What’s Going On?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-kA3UtBj4M
Mercy Mercy Me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efiDnHS3fzk
Big Yellow Taxi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94bdMSCdw20
This Land Is Your Land
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxiMrvDbq3s
Don’t Go Near the Water
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpJ-pLYmDHU
Beds Are Burning
From Outside Lies Magic, John R. Stillgoe, 1998
Get out now. Not just outside, but beyond the trap of the programmed electronic age so gently closing around so many people at the end of our century. Go outside, move deliberately, then relax, slow down, look around. Do not jog. Do not run. Forget blood pressure and arthritis, cardiovascular rejuvenation and weight reduction. Instead pay attention to everything that abuts the rural road, the city street, the suburban boulevard. Walk. Stroll. Saunter. Ride a bike, and coast along a lot. Explore.
Abandon, even momentarily, the sleek modern technology that consumes so much time and money now, and seek out the resting place of a technology almost forgotten. Go outside and walk a bit, long enough to forget about programming, long enough to take in and record new surroundings.
Flex the mind, a little at first, then a lot. Savor something special. Enjoy the best-kept secret around—the ordinary, everyday landscape that rewards any explorer, that touches any explorer with magic.
The whole concatenation of wild and artificial things, the natural ecosystem as modified by people over centuries, the built environment layered over layers, the eerie mix of sounds and smells and glimpses neither natural or crafted—all of it is free for the taking, for the taking in. Take it, take it in, take in more every weekend, every day, and quickly it becomes the theater that intrigues, relaxes, fascinates, seduces, and about all expands any mind focused on it. Outside lies utterly ordinary space open to any casual explorer willing to find the extraordinary. Outside lies unprogrammed awareness that at times becomes directed serendipity. Outside lies magic.
“Miracles” Walt Whitman
Why, who makes much of a miracle?
As to me I know of nothing else but miracles,
Whether I walk the streets of Manhattan,
Or dart my sight over the roofs of houses toward the sky,
Or wade with naked feet along the beach just in the edge of
the water,
Or stand under trees in the woods,
Or talk by day with any one I love, or sleep in the bed at night with any
one I love,
Or sit at table at dinner with the rest,
Or look at strangers opposite me riding in the car,
Or watch honey-bees busy around the hive of a summer forenoon,
Or animals feeding in the fields,
Or birds, or the wonderfulness of insects in the air,
Or the wonderfulness of the sundown, or of stars shining so quiet and
bright,
Or the exquisite delicate thin curve of the new moon in spring;
These with the rest, one and all, are to me miracles,
The whole referring, yet each distinct and in its place.
To me every hour of the light and dark is a miracle,
Every cubic inch of space is a miracle,
Every square yard of the surface of the earth is spread with the same,
Every foot of the interior swarms with the same.
To me the sea is a continual miracle,
The fishes that swim—the rocks—the motion of the waves—the
ships with men in them,
What stranger miracles are there?
From Leaves of Grass, Walt Whitman
I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars,
And the pismire is equally perfect, and a grain of sand, and the egg of the wren,
And the tree toad is a chef-d'oeurve for the highest,
And the running blackberry would adorn the parlors of heaven,
And the narrowest hinge in my hand puts to scorn all machinery,
And the cow crunching with depress'd head surpasses any statue,
And a mouse is miracle enough to stagger sextillions of infidels!
Seeing, hearing, feeling, are miracles, and each part and tag of me is a miracle.
From Walking, Henry David Thoreau
I have met with but one or two persons in the course of my life who understood the art of Walking . . .
Sauntering, from idle people who roved about the country in the Middle Ages, and asked charity, under the pretense of going a la Sainte-Terre, to the Holy Land . . . mere idlers and vagabonds.
He who sits still in a house all the time may be the greatest vagrant of all.
For every walk is a sort of crusade, preached by some Peter the Hermit in us, to go forth and reconquer this Holy Land from the hands of Infidels.
So we saunter toward a Holy Land, till one day the sun shall shine more brightly than ever he has done, shall perchance shine into our minds and hearts, and light up our whole lives with a great awakening light.
God and Nature?
Deism: belief in the existence of a supreme being, specifically of a creator who does not interfere in the universe [god the clock maker]. The term is used chiefly of an intellectual movement of the 17th and 18th centuries that accepted the existence of a creator on the basis of reason but rejected belief in a supernatural deity who interacts with humankind. To understand something of the creator, deists stressed the necessity of studying creation [as opposed to scripture or revelation]. Deism is usually taken to involve God’s leaving the universe to its own lawful devices, without intervention, once creation was completed. It is most often associated with boundless confidence in reason; the human intellect, once liberated from superstition and fear, can discern the creator by studying the natural laws of creation.
Pantheism: doctrine that identifies God with the universe, or regards the universe as a manifestation of God. Pantheism is the doctrine that the divine is all-inclusive and that man and nature are not independent of God, but modes or elements of his Being. Christian theologians have generally denounced pantheism as a form of atheism, since it detracts from orthodox theism [belief in one God who controls creation and who sustains a personal relation to his creatures].
Some keep the Sabbath going to Church –
Some keep the Sabbath going to Church –
I keep it, staying at Home –
With a Bobolink for a Chorister –
And an Orchard, for a Dome –
Some keep the Sabbath in Surplice –
I, just wear my Wings –
And instead of tolling the Bell, for Church,
Our little Sexton – sings.
God preaches, a noted Clergyman –
And the sermon is never long,
So instead of getting to Heaven, at last –
I’m going, all along.
I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
What’s Going On
Mother, mother
There's too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There's far too many of you dying
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today, eheh
Father, father
We don't need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today, oh oh oh
Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me, so you can see
Oh, what's going on
What's going on
Yeah, what's going on
Ah, what's going on
In the mean time
Right on, baby
Right on brother
Right on babe
Mother, mother, everybody thinks we're wrong
Oh, but who are they to judge us
Simply 'cause our hair is long
Oh, you…
Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)
Whoa, ah, mercy mercy me
Oh things ain't what they used to be, no no
Where did all the blue skies go?
Poison is the wind that blows from the north and south and east
Whoa mercy, mercy me,
Oh things ain't what they used to be, no no
Oil wasted on the oceans and upon our seas, fish full of mercury
Ah, oh mercy, mercy me
Ah things ain't what they used to be, no no
Radiation under ground and in the sky
Animals and birds who live nearby are dying
Oh mercy, mercy me
Oh things ain't what they used to be
What about this overcrowded land
How much more abuse from man can she stand?
Oh, no no, na, na na, na
My sweet Lord, na, na, na
My Lord, my sweet Lord
Songwriters: Marvin Gaye / Marvin P Gaye
·
Big Yellow Taxi
by Joni Mitchell
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel *, a boutique
And a swinging hot spot
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
They took all the trees
Put 'em in a tree museum *
And they charged the people
A dollar and a half just to see 'em
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
Hey farmer farmer
Put away that DDT * now
Give me spots on my apples
But leave me the birds and the bees
Please!
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
Late last night
I heard the screen door slam
And a big yellow taxi
Took away my old man
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
This Land Is Your Land
This land is your land, this land is my land
From the California to the New York island
From the Redwood Forest, to the gulf stream waters
This land was made for you and me
As I went walking that ribbon of highway
I saw above me that endless skyway
And saw below me that golden valley
This land was made for you and me
I roamed and rambled and I followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts
And all around me , a voice was sounding
This land was made for you and me
When the sun comes shining, then I was strolling
In the wheat fields waving and dust clouds rolling
The voice was chanting as the fog was lifting
This land was made for you and me
This land is your land and this land is my land
From the California to the New York island
From the Redwood Forest, to the gulf stream waters
This land was made for you and me
When the sun comes shining, then I was strolling
In wheat fields waving and dust clouds rolling
The voice come chanting as the fog was lifting
This land was made for you and me
Don't Go Near the Water
Don't go near the water
Don't you think it's sad
What's happened to the water
Our water's going bad
Oceans, rivers, lakes and streams
Have all been touched by man
The poison floating out to sea
Now threatens life on land
Don't go near the water
Ain't it sad
What's happened to the water
It's going bad
Don't go near the water
Don't go near the water
Toothpaste and soap will make our oceans a bubble bath
So let's avoid an ecological aftermath
Beginning with me
Beginning with you
Don't go near the water
To do it any wrong
To be cool with the water
Is the message of this song
Let's all help the water
Right away
Do what we can and ought to
Let's start today
Beds Are Burning
Out where the river broke
The bloodwood and the desert oak
Holden wrecks and boiling diesels
Steam in forty-five degrees
The time has come to say fair's fair
To pay the rent, to pay our share
The time has come, a fact's a fact
It belongs to them, let's give it back
How can we dance when our earth is turning?
How do we sleep while our beds are burning?
How can we dance when our earth is turning?
How do we sleep while our beds are burning?
The time has come to say fair's fair
To pay the rent now, to pay our share
Four wheels scare the cockatoos
From Kintore, east to Yuendemu
The Western Desert lives and breathes
In forty-five degrees
The time has come to say fair's fair
To pay the rent, to pay our share
The time has come, a fact's a fact
It belongs to them, let's give it back
How can we dance when our earth is turning?
How do we sleep while our beds are burning?
How can we dance when our earth is turning?
How do we sleep while our beds are burning?
The time has come to say fair's fair
To pay the rent now, to pay our share
The time has come, a fact's a fact
It belongs to them, we're gonna give it back
How can we dance when our earth is turning?
How do we sleep while our beds are burning?
Treks and Texts: Journeys into Nature
HCOL 40000, Sec 655
Tuesday, 2:00 PM to 4:40 PM
Sadler Hall 218
In wildness is the preservation of the world. –Thoreau, "Walking"
Everyone must believe in something. I believe I’ll go canoeing. –attributed to Thoreau
Intended to demonstrate the connections between environmental writing and local environments, this interdisciplinary colloquium will require both indoor and outdoor learning experiences. Being outside is as much a part of the course as being inside a classroom.
At its heart, this colloquium is a discussion-based reading and writing course, and its subject matter is the natural environment we all inhabit. All classes, including the excursions, will involve response and discussions intended to integrate academic classroom learning with experiential learning and service. The exchange of ideas through dialogue is a fundamental component of this colloquium.
Much of the colloquium will take place outdoors. Six times during the semester students will travel to the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge for volunteer work, helping to maintain its trail system and facilities. At least twice during the semester, students will take short field trips to local sites near TCU (Fort Worth Zoo, Overton Park, and Fort Worth Botanic Garden), and at least once during the semester students will also travel to the Amon Carter Museum to view its landscape collection. Additionally, for one class students will be required to take part in an early evening canoe trip.
A crucial component of this course will take place over fall break, October 5-8, when we as a class will spend 2 and ½ days in Big Bend National Park. We will travel to Terlingua, TX, on Thursday, October 5; on the 6th we will take a day-long guided jeep/ATV tour of the park; and on the 7th we will spend the day in canoes paddling the Rio Grande River. We will return to TCU on Sunday afternoon, October 8.
This wonderful excursion is a course enhancement funded by the TCU John V. Roach Honors College, which will cover all costs related to travel, lodging, guided trips by Far Flung Outdoor Center, and most meals.
Ultimately, this adventure is optional, but it is highly recommended.
Outcomes:
1. a general introduction to current environmental issues and trends as they are reflected in literature, film, art, and popular media
2. a general understanding of the history of environmental movements in the US
3. a familiarity with the genre development of Nature/Environmental Writing
4. a familiarity with selected environmental writers and their texts
5. a familiarity with selected outdoor environments
6. an ability to reflect on personal observations and experiences in natural environments
Required Texts:
The Norton Book of Nature Writing, Eds, Finch and Elder
Devotions: The Selected Poetry of Mary Oliver
The Best of Edward Abbey, Edward Abbey
Tuesday, August 22
--Introduction (overview of the course schedule, requirements, and outcomes); student introductions and feedback; blogging introduction
--one short poem about nature
--Nature Observation (writing/photographic exercise)
Tuesday, August 29
--popular songs, Woody Guthrie, Joni Mitchell, Marvin Gaye, and Midnight Oil (handout for the texts, songs are available on YouTube)
--Nature poems (handout of several nature poems, e.g. Wordsworth, Frost, Dickinson)
--nature observation
Tuesday, September 5
--Meriwether Lewis, from Nature Writing, 95-100
--Standing Bear, from Nature Writing, 326-331
--Men are like plants, de Crevecouer (handout)
--Early attitudes towards the environment (handout)
--nature observation
Tuesday, September 12
--Edward Abbey, from Nature Writing, 614-627
--Edward Abbey, from The Best of Edward Abbey, 54-73
--nature observation
Tuesday, September 19
--Edward Abbey, from The Best of Edward Abbey, 426-432
--Edward Abbey, “Polemic: Industrial Tourism and the National Parks” (handout)
--nature observation
Tuesday, September 26
--volunteer work at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge
Tuesday, October 3
--volunteer work at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge
Tuesday, October 10
--volunteer work at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge
Tuesday, October 17
--volunteer work at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge
Tuesday, October 24
--volunteer work at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge
Tuesday, October 31 Halloween!
-Romanticism and Transcendentalism (handout)
--"Down the River with Henry Thoreau,” from The Best of Edward Abbey, 272-307
--Henry David Thoreau, Quotes from Walden (handout)
--nature observation
Tuesday, November 7
--Wallace Stegner, from Nature Writing, 514-519
--Aldo Leopold, from Nature Writing, 376-397
--nature observation
Tuesday, November 14
-- T. H. White, from Nature Writing, 474-479
--Loren Eiseley, from Nature Writing, 485-493
--nature observation
Tuesday, November 21
--No Class, Thanksgiving Break
Tuesday, November 28
--Mary Oliver Poems
Tuesday, December 5
--Final Presentations
Course Requirements:
1) Attendance and Participation. This colloquium is discussion-based, and thus you are required to take an active part in it and to contribute to its success. Participation credit is given by taking part in class discussions (I keep track of who contributes) and class activities, including indoor and outdoor activities. In nearly every classroom class there will be either an in-class activity, and anyone absent will not receive credit for these activities. Outside activities are required and attendance will count as participation. Attendance and participation are worth 10% of your final grade.
Missing more than three classes during the term will result in failure.
2) Familiarity with the Texts. A reading knowledge of the texts is essential and expected. Please read the assigned texts. I will not quiz on the reading assignments unless I believe I am compelled by poor discussions. My expectation is that, as exemplary Honors students, will be able to comment insightfully on each of the assigned readings.
3) Lead Respondent Assignment: Throughout the semester you will be asked to help lead class discussions concerning the assigned reading texts, and these assignments will be done as group work (teams of 3). Each group will choose a group of texts that are assigned on specific class days, and group members will be expected to make a presentation to the rest of the class that will encourage insight and discussion. These presentations may include biographical or historical information about the author and an analysis of its themes and issues. More importantly, these presentations should also include a discussion of what the group thinks is relevant and/or interesting in the text and a list of questions for discussion. These presentations should be informative, creative, and engaging. A brief handout summarizing key points and pertinent information and listing the discussion questions is required. These assignments will be graded according to the quality of the information presented and, equally important, on how effectively the presenters are able to engage the class in discussions. Students must take responsibility for leading the class discussions on their assigned days, and thus weak class discussions will lower the amount of credit given.
Lead Respondent presentations will required on 09/12/, 09/19, 10/31, 11/07, 11/14, and 11/29. This assignment is worth 20% of your final grade.
Kahoots and quizzes, crossword puzzles, Jeopardy games, identify the animal/ bird?
4) Nature Journals I (Written Texts): Nature writers often keep meticulous journals, and for this field-intensive colloquium, you are asked to keep a blog to post your observations and thoughts. Nature journals not only describe specific physical settings, including specific flora and fauna, but also how writers react to and interact with outside environments. Thus they should be personal reflections rather than scientific accounts.
Entries should be a minimum of 1 page in length, and by the end of the semester you will be expected to have written and uploaded a minimum of 10 journal entries. These entries may comment on your class activities, class readings, field trips, and outdoor activities. When commenting on the assigned readings, you are encouraged to honestly describe what your reading experiences were like and remark on what you thought was interesting, provocative, or relevant in the texts—or not so interesting.
At least 4 of the journal entries should be descriptions of an activity you have engaged
in outdoors, such as walking, biking, canoeing/kayaking, paddle boarding, or even sitting
on a park bench and observing. Photographs (phone photos) to supplement your blogs are required.
For all of the journal entries, careful observations of the natural environments are
expected, and self-reflections are encouraged. Please describe your thoughts and
feelings as you interact with the outside world.
Throughout the semester you will receive credit for your journal entries, and at the end of the semester the cumulative holistic quality of your journals will be evaluated and graded.
Please note: 5 of the journal entries must be posted before midterms.
Worth 15% of the final grade, your written journals will be graded according to the quality and depth of both natural description and personal reflection. An exemplary journal will demonstrate a student’s capacity to closely observe environmental contexts and connect these descriptions with class discussions and texts as well as personal experiences. I do not expect or require deep insights or analysis. What I do expect is a sustained engagement to reflect on your experiences and observations, both inside and outside the classroom, and a capacity to articulate the relevance of these reflections. A less-than-exemplary journal will demonstrate less detailed observations and reflections. This is not a matter of how much is written, but how it is written.
5) Nature Journal II (Visual Texts). In addition to your written blog, you are asked to keep a photo journal, uploading a minimum of 10 photographs. These photographs should not be mistaken for quick snapshots; rather, they should be photographs carefully taken and selected that document your experiences outdoors. A photograph is a moment frozen in time, and a good photograph should tell a story. Unlike videos that offer a constant flow of live images, a photograph is a single opportunity to convey meaning. I ask that, by the end of the semester, you upload a minimum of 10 photographs that tell the story of your outdoor experiences this semester.
You will be taking photos throughout the semester, and by the end of the semester I expect you to choose what you think are your ten best photos and then upload your chosen ten to your blog in a clearly identified file—My Ten Best Photos.
Use your cell phones or cameras to document your experiences outside throughout the semester. I encourage you to be ambitious about these photos and upload only those photos that best communicate what you experienced.
Worth another 15% of the final grade, your photos will be graded according to their general quality (I am not asking for professional-level quality) and on their capacity to convey the depth and meaning of your outdoor learning experiences. An exemplary photo will tell a story of what you encountered and communicate the importance of what you observed. As an amateur photographer, I can take dozens of photos of a single sunrise or bird. I then carefully review these many photos and choose the one that best conveys what I intended to capture. I ask you to be equally concerned with selecting your photos.
6) Mary Oliver Poems. Throughout the semester you are required to read and briefly comment on 6 Mary Oliver poems and, for our class on 11/28, present on one poem. Winner of both a Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award, Oliver is a celebrated poet of nature, and most of her poems are inspired by her observations while on walks around her home in Provincetown, Massachusetts. I ask that you glance through Mary Oliver’s book, Devotions, and closely read 6 poems that engage your attention. In your blogs, please comment briefly on why the poem engaged your attention. What was it in the poem that spoke to you, that connected with you? Please clearly identify your entries, “My Mary Oliver Poems,” and please comment on 3 poems before Fall Break, and another 3 poems after Fall Break and before our November 28 class.
For our November 28 class, please be prepared to briefly discuss your favorite Mary Oliver poem. To visually aid your discussion, please select an image (photo, painting, sculpture, illustration, or anything visual, maybe even a magazine ad or a traffic sign) that, in some way, represents the poem to you. Each person will have 5 minutes to present his/her poem and image. Your Mary Oliver blog entries and your Mary Oliver presentation are worth 20% of her final grade.
7) Final Presentation. For the final assignments, student teams (3 students) are required to create and present a brief video project (10 minutes max) that offers a concluding reflection of your thoughts, observations, and learning experiences throughout the semester. There is no specific format or formula, but you are asked to reflect on what you experienced as learners that was interesting, striking, memorable, and—especially—relevant. These videos should be engaging and creative. Along with the video presentation, each team must submit a 1-page justification of your presentation (only one justification per group). Both videos and justifications must also be uploaded to your blogs.
Worth 20% of the final grade, the Final Presentations will be expected to demonstrate a thoughtful reflection juxtaposing the course outcomes with your learning experiences. Presentations will be graded according to how you are able to express what you have learned and how well you are able to use video to present your most relevant learning experiences back to the class. As in the Lead Respondent Assignments, you will be assessed according to how well you express what you have learned and how well you are able to engage the rest of the class in discussion.
8) Never Use the Non-Word “Very.” For the rest of the semester, at least in our class, this four-letter non-word is forbidden. It is a useless word, and the English vocabulary is rich with specific, vivid qualifiers and descriptors. “The day was very sunny” is a weak sentence. One of the best and easiest ways to improve your writing is to eliminate this word. People who constantly use this non-word expose both a lack of imagination and a lack of vocabulary. I encourage you to enhance your word usage.
Please note: all deadlines are firm. Unless there is an emergency, no extensions will be possible.
Final Grade:
Nature Journals I & II 30%
Lead Respondent Assignments 20%
Final Presentations 20%
Mary Oliver Poems 20%
Attendance/Participation 10%
Using the non-word “very” -10% (just kidding, or maybe not)
Concerning course assignments and grades: Much of your work for this class will not have specific deadlines and due dates. It is your responsibility to make sure that half of your journal entries (both written and visual) and half your Mary Oliver responses are posted before Fall Break and the remaining half posted after Fall Break. Please do not suddenly start uploading to your blog during the final two weeks of class. My primary course requirements are that you stay engaged with the class (taking part in class discussions and class activities and not waiting until the last minute to read, write, and post) and that you take responsibility for the quality of your work
Also, as your advocate—and never your adversary, I sincerely want every student to receive an A at the end of the semester. The work is not hard, and I ask only that you stay engaged with the class and that take responsibility for posting to your blog. Those who are inconsistent in staying engaged and taking responsibility will not get an A. I reserve the right to make use of the plus/minus system, if I think it is helpful in distinguishing exemplary work from good work. But I expect you as Honors students to demonstrate excellence in all of your work and therefore make the plus/minus system unnecessary. Weak, sloppy, late, and hurried effort is always difficult to mask and will always receive less than an A.
Dan Williams
TCU Press (3000 Sandage) and 1238 Library
817-257-5907 (office)
817-239-1376 (cell)
Office hours: Virtual Office Hours via Zoom every Friday 2-3 PM and by appointment
Central Course Blog site: https://treksandtexts23.blogspot.com/
TCU Mission: To educate individuals to think and act as ethical leaders and responsible citizens in the global community.
Honors Pledge: “As a member of the John V. Roach Honors College, I pledge to dedicate myself to intellectual inquiry, life-long learning, and critical thinking, to demonstrate personal and academic integrity, and to engage others in earnest and respectful discussion with an open mind.”
All members of the class are expected to follow rules of common courtesy in all email messages, discussions, and chats. If I deem any of them to be inappropriate or offensive, I will forward the message to the Chair of the department and appropriate action will be taken, not excluding expulsion from the course. The same rules apply online as they do in person. Be respectful of other students. Foul discourse will not be tolerated. Please take a moment and read the basic information about netiquette (http://www.albion.com/netiquette/).
Participating in the virtual realm, including social media sites and shared-access sites sometimes used for educational collaborations, should be done with honor and integrity. This site provides guidance on personal media accounts and sites (https://tinyurl.com/PersonalMedia).
Syllabus Disclosures Fall 2023
Disabilities Statement: Texas Christian University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 regarding students with disabilities. Eligible students seeking accommodations should contact the Coordinator of Student Disabilities Services in the Center for Academic Services located in Sadler Hall, room 1010 or http://www.acs.tcu.edu/disability_services.asp. Accommodations are not retroactive, therefore, students should contact the Coordinator as soon as possible in the term for which they are seeking accommodations.
Further information can be obtained from the Center for Academic Services, TCU Box 297710, Fort Worth, TX 76129, or at (817) 257-6567.
Adequate time must be allowed to arrange accommodations and accommodations are not retroactive; therefore, students should contact the Coordinator as soon as possible in the academic term for which they are seeking accommodations. Each eligible student is responsible for presenting relevant, verifiable, professional documentation and/or assessment reports to the Coordinator. Guidelines for documentation may be found at http://www.acs.tcu.edu/disability_documentation.asp.
Students with emergency medical information or needing special arrangements in case a building must be evacuated should discuss this information with their instructor/professor as soon as possible.
Zoom Access: All of our synchronous classes will take place each Wednesday via Zoom. The link for our classes is: https://tcu.zoom.us/j/8172391376
Campus Life and the Student Experience will Be Different This Year. The health and safety of students, faculty, and staff is Texas Christian University’s highest priority. TCU has implemented public health interventions, which includes following local and state public health orders and CDC guidelines. These health interventions may impact your experience as a student both inside and outside the classroom. Safety protocols may change during the semester and may result in modifications or changes to the teaching format, delivery method, or the course schedule (e.g., altering meeting times or frequency; changing beginning or ending dates for a term; or partially or completely moving from a face-to-face classroom teaching to an online teaching or remote learning format). Any changes in teaching format, delivery method, or course schedule will not impact the credit hours for the course.
Health and Wellness: If you are exhibiting symptoms that may be related to COVID-19 (fever or chills, dry cough, shortness of breath, etc.) or are concerned that you may have been exposed to COVID- 19, you must self-quarantine and consult with the Brown Lupton Health Center at 817-257-7949 for further guidance.
In addition, you must notify the Campus Life Office immediately at 817-257-7926. Campus Life will inform your professors that you are unable to attend class, and provide any assistance and support needed. Click here for detailed information concerning COVID-19 symptoms: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.
If you are unwell, but are not exhibiting potential COVID-19-related symptoms, please notify your instructor as soon as possible that you are ill and will not be attending class.
If you do not feel well enough to attend class in person, but feel well enough to attend class remotely, please notify your instructor as soon as possible before the class begins to arrange attendance via video conferencing.
Face Coverings and Physical Distancing: Face coverings are required on campus, unless
you are alone in your private office
or dorm room. Students will be expected
to practice physical
distancing and wear protective face coverings at all times
while in public
spaces on the TCU campus.
Failing to do so in the classroom could result in the student
being asked to leave the room and continue the
class through remote access.
Additionally, the instructor has the option
to terminate the class period
and continue it as a remote session
if students do not wear required masks
or practice physical
distancin
g.
Student Access and Accommodation: Texas Christian University affords students with disabilities reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. To be eligible for disability-related academic accommodations, students are required to register with the TCU Office of Student Access and Accommodation and have their requested accommodations evaluated. Students are required to provide instructors an official TCU notification of accommodation approved through Student Access and Accommodation. More information on how to apply for accommodations can be found at https://www.tcu.edu/access- accommodation/ or by calling Student Access and Accommodation at (817) 257-6567. Accommodations are not retroactive and require advance notice to implement.
Only the official TCU student email address will be used for all course notification. It is your responsibility to check your TCU email on a regular basis.
TCU students are prohibited from sharing any portion of course materials (including videos, PowerPoint slides, assignments, or notes) with others, including on social media, without written permission by the course instructor. Accessing, copying, transporting (to another person or location), modifying, or destroying programs, records, or data belonging to TCU or another user without authorization, whether
such data is in transit or storage, is prohibited. The full policy can be found at: https://security.tcu.edu/polproc/usage-policy/.
Violating this policy is considered a violation of Section 3.2.15 of the Student Code of Conduct (this policy may be found in the Student Handbook at https://tcu.codes/code/index/), and may also constitute Academic Misconduct or Disruptive Classroom Behavior (these policies may be found in the undergraduate catalog at https://tcu.smartcatalogiq.com/current/Undergraduate-Catalog/Student- Policies/Academic-Conduct-Policy-Details). TCU encourages student debate and discourse; accordingly, TCU generally interprets and applies its policies, including the policies referenced above, consistent with the values of free expression and First Amendment principles.
TCU prohibits discrimination and harassment based on age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ethnic origin, disability, predisposing genetic information, covered veteran status, and any other basis protected by law, except as permitted by law. TCU also prohibits unlawful sexual and gender-based harassment and violence, sexual assault, incest,
statutory rape, sexual exploitation, intimate partner violence, bullying, stalking, and retaliation. We
understand that discrimination, harassment, and sexual violence can undermine students’ academic
success, and we encourage students who have experienced any of these issues to talk to someone about
their experience, so they can get the support they need.
• Review TCU’s Policy on Prohibited Discrimination, Harassment and Related Conduct or to file a complaint: https://titleix.tcu.edu/title-ix/.
As an instructor, one of my responsibilities is to help create a safe learning environment on our campus. It is my goal that you feel able to share information related to your life experiences in classroom discussions, in your written work, and in our one-on-one meetings. I will seek to keep any information your share private to the greatest extent possible. However, I have a mandatory reporting responsibility under TCU policy and federal law and I am required to share any information I receive regarding sexual harassment, discrimination, and related conduct with TCU’s Title IX Coordinator. Students can receive confidential support and academic advocacy by contacting TCU’s Confidential Advocate in the Campus Advocacy, Resources & Education office at https://care.tcu.edu/ or by calling (817) 257-5225 or the Counseling & Mental Health Center at https://counseling.tcu.edu/ or by calling (817) 257-7863. Alleged violations can be reported to the Title IX Office at https://titleix.tcu.edu/student-toolkit/ or by calling (817) 257-8228. Should you wish to make a confidential report, the Title IX Office will seek to maintain your privacy to the greatest extent possible, but cannot guarantee confidentiality. Reports to law enforcement can be made to the Fort Worth Police Department at 911 for an emergency and (817) 335- 4222 for non-emergency or TCU Police at (817) 257-7777.
Mandatory Reporters: All TCU employees, except Confidential Resources, are considered Mandatory Reporters for purposes of their obligations to report, to the Coordinator, conduct that raises Title IX and/or VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) issues.
Mandatory Reporters are required to immediately report to the Coordinator information about conduct that raises Title IX and/or VAWA issues, including any reports, complaints or allegations of sexual harassment, discrimination and those forms of prohibited conduct that relate to nonconsensual sexual intercourse or contact, sexual exploitation, intimate partner violence, stalking and retaliation involving any member of the TCU community, except as otherwise provided within the Policy on Prohibited Discrimination, Harassment and Related Conduct.
Mandatory Reporters may receive this information in a number of ways. For example, a complainant may report the information directly to a Mandatory Reporter, a witness or third-party may provide information to a Mandatory Reporter, or a Mandatory Reporter may personally witness such conduct. A Mandatory Reporter’s obligation to report such information to the Coordinator does not depend on how he/she received the information. Mandatory Reporters must provide all known information about
conduct that raises Title IX or VAWA issues to the Coordinator, including the identities of the parties, the date, time and location, and any other details. Failure of a Mandatory Reporters to provide such information to the Coordinator in a timely manner may subject the employee to appropriate discipline,
including removal from a position or termination of employment.
Mandatory Reporters cannot promise to refrain from forwarding the information to the Coordinator if it raises Title IX or VAWA issues or withhold information about such conduct from the Coordinator.
Mandatory Reporters may provide support and assistance to a complainant, witness, or respondent, but they should not conduct any investigation or notify the respondent unless requested to do so by the Coordinator.
Mandatory Reporters are not required to report information disclosed (1) at public awareness events (e.g., “Take Back the Night,” candlelight vigils, protests, “survivor speak-outs,” or other public forums in which students may disclose such information (collectively, public awareness events); or (2) during an individual’s participation as a subject in an Institutional Review Board approved human subjects research protocol (IRB Research). TCU may provide information about Title IX rights and available resources and support at public awareness events, however, and Institutional Review Boards may, in appropriate cases, require researchers to provide such information to all subjects of IRB Research.
Relevant reporting phone numbers are: 911 for an emergency and (817) 335-4222 for non-emergency or TCU Police at (817) 257-7777.
Please review TCU’s L.E.S.S. is More public safety video to learn about Lockdown, Evacuate, and Seek Shelter procedures. (https://publicsafety.tcu.edu/less-is-more/)
TCU’s Public Safety website provides maps that show our building’s rally point for evacuation and the seek shelter location. (https://publicsafety.tcu.edu/)
In the event of an emergency, call the TCU Police Department at 817-257-7777.
Download the Frogshield Campus Safety App on your phone. (https://police.tcu.edu/frogshield/)
Academic Misconduct (Sec. 3.4 from the TCU Code of Student Conduct): Any act that violates the academic integrity of the institution is considered academic misconduct. The procedures used to resolve suspected acts of academic misconduct are available in the offices of Academic Deans and the Office of Campus Life and are also listed in detail in the Undergraduate Catalog and the Graduate Catalog Specific examples include, but are not limited to:
• Cheating: Copying from another student’s test paper, laboratory report, other report, or computer files and listings; using, during any academic exercise, material and/or devices not authorized by the person in charge of the test; collaborating with or seeking aid from another student during a test or laboratory without permission; knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or soliciting in its entirety or in part, the contents of a test or other assignment unauthorized for release; substituting for another student or permitting another student to substitute for oneself.
• Plagiarism: The appropriation, theft, purchase or obtaining by any means another’s work, and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation of that work as one’s own work offered for credit. Appropriation includes quoting or paraphrasing of another’s work without giving credit.
• Collusion: The unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing work offered for credit.
• Abuse of resource materials: Mutilating, destroying, concealing, or stealing such material.
• Computer misuse: Unauthorized or illegal use of computer software or hardware through the TCU Computer Center or through any programs, terminals, or freestanding computers owned, leased or operated by TCU or any of its academic units for the purpose of affecting the academic standing of a student.
• Fabrication and falsification: Unauthorized alteration or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise. Falsification involves altering information for use in any academic exercise. Fabrication involves inventing or counterfeiting information for use in any academic exercise.
• Multiple submission: The submission by the same individual of substantial portions of the same academic work (including oral reports) for credit more than once in the same or another class without authorization.
• Complicity in academic misconduct: Helping another to commit an act of academic misconduct.
• Bearing false witness: Knowingly and falsely accusing another student of academic misconduct.
