UMD’s general policies can be found at this link. The text below is a supplement to these policies and describes the principles I aim to follow in creating our classroom space.
Grading
This basic rubric describes my
interpretation of the Marking System in UMCP’s Undergraduate Catalog.
Detailed expectations for each graded element of the course can be found
in the online syllabus.
A range (A+, A, A-): Denotes excellent mastery of the subject and outstanding scholarship. A-range work is likely to be described as: deeply thought through; nuanced; complex but not confusing; comprehensively researched; fully understands key ideas and casts new light on them.
B range (B+, B, B-): Denotes good mastery of the subject and good scholarship. B-range work is likely to be described as: interesting; well researched; solid understanding of key concepts; clearly expressed, but sometimes missing out on complexity, or complex but becoming a little confusing at times; fairly thoughtful.
C range (C+, C, C-): Denotes acceptable mastery of the subject. C-range work is likely to be described as: interesting but not fully thought through; confusing; research that is barely sufficient; simplistic understanding of key concepts; frequent factual or mechanical errors.
D range (D+, D, D-): Denotes borderline understanding of the subject. It denotes marginal performance, and it does not represent satisfactory progress towards a degree. D-range work is likely to be described as: insufficiently researched; poorly thought through; misunderstanding key concepts; failing to meet all requirements of the assignment; difficult to understand due to writing, formatting, or technical errors.
F grade: Denotes failure to understand the subject and unsatisfactory performance. F work is likely to be described as: failing to meet any basic requirements of the assignment; plagiarized or absent research; very difficult to read due to writing, formatting, or technical errors.
Grade percentage ranges (will be rounded at professor’s discretion):
A+ 98-100 / A 93-97 / A- 90-92
B+ 87-89 / B 83-86 / B- 80-82
C+ 77-79 / C 73-76 / C- 70-72
D+ 67-69 / D 63-66 / D- 60-62
F 0-60
Classroom participation and in-class media
You
are required to be present, punctual, prepared, and ready to engage in
every scheduled class session. Bring the texts under discussion every
day, in print or electronic format, and make sure you have read them
carefully. You are welcome to bring your laptop or tablet, but please
use it to participate: to access readings and the class blog, or to find
information that will add to the discussion. This is a small seminar,
and everyone’s experience is diminished if even one person is tuned out;
please respect your colleagues and try to stay present. In general,
know yourself: if you won’t be able to resist the internet’s siren call,
turn off your wireless or take notes on paper.
Attendance
In a seminar setting, everyone’s
participation is necessary – and in order to participate, you have to be
present. However, I know that sometimes things happen that affect our
schedules in ways we can’t control. Therefore, you can miss two classes without giving a reason.
After the second absence, you will lose 10% of your participation grade
for every absence. Tardiness of more than 15 minutes counts for half an
absence. When you miss class or are late, it is your responsibility to
catch up by asking a classmate for notes from discussion and catching up
on reading. You are also always welcome to stop by my office hours and
discuss the readings for the day that you missed. If you must be absent
more than once for illness or other reasons, let me know and we can
discuss possible accommodations.
Email
Faculty and advisors use email to convey
important information, and students are responsible for keeping their
email address up to date, and must ensure that forwarding to another
address functions properly. Failure to check email, errors in
forwarding, and returned email are the responsibility of the student,
and do not constitute an excuse for missing announcements or deadlines.
You must check your university email every day, as I will email with
announcements of any last minute changes, including what to do if we
have a class cancellation due to inclement weather etc. You are always
welcome to email me with questions (alothian@umd.edu). I will aim to
respond within 24 hours (48 if you email over the weekend). I expect the
same turnaround time when I email you. My answers in email are likely
to be short; if you have something you want to discuss in more depth, I
prefer that you make an appointment to see me in office hours.
Web
The course website, at
http://dcc208fa19.queergeektheory.org, is where class material will be
hosted, and it is vital that you check before every class. You will also
be posting to the website regularly. Make sure that you are logged in
when you visit the website, as much important material is only available
to registered students. Your username is your last name, and your
initial password is hdcc208; make sure to change your password after
your initial login.
There is a shared document on the class website for notes (logged in students only), which you can use in class or outside. This is also a place where you can post questions, comments, or observations that may be useful to your fellow students. We may use it for some of our in-class exercises.
Deadlines
Assignments turned in late will lose
points equal to one letter grade per day unless you have been given an
extension. If you think you are likely to have problems meeting a
deadline, always talk to me in advance. I make decisions about
extensions on a case by case basis, but if I can see that you are
managing your time as best you can in the face of adverse circumstances,
I am more likely to offer you some leeway. If you miss a deadline, turn
in the assignment to the best of your ability as soon as you can for
partial credit.
Emergency protocol
In the event of emergency
campus university closures, I will send an email explaining how lost
material will be made up. We may meet online in a chat room or Google
Hangout, reschedule class, or make adjustments to the syllabus.
