ANTH 101: HUMAN ORIGINS SYLLABUS

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Course Name, Sections, and Dates Offered

ANTH 101 HUMAN ORIGINS, 3 credits, online

Metropolitan State University, Spring 20XX Dates: xx/xx/20xx – xx/xx/20xx 

Instructor & Department Contact Information

© Alejandra Estrin Dashe 2022 All Rights Reserved 

Instructor Information 

Instructor’s Name: Dr. Alejandra Estrin Dashe

Preferred pronouns: she/her/hers

Languages: English and Spanish

Instructor’s Email: alejandra.estrin@metrostate.edu

Email is the preferred method of communication. Emails will be checked Monday-Friday. Emails sent after 3pm will be answered within 48 hours to the next business day. Email will not be checked on University observed holidays, evenings, or weekends.

Office hours are by appointment only. Office hours will be held over Zoom. Click this link to schedule a time with Dr. Dashe or use https://bit.ly/MeetWithDrD. 

Department Information

Department of XXX

This University

1000 10^th Street 

This University Town, MN 55101

Phone: 651-854-1237

About the Course

Course Description

What is evolution and how does it differ from common beliefs about human origins? Students investigate the evolution of humans and other primates, and the cultural and biological adaptations of modern humans to their environments. The course explores a variety of topics including: the origins of language and culture, fossil evidence for primate and hominid evolution, and human biological variation. Students also examine contemporary debates about human origins.

Prerequisites 

None.

Competence Statement

Knows and understands the concepts and methodologies of biological anthropology and the science of evolution well enough to engage in public discussions about these topics.

Learning Methods 

This is an online asynchronous course. That means that the entire course is delivered through Desire2Learn. The instructor does not hold regular class meetings, face-to-face student meetings, or scheduled office hours. 

Learning methods used:

• Basics of understanding and knowledge by reading, viewing videos, self-assessment (practice) quizzes 
• Reflection and assessment by weekly assignments that ask the student to explain what was learned, what areas need help, and how to help themselves find support
• Student interaction and assessment by discussions board forums
• Assessment and synthesis of broader concepts through project-based learning

Textbooks and Instructional Materials

Required: Shook, B. et al. (2019). Explorations: An Open Invitation to Biological Anthropology. American Anthropological Association. CC BY-NC 4.0 International, except where otherwise noted. Available: https://pressbooks-dev.oer.hawaii.edu/explorationsbioanth/

This textbook is a free textbook found here: Explorations Textbook from the American Anthropological Association (http://explorations.americananthro.org/). All chapters and readings from this book are linked in D2L, each of the lecture notes, and in the Schedule & Course Map for ANTH 101 Human Origins.

Articles and videos will also be linked in weekly modules under each module's "Required Reading" sections. 

Lectures are delivered via VoiceThread. Please create an account to be able to access the VoiceThread lectures. Alternative formats for the VoiceThread lectures are posted as D2L webpages and narrated PowerPoint files. 

Attributions:

• Text content from VoiceThread lectures, PowerPoints (used to make the VoiceThread lectures), lecture notes, as well as video screencasts and course design are designed, written, and narrated by Alejandra Estrin Dashe; © Alejandra Estrin Dashe 2022 All Rights Reserved 
• Images in the VoiceThread lectures, PowerPoints (used to make the VoiceThread lectures), and lecture notes are from WikiMedia with Creative Commons licenses or are used with permission from the Explorations textbook. All images are cited in the files where they are used.
• Self-Assessment multiple-choice and true-false questions are used with permission from the Explorations textbook. 
• Weekly Assignment questions, Weekly Discussion questions, Projects, and associated rubrics are designed by Alejandra Estrin Dashe; © Alejandra Estrin Dashe 2022 All Rights Reserved  

The projects might require some library research. The library databases can be accessed by going to the library website and then using the Search for Articles tool. All work must be cited by APA or ASA (per Social Science Department Citation Guidelines). It is recommended to also use the Academic Integrity website to help with citations.

Schedule & Course Map for ANTH 101 Human Origins

Minnesota Transfer Curriculum GELS Requirements

• Goal 05 - Hist/Soc/Behav Sci
  • Employ the methods and data that historians and social and behavioral scientists use to investigate the human condition.
  • Examine social institutions and processes across a range of historical periods and cultures.
  • Use and critique alternative explanatory systems or theories.
  • Develop and communicate alternative explanations or solutions for contemporary social issues.

• Goal 10 - People/Environment
  • Explain the basic structure and function of various natural ecosystems and of human adaptive strategies within those systems.
  • Discern patterns and interrelationships of bio-physical and socio-cultural systems.
  • Describe the basic institutional arrangements (social, legal, political, economic, religious) that are evolving to deal with environmental and natural resource challenges.
  • Evaluate critically environmental and natural resource issues in light of understandings about interrelationships, ecosystems, and institutions.
  • Propose and assess alternative solutions to environmental problems.
  • Articulate and defend the actions they would take on various environmental issues.

Course Objectives

CO1. Knows and understands the concepts and methodologies of biological anthropology and the science of evolution.

CO2. Explains the general processes of evolution, including the particular stages of human evolution.

CO3. Explores the relationships between biology, culture, and environment.

CO4. Develops critical thinking skills needed to analyze and evaluate the relationships between, environment, culture, and evolution.

CO5. Writes analytical papers that are well informed, well-reasoned, and literate.

The course objectives are the learning goals for the class, as determined by the university. I have made a course map to show how we will meet these objectives throughout the semester. Note the following important details of the course map: 

• The course objectives are abbreviated as CO1, CO2, CO3, CO4, and CO5. Each course objective is connected to the module objectives, which are abbreviated as MO1.1, MO1.2, MO1.3, and so on. 
• The module objectives are specific, weekly objectives that will be easier to attain than the larger, course objectives. I also developed module objectives so you know what my weekly goals are for learning in this class. You can meet the weekly objectives (and therefore the course objectives) by completing the learning activities.
• The learning activities are readings, videos, lectures (notes, VoiceThread videos, narrated PowerPoint slide decks), self-assessments, discussions, projects, and weekly assignments. By completing the readings and videos, you prepare yourself for taking the self-assessments (which are non-graded quizzes for practicing what you learned from the chapter readings), discussions, projects, and weekly assignments - and then you can see how well you have met those learning goals. 
• The learning objectives are also achievable by using the tools in the class to learn the material and perform in the learning activities. The tools include:
  • the D2L tools
    • announcements: to announce important information in the class
    • content: to organize the content and order of learning activities
    • self-assessments: to give you the chance to test your knowledge and reflect upon what you learned
    • discussions: to enable you to apply what you have read, watched, and studied using a discussion question, interact with other students by working on the same exercises, and learn with and from other students and the instructor
    • assignments: to enable you to submit your weekly assignments and projects
    • grade book: to keep track of your grades
    • rubrics: to provide you criteria to measure your success on the work you do in this class
  • several third-party tools
    • Microsoft Office: used to post recorded lectures (PowerPoint) and for turning in work (weekly assignments, projects)
    • VoiceThread: used to post recorded lectures and for giving you the chance to interact with the lecture
    • MediaSpace: used to post videos (introduction, course tour, syllabus, assignment explanation, weekly recaps)
    • Adobe Acrobat Reader: used by the textbook where there are direct links to textbook chapters and they automatically download as PDFs
    • YouTube: used by some webpages or are where some course videos are housed
    • Zoom or Teams: used by the instructor for meetings with students, and to record videos, which are posted as MediaSpace videos
    • library materials: included as weblinks to additional reading materials or videos to watch through the Metropolitan State University Library
    • Turnitin: used by the instructor for evaluating academic integrity for the unit projects

Why is it important for you to see my weekly goals for learning and how they link up with what you have to do? I want you to know what I want to do this semester in order to meet the goals of the class. So, I purposefully broke down the course learning objectives into smaller weekly objectives so they are easier to meet. I further broke them down into activities that we can complete to show what actions we will take to meet the objectives and measure our success. This makes learning easier for everyone. 

Required reading: You are expected to read the Explorations textbook because all required readings are from there. It is an Open Educational Resource, which means it is a free resource for you to use. There are also additional required readings and videos posted in D2L. You will need to read the text, read the additional required readings, and watch the videos to get the background information in order to complete the learning activities. 

Assignment Information

You can find due dates in several places: 1) your syllabus, 2) the document “Due Dates for Everything,” 3) the D2L calendar, and 4) the assignment submission folder. All dates should match up. If they don’t, please inform the instructor. Please inform the instructor if an assignment due date falls on an observed holiday.

Readings 

There are required readings to complete based on what is listed in the Schedule and Course Map. Some of the readings are from published articles, but the majority of the readings are from the textbooks. They can be downloaded as PDFs and will automatically do so with each link to a chapter. The PDFs can be read by any PDF reader, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader. Other readings are weblinks or they might automatically download as a PDF. 

Lectures & Videos

There are several videos to watch in many of the weekly modules based on what is listed in the Schedule and Course Map. The videos are YouTube videos, screencasts, VoiceThreads, and narrated PowerPoint decks. The VoiceThreads break up the narrated PowerPoints into individual slides and allow you to comment on slides to ask questions. Both VoiceThread and PowerPoint files are linked in the content in case you prefer one or the other. The lectures are also outlined in D2L webpages. 

The Top 10 Document

The Top 10 Document is a plagiarism contract. The contract provides an overview of the common plagiarism mistakes that students make. Students are asked to sign this contract to indicate that they understand the Academic Integrity policy. 

Discussions

There are weekly discussions in this class that require students to write an original thread answering the discussion question and two responses to fellow students' posts. Discussions must be completed by Friday nights at 11:59 pm except in the case of the last discussion if the semester ends on a different day. 

Students can expect that the instructor will post a module opening discussion post on Fridays before the week starts and a module closing discussion post on Fridays with general feedback regarding the closing week's discussion. There are times when a holiday falls on a Friday, in which case the instructor will do her best to post earlier. Where appropriate, the instructor will enter a discussion to help frame points and concepts or to give general feedback on Monday-Friday (University observed holidays excluded) and does not post in the evenings or on the weekends. Additional individual feedback will also be provided with a scored rubric as part of the grade for the discussion assignments. 

The lowest two discussion scores are dropped. Check the Discussion Guidelines document for details about the student's responsibilities as a discussion participant.

All discussions will be managed with the Discussions tool in D2L. You can find the Discussions tool in D2L by navigating to the menu at the top, finding "Communications," and selecting "Discussions" from the options.

Self-Assessments 

There are self-assessments in each module. Self-assessments are practice quizzes that are not graded and do not count toward your grade. You can take these as many times as you want to practice your learning and see how well you understood the chapter reading. All self-assessments will be managed by the self-assessments tool in D2L. You can find the self-assessments in each module under "Self-Assessments." 

Weekly Assignments

There are weekly assignments in each module. Weekly assignments are reflection assignments that you will complete each week after having completed the reading, video watching, lecture interactions, and self-assessments.

The intentions behind these assignments are to encourage students in this course to become self-directed learners and to find out where more instruction might be required if there is a confusing area in the content.

The weekly assignments will give students a chance to think about what they have learned, describe the most important points of their learning, where the difficult parts were, and consider their own ideas about how to grow in their learning.

Weekly assignments are graded, have published rubrics, and the lowest two weekly assignment scores will be dropped. More information can be found in the Weekly Assignment Guidelines.

It is the student's responsibility to be sure that the Weekly Assignment is submitted on time and in the correct folder. The instructor does not accept homework by email or in hardcopy or paper forms. If the work is not submitted to the appropriate D2L assignment submission folder, is sent by email, or turned in by hardcopy or paper forms, the assignment will not receive credit. 

All Weekly Assignments will be managed with the Assignments tool in D2L. You can find the Assignments tool in D2L by navigating to the menu at the top, finding "Assessments," and selecting "Assignments" from the options.

Projects

Projects are bigger activities that involve creativity as well as understanding of the concepts presented in the unit. There are five projects that align with the five units.

Each project has a unique activity, which is scaffolded with a requirement to submit an outline before submitting the final project, and the option to revise the project for more points within one week after a grade and feedback have been posted. The instructor will publish the date when the revisions are due in the assignment folder. It is the student’s responsibility to note when the revisions are due. Revisions must be submitted to the appropriate D2L assignment submission folder. Revisions also must be submitted within the time frame allotted in order to be considered for grading because revisions are not required.

Students have the choice submitting their project as a paper, video, presentation, or other multimedia modality. This is on purpose so that the student can use their creativity in their learning. 

It is the student's responsibility to be sure that the homework is submitted on time and in the correct folder. The instructor does not accept homework by email or in hardcopy or paper forms. If the work is not submitted to the appropriate D2L assignment submission folder, is sent by email, or turned in by hardcopy or paper forms, the assignment will not receive credit.

Project rubrics and directions are published in D2L as assignments. You can find the Assignments tool in D2L by navigating to the menu at the top, finding "Assessments," and selecting "Assignments" from the options. It is the student’s responsibility to read all directions and rubrics. All five projects count for the grade. 

Return of Assignments / Feedback 

• Self-assessments: answers marked correct or incorrect. The answers are not released. These are not worth any points and are only for practice. 
• Weekly Assignments: weekly assignments will be scored with a grading rubric. The rubrics for the weekly assignments are posted in the Assignments folders and are visible in the grades tool. There might be additional written feedback marked in the document with inline comments. The instructor will return weekly assignment feedback within seven business days. 
• Weekly Discussions: discussions will be scored with a grading rubric. The rubrics for the discussions are posted in the discussion area and are visible in the grades tool. There might be additional written feedback marked as comments in the grades and the instructor will be asking questions in the live discussion forum to encourage more learning. The instructor will return discussion feedback within seven business days. 
• Projects: projects will be evaluated by the instructor using a grading rubric and Turnitin. The rubrics for the projects are posted in the assignment folders for the projects and are visible in the grades tool. Turnitin feedback will be available upon submission of the assignment and will be used to check for writing originality. There will be additional written feedback marked as inline comments in the student's document. The marked document with inline comments will be marked directly in the assignment. The instructor will return projects feedback within seven business days. 
• There might be moments during the semester when the feedback might be delayed. In these extreme cases, the instructor will notify the class when the feedback will be returned. 

How to find feedback: 

There is feedback in everyone's grades. You should be able to see the feedback in a few places: 

• the rubric
  • You should be able to see the rubric in your feedback for the assignment in the assignment area.
  • You should be able to see the rubric in your feedback for the discussion in the discussion area.
  • You should be able to see feedback in the grades.
• in the paper you sent me - the comments will be listed directly in the document as it appears in the assignment folder. 

If you still can't see them or are still having trouble with D2L and Word, I recommend reaching out to the help desk. Please let me know if you still can't find the feedback. 

Grading Policy 

Table 2. Assignments by points and percentage toward a grade. Grade alignment to the percentage can be found in Table 3.

Assignments	Total Points	Percentage
Top 10 List of Common Plagiarism Mistakes Students Make (20 points)	1 Top 10 document = 20. points	2%
WEekly Discussions @ 10 points each – post a new thread to answer the general discussion question and two responses to classmates’ threads per week – drop 2 lowest scores – see Discussion Guidelines (130 points)	13 discussions x 10 points = 130	29%
Weekly assignments @ 10 points each - drop 2 lowest scores - see weekly discussion guidelines (130 points)	13 WEEKLY ASSIGNMENTS x 10 points = 130	29%
5 projects @ 100 points each – see project Directions – no extended deadlines and no late projects accepted	5 Projects x 100 points per projects = 500	40%
Total	20+130+130+500=780	100%

University Grading Policy 

An overview of the University Grading Policy can be found under Policy 2080: Grading Policy on the Metropolitan State University website.

The instructor calculates your grade based on the percentages listed in the table. Take the number of points earned, divide it by the total points the assignment is worth, and multiply by 100 (this is also calculated for you by D2L). The percentage can be compared in Table 3 to see where you stand. The instructor figures out the final grades strictly on the percentages and round up (89.5% = 90% = A-). If there is a mistake in the grading that is not in your favor before grades are submitted, let the instructor know. 

There is no curve in this course. The instructor will not entertain requests for a higher grade if you are on the border. The instructor will also not entertain requests to grade or regrade any work after the end of the term has passed and/or after final grades are submitted.

Table 3. Percentages as Aligned to a Letter Grade Earned Based on the Percentages in Table 2.

Percentage	Grade Letter Earned
93%-100%	A
90%-92%	A-
87%-89%	B+
84%-86%	B
80%-83%	B-
77%-79%	C+
74%-76%	C
70%-73%	C-
60%-69%	D
59%-0%	F

Copies of Assignments

Students are responsible for keeping copies of all assignments turned in to the course as well as returned assignments. The instructor is not responsible for checking to see if the student turned in their homework or if it was received.

Late Work

All assignments must be submitted prior to the due date and time to be considered for grading. Late homework is not accepted. The instructor also does not grant extensions or relax deadlines because students have known about the due dates since the beginning of the term. Students are depending upon the instructor to return feedback in a timely manner. As such, it is not fair or respectful to the class to accommodate a student's failure to plan. Ways to avoid this problem are to mark down when everything is due in a calendar, start the assignment as soon as it is available, and complete the work with enough time to be able to make changes.

The exceptions to this policy would be for

• ADA compliance (which is through the Center for Accessibility Resources)
• Documented medical, family, and/or military leave (which is through Student Affairs)
• COVID-related and pandemic-influenced reasons

Technology Requirements

Computer Hardware

All students are required to have access to a computer. There are computers at the university and they can be found at all of the Metropolitan State University campuses. Please see "Computer Labs" under Tech Help to find free access to computers.

Computer Software & Third-Party Tools

The best web browsers for viewing D2L are Chrome, Firefox, and Safari on a computer. Please use these for your best browsing experience. If you are browsing on a phone or a table, the Brightspace Pulse app, which is the D2L app, is available for download in your app store: Apple or Google Play

All students have access to Microsoft 365 through their email account. Only Word documents will be accepted for submitting assignments. Most non-Microsoft word processing programs have functions to save documents as Word documents and you can search for this ability in the program's help files.

Lectures are delivered via VoiceThread. Please create an account to be able to access the VoiceThread lectures.

Zoom might be required if you intend to meet with your instructor. Students have access to Zoom through the university.

If you are still unsure about your computer software requirements, please visit the Tech Help page 

Technical Skills & File Management

Students are expected to be extremely well-versed in using the internet to access online resources and sites and extremely familiar and competent at using Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint. Additional functions might include uploading and downloading documents, email, and knowing how to use the internet and the library to find information. 

Students are expected to have intermediate or higher-level skills at file management; for example, the ability to create folders, move and rename folders and files, identify the type of file by its 3-letter file extension, and attach files to online folders or emails.

All submitted files for grading must be readable. If they are not able to be read, the assignment will be returned with a zero or failing grade. Please make sure that the filename contains the student's first and last names and the title or topic of the document you are submitting. Please do not include any special characters other than letters, numbers, and underscores. Special characters might cause problems while submitting your document. 

Internet Connection

Students are expected to have reliable internet access in order to log into D2L at least three days per week in order to check for updates and complete required work. Computers must also fully pass the System Check found on the D2L login page. Remember that the university always has a stable internet connection and it is free.

Communications

Questions and Answers about the Course 

Typically, the syllabus should answer most questions. Sometimes not everything is perfectly clear, so, there is a Frequently Asked Questions file in the Content of the Syllabus area. Please check there to see if there is an answer to the question. If it’s not there, questions can be posted in the “I don’t understand” area in the Discussions for assistance. Please read through the entries there before posting a new question, as there might already be an answer posted. If you know the answer to a question posted by another student, students are encouraged to provide assistance.

Personal questions about grades, complaints, or personal challenges must be sent to the instructor privately by email and not posted in public discussion areas. Publicly posted grade questions and publicly posted complaints (especially negative commentary, which would bring class morale down) about this course will be deleted and not answered. 

Email

As a university policy, in order to verify identification before processing requests, the Registrar's Office requires that all official correspondence take place through Metropolitan State University email accounts. Emails originating from outside the campus email servers may be deleted without review by the instructor. All emails must include a subject line starting with the course number and section, include a brief description that summarizes the content of the email, name, class, and any other relevant information to help the instructor help students faster. This helps the instructor know who you are and teaches the student how to be professional. For example:

ANTH 101-50: Human Origins Research Paper Topic

Dear Dr. Estrin Dashe,

I would like assistance with my project. Thank you.

Regards,

Jane Q. Student, Human Origins, ANTH:101-50

The instructor does not check email in the evenings or on weekends. Emails sent after 3pm will be answered within 48 hours on the next business day (University observed holidays excluded). Emails with texting or inappropriate language will not be answered.

You can find assistance for setting up your email account under Metropolitan State University email accounts.

Policies and Requirements

Attendance and University Non-Attendance and Reporting Policy and Procedure 

The purpose of the Non-Attendance and Reporting Policy is to ensure Federal Title IV regulations are adhered to with respect to a student’s enrollment level for the purpose of calculating and paying financial aid. While Metropolitan State University is not required to take attendance, Federal Title IV financial aid regulations require a procedure to establish that students have attended, at a minimum, one day of class for each course in which the student’s enrollment status was used to determine eligibility for the Pell Grant Program. In addition, the university needs to determine a last date of attendance for those students who receive all failing grades or unofficially withdraw.

Attendance is defined based on the course delivery mode. A student is “in attendance” if they meet the following conditions before the end of the second week of the course:

• Classroom Courses – the student is present in the classroom. (This is not relevant to this course because there are no face-to-face meetings.)
• Web-Enhanced (Reduced Seat Time Courses) – the student is present in the classroom or submits at least one academically relevant assignment. (This is not relevant to this course because there are no face-to-face meetings.)
• Online Courses – the student submits at least one academically relevant assignment Independent Studies – the student contacts the instructor or submits at least one academically relevant assignment. (This is relevant to this course because we are fully online.)
• Class Non-Attendance and Reporting Policy and Procedure

Attendance will be taken every week and is measured by posting in the discussion for that week. Students are expected to log into the course website at least three days per week to view updated announcements, participate in ongoing discussions, and work cooperatively with class members.

Students who miss the first two weeks of class will be automatically dropped. Here is how to prove attendance:

• Post in the Week 1 discussions (Week 1 Introduction, Week 1 What Does it Mean to be Human) AND turn in your Top 10 document - if these are missing, you will be dropped and cannot be re-added.
• The only reason why a student would be excused from this two-week rule would be for documented medical, family, jury duty, and/or military excused leave.

Regular class attendance is extremely important in this course. Nevertheless, it is understood that students have obligations that may occasionally result in a missed class. The instructor makes no distinction between excused and unexcused absences. Students will be allowed up to two absences without penalty, meaning that students can miss two online discussions without losing points or letter grades. In other words, students can drop the two lowest discussion scores. Note that students may not miss the first two weeks, use those as the “dropped” discussions, and expect to still be registered in the class (see above). The instructor cannot add you back, even if you intended to stay in the class.

Here are the consequences for missing more than two classes: If you attend the first two weeks, but miss more than two classes, then your final grade will be docked one-third of a letter grade for each absence after two. For example, if you earned a B in the course and you missed the third class, your final grade would be a B-. If you missed the fourth class, your final grade would be a C+.

Preparation

As a university course, students are expected to spend three to four hours per credit per week in their studies, preparation activities, and assessments. In a three-credit course, students, therefore, are expected to spend six to nine hours per week completing readings, assignments, discussions, and research for this course. Students are expected to read all relevant textbook assignments and other articles prior to starting any assignments or discussions.

Professionalism, Respect, and Netiquette

Students are expected to treat the instructor and all other participants in the course with courtesy and respect. Comments to others should be factual, constructive, and free from harassing statements. Students are encouraged to disagree with other students, but such disagreements need to be based upon facts and documentation (rather than prejudices and personalities).

Students will need to contribute in intelligent, positive, and constructive manners within the course. Behaviors that are abusive, disruptive, or harassing may result in disciplinary actions as specified within the Student Conduct Code found here: University Policy #1020. 

Do not submit any homework, comments, discussion posts images, videos, symbols, or any other communication that could be construed as personal remarks or attacks (sarcasm and jokes are in that category), or convey a discriminatory message. Re-read and think carefully about your message before posting. Never post a message online that you might be hesitant to say to someone's face. Any communications that go against the Student Code of Conduct will be discussed with the student, removed, and reported to the Dean of Students. 

COVID-19 Policies 

The pandemic has changed many things at Metro State and higher education in general. It is important to be familiar with COVID-19 procedures for Metro State, and to ensure that we are in communication if you or someone close to you gets sick. All of Metro’s COVID-19 procedures, including when and how you can be on campus, are on the COVID-19 Response page.

This spring, you must:

1. complete a self-assessment before you come to any campus location through campus access points
2. wear a face covering at all times when on campus
3. maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet in all campus spaces including classrooms, hallways, and entry and exit points; and
4. self-report any fever or other symptoms and stay off-campus. 

If you contract COVID-19 (or if someone you care for does), please contact me as soon as you are able and then complete Metro's COVID-19 reporting form. All COVID-19 related class absences will be excused, and we will accommodate your re-entry into the course when you feel better. You will be given appropriate extensions for your required work but will still be responsible for completing all assignments. If you are unable to complete the requirements for the course following a COVID-19 illness, please complete a registration appeal. 

Academic Integrity

University Statement:

The Student Academic Integrity Policy is Academic Policy #2190. The Student Academic Integrity Procedure is Academic Procedure #219.

Social Science Department Statement:

The Student Academic Integrity Policy is Academic Policy #2190. Referring to Section 5

of Academic Procedure #219, “Any behavior or activity that seeks or achieves misrepresentation of the originality of a student’s work, or damage to another student’s work, constitutes a violation of academic integrity.”

Violations include cheating; academic misconduct (such as lying); academic fraud (such as forgery, and falsifying data); plagiarism (presenting another person’s work as one’s own); submitting the same assignment in two classes; and collusion with another student to commit violations. Plagiarism includes but is not limited to the use of quotations or paraphrases of the work of another person or agency without full and clear acknowledgment. Procedure #219 also outlines sanctions for first-level, second-level, and third-level violations.

Any evidence of academic misconduct on any work shall also lead to no credit on that work and other possible sanctions, including the possibility of failing the course. A second instance of plagiarism or cheating will result in an automatic F in the course. Violations of the academic integrity policy will be reported to the office of the Provost/Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Students have the right to an appeal under Academic Procedure #202.

Dr. Alejandra Estrin Dashe’s Academic Integrity Statement:

I check everyone’s work for plagiarism. I sample a few sentences from your work, then I enter them into a general search engine (such as Google) and check if they are copied from a website or our textbook. I also use Turnitin, which is an online program that Metro State faculty uses to check for plagiarism. If you copied what you claim to be your work from a website without proper citation, even if you thought you cited it properly, believe that you did not intend to do this, and/or feel that you did not have enough time to finish your work but still copy it anyway to make the deadline, then that means you have been caught plagiarizing.

The following actions will occur:

• I will inform you that your work is plagiarized and show you where.
• You receive zero points for the discussion post or project with no opportunity to redo it. The discussion post will be deleted. The project, discussion, or other assignment will not be accepted for credit.
• I am required to report any academic misconduct, including plagiarism, to Student Success and Judicial Affairs at Academic.Integrity@metrostate.edu. Consequences for the offending students will depend upon the severity of the act in question (see the Student Handbook).

What I expect from you:

• Read the Metro State’s Academic Policy #2190 and Academic Procedure #219 regarding plagiarism and disciplinary action, the information provided to you from Academic Integrity, “How Do I Make Sure I Don’t Plagiarize,” and the “Top 10 List of Common Plagiarism Mistakes Students Make” (under Syllabus in Content).
• Sign and date the Top 10 List of Common Plagiarism Mistakes Students Make and upload it to the Assignment submission folder titled “Top 10 List of Common Plagiarism Mistakes Students Make.” Once signed and turned in, it means that you know what plagiarism is and understand the consequences for it in this course. You can’t say that you did not know – you have been informed. No points will be awarded for your work until I receive The Top 10 document signed and submitted to the Assignment submission folder.
• Not to plagiarize.

Course Site Down-Time 

It is very important that each time anyone in the class logs into D2L that everyone reads the D2L My Home area to check if there are any scheduled downtimes. Everyone is responsible for planning around these downtimes for turning in assignments before deadlines. Additionally, most problems within D2L are based on high usage, for example too many people online at the same time because everyone's deadline is Friday night at 11:59pm. Therefore, it is best to get all assignments done before the deadline to avoid the high-usage times and submitted early in case the system needs to be taken offline for maintenance.

If there is an ongoing disruption that prevents assignment completion, reach out to Information Technology Services (website, email, phone: 651-793-1650), include screenshots of the error messages, and include specific times when this happened. These can be later verified to determine the nature of the problem.

Drop & Withdrawal Deadlines

If you choose to drop this course, check the University's Academic Calendar for dates and deadlines or the Tuition Refunds page. 

If you are unable to remain in the class, there are options to unenroll:

• Drop: you may drop a class during the first week of classes. When you drop a class, it does not appear on your transcript and you receive a refund for the cost of the class. The last day to drop this semester is 1/14/2022.
• Withdraw: you can withdraw from a class after the first week of classes. A W will appear on your transcript. You will not receive a refund for the class if you withdraw. A W will not affect your grade point average, but it will affect your cumulative completion rate and can put you at risk of academic sanctions. A W will appear on your transcript if you choose to withdraw after 1/14/2022 but before 4/11/2022.
• If you do not finish the class or fail to withdraw from the class by the deadline of 4/11/2022, you will receive a grade of “F.”
• Coronavirus/COVID-19 information can be found here.

Information for registering for graduation is available on Metro's graduation information website.

Incompletes

Incompletes shall only be requested in extenuating circumstances. An incomplete (I) grade may be assigned at the discretion of the instructor and only if the following conditions have been met:

• the student must have satisfactorily completed 75 percent of course work, written assignments and examinations
• the student is earning a grade of C or better
• the student is in good standing according to the class attendance policy.
• the request must be before the semester ends.
• Not all requests will be honored. Please plan accordingly.

All course work must be completed either by a due date negotiated with the instructor or within one semester or the grade turns into an F.

Free Academic Support and Center for Accessibility Resources

Campus Resources 

• Services + Support - find everything you need to navigate the university.
• Center for Academic Excellence - visit with this department to get tutoring, including writing support.
• Center for Accessibility Resources - visit this department to get support and accommodations.
• Help with technology - find your computer lab, get access to Wi-Fi on campus, registration/financial aid, D2L, and email.
• Find your advisor - visit with your advisor to get support for finding your classes or figuring out how to navigate the university.
• Library Services – are available at Minneapolis, Midway or St. Paul Academic Computer Centers. Email or call the Library Services Desk at 651.793.1616 or for specific information on hours and free workshops being offered throughout the term.
• Center for Online Learning - if you are having trouble getting into your D2L course site, please email or call the Center for Online Learning at 651.793.1650. This support is limited to D2L only; for assistance with non-D2L technology issues, please contact the IT help desk.
• Coronavirus/COVID-19 - if you are having trouble and it is related to the pandemic, please let the instructor know and click on the link to locate more resources. 

Center for Accessibility Resources

Center for Accessibility Resources is available to facilitate the removal of barriers and ensure reasonable accommodations. If you have a documented disability that may require accommodations, it is essential that you register with the Center for Accessibility Resources to receive support. Students may contact the Center for Accessibility Resources at 651.7934.1549 or at accessibility.resources@metrostate.edu. The office is located in New Main, room L223.