Leadership for a Better World 1 of 6
SOC 135 Leadership for a Better World
Saint Mary’s College of California
FALL 2013
Wednesdays, 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM.
Location: TBD
Ryan M. Lamberton M.A., Coordinator of Community Engagement
Office: (925) 631-4015
Power Plant 3
Email: RML4@stmarys-ca.edu
Cell: (925) 876-6243
Course Description
Students enrolled in Leadership for a Better World will analyze their leadership and commitments
in the context of leadership for the common good. Students will identify and reflect on definitions
and theories of leadership as they study the application of these theories. Students will also increase
awareness of their values, beliefs, and social identity while developing competence with basic
leadership skills.
As a component of the immersive Micah Summer Fellowship Program, we will meet 10 times, for a
total of 43 contact hours. Class will include a full-day orientation, 8 Tuesday nights from 6pm to
8pm, and a full-day closing synthesis and reflection experience. Additional requirements for
students in the Micah Fellowship are available from the program coordinator.
Pedagogical Context
This course attempts to emulate an environment we hope you will strive for in your own work. To
this end, the instructor employs pedagogical methods that encourage active learning and reflection
with the understanding that these are good practices for strong leadership in addition to effective
strategies for teaching and learning.
Goals and Objectives
Students participating fully in the course will:
 Identify multi-disciplinary definitions and theories of leadership, focusing on models of
student leadership utilized on campus.
 Increase self-awareness of one’s values, beliefs, culture, and identity.
 Demonstrate beginning competency level in decision-making, communication and
collaboration.
 Integrate reflective practice with personal leadership development.
 Understand the relationship between leadership and ethical and civic development, which
leads to personal and social responsibility.
 Apply leadership frameworks to a personal vision and action plan for leadership on campus.
 Demonstrate beginning competency level in decision-making, communication and
collaboration as it relates to community partner agency goals and objectives.
 Understand the relationship between leadership and ethical and civic development, which
leads to personal and social responsibility.
Texts and Resources
Komives, S.R. & Wagner, W. (2009). Leadership for a better world: Understanding the social
change model of leadership development. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Additional readings will be provided by the instructor as part of a Course Reader.
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Assignment Policies
Most class sessions will be followed by a short, integrative essay due the next week. Specific topics
and due dates are listed in the course schedule. Assignments are due by 4:30PM, prior to the
beginning of class on the date stated in the syllabus. Assignments are to be submitted electronically
via GaelLearn (Moodle).
Late assignments will be marked down 10% for each day they are late. The first 10% will be lost
after class begins on the day the assignment is due. I am aware that at times extenuating
circumstances may prevent you from turning in an assignment on time. A car accident or a death in
the family is extenuating circumstances (work for other classes or a busy schedule are not). If you
will miss a class or be unable to hand in an assignment on time, you must contact me in advance.
All assignments must be typed in 12 point Times New Roman font, double-spaced, with one-inch
margins unless specified otherwise. This may require that you make changes from the standard
settings on your word processing program. Good scholarship is expected; you must cite quotations
from the readings clearly and consistently using a common method (i.e. APA, MLA). For example:
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Direct quote: “One of the great liabilities of life is that all too many people find themselves
living amid a great period of social change and yet they fail to develop new attitudes, the
nemental responses that the new situation demands. They end up sleeping through a
revolution” (King, 1968).
Summarizing in your own words: In his sermon “Remaining Awake through a Great
Revolution,” Martin Luther King, Jr. (1968), told the congregation that people must remain
alert during times of social change and find new ways of believing and acting.
Evaluation and Grading
Preparation & Participation
This is an interactive, conversational class experience, and everyone’s learning depends upon the
contributions of each person. “Being prepared” means that you arrive on time having completed all
readings and assignments. “Participating” means that students speak, ask questions, listen to their
peers, and contribute to the ongoing forward movement of the class and its activities. Think quality
not quantity. Each day is worth five possible points:
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Two points for being present, on time, and prepared for class
Three discretionary points for quality of participation
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Assignment
Participation
 Social Change Model of Leadership
 Consciousness of Self
 Citizenship
 Collaboration
 Common Purpose
 Controversy with Civility
 Congruence
 Commitment
Final Integrative Paper
Total [See grading Scale for Details]
Points
100
25 each
Grade
A/A+
AB+
B
B-
100
400
Course Policies
Academic Honesty
All students are expected to abide by the Saint Mary’s College
of California Academic Honor Code in this course. All work
submitted must be your own; using the words or ideas of
another without proper citation is considered plagiarism and
academic dishonesty. For more information about the Code see
the Undergraduate Student Handbook or www.stmarysca.edu/academics/honor-council/index.html
C+
C
CD+
D
D-
Percentage Points
93% +
372+
90-92%
360368
87-89%
348356
83-86%
332344
80-82%
320328
77-79%
308316
73-76%
292304
70-72%
280288
67-69%
268276
63-66%
252264
60-62%
240248
59% and
236 and
below
below
F
Missed Classes
After one missed class, you will lose half a letter grade for each
additional missed class session. Note that participation points can only be earned by being present
in class, so these points will be lost even if the missed class is “free” or if you are ill. You are
responsible for turning in any assignments prior to the start of class, regardless of whether you can
attend class or not.
Communication
This course will rely heavily on email for communication purposes. Questions, announcements,
updates, or clarification will often be addressed through email, so please check your Saint Mary’s
email account daily.
Student Disability Services
Student Disability Services extends reasonable and appropriate accommodations that take into
account the context of the course and its essential elements for individuals with qualifying
disabilities. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact the Student Disability Services
Office at (925) 631-4358 to set up a confidential appointment to discuss accommodation, policies,
guidelines and available services. Additional information regarding the services available may be
found at the following address on the Saint Mary’s website: http://www.stmarysca.edu/academics/academic-advising-and-achievement/student-disability-services.html
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Course Schedule
Note that, in general, the writing assignment will relate to and “wrap up” the class prior and the
reading assignment will help you prepare for the class to come.
DATE
Orientation
Day 1
6/1
9am-9pm
(12 hours)
TOPIC and ASSIGNMENTS
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Class 1
6/2
10am-9pm
(11 hours)
Class 2
6/5/13
(2 hours)
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Introduction to Program and the SOC .25 Course
Historical Tour of West Oakland
Meet your neighbors (Service & Reflection at Youth Development NonProfit)
Neighborhood Orientation
Food & Supplies for week #1
Meal & structured reflection of day.
Faith & Social Justice (Students will have previewed a TED talk that
explores the intersections of faith & justice)
What is Social Change? (Discussion) Students will have read Ch.1 of
‘Leadership for a better world’ and answered questions 1-4 on page 38-39 in
a 2-3 page paper.
Creating Community Covenant
Mass at St. Patrick’s Catholic Parish followed by structured reflection with
parish priest who is also an activist and scholar.
Presentation of Community Covenant
Detailed Course Overview (Reading & Writing Assignments)
Oakland Assets Mapping
Meal & structured reflection of day
Class 1: What is the Social Change Model of Leadership Development?
(Discussion/Activity) Students will have read Ch. 2 of ‘Leadership for a
better world’
APPLYING the SOCIAL CHANGE MODEL
Case Studies Approach
Homework reading & prep due
Komives & Wagner, chapters 3
Be prepared to discuss the case studies as a group.
Class 3
6/12/13
(2 hours)
CHANGE
Building 7 C’s
Mapping a Personal Social Change Model
Homework reading & writing due:
Komives & Wagner, chapters 4 & 8
Write 2-3 page paper exploring questions 1-2 on page 286 in Komives & Wagner
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Class 4
6/19/13
(2 hours)
Citizenship & Collaboration
Class 5
6/26/13
(2 hours)
Values and Ethics
Congruence
Throwing Away Your Values
Case Studies
Homework reading & writing Due:
Komives & Wagner, chapters 5 & 6
Write 2-3 page paper exploring questions 1-4 on page 183-184
Homework reading & writing Due:
Komives & Wagner, chapter 10
Tatum, B. D. (2000). The complexity of identity: Who am I? in Adams, M, et. al
(Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice. New York: Routlage. 9-14.
Write 2-3 page paper exploring questions 1-4 on page 359-360 of Komives &
Wagner
Class 6
7/3/13
(2 hours)
Common Purpose
Homework reading & writing Due:
Read- Wagner & Komives, Ch. 7
Write 2-3 page paper exploring questions 1-4 on page 258-259 in Komives &
Wagner.
Class 7
7/10/13
(2 hours)
SMART Goals
Class 8
7/17/13
(2 hours)
Becoming a Change Agent
Debrief
7/27/13
(6 hours)
Homework reading & writing due:
Dembo, M. (2004). Motivation and learning strategies for college success: A selfmanagement approach. Mahwah, NH: Lawrence Eribaum Associates, Inc. 93107 (provided in Reader)
Homework reading & writing due:
Wagner & Komives, Ch. 12
Write 2-3 page paper exploring questions 1-2 on page 437.
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FINAL
Individual silent retreat with structured reflection questions
Group debriefing process (learning from self, other, community, transcendent
being)
Catholic Social Teaching & Leadership for Social Change
Dinner & Structured reflection conversation on strengths and limitations of
the fellowship program.
Final integrative paper due.
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Deadline
8/5/13
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8-10 page synthesis which integrates experience and learning from non-profit
organization, living in community, readings, writings, and activities.
Central question: What does it mean to be an agent for positive social change
who is informed by Catholic Social Teaching? How have you grown as a
leader, as a student, as an engaged citizen through the Micah Summer
Fellowship Program