Gender and Sexuality: History, Culture and Politics
The Evergreen State College, Fall 2008 and Winter 2009
Greg Mullins and Red Tremmel, Members of the Faculty
By registering for and participating in this program, students agree to the following covenant:
A. EXPECTATIONS FOR LEARNING. Students and faculty agree to work individually and collaboratively to realize the learning objectives of the program. Students agree to be prepared to speak, listen, read and write well; take every opportunity to go beyond self-limitations; commit to learning from each assigned text, activity, and class meeting; take responsibility for becoming a contributing member of the group; complete assignments on time; and attend all meetings.
Students aren’t expected to have the skills or experience to be a strong classroom participant at the beginning of the quarter, but are expected to improve communication skills over time. This can vary by individual. For example, students who are uncomfortable with public speaking will work to increase verbal participation and/or to develop other ways to contribute to the program’s collective knowledge. Students who are comfortable with public speaking will work to improve listening skills, the ability to draw other students into discussion, the powers of persuasion, etc. No matter the starting place, all agree to develop their communication, debating, and listening skills.
B. LEARNING IN THE MIDST OF CONFLICT. The root word "camp" in "campus" means conflict or struggle. A college campus is an arena for the exchange of ideas, with the expectation that unfamiliar ideas will challenge us to think in new ways. "Camp" also gives us the word "campaign"; on a college campus we pursue an intellectual rather than a military “campaign.” It is vitally important that we speak openly about our needs and concerns and that we respect the needs and concerns of others. As we work across differences in the program we expect to encounter conflict, and when conflict arises we agree to proceed with respect and civility. All students are vital to this program, whether or not they have a sexual or gender identity or how these combine with or express facets of personal or social identities.
As a learning community, we can thrive only if we respect the rights of others while enjoying our own rights. Students and faculty may differ widely in their specific interests, in the degree and kinds of experiences they bring to Evergreen, and in their viewpoints on a variety of issues. All must share alike in prizing academic and interpersonal honesty, in responsibly obtaining and providing full and accurate information, and in resolving their differences through due process and with a strong will to collaboration. To that end, faculty and students in this program understand that everyone at Evergreen is bound by Evergreen’s Social Contract, which sets forth rights and responsibilities essential to promoting and maintaining a learning community that is vibrant, creative and effective.
C. READ AND ABIDE BY COLLEGE REGULATIONS. The Social Contract and the Student Conduct Code govern actions and responsibilities in this program and in all aspects of campus life. Students agree to read and abide by these documents:
Evergreen’s Social Contract: http://www.evergreen.edu/aboutevergreen/social.htm
The Student Conduct Code: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=174-120
D. ACCESSIBILITY. Students with disabilities should contact Access Services (867-6348 / TTY 867-6834) and inform themselves of the resources the college offers. Accomodations are made based on the documentation you provide, and it is the student’s responsibility to initiate the process. Please do so as early as possible, as accomodations are made from the point in time you make your request, not retroactively.
E. ATTENDANCE. Attendance at all meetings is required. At the same time, if you carry a contagious airborne illness (such as a cold or flu) you are required to stay home. This is a frustrating but necessary contradiction.
Recognizing that excusable and unavoidable absences may occur from time to time, students can be absent from up to 20% of all program activities and still earn full credit. Bear in mind that this 20% should absorb any illnesses, medical appointments, court dates, observance of religious holidays, personal or family emergencies, obligations to college athletic competitions, alarm clock or transportation fiascos, etc. Please note that under this policy, asking faculty “permission” to be absent is inappropriate. However, out of courtesy you should let your instructor know (preferably by telephone or e-mail) if you expect to be absent. You are responsible for discussing the program activity with other students and asking about announcements you may have missed.
We meet twice on Mondays and once on Wednesdays and Fridays. If you are absent in the morning and afternoon on a Monday, you’ve missed 5% of the entire quarter. Absences in excess of 20% will lead to the loss of all credit for the quarter.
A pattern of tardiness can also lead to credit reduction. If you are habitually late to class, you may lose up to 1 credit per week of habitual tardiness.
F. FACTORS TO BE COUNTED IN THE EVALUATION PROCESS. Students understand that they will be evaluated at the end of each quarter based on the learning objectives expressed in the program syllabus and on meeting the program requirements. Students agree that they will submit a formal self-evaluation and that this document will be part of their evaluation. Failure to submit required assignments by the announced deadline will lead to loss of credit according to this formula:
Seminar Preparation assignment 1 credit (per seminar)
Week two fictional self-evaluation 1 credit
Week three essay 1 credit each for: first draft; comments on peers’ drafts; final draft
Week five essay 1 credit each for: first draft; comments on peers’ drafts; final draft
Oral history research 2 credits
Oral history transcription 2 credits
Oral history analysis of transcript 1 credit
Final group presentation (including reflective writing exercise) 4 credits
Self-evaluation 1 credit
Work submitted late will earn reduced credit: -1credit per 24 hours
G. EVALUATION OF STUDENTS. Evaluation conferences will be held at the end of the course. Credit is not the same as positive evaluation. Students receive credit for fulfilling minimum requirements and standards. The evaluation is a statement describing the quality of the student's work. It is possible for a student to receive credit but receive an evaluation that describes poor quality work. It is also possible for a student to attend regularly yet receive reduced or no credit because of unsatisfactory performance.
H. EVALUATION PROCEDURES. Students agree to write a self-evaluation and attend a conference with the faculty leader. The self-evaluation will become part of the student’s transcript.
Students also agree to write an evaluation of the faculty member. This can be submitted at the conference or handed to the program secretaries in Sem II A2117, but in any event must be completed by the end of evaluation week.
I. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES. It is vitally important to act on grievances in a timely fashion. If a student has a grievance regarding the faculty member or another student, the following steps to resolve it must be taken in the order listed:
1. Take up the concern with the parties involved in the grievance.
2. If not resolved, meet with the faculty leader.
3. If still not resolved, meet with the academic dean.
In the rare case that the grievance is so grave that it cannot be addressed directly with the person concerned, the situation may be addressed first to the faculty member or academic dean, who may exercise discretion about step one above. In such cases, the college offers a range of support services. Among these are the Grievance Office (x6891), Access Services (x6348, TTY 360-867-6834), Counseling Center (x6800), First People’s Advising (x6467), Housing (x6132), and Sexual Assault Prevention Office (x5221). The Grievance Office can refer you to additional support services.
J. PLAGIARISM AND ACADEMIC DISHONESTY. Whenever you copy/paste (or otherwise use) material from sources other than your own writing and thinking (or your partner or team who is authoring the document with you), you must so specify. Even if you paraphrase and do not quote directly from another source, you must indicate your source. Academic dishonesty (including cheating) and plagiarism are governed by the Social Contract and the Student Code of Conduct. Within this program, incidents will be approached in this manner:
• When the instructor encounters a situation in which the student made an honest mistake, and wished to attribute the source but didn’t know how to do so correctly, the student will repeat the assignment using proper attribution and will receive half credit for the assignment. The student’s name will be forwarded to the Campus Grievance Officer, who tracks incidents of academic dishonesty.
• When the faculty leader encounters a situation in which the student knowingly or blatently disregards the Social Contract and the Student Code of Conduct regarding academic honesty, the student will receive no credit for the quarter, and the case will be referred to the Campus Grievance Officer for possible additional investigation and ajudication.
K. RECREATIONAL DRUG USE. Any recreational drug use at a program meeting will be grounds for immediate dismissal from the program. “Recreational drug use” is the use of psychoactive drugs for recreational rather than medical or spiritual purposes. “Psychoactive” drugs include alcohol, hallucinogens, cannabis, cocaine, heroine, psychedelics, and other substances (other than coffee, tea, soft drinks and confections) used to alter mood or body function.
L. SMOKING. Smoking or secondarily inhaling smoke is harmful to everyone’s health. For that reason, smoking is prohibited except in a very few designated areas on the campus. You may not expect that breaks in class time will be long enough for you to walk to one of these areas, smoke, and return to class on time. If you smoke outside a designated area, you are in violation of the Student Code of Conduct, and the incident will be reported to the Campus Grievance Officer.
M. CELL PHONES AND LAPTOPS. Please turn off both the ringer and the vibrator on your cell phones, and don’t take or make calls or send or receive texts during class, except in cases of emergency. Laptops in the classroom may only be used for program work. Students agree not to surf the web, check email, etc. while in class.
N. EMAIL COMMUNICATION. Students agree to keep their email address updated with registration and records, to set their spam blockers to accept email from Evergreen, to keep their inboxes sufficiently empty so that they can receive mail, and to check that email account regularly. Communications relevant to the program will be sent to that address.
O. BREAKS. Faculty will schedule brief breaks during class time. Students agree that except for a rare emergency or unforeseen event, the breaks—rather than class time—are the appropriate times to take care of restroom, coffee or other personal matters. Students also agree to return to the classroom promptly at the end of the break.
P. INCLEMENT WEATHER AND CLASS CANCELLATION. If storms or other calamities cause the campus to be closed, program meetings will be cancelled. You can learn about campus closure by listening to radio announcements or calling the campus operator. In addition, if traveling on a dangerous road would endanger your life, please put your life first. If the campus is open but the instructors deems it necessary to cancel class for weather or other reasons, they will make that announcement via email (see N above).
Q. PERSONAL INFORMATION. Students agree that personal information shared in class is offered in confidence and may not be repeated to people outside the program. Students also agree that the classroom is suited for academic inquiry and not for group or individual therapy.
R. STUDENTS MAY BE ASKED TO LEAVE THE PROGRAM. The faculty may dismiss from the program a student whose behavior disrupts the attempts of others to learn.