LA 10001:
Gateway to Success
Fall 2015
Mon. 1:00-1:50
Bob Evans Farms Hall 216
Professor:
Phone:
E-mail:
Office:
Office Hours:
Office Fax:
Website:
Dr. Wesley Thoene
(740)245-7347
wthoene@rio.edu
Bob Evans Farms Hall 239
Mon. & Wed. 9:45-10:00; 11:15-11:30; Mon. 1:50-2:00
Tues. 11: 50-1:00, 1:50-2:00; Thurs. 11:15-1:10
740.245.7432
http://www.rio.edu/wthoene
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Gateway to Success for School of Business majors is a one (1) credit
hour General Education course which is required of all entering students at the University of Rio
Grande/Rio Grande Community College. This course is designed to:
 develop an understanding of the learning process and campus resources, acquire basic
academic “survival skills,” and utilize information technology skills;
 examine the college experience and what it means to be a college student, including
recognition of culture diversity and the arts;
 recognize the value of time and stress management to achieve academic success
 provide an understanding of the various majors and student programs available within
the School of Business;
 recognize the career opportunities available for students who successfully complete a
degree in the field of business;
TEXTBOOK AND OTHER REQUIRED MATERIALS:
University of Rio Grande Course Catalog.
University of Rio Grande Student Handbook
GRADING POLICIES/TESTING/ASSIGNMENTS/ATTENDANCE/EXPECTATIONS
Grade calculation
Participation
Classroom Visit Activity
LA 101 Campus Activities
Library Scavenger Hunt
“Who Am I?” Paper
Journal
Major Declaration Form
% of Grade
15%
10%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
Grading Scale
A = 90-100%
B = 80-89%
C = 70-79%
D = 60-69%
F = Less than 60%
Participation/Attendance:
Participation will be measured through both attendance, the quality of comments students
make in the classroom, and completion of homework. In addition, please note that all LA101
courses have a strict attendance policy: Two absences are permitted with no effect on your
grade. Your third and fourth absences will result in a grade reduction, and the fifth absence will
result in a failure of the course.
Please note this includes the New Student Convocation which is required of students in all
LA101 courses and is scheduled for Thursday, September 17.
Classroom Visitation Activity
Students will be required to attend an upper-level business course (300- or 400-level) sometime
during the semester. Preferably, this course will be within a major you are considering (ACC,
BM, ECO, IT, or MKT). After attending the course, you will be required to write a one-page
paper regarding the course you attended, your thoughts on the class, how the class compared
to your expectations, and whether attending the class has influenced your thoughts on
prospective majors. Please note that you may need to ask the professor before attending his or
her class. If you need assistance, please feel free to ask me for help.
LA 101 Campus Activities
Students will be required to attend at least three LA 101 campus events. These events may
include sporting events, speakers, club meetings, or group-sponsored events. After attending
the event, please submit the LA 101 form found in your folder.
Journal
Students will be given a topic to write about in their journal, and they must be one page,
double-spaced. These topics may relate to campus experiences, course material, etc. The due
dates for journal entries will be discussed when topics are assigned. In total, 12 journal
submissions will be assigned during the semester.
“Who Am I?” Paper:
The “Who Am I?” paper will explain what you have learned about yourself and whether or not
the major you have chosen is an appropriate one for you and why. This will be a formal paper
and should be approximately three pages. In addition, an accompanying PowerPoint should
also be included.
The following is a tentative schedule for the course. Please note that the following dates are subject to
change, and that such changes will be announced in class.
DATE
TOPIC
MATERIAL
Aug 24
Course Overview & Introductions
∙ Introductions & Icebreakers
∙ Course syllabus
∙ Speaker: David Ding
Aug 31
Technology: Your Best Friend
∙ Speaker: Mary Bender
∙ Class in BEF 216
Sept 7
No Class- Labor Day
Sept. 14
Your Student Handbook & Catalog:
The Rio Grande Playbooks
Academics & You
∙ General Education
Requirements
∙ GPA Calculations
∙ StudentSpace
Sept. 17
New Student Convocation
(All 10:00AM classes are cancelled)
Fine Arts Auditorium
10:15 A.M.
Sept 21
Rio Grande Library: What It Can Do for You
ACTIVITY: LIBRARY SCAVENGER HUNT
∙ Speaker: Deborah Thompson
∙ Class at Library Main Floor
Sept 28
Financial Aid: Dollars and Sense
DUE: SCAVENGER HUNT ACTIVITY
Speaker: Sabrina Hurt
Oct 5
Real World Simulation
Davis Conference Room C∙
Speaker: Carol Smith
Oct 12
Studying & Time Management:
Balancing Class, Family, Work, & Video Games
ACTIVITY: HOW YOU SPEND YOUR TIME
Oct 19
Student Life: Connecting to the Campus
Student Organizations: Rio Grande AMA
∙ Speaker: Dena Warren
Oct 26
School of Business Programs: Accounting
∙ School of Business Faculty
School of Business Programs: Information Tech
Nov 2
School of Business Programs: Management
School of Business Programs: Marketing
∙ School of Business Faculty
Nov 9
Advising: Help Us Help You
ACTIVITY: SPRING SCHEDULE PLAN
∙ Speaker: Susan Haft
Nov 16
TypeFocus Activity
∙ Class in Jenkins Center
Nov 23
DUE: SPRING SCHEDULE PLAN
Business 101: How to Communicate in the Business
World
Resumes: Marketing Yourself to Employers
Nov 30
DUE: CLASSROOM VISITATION ACTIVITY
Wrapping Up
∙ Social Networking
∙ Email
∙ Business Dress
ADA POLICY: If a student wishes to be identified as having a physical, mental, or learning
disability, that may or may not require reasonable accommodation(s), he/she must register
with the Office of Accessibility. These registered students should identify themselves to their
instructors and provide a written statement from the Accessibility Office that indicates the
appropriate accommodations. The process of a student self-proclaiming the need for
accommodation should occur as early in the semester as possible. The Office of Accessibility
phone is 245-7339 and is located in Rhodes Hall, Room 116, University of Rio Grande.
FERPA: The University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College are committed to
fully respecting and protecting the rights of students under the Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act (FERPA). These rights generally include the right to inspect, review and seek
amendment to the student's education records and the right to provide written consent before
personally identifiable information from education records is disclosed. Under FERPA, students
have the right to file a complaint with the US Department of Education concerning alleged
failures to comply with FERPA. Please see the Student Records Confidentiality/Rights Under
FERPA section of the Student Handbook for details and more information.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY: Standard university policies, as described in the Student Handbook, apply.
WITHDRAWAL: Refer to Student Handbook
The University of Rio Grande/Rio Grande Community College welcomes two AmeriCorps
College Completion Coaches! Students in this section of LA100 will be working directly with one
of these coaches throughout the term.
** This syllabus is not to be construed as a contract with the
student and may be subject to change**
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Journal Topics
Journal Entry #1: Due Monday, August 31
 Reflect on your first week of college
 What did you like? What did you dislike?
 What problems (if any) did you have?
 What classes seem most interesting?
Journal Entry #2: Due Friday, September 4
 Why did you choose to attend Rio Grande?
 So far, has the college met your expectations?
o
Why or why not?
Journal Entry #3: Due Monday, September 14
 Read Bill Gates’ Rules for Life
 Choose one point and defend it or argue against it
Journal Entry #4: Due Monday, September 21
 What are your thoughts on the New Student Convocation?
 What did you like about it?
 What would you change about it?
Journal Entry #5: Due Monday, September 28
 What did you learn during the library presentation?
 Did anything surprise you about the library and its resources?
 Which resources seemed most relevant to you?
Journal Entry #6: Due Monday, October 5
 Who is your academic advisor?
o
Where did you find this information?
 Why is it important to be aware of your GPA?
 Which General Education course seems most interesting to you?
 Which General Education course seems least interesting to you?
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Journal Entry #7: Due Monday, October 12
 Have you taken any midterms yet?
 If so, how did you prepare? Was this strategy successful?
 If not, how have you begun preparing for your upcoming midterms?
Journal Entry #8: Due Monday, October 19
 How effective are you at time management?
 When completing the in-class activity, did anything surprise you about how you use
your time?
 What strategies could you use to more effectively manage your time?
Journal Entry #9: Due Monday, October 26
 What campus events or activities have you participated in?
 What did you think of these events?
 What events or activities would you like to see Rio offer?
Journal Entry #10: Due Monday, November 2
 Have you begun planning your spring schedule?
 Which classes are you thinking about taking? Why?
 What factors affect your scheduling (e.g., work schedules, athletics, family
commitments, etc.)
Journal Entry #11: Due Monday, November 9
 What are your thoughts regarding a major?
 If you have chosen one, why did you choose that particular field?
 If you have not chosen one, which are you considering?
 Has your opinion about a major changed since the beginning of school?
Journal Entry #12: Due Monday, November 16
 What was your favorite part of your first semester on campus?
 What was your least favorite part of your first semester?
 If you could go back in time and tell yourself one thing before starting college, what
would you say?
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