Class Participation & Preparation (20 points)

Participation is not just showing up to class, that is attendance. I expect you to be present as well as in attendance. Being present means coming to class prepared to engage, ask questions, and contribute to discussion. We are all responsible for the dynamics of the classroom, and your participation and preparedness are crucial to those dynamics.

• Punctual attendance is expected, with exceptions made at the discretion of the instructor (i.e. in the case of illness or emergency). Students do not accrue points for showing up to class, but they will lose them for failing to do so. Three late arrivals count as one absence.
•  More than three unexcused absences will affect your grade (instead of a B, you’d get a B-), and over five unexcused absences may cause you to fail the course.
• Because we meet in lecture and section, attendance will be recorded and counted for both.
• Because of frequent guest lecturers and films, it is impossible to make up a missed class.

Foundations Quote Collection (5 points)

Students will collect 3 of their favorite quotes from the “Feminist Foundations” section of the course, integrate them into a visual design, and write a 300-500 word essay describing why they chose these particular quotes, explaining how the quotes are connected or disconnected to each other, and demonstrating how the quotes assist in your understanding of the terms (gender, sex, de/colonization, etc).

“Who Am I?” Presentation (10 points)

Students will present a 3 minute performance in section where they creatively reflect their social identities, how those identities interact with power, and how they impact their learning/experience of privilege and oppression. 

Platform Photo Essay (10 points)

Students will produce a thematic photo essay with 5 images of their choice; they will also write a 200-300 word essay to accompany the photo essay that gives some context and reasoning for the 5 photos.

Feminist Platforms Essay (25 points)

In a 5-page paper, students will focus on the platform topic they chose, research a 2020 presidential candidate’s policy proposal/plan related to that platform (using their official website for the information), and analyze how the policy/plan would impact that feminist platform (thwart, support, limit, expand, etc).

Final Quote Collection (15 points)

The Final Quote Collection assignment has two parts: (1) a collection of 10 of your favorite quotes from the entire semester integrated into visuals and (2) a 500-750 word essay to accompany the quotes reflecting on why you chose them, how they are connected or disconnected to each other, and how they resonate with you and your experience of the course.

Liberating Action Project (15 points)

This assignment allows you to put what you have learned into action. You will be doing a “liberating action,” writing up a 2 page reflection essay based on it, and presenting your action to your section classmates during our scheduled final exam. 

Extra Credit (5 point cap)

Extra credit opportunities will be announced during the semester.

Late Work Policy:

Students are granted a “grace period” of 24 hours for writing assignments. You have 24 hours from the due date/time to submit your essays with no penalty, but you forgo getting my comments on the assignment.

After the 24 hour grace period is up, students lose one half letter grade for every additional 24 hours the assignment is late:

Two days late: A- highest possible grade; no comments
Three days late: B+ highest possible grade; no comments
Four days late: B highest possible grade; no comments

…and so on.

If you need an extension, and are granted one, there is no grace period beyond the extended due date and the losing one half letter grade per day begins as soon as the deadline is up.

Final grade is calculated as follows:

(95-100) A
(90-94) A-
(87.6-89.9) B+
(82.5-87.5) B
(80-82.4) B-
(77.6-79.9) C+
(72.5-77.5) C
(70-72.4) C-
(67.6-69.9) D+
(62.5-67.5) D
(60-62.4) D-
(below 60) F

Required Formatting for Written Assignments:
Your essays should follow these formatting requirements; neglecting to do so will cost you points:

• Double spaced (except header)
• Times New Roman
• 12pt. font
• 1” margins
• Either Chicago or MLA citation style, when necessary

Don’t forget your header! All papers should include a header at the top left of the page, as follows:

Name
Date
Class
Assignment (e.g. Short Essay)/Title

Writing Resources

Tutoring is available free of charge to all students, full and part-time, undergraduate and graduate, who are currently enrolled at SUNY New Paltz. In order to receive tutoring in a content area, the student must be currently enrolled in the course. Writing tutors may be assigned to assist students in all courses. The Tutoring and Writing Centers are located in room B106 in the basement of Old Main (OM.)