General Information
General Information
Course: HPC 3400-104
Class Time: Fridays 2:00PM-4:00PM
Class Location: Newland Classroom
Instructor: Tom Hamilton
Office: Cone Hall
Phone: 828-262-8865
Email: hamiltonte@appstate.edu
Hours: by appointment
Co-Instructor: Erin Noel
Office: JET
Phone: 828-262-2538
Email: Noelle@appstate.edu
Hours: by appointment
Textbook
The textbook for this class is The Student Leadership Challenge by James Kouzes and Barry
Posner. It is available at the ASU Bookstore, as well as from several other sources.
Course Description and Outcomes
Course Description
HPC 3400. Resident Assistant Development (3 credits)
Designed to enhance the personal and professional growth of resident assistants. Emphasis is
given to the residential living/learning environment and related student development theory;
leadership development and styles; communication skills/styles; and situational topics relative to
the resident assistant position. Open only to approved, prospective, and/or current Appalachian
State University Resident Assistants.
Course Outcomes
1. Gain comprehension of basic student development theories in order to have a
greater understanding of where students are in their personal growth.
2. Learn the conceptual and practical aspects of communication, including peerhelping, mediation, confrontation, and public speaking skill sets.
3. Understand and apply knowledge of trends in student behavior and working with
students.
4. Learn the importance of a balanced lifestyle and techniques to role model
wellness in life.
5. Learn methods for effective community building, group development, and
programming.
6. Gain a greater understanding of intercultural competencies in order to cultivate
inclusive communities.
7. Enhance leadership skills and develop strategies to engage students with the
campus community.
8. Establish a framework for the creation of an environment conducive to academic
success and collaboration among students, staff, and faculty.
Academic Integrity Code and Honor Pledge
The Academic Integrity Code
As a community of learners at Appalachian State University, we must create an atmosphere of
honesty, fairness, and responsibility, without which we cannot earn the trust and respect of each
other. Furthermore, we recognize that academic dishonesty detracts from the value of an
Appalachian degree. Therefore, we shall not tolerate lying, cheating, or stealing in any form and
will oppose any instance of academic dishonesty. This course will follow the provisions of the
Academic Integrity Code, which can be found on the Office of Student Conduct Web Site:
www.studentconduct.appstate.edu.
The Honor Pledge
The Honor Pledge is a cornerstone of the Appalachian State University’s Academic Integrity
Code and serves as a reminder of the University’s commitment to academic integrity. No Appalachian student shall unfairly further their own academic performance.
Students attending Appalachian State University pledge:
“I pledge on my honor that I have not violated the Appalachian State University Academic
Integrity Code.”
Class Attendance and Behavior
Attendance and Participation
Students are expected to attend and fully participate in every class, which means having done the
readings, applicable reflections, and being prepared for discussion. If a student needs to miss class due to
an extenuating circumstance (e.g., other academic commitment, serious illness, or family emergency)
he/she must discuss this in advance with the instructor. This will be considered an “excused absence” and
all assignments must be handed in prior to the “excused absence” to receive credit. Any absence not
discussed in advance will be considered an “unexcused absence.” Late work will not be accepted and
make-up work will not be given for an unexcused absence. For each “unexcused absence,” 10% of the
attendance and participation grade will be deducted. Students are granted one excused absence for the
class but are encouraged not to use it.
Respect and Confidentiality in the Classroom
The HPC 3400 experience is based upon mutual respect and tolerance. With that said, a high level of trust
is needed to make the learning environment open and safe. Students are expected to respect one another
and maintain confidentiality concerning discussion topics. At certain times, information may be shared in
confidence with the expectation that such confidence be maintained by all involved. Please be aware of
these situations and honor the wishes of the persons sharing their lives with you.
Accommodations
Appalachian State University is committed to making reasonable accommodations for individuals with
documented qualifying disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Those seeking accommodations based on a substantially
limiting disability must contact and register with The Office of Disability Services (ODS) at
http://www.ods.appstate.edu/ or 828-262-3056. Once registration is complete, individuals will meet with
ODS staff to discuss eligibility and appropriate accommodations.
Classroom Etiquette
In accordance with classroom etiquette, students should turn all electrical devices (cell phones, pagers,
etc.) off during all class meetings. In addition, students should give the instructor and/or guests their full
attention during class activities and discussions. Students who cannot abide by this etiquette will be
asked to leave class, which will count as an “unexcused absence.”
Course Structure and Grading Scale
Course Structure
A major responsibility of the Department of University Housing is to provide our student staff
with opportunities for personal and professional growth. It is our intention that the staff be
exposed to those skills, resources, and experiential learning situations that will enable them to
become effective student leaders and peer helpers. This class is a requirement for all first-year
Resident Assistants at Appalachian State University. Recognizing that one cannot learn
everything you will need to know to be successful as a Resident Assistant in the week and a half
of training; this course is designed to further enhance your leadership knowledge and skills. Each
week we will engage in topics that will not only increase your personal knowledge base but also
prepare you to help your residents. Using classroom tools like discussion, group projects, role
playing, readings, personal reflection, and assignments, we will explore a wide variety of topics
related to human development within the college setting.
Grading Scale
This course will be graded on a standard grade scale of 100%. To maintain your position as an
RA, you must earn a semester grade of at least a B-. If you do not earn a B- or higher, you will
be removed from your position as an RA. Please note: if you are removed from your position, the
grade for this course will still count toward your overall GPA. Grades will be posted using the
electronic grade book on AsULearn.
A 90 – 100
B+ 87 – 89.9
B 83 – 86.9
B- 80 – 82.9
C+ 77 – 79.9
C 73 – 76.9
C- 70 – 72.9
D+ 67 – 69.9
D 63 – 66.9
D- 60 – 62.9
F <60
Assignment Submission
All assignments will be submitted online using the AsULearn website. Major assignments will
be due by class time each week, and “reading reflections” will be due 24 hours prior to each
week’s class (i.e., 2PM on Thursdays). Please contact the instructor via email regarding any
issues submitting assignments online. All papers must be submitted in proper format using 12
point Times New Roman font, double-spacing, 1” margins, and a heading but no cover page.
Please refer to Modern Language Association style if in question, or speak with one of the
instructors. Papers should be submitted in either .doc, .docx, or .pdf format only.
Responses to assignments will be available on AsULearn at the instructors' earliest
conveniences. If you have questions about a particular assignment or grade, please contact one
of the instructors for additional information.
On Late Submissions: Reading Reflections will not be accepted late and a grade of 0 will be
assigned for Reading Reflections that are not completed. Presentations cannot be made late,
and similarly a grade of 0 will be assigned should they not be completed. For other papers and
projects, 25% will be taken off for each week they are late. For the purpose of deciding what a
"week" is, note that the actual class periods end the weeks (this means that turning something in
on Thursday that was due Wednesday will result in the 25% reduction in grade).
Note: If for some reason there is difficulty with the AsULearn submission system, students should
email a copy of their assignment to the instructors. All work should be submitted in advance of
excused absences to ensure full credit. No work will be accepted for unexcused absences.
Assignments
Reading Reflections
Throughout this course, we will be using our textbook, The Student Leadership Challenge, as well as various articles
and websites to enhance our understanding of college students, residence life, and the context in which we work and
develop. Students will have copies of the textbook, and articles and links are all posted on the AsULearn website;
each student is expected to read them. To help facilitate class discussions, each student will complete a short
“reading reflection” 24 hours before class each week. The prompts for these responses will be available on
AsULearn, and each response need only be 200-300 words.
RA Journals
As part of your participation grade, you are required to maintain a journal which will eventually consist of ten
entries. The topic for the journal will be posted on the ASU learn site by Monday of each week. Journals will be
graded as part of your participation grade and will result in a loss of one point from this grade for every journal that
is not completed.
Your Story (February 4)
Think back to your leadership positions in high school. What was your life like at that point in time? How did those
positions affect the rest of your high school experience? Now consider where you are in college, beginning your
career as an RA. Where are you now developmentally? Have your values shifted since high school, and, if so, what
has caused that change? Use a 3-5 page paper to compare and contrast two student development theories with regard
to how they are evident in your life; you may use theories discussed in class, from the readings, or those that you
research on your own. Explain where you have been, where you are now, and where you see yourself going through
the RA position and your time at ASU.
RA Comic (February 18)
RAs need to be able to joke around and share experiences with one another, so we will be writing newspaper-style
comics for class. The topic can either be "How to BNRA," "How not to BNRA," or some combination of the two.
Comics should be done on standard 8.5" x 11" printer paper, in color. Additionally, each student will write a 1 page
reflection on why they chose what they wrote about it and what the experience was like. Students will bring their
comics to class to present on them, as well as upload their reflections to ASULearn.
Campus Meetings & Cultural Experience (March 25)
The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the experience of under-represented students at Appalachian.
Part 1: Select an underrepresented group of which you do not belong. Examples of underrepresented student groups include racial or ethnic minorities, non-Christian faith organizations,
or GLBT student organizations. A forum will be available on ASULearn to ensure that students
do not choose the same organizations.
Part 2: You will need to attend one open meeting or event sponsored by a student or community
organization that supports under-represented or minority students. You will be asked to turn in
your notes, including the name, date, and time of the event you attended.
Part 3: Find an article or journal article that pertains to your selected group. Print/Copy the
article.
After attending the event you will write a 3-5 page paper reflecting on the meeting or event you attended and what
you learned from the experience and relating it back to the article you selected.
The first 1-2 pages of the paper should be a summary of the article and how it relates to ASU
students of the same under-represented group. In the paper, answer the following questions:
Why did you select the student group meeting that you selected?
What were some of your feelings or concerns going into the meeting? Were you nervous about
anything? If so, what?
What didn’t you know about the group going into the meeting that you now know after
participating in the activity?
How could you use this experience to help cultivate a more inclusive community on your floor, in
your building, and on the ASU Campus?
Community Service Presentation (April 1)
The spirit of the RA position is strongly linked to the idea of servant leadership. In order to lead, we must be willing
to serve others and our community. Students will, in small groups, select a community service project to complete
and give a 7-10 minute presentation on how they planned the project, what was completed, how the group worked
together, what they learned, and how they think it applies to their role as an RA.
Future Goals & Resume Project (Due April 15; Draft Due April 8)
Complete a resume that includes highlights from the RA position. Think of things you can do in the future that the
RA position would provide you with specific skills related to your field and write a 1 page reflection about them.
To help prepare for this assignment, we will be working on resumes. Students will need to submit a first draft of
their resume on November 10, and then have at least 2 individuals (graduate, a supervisor, career services,
peers, etc.) examine and edit the resume. Note that 1 of the 2 individuals must be the student's direct supervisor.
When the project is turned in at the end, students should note who reviewed their resume.
RA Reflection Project (Due on Exam Day)
Students will, individually, give a presentation during our Final Exam meeting time. During this time, students will
give 5-7 minute presentation reflecting on their first semester experience as RAs. Students are encouraged to be
creative, and may approach this topic in any fashion they wish, provided that it meet the following criteria:
1) Presentation must be between 5-7 minutes in length.
2) Presentation must reflect genuine effort, creativity and quality of thought.
3) Presentation must legitimately reflect upon the experience of being an RA and what that means
to the student.
4) Presentation must include information as to where the RA would like to go in the future with
the position or what the RA thinks the future may hold for himself or herself.
Total Grade Breakdown
Attendance and Participation: 10%
Includes RA Journals
Reading Reflections: 15%
Your Story: 15%
RA Comic: 10%
Community Service Presentation: 10%
Campus Meetings/Cultural Experience: 15%
Future Goals and Resume Project: 10%
RA Experience Reflection Presentation: 15%
Course Schedule
Date:
1/14/11
1/21/11
1/28/11
Topic:
Readings:
Due:
Introduction; Syllabus
N/A
Review; Intro to
Student Development
Theory
Syllabus, Ethics,
Everybody Does It
Manual,
The Dyanimics of the
Leader-Follower
Relationship; A
Framework for
Thinking Ethically (in
class)
Student Development
Theory
Chapters 1&2 SLC in
class
Chickering; Perry;
Moral Education
Reading Reflection 1;
Journal 1
2/4/11
Wellness & Balance;
What do you do to
de-stress?
ASU History and the
History of Housing
2/11/11
2/18/11
Community
Development
Student Academic
Success; RA Comic
Presentations
Chapters 3, 5, & 7 of
SLC
Stress & the College
Student
A Brief History of
Collegiate Housing
Chapter 4 of SLC; The
Practice of Community
Educating the Whole
Student; The Power of
Study Groups
2/25/11
Diversity and Social
Justice
3/4/11
Communication
3/18/11
Confrontation & Crises Difficult
Conversations; TBD
Online Class
TBA
3/25/11
4/1/11
4/8/11
4/15/11
Exam
What is Culture?;
Good Intentions are not
Good Enough
Chapter 6 of SLC;
Effective Group
Communication; NonVerbal Communication
Future Goals &
Resumes; Community
Service Presentations
Student Behaviors & Millennials Coming to
Trends; Cultural Issues College; Culture in
Presentations
American Colleges &
Universities
Diversity & Social
Waking up White;
Justice
Interview with Dalton
Conley
Where do we go from
here?; RA Final
Reflection
Presentations
Chapter 8 of SLC
Reading Reflection 2;
Your Story Paper;
Journal 2
Reading Reflection 3;
Journal 3
Reading Reflection 4;
RA Comic;
Journal 4
Reading Reflection 5;
Journal 5
Reading Reflection 6 ;
Journal 6
Reading Reflection 7;
Journal 7
Reading Reflection 8,
Journal 8 and Cultural
Experiences Paper
Community Service
Presentation;
Reading Reflection 9;
Resume Draft;
Journal 9
Reading Reflection 10;
Resume Project;
Journal 10
Final Presentation
Religious Observance Policy
Interim Religious Observance Policy
Appalachian State University
August 10, 2010
1. Students must be allowed a minimum of two excused absences each academic
year for religious observances. Students are responsible for requesting excused
absences for religious observances required by the faith of a student. Instructors
are responsible for complying with this requirement. In classes in which
attendance is taken and/or penalties are applied for student absences, instructors
must document their compliance with the religious observance policy by tracking
student excused absences for religious observances.
2. For purposes of this policy, the term “religious observances” shall include
religious holidays or holy days or similar observances required by a student’s
religion and that require absence from class.
3. Students must be afforded the opportunity to make up tests or other work missed
due to an excused absence for a religious observance.
4. Except in extraordinary circumstances, student requests for excused absences for
religious observances must be submitted to instructors in writing no later than
three weeks after the first class day of the term.
5. This policy on excused absences for religious observances must be referenced on
all course syllabi.
6. This policy supersedes one part of Faculty Handbook section 5.5.1.1, which
reads: “In addition, faculty members are encouraged to make reasonable
accommodations for students requesting to miss class due to the observance of
religious holidays.”
7. This policy amplifies another part of Faculty Handbook section 5.5.1.1, which
reads: “Faculty, at their discretion, may include class attendance as a criterion in
determining a student's final grade in the course. On the first day of class, faculty
must inform students of their class attendance policy and the effect of that policy
on their final grade; both policies must be clearly stated in the class syllabus.”
8. This policy also amplifies Faculty Handbook section 5.5.1.2, which reads: “A
syllabus is to be prepared for each course and distributed at the first of the
semester. The syllabus should include the following: an explanation of course
goals and objectives, the name of the text and any other materials required of
each student, the instructor's office hours, an explanation of how the grade is to
be determined, and an explanation of any additional reading, papers, projects and
examination which the instructor expects to give or assign.”