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Revision Date: 12/23/14
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE
COLLEGE OF SOCIAL & BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY
Sociology 426—Social Legislation
Spring 2015, 4 Units
Instructor: Moshe ben Asher, Ph.D.
Phones: H:818-881-1295/S:818-224-9269
Class Meeting Days: Tue/Thurs
Time: 2:00-3:40
Location: SH (Sierra Hall) 386
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: Tue/Thurs 1:15-1:45
Office Location: Santa Susana Hall 107
Class Web Page: http://www.gatherthepeople.org/Pages/CSUN-SOC426.htm
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower-division writing requirement.
PURPOSE
The main purpose of this course is to stimulate the students’ interest in and understanding
of social policy and social legislation. The course is intended to give students an
understanding of historical and contemporary social policy issues and programs, to
sharpen students’ abilities to analyze related social legislation, and to enable their
understanding of the lobbying and legislative processes.
The first part of the course focuses on troubled social institutions; problems related to
inequality, conformity and deviance—problems of a changing world. The course defines
“social development” and explores political, economic, and other conditions that
influence social development in the United States. The second part of the course focuses
on the changing context of political action, preliminary steps in lobbying, and practical
demands of successfully influencing policy and legislation.
This course is intended for Sociology students in Option II (Criminology) and Option
III (Social Welfare), pre-law students, and any other upper-division students who are
interested in the subject matter.
STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Students will demonstrate subject matter competency in the following areas: theory,
research methods and statistics, and general knowledge of material related to one of
the four options (general Sociology, criminology/criminal justice, social welfare, and
counseling and interviewing).
1. Students will be able to recall and comprehend concepts, principles, theories, and
knowledge in the field of Sociology and as related to their particular option.
2. Students will be able to recall and interpret common statistics used in Sociology
utilizing computer printout.
• Students will demonstrate the ability to employ sociological ways of thinking.
1. Students will be able to apply critical thinking skills to answer questions about
social phenomena.
2. Students will demonstrate the ability to collect, process, and interpret research
data.
3. Students will demonstrate the ability to link theory with observation using
research methodologies.
• Students will be able to apply their sociological knowledge in multiple facets of their
lives and in the various social institutions in which they participate.
•
1. Alumni will acknowledge the use of their sociological knowledge in graduate
school, their workplace, and their personal life.
Students will understand various cultural practices, values, and beliefs.
1. Students will be able to demonstrate understanding of the diverse nature of groups
in society and their relevance to cross-cultural and global issues.
BROAD SUBJECT-MATTER GOALS
At the end of the semester, each student should understand:
• The crisis of institutions occurring in the United States, and particularly the moneycorruption of the national government;
• The extent to which the citizenry has lost control of the national government to
wealthy individuals and powerful corporations, which are indifferent to the
commonweal;
• What is required for the citizenry to regain control of the government and respond to
the institutional crisis, which is not exclusively a matter of devising the ideal policy
or legislation, but employing applied sociology to build populist movement to
countervail the power of the wealthy and corporations; and
• The potential and importance of each person’s participation and each person’s
leadership in the populist movement that is gaining momentum in the United States.
SPECIFIC COURSE OBJECTIVES
At the end of the semester, each student should be able to:
• Provide definitions of social conditions, social problems, social issues, social policy,
and social development;
• Discuss the history of particular social policies in the United States;
• Define a number of key concepts in social welfare policy;
• Formulate policy development and implementation strategies and tactics, from
identifying a social condition to achieving legislative enactments;
• Analyze and evaluate the effects of social policy and social legislation;
• Define a number of key concepts in criminal justice policy;
• Discuss policy issues related to the family, poverty, education, mental health, children
and the elderly, drug use, crime, urbanization, population, the environment,
globalization, war and terrorism;
• Analyze the impact of social policy and social legislation on social justice and social
development;
• Discuss the context of political action to influence legislation;
• Understand the fundamental principles and practices of lobbying; and
• Plan or participate knowledgably in a lobbying campaign to influence legislation.
COURSE FORMAT
The course includes lectures and discussion on highlights of the text subjects and
supplementary material, educational films and videos, in-class group exercises and roleplays, out-of-class field assignments, and guest speakers. Students are expected and
encouraged to bring questions and ideas that will stimulate thinking and discussion in the
various areas covered in this course. Each student brings his or her own life experience
and, by contributing to the class, can enrich the total learning experience. Students are
also encouraged to meet with the instructor during office hours to discuss or clarify
course material and written assignments or to share any comments or ideas on class
format and content.
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REQUIRED TEXT
D. Stanley Eitzen, Maxine Baca Zinn, and Kelly Eitzen Smith, Social Problems,
THIRTEENTH Edition (Boston-New York-San Francisco: Pearson Education, Inc.:
2014). The textbook is on two-hour reserve at Oviatt Library.
EXPECTATIONS
Students are expected to attend each class and, showing courtesy to other class members,
to be on time. Poor attendance and participation can easily lower one’s final grade in the
course a full letter-grade or more, for example from an A to a B or from a C to an F.
Students are expected to read the textbook, and to analyze and compare the lectures, class
discussions, and text materials, integrating their perspectives and conclusions. Reading
assignments are to be completed before the day they are scheduled for discussion.
•
•
•
•
•
Due dates for assignments are firm and extensions will be given only under
unusual circumstances and by prior arrangement with the instructor. Assignments
that are turned in late without prior approval, if accepted, will be marked off the
equivalent of at least one full letter-grade.
Missed examinations, for which the student has not arranged a new completion
date with the instructor by the day of the examination, may not be accepted or if
accepted will be penalized up to two full letter-grades.
Students shall identify themselves on all written examinations and assignments
only by their CSUN student I.D. number. Names are not to be used. Unless
otherwise noted on the assignment document or grade feedback form, five points
will be deducted from any examination or written assignment on which a student
identifies him- or herself by name rather than student I.D. number.
All devices that beep, ring, chime, make music, alarm, buzz, or otherwise make
noise shall have their sound turned off or, if they can’t be disabled, shall not be
brought to class. Students who fail to respect this class requirement in any
particular session will be asked to leave that session of the class.
At the first meeting of the class, students will select the seat that they will occupy
for the remainder of the semester.
Students are expected to keep up with assigned reading and come to class prepared to
raise questions, share opinions, and otherwise participate in class discussions. Class
participation will count for a possible 100 points (approximately 3.7 points/class
session) or 25 percent of the final course grade. One instance of participation—making
a comment or raising a question—in a class session will earn a maximum of four points
for that session.
EXAMINATIONS
Approximately 50 percent of each student’s final grade in the course will depend on a
mid-term exam and a final exam. The mid-term and final exams will consist of 100 truefalse and multiple-choice questions and cover the assigned chapters of the text, as well as
class discussions, lectures, and both in-class and online videos/films, up to the date of the
exam. A practice exam of 150 questions will be distributed one week before the mid-term
and final exams, from which the 100 questions will be drawn. Students will have the full
class period to complete the mid-term exam.
Mid-term and final exam answers must be turned in on SCANTRON 882-E forms. As
noted above, students are to identify themselves only by student I.D. number on all
exams.
3
FIELD ASSIGNMENTS
Students may earn a maximum of 50 points each for completing two field assignments:
(1) a City Council Meeting Report, which is due on 2/9; and (2) a One-to-One Report,
which is due on 4/16—requirements for both of which may be found on the class web
page (www.gatherthepeople.org/Pages/CSUN-SOC426.htm).
EXTRA-CREDIT
Students may earn a maximum of 50 extra-credit points for completing no more than one
extra-credit assignment during the semester. Extra-credit assignments that may be
submitted this semester include: (1) Female Genital Circumcision, which is due on 3/5; or
(2) Visions of the American Dream, which is due on 3/19—requirements for both of
which may be found on the class web page (www.gatherthepeople.org/Pages/CSUNSOC426.htm).
GRADING
• Class participation: 100 points
• Field assignments: 100 points (2 @ 50)
• Mid-term examination: 100 points
• End-term examination: 100 points
• [Possible extra-credit points: 50]
Total possible points based on required assignments: 400 (450 with extra-credit
points)
FINAL COURSE LETTER-GRADE RANGES
A- = 360-373
B- = 320-333
C- = 280-293
D- = 240-253
F = 239 and below
A = 374-387
B = 334-345
C = 294-305
D = 254-265
A+ = 388-400
B+ = 346-359
C+ = 306-319
D+ = 266-279
ASSIGNMENT DUE DATES
• February 19: Field Assignment: City Council Meeting Report
• March 5: Optional Extra-Credit Assignment: Female Genital Circumcision
• March 19: Optional Extra-Credit Assignment: Visions of the American Dream
• April 16: Field Assignment: One-to-One Report
PROVISIONAL COURSE SCHEDULE & ASSIGNMENTS
Class
1
Date
1/20
Topic
Introduction and
orientation to the
course
Assignments
ONLINE READINGS: (1) course syllabus; (2)
Moran, “The Presence of Malice”; (3) GTP
Training Guide #22, Reforming Organizations
("The Moral Career of the Human Service
Functionary"); (4) “‘Why did you shoot me? I
was reading a book’: The new warrior cop is out
of control”; and LECTURE NOTES: “Social
Policy, Social Problems, and Social
Movements” [ALL ON CLASS WEB PAGE]
4
2
1/22
3
1/27
4
1/29
5
2/3
6
2/5
7
2/10
8
2/12
Progressive Plan to
Solve Social
Problems
TEXT READING: Chapter 19; IN-CLASS
VIDEO/FILM: “The Democratic Promise”;
ONLINE VIDEO: “Chris Hedges: ‘The many
failures of U.S. society and how change can
occur’” (29)
The Sociological
TEXT READING: Chapter 1; ONLINE
Approach to Social
LECTURE NOTES: “Unified Theory,”
Problems
“Theory Review,” and “Conditions of Power”;
ONLINE HANDOUT: “Unified Theory
Schematic” (print out and bring to class)
[ALL ON CLASS WEB PAGE]
Wealth and Power:
TEXT READING: Chapter 2; IN-CLASS
The Bias of the
VIDEOS/FILMS: “Park Avenue: Money,
System
Power & the American Dream”; ONLINE
READINGS: “Inequality Is Not Inevitable” and
“Essay: Anatomy of the Deep State”; ONLINE
VIDEO: “Credit and Credibility” (26) [CLASS
WEB PAGE]
World Population and TEXT READING: Chapter 3; IN-CLASS
Global Inequality
VIDEO/FILM: “Daughters For Sale”
Threats to the
TEXT READING: Chapter 4; IN-CLASS
Environment
VIDEO: “Al Gore: A Generational Challenge
to Repower America” (18); ONLINE
READINGS: “Risky Business: The Economic
Risks of Climate Change in the United States”
(Executive Summary only); “The Biggest
Reason Chicken Is Healthier Than Beef”; and
“Facts & Figures: California’s Drought”
[CLASS WEB PAGE]
Demographic
TEXT READING: Chapter 5; ONLINE
Changes in the
VIDEO/FILM: “The Border Fence” (27)
United States: The
[CLASS WEB PAGE]
Browning and
Graying of Society
Problems of Place:
TEXT READING: Chapter 6; ONLINE
Urban, Suburban, and READING: “It’s the Public Powers, Stupid!”
Rural
[CLASS WEB PAGE]; FIELD
ASSIGNMENT REMINDER (DUE 2/19):
City Council Meeting Report of a regularly
scheduled meeting of the elected governing
council of an incorporated city (e.g., Burbank,
San Fernando, Culver City, Los Angeles,
Glendale, Pasadena, etc.—a complete list of
incorporated cities in Los Angeles County is
available at http://ceo.lacounty.gov/forms/0910%20cities%20alpha.pdf) [SEE CLASS WEB
PAGE FOR DETAILS]
5
9
10
11
2/17
2/19
2/24
Poverty
Racial and Ethnic
Inequality
Gender Inequality
12
2/26
Sexual Orientation
13
3/3
Disability and
Ableism
14
3/5
Crime and Justice
15
3/10
MID-TERM EXAM
TEXT READING: Chapter 7; IN-CLASS
VIDEO/FILM: “The Forgotten Americans”
(57); ONLINE VIDEO: “US homelessness &
poverty at an alarming high” (26) [CLASS
WEB PAGE]
TEXT READING: Chapter 8; IN-CLASS
VIDEO/FILM: “White Like Me: Race,
Racism, and White Privilege in America” (68);
ONLINE READING: “15 Charts That Prove
We’re Far from Post-Racial” and “The Fire This
Time” [CLASS WEB PAGE]; FIELD
ASSIGNMENT DUE: City Council Meeting
Report; OVIATT LIBRARY FILM
REMINDER (FOR 2/26 CLASS): “The
Brandon Teena Story” [OVIATT 2-HOUR
RESERVE and AVAILABLE ON NETFLIX]
TEXT READING: Chapter 9; OPTIONAL
EXTRA-CREDIT ASSIGNMENT
REMINDER (DUE 3/5): Female Genital
Circumcision [CLASS WEB PAGE FOR
DETAILS]; ONLINE VIDEO: “Women,
Power and Politics” (60) [CLASS WEB PAGE]
TEXT READING: Chapter 10; OVIATT
LIBRARY FILM (DVD): “The Brandon
Teena Story” [OVIATT RESERVE and
NETFLIX]
TEXT READING: Chapter 11; IN-CLASS
VIDEO/FILM: “Lives Worth Living” (54);
ONLINE VIDEO: “Rolling”; ONLINE
READING: “Parents of Autistic Boy . . .
Question Police Actions” [CLASS WEB
PAGE]; MID-TERM PRACTICE EXAM
DISTRIBUTED in class
TEXT READING: Chapter 12; IN-CLASS
VIDEOS/FILMS: “Taking on the Mafia” (21),
“18 LA Sheriffs ARRESTED!” (5), “Rampart
Police Corruption Scandal” (6), and “Officer
Herrera Goes Public” (14); ONLINE VIDEOS:
“Did white collar crime and fraud trigger the
meltdown?” (5), and “20-20 Interview with
Frances Ellen—White Collar Crime, Speaker &
Consultant” (6) [CLASS WEB PAGE]
OPTIONAL EXTRA-CREDIT
ASSIGNMENT DUE: Female Genital
Circumcision
Covers textbook chapters 19 and 1-12, online
readings, class lectures and discussions, online
videos, and in-class exercises
6
16
3/12
Drugs
17
3/17
The Economy and
Work
18
3/19
Families
19
3/24
Education
20
3/26
The Health Care
System
21
3/31
4/2
NO CLASS
National Security in
the Twenty-First
Century
TEXT READING: Chapter 13; IN-CLASS
VIDEO/FILM: “Retired Police Captain
Demolishes the War on Drugs (16); ONLINE
READING: “10 things to know about the
nation’s first recreational marijuana shops in
Colorado”; OPTIONAL EXTRA-CREDIT
ASSIGNMENT REMINDER (DUE 3/19):
“Visions of the American Dream” [CLASS
WEB PAGE]
TEXT READING: Chapter 14; IN-CLASS
VIDEO/FILMS: “Wage Crisis—The USA’s
new underclass” (26); ONLINE READINGS:
"City of Los Angeles Living Wage Ordinance,"
"Los Angeles County Living Wage Program,"
"San Francisco Minimum Wage," "Seattle $15
Minimum Wage." [ALL ON CLASS WEB
PAGE]
TEXT READING: Chapter 15; ONLINE
READING: “Lifelong Erotic Sex in Marriage:
Replacing Infatuation with Intimacy” [CLASS
WEB PAGE]; OPTIONAL EXTRA-CREDIT
ASSIGNMENT DUE: “Visions of the
American Dream”
TEXT READING: Chapter 16; IN-CLASS
VIDEO/FILMS: “Challenges to equity in
American public education” (50); ONLINE
READING: “An 8th Grade Education in 1895”
[CLASS WEB PAGE]
TEXT READING: Chapter 17: ONLINE
READING: “The Perils of Ignoring History:
Big Tobacco Played Dirty and Millions Died.
How Similar Is Big Food?”; “5 Clues You Are
Addicted to Sugar”; and “Obesity Stigma:
Important Considerations for Public Health”;
ONLINE VIDEOS: “What a McDonald’s
Commercial SHOULD Look Like” (2) “Is
Sugar Toxic?” (14); ONLINE GRAPHIC:
“The 56 Names of Sugar” [ON CLASS WEB
PAGE]; FIELD ASSIGNMENT REMINDER
(DUE 4/16): One-to-One Report
CESAR CHAVEZ HOLIDAY
TEXT READING: Chapter 18; IN-CLASS
VIDEOS/FILMS: “Olbermann and Greenwald
expose war profiteers” (6) and “Torture
Tactics” (19); ONLINE READING: “Conflict
and Cooperation in Macro Theory and
Practice”; ONLINE VIDEO: “On America and
Empire” (Bill Moyer’s interview of Andrew J.
Bacevich, Parts I [27] & II [26]) [CLASS WEB
PAGE]
7
22
4/7
4/9
4/14
NO CLASS
NO CLASS
Media Monopolies
23
4/16
Populism as a
movement driving
organizing and
lobbying for social,
political, and
economic change
24
4/21
Introduction to the
methods of
organizing and
lobbying
25
4/23
Assessing the
opposition
26
4/28
Coalitions
27
4/30
28
5/5
29
5/7
Organizing
movement power for
effective lobbying:
winners and losers
The Democratic
Promise reviewed;
leadership
development as a
strategic antidote
Moral vision and
action for the
commonweal
5/14
FINAL EXAM
SPRING BREAK
SPRING BREAK
ONLINE READINGS: “How ACORN Was
Framed” and “Media Reform Information
Center” [CLASS WEB PAGE] IN-CLASS
VIDEO/FILM: “Distracted from Democracy”
(27)
ONLINE READING: “Social Movements and
Democracy,” “The Progressive Movement,”
and “Introduction” to The Populist Moment
[CLASS WEB PAGE]; IN-CLASS
VIDEOS/FILMS: “Historian Nell Irwin
Painter [on populism]” (19); FIELD
ASSIGNMENT DUE: One-to-One Report
ONLINE READINGS: “GTP Training Guide
#46, Principles and Methods of Grassroots
Lobbying” and “Excerpts from The Soul of A
Citizen” [CLASS WEB PAGE]; ONLINE
VIDEO: “Dan Rather Reports, ‘The Best
Congress Money Can Buy’” (57) [CLASS
WEB PAGE]
ONLINE READING: “The Stench of the
Potomac”; IN-CLASS VIDEOS/FILMS:
“Congressional Ethics”(18), “Pay for Play”
(24), and “Under the Influence” (13); ONLINE
VIDEO: “The United States of ALEC” (50)
[CLASS WEB PAGE]
ONLINE READING: “GTP Training Guide
#39, Coalitions” [CLASS WEB PAGE]; INCLASS VIDEOS/FILMS: “Immokalee: A
Story of Slavery and Freedom” and “The Battle
Fields: Coalition of Immokalee Workers”
IN-CLASS VIDEO/FILM: “Guns and
Mothers”; ONLINE VIDEO: “STAND How
To Lobby” (6) and “New Powerful Form of
Lobbying” (3) [CLASS WEB PAGE
ONLINE READING: “Swimming With
Sharks”; ONLINE VIDEO: “‘Pernicious'
Effects of Economic Inequality’” [CLASS
WEB PAGE]; IN-CLASS VIDEO/FILM:
“Bill Moyers Interview with David Simon”
ONLINE READING: “Public Powers for the
Commonweal: A Challenge to Faith-Based
Organizing” [CLASS WEB PAGE]; INCLASS VIDEO/FILM: “How People Power
Generates Change” (56); ONLINE READING:
“What Can We Learn From Denmark?”;
FINAL PRACTICE EXAM DISTRIBUTED
3:00-5:00 p.m. (SH 386)
8
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
The maintenance of academic integrity and quality education is the responsibility of each
student within this university and the California State University system. Cheating or
plagiarism in connection with an academic program at a campus is listed in Section
41301, Title V, California Code of Regulations, as an offense for which a student may be
expelled, suspended, or given a less severe disciplinary sanction. Academic dishonesty is
an especially serious offense and diminishes the quality of scholarship and defrauds those
who depend upon the integrity of the campus programs. Such dishonesty includes:
A. CHEATING
Intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids
in any academic exercise—comments:
• Students completing any examination should assume that external assistance (e.g.,
books, notes, calculators, conversation with others) is prohibited unless specifically
authorized by the instructor.
• Students must not allow others to conduct research or prepare any work for them
without advance authorization from the instructor. This comment includes, but is not
limited to, the services of commercial term paper companies.
• Substantial portions of the same academic work may not be submitted for credit in
more than one course without authorization.
• University cheating and plagiarism policies:
1. Violation of the CSUN Policy on Academic Dishonesty is very serious. If you
have any doubts about what constitutes cheating or plagiarism, please be sure to
review the Policy at
http://www.csun.edu/~studaff/studentconduct/academic_dishonesty.pdf
2. This class adheres to the University’s policies on academic dishonesty as outlined
at sections E-2 through E-4 in 2012-2014 CSUN catalog. Students found
cheating/plagiarizing will receive zero credit for the quiz/assignment and will not
be given the opportunity to make up the assignment.
3. Cheating on any assignment, depending on the circumstances, may also result in
an F for the course. This includes cheating, fabrication, and dishonesty on exams,
copying exam answers or otherwise submitting the work of another student as your
own, as well as plagiarism on written assignments.
4. To avoid plagiarism, do not use anyone else's words or ideas without clearly
acknowledging the source, including a complete citation of the original work.
B. FABRICATION
Intentional falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic
exercise—comments:
• “Invented’’ information may not be used in any laboratory experiment or other
academic exercise without notice to and authorization from the instructor. It would be
improper, for example, to analyze one sample in an experiment and covertly “invent’’
data based on that single experiment for several more required analyses.
• One should acknowledge reliance upon the actual source from which cited
information was obtained. For example, a writer should not reproduce a quotation
from a book review and indicate that the quotation was obtained from the book itself.
9
•
Students who attempt to alter and resubmit returned academic work with intent to
defraud the faculty member will be in violation of this section. For example, a student
may not change an answer on a returned exam and then claim that they deserve
additional credit.
C. FACILITATING ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
• Intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to help another to commit an act of
academic dishonesty.
• For example, one who knowingly allowed another to copy from his or her paper
during an examination would be in violation of this section.
D. PLAGIARISM
Intentionally or knowingly representing the words, ideas, or work of another as one’s
own in any academic exercise:
• Direct Quotation: Every direct quotation must be identified by quotation marks, or by
appropriate indentation or by other means of identification, and must be promptly
cited in a footnote. Proper footnote style for any academic department is outlined by
the MLA Style Sheet or K.L. Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of Term Papers,
Theses and Dissertations. These and similar publications are available in the Matador
Bookstore and at the reference desk of the Oviatt Library.
• Paraphrase: Prompt acknowledgment is required when material from another source
is paraphrased or summarized in whole or in part in your own words. To
acknowledge a paraphrase properly, one might state: “to paraphrase Locke’s
comment . . .’’ and conclude with a footnote identifying the exact reference. A
footnote acknowledging only a directly quoted statement does not suffice to notify the
reader of any preceding or succeeding paraphrased material.
• Borrowed facts or information: Information obtained in one’s reading or research that
is not common knowledge among students in the course must be acknowledged.
Examples of common knowledge might include the names of leaders of prominent
nations, basic scientific laws, etc.
• Materials that contribute only to one’s general understanding of the subject: Such
materials may be acknowledged in the bibliography and need not be immediately
footnoted. One footnote is usually sufficient to acknowledge indebtedness when a
number of connected sentences in the paper draw their special information from one
source. When direct quotations are used, however, quotation marks must be inserted
and prompt acknowledgment is required.
UNIVERSITY GRADES AND GRADING POLICIES
A. INCOMPLETE
• The symbol “I” indicates that a portion of the required coursework has not been
completed and evaluated in the prescribed period due to unforeseen, but fully justified
reasons, that a substantial portion of the course requirement has been completed with
a passing grade, and that there is still a possibility of earning credit. The work that is
incomplete normally should be of such a nature that it can be completed
independently by the student for later evaluation by the instructor. An Incomplete
shall not be assigned when a student would be required to attend a major portion of
the class when it is next offered. It is the responsibility of the student to bring
pertinent information to the attention of the instructor and to determine from the
10
instructor the remaining course requirements that must be satisfied to remove the
Incomplete. A final grade is assigned when the work agreed upon has been completed
and evaluated.
1. Unless an approved “Request for Extension of Time to Remove Incomplete” form
has been filed with Admissions and Records, an “I” must normally be made up
within one calendar year immediately following the end of the term during which
it was assigned. This limitation prevails whether or not the student maintains
continuous enrollment.
2. An Incomplete will be counted as equivalent to an F (or an NC if applicable) for
grade point average computation under the following conditions:
—If the Incomplete is unresolved within the allotted time, A& R will change the
grade to “F”. (Students are NOT encouraged to petition the removal of this
“F”, because it is a legitimate part of their permanent Academic Record.)
—If a student fails to complete the assigned work within one calendar year.
—If an undergraduate student re-enrolls in the course before making up the work
during the calendar year.
B. WITHDRAWAL UNAUTHORIZED (WU)
• For purposes of grade point computation, the “WU” grade is equivalent to an “F”.
The symbol “WU” indicates that an enrolled student did not officially withdraw from
the course and failed to complete course requirements. It may also be assigned by the
instructor when assignments or course activities or both were insufficient to evaluate
academic performance using A, B, C, D, or F. (Replaces “U” grading symbol.) WU
counts as F as soon as it is posted.
C. CREDIT/NO CREDIT POLICY
• Undergraduate students, not on probation, may elect the Credit/No Credit (CR/NC)
option for one or more courses each term, up to a maximum of 18 units applicable to
the bachelor’s degree. The CR or NC grade will not be considered in computation of
the student’s grade point average. Students with a catalog year of 1986-87 or after
CANNOT apply courses taken on a CR/NC basis toward the satisfaction of ANY of
the following degree requirements:
1. THE MAJOR, except those courses offered on a CR/NC basis only, subject to
department approval. (NOTE: additional courses in the discipline of the major
beyond those used to satisfy major requirements may not be taken for Credit/No
Credit.)
2. THE MINOR, except those courses offered on a CR/NC basis only.
3. GENERAL EDUCATION
4. TITLE 5 REQUIREMENTS
D. UNIVERSITY CRITERIA FOR LATE ADD/DROP OR CHANGES IN THE
BASIS OF GRADING
• Enrollments recorded by the end of third week of instruction are considered official
and unalterable. Unless unforeseen events occur which in the University’s judgment
justify an adjustment, students are expected to complete all courses in their academic
programs. Students should note that a deficient academic performance is not
sufficient reason for dropping a class or changing the basis of grading.
• The following conditions as used by faculty as guidelines to judge the merits of each
particular situation. These conditions should be evident for all late adjustments for
11
any course after deadlines. Students in these circumstances will be asked to provide
appropriate verification in writing that they meet both of these conditions:
1. There is a serious and compelling reason, and
2. There is no viable alternative.
STATEMENT ON DISABILITIES
The California State University does not discriminate on the basis of disability in
admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs and activities.
Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990, and various state laws prohibit such discrimination. The Director of Equity
and Diversity has been designated to coordinate the efforts of CSUN to comply with all
relevant disability laws. Inquiries concerning compliance may be addressed to Jo Ann
Fielder, Director Office of Equity and Diversity, University Hall 385 (818) 677-2077.
(From CSUN 2010-2012 Catalog, Appendix D. Nondiscrimination Policy, D-3.
Disability, page 611.)
Disability-related accommodations will be made for students with special needs.
Students are asked to inform their instructors during the first week of class and register
with the Students with Disabilities Resources Office, in SB 110 (818-677-2684).
Reasonable and effective accommodations and services will be provided to students who
make requests in a timely manner and with appropriate documentation in accordance with
federal, state and university guidelines.
INSTRUCTOR’S POLICIES
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The standard grade if a student fails to complete the work for a class is a “WU”. This
is the equivalent of an “F”, but the grade may be changed if you re-take the course at
a future time. This grade may also be assigned to students who have not attended after
the first few classes of the semester but have not officially “withdrawn” from the
course.
I may assign an Incomplete (“I”) if you meet all of the following conditions:
1. You have completed most of the course work;
2. You are passing the course; and
3. You fill out and bring to me a “Request for an Incomplete” form, on which I
detail exactly what is still needed for completion of the course.
I do not make exceptions to this policy, even when it affects a student’s financial aid.
Once you take an incomplete, you have a year from the date recorded on the form to
complete the requirements of the course and have your grade changed; therefore, you
should submit work early enough to allow me to grade your work and fill out the
necessary forms to assign you a new grade.
CONTACTING THE INSTRUCTOR
You need not have an appointment to meet with me during my office hours, but if you
plan to come from off campus it would be sensible to call ahead and make sure I’m
available to meet with you.
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You can send e-mail to me at [email protected] and I will almost always reply
on the same day.
You can phone me on campus during office hours at (818) 224-9269 or at home at (818)
881-1295, although I don’t take calls from mid-afternoon on Friday until after dark on
Saturday evening. Please don’t call after 8 p.m. in the evening except for very urgent
matters.
If you have questions, suggestions, concerns, or complaints about anything related to the
class, please take the initiative to raise them with me, either in class or privately.
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