Imagining the Past: Program Covenant
Winter, 2005
COVENANT: We, students and faculty in the Imagining the Past program, will create a lively and serious community of learners. We will explore together (in all senses of the word), work together, and learn from each other. Such a community is based on mutual respect and consideration.
The faculty agree to:Prepare syllabi and assignments that are clear and on time.
Return assignments within one week.
Facilitate synthetic learning
Help each other learn new skills
Respond quickly to questions/concerns (email or in person)
Keep it interesting and be willing to risk
Listen to all students’ ideas: be open-minded; there’s no dogmatic law of right and wrong
Demand and display respect for your students
Help students access other resources
Everyone has the responsibility for mediation
The students agree to:
Complete all assignments on time.
Participate in all program activities—on time
Take up problems/disputes with the parties involved first. If necessary, take them to the faculty team. If necessary, take them to Eddy Brown the program’s dean or, as a next step, Joe Tougas, the campus adjudicator.
Help each other learn new skills
SeminarPrepare 2 discussion points ready for each seminar
Expect and facilitate participation in seminar
Create an atmosphere in seminar where people are comfortable speaking
Try to see all sides of the argument before stating own perspective
Make an effort to stay on the topic of discussion
Respect everyone’s ideas
Create diverse, creative, well researched arguments from multiple perspectives
make sure to follow expectations and guidelines
Try to refrain from repeating what some one else has just said
Pay attention to the content and form of writing and filmPeer Critique
take critique and revision seriously
Respect each other’s creative liberties
Give honest, constructive and courteous criticism
Create comfortable environment for those new to peer critique
Give specific suggestions in critiquing.
don’t let personal biases get in the way
The Project
Give advance Notification to project members of schedule conflicts
In General
No dogmatic law of right and wrong
Expression is key, even if it contradicts
Everyone has the responsibility for mediation
Encourage one another and be cool to people
Brotherhood and sisterhood
Share your own focus and skills with others
Try harder, do your best, and know that’s not good enough
Be interested, passionate and inspired
Come to group meetings prepared with readings and materials
Push boundaries intellectually and sociallyWe enter into a covenant with each other to demonstrate the seriousness with which we approach this learning.