Course Syllabus

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HSC 094 US Contemporary American Issues

Item # 7676

Summer 2018

Instructor Information:

Instructor: Renee Lynch

E-mail: renee.lynch@bellevuecollege.edu

Phone: 425-564--2179 (Basic and Transitional Studies Department office phone)

Office location: R230

Office Hours: Please email me for an appointment

Course Information

Days: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
Times: 1:30pm-3:20pm
Room: R109
Dates: July 2nd – August 16^th
No Class:

Wednesday, July 4th

Course Description

This course is about issues facing the modern United States, from the year 2000 until the present. In this class, students will develop academic reading, writing, and research skills while learning about American history and government. Topics will include presidential elections, global terrorism, immigration, and other world issues affecting the United States.

The purpose of this course is not only to inform students in a historical sense, but to practice their English reading and writing skills. Students should follow the rules of proper grammar, paragraph / essay format, spelling and punctuation on all assignments along with citing sources when used.

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to recall and understand the basic events, questions, and issues of U.S. History from 2000 through the present. This includes the following:

Explaining the process of presidential elections in the United States, including the difference between electoral college and popular vote
Illustrating the social and political consequences of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001
Evaluating potential responses of the United States to the threat of terrorism globally
Understanding the legacy of immigration to the United States in the 20^th century
Identify and discuss other contemporary world issues facing the United States

Course Outcomes

After completing this class, students should be able to:

Cite key evidence and inferences from a text
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text
Determine and summarize the organization structure and supporting details of a text
Analyze how texts make connections between ideas or compare and contrast facts
Use the writing process to convey ideas, concepts, explanations & research ideas with clear evidence
Use technology to produce and publish writing and link to cite sources

How Outcomes Will be Met

We will meet the course outcomes by:

Reading non-fiction materials relating to social studies
Writing well-organized and well-developed paragraphs and essays
Building vocabulary for reading and writing
Improving technology skills

Grading

Students attending ABE and HSC classes at BC are expected to make significant and sustained academic progress for their program and level. If academic progress, as defined in program policy, is not met, students may not continue in the program.

Your attendance is an important part of your ability to make significant and sustained academic progress. To promote your progress, the ABE program requires a minimum class attendance of 80%. If you do not meet this minimum you may be dropped from the course. Students who do not meet this requirement may not be eligible to receive tuition or parking waivers for the following quarter.

The ABE/HSC department requires students to take the CASAS reading and math assessments. Each student takes the assessment before placement into a course and a post-test after 45 hours of instruction.

Grade Scale

A – 90-100%

B – 80-89%

C – 70-79%

D – 60-69%

F – 59% or below

Your grade will be based on:

Attendance and Participation – 20%

Homework – 60%

Final Project – 20%

Recommendation will be given at the end of the quarter for continued class participation or advancement.

Books and Materials Required

The materials will be available online with links on our Canvas page.

Each student should come to class with a 3-ring binder, plenty of lined paper, pencil, pen, and eraser.

Help with Canvas

The following places are helpful for Instructors Links to an external site. or Students Links to an external site. .

Classroom Learning Atmosphere

Instructor’s Expectation

Do not miss class except in cases of emergencies or illness. If you must miss class, please e-mail me at renee.lynch@bellevuecollege.edu or send me a message on Canvas inbox. You can also call (425) 564--2179 (Basic and Transitional Studies Department office front desk) and leave a message

If you are sick, please do not come to class. If you have a fever, wait until your fever has been gone for 24 hours before returning to class.

A complete list of classroom expectations was created in class. Please find it on CANVAS.

Affirmation of Inclusion

Bellevue College is committed to maintaining an environment in which every member of the campus community feels welcome to participate in the life of the college, free from harassment and discrimination.

We value our different backgrounds at Bellevue College, and students, faculty, staff members, and administrators are to treat one another with dignity and respect.

Religious Holidays

Students who expect to miss classes, examinations, or any other assignments as a consequence of their religious observance should be provided with a reasonable alternative opportunity to complete such academic responsibilities. It is the obligation of students to provide faculty with reasonable notice of the dates of religious holidays on which they will be absent, preferably at the beginning of the term. Students who are absent on days of examinations or class assignments should be offered an opportunity to make up the work without penalty (if they have previously arranged to be absent), unless it can be demonstrated that a makeup opportunity would constitute an unreasonable burden on a member of the faculty. Should disagreement arise over what constitutes an unreasonable burden or any element of this policy, parties involved should consult the department chair, or Dean.

College Anti-Discrimination Statement

Bellevue College does not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity; color; creed; national origin; sex; marital status; sexual orientation; age; religion; genetic information; the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability; gender identity or veteran status in educational programs and activities which it operates.

Confidentiality and Mandatory Reporting

As an instructor, one of my responsibilities is to help create a safe learning environment on our campus. It is my goal that you feel able to share information related to your life experiences in classroom discussions, in your written work, and in our one-on-one meetings. I will seek to keep information you share private to the greatest extent possible. However, I am required to share with the Title IX Coordinator any and all information regarding sexual assault and other forms of sexual misconduct (e.g. dating violence, domestic violence, stalking) that may have occurred on campus or that impacts someone on campus. Students may speak to someone confidentially by contacting the BC Counseling Center at (425) 564-2212. The Title IX Office can be contacted at 425-564-2441 and more information can be found at www.bellevuecollege.edu/titleix/ Links to an external site..

For further information and contacts, please consult College Anti-Discrimination Statements Links to an external site..

FERPA

We do not wish other people (parents, spouses, and friends of students) to speak for students about school performance because this can slow student growth and progress. We do this because we would like students to speak for themselves and be independent. We also do it because federal law (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) says that we must protect the privacy of student education records. It is BC policy to keep school performance between the school and the student. If a student asks for a parent, spouse, or friend to be at any instructor-student discussion of academic performance, instructors will look at each situation and make the final decision. You can see all of this policy, Arts and Humanities Commitment to Student Growth and Development, at Arts & Humanities Links to an external site..

Student Concerns

If you have concerns about any part of this class, I encourage you to talk with me. If for any reason you don’t feel comfortable talking to me, the usual next step would be to speak with the Program Chair, Heidi Songstad, h.songstad@bellevuecollege.edu, 425-564-5729, or in her office R130Y. If Heidi is unable to help, you may contact the: Associate Dean, Tuan Dang, R130M.

Student Code of Conduct and Academic Integrity

Any act of academic dishonesty, including cheating, plagiarism (using the ideas or words of another as one’s own without crediting the source), and fabrication and inappropriate/disruptive classroom behavior are violations of the Student Code of Conduct at Bellevue College. Examples of unacceptable behavior include, but are not limited to, talking out of turn, arriving late or leaving early without a valid reason, allowing cell phones/pagers to ring, and inappropriate behavior toward the instructor or classmates. The instructor can refer any violation of the Student Code of Conduct to the Dean of Student Success for investigation. Specific student rights, responsibilities, and appeal procedures are listed in the Student Code of Conduct at: Student Code Links to an external site.

Information about Bellevue College's copyright guidelines can be found at: College Copyright Policy Links to an external site.

This link provides a good, short summary of how to avoid plagiarism: Avoiding Plagiarism Links to an external site.

Important Information

Bellevue College E-mail and access to MyBC

All students registered for classes at Bellevue College are entitled to a network and e-mail account. Your student network account can be used to access your student e-mail, log in to computers in labs and classrooms, connect to the BC wireless network and log in to MyBC. To create your account, go to: Create Email Links to an external site.

BC offers a wide variety of computer and learning labs to enhance learning and student success. Find current campus locations for all student labs by visiting the Technology Help Desk Links to an external site.

Disability Resource Center (DRC)

The Disability Resource Center serves students with disabilities. A disability includes any physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Common disabilities include physical, neurological (e.g. Autism, ADD), and mental health (e.g. depression, anxiety). If you are a student who has a disability or if you think you may need accommodations in order to have equal access to programs, activities, and services, please contact the DRC.

If you require assistance in an emergency, please meet with your individual instructors to develop a safety plan for while in class and contact the DRC to develop a safety plan for while you are elsewhere on campus.

If you are a student with a documented autism spectrum disorder, there is an additional access program available to you. Contact Autism Spectrum Navigators Links to an external site. (ASN). Email and phone number is on the web page. ASN is located in the Library Media Center in D125.

The DRC office is located in building B Room 132. You can contact the DRC by stopping by B132, calling our desk at 425-564-2498, emailing drc@bellevuecollege.edu, and Deaf students can reach us by Skype (account name DRCatBC). For more information about the services we offer, including our Initial Access Application, visit our website at www.bellevuecollege.edu/drc Links to an external site..

Accessibility

The online elements of this course are designed to be welcoming to, accessible to, and usable by everyone, including students who are English-language learners, have a variety of learning styles, have disabilities, or are new to online learning. Be sure to let me know immediately if you encounter a required element or resource in the course that is not accessible to you. Also, let me know of changes I can make to the course so that it is more welcoming to, accessible to, or usable by students who take this course in the future.

Public Safety and Emergencies

Public Safety is located in the D building (D171) and can be reached at 425-564-2400 (easy to remember because it’s the only office on campus open 24 hours a day—2400). Among other things, Public Safety serves as our Parking Permits, Lost and Found, and Emergency Notification center. Please ensure you are signed up to receive alerts through our campus alerting system by registering at RAVE Alert Registration Links to an external site.

If you work late and are uneasy about going to your car, Public Safety will escort you to your vehicle. To coordinate this, please phone ahead and let Public Safety know when and where you will need an escort.

Please familiarize yourself with the emergency postings by the door of every classroom and know where to go in the event of an evacuation. Your instructor will be asked if anyone might still be in the building, so check in before you do anything else. Emergency responders will search for anyone unaccounted for.

If a major emergency occurs, please follow these three rules:

1) Take directions from those in charge of the response -We all need to be working together.

2) Do not get in your car and leave campus (unless directed to) - Doing so will clog streets and prevent emergency vehicles from entering the scene. Instead, follow directions from those in charge.

3) In an emergency, call 911 first, then Public Safety.

Please do not hesitate to call Public Safety if you have safety questions or concerns at any time. You may also visit the Public Safety Links to an external site. web page for answers to your questions.

Academic Calendar

The Bellevue College Academic Calendar is separated into two calendars. They provide information about holidays, closures and important enrollment dates such as the finals schedule.

Enrollment Calendar Links to an external site. On this calendar you will find admissions and registration dates and important dates for withdrawing and receiving tuition refunds.
College Calendar Links to an external site.This calendar gives you the year at a glance and includes college holidays, scheduled closures, quarter end and start dates, and final exam dates.

Course Calendar*

(Note: This may change according to the needs of the students and instructor.)*

Week 1 Introduction and Course Information

During the first week of the course, students should gain access to CANVAS and understand the required materials for the course.

Week 2 Presidential Elections of 2000

Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

Understand the process of presidential elections in the United States, distinguishing between electoral college and popular vote
Apply knowledge of this process to understand and evaluate the presidential election of 2000

Weeks 3-4 Global Terrorism