The following covenant models comprises the learning guidelines and tenants of the program: 2004-05 Patience

The aim of the Patience student is to experience and bridge the duality of academia and “real life.” This separation often leads students to feel disconnected with their material. By connecting this gap, students begin to witness their own prison and can begin to understand ones self-limitations, as well as those imposed by the societal institutions. Self-discovery is the key to learning ones potential and truly comprehending ones place within the world. This will enable one to experience the humanizing process of liberation, thus equipping students with the skill to work with others towards a global liberation of the oppressed.

A group of students from the program Patience will travel to Peru in the winter of 2005 to live and learn the dynamic Freirian philosophy guiding the course. We as a group will act consciously as guests in a foreign country. We not only represent Evergreen State College, but the United States of America and must live up to the high standards, respecting the new and different cultures we encounter. Our group will experience people who live realities seemingly unfamiliar. We will be in no place to directly “question, critique or impose” our judgments on to them. It is no better or worse, just different. We as students attempting to overcome our limitations will expect times of great challenge and will attempt to accept them with an open heart. Liberation is a conscious, dynamic process in which individuals struggle through adversity to reach her/his utopia.

Academic

1. Students will be responsible for creating their own and continuously working on their emerging syllabus throughout the year.
Student traveling to Peru:
Pre-Departure:

1. As required by the Evergreen State College, students must sign a mandatory Waiver, Release, and Indemnity Agreement to be submitted to the deans.
2. Students will have adequate financial resources for the duration of their stay and a plan to obtain additional funds in case of an emergency.
3. Students will be personally responsible for health concerns, insurance and travel arrangements
4. For the first five weeks of travel in Peru, faculty will have the responsibility of arranging logistics within the host country both prior to departure and making adjustments once the program is in place. These arrangements include travel, lodging, board and any unexpected provisions.
5. Students if discussed with faculty may be able to bypass the organized five-week travel component to the program and work or travel separately. This only applies to those who have been a part of this programs Peru travel in the past.

In Country:

1. Students will abide by the laws of the host country; fully aware they are responsible for their own actions. They further understand that if they break local laws, they cannot expect legal assistance from the faculty sponsor or The Evergreen State College.
2. Students are solely responsible, both financially and otherwise, for any and all damages they may cause to persons or property as a result of negligent behavior. They are also required to maintain cleanliness and order with their living quarters, and respect for the belongings and space of others.
3. Students agree to refrain from drug use; breach in this policy will lead to the student being sent home.
4. Students will be aware of dress recommendations discussed within the group in regard to local customs.
5. Students agree to abide by the Student Conduct Code, available on The Evergreen State College Web site. http://www.evergreen.edu/aboutevergreen/social.htm
6. Students agree to refrain from discriminating against, sexually harassing, threatening or intimidating another person by words, gesture or physical assault.
7. All grievances will be solved within the community.
8. Situations resulting in a necessary support system, due to an emergency or illness will be dealt with by students and staff cooperatively.
9. Students expecting to study or travel longer than the length of the study abroad component must make prior arrangements with the faculty.

Name (Signature):
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From: Chalen Kelly [mailto:kelcha11@evergreen.edu]
Sent: Mon 10/18/2004 12:57 AM
To: Patience 2004-2005
Subject: [patience] Re: The Covenant
 
Hello Covenant Creators,

I have drafted a new version of the introduction.
Here is my attempt:

Students enrolled in Patience seek to bridge the duality of academia and "real life". We begin by recognizing that self-discovery is key to actualizing individual potential. Because recognition of limit situations is a key element of self-discovery we acknowledge the need to name the limits we impose on ourselves and on each other. We acknowledge also the responsibility of naming limits imposed by external sources like school, work, and nation. This process of naming limits allows us to move towards transcending those limits and transforming limit situations into landscapes of untested feasibility. We seek to comprehend our place in the world and to take on the responsibility of exercising our unlimited potential.

A portion of the students enrolled in "Patience" will travel to Peru during the winter of 2005. During our travel we will learn and apply Freirian educational philosophy to the best of our abilities. Traveling to Peru is an opportunity for nurturing dialog across significant difference, it is also an opportunity to witness ourselves in new contexts. On our journey we will witness realities seemingly new and unfamiliar. Attempting to overcome our limitations as we interact with new people and unfamiliar
landscapes will be challenging and worthwhile. Because we acknowledge ourselves as representatives of the Evergreen community, and because it is the right thing to do, we have agreed to behave respectfully towards each other, the new people, and the various cultures we will encounter.

My thoughts on the draft:

The two things I was trying to accomplish with this draft were: to resolve the quick shift between one, one's, and students, I tried using we throughout instead. I also tried moving the draft towards language with a bit more humility. The language in the first draft states goals that I feel are larger than what I am ready to accomplish during my brief stay in Peru.

In this draft I am also striving to maintain a positive outlook throughout the writing. I am choosing to give a higher percentage of words to the responsibilities we embrace than the prisons we are trying to avoid. Lingering on the prisons, institutions, oppression, and adversity is only a small part of what I envision moving towards transformation consists of.
Thus in this draft I have attempted to focus less on the prisons and waiting traps and more on the responsibilities we are committing to. I don't know if I accomplished these goals but this is my attempt and I submit it to you and the group for further consideration.
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This covenant comprises the learning guidelines and tenants of the program: Recognition: The Politics of Human Exchange. 

·    The paramount objective of the program is to create a community of learners.  To that end:
·    Recognition is a program based on equal commitment and responsibility by both the faculty and the students.   
·    As Recognition exists within the larger community of The Evergreen State College, all members of the community are subservient to the guidelines  set forth in the TESC Social contract. 
·    The goals of this community are to provide an environment rich in learning opportunities, facilitation of learning, and a sounding board for self-paced learning objectives.
·    Community members are expected to pursue a tract of learning objectives for their own personal improvement. 
·    As community is the primary objective, a cumulative presentation is the sole requirement for successful completion of the program and cooperation in the community.  A presentation or publication shared with the learning community of the class ensures not only commitment to the community but also commitment to the fostering of knowledge . 
·    It is understood that the activities of one individual sometimes override the needs of the community.  As such attendance is encouraged but not mandatory. 
·    Plagiarism is not accepted.  Community members guilty of plagiarism will be dealt with under TESC institutional guidelines. *

*ON ACADEMIC HONESTY:
Community members acknowledge and accept that in an academic community, sharing and taking responsibility for our own ideas is vital.  Acknowledging our use of other people’s ideas is equally important. Work that students submit must reflect their own ideas.  When incorporating the view of others, be those published authors or seminar colleagues, we must acknowledge our sources.  Since some work in this program will be collaborative and the ideas may reflect the contributions of more than one person, we agree to develop the habit of acknowledging the people and ideas that have influenced us.  We understand that presenting the work of others as our own or failing to acknowledge the use of other people’s ideas is plagiarism.  Any student who plagiarizes material will be asked to leave the program and may be required to leave the College.
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"Recognition Program Covenant of Mutual Responsibilities*
(This is just a model to help our community create our own covenant, we may use it in Patience while we create our own.)

        Every faculty team provides students with a covenant of mutual responsibilities and program requirements. All members of this learning community agree to take responsibility for their part in meeting the commitments and requirements described in this covenant.  College-wide policies as related to the Evergreen Social Contract apply to this program. This covenant will be replaced by the one created by the Recognition learning community.

Program Goals, Focus and Direction
        The intention of this 10-week program is to engage in the exploration of the dynamics of human communication in intercultural interactions.  Students and faculty will focus on creating a learning community in which all are supported as we work toward developing an understanding of what matters in intercultural encounters and an understanding of the cultural framework out of which we each operate.
        Participation in the program should help develop skills for participating collaboratively and responsibly in a diverse society; for communicating creatively and effectively; and for learning to think independently, critically and in an integrative manner.

Expectations and Responsibilities of Faculty and Students

Students and faculty will work collaboratively and independently to meet the program’s goals.  Specifically, faculty will,

Students will remain in good academic standing, which includes,                                                                                                                                                                    TO TOP

The Evaluation Process
        Faculty will meet individually with their seminar students for a final evaluation conference during Evaluation Week.  Students are expected to bring a copy of their Self-Evaluation and evaluation of the faculty member to that conference.
        Students will be evaluated at the end of the quarter for the following: satisfactory completion of all assignments; active participation in program activities; improvements of academic skills; and demonstration of understanding of the terminology, themes, issues and techniques discussed in the program.
        Each faculty member will evaluate students in his seminar with the input from the other faculty team member.  Seminar leaders will form their evaluations by examining the writing students’ submit, their contributions in seminars, their participation in workshops, their projects and final portfolio, and the completion of assessments, including the student’s self-evaluation.
        The evaluation is a statement describing the quality of a student’s work.  Students receive full credit for fulfilling minimum standards and requirements.  It is possible for a student to attend regularly yet receive reduced credit because of unsatisfactory performance or missing work.  It is also possible for a student to receive credit and receive an evaluation that describes poor quality work.

Due Process in Resolving Grievances
        This program operates under the College’s Social Contract and prohibition against discrimination. Complementing Evergreen’s Social Contract is the Student Conduct Code ? Grievance and Appeals Process. Evergreen has long promoted a policy that conflict and grievances should first be dealt with between the parties themselves.  The following procedures should be followed:

  1. Take up the concern with the parties involved in the grievance.  If not resolved?
  2. Meet with the seminar leader.  If still not resolved:
  3. Meet with the faculty team.  If still not resolved:
  4. Meet with the Academic Dean.
Academic Honesty
        Students and faculty acknowledge and accept that in an academic community, sharing and taking responsibility for our own ideas is vital.  Acknowledging our use of other people’s ideas is equally important. Work that students submit must reflect their own ideas.  When incorporating the view of others, be those published authors or seminar colleagues, we must acknowledge our sources.  Since some work in this program will be collaborative and the ideas may reflect the contributions of more than one person, we agree to develop the habit of acknowledging the people and ideas that have influenced us.  We understand that presenting the work of others as our own or failing to acknowledge the use of other people’s ideas is plagiarism.  Any student who plagiarizes material will be asked to leave the program and may be required to leave the College.

*This document reflects the ideas of faculty member Jose’ Gomez whose work can be viewed on the academic program web page for “How can you tell an American?”
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