Syllabus for Honors Race, Identity and Experience in American Art

Course Syllabus

Honors Race, Identity and Experience in American Art

Race and Diversity

0905 001, Fall 2025

Faith Ringgold, Dancing at the Louvre, 1991, acrylic on canvas, tie-dyed, pieced fabric border, 73.5 x 80 inches, from the series, The French Collection, part 1; #1 (Gund Gallery, Kenyon College, Gambier) © Faith Ringgold

The course syllabus will provide you with the course schedule, course objectives, explanations of assignments and assessments, grading policies, and instructor contact information. Please read it carefully. You should have a deep familiarity with the schedule and process of the course.

Basic Course Information

This course fulfills the General Education area of Race and Diversity.

Race & Diversity courses develop a sophisticated understanding of race and racism as dynamic concepts, pointing to the ways in which race intersects with other group identifications such as gender, class, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation or disability.

Race & Diversity courses are intended to teach students how to:

Recognize the ways in which race intersects with other group identifications or ascriptions, including gender, class, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age;
Understand the relationships among diversity, justice and power;
Explore what it means for individuals and institutions to exist in a multi-racial, multi-cultural world;
Investigate the various forms race and racism has taken in different places and times; and
Discuss race matters with diverse others in relation to personal experience.

Welcome Message

Welcome to Honors Race, Identity and Experience in American Art! I’m excited to embark on this journey with you as we explore how artists in the United States have engaged with themes of race, identity, and lived experience across different historical moments. Together, we’ll consider how works of art both reflect and shape cultural narratives, challenge assumptions, and open new ways of understanding the American story.

This course will ask you to look closely, think critically, and engage openly with diverse perspectives. Your voices, insights, and questions will be central to our learning community, and I encourage you to bring your curiosity and creativity into each discussion.

I look forward to the thoughtful conversations, discoveries, and connections we’ll share over the semester.

Meeting Time and Location

TUES/THURS, 9:30 AM to 10:50 PM, Tuttleman Learning Center 405A

Emergency Meetings

In the event that we are unable to meet in person, such as due to bad weather, expect a Canvas announcement directing you to a Zoom meeting or providing other guidance.

Instructor Information

My Name

Dr. Haavik-MacKinnon (Learn how to pronounce it.)

Please refer to me as Amy or Dr. Haavik-MacKinnon, whatever feels most comfortable to you. My pronouns are she/her/hers.

Instructor Biography

I hold a BA from Vassar College, an MA from the University of Manchester, and a PhD in Art History from Bryn Mawr College, where my research focused on contemporary British art and questions of identity. My extensive experience living, studying, working, and traveling in England as a foreigner has shaped my understanding of the exclusivity surrounding British identity and continues to inform my perspective on the construction of American identity.

I make my home in South Philadelphia with my husband, our two daughters (ages eleven and fourteen), and our rescue dogs, Lyra and Miso. A devoted animal lover, I also enjoy traveling, discovering new places, watching films, and reading—especially Nordic Noir mysteries and The New Yorker. Beyond art history, I am a certified yoga teacher and a committed practitioner.

My Contact Information

Please reach out to me at any time for assistance with the course or just to chat about the field or navigating university life. The best way to reach me is to send a message through the Canvas inbox or email me at aehaavik@temple.edu. I will generally respond within 24 hours. Please do not send a follow-up email before 24 hours have passed.

My Office

https://temple.zoom.us/j/4252326534, Meeting ID: 425 232 6534

Student Drop-In Hours

Seeking out individual assistance from the instructor is a normal part of the learning process. I am normally available after class on Tuesdays to meet with no appointment necessary. We can discuss the course content, your progress on the assessments, your future in the field, or anything else you need to talk about. If my regular Drop-In Hours don’t fit your schedule, please email me to make an appointment for an in-person or Zoom meeting. I want to help you succeed!

Purpose of the Course

Overall Purpose

The purpose of this course is to examine how the arts of the Americas—particularly those of the United States—serve as a vital lens for understanding identity, race, and diversity. By situating artistic production from the 1400s to the present within broader cultural and historical contexts, the course highlights the ways in which race and racism intersect dynamically with categories such as gender, class, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation, and ability. Through this framework, students will consider how artists engage questions of identity and how art contributes to shaping social narratives and collective experience.

Topics will range from early colonial contact in the Americas to the Civil Rights and disability activism of the twentieth century, as well as LGBTQIA2+ art histories, Indigenous contemporary practices, and Afrofuturism. In addition to learning the historical significance of these movements, students will explore how art both reflects and drives discourse on justice, equity, and human experience. The course is designed to cultivate critical art historical skills through active learning, including discussion, research, and visits to archives and exhibitions, ultimately equipping students with the tools to analyze works of art in relation to questions of race, identity, and diversity.

Overview of the Course

How might investigating one's identity be a rich source of inspiration for artistic expression? And how can art and artists of the Americas assist in our understanding about identity, race, diversity, and ourselves? Arts of the Americas and United States are the focus of this course which achieves the race and diversity GenEd credit. Learning centers art forms and practices from the 1400s to today which highlight how race and racism are dynamic concepts intersecting with other group identifications such as gender, class, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation, or ability. This course offers opportunities to explore, converse, and learn about racial identity, lived experience, and diversity through art history, and topics range from colonial contact in the Americas, to Civil Rights and disability activism of the 20th century, to LGBTQIA2+ art histories, to contemporary Indigenous art and Afrofuturism. Active learning will be engaged as we develop art analysis skills through visits to archives and art exhibitions.

# Credit Hours 3

Learning Goals

Course Learning Goals	Corresponding Assessments to Measure Goal Achievement
1. Articulate the connections between artists, identity, and a work of art including ideas about how identity investigations may be a rich source of inspiration for artistic expression	Attendance In-Class Learning Activities Visual Analysis Paper
2. Identify, recognize, and critically examine art, art projects, and artists that explore race, identities, and experiences in the Americas	Attendance In-Class Learning Activities Visual Analysis Paper Final Individual Presentation
3. Observe, examine, appraise, and critique local arts organizations, arts projects, programs, or exhibitions which relate in some way to race, identity, experience, and art in the Americas	Field Trips to the Charles L. Blockson Afro American Collections, and Special Collections Research Center Guest lectures Visual Analysis Paper Creative Reflections
4. Evaluate and employ a variety of art related information literacy approaches and source	Final Individual Presentation

General Education Competencies and Area Learning Goals

It is important to keep in mind that GenEd is about making connections.

GenEd classes draw connections between academic knowledge and current controversies, and these classes involve looking at cutting edge issues from multiple perspectives. 

Note too, that GenEd draws connections with the city of Philadelphia, and as such our study will also consider art in and around Temple University’s dynamic location. 

GenEd facilitates linkages by stressing the development of eight skills and abilities rather than on content knowledge. The Program in General Education provides opportunities for students to engage in:  

· Critical thinking  

· Understanding historical and contemporary issues in context  

· Understanding and applying knowledge in and across disciplines  

· Communicating effectively orally and in writing  

· Exercising quantitative and scientific reasoning and apply these reasoning processes to explain phenomena in the context of everyday life  

· Functioning as an engaged citizen in a diverse and globalized world  

· Practicing information literacy by identifying, accessing and evaluating sources of information  

· Promoting lifelong learning and lasting curiosity   

Race & Diversity classes intend to teach students how to:  

· Recognize the ways in which race intersects with other group identifications or ascriptions (gender, class, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age, etc.)  

· Understand the relationships among diversity, justice and power  

· Explore what it means for individuals and institutions to exist in a multi-racial, multicultural world  

· Investigate the various forms race and racism has taken in different places and times 

· Discuss race matters with diverse others in relation to personal experience 

The Learning Environment

How Class Will be Conducted

Most class sessions will combine a brief lecture and one or more learning activities based upon the assigned reading for the day. On days with quizzes, the quiz will be administered at the start of the class session. You are expected to complete the preparatory reading, video, or podcast assignment before coming to class in order to ensure that we can all engage in an informed dialogue. I will generally be available for a few minutes after class to discuss individual issues, but, as a courtesy to the next class to use our space, we may defer lengthy and/or serious matters to an appointment in my office.]

The course is organized into weekly modules, each containing a combination of readings, multimedia content, and assignments. You can expect a mix of video lectures, VoiceThread presentations, and interactive activities designed to reinforce the material. I will post weekly announcements to keep you on track and informed, and I will check discussion boards regularly to engage with student posts and answer questions. Written or video feedback on assignments is typically provided within one week of the submission deadline. I aim to be present and responsive throughout the course, and you are encouraged to reach out with any questions or concerns at any time.

Classroom Civility

It is important to foster a respectful and productive learning environment that includes all students in our diverse community of learners. Our differences, some of which are outlined in the University's nondiscrimination statement, will add richness to this learning experience. Therefore, all opinions and experiences, no matter how different or controversial they may be perceived, must be respected in the tolerant spirit of academic discourse.

Treat your classmates and instructor with respect in all communication, class activities, and meetings. You are encouraged to comment, question, or critique an idea, but you are not to attack an individual. Please consider that sarcasm, humor, and slang can be misconstrued in online interactions and generate unintended disruptions. Profanity should be avoided as should the use of all capital letters when composing responses in discussion threads, which can be construed as “shouting” online. Remember to be careful with your own and others' privacy. In general, have your behavior mirror how you would like to be treated by others.

For more information, please visit the IDEAL website.

In this course, we will have conversations that address racism, sexism, imperialism/colonialism, gender identities, sexual orientation, religion, political polarization, and other issues that some may find challenging and uncomfortable to discuss, so we will prepare as a group and develop agreements about how we can have these discussions in a productive and respectful way, and help us consider viewpoints that may be different from our own. In this class, we want to make space for each student and create an inclusive environment where we respect each other’s different identities, lived experiences, and perspectives. Please do not ever hesitate to reach out to me if I can do something better or differently to support your learning or our collective learning experience.

Materials

All required course materials (readings/viewings) are available on our course Canvas site.

Links to these will be supplied electronically in Canvas in the appropriate module. These items will be provided to you at no additional cost.

Software or Other Supplies

In order to participate in this course, you will need the following computer items and technologies: A reliable computer, speakers or headphones (if desired), and reliable Internet access.  We may use VoiceThread, PowerPoint, Word, Internet, PDFs, YouTube videos, or access Google Docs or Google Slides. Note that all learning files, assignments, readings, etc. will always be available in Canvas Modules. 

If you need access to basic software for creating documents, slideshows, or spreadsheets, you have free access to Microsoft 365.

Students should check Canvas and their Temple University EMAIL daily for course updates.  All students are required to comply with Temple University’s Computer and Network Security Policy

Whether you use a paper or digital tool, you should have a calendar for managing your schedule. I use Outlook calendar, a software available to you as part of the Microsoft 365 suite of tools. Similarly, I expect you to take notes while reading course materials and during lectures, but the choice is yours whether to use software or paper.

Accessibility

Ensuring that this course is fully accessible is important to me.  Please read and use the accessibility section of the syllabus on Canvas.  Whenever possible, multiple means of access to course documents will be provided.

Because this is an Art History-style class, we will have many PDF readings; as much as possible these will be in searchable and accessible PDFs but please ask the professor for greater accessibility, if needed.  Note that our readings, presentations, lectures, and videos will contain numerous visual images. Please email the instructor within the first week of the course to request increased alternate text for visual images, if needed.  

It is my earnest desire to ensure that all students have the full experience of this course. If you need something in the course changed in order to improve your learning, please reach out and let me know.

Any student who has a need for accommodations based on the impact of a documented disability or medical condition should contact Disability Resources and Services (DRS) located in the Howard Gittis Student Center South, 4th Floor at drs@temple.edu or 215-204-1280 to request accommodations and learn more about the resources available to you. If you have a DRS accommodation letter to share with me, or you would like to discuss your accommodations, please contact me as soon as practical. I will work with you and with DRS to coordinate reasonable accommodations for all students with documented disabilities. All discussions related to your accommodations will be confidential. Students can learn more about the accommodation process and pre-register on the DRS website. Students may register at any time during the semester, but accommodations are not active until you register, so I recommend doing so as early in the semester as possible.

Information regarding accessibility for additional technologies is provided below:

Resources and Support

Sometimes the biggest factors impacting student success are things happening beyond the scope of the individual classroom. Temple provides a wide array of resources both to help you overcome academic challenges and those not directly related to the educational challenges of the course. Please reach out to me if you need help deciding which resources might be right for you.

Student Success Center

University Libraries

Undergraduate Research Support

Career Center

Tuttleman Counseling Services

Disability Resources and Services

Student Health Services

If you are experiencing food insecurity or financial struggles, Temple provides resources and support. Notably, the Temple University Cherry Pantry is in operation as well as a variety of resources from the Division of Student Affairs.

Library Resources

Temple University Libraries provide resources to assist Temple students with their class projects and research needs. Visit the Libraries’ website to find millions of articles, books, video, and other resources, both in print and online.

This library guide developed for our course will be used for the following assignments: https://guides.temple.edu/raceandidentity

Guide to materials relevant to our course in the Special Collections Research Center: https://guides.temple.edu/honors0905scrc

The site also provides tutorials to help you start your research, as well as subject and course research guides to help you identify resources that may be particularly useful for this class.

Contact the library at any stage of the research process. You can chat with a librarian 24/7 or make an appointment with your subject librarian, Jill Luedke (jluedke@temple.edu) who can help you explore a topic, craft a research question, and identify and cite sources.

Course Schedule

Table 1 - Week to Week Schedule

WEEK 1
Date	Before Class	During Class	After Class
Tues Aug 26	Read Syllabus and Explore Canvas; review Assignment Requirements	Welcome! Course Orientation, Schedule, Q&A, Why Gen Ed?	Prepare and read in advance of next class
Thurs Aug 28	Read Syllabus and Explore Canvas; review Assignment Requirements	Review Assignments; Establish Guidelines for Empowered Learning & Listening; short lecture on Frameworks for Learning: Windows and Mirrors, Sliding Glass Doors & Shifting the Gaze	Prepare and read in advance of next class
WEEK 2
Date	Before Class	During Class	After Class
Tues Sep 2	Watch AAA video Race: Are We So Different? & Why Look at Art? by Smarthistory		Prepare and read in advance of next class
Thurs Sep 4	Read American Anthropology Association (AAA) Statement on Race & Watch Artist Byron Kim and Kerry James Marshall, Heirlooms and Accessories, Smart Museum	What is Race, Racism, and Racial Identity?	Prepare and read in advance of next class
WEEK 3
Date	Before Class	During Class	After Class
Tues Sep 9	Read and Watch Smarthistory series and Teaching Guide on Casta Paintings and Constructing Identity in the Spanish Americas	Hierarchies of Race and Ethnicity in Casta Paintings of Colonial Mexico and Early Museums	Prepare and read in advance of next class
Thurs Sep 11	Read Shahzia Sikander, “What We Believe About Culture,” 2021 & S. Bond, “Why We Need to Start Seeing the Classical World in Color” Hyperallergic	What are Art Museums? How are Myths of White Supremacy and Scientific Racism Embedded in Western Arts Histories?	Prepare and read in advance of next class
WEEK 4
Date	Before Class	During Class	After Class
Tues Sep 16	Watch "Nari Ward, We the People (black version)," Stephanie Syjuco in San Francisco Bay Area Episode, Art21, & Jaune Quick to See Smith “What’s in a Map”	What is America and American Identity? Territory, Trade, Immigration, and the Colonial Gaze with Nari Ward, Stephanie Syjuco, Jaune Quick to See Smith and others	Prepare and read in advance of next class
Thurs Sep 18	Read Beverly Daniel Tatum “The Complexity of Identity, Who Am I?” & Watch Kimberle Crenshaw on Intersectionality	Why Might Artists Explore Identity Issues? How Might Art Materials Hold Identity? What is Intersectionality? & Identity Exercises: Who Are We?	Prepare and read in advance of next class
WEEK 5
Date	Before Class	During Class	After Class
Tues Sep 23	Read Dr. Robert Glass, "Introduction to art historical analysis," in Smarthistory, 2017	Visual Analysis and Alt-Text Practice Workshop in class	Prepare and read in advance of next class
Thurs Sep 25	Explore Fulfilling a Prophecy: The Past and Present of the Lenape in Pennsylvania & Read M. Soderblom, “Lenape People Continuing Presence” Encyclopedia of Philadelphia	Lenape Arts and Cultures of Pennsylvania and Beyond & Indigenous Frameworks of Survivance	Prepare and read in advance of next class
WEEK 6
Date	Before Class	During Class	After Class
Tues Sep 30	Read Rachel Grace Newman, “The Cemi and the Museum”, 2022 & Maya Jiménez, "Taíno Zemis and Duhos & Watch Dr. Lee Sessions, and Dr. Tamara Díaz Calcaño, "Taíno Kuisa”	Taino Arts and Culture in the Caribbean & Museum Escape Routes with Miguel Luciano, Nicholas Galanin, James Luna, and others	Prepare and read in advance of next class
Thurs Oct 2			SUBMIT Visual Analysis Paper *DUE by THURSDAY, OCT 2, end of day*
WEEK 7
Date	Before Class	During Class	After Class
Tues Oct 7	"Nativism, immigration, and the Know-Nothing party," in Smarthistory & Michael O’Mally’s Irish Stereotypes Examples	Whiteness, Stereotypes & Scientific Racism in the 19^th Century	Prepare and read in advance of next class
Thurs Oct 9	Henry Louis Gates, Jr.’s “Frederick Douglass’s Camera Obscura” Frederick Douglass and Photographic Technologies; Black Photographers, Representation & Archives		Prepare and read in advance of next class
WEEK 8
Date	Before Class	During Class	After Class
Tues Oct 14	SCRC
Thurs Oct 16	Read Larry Neal, The Black Arts Movement, 1968 & Densho.org articles on Yellow Power and Gidra & 13 Demands, AWC, 1969 & Watch Robyn Farrell "Identity and Civil Rights in 1960s America” Smarthistory	Activism Overview: Art Workers Coalition, BEEC, Black Women Artists, Asian American Student Movement and Gidra	Prepare and read in advance of next class
WEEK 9
Date	Before Class	During Class	After Class
Tues Oct 21	Watch Holding History: The Collections of Charles L. Blockson, by Penn State Univ. & Read Blockson Creative Reflections Assignment Sheet and Rubric	Visit the Charles L. Blockson Afro American Collection in Sullivan Hall	Prepare and read in advance of next class
Thurs Oct 23			Prepare and read in advance of next class
WEEK 10
Date	Before Class	During Class	After Class
Tues Oct 28	SCRC		SUBMIT Blockson Creative Reflection *DUE by THURSDAY, OCT 30, end of day*
Thurs Oct 30	Read over the “Information Literacy Assignment” for the individual presentation at the end of the semester	Discuss individual presentation topics and research. Complete “Information Literacy Assignment” in class.	Prepare and read in advance of next class
WEEK 11
Date	Before Class	During Class	After Class
Tues Nov 4	Read "Art, Pride, and the Rainbow Flag," & Temple and Philadelphia: Our Queer History & Watch “Legendary: 30 Years of Philly Ballroom” Phila Inquirer	LGBTQIA2+ Liberation, Two Spirit Histories, & TU and Philadelphia Activism and Archives	Prepare and read in advance of next class
Thurs Nov 6	Watch Decolonizing Landscape Painting, SFMOMA & LaToya Ruby Frazier, “A Creative Solution for the Water Crisis in Flint, Michigan,” TED Talk	Earthrise & Environmental Movement, Environmental Racism, Indigenous lands and Seventh Generation Values & Social Art Solutions	SUBMIT SCRC Creative Reflection *DUE by THURSDAY, NOV 6, end of day* Prepare and read in advance of next class
WEEK 12
Date	Before Class	During Class	After Class
Tues Nov 11	Read Rosemarie Garland-Thomson, “Becoming Disabled,” NY Times, 2016 & Watch Robert McRuer, Crip Culture & video on The Social Model of Disability	Disability Activism, Crip Cultures, Social Model of Disability & Histories of Eugenics	Prepare and read in advance of next class
Thurs Nov 13	Read “The Afrofuture is Now” Google Arts & Culture and Sadaf Padder, “In Search of Inclusive South Asian Futurisms”	Afrofuturism & South Asian Futurisms	Prepare and read in advance of next class
WEEK 13
Date	Before Class	During Class	After Class
Tues Nov 18	Read Sunanda K. Sanyal, "Jeffrey Gibson, I’m Not Perfect” & Watch Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, “TV For the Last Thanks” with Wendy Red Star	Indigenous Futurisms & Considering the Thanksgiving Holiday in the U.S.	Complete SFF End of Semester Evaluation Forms
Thurs Nov 20	Prepare for presentations	Individual Presentations begin	Complete SFF End of Semester Evaluation Forms
WEEK 14
	NO CLASSES Enjoy your break!
WEEK 15
Date	Before Class	During Class	After Class
Tues Dec 2	Prepare for presentations	Individual Presentations	Complete SFF End of Semester Evaluation Forms
Thurs Dec 4	Prepare for presentations	Individual Presentations	Final Individual Presentation files (slideshow, outline/notes, and personal reflection) *DUE by end of day today
Exam Week		NO FINAL EXAM (Individual Presentation is in lieu of Final Exam)

Grading & Assessment Guidelines

Grading Scale

Table 2 - Grade Percentage Breakdown

Percentage	Letter Grade
94-100	A
90-93	A-
87-89	B+
84-86	B
80-83	B-
77-79	C+
74-76	C
70-73	C-
67-69	D+
64-66	D
61-63	D-
0-60	F

Course Minimum Grade

A grade of “C-” or better is required to satisfy a General Education requirement.

I will do my best to warn you if you are in danger of not meeting this minimum, but you should reach out to me if you become worried about not achieving the minimum needed grade.

Assessment Summary

The assessments in this course have been created for two reasons: (1) For you to demonstrate your progress towards the learning goals for the course and receive useful feedback and, (2) For you to practice skills and develop ways of thinking that will be of use to you in the future.

Table 3 - Final Grade Calculation

Assignment	Percent of Grade	Due Date
Attendance	10
Visual Analysis Paper	20
Blockson & SCRC Creative Reflection (2)	20	DUE by THURSDAY, OCT 30, end of day and THURSDAY, NOV 6, end of day
Final Individual Presentation	30
In-Class Learning Activities, Reflections, Small Group Work, etc.	20	Throughout the semester
	100 total

Descriptions of and rubrics for each assessment will be available on Canvas.

More information on each assessment will be provided approximately three weeks before their due date.

When planning your semester, I recommend adding all due dates to your calendar. For the more extensive assessments, I recommend scheduling at least two separate hour-long work/study sessions per week for the two weeks before the due date. The final presentation will require more time.

Late Submissions/Missed Exams & Quizzes

Life gets in the way for all of us from time to time. Please notify me if you may miss a deadline or an exam/quiz as soon as possible. Please do not delay in informing; as soon as you suspect a problem, let me know. Depending on the timing and the specific assessment, I may ask you to give me a copy of your current draft. Whether you will be given an additional opportunity to complete the assessment will be decided on a case-by-case basis.

Class Attendance & Participation

Your attendance and participation are expected at all our class meetings. The classroom is an inherently social environment where we are all mutually responsible for each other’s learning. I encourage you to make friends so that, in the event that you must miss class, you can borrow someone’s notes for the session. Furthermore, if you miss class, we lose your perspective in classroom discussions and learning activities. If unforeseen circumstances cause you to miss multiple sessions, please contact me as soon as possible to discuss the situation.

Attendance will be taken in each class meeting
2 to 3 unexcused absences are allowable 
At 3 absences, please contact your instructor to discuss attendance and its impact on grading
Repeated patterns of absences not due to illness will negatively impact grading   
6 unexcused absences result in automatic failure of the course
Please be on time; instructors reserve the right to consider late or disruptive arrivals as an absence

School-Life Conflict

Many unpredictable things can happen over the course of a semester. If you find yourself struggling to balance your education and your other commitments, please reach out to me immediately so that we can work together to build a plan for your success. Some of the resources in the next section may also be of use to you.

Attendance and Your Health

To achieve course learning goals, students must attend and participate in classes, according to the course requirements. However, if you have tested positive for or are experiencing symptoms of a contagious illness, you should not come to campus or attend in-person classes or activities. It is your responsibility to contact me to create a plan for participation and engagement in the course as soon as you can do so, and to complete all assignments in a timely fashion.

Religious Holidays

It is your right to observe religious holidays without impacting your opportunity to learn and succeed in this course. Please reach out to me at the start of the semester so that deadlines can be reviewed in advance of your religious observations. You will still be held responsible for course content and any assignments, but you will not lose points for attendance and participation on days important to your faith.

Caregiver Responsibilities

I have great respect for students who are pursuing their education while responsible for the care of children or other family members. Please contact me if you encounter challenges that require you to miss a class session, or if your caregiving responsibilities are interfering with your success in the course. Together we may be able to find some flexibility to support your learning.

Withdrawal

If you are considering withdrawing from the course after the add/drop date, please don’t make that decision alone! Withdrawing from the course without talking to me first eliminates the possibility of finding a path to success for you. Furthermore, it is extremely important that you consult your academic advisor before withdrawing. They will be able to walk you through how the withdrawal would impact your progress towards your degree and your graduation date.

Please check the academic calendar for the last day to withdraw from a course.

Incomplete

A student will be eligible for a grade of “Incomplete” only if the student: 1) has completed at least 51% of the work at a passing level, 2) is unable to complete the work for a serious reason beyond their control, and 3) files a signed agreement with the instructor outlining the work to be completed and the time frame in which that work will be completed. The student is responsible for initiating this process, and all incomplete forms must be sent to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs prior to the start of study days in that semester.

Please refer to the following for further details: Temple University’s Incomplete Policy. (Policy #02.10.13).

Technology Guidelines

Technology Requirements

To participate in this course, you will need the equipment, software, and internet access necessary to reliably use Zoom and Canvas as well as “productivity tools” like word processors and slide show creators.

Limited resources are available for students who do not have the technology they need for class. Students with educational technology needs, including no computer or camera or insufficient Wifi access, should submit a Student Technology Assistance Application located in TUPortal and linked from the Dean of Students Support and Resources webpage. The university will endeavor to meet needs, such as with a long-term loan of a laptop or Mifi device, a refurbished computer, or subsidized internet access.

Note that there are technology resources available for students, including on-campus computers available for student use, the Tech Center computer labs and free laptop and battery borrowing at Charles Library, software that is available for free download and other specialty software that may be available for remote access through ITS.

Technical Support

For a listing of technical support services available to Temple University students, see the Tech Support page

Live Chat or Request Help: help.temple.edu

Phone: 215-204-8000

Email: help@temple.edu

Website: its.temple.edu

Location: The TECH Center, Room 106

Technology Usage

Excellence in any endeavor requires attention. To that end, we need to be mindful of the unnecessary use of technology in the class. To avoid distracting yourself or others, please only use your laptop, phone, or other device for activities relevant to the course. If you find yourself needing to take a call or participate in a text, please excuse yourself from the classroom and return as soon as you are able.

Class Recording

Individuals are not permitted to record, copy, publish, or redistribute audio or video recordings of any portion of the session to individuals who are not associated with the University without the express permission of the host/faculty member and of any other meeting participants who are recorded. Distribution without permission could be a violation of various privacy laws, including FERPA ,as well as the Pennsylvania Wiretapping and Electronic Surveillance Control Act, and possibly copyright law.

Privacy and Data Protection

Please see the links below to become familiar with the privacy policies for each of the following:

Zoom

AI Policies

The use of generative AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Dall-e, any others, etc.) IS permitted in this course for the following

Activities:

● Brainstorming and refining your ideas

● Fine tuning your research questions

● Finding information on your topic

● Drafting an outline to organize your thoughts

● Checking grammar and style

The use of generative AI tools is NOT permitted in this course for the following activities:

● Impersonating you in classroom contexts or Creating Discussion Board posts or Peer Responses or Peer Reviews

● Completing group work that your group may assign to you

● Writing a draft of a writing assignment

● Writing entire sentences, paragraphs, papers, assignments, or etc. to complete class assignments

You are responsible for the information you submit based on an AI query; for instance, that it does not violate intellectual property laws, or contain misinformation or unethical content.

*Keep in mind that AI often invents, hallucinates, and or generates incorrect information*

*You are responsible for checking that the information is accurate, correct, and cited properly*

Use of AI tools must be properly documented and cited in order to stay within university policies on academic honesty. If you use AI for any aspect of an assignment, you must openly explain the usage and cite it according to MLA, APA, or similar guidelines and citation formats.

Any assignment that is found to have used generative AI tools in unauthorized ways will receive zero points and must be re-submitted for credit. Likewise, any assignment with incorrect, misinformed, or unethical content will receive zero points and must be re-submitted for credit. -- When in doubt about permitted usage, please be sure to ask for clarification and discuss use with me in advance.

Academic Guidelines

Academic Freedom

Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. I have the freedom and responsibility to design and facilitate our learning environment to best achieve the promise of the course as outlined in its official description. You have the responsibility to engage with the course in good faith and freedom from mistreatment when your opinion differs from mine. Note that it is not abuse of this freedom for me to require that you support relevant opinions with clear argumentation and solid evidence. For more on academic freedom, consult the official Temple policy on the matter.

Academic Integrity

Temple University believes strongly in academic honesty and integrity. Plagiarism and academic cheating are, therefore, prohibited. All work you submit for assessment should be your own efforts. For more on this topic, consult the relevant portions of Temple Bulletin and the Student Conduct Code.