Course Title:	Minority Studies
Course Prefix & Number:		SOCI2319	Section Number:	300	Semester/Year:	Fall/2020
Semester Credit Hours:		3	Lecture Hours:	3	Lab Hours:	0
Course Description (NCTC Catalog): This course studies minority-majority group relations, addressing their historical, cultural, social, economic, and institutional development in the United States. Both sociological and social psychological levels of analysis will be employed to discuss issues including experiences of minority groups within the context of their cultural heritage and tradition, as well as that of the dominant culture. Core concepts to be examined include (but are not limited to) social inequality, dominance/subordination, prejudice, and discrimination. Particular minority groups discussed may include those based on poverty, race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or religion.
Course Prerequisite(s): None
Required Course Materials: Diversity and Society, 5th edition by Joseph F. Healey and Andi Stepnick. Sage Publishing.  ISBN 978-1-452275741 Online students need to secure the textbook. Having said that, I support a student's right to find the cheapest version of the book (e.g. ebook, rental, etc.).  A 6th edition of this book is now available, but students are welcome to rent the cheaper 5th edition as listed above. I provide all Power Points and outlines from the publisher, and I create all quizzes, discussion boards, and assignments.  If you select an even older edition, I wouldn't go back more than one edition. A Positive of this Textbook: This textbook is notably cheaper than most I've seen. The "used - rental" charge through NCTC is ~$30, though I've also seen rentals listed for as low as $15 via Amazon. A Challenge: The chapters in this textbook are relatively heavy, especially in terms of history, policy, and demographic numbers. Instead of piling multiple heavy chapters into one monthly exam, this class relies on single-chapter quizzes as your primary testing component. This allows you to dive into a chapter, take the associated quiz, and enter the next chapter with a clearer mind (i.e. "brain dumping" after each chapter).  I'll also provide very short video clips (hopefully ~5 minutes) reminding you of key points not to miss when reading. What's Missing: Most single books on minority studies focus on racial and ethnic groups and exclude other minority groups--such as those related to gender, sexual orientation, religion, class, and ability/disability. To cover all those groups would've required multiple books. However, I've included a few articles on various groups, and students are welcome to focus on ANY minority group for their project and in several discussion boards!

 

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Name of Instructor:	Stacie Stoutmeyer
Campus/Office Location:	Corinth, Room 339 (Not in office this semester.)
Telephone Number:	Not in office this semester. (Email me in Canvas instead.)
E-mail Address:	sstoutmeyer@nctc.edu (Canvas email preferred.)

 

OFFICE HOURS

In light of the on-going pandemic, my office hours will be conducted online this semester. Just email me any time you have a question or need clarification! I can also schedule a Zoom or WebEx session for remote meetings. 

 

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (From Academic Course Guide Manual/Workforce Education Course Manual/NCTC Catalog)

At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:

Explain how the concept of social inequality pertains to minority group status defined in terms of identities that may include social class, race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or religion.

Differentiate between important concepts and theories of prejudice and discrimination including the effects of prejudice and discrimination on the everyday lives of minority group members in the context of social institutions.

Analyze the history of culture, experiences of inequality, and current life opportunities of various minority groups in the United States with contrasting reference to other countries.

Analyze minority group interactions in the United States focusing on immigration and migration patterns, assimilation processes, and adjustments to American life.

 

GRADING CRITERIA

# of Graded Course Elements	Graded Course Elements	Point Values
10	Chapter Quizzes (Lowest will be dropped)	360 points total
5 (out of 6)	Concept-Related Discussion Boards	75 points total
1	Project on "Othering"	100 points
1	Quiz Over Key Themes Pages	30 points
1	Introduce Yourself to Class Discussion Board	5 points
1	Optional Cumulative Quiz Finals Week to Replace a Lower Quiz Score

 

COURSE SUBJECT OUTLINE (Major Assignments, Due Dates, and Grading Criteria)

Course grades are based nine (out of ten) chapter quizzes (360 points total), one research project (100 points), five (out of six) concept discussion boards (75 points total), one Quiz over Key Themes (30 points), and one "Introduce Yourself" discussion board (5 points). Total = 570 points.

 

FIRST WEEK OF THE SEMESTER (35 points; 6% of grade)

Two assignments must be completed the first week of the semester:

1) An "Introduce Yourself" discussion board (5 points)

2) A "Quiz Over Key Themes Pages" (30 points) - Students do not need the textbook for this particular quiz. Info for this quiz comes from the two "General Sociology Themes" and "Minority-Specific Themes" pages (near the top of the Modules section).

 

CHAPTER QUIZZES (360 points total; 63% of grade)

Ten chapter quizzes are required this semester; however, at the end of the semester, Canvas will automatically drop your lowest quiz (of Quizzes #1-10). Additionally, there will be an optional short but cumulative quiz given during finals week which could also replace one additional low score.  Thus, a bit of leeway comes in two forms: dropping the lowest of #1-10 and a second opportunity to replace another low score with a comprehensive (but optional for everyone) final quiz.

Quizzes consist of 20-30 multiple-choice questions and are worth 40 points each. Students are allowed ONE attempt and 30-45 minutes per quiz depending on the number of questions. (I offered two attempts per quiz in past semesters, but I discovered many students weren't reading the material at all. They were just blowing through quizzes using that second attempt to simply find/copy answers. As such, that privilege is no longer offered. However, leeway is still built into the course as described above.)

Once you begin a quiz, you cannot CANNOT attempt to save it and come back later. If you sign out of a quiz, that counts as one attempt. Once you begin a quiz, you must complete it in one sitting.

Be sure to read each assigned chapter and all additional materials provided, such as Power Points, outlines, articles, and videos as quiz questions can come from any of those sources. Pay close attention to any concept that's mentioned in multiple places/sources.

Due Dates for Quizzes: Quizzes have set due dates, so please play close attention to those. I typically open a couple at a time since some students may wish to move at a faster pace. Having said that, deadlines are designed to keep students progressing through the course at a reasonable college pace. Due dates are listed below in the calendar section, but you may also click on the "Quizzes" tab to see dates listed on each quiz.

During finals week, There are no midterms or finals in this class--only chapter quizzes--so each quiz is important.

 

RESEARCH PROJECT ON "OTHERING" (100 points; 17.5% of grade)

Research projects are a valuable component of college courses. Students will construct a Power Point, Prezi, or Google Slides presentation on the practice and experience of "othering," specific to a minority population of their choosing. Students will not present their project to the class. I'm the only one who'll see the finished projects. However, I will discuss the populations chosen in this class in an announcement after the due date. (Special Permission Needed: If a student wishes to create a video project or write an essay instead, contact me prior to Sunday, September 20th for special permission and so we can discuss specifics.)

"Othering," in this sense, refers to the practice whereby a member of a minority group is treated as an "other/something else" (other than the dominant reference group) on the basis of his/her/their cultural beliefs, practices, appearance, or some other attribute.

Detailed instructions are provided in the Research Project module. Slides/segments will also be closely tied to the four student learning outcomes listed above for this course. In short, students will select a minority population, research the concept of "othering," apply it to their selected population, give examples of how "othering" manifests in a specific social institution (e.g. education, health care, economy/work, religion, family, military, political system/government, or media), and compare/contrast this experience in two different nations. (Most students choose to focus on how their population is treated here in the U.S. and then contrast that with one outside nation; however, you are not confined to the U.S. For example, I've had students focus on the Kurdish population, Rohingya Muslims, etc.)

Students may work alone or in groups of two people (maximum). Students who work in pairs will turn in the same project (though both will upload it in Canvas). They'll receive the exact same grade as I have no way of proving who did what work. Students planning to work together must email me by Sunday, September 20th so I can be made aware of the grouping. Please note I do not run interference between two students if a problem arises in the group. Due to the problems often associated with group work and the varying personal interests of students, the vast majority of my students opt to work alone.

The research project is due in the associated dropbox before 11:59PM Sunday, November 22nd. 

 

DISCUSSION BOARDS (60 points; 13% of grade)

Six concept discussion boards are given this semester; however, students are only required to respond to five. Student may complete all six and that last board of the semester will count as extra credit. If you miss or score low on one discussion board, just be sure to answer all others and that one low score can be dropped at the end of the semester. (This does not include the Introduce Yourself board, which is also required.)

Each board also a specific due date, so please keep track of those dates. Click on the "Discussions" tab and each board will also display its due date.

Students are required to submit their initial post before they can see what others have written. For all boards, students must also respond to the post of another student. Students are welcome to move ahead at a quicker pace; however, since each board requires students to respond to another student's post, those who are the first to submit a response must not forget to return once others start posting.

 

MAKE-UP POLICY: 

Make-ups are only offered to students who experience a formally documented medical emergency or military service requirement.

Medical Emergencies: Students who experience a medical emergency (e.g. ER visit, unexpected surgery, etc.) which interferes with an assignment should contact me within a week so we can determine how to proceed. Original documentation from the medical provider will be required; however, that document does not need to disclose any private info about your actual diagnosis, only that you were treated.

Funerals: Unfortunately, some students fabricate stories of a death in the family. As such, I may ask for documentation if you miss an assignment/exam and seek a make-up for this reason. As above, students should contact me within a week so we can determine exactly how to proceed. Death is a serious matter and to protect students who sadly do experience such an event, I do not tolerate fabrications in this area. I consider fabricating a family sickness/death for personal gain to be a form of scholastic dishonesty. As such, the student will receive an automatic zero for the work in question.

Military Service: The military service stipulation for late work is only offered to the military personnel himself/herself since that student's access to a computer may be temporarily disrupted. It does not extend to significant others who, albeit a stressful time, still have home/school access to computers. Students who need to meet a military service requirement during the semester should contact me in advance of leaving for service so we can determine how to proceed with schoolwork. If a student is unexpectedly called into service (e.g. as some of my students were for the coronavirus or recent hurricanes), please notify me via email as soon as the word comes down so I can anticipate any necessary adjustments. Usually, there is not a problem making adjustments, so don't worry. However, feel free to email me any questions on this matter.

 

COMPUTER ISSUES: 

If a student contacts me on the premise that he/she/they experienced a "computer issue" and I find info which suggest otherwise, I consider that scholastic dishonesty and the student will earn a zero. If a student experiences a legitimate computer issue, I require THREE forms of documentation before considering options: 

1) First, immediately take a snapshot IMAGE of the ERROR MESSAGE so you have something to show our IT department and me. You can either take an image using your smart phone or by hitting the "PrtSc" (Print Screen) key on a your PC. If you have a Mac, Google the process now so you are ready should something happen in the future. Without VISUAL proof of an issue, I do not consider options.

2) Second, immediately contact the NCTC eCampus HelpDesk by sending a request TICKET for assistance. Click on the word "Help" in the upper right hand corner of Canvas, near "LogOut," and follow the instructions. The phone number is (940) 668-3335, and the direct website to submit a request for technical assistance is https://ecampushelpdesk.nctc.edu/hc/en-us/requests/new (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..

3) Third, you may then send me an email but you MUST include the snapshot IMAGE *and* the TICKET NUMBER (found in parenthesis in the automatic email response generated from the HelpDesk upon submission of your ticket and sent to your email address on file; make sure your email is up-to-date) once you submit. The only reason to then email me is to give me a heads up that the Help Desk is working on your issue. However, if there is no image and no ticket number to provide proof of your issue, I do not offer any special consideration.

 

GRADES:

Grades are always posted in Canvas. If you have a question about your grade, please check Canvas first and then you are welcome to contact me via email in Canvas.

 

EXTRA CREDIT

Leeway is already built into this course, primarily by way of the ability to drop your lowest quiz grade (of Quizzes #1-10), an optional quiz finals week to replace a second low quiz grade, and the ability to respond to a sixth discussion board for extra credit. Additional opportunities for single individuals is not fair to others and is, thus, not an option.

 

TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE

Due: Sun Aug 30	Introduce Yourself to Class Quiz over Key Themes
Due: Sun Sept 6	Discussion #1: Angela Davis Criticizes Mainstream/Bourgeoisie Feminism Quiz 1 (Chapter 1)
Due: Sun Sept 20	Discussion #2: An American Dilemma Quiz 2 (Chapter 2)
Due: Sun Oct 4	Discussion #3: The Just-World Hypothesis Quiz 3 (Chapter 3)
Due: Sun Oct 18	Discussion #4: Institutional Racism and Recent Protests Quiz 4 (Chapter 4)
Due: Sun Oct 25	Quiz 5 (Chapter 5)
Due: Sun Nov 1	Discussion #5: Minority Students at Predominantly White Colleges Quiz 6 (Chapter 6)
Due: Sun Nov 8	Discussion #6: "Controlling Images" of a Minority Group Quiz 7 (Chapter 7)
Due: Sun Nov 15	Quiz 8 (Chapter 8)
Due: Sun Nov 22	Research Project on "Othering" Due
Due: Sun Dec 6	Quiz 9 (Chapter 9) Quiz 10 (Chapter 10)
Due: Final Week	Official Date TBD, Optional Cumulative Final Quiz

Finals Week:

Final Exam--The college is still finalizing changes to our final exam policy/schedule. Once they finalize the exam schedule, I'll update this section. However, tentatively, I expect the final (optional) quiz to open Monday, Dec. 7th, and students will have three days to take it. *The only students required to take the cumulative final quiz in this class are those who need to make-up a previously missed exam and/or want to try and replace a lower quiz score. See aforementioned exam policy.

 

I do not expect schedule changes. However, should one occur, students will be notified via a class announcement and email in Canvas.

  

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Statement Prepared By the College:

Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered.  All absences are considered to be unauthorized unless the student is absent due to illness or emergencies as determined by the instructor.  It is the student responsibility to provide documentation as to the emergency for approval and judgement by the faculty member.  Approved college sponsored activities are the only absences for which a student should not be held liable and only when provided by a college official ahead of the absence.  Valid reasons for absence, however, do not relieve the student of the responsibility for making up required work.  Students will not be allowed to make up an examination missed due to absence unless they have reasons acceptable to the instructor.  A student who is compelled to be absent when a test is given should petition the instructor, in advance if possible, for permission to postpone the exam.  Student will be dropped from a class by the Registrar upon recommendation of the instructor who feels the student has been justifiably absent or tardy a sufficient number of times to preclude meeting the course’s objectives. Persistent, unjustified absences from classes or laboratories will be considered sufficient cause for College officials to drop a student from the rolls of the College. From Board Policy FC (LOCAL).

The Instructor-Specific Policy:

In this online course, students should log into Canvas at least three times a week to stay on top of assignments, announcements, etc. On some days, there will be nothing new and you can log right out. I do not send extra announcements or emails reminding students of every single due date.

Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is Monday, November 2nd.

 

OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION________________________________________________

EMAILS, CANVAS, NOTIFICATIONS, and DUE DATES: 

Use Canvas to download lecture materials, read class announcements, track due dates and grades, and email the instructor. For online classes, all assignments, quizzes, exams, and discussion boards are submitted in Canvas.

You can set NCTC emails and Canvas notifications to be forwarded to the email account you check most regularly.

Since most due dates are listed on the syllabus and/or are listed alongside the assignments title in Canvas, I do not send reminders for every item of graded work. Students need to keep track of all due dates and ask questions early. 

Students also need to check class announcements regularly. If a student has not been signing in frequently, he/she /they should click on the Announcements tab to catch up.

 

BEHAVIOR:

Students are expected to remain civil in all forms of communications, such as emails and discussion boards. Specific action taken during and following a disruptive incident will depend on the nature of the incident, but it is possible to be reported for behavioral issues.

Please be mindful that, in an online setting, it's easy to misconstrue words on a screen without the benefits of other communicative cues. If you disagree with a student's post in this course, the best practice is to ASK further questions in that board first, thus allowing that student the opportunity to CLARIFY his/her/their statements instead of jumping to offense. If there is a deeper concern, email me and I'll address it.

 

NCTC's COVID-19 POLICY

Coming. Administrators are drafting a formal statement to add to our syllabi, so that will be added as soon as it's given to us as instructors. In the meantime, our general COVID info page is http://www.nctc.edu/coronavirus/index.html.

 

LIONALERT SYSTEM

Sign up to receive text messages on campus closings due to inclement weather or other campus-related emergencies via the LionAlert system.

 

TRANSCRIPTS:

Instructors enter final grades into the MyNCTC system but are not responsible for and do not have access to college transcripts. Students should go to https://www.nctc.edu/current-students/transcript-request.html for more info.

 

DISABILITY SERVICES (Office for Students with Disabilities)

The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides support services for students with disabilities, students enrolled in technical areas of study, and students who are classified as special populations (e.g. single parents).

Support services for students with disabilities might include appropriate and reasonable accommodations, or they may be in the form of personal counseling, academic counseling, career counseling, etc.  Furthermore, OSD Counselors work with students to encourage self-advocacy and promote empowerment. The Counselors also provides resource information, disability-related information, and adaptive technology for students who qualify.

For support, please contact the counselors at (940) 498-6207 or (940) 668-4321.  Alternatively, students may stop by Room 170 in Corinth or Room 110 in Gainesville.

OSD Students: Please email me in Canvas me the first week of the semester, so I can make sure all accommodations are met. You do not have to disclose your disability/diagnosis; that's confidential. Instructors only need to know your allowed accommodations. 

 

CORE CURRICULUM FOUNDATIONAL COMPONENT AREA (For classes in the Core)_______     

X       Social and Behavioral Sciences

 

REQUIRED CORE OBJECTIVES (For classes in the Core) 

X   Critical Thinking

X   Communication

X   Empirical and Quantitative

X   Social Responsibility

 

COURSE TYPE

X   Academic NCTC Core Curriculum Course

 

STUDENT HANDBOOK

Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the student handbook and published online. http://www.nctc.edu/catalog/North-Central-Texas-College-Student-Handbook/nctc-student-handbook.html

 

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, academic falsification, intellectual property dishonesty, academic dishonesty facilitation and collusion.  Faculty members may document and bring charges against a student who is engaged in or is suspected to be engaged in academic dishonesty.  See Student Handbook, “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct ([FLB(LOCAL)].” 

Instructor-specific Academic Dishonesty Policy: Plagiarism, cheating, and/or collusion of any type will result in a zero for that quiz and/or assignment. Also, fabricated stories about not being able to access Canvas or having "computer issues: is considered scholastic dishonesty. Be aware that Canvas allows instructors to track student log-in's, work, etc. Fabricating stories of any kind for personal gain is a form of scholastic dishonesty, will result in a zero, and may be reported to administration.

 

ADDITIONAL CONCERNS AFTER SPEAKING WITH INSTRUCTOR FIRST:

Department Chair:	Crystal R.M. Wright
Office Location:	Gainesville Campus, Room 24
Telephone Number:	940-668-7731, ext. 4320
E-mail Address:	cwright@nctc.edu
Instructional Dean:	Dr. Bruce King
Office Location:	Gainesville Campus
Telephone Number:	940-668-4267
E-mail Address:	bking@nctc.edu