UNV 101.010 The First-Year Student Experience
Instructor
Sheng-Chiang (John) Lee
Office/Contact
SEB 244; 478-301-2599
Lee_SC@Mercer.Edu
Class Location/
Time
SEB 144
Tuesday 3:05~4:20pm
Office Hours
MWF 2~3:30 pm or by appointment
Peer Advisor
Pamela Brown
Required Materials
1.
2.
3.
4.
The Lair (Mercer Student Handbook)
2011-2012 Mercer University Bulletin
Calendar/Planner/Organizer
Access to a word processor and internet
Course Description:
Who can answer my questions? What resources are available? How can I get the most out of
college? A course that introduces you to the structure of higher education and the heritage of
Mercer University, UNV 101 is intended to help you make a successful transition to college.
You will better understand the value of a liberal arts education, identify campus support systems,
develop better learning techniques, and succeed intellectually, socially, and personally during
your first year at Mercer. Required of all first-year students who are not enrolled in an
experiential section of First-Year Seminar or MAP 101 course. Graded S/U. 1 hour credit.
Objectives:
Students who successfully complete UNV 101 will have been exposed to the following:
1. The history and heritage of Mercer as a Baptist institution, and the importance of higher education.
2. Informal (or formal) methods for critical thinking, including decision-making and problem-solving
within the context of weekly topics.
3. Appropriate study skills for their academic success.
4. Diversity issues that affect the individual, the institution, and the community.
5. Various applications of technology as they relate to the academic journey, including the
University’s e-mail system.
6. Available resources and opportunities for involvement, service-learning, and leadership on campus
and in the community.
7. Academic and social policies of Mercer University.
8. The advising and registration processes.
9. Ways to establish a productive relationship with their academic advisors and other faculty and staff.
10. Wellness issues that contribute to academic and personal success.
11. Issues related to career development and vocation, especially relating to the pre-medicine/ predentistry tracks.
UNV 101.010 The First-Year Student Experience
Grading Methods:
Students are graded on the S(satisfactory)/U(unsatisfactory) basis. Students who earn at least
75% of the “points” discussed below will receive an “S”.
Attendance & Participation
Weekly Journal
Honor Code Quiz
“Do What You Are” Assignment
Co-Curricular Activities
Interview a Professor
4-year Academic Strategic Plan
Advising Conference
30 (2 pts/week)
15 (1 pts/week)
10
10
15
5
10
5
Total 100
Attendance & Participation
Attendance of all classes is mandatory. Your participation in class discussions and projects
is crucial to achieving the desired course objectives. You are expected to read all
assignments and participate in class discussions about their content. Your attendance grade
is evaluated upon how you participate in the class discussions. If you actively contribute to
a class discussion, you will get 2 points (full credit) for the class; if you are very passive,
you will only get 1 point. Late for a class will lead to subtraction of 1 point. Absence of a
class leads to 0 point for the class. More than three absences (excused or unexcused) will
result in a course grade of “U”, regardless of your completion of other assignments.
Weekly Journal
Journaling is an excellent way for you to reflect on your academic, social, and co-curricular
experiences in this semester. 15 weekly journal entries are required over the course of the
semester. Journal entries must be typed and submitted electronically via BlackBoard or email by the midnight before each class unless otherwise noted. Use of proper grammar and
punctuation is expected, and entry length should be at least 250 words. Students choose the
topic/content of each journal that reflects one’s academic and personal experience in the
week. Each journal entry can be considered one end of a written conversation with your
instructor, and will be kept confidential.
Honor Code Quiz
Academic integrity is essential in college. For this reason, students in UNV 101 are
expected to understand and abide by the Mercer University Honor Code. To assess a
student’s level of understanding of the Code, a brief quiz will be administered and will be
worth 8 points out of the 100 points possible for the course.
“Do What You Are” Assignment
Visit the Office of Career Services and complete the “Do What You Are” activity. This
experience helps students identify their personality traits and is a great way to help you
match your interests with an academic path or career. This activity is worth 10 pt and must
be completed by 9/26 to receive credit.
UNV 101.010 The First-Year Student Experience
Co-Curricular Activities
Students must participate in at least five co-curricular activities during the semester, one
each from the categories below. Students must attend the event and submit a brief report
about it at the next class meeting that follows the event. Reports should be half to one page
length and contain the name and date of the event, a description of the event, and your
reaction to it or impressions of it. Each event is valued at 3 pt (15 pt total).
1. a visual or performing arts event
3. a Mercer athletic event
2. a meeting of a campus-wide organization (SGA, etc.) 4. a FYF seminar
5. another seminar or lecture (in addition to 4.)
Interview a Professor
The purpose of this exercise is to give you an opportunity to meet one of your professors.
You could choose a professor in whose class you may be having difficulty. Explain to the
professor that you need 10-15 minutes of his or her time to complete an assignment for
UNV 101 and make an appointment. Meet with the professor and verbally ask suggested
questions (or questions that personally interest you) which will be given in the class. The
answers will be reported back to the class for grade. You may also give a brief presentation
about your interview.
Four-Year Academic Strategic Plan
Attempt to map out all the courses you will need to graduate from Mercer over the next
four years. If you are not very sure about your major, use any major as an example.
Completion of this assignment will help you learn about the course requirements, their
prerequisites (if any), the sequence in which some courses have to be taken, and their
typical frequency of offerings. Note that class time will be devoted to this activity, which is
worth 10 pt and must be completed by 11/01 to receive credit.
Advising Conference
You are required to make an appointment for an advising conference with the instructor
during the advising and registration period for the spring semester. At this conference you
will plan your spring schedule and discuss your perceptions of college life thus far.
Attendance of and active participation in the appointment is worth 5 points.
Using BlackBoard
BlackBoard will be used for submitting your weekly journals and monitoring your progress. It is
a web-based software, which allows various interactive activities outside the class room. You
may likely encounter this software in other courses. Make sure you know how to use this
software and report to me or technical support immediately if you have any problems.
Evaluation
In an ongoing effort to improve the quality of instruction, each student enrolled in this course is
required to complete an end-of-semester course evaluation, for which you will receive
instruction and reminders through your Mercer e-mail. Students failing to submit the evaluation
by the deadline will be assigned the grade of “Incomplete,” which will automatically turn into an
“U” if the evaluation is not submitted by the midterm of the very next semester.
UNV 101.010 The First-Year Student Experience
Important Dates:
Last Day for Course Withdrawal: 10/28
Advising/Priority Registration for Spring 2012: 11/03 ~ 11/18
Class Policies:
Academic Integrity: It is expected that each student will behave honorably throughout this (and
every other) course. All students are expected to abide by the Honor Code as found in The Lair.
All violations of the Honor Code will be referred to The Honor Council. I will provide as much
information as possible to clarify my expectations for appropriate completion of assignments as
they relate to issues of academic integrity (e.g. whether collaboration is permitted on a project,
how sources should be documented, etc.). If you are unsure about any of these expectations,
please feel free to ask me.
Cell Phone and Pager Usage: Out of courtesy for all those participating in the learning
experience, all cell phones and pagers must be kept in your pocket/backpack with power/ringer
off before entering any classroom, lab, or formal academic or performance event. Warning will
be given for the first-time violation. One semester credit will be taken for each following
violation up to three times. If a student keeps violating the policy, one may be asked to leave the
room by the instructor.
Documented Disability Statement: Students with a documented disability should inform the
instructor at the close of the first class meeting or as soon as possible. If you are not registered
with Disability Services, the instructor will refer you to the Student Support Services office for
consultation regarding documentation of your disability and eligibility for accommodations
under the ADA/504. In order to receive accommodations, eligible students must provide each
instructor with a Faculty Accommodation Form from Disability Services. Students must return
the completed and signed form to the Disability Services office on the 3rd floor of the Connell
Student Center. Students with a documented disability who do not wish to use accommodations
are strongly encouraged to register with Disability Services and complete a Faculty
Accommodation Form each semester. For further information please contact Disability Services
at 301-2778 or visit the website at http://studentaffairs.mercer.edu/disabilityservices/.
UNV 101.010 The First-Year Student Experience
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Tentative Class Schedule
(FYF: First Year Friday; 10:00 am, Willingham Auditorium)
LEAP (Local Engagement Against Poverty) Service Days
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Class Date
8/23
8/26(FYF)
8/27
8/30
9/02(FYF)
9/06
9/09(FYF)
9/13
9/16(FYF)
9/17
9/20
9/23(FYF)
9/27
9/28
10/04
10/08
10/11
Topic
Course Introduction; Introduction to Higher Education
Porter Goes to College - Dr. Laurie Lankin
LEAP Day 1
Adjustment to Mercer
Academic Excellence in the First Year... and Beyond! - ARC
Ethics & Academic Integrity
Our Baptist Heritage and Service Ethic - Dr. John Dunaway
The Student-Faculty Connection - Interview Professor
Learning to Care about Citizenship - Dr. David Gushee
LEAP Day 2
Academic Success I (DWYA handout)
The Many Faces of AIDS - Dr. Harold Katner
Academic Success II
Fall Career EXPO (for job and internship interviews)
Vocational Exploration (Guest Speaker, TBA)
LEAP Day 3
Appreciating Differences
10/18
Relationships
10/20 "Lights On After School": Service Project at Tattnall Square Park
10/21 “Pilgrimage to Penfield” with SGA
Graduate School Fair
10/22 LEAP Day 4
10/25
Financial Issues
10/28 Deadline for Withdrawal
11/01
Service & Civic Engagement
11/05 LEAP Day 5
12
11/08
Advising and Registration
13
11/15
Individual Advising Appointment – No Class
11/19 LEAP Day 6
14
11/22
Involvement & Leadership (Guest Speaker: Ted Goshorn; PA)
11/29
15
16
Evaluating your first semester; Setting goals for the next semester;
Learning style revisited
12/03 LEAP Day 7
12/06
Preparing for Finals & Home; Course Evaluation