Trees, Timber, and Trade      Fall 2001/ Winter 2002

Student/Faculty Covenant

Subject matter and Goals

General Goals

Trees, Timber, and Trade is an all-level program. We will attempt to provide opportunities so that each one of you is challenged. If you find that the program is overwhelming or not engaging, please come and talk to us and be prepared to suggest changes that could improve your learning.

By the end of this program, we expect that you will have demonstrated proficiency in and/or knowledge of:

• General ecology principles and concepts, especially as they apply to forests;

• Identification of local trees, shrub, and understory plants;

• Introductory economic principles;

• Ecological economics;

• Statistics;

• Technical writing skills;

• Library research skills;

• Presentation skills? oral and written communication;

• Critical thinking as demonstrated through writing projects and discussions.

 Mastery of these topics will be demonstrated through discussions, group activities, study questions and other written work, participation in the labs, notes, and observations recorded in your notebook, and exams. The quality of work, level of understanding, effort and extent of improvement all will be important in evaluation.

In addition, we expect that you will make significant progress towards fulfilling the Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate:

• Articulate and assume responsibility for your own work

• Participate collaboratively and responsibly in our diverse society

• Communicate creatively and effectively

• Demonstrate integrative, independent, and critical thinking

• Apply qualitative, quantitative, and creative modes of inquiry appropriately to practical and theoretical problems across disciplines

 • As a culmination of your education, demonstrate depth, breadth and synthesis of learning and the ability to reflect on the personal and social significance of that learning.

You will be asked to plan your educational path to fulfill these expectations and to reflect on your progress towards them in your evaluations.

Commitments of the faculty to the students

We agree to enter into a learning community with you and the other students and to:

• Prepare for, participate in, and guide learning from lectures, laboratories, discussions of the texts, workshops, group and individual projects;

• Read, evaluate, and return your work with reasonable dispatch;

• Respond to students’ questions and concerns about the material, pace, and/or organization of the program;

• Be available at least one hour per week ("office hours") for individual student concerns;

• Keep students informed about their progress and notify students by the end of the fifth or sixth week of the term if her/his work is not satisfactory;

• Be aware of our own needs as scholars and as human beings, reserving the right to reevaluate and adjust the pace of the program should it be deemed necessary to achieve personal and program goals;

• Provide for a written evaluation of each student’s work at the end of each term following the guidelines of section 7.620 in the Faculty Handbook.

• Support your overall academic interest.

 Faculty expectations of students

We expect a high degree of personal commitment from you?to your own learning, to group work, and to the class as a whole. The basic assumption of this course is that learning results from a continuing process of rational discourse. Within the course there are both opportunities and responsibilities. You have opportunities to learn about a variety of subjects and your responsibilities are to maximize your learning from the course, maximize the learning of your classmates, and apply what you have learned.

Student Responsibilities

  1. Carefully read all written material passed out in class.We spend a great deal of time anticipating your questions and developing handouts to assist your learning—Read them! If you have questions or something is unclear, ask!
  2. Come on time to all lectures, seminars, and laboratories?with any assigned readings, problem sets, or written work completed. This class is structured around interactive discussions. Your presence is crucial, both for yourself and for your classmates. Furthermore, it is rude, selfish and insensitive to expect others to wait for you to show up. If you miss a few days because of illness or emergency, please contact us as soon as possible. Otherwise we will assume you are goofing off. We recognize that "Life Happens" and that, from time to time, emergencies may arise...usually we can work something out.
  3. Turn in all required assignments on time. You should not expect the faculty to read or comment on work received late and if lateness is a continual problem, it will be noted in your evaluation.
  4. Discuss any problems or issues with the involved parties as soon as possible. During this program, you may experience problems that affect your understanding and progress. If another student is involved, discuss the situation with him/her. If you can not reach a mutually agreeable resolution, or if the faculty are involved, please come and talk with us ASAP. It is much easier to resolve these situations early instead of letting them grow and fester.
  5. Show a positive, cooperative attitude towards the faculty, other students, and the program as a whole?this is of primary importance in this program. We will depend on students working together and helping one another. Those who understand are encouraged to help those who don’t. Share what you know in such a way so as not to belittle others for not knowing.
  6. Maintain a portfolio of all your work neatly organized by topic and date.
  7. Participate fully and cooperatively in group activities, including workshops, labs, and study groups. Inform us promptly of difficulties, confusions, and problems with any aspect of the program.
  8. Write a detailed, thoughtful self evaluation that reflects achievement in the program at the end of the term. These self evaluations will become the basis of your final evaluation.
  9. Write a thoughtful faculty evaluation at the end of the term and deliver it to the program secretary or us by the time of the evaluation conference at the end of the term. Evergreen is based on mutual evaluation and this is an important component of your education. We will not award credit until you have turned in both a self and faculty evaluation.
Requirements for Awarding of Credit

Credit will be awarded for participating in and completing the entire body of work for the program. Evaluations will be based on: attendance, participation in seminar, written work, and performance on examinations. The quality of your work, the level of your understanding, and the extent of your improvement will all be reflected in your evaluation. A comment about promptness or lateness of work will be included in your evaluation. All work must be completed by the end of the term.

1. Each student who regularly attends and participates in lectures, labs, workshops, and other scheduled activities, who completes the exams and all assignments, and who turns in self and faculty evaluations?all with acceptable content and quality?can expect to receive full credit (see Credit Requirements Checklist for specific details).

2. Any student whose work appears not to be meeting standards for credit will be so informed by the faculty in writing by the end of the fifth or sixth week of the term with suggestions for improvement. However, students who do not receive a written mid-term warning may be denied credit based on unsatisfactory performance after the fifth week.

3. Any student who plagiarizes material through failure to attribute and acknowledge sources or through failure to acknowledge joint authorship, or who cheats on quizzes or exams is liable to lose all credit for the quarter.

 If you wish to challenge your evaluation, should follow the procedures outlined in the Student Handbook. The first step is to you may meet with us to present and discuss your objections. Satisfactory completion of all the course work is expected for full credit. In rare cases, partial credit will be awarded for partial completion of the course work.

Incompletes generally will not be granted. They will be considered only in very extenuating circumstances. Incompletes may be given in case of illness, but a physician’s written notification will be required. Such incompletes must be completed by the 5th week of the subsequent quarter.

Credit Requirements Checklist

In order to receive full credit, students must :

getting "the boot"

A student may be asked to leave the program for failure to meet the responsibilities and guidelines set forth in this covenant or for behavior that is consistently disruptive, antagonistic, or inimical to the conduct of the program. Use of drugs or alcohol during any program activities or attending program activities under the influence of drugs or alcohol constitute grounds for immediate dismissal from the program.

A student who is doing unsatisfactory work or seems to be out of touch with the program’s goals may be advised to leave but not forced to do so. We will make a reasonable effort to help such students overcome their difficulties. A student who is asked to leave and wishes to appeal may do so by arranging to meet with us to discuss the matter. Our decision after this meeting will be binding. The usual avenues of higher appeal remain open, of course.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT of Covenant

Your continued enrollment in this program will serve as your acknowledgement, acceptance and agreement to the conditions outlined herein.