning for the course. Keep in mind how much money you and/or your parents are paying for this particular course and what your degree is meant to represent.