TECA 1303 – page 1
Academic English as a Second Language
Southwest College
ENGL 0349 – Advanced Composition for Foreign Speakers
CRN: 69486 - Fall 2013
Stafford Campus: Room W110
Scarcella| 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Sat.
3 hour lecture course and 1 lab hour / 64 hours/16 weeks
Instructor: Charlotte Boykin McKelvy
Instructor Contact Information: e-mail: charlotte.mckelvy@hccs.edu
Please feel free to contact the instructor concerning any problems that you are experiencing in this course. You
do not need to wait until you have received a poor grade before asking for assistance. Your performance in my
class is very important. Your teacher is available to hear your concerns and just to discuss course topics. Feel
free to see me after class or email me with any concerns.
Course Description
English 0349 helps ESL students prepare for American core academic college courses. Students learn
composition (comp) skills for writing in a variety of academic classes, such as in the humanities, social
sciences, and business. ENGL 0349 is the exit-level comp class for non-native speakers who plan to continue
their education and earn a college degree. After passing this course, students should be ready to take ENGL
1301 (freshman comp), and to successfully complete other college courses as well as any state-mandated
writing assessment designed to measure college readiness, such as THEA.
Prerequisites
Completion of and a passing grade in ENGL 0347 or a minimum score of 68 on the CELSA and departmental
recommendation. However, a final decision will also be based on the first day diagnostic essay (with the
exception of those coming from ENGL 0347).
Course Goals
The primary goals of ENGL 0349 are to prepare non-native English speakers for ENGL 1301 as well as all the
writing tasks they will encounter in their academic studies at HCCS, other institutions of higher learning, and
ultimately in the professional world.
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Student Learning Outcomes
The student will be able to:
1. Integrate, in a single essay, the rhetorical styles such as description, exemplification, process analysis,
comparison/contrast, cause/effect, and argumentation, taught in previous AESL and ESOL courses.
2. Apply the writing process to tasks closely equivalent to those of native speaker composition courses.
3. Increase proficiency in paraphrasing and summarizing, focusing on material from college level academic
content courses.
4. Demonstrate the ability to remediate their own specific English language competency problems through
extensive editing practice and use of online resources.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Practice the writing tasks required in college-level courses
Demonstrate critical thinking
Identify register and tone
Understand connotation versus denotation
Integrate summarizing and paraphrasing from academic course materials in support of a thesis
Demonstrate conventional use of attributions, quotations, and citations
Demonstrate knowledge of advanced vocabulary, grammar and sentence structure usage
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ENGL 0349
Calendar: Fall 2012
THIS CALENDAR IS SUBJECT TO REVISION
DATES TO REMEMBER:
Aug. 26
Aug. 26
Sept. 2
Sept. 9
Nov. 1
Nov. 27
Nov. 28 to Dec. 1
Dec. 8
Dec. 9-15
Dec. 20
First day of Fall Semester classes
Last day to add/drop/swap a class
Labor Day Holiday – Offices Closed
Official Date of Record
Last day (by 4:30 p.m.) to drop with a “W”
No evening classes before Thanksgiving Holiday
Thanksgiving Holiday – Offices Closed
Instruction ends
Final Exams
Grades available to students
IMPORTANT PROCEDURES TO FOLLOW:
Some journals and first draft compositions will be written in class. Expect quizzes on any reading assignment,
writing or grammar lesson.
FIRST: SUBMIT YOUR JOURNALS AND FIRST DRAFT ESSAYS TO TURN-IT-IN. (LATE
SUBMISSIONS OF ESSAYS WILL HAVE 10 POINTS TAKEN OFF FOR EACH LATE DAY. LATE
JOURNALS WILL BE A 0). Unless otherwise indicated in the syllabus, in class, or by email, journals will be
due in class every Thursday. Unless otherwise indicated in the syllabus, in class, or by email, reading
assignments and vocabulary assignments must by completed by the beginning of class on Mondays, and
students should be prepared for pop quizzes on the reading material, as well as on the grammar material from
the Learning Web.
Go to a tutor with your first draft of your essay after you have submitted it to Turn-it-in and before turning in
your final typed composition. A signature from the tutor is required. For Ask-on-line, documentation must be
included with your final draft. Any documentation not included with the final draft will not be given credit (NO
EXCEPTIONS!)
All handouts will be sent by email so you must register with HCC email.
All assignments must have the correct MLA heading: (SAMPLE BELOW:)
First, Last Name
Prof. McKelvy
English 0349
Date
Assignment I.D. (i.e. CW (Classwork), HW (Homework), C1D1 (Essay 1, First Draft), etc.
Title of Assignment and Page No. (if applicable)
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Instructional Materials:
New Directions, Second Edition, by Peter S. Gardner (required)
English/English dictionary (no electronic or bilingual dictionaries) The COBUILD Dictionary is available in the
HCC bookstore, but you may buy another American English dictionary
A Thesaurus (highly recommended)
Loose-leaf notebook paper
blue or black and red pen
An email address
Two Examination Books (“Blue Book” mid-term and final essay)
A one and a half-inch ring binder
6 Scantrons: Green with abc answer blanks
Stapler
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New Directions Unit 1 --- Intercultural Communication
Classwork and Homework
WEEK 1
8/31
Sign in to class (Sign-in sheet)
Fill out Retention form.
Fill out Student Information Form
Diagnostic Writing
Homework: Journal # 1: Establish e-mail contact; introduce yourself in a
paragraph with a minimum of ten sentences.
Diagnostic Objective Test (Bring a scantron).
Homework ReadingAssignment:
American Values and Assumptions pp. 4 – 13;
Homework: p. 16 (Vocab in Context)
WEEK 2
9/7
Students Choice Readings
Where Do We Stand pp. 18 - 22
OR
Time Talks with an Accent pp. 27 – 31
Computer Lab: Sign into Turnitin.com and submit Journal 2.
Journal No, 2: p. 13, New Directions, “Reading Journal” No. 1 or 3.
Write at least 300 words.
Homework: Learning Web: Grammar/Parts of Speech/ Nouns and Articles
WEEK 3
9/14
Polite but Thirsty, pp. 36 – 39 (Chinese) or
Friends and Strangers, pp 40- 43 (Arabic) or
A Coward pp. 44 – 51 (Indian)
Journal No. 3: Read the “Stages of Cultural Adjustment,” p. 38 and identify the
stage that you are in now. Which previous stage was hard for you? Explain.
First, review pages 102–132.
Composition No. 1: See instructor’s handout for the assignment.
Homework: Complete LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR”: Verbs: Simple
Present Tense, Simple Past Tense, Present Progressive and Past Progressive.
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New Directions: Unit 2 - Education
WEEK 4 (CONT.)
9/21
First, review page x (Journal Writing). Write your Journal No. 4 assignment
From one of the readings below :
“School is Bad for Children” (pages 58-63)
or “How the Web Destroys” (pages 67–72)
Homework: Select either of the Vocabulary in Context exercises from these
two readings.
Homework: Complete LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR” Simple Future
Tense and Present Perfect Tense, Future Progressive and Present Perfect
Progressive.
Due: Typed copy of Comp. 1 (double space, Times New Roman 12 pt.)
WEEK 5
9/28
Select one Student’s Choice Reading
Multiple Intelligences .(pages 77–83)
OR The Teacher Who Changed My Life (pages 88–92)
OR Let’s Tell the Story of All America’s Cultures (pages 93–95)
Journal 5: Choose at least three of the following topics and write between 650 and 750
words (note computer word count at bottom of final page), with outline stapled on top of
your paper.
 Preliminary Questions (page 57)
 Reading Journal (page 63)
 Reading Journal (page 72)
 Reading Journal (page 83)
 Making Connections (page 87)
 Reading Journal (page 92)
Homework: Complete LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR”: Past Perfect Tense and
Past Perfect Progressive.
Main Composition 2—In-class essay: Write between 450 and 500 words on a topic
related to this Unit.
Do Peer Review of Comp. 2.
.
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New Directions—Unit 3: Technology
Class Readings and Homework
WEEK 6
10/5
Computers and the Pursuit of Happiness, pp. 137 – 144 and
We’ve Got Mail – Always, pp. 149 – 154
HOMEWORK: Either of the Vocabulary in Context exercises related to
these two readings
TYPED COPY OF COMP. 2 DUE (DOUBLE SPACE).
Homework: Complete LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR” Future Perfect Tense
and Future Perfect Progressive.
WEEK 7
10/12
All Watched Over by Machines. p. 182
Figures of Speech Lecture
HOMEWORK: Complete LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR” Pronouns.
Students Shall Not Download. Yeah, Sure pp. 171 – 175 or
Don’t Touch That Dial pp. 176 – 178 or
Conceptual Fruit, pp. 179 – 181
Writing with Sources Lecture
Journal 6–. This may be all about one of the following choices OR a combination of
three or more:
 Any or all “Questions Raised in Chapter 3”, p. 135
 Reading Journal, p. 144
 Reading Journal, p. 154
 Making Connections, p. 170
 After You Read, p. 175
 After You Read. P. 178
WEEK 8
10/19
Rough Draft of Essay Three (IN CLASS) and Peer Review (IN CLASS),
based on #1,2,3, or 4 p. 185
HOMEWORK: Complete LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR”: ADJECTIVES
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New Directions—Unit 4: GENDER ROLES
WEEK 9
10/26
MIDTERM ESSAY (IN CLASS) BRING BLUEBOOK.
*Sex Roles (pages 189–195)
Homework: Main Ideas (page 195) AND Vocabulary in Context (page 198)
Complete LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR”: ADJECTIVES
The Greater God (pages 233–234)
*Boys Will Be Boys (pages 201–206)
The Gender of Computers (page 235)
Homework: Vocabulary: Related Sets of Words (page 208) AND
Vocabulary in Context (page 209)
HOMEWORK: COMPLETE LEARNING WEB: GRAMMAR: ADVERBS.
WEEK 10
11/2
WEEK 11
11/9
TYPED COPY (double spaced) OF ESSAY NO. 3 DUE
HOMEWORK: COMPLETE LEARNING WEB: GRAMMAR: PREPOSITIONS
Sex, Sighs, and Conversation: Why Men and Women Can’t Communicate (pages 211–
213)
Summarizing and Paraphrasing Notes Lecture
(page 127, pages 196–197, and pages 214–215)
HOMEWORK: COMPLETE LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR”: ACTIVE AND
PASSIVE VOICE.
The Androgynous Male (pages 223–226)
Women Have What It Takes (pages 219–222)
The Princess and the Admiral (pages 227–232)
Journal 7: Choose one of the following topics. Any Questions Raised in Chapter Four,
or any Brief Quotations (page 187)
 Reading Journal, # 1 (page 195)
 Reflecting on Content, # 3 (page 196)
 Making Connections, # 1 or # 2 or # 3 or # 4 or # 5 (page 218)
HOMEWORK: COMPLETE LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR”: SENTENCE
STRUCTURE AND CONJUNCTIONS.
Composition # 4—In-class draft and peer review: Write between 500 AND 750 words
on the following gender roles topic quoted from page 213. “Generalizing about groups of
people makes many of us nervous. We like to think of ourselves as unique individuals,
not representatives of stereotypes. But it is more dangerous to ignore patterns than to
articulate them.” Refer not only to the essay including this quotation, but also to other
essays in the Unit—particularly those listed above with an asterisk
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New Directions—Unit 5: WORK
Date Due
WEEK 12
11/16
Readings and Homework
The New American Dreamers (pages 241–245)
Someone Is Stealing Your Life (pages 251–255)
Homework: Vocabulary in Context (page 248) or
Vocabulary in Context (page 257)
Guidelines for research documentation (in class)
Begin research for Research Composition # 5
(any topic on page 286)
HOMEWORK: COMPLETE LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR”: ADVERB
CLAUSES
Our Schedules, Our Selves (page 266)
Homework: Vocabulary in Context (page 209)
The Rage to Know (pages 269–273)
HOMEWORK: COMPLETE LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR”: ADJECTIVE
CLAUSES
WEEK 13
11/23
Composition # 4—Submit final draft typed and double-spaced.
HOMEWORK: COMPLETE LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR”: NOUN CLAUSES.
Los Pobres (pages 274–277)
Action Will Be Taken: An Action–packed Story (pages 278–282)
To Be of Use (page 283)
The Purpose of Work (pages 284–28
Journal 8 : Choose one of the following topics: Questions Raised in Chapter Five, # 5
(page 239)
 “Many Americans . . . have a fundamentally optimistic attitude toward the future.
Historically, Americans have believed that progress is likely, even inevitable, and that
they have the ability to control their own destinies. . . .” (page 244)
 “Keeping in mind that our days expand and contract according to their own patterns is
perhaps the best way to keep time on your side.” (page 263)
HOMEWORK: COMPLETE LEARNING WEB: GRAMMAR: SUBJECT/VERB
AGREEMENT
11/27 (WED.)
11/28-12/1
NO EVENING CLASSES.
THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY.
WEEK 14
12/7
`
Bring all returned and graded compositions and journals to class.
Do an in-class self-assessment of writing problems. Use form provided.
Do an in-class assessment of another student’s writing problems. Use form.
HOMEWORK: COMPLETE LEARNING WEB: GRAMMAR: FRAGMENTS
AND RUN ONS.
POWERPOINT RESEARCH ON CAREERS. GROUP PRESENTATI
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Review for final essay
HOMEWORK: COMPLETE LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR” REVIEW OF
CLAUSES
HOMEWORK: COMPLETE LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR” REVIEW OF
ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS
FINAL ESSAY EXAM
HOMEWORK: COMPLETE LEARNING WEB: “GRAMMAR” REVIEW
PUNCTUATION
WEEK 15
12/10-12/14
FINAL EXAMS FOR ALL HCC CLASSES. NO INSTRUCTION.
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HCC Policy Statement – ADA: Services to Students with Disabilities
Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs
to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the Ability Services Office in Room C136 West Loop
Campus, or call Dr. Becky Hauri (713) 718-7910 to make necessary arrangements at the beginning of each
semester. Your instructor is authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the office of Ability
Support Services.
HCC Policy Statement: Academic Honesty
A student who is academically dishonest is, by definition, not showing that the coursework has been learned,
and that student is claiming an advantage not available to other students. The instructor is responsible for
measuring each student's individual achievements and also for ensuring that all students compete on a level
playing field. Thus, in our system, the instructor has teaching, grading, and enforcement roles. You are expected
to be familiar with the University's Policy on Academic Honesty, found in the HCC catalog. What that means
is: If you are charged with an offense, pleading ignorance of the rules will not help you. Students are
responsible for conducting themselves with honor and integrity in fulfilling course requirements. Penalties
and/or disciplinary proceedings may be initiated by HCC System officials against a student accused of
scholastic dishonesty. “Scholastic dishonesty”: includes, but is not limited to, cheating on a test, plagiarism,
and collusion.
Cheating includes:
 Copying from another students’ test paper
 Using materials not authorized by the instructor
 Collaborating with another student during a test without authorization
 Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or soliciting in whole or part the contents of a
test or essay
 Bribing another person to obtain a test or essay
Plagiarism means the appropriation of another’s work and the unacknowledged incorporation of that work in
one’s own written work offered for credit. Copying phrases, sentences, and/or paragraphs from another person
without giving credit to the source of the ideas AND cutting and pasting someone else’s work is plagiarism.
This is a serious offense in college and equal to stealing.
Collusion means the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing written work offered for
credit. Possible punishments for academic dishonesty may include a grade of “0” or F in the particular
assignment, failure in the course, and/or recommendation for probation or dismissal from the HCC System. (See
the Student Handbook.)
HCC Policy Statement: Class Attendance
Class Attendance - It is important that you come to class! Attending class regularly is the best way to succeed in
this class. Research has shown that the single most important factor in student success is attendance. Simply
put, going to class greatly increases your ability to succeed. You are expected to attend all lectures and labs
regularly. You are responsible for materials covered during your absences. Class attendance is checked daily.
Although it is your responsibility to drop a course for nonattendance, the instructor has the authority to drop you
for excessive absences.
If you are not attending class, you are not learning the information. Because the information that is discussed in
class is important for your career, students may be dropped from a course after accumulating absences in excess
of 12.5% hours (8 hours) of instruction (F-1 students should particularly take note of this so as not to affect your
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visa status). The eight hours of class time would include any total classes missed or for excessive tardiness.
Remember: Class attendance equals class success.
HCC Course Withdrawal Policy
If you feel that you cannot complete this course, you will need to withdraw from it prior to the final date of
withdrawal (See your course calendar). Before you withdraw from your course, please take the time to meet
with the instructor to discuss why you feel it is necessary to do so. The instructor may be able to provide you
with suggestions that would enable you to complete the course. Your success is very important. Beginning in
fall 2007, the Texas Legislature passed a law limiting first time entering freshmen to no more than SIX total
course withdrawals throughout their educational career in obtaining a certificate and/or degree.
To help students avoid having to drop/withdraw from any class, HCC has instituted an Early Alert process by
which your professor can “alert” you and HCC counselors that you might fail a class because of excessive
absences and/or poor academic performance. It is your responsibility to visit with your professor or a counselor
to learn about what, if any, HCC interventions might be available to assist you – online tutoring, child care,
financial aid, job placement, etc. – to stay in class and improve your academic performance.
If you plan on withdrawing from your class, you MUST contact an HCC counselor or your professor prior to
withdrawing (dropping) the class for approval and this must be done PRIOR to the withdrawal deadline to
receive a “W” on your transcript. If you do not withdraw before the deadline, you will receive an F or an IP
(see below) as your final grade.
College Grading System:
Students who have completed English 0349 and show that they are ready for the next level (ENGL 1301) with a
final average of 70% or higher will receive a letter grade of A, B, or C. Students who are not ready for English
1301 may receive a grade of IP. The IP grade is not a good or bad grade; however, it means "IN PROGRESS"
and requires the student to take English 0349 again because the student will benefit from another semester in
0349 to learn all of the skills that are taught in this course. However, if a student repeats 0349 after receiving
one IP, a letter grade must be given (A, B, C, or F upon completing the course for the second time).
Repeat Course Fee
The State of Texas encourages students to complete college without having to repeat failed classes. To increase
student success, students who repeat the same course more than twice, are required to pay extra tuition. The
purpose of this extra tuition fee is to encourage students to pass their courses and to graduate. Effective fall
2006, HCC will charge a higher tuition rate to students registering the third or subsequent time for a course. If
you are considering course withdrawal because you are not earning passing grades, confer with your
instructor/counselor as early as possible about your study habits, reading and writing homework, test taking
skills, attendance, course participation, and opportunities for tutoring or other assistance that might be available.
Use of Camera and/or Recording Devices
As a student active in the learning community of this course, it is your responsibility to be respectful of the
learning atmosphere in your classroom. To show respect of your fellow students and instructor, you will turn
off your phone and other electronic devices, and will not use these devices in the classroom unless you receive
permission from the instructor.
Use of recording devices, including camera phones and tape recorders, is prohibited in classrooms, laboratories,
faculty offices, and other locations where instruction, tutoring, or testing occurs. Students with disabilities who
need to use a recording device as a reasonable accommodation should contact the Office for Students with
Disabilities for information regarding reasonable accommodations.
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Classroom Policies
As your instructor and as a student in this class, it is our shared responsibility to develop and maintain a positive
learning environment for everyone. Your instructor takes this responsibility very seriously and will inform
members of the class if their behavior makes it difficult for him/her to carry out this task. As a fellow learner,
you are asked to respect the learning needs of your classmates and assist your instructor to achieve this critical
goal.
To this end All cell phones, pagers, Ipods, or any other electronic devices that may cause a distraction in class
must be turned off. No laptops are permitted to be used during class. You may sometimes use an electronic
dictionary (hand-held) with the sound turned off. You are not permitted to leave class to answer or return calls
unless it is an absolute emergency; doing so will be counted as a tardy. If a student is using a cell phone at any
time during the class period, I will remind the student about the policy once. After that, I will ask the student to
leave class and mark him or her absent.
In addition, students are expected to arrive to class on time with ALL THEIR MATERIALS INCLUDING THE
TEXTBOOK. (You will not be permitted to share after the first week of class. You will be asked to leave class
after the first week if you do not have a textbook.) In addition, students will be marked tardy if they arrive late.
Returning late from a break or leaving class early counts as being tardy. Being tardy twice will equal one
absence (whether ten minutes or one hour). If you miss five classes (5 absences) you can be dropped without
notification and will therefore be out of compliance if you are an F-1 student. If a student misses a class, it is his
or her responsibility to see the instructor about the work that was missed.
COURSE WORK
Homework
The course calendar lists all of the reading and writing assignments that will be done for homework. While doing all
the homework and attending class is not a complete guarantee of success, it is certainly true that not doing it is a
guarantee of failure. Students are expected to complete the reading assignments before coming to class and to
participate in the discussion of the author’s purpose, tone, and style. All journals are due on Thursdays, unless
otherwise announced.
In-Class Writing Workshops
ENGL 0349 is a writing class, but some class time is used to discuss the reading assignments on the course calendar.
The readings serve as models of rhetorical and grammatical patterns that are common in academic writing. In addition,
students tremendously improve vocabulary acquisition through exposure to authentic (non-abridged) text. Students also
write all or part of each draft for an essay assignment in the classroom with the assistance of the instructor and peers.
While working on an essay, students will produce multiple drafts. Sometimes in-class writing assignments are timed.
This is done to prepare you for other courses where you may have to write essays or answer test questions. While there
is no specific grammar text for this course, the instructor will address grammar and punctuation deficiencies through
supplemental resources, including the Internet and the Learning Web.
Essay Format Requirements
All final drafts of essays must be typed. You must use 12 pt. standard Times New Roman font and have one inch
margins. The paper must be double spaced ,and it must be stapled. When possible, drafts of the essays will be written
or at least begun in the classroom or computer lab on our assigned day.
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Essays
Students write six (6) major essays, including the midterm and final essays. The writing topics parallel those found in
college Core Curriculum classes, such as psychology, English, and business. The teacher will give feedback to students
during the writing process, but only the final draft receives a grade.
No grades are recorded until you have typed the essay and corrected your errors. In other words, you are responsible
for editing and proofreading your work carefully. Tutoring face-to-face and online via www.askonline.net are available
to all HCC students, but a tutor is not your editor and will not write papers for you.
Evaluation of Written Work
Grades for written work will take into account: content, logical sequencing, use of transitions, topic sentences and
support, range and sophistication of vocabulary, complexity of sentences, grammar, spelling, and punctuation and
length. Grammar errors result in the loss of points. More points are taken off for other problems. such as the lack of a
thesis statement, problems with topics sentences, or problems with content and length. Your instructor is required to
use a departmental “rubric” to evaluate your essays, but he/she may use other criteria for different kinds of writing
assignments.
The Final Exam
The final exam consists of an essay that is similar to one of the compositions that is written during the semester.
If a student has a passing average for the course but fails the midterm and the final exam, the instructor will
meet and review that student’s work with the Assistant Chair for Academic ESL to determine if that student
needs to repeat this course.
Achieving the Course Goals
Your instructor will use a variety of assignments which you can use to determine how successful you are at
achieving the course learning outcomes (mastery of course content and skills) outlined in the syllabus. If you
find you are not mastering the material and skills, you are encouraged to reflect on how you study and prepare
for each class. Your instructor welcomes a dialogue on what you discover and may be able to assist you in
finding resources on campus that will improve your performance.
Grading Scale
90 - 100 = A
80 - 89 = B
70 - 79 = C
69 and Below = IP or F
Grading Percentages for the Standard Course Calendar
Comps 1 & 2
Mid-term Essay
Final Exam
20%
15%
15%
Comps 3 & 4
Journals and Classwork
Homework, & Quizzes
30%
10%
10%
Supplemental Syllabus:
The instructor reserves the right to supplement this syllabus at any time during the semester with
additional guidelines, rules of conduct, and changes to the course calendar to meet the needs of the
class.
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HCC Policies and Procedures—Syllabus Addendum Spring 2012
IMPORTANT NOTICE: EGLS3 -- Evaluation for Greater Learning Student Survey System
At Houston Community College, professors believe that thoughtful student feedback is necessary to improve
teaching and learning. During a designated time, you will be asked to answer a short online survey of researchbased questions related to instruction. The anonymous results of the survey will be made available to your
professors and division chairs for continual improvement of instruction. Look for the survey as part of the
Houston Community College Student System online near the end of the term. This survey will replace the paper
forms that students used in the past to evaluate teachers and classes.
Developmental Courses and ENGL 1301: Students taking developmental English and reading courses to meet
state and institutional requirements must complete GUST 0342 and ENGL 0310 (or ENGL 0349 for non-native
speakers) before taking ENGL 1301.
Grades – IP & W: Students taking developmental courses may only receive an In Progress or IP grade one
time for each course. The instructor’s official class roll indicates with an asterisk next to the student’s name
when a student is repeating a course. The student must receive a letter grade after the second attempt (A, B, C,
or F). F-1 students are subject to the same attendance and grading policies as all other students. F-1 students
will be dropped for excessive absences and receive W.
Grade Reports: HCCS does not mail out grade reports. Students will get their grades online at the following
Internet address (www.hccs.edu). Students who require a paper or hard copy of their grades must obtain an
unofficial transcript from the Records and Admissions Office of their campus/college.
Attendance Policy: Although it is the responsibility of the student to drop a course for non-attendance, the
instructor has full authority to drop a student for excessive absences of more than 12.5% of the hours of
instruction (including lecture and laboratory time). Texas State Law requires students to complete 87.5% of
hours of instruction in order to receive a grade. If students drop/are dropped from developmental studies while
they are taking college-level courses, they will also be dropped from those college-level courses.
American Disabilities Act and ADA Compliance: HCCS is compliant with the ADA and Sec. 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973. “Any student with a documented disability (e. g. physical, learning, psychiatric,
vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the Disability Service
Office at the respective college at the beginning of each semester. Faculty are authorized to provide only the
accommodations requested by the Disability Support Services Office.” The Disability Services Office number
for Southwest College is 713-718-7910. Dr. Becky Hauri is the ADA contact counselor.
Sexual Harassment: It is a violation of HCCS policy for an employee, agent, or student of the college to
engage in sexual harassment as defined in the EEOC guidelines (EEO/AA Compliance Handbook 47).
Tuition Payment: Students who use the installment plan or receive financial aid are responsible for making
sure all of their fees are paid. Students will be dropped for non-payment of tuition. The cost for reinstatement is
$75.
On-Line Tutoring: HCCS now offers access to English tutors on-line. All HCCS students can take advantage
of this service by logging on to www.askonline.net and by using their e-mail account. Papers for
most HCC classes can be submitted for advice with a short turnaround time. See the askonline.net homepage.
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