The Student in the University and Introduction to Computing Resources

• To assist students in their transition to the UMCP community;
• To introduce students to the academic environment at UMCP;
• To help students explore the world of higher education and clarify why they are in college and establish realistic goals for their collegiate experience;
• To assist students in their identification with UMCP while learning about whom they are and how they fit in the University environment;
• To help students learn the vast number of resources available to them at the University of Maryland (i.e. library, cultural activities, extracurricular, academic support services);
• To assist students in their skill development (i.e. career decision making, academic skill development, communication skills, etc.);
• To assist students in their understanding of developmental patterns that will face them in their undergraduate career;
• To develop an appreciation for the cultural diversity at the University of Maryland.

Grading policy

Class participation:  25 percent of course grade

Short essays:  75 percent of course grade (5 percent each)

Class participation:  The participation portion of your course grade will be based mainly on your participation in class discussions.  Constructive comments and questions will earn the most credit.  Do not expect to perform well in the course without completing assigned tasks and readings in a timely fashion and participating regularly in discussions.  Discussions are one of the most important components of the course.

Occasionally questions will come up in class that cannot be answered on the spot.  These will be assigned to students on a rotating basis.  The student will find out the answer during the week and report it to the class during the next meeting.  These assignments also will count toward the class participation grade.

Some time during the semester each student will complete 4-5 hours of Service-Learning.  We will discuss the options for this assignment in class Sept. 23.  After you have completed your Service-Learning hours, and no later than the last class meeting on Dec. 9, write Essay 15 on the following topic:  Evaluate your Service-Learning experience.  What did you gain from it?  How could it have been better?  Did it help you develop professional skills as a historian?

Short essays:  Each week a 500-word essay is due.  Students will email their essays to the instructor at dsicilia@umd.edu no later than midnight the Sunday evening following each class meeting.  (For example, the first essay, assigned for the Sept. 2 meeting, is due midnight Sept. 5.  Essays received after deadlines will not receive credit.

Title each essay with your name and the essay topic number (e.g. Jane Doe, Essay Topic 3).  Essays will be evaluated on the basis of  relevance to the assigned topic, organization, logic, clarity, and persuasiveness.  The prose should be free of grammatical errors, misspellings, and typos.

Religious Observances.  The University System of Maryland policy provides that students not be penalized because of observances of religious beliefs, but rather shall be given an opportunity, whenever feasible, to make up within a reasonable time any academic assignment missed due to individual participation in religious observances.  Please inform the instructor at the beginning of the semester if you are going to miss any assignments due to religious observances.

Documented Disability Statement.  If you have a documented disability and require special accommodations, please see one of the instructors.

Statement of Academic Integrity.  All students are expected to adhere to the University's Code of Academic Integrity.  All violations of the Code will be referred to the Student Honor Council.

Essay topic 1:  Write an autobiography that emphasizes the three most important influences in your life.

Sept. 9 -- Meet in Taliaferro room 2119 (Prof. Sicilia’s office)
The work of the Dean of Arts & Humanities (KEY 1102, 9:45-10:00)
The work of the History Professor

Essay topic 2:  Interview a history professor at UMCP other than Prof. Sicilia for fifteen minutes.  Ask questions that will help you understand how and why that person became a professor, and the nature of her or his work.  Write up your findings.  (Note: Your success at identifying an appropriate interview subject, writing up useful questions, and arranging and conducting the interview in a timely fashion are important components of this assignment.)