Covenant

The Classical World – Spring 2010

Faculty/Student Covenant

Introduction

Academic study is work we do both in solitude and together. As work we do in solitude, it requires consistent, sustained attention and effort. As work we do together, it requires making and keeping commitments to support each other’s best efforts, to listen carefully and speak honestly to each other, and to offer and accept honest feedback so as to help each other learn.

A Commitment to Respect

As participants in this program, we agree to act as follows:

  1. We will take responsibility for our own work, words, actions and responses.
  2. We will listen and speak to people the way we would like people to listen and speak to us.
  3. We will read and act in accordance with the Evergreen Social Contract, the Student Conduct Code, and the Sexual Harassment Policy.
  4. We will abide by strong ethical standards in all our relations with members of other communities.
  5. We will give our full attention to class activities and turn off all electronic devices, including cell phones and laptop computers, unless needed for a documented learning disability.

Acceptance of Responsibilities (Students)

By participating in this program as a student, I also agree to abide by the following:

I will attend all class meetings. I will be on time and prepared to participate.

If extenuating circumstances force me to be late, I will try not to interrupt the program activity and I will make sure I learn what I missed from other students, not the faculty.

If I must miss a class due to illness or emergency, I will notify my faculty in advance by phone or e-mail.  I understand that missed classes must be made up and that my make-up work must demonstrate that I have learned what I missed learning in class due to my absence. I also understand that it is my responsibility to develop a plan for my make-up work in conjunction with my seminar faculty. I further understand that if significant class time is missed and not sufficiently made up, I will receive reduced credit for the program.

I understand that, as a student in a sixteen-credit program, I am expected to put in an average of 40 hours of work into program attendance, activities and assignments each week. Some weeks will require more time, other weeks less.

I will complete and turn in all assignments on time.  I understand that late work will not be accepted except under extenuating circumstances discussed with my seminar faculty.

I will apply high standards of scholarship to all my work, including typing (double-spaced), proofreading, stapling multiple pages, and providing proper citations (see 3 as well).

I will not present others’ ideas and information as my own.  I will acknowledge the ideas and information of others, whether published or those other members of the program, when I incorporate them into my own work. The appropriate way to acknowledge ideas of other is through proper citations. For this program, use the MLA in-text citations together with a Works Cited entry at the end of the paper.

I will maintain a program portfolio, consisting of all submitted copies of written work with faculty comments, along with all workshop notes as the faculty will direct to be kept. Other material, such as lecture and seminar notes, may be included in the portfolio.

I will address conflicts and grievances promptly and with the individuals directly involved. If this does not resolve the conflict or grievance, I will then seek guidance next from my seminar leader. If the conflict is still unresolved I will speak to the faculty team. If all of these avenues have been exhausted, I will speak to the Dean (Allen Olson, 867-5485)

Since learning experiences are typically challenging, I will take initiative to ensure that my needs are met as the program unfolds.  There are a number of means by which I might do this.  These include:

  • Being open to gaining from the unexpected or undesired
  • Being flexibly responsive to changes
  • Seeking out supplementary information as desired
  • Seeking opportunities to work with other students
  • Working with tutors
  • Giving timely feedback and creative suggestions to faculty with respect and with the anticipation of being heard and valued
  • Understanding that there may be more factors involved in the development, content and delivery of a learning program than I am aware of.

I will write a transcript self-evaluation, a faculty evaluation, and attend my evaluation conference, which will be scheduled during evaluation week of each quarter.

Acceptance of Responsibilities (Faculty)

By participating in this program as a faculty member, I agree to abide by the following:

  1. I will do my best to create and maintain a high-quality program of learning opportunities.  I will take full responsibility for my work, behavior, presence, and awareness, and allow others their own responsibility.  And I will do my best to support the learning process of each student.
  2. I will review and return homework in a timely fashion (within a week).
  3. I will contact my program secretary, Sharon Wendt (x6588), in advance if an absence cannot be avoided and seek to make alternative arrangements for class activities.
  4. I will advise students who are in danger of not receiving full credit during the fifth week of the quarter or when it becomes apparent.  I will award each student full credit each quarter for doing college-level work, for good attendance, and for completing all assignments on time.  I may award less than full credit for work that fails to meet these criteria.
  5. I will complete a written evaluation of my colleague and myself.
  6. I will be prepared for and attend weekly faculty team planning meetings.

Credit and evaluation policy

Students receive credit for fulfilling minimum requirements: participating fully in program activities and completing all assignments at the college level.

College-level work specifically means …

… the ability to read, understand, and then summarize texts

… the ability to learn from texts through discussion with others

… the ability to analyze and pursue writing assignments

… the ability to write coherent, focused, correctly punctuated prose

… the ability to develop and defend a thesis

… the ability to commitment to do all of the above reliably

Your seminar faculty will inform you as early as feasible, and no later than the fifth week, if you are not working at the college level, and what you need to do in order to bring skills to the college level.

  • Plagiarism or academic dishonesty may lead to total loss of credit. Credit may be reduced due to unsatisfactory attendance (missing the equivalent of a week or more of class time is unsatisfactory), missed or late papers, failure to submit a transcript self-evaluation, failure to attend a student-faculty evaluation conference during evaluation week, or unsatisfactory performance.
  • The evaluation process is a central feature of education at Evergreen that allows students to learn by reflecting on their experiences. Students are required to submit transcript self-evaluations and faculty evaluations in order to receive credit for the program. Credit will be issued only after both these evaluations, as well as a full portfolio, has been turned in.  Evaluations and portfolio are due on the last day of class.  If not turned in by this date, a “no credit” will be issued to the student.  The student may petition to have the “no credit” changed if the portfolio is turned in within one week following the last class date.
  • Credit is not the same as a positive evaluation. It is possible to receive credit yet receive a poor evaluation.

*Faculty will send around a covenant acceptance signature sheet during the first week of class. Your signature means you accept the above program covenant. Please see faculty for any questions or concerns regarding the covenant.

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