Your Faculty Director: Manuel London
Your College Advisor: Melitta East
Your Quad Director: Jon Ragone
Name, Instructor
Email: @stonybrook.edu
Phone: 632-
LDS 101.XX
Introduction to Stony Brook
Fall 2007
Name, Instructor
Email: @stonybrook.edu
Phone: 632-
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is designed to enhance your first-year experience at Stony Brook University.
Through academic advisement, learning about campus resources, group discussion, and
collaborative teaching you will be provided with a structured environment to assist you in
making the transition to college. You will be encouraged to use critical thinking skills to set
goals and make responsible decisions regarding academics, major, and career planning, and
social relationships. The course will also explore the purpose of higher education and your role
in the university environment.
DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES SYLLABUS STATEMENT
If you have a physical, psychological, medical or learning disability that may impact your course
work, please contact Disability Support Services, located in the ECC Building, (631) 632-6748.
They will determine with you what accommodations are necessary and appropriate. All
information and documentation is confidential.
COURSE GOALS
 Increase your understanding of the purpose of higher education and your place in it
 Assist you in understanding your personal development as a Stony Brook Undergraduate
 Establish a mentoring relationship between you and your First-Year Seminar instructor
 Develop a strong Undergraduate College community
 Increase your understanding of university procedures, computer systems, university
publications, academic advising and the course registration process at Stony Brook
University
 Increase your awareness and utilization of student support services available to you
 Provide opportunities to interact with and learn form peers in your Undergraduate
College
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
1. Class Participation: Students are expected to contribute their own ideas and to ask
questions during class.
2. Class Attendance: Students are expected to attend all of the class sessions for the FirstYear Seminar. More than 2 absences will result in an unsatisfactory grade.
a. UGC Commons – FY Reading: During the Week of 10/15 in lieu of attending
regular class sessions, students will attend one event honoring author, Billy
Collins. Events are scheduled for Wednesday, 10/17 (times TBA).
3. Undergraduate College Requirements
a. The Apprentice: Each section of LDS 101 will be divided into two teams. Each
team will be given the same project and will be required to complete the
assignment in an allotted amount of time. Each section will then choose a winner
who will compete against the other LDS 101 section and an overall winner will be
chosen.
1. Challenge: Design a Center for Leadership Development and Community
Service.
2. Timeline:
September 2 (LDS Opening) – Mission/ Groups Selection/ Brainstorming
September 24- Work on Project
October 22- Work on Project
November 19- In class presentation and selection of class winner
3. Judgment Week: November 26- December 1
A panel of judges will convene to assess each section’s winning
presentation and an overall winner will be chosen.
4. Prize: Dinner at Pasta-Pasta in Port Jefferson with VIPs
b. Service Week: Each LDS student will be expected to attend at least one of 7-10
service projects made available by the LDS team during the week of October 1- 6
and write a short reflection essay describing their experience. Attendance will be
taken at these activities.
4. Required Reading:
a. Stony Brook University. (2007). Your First Year at Stony Brook: The beginning
of an incredible journey, 2007-2008. Dubuque: Kendall Hunt.
[Available only through the University Bookstore]
b. Collings, B. (2002). Sailing Alone Around the Room: new and selected poems.
New York: Random House
[Provided at summer orientation]
5. Assignments: Each student is expected to complete:
a. Three outside-of-class Homework assignments
1. The First Year Reading Creative Expressions Contest
2. Two assigned by their instructor
b. Online 101 course Surveys (survey 1 and survey 2)
c. Online Alcohol Edu course (parts I and II).
6. Computer use: Students are expected to check their IC student account and Blackboard
for information and correspondence with the instructor and Undergraduate College.
EVALUATION AND GRADING PROCEDURES
FYS 101 is a 1-credit course for which you will earn either a Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. A-C
= Satisfactory. D-F = Unsatisfactory. Missing more than 2 classes or failure to attend required
Undergraduate College events will result in you earning an Unsatisfactory. Both class
participation and assignments will also be factored into the grading for this course.
FRESHMAN SEMINAR SCHEDULE
FALL 2007
Week of
9/3
Topic
Introduction
9/10
10/1
Academic Integrity or
Technology/SINC site Visit
Academic Integrity or
Technology/SINC site Visit
LDS Undergraduate
College Week
(in lieu of class)
Tier 2
10/8
Tier 2
10/15
UGC Commons - FY Reading
10/22
10/29
LDS Undergraduate
College Week
(in lieu of class)
Academic Advising (DEC)
11/5
Academic Advising
11/12
*Prevention and Outreach
11/19
11/26
LDS Undergraduate
College Week
Tier 3
12/3
Tier 3
12/10
Tier 3
9/17
9/24
Assignments
1st Alcohol Edu survey
Work on “The Apprentice” Project
Assignment 1 Due: Creative Expressions
Everyone must attend a “Billy Collins” event
in lieu of class
Work on “The Apprentice” Project
2nd Alcohol Edu survey
In class presentation and selection of class
winner
* The date for Prevention and Outreach may be switched with any TIER 2 or TIER 3
Bold faced represents activities that are REQUIRED to be done at the scheduled time.