COVID-19 Policy:
Masks: Mason campuses are mask-optional. Mason still encourages students and faculty to wear a mask indoors.
COVID Health Check: Residential students are encouraged to complete the Mason COVID Health Check every day, and all students are encouraged to complete it before coming to campus and participating in on-campus activities.
If you test positive for COVID or are diagnosed with COVID, please report your positive case through Mason COVID Health Check. Mason uses this information to identify possible outbreaks and monitor COVID case counts within the Mason community for decision-making purposes.
If you feel sick, please do not come to class. Absences due to illness will be excused.
For updates and more information, go to Mason Covid Updates.
Major Assignment Grading: In grading the major assignments, I use this Grading Rubric
The Minor Assignments (Blackboard Discussions) will be graded at the end of the course, not individually. If you post to every discussion forum and regularly comment on other posts, you will receive full credit for the discussions. You should post to every discussion, and comment on other's posts when appropriate.
I calculate final grades by converting the letter grades to a 100 point scale using the following values:
| A+ 97.5 – 100 | A 93 – 97.4 | A- 90 – 92.9 |
| B+ 87.5 – 89.9 | B 83 – 87.4 | B- 80 – 82.9 |
| C+ 77.4 – 79.9 | C 73 – 77.4 | C- 70 – 72.9 |
| D 60 – 69.9 | F 0 – 59.9 |
Completion Policy: Students must earn a C (73%) or higher to fulfill the ENGH 302 Mason Core requirement; students must complete all major projects to earn a C (or higher).
There is a limit of three graded attempts for this course. A "W" (Withdrawal) does not count as a graded attempt. Please see AP. 1.3.4 in the University Catalog and consult with your academic advisor if you have any questions.
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Midterm Grades: You will receive a midterm grade based on the work of the first half of the semester, which you can view in PatriotWeb. The midterm grades' purpose is to help you understand how well you are doing so that you can make any adjustments necessary. It is not meant to predict your final grade, as the work in the second half of the semester may be weighted more heavily
Late Assignments: BlackBoard sets "end of day" as 11:59 pm when marking an assignment as late. But I am not waiting at my computer at midnight to start grading. If an assignment comes in after midnight, I do not consider it late. I don't consider an assignment late until the day after the due date.
I am flexible with deadline extensions on most assignments. Many of the assignments are connected, however, so they do need to be completed in order. If you need an extension of a few days, just let me know. Unless you make prior arrangements with me, however, late assignments will be subject to a 5% grade reduction per day.
Revisions: The essays may be revised for a higher grade, but please ask me for comments before you attempt a revision.
All revisions must be submitted within 2 weeks of receiving a grade on the assignment. Assignments may be revised twice, as long as each revision is submitted within two weeks of receiving a grade. However, no revisions or late assignments will be accepted after Nov 22.
Plagiarism: It is expected that students adhere to the George Mason University Honor Code as it relates to integrity regarding coursework and grades: ”To promote a stronger sense of mutual responsibility, respect, trust, and fairness among all members of the George Mason University community and with the desire for greater academic and personal achievement, we, the student members of the University Community have set forth this: Student members of the George Mason University community pledge not to cheat, plagiarize, steal and/or lie in matters related to academic work.” More information about the Honor Code, including definitions of cheating, lying, and plagiarism, can be found at the Office of Academic Integrity website at http://oai.gmu.edu
Mason’s Composition Program recognizes that appropriately attributing sources is a learning process. This class will include direct instruction in source integration, documentation, and citation strategies in a range of rhetorical situations, and follows the CWPA Best Practices for Defining and Avoiding Plagiarism. Instructors in the Composition Program support the Mason Honor Code, which requires them to report suspected instances of deliberate plagiarism to the Mason Honor Committee.
Students should also be careful to avoid self-plagiarism, the practice of re-using their own academic work in two courses or projects. If you wish to use your research or writing from another course or project in this section of 302, please speak to me first. The instructor needs to approve every instance in which previous research and portions of previous writing might be used in two different courses. Failure to consult with the instructor might result in a failing grade for the assignment and/or a referral to the Academic Integrity Office.
I serve on the Honor Committee, so if you have any questions about plagiarism (in this class or any other), you can contact me via email.
Students with disabilities: Disability Services at George Mason University is committed to providing equitable access to learning opportunities for all students by upholding the laws that ensure equal treatment of people with disabilities. If you are seeking accommodations for this class, please first visit http://ds.gmu.edu/ for detailed information about the Disability Services registration process. Then please discuss your approved accommodations with me. Disability Services is located in Student Union Building I (SUB I), Suite 2500. Email: ods@gmu.edu | Phone: (703) 993-2474.
Gender Identity and Pronous Use: If you wish, please share your name and gender pronouns with me and how best to address you in class and via email. Chosen pronouns (as selected in PatriotWeb) will soon display wherever a user profile displays in Blackboard courses, such as in discussion boards.
GMU Nondiscrimination Policy: George Mason University is committed to providing an educational and work environment free from any discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, pregnancy status, or genetic information. George Mason University shall adhere to all applicable state and federal equal opportunity/affirmative action statutes and regulations.
Mandatory Reporting of Sexual Assault, Interpersonal Violence, and Stalking: As a faculty member, I am designated as a “Responsible Employee,” and must report all disclosures of sexual assault, interpersonal violence and stalking to Mason’s Title IX Coordinator per University Policy 1412. If you wish to speak with someone confidentially, please contact one of Mason’s confidential resources, such as the Student Support and Advocacy Center (703-380-3686, 33686 on campus) or Counseling and Psychological Services (703-993-2380, 32380 on campus). You may also seek assistance from Mason’s Title IX Coordinator by calling 703-993-8730 (38730 on campus) or emailing cde@gmu.edu.
View the Title IX Campus Resources: https://diversity.gmu.edu/sexual-misconduct\
GMU Email: All Mason students should be using the Office 365 email account system. Questions? Go HERE to see a list of FAQs about migrating to Office 365. GMU policy dictates that Mason Mail is the only way in which I can communicate with you by email, therefore I can only respond to email sent from a GMU email address. If you regularly use GMail or another email client, make sure you forward your Mason Mail to your account.
Tech Policy: This is an online course. Students are required to have regular, reliable access to a computer with an updated operating system (recommended: Windows 10 or Mac OSX 10.13 or higher) and a stable broadband Internet connection (cable modem, DSL, broadband, etc., with a consistent 1.5 Mbps download speed or higher.
All course materials will be available via BlackBoard. Major assignments must be uploaded as file attachments (pdf, doc, docx, odf are all acceptable formats).
Class Participation: This is an asynchronous online course; there are no regular class meetings. But I do expect participation in the form of BlackBoard discussion posts. Students are expected to post responses to the BlackBoard forums weekly.
Inclement Weather/Cancellation Policy: Since this is a hybrid section, class cancellations are usually not much of an issue. If classes are canceled, we will try to make up the work online. If you cannot come to a class session due to inclement weather, you should be able to make up the work online.
Help with the Course: Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about assignments, grades or policies. I can be reached via email, during office hours, and after class sessions.
If you are having trouble with an assignment, please let me know. We can schedule a conference during or outside of office hours. Please do not wait until the last minute to reach out. Don't procrastinate, but if you do, don't panic. If you need an extension on an assignment, let me know as soon as you can. You should also be aware of the various resources available for writing and research help
The GMU Writing Center: We will be using several Writing Center resources in this class in addition, uou can book appointments to meet with a tutor or to submit a draft for written feedback. Tutors will work with you on any phase of a writing project. To schedule an appointment, go to writingcenter.gmu.edu, register, and use the online scheduler.
GMU Library: Librarians are available to help with your research online and in-person. The library’s website offers tutorials, research resources, and databases that we’ll use throughout the semester.
CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services): CAPS offers free counseling and academic workshops and a 24/7 student crisis line: (703) 993-2380. Services are provided by professional counseling and clinical psychologists, social workers, and counselors. CAPS’ individual and group counseling, workshops and outreach programs are designed to enhance students’ personal experience and academic performance.
SSAC (Student Support and Advocacy Center): SSAC offers educational programming, one-on-one consultations, and resources in the areas of interpersonal violence, personal wellness, and alcohol and drug use.
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