URBS 437/ 537 Heritage Preservation
Thursdays, 6:00 – 8:45
Telepresence: Edina Campus – WH 0116
Mankato Campus – FR 0307
Fall 2013 Syllabus
Prof. Beth Wielde Heidelberg
Office: 106 Morris Hall
Office Phone: 507/ 389-1714
Office Fax: 507/ 389-6377
E-Mail: beth.heidelberg@mnsu.edu
Office Hours:
Tuesday – 9:00 – 12:00, 2:00 – 5:00
Thursday – 9:00 – 12:00
IN EDINA: 4:00 – 6:00
Course Description
Historic preservation is more than the act of keeping old houses looking nice. It is a coordinated
effort between local, county, state, and federal officials and citizens using planning, policy,
construction management, civil engineering, and a host of other disciplines to preserve a
community’s historic integrity while encouraging growth and development to compliment, not
contrast with, the older districts.
This course is the first in a two-part series (and don’t worry – each semester is 3 credits, it’s not 3
credits spread out over the whole academic year). When dealing with historic preservation
policy, a city needs to understand its historic resources. Without that understanding, they cannot
properly plan or prepare documentation for historic resources. This is the foundational
knowledge necessary to conduct professional historic preservation, much like a doctor goes
through an anatomy lab.
This course will focus on the identification of historic resources, being able to identify them by
sight, being able to look beneath modern modifications, and being able to put the resource in its
proper historic context.
D2L Use
All students are expected to have an active D2L account. You will be expected to take online
quizzes throughout the semester. Be sure you check D2L at least once or twice a week for
announcements and other course information. If you have not yet activated your D2L account,
you must do so during the first week of class. If you experience problems activating your
account, contact IT Services at Jeff Henline, jeffrey.henline@mnsu.edu, 507-389-2323, or
Desire2Learn Support, desire2learn@mnsu.edu, 507-389-3295.
Books and Materials
There is one book required for the course. I recommend locating books used online at
amazon.com, ebay.com or barnesandnoble.com to save some expense.
McAlester, V. & McAlester, L. (2002). A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A.
Knopf. I have tried to keep the style names close to the names given in McAlester, so you can
look up the chapters that accompany the class discussion.
Course Grades
I have elected to use a shaded grade system. If you disagree with this policy, you are welcome to
find a different class and open up the space to someone who is more interested in learning the
material than they are about whether an A- is going to ruin the rest of their lives. Or look in to
the ‘Pass/ No Credit’ option (‘Pass’ is considered C- or better in this class).
Grading Scale
A+
A
AB+
B
B-
97 - 100%
94 – 96%
90 – 93%
87 – 89%
84 - 86%
80 - 83%
C+
C
CD+
D
DF
77 - 79%
74 - 76%
70 - 73%
67 - 69%
64 - 66%
60 - 63%
59% ↓
NOTE: There will ALWAYS be questions from previous units on quizzes. In this
profession, you need to build on your skills and keep them sharp.
Due Date
Quiz/ Assignment
Points
What It Covers (main focus)
Sept 5
Pre-Quiz (NO FAIL – this is just a test to
see what skills the class already has; more
diagnostic than testing your knowledge)
10
Sept 26
Sept 26
Quiz 1
OPTIONAL Assignment Buyout* DUE
15
(50)
Hopefully nothing you already
know – I need to be able to
teach you something this
semester!
Intro / Preservation in the US
NOTE: Not required. See
‘Assignment Buyout’ assignment
sheet in D2L
Oct 10
50
Oct 17
GRAD: Policy and Professional Initiative
Analysis
Quiz 2
Nov 14
Nov 21
Dec 5
Quiz 3
GRAD: Bridges! (Presentation)
Resource Collection
50
50
30
Dec 12
Final Quiz
80
40
Native American/ Colonial to
Railroad Era
Victorian to Early 20th Century
Comprehensive
*What’s the assignment buyout? In short, you can attend the State Historic Preservation Conference in lieu
of one of the assignments. This is completely optional, because it requires extra expense from you to
attend a professional conference. Details and requirements can be found in the “Assignment Buyout”
assignment sheet on D2L..
Late Course Tests and Assignments
I have a standard policy for late assignments and quizzes: -3 points off per day late, and I don’t
ask questions about why it’s late. There may be instances (like final quizzes) where the point
deduction is greater. But be aware that when the points run out, you cannot submit the quiz or
assignment for any points.
I understand that sometimes there are legitimate reasons for turning in late work. Be prepared to
show documentation of your emergency in order to turn in the assignment late. If you have
documentation that can be verified (i.e. military orders, an insurance form, a hospital admittance
form), I may even toss out the point deduction (to a point – if points have run out, I will not
accept the assignment even with documentation). But without documentation, be prepared to
take the deduction.
You may submit work until the points run out or the class ends for the semester, whichever
applies in the specific situation. I will accept late work only for one week past the final class
date. After that, I submit grades to the Registrar and I am done with the class.
Extra Credit
This is an upper-division class, and as such, students are expected to earn their points during
regular class work. There are no extra credit opportunities available in URBS 437 or URBS 537.
Attendance
Students are expected to attend class on a regular basis. Because each lesson builds on the one
before it, it is especially critical. Attendance includes actually participating in the course, not just
sitting in the session and spending the time on Facebook or texting friends. Not only is it
impolite, it’s basically the same as not attending at all. Aside from the Preservation Application
Series, I don’t really do attendance, because you’re adults and it’s your tuition money to use or
waste as you will.
If you miss a class, be sure to get notes from a classmate. If you want clarification of points made
on your borrowed notes, please visit me during office hours and we can discuss them. You must
bring borrowed notes – I will not re-lecture for you.
Enrollment
You must be enrolled in the course during the semester to earn a grade. I will not “hold over” a
grade, allowing you to take the class one semester and officially enroll in another. This
sometimes happens if the tuition bill cannot be paid, or there is another dispute on student status.
Basic rule: if you don’t have D2L access, you cannot participate in the class.
Students with Disabilities
MSU provides students with disabilities reasonable accommodation to participate in educational
programs, activities, or services. Students with disabilities requiring accommodation to
participate in class activities or meet course requirements should first register with the Office of
Disability Services, located in 0132 Memorial Library, telephone 507/ 389-2825, TDD 711, and
then contact me as soon as possible.
Texting and Other Entertainment
One thing you may not know, if you’re a chronic texter, is that you aren’t as subtle as you think.
Professors know when your hands are working furiously under the desk and you haven’t looked
up for a long time. This is actually quite rude. I’m not going to police texting, because the
occasional text isn’t that big a deal, but when it becomes distracting or annoying to me or to
your classmates, I will point you out in front of others (and I can see, even via telepresence). So
control your texting habits, at least in class.
Cheating, Plagiarism, and Other Academic Fraud
Simply put, don’t do it, even for extra credit. The worst original work is better than the most
perfectly plagiarized. It’s okay to insert other people’s ideas, just make sure you cite them; after
all, you would want credit for an idea you had, right? And remember, I’ve read and seen a lot
of stuff; they actually pay me to do it, so do you want to take the odds that it’s a paper I’ve used
for my dissertation research?
Cheating is not tolerated in any case. If you are caught cheating!), you will receive an automatic
‘F’ for the class and your case will be handled according to University policy.
URBS Major/ Minor Requirements
URBS 437 fulfills an undergraduate major and minor elective.
URBS 537 fulfills a graduate elective.
This course does not fulfill an undergraduate General Ed requirement.
Learning Outcomes
#1. Students will be able to identify, by sight, most historic architectural forms when seen in their
personal environment.
#2. Students will understand where those forms fit on the art/ architectural history timeline, thus
being able to give an approximate build date of a property.
#3 Students will be able to identify many elements that are not original to the architectural
forms, and approximate a date of construction for those noncontributing elements.
#4 Students will obtain a fundamental understanding of the historic resources in their
community, which serves as the basis for community historic preservation policy.
#5. Students will interact with practicing professionals to see how preservation is used as a tool
of local government policy and practice. They will see how, when they are in practice,
preservation is included in local government decision making.
Tentative Course Schedule (subject to change)
Date
Class Session
Aug 29
Intro/ Reason for Preservation/ Lost Twin Cities
Sept 5
Preservation in the U.S.
Sept 12
Sept 19
Open session to encourage attendance at Minnesota
Preservation Conference (NOTE: Attendance is at
student’s own expense).
Styles – Native American and Early Colonial
Sept 26
Federal Styles
Oct 3
Railroad Era
Oct 10
Victorian
Oct 17
Victorian/Early 20th Century
Oct 24
Early 20th Century
Oct 31
STUDENT CHOICE: Burnham or Sullivan
Nov 7
Frank Lloyd Wright
Nov 14
Nov 21
Complete Quiz and conduct Resource Collection Field
Work
Grad students present: Bridges!
Nov 28
NO CLASS (Thanksgiving Holiday)
Dec 5
Mid Century Modern
Pre-Quiz Results
Introduction of URBS 538
Dec 12
Complete Final Quiz
What’s Due
Pre-Quiz – What do you already know?
(10 points, no-fail)
D2L Quiz 1 OPENS after class
D2L Quiz 1 DUE (15 points)
**Optional Assignment Buyout DUE**
D2L Quiz 2 OPENS after class
GRAD: Policy and Professional Initiative
Analysis (50 points)
Quiz 2 (40 points)
D2L Quiz 3 OPENS after class
Quiz 3 (50 Points)
Grad Student Presentation
Turn In Resource Collection
(Final quiz opens after class – note the
shorter timeline)
D2L Final Quiz Due