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Humanities and Social Sciences
Department of American Studies
AMST395-51: California Cultures
Fall 2023
Online Asynchronous
“Listen to California Native Americans collecting stories of their ancestors’ encounters with
Europeans in the nineteenth century, residents of the Sierra Nevada foothills discussing the
population boom they face, Japanese Americans recalling their internment during World War II,
Afghan artists recently displaced by war to the San Francisco Bay Area, and you can’t help but
recognize that California doesn’t have a culture, it has many cultures.”
-- James Quay,
Executive director of the California Council for the
Humanities (1983-2008), 2014
I acknowledge that our university is on the traditional homelands of
the Kizh (pronounced Keech), also known as the Tongva peoples.
General Information
Instructor: Sara Fingal, PhD (she/her)
Office Location: GH-411
Class Location: Online Asynchronous
Class Lectures Posted: By 4pm on Monday
Office Hours (a.k.a. Student Hours) on Zoom or In Person: Tuesdays, 4:00-5:00pm; Thursdays
12:00-1:30pm or 4:00-4:30pm; or by appointment.
Telephone: 657-278-8273
Instructor’s Email: [email protected]
Course Communication:
If you have questions, please send a message to Professor Fingal via Canvas messenger or e-mail
Response Time:
I will do my best to provide you a timely response to emails, phone calls, or Canvas messages. I will
respond within 24-48 hours, except on weekends or holidays. If you do not hear back from me within
48 hours, please send a follow up message to ensure that I have received your message.
Technical support:
If you have any technical problems with accessing coursework or submitting assignments, please try
using the Google Chrome browser first. If that does not solve the problem, please submit your
assignment to Professor Fingal via e-mail ([email protected]) with a description of the technical
issue and contact CSUF IT: (657) 278-8888
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• StudentITH[email protected]
• For additional help visit the Student IT Help Desk website
(http://www.fullerton.edu/it/students/helpdesk/index.php)
• To Chat with IT: Click
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Click on
Live Chat
• Canvas Support Chat Student
(https://cases.canvaslms.com/liveagentchat?chattype=student&sfid=001A000000YzcwQIA
R)
AMST395: California Cultures Catalog Description:
How various cultures - Native American, European, Latino, Asian, African American - have
interacted in California's past and present. Topics include: cultural diversity in frontiers and
borderlands; shifting meanings of gender; function of regional and racial myths. This course is 3
unites.
Course Description:
This course examines diverse California cultures from the 1700s to the present. We will explore
three major themes throughout the semester: identities, landscapes, and myths. These themes will
overlap and intersect in the secondary readings and primary source material. In class, we will analyze
cultural artifacts, including advertisements, architecture, diaries, film, murals, music, paintings,
photographs, and more. You will be asked to reflect on how history and myths have shaped
contemporary California we seek to define this state’s regional cultures.
Prerequisites:
Completion of G.E. category D.1. Introduction to Social Sciences (3 units).
Course Learning Goals and Objectives:
Like most American Studies classes, this class aims to enhance your understanding of America’s
diverse past, to improve your ability to critically analyze a range of cultural and artistic evidence, and
to guide you to communicate your interpretations in class discussions and written work. This
particular class will answer questions about the multiplicity of California cultures and regional
identity formation while teaching students to think critically about the intersections of race, gender,
class, sexuality, and communities in California. In this course, students will:
1) Identify American Studies sources and apply methods in assignments and discussions
2) Assess and complicate their understanding of California’s diverse past and present
3) Improve your critical thinking skills to analytically inspect a range of cultural texts
4) Demonstrate an understanding of California cultures and communicate your analysis and
interpretations in class discussions and written work.
5) Determine significant events in the development of diverse California cultures over time and
connect these moments with economics, literature, film studies, environmental studies, ethnic
studies, and social science fields.
General Education Student Learning Outcomes:
Explorations in Social Sciences
Students shall:
a. Examine problems, issues, and themes in the social sciences in greater depth; in a variety of
cultural, historical, and geographical contexts; and from different disciplinary and
interdisciplinary perspectives.
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b. Analyze and critically evaluate the application of social science concepts and theories to
particular historical, contemporary, and future problems or themes, such as economic and
environmental sustainability, globalization, poverty and social justice.
c. Analyze and critically evaluate constructs of cultural differentiation, including ethnicity,
gender, race, class, and sexual orientation, and their effects on the individual and society.
d. Apply theories and concepts from the social sciences to address historical, contemporary and
future problems confronting communities at different geographical scales, from local to
global.
COURSES IN CATEGORY Z:
Cultural Diversity
AMST 300, 301, 320, 395
Students shall:
1. Demonstrate understanding that culture is socially constructed and fundamental to social
interaction.
2. Demonstrate appreciation of the complex relationships that various factors such as gender,
ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, religion, and class bring to a discussion of society and
culture.
3. Demonstrate understanding that because we live in an interconnected world, we need to
understand the diversity and relationships within and among cultures.
4. Recognize and evaluate how one’s cultural history affects one’s sense of self and relationship
to others.
WHAT GE REQUIREMENT DOES THIS CLASS FULFILL?
All CSUF students are assigned a “Catalog Year” that determines the requirements for their degree
program, including requirements in their major(s) and in General Education. You can find your
catalog year on your TDA. For more information please visit the GE Catalog website
(https://www.fullerton.edu/undergraduate/general-education/approved-courses.html).
For students with a Catalog year of Spring 2018 or earlier (e.g. Fall 2017), this course fulfills
the following GE Requirement: GE AREA D.5 & Z
For students with a Catalog Year of Fall 2018 or Spring 2019, this course fulfills the following
GE Requirement: GE AREA D.4 & Z
YOUR INDIVIDUAL LEARNING GOALS:
What are your individual goals for the semester? Examples include: be better prepared for class
(complete the reading before class & ask questions if there is something that I don’t understand),
improve my research and writing skills (write drafts earlier, go to the writing center, go to office
hours, etc.), get a good grade in this class (take notes, finish the reading each week), prepare for my
future career (go to office hours, prepare for the discussion leadership assignment), etc.
1. Goal #1: _________________________________________
Ways that I will achieve this goal:
1. ______________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________
2. Goal #2: _________________________ ______________________ ___
Ways that I will achieve this goal:
1. ________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________
3. Goal #3: _________________ __________________________________
Ways that I will achieve this goal:
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1. _________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________
American Studies at Fullerton:
I am always happy to talk about the possibility of majoring, double majoring, minoring, or an MA
or PhD in American Studies. Feel free to drop by my office hours in person or schedule a Zoom
appointment. For more information visit the American Studies Department web s ite
(http://amst.fullerton.edu/).
Whenever you have questions, I encourage you to talk to me, in class, after class, by email, or in
office hours. I look forward to a thoughtful semester exploring California cultures.
Course Requirements
Required Texts
All course readings and videos will be available online through our course Canvas page. This is a
Zero Cost course, which means that you do not need to buy a textbook for this class.
Technology Requirements for this Course:
You will need Internet access via a computer or cell phone to be able to access materials for this
class and submit assignments on Canvas.
IMPORTANT: If you do not have the ability to record video on your phone or computer, you can
request a device from CSUF Information Technology
(https://www.fullerton.edu/it/students/equipment/).
If you have a smartphone, you can download the Canvas Student App to your phone to access the
site and receive announcement notifications and the FlipGrid app to record videos.
Course Communication
All course announcements and individual email are sent through the learning management system
(LMS) Canvas, which only uses CSUF email accounts. Therefore, you MUST check your CSUF
email on a regular basis (several times a week) for the duration of the course.
Grading Standards and Assignments
The course assignments are:
Lecture/Reading Review Quizzes (10) 10%
Reading Reflections (4) 10%
Midterm Portfolio [due October 15] 30%
Cultural Analysis Project [November 12] 20%
Final Portfolio [due December 12] 30%
Total Percentage: 100%
Grading Policies
Grading Scale
Grades will be calculated using a standard scale. An A+ is 98-100%, A is 93-97, A- is 90-92, B+ is
87-89, B is 83-86, B- is 80-82, C+ is 77-79, C is 73-76, C- is 70-72, D+ is 67-69, D is 63-66, D- is 60-
62, and F is anything 59% or below.
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Alternative Procedures for Submitting Work
If you have any trouble submitting an assignment on Canvas, please try changing Internet browsers.
Google Chrome seems to work best. If that does not solve the issue, take a screenshot and contact
Professor Fingal and CSUF IT. Reading reflections, portfolios, and cultural analysis projects must be
sent to Professor Fingal via e-mail until the technical issue is resolved.
Late Assignment Policy
All deadlines in this class are 11:59pm on Sundays. If you need an extension, please send a Canvas
message or e-mail before an assignment is due. Without communication, the grade penalty is -3%
for every 24 hours. For example: If you submit an assignment that is worth 10 points any time after
11:59pm on Sunday, it will be -0.3 points; by Tuesday is -0.6 points; by Wednesday is -0.9 points,
etc.
Once any assignment is over 1 week late, you can submit it any time before 11:59pm on the last day
of finals week with a -20% late penalty. Please contact Professor Fingal if you plan to submit
something more than 1 week late, then she will know that the assignment is coming.
Please review all graded assignments so that any discrepancies can be easily and fairly straightened
out.
Authentication of Student Work
All assignments in this course will be compared to online searches and major assignments will
automatically be evaluated by TurnItIn software.
Academic Integrity
You have what it takes to succeed in this course without engaging in academic misconduct.
Do not jeopardize the hard work that you have put into this class and your academic career.
Any student engaging in plagiarism, cheating, unauthorized collaboration, selling your
lecture notes or my course materials, or other academic dishonesty will receive a 0 on the
assignment and will be reported to the Dean of Students Office. For further information,
see the Dean of Students’ Student Resources for Academic Integrity
(https://www.fullerton.edu/canvassupportresources/academic/).
In this class, you MUST cite when you use any type of AI (Artificial Intelligence), LLMs (Large
Language Models – example: ChatGPT), or Internet sources. I understand that these sources are
a part of our lives, but you will need to show that what you have learned in this class is better
than what I could input into a search engine or ChatGPT. Be forewarned that LLMs and what
you find on the internet is not always accurate.
When you use it, cite it! Examples:
• Direct Quote: “The book highlights how ideas about masculinity were deeply intertwined
with broader cultural and political developments during this era” (ChatGPT, 2023).
• Paraphrasing: Gail Bederman's book, Manliness and Civilization: A Cultural History of
Gender and Race in the United States, 1880-1917, examines the intersections of
masculinity, gender, and race at the turn of the twentieth century (ChatGPT, 2023).
Not including any of your original thought or not citing information from LLMs or Internet
sources will result in a 0 or partial credit for an assignment.
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Repeated lack of citations or other academic dishonesty will result in a failing grade for this
course and be reported to the Dean of Students Office.
Extra Credit Policy
There are currently no extra credit assignments for this course; if I elect to add extra-credit
assignments during the semester, they will be equally available to all students.
Retention of Student Work
Students will have access to all their work on Canvas for one semester. If you cannot access your
work after the semester ends, please contact Professor Fingal for assistance.
Assignments:
Reading Reflections (10%):
Participation is making meaningful contributions that demonstrate a thoughtful reading of the
assigned material and making connections between readings, lectures, and the world around you. It
also means actively engaging in discussions with your professor and classmates.
Each week, there will be a reading reflection assignment on Canvas. You will be randomly assigned
to a group during Week 1. Professor Fingal will send you an e-mail to confirm your group. Group A
(Weeks 2,5,9, and 13); Group B (Weeks 3, 6, 10, and 14); Group C (Weeks 4, 7, 11, and 15).
The assignment is to do one of the following:
A. Post a visual image that you took or found online (website citation needed). Briefly describe
the image and why you chose it.
• In addition to the image and description, you will need 3-4 sentences explaining the
connection between the image and the reading.
OR
B. Post a link to a recent news story or social media post (website links required). Explain
where you saw this news story or saw the social media post and a brief summary of what the
post or story is about and why you chose it.
• With the link and summary, you will need 3-4 sentences explaining the connection
between the recent news story or social media post and the readings for the week.
• You will also need to read one other person’s post and reply about the connections that you see
between their post and the readings for that particular week.
You need to post 4 reading reflections this semester. I will assign you to a group during the first
week of classes. More details about this assignment and a rubric will be available on Canvas.
Netiquette: It is vitally important that we create an engaging and supportive learning environment
for everyone in this class. Here are basic rules for maintaining a polite and respectful online
community (https://canvashelp.fullerton.edu/m/Student/l/1336786-student-what-is-netiquette).
Weekly Review Quizzes (10%):
To review the course material (lectures, readings, and films), there will be weekly open-note/open-
book and untimed quizzes on Canvas. These quizzes are due by 11:59pm on Sunday. There are 13
weekly review quizzes this semester. Your 3 lowest quiz scores will be dropped at the end of the
semester.
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Midterm Portfolio (30%):
Each week, I will assign a potential short essay question for your midterm portfolio (Weeks #2-8).
These questions are meant for you to develop deeper reflection on the connections between the
week’s readings, lectures, and primary sources. You will choose 3 questions to answer for your
portfolio. Each short essay should be approximately 500-750 words (2-3 pages double-spaced). The
entire project should be a total of 1500-2500 words (6-9 pages). The essays MUST include your
analysis with cited supporting evidence from lectures, videos, and readings from the class.
Cultural Analysis Project (20%):
This course endeavors to cover a wide range of regional cultures, but there is so much more to
discover and explore. For this assignment, you will choose a primary source from an archive,
artwork, mural, architecture, tv show episode, photograph, song, movie, museum exhibit,
advertisement, or interview that you will analyze using the readings, lectures, and themes in this
course. I will provide you with a potential list of detailed options for this assignment on Canvas.
This project MUST focus on something original and connect to material from the course. In other
words, it must be different than the primary and secondary sources that we examine in this class.
For example, DO NOT choose the same Beach Boys song that we discuss in class on Week #10.
Most importantly, you must analyze the source and explain how the readings and lectures in the
course connects to whatever you choose. You may have to do some additional research on your
specific topic, but you must also cite course materials as supporting evidence for your analysis.
Final Portfolio (30%):
Each week, I will assign a potential short essay question for your final portfolio (Weeks #8-15).
These questions are meant for you to develop deeper reflection on the week’s readings, lectures, and
primary sources. You will choose 3 questions to answer for your portfolio. Each short essay should
be approximately 500-750 words (2-3 double-spaced pages). The entire project should be a total of
1500-2500 words (6-9 double-spaced pages). The essays should include your analysis with cited
supporting evidence from lectures and readings that week.
Alternative Procedure for Submitting Work: In case of technical difficulties with the
learning management system (LMS) Canvas, I will communicate with students directly through
CSUF email, and assignments can be sent through email or delivered to the American Studies
department. In the case email doesn’t work, students should call the department coordinator at 657-
278-2441 for further direction.
Return of Assignments and Grade Reassessment:
I write comments on assignments to help you improve over the semester. My goal is always to
return major assignments within 2 weeks after submission. I will keep you updated on the status of
major graded assignments via Canvas messenger.
Requests to recalculate or reconsider your grade received must be made within 10 working days after
the return of the graded coursework. You must write a 1-page statement explaining and
summarizing the grounds for appeal.
Synchronous/Asynchronous Instruction:
This class is an asynchronous online course. There is no face-to-face or synchronous instruction.
Each week, I will post the module content by 4PM on Monday and all weekly assignments are due
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by 11:59pm on the following Sunday. Please also note this in the tentative course schedule. I will
inform you of any changes via Canvas or e-mail.
Netiquette Requirements
Each student is expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner during the class - taking
full advantage of the learning opportunities available. This includes completing all online discussions
and assignments, adhering to proper netiquette, and so on. Netiquette refers to a set of behaviors
that are appropriate for online activity - especially with email and threaded discussions. The core
rules of netiquette can be found at the Netiquette website
(http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html). Please read through these netiquette rules to
ensure that you are familiar with what will be the expected online behavior for this course.
The Learning Management System (LMS) Canvas
As a registered student you are enrolled in the Learning Management System (LMS) Canvas. You
may access Canvas for all your classes by clicking on your student portal, found on the CSUF
website. There is a student resource guides for Canvas . Problems? Contact the student help desk at
(657) 278-8888 or email StudentITHelpDesk@fullerton.edu.
IMPORTANT UNIVERSITY INFORMATION AND STUDENT POLICY WEBSITE
(this regularly updated link will address the following policies and information:
https://fdc.fullerton.edu/teaching/student-info-syllabi.html)
Students with Special Needs
Academic Dishonesty Policy
Emergency Preparedness
Undergraduate Student Learning Goals
General Education: Programmatic Student Learning Goals and Learning Outcomes (Note:
Specific
GE Course Objectives must be detailed in the syllabus)
Graduate Student Learning Goals
Student Learning Outcomes by Degree Programs
Library Support
Final Exams Schedule
Course Schedule
*Any changes to this course schedule will be announced to students via Canvas.
Week 1: August 21-27
Topics: Defining Culture and California Cultures
Watch: Week 1 Lectures (posted on Canvas by 12pm on Monday)
Read:
• David L. Ulin, “Op-Ed: What makes us Californians for life,” The Los Angeles
Times, August 8, 2017.
• Gustavo Arellano, “Op-Ed: No California isn’t Done,” The Los Angeles Times,
January 3, 2018
Assignments due before 11:59pm, Sunday:
Introduction on Discussion Forum
Review Quiz #1
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Week 2, August 28-September 4*
Note: Labor Day is September 4. There will no classes on this date. Lectures will be posted by 4pm on
Tuesday, September 5.
Topic(s): Indigenous, Spanish, and Californio Cultures
Watch:
• Week 2 Lectures
• Lost L.A. Episode: “Borderlands” (26 min. film)
Read:
• Maria John, “Toypurina: A Legend Etched in the Landscape of Los Angeles”
• Douglas Monroy, “The Making of Mexican Culture in Frontier California,” Major
Problems in California History
Assignments Due by 11:59pm on Sunday:
Quiz #2
Reading Reflection Post #1
o Check Canvas for your Group Assignment (A, B, or C)
Prepare Midterm Portfolio
o The writing prompt is on Canvas
Week 3, September 5-10
Topic(s): Race, Exclusion, and Resistance
Watch: Week 3 Lectures
Read:
• Shirley Ann Wilson Moore, “’We Feel the Want of Protection’ The Politics of
Law and Race in California, 1848-1878”
• Excerpts from Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo Articles
Listen: California Foodways, “The Chinese-Mexican Cuisine You’ll Only Find Along the
Border” ~6 min. [link and transcript on Canvas]
Assignments Due:
Quiz #3
Reading Reflection Post #2
Work on Midterm Portfolio
Week 4, September 11-17
Topic(s): Boosterism & The Spanish Fantasy Past
Watch:
• Week 4 Lectures
• KQED Arts, “1915 World’s Fair in San Francisco” (short film)
• Excerpts from Ramona (1936)
Read:
• Phoebe S.K. Young, “The Home: Rancho Santa Fe and Suburban Style,” California
Vieja
• Julie Sizek, “Our Ramona: Multicultural Dreams and Legacies of the Great California
Outdoor Play,” Boom California, April 29, 2019.
Assignments Due:
Quiz #4
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Reading Reflection Post #3
Work on Midterm Portfolio
Week 5, September 18-24
Topic(s): Hollywood & Film Noir
Watch:
• Week 5 Lectures
• Lost L.A., “Dream Factory” [26 min.]
Read: Dana Polan, “California Through the Lens of Hollywood,” Reading
California: Art, Image, and Identity, 1900-2000
Assignments Due:
Quiz #5
Reading Reflection Post #4
Work on Midterm Portfolio
Week 6, September 25-October 1
Topic(s): Power, Water, and Chinatown
Watch:
• Week 6 Lectures
• Chinatown (film)
Listen:
• 17-min. Interview with Les Standiford, “From desert to megalopolis: William
Mulholland and the rise of Los Angeles” [transcript and link available on Canvas]
Read:
• William Deverell and Tom Sitton, “Forget it, Jake: Searching for Truth in Chinatown”
Assignments Due:
Quiz #6
Reading Reflection Post #5
Work on Midterm Portfolio
Week 7, October 2-8
Topic(s): California Migrations (1920s-1940s)
Watch:
• Week 7 Lectures
• “Little Manila: Filipinos in California’s Heartland”
Listen:
o Woody Guthrie, “Dust Bowl Refugee”
o “Corrido de los desarraigados”
Read:
• James N. Gregory, “Dust Bowl Legacies: The Okie Impact on California, 1939-
1989”
• Matt Garcia, “Ambassadors in Overalls: Mexican Guest Workers and the Future of
Labor”
Assignments Due:
Quiz #7
Reading Reflection Post #6
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Work on Midterm Portfolio
Week 8, October 9-15
Topic(s): Photographing California
Watch:
• Week 8 Lectures
• Lost L.A.: “Three Views of Manzanar: Ansel Adams, Dorothea Lange and Toyo
Miyatake” [26 min.]
Read:
• “Toyo Miyatake: Capturing the Stories of Japanese Americans in L.A.”
View:
• Ansel Adams Photographs, National Archive
• Dorothea Lange Digital Archive at Oakland Museum of California
Assignments Due:
No Quiz
No Reading Reflection Post
Work on your midterm portfolio
MIDTERM PORTFOLIO DUE BY 11:59PM ON SUNDAY,
OCTOBER 15
Week 9, October 16-22
Topic(s): Suburban Landscapes
Watch:
• Week 9 Lectures
Read:
• Lisa McGirr, “The Setting,” Suburban Warriors: The Origin of the New American
Right
• Wendy Cheng, “East of East: The global cosmopolitans of suburban LA,”
Boom: A Journal of California, Vol. 5, No. 1 (Spring 2015), pp. 20-28
Assignments Due:
Quiz #8
Reading Reflection Post #7
Work on Final Portfolio
Week 10, October 23-29
Topic(s): Youth Culture and Disney
Watch:
• Week 10 Lectures
• Lost LA, “Beach Culture”
Read:
• Kirse Granat May, “Under the Warm California Sun: Youth Culture in the
Postwar Decades,” A Companion to California History
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• Cathy Scibelli, “Forget the Prozac, Give Me a Dose of Disney,” Disneyland
and Culture
Assignments Due:
Quiz #9
Reading Reflection Post #8
Prep for your Final Portfolio and Cultural Analysis Project
Week 11, October 30-November 5
Topic(s): Movements and Protests
Watch:
• Week 12 Lectures
• “How the Chicano Moratorium Changed LA” [5 min.]
Read:
• Sucheng Chan and Spencer Olin, “Politics and Protest, 1960s-1970s,” Major
Problems in California History
• Choose 1 essay from “The Berkeley Revolution: A digital archive of the East Bay’s
transformation in the late-1960s & 1970s”: https://revolution.berkeley.edu/
Assignments Due:
Quiz #10
Reading Reflection Post #9
Work on Final Portfolio
Week 12, November 6-12
• No lectures, reading reflections, or quizzes this week to give you time to work on
your cultural analysis project.
Cultural Analysis Project DUE by 11:59pm on Sunday, November 12
Week 13, November 13-19
Topic(s): Urban LGBTQ+ Communities in San Francisco and Los Angeles
Watch:
• Week 13 Lectures
• Lost L.A., “The Address Book,” [11:14-25:05]
Read: Daniel Hurewitz, “Between Liberation and Oppression: Gay Politics and
Identity,” A Companion to California History
Assignments Due:
Quiz #11
Reading Reflection Post #10
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November 20-24 – Fall Break – No classes
Week 14, November 27-December 3
Topic(s): Race and Class Tensions
Watch:
• Week 14 Lectures
• A Love Song for Latasha documentary or excerpts from LA92 documentary [18 min.]
Read:
• Brenda Stevenson, “Whose Fire This Time?” The Contested Murder of Latasha
Harlins: Justice, Gender, and the Origins of the LA Riots
Listen:
• Podcast Episode: “The History of the 90s”
Assignments Due:
Quiz #12
Reading Reflection Post #11
Work on Final Portfolio
Week 15, December 4-10
Topic(s): The Sound of California
Watch:
• Week 15 Lectures
Read:
• George Lipsitz, “Music, Migration, and Myth,” Reading California: Art, Image, and
Identity, 1900-2000 [Canvas]
• Josh Kun, “California Sueños” Boom California Spring 2011, Vol. 1, No. 1.
Assignments Due:
Quiz #13
Reading Reflection Post #12
Work on Final Portfolio
Week 16, Finals Week
• Final Portfolio due by 11:59pm on Tuesday, December 12 on Canvas
Course Policies
Student Information Page
Visit the FDC’s Student Information Page (https://fdc.fullerton.edu/teaching/student-info-
syllabi.html) for information on:
Disability Support Services
Academic Dishonesty Policy
Emergency Preparedness
Student Learning Goals and Outcomes
Library Resources
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Course Communication
I regularly use Canvas to communicate with you about this class, so be sure to check your student
email address several times each week. I strive to reply to student queries within two business days.
If you phone or email me and do not hear a reply within two business days, please re-send your
message.
Inclusion
We all bring unique and diverse backgrounds and experiences to this course. I expect you will
demonstrate tolerance and respect in all interactions with your classmates and professor.
Disagreement can be part of the learning process, and we will touch on sensitive topics in this class.
I hope you will keep an open mind when others express opinions different from your own and
approach all interactions in the spirit of intellectual curiosity. If someone offends you, respectfully
help them see alternative perspectives or correct their misperceptions. However, if at any time you
feel uncomfortable, insulted, or unsafe in our class, notify me immediately and we will work together
to address the issue.
Life Happens
Life, in general, brings unprecedented changes to our daily lives. These changes can require us to
swiftly respond and adjust to new life circumstances, that may include the loss of family/friend, new
caretaking responsibilities, and changes in home life and location. I am more than open to discuss
these situations and helping you to connect with resources on campus, so please do not just
disappear. Reach out.
Parenting Student Policy
The policy described here reflects my own commitments to parenting students.
1) I ask that all students work with me to create a welcoming environment that is respectful of all
forms of diversity, including diversity in parent status.
2) CSUF has resources for student-parents on campus.
• The Transfer Adult Re-entry, Parenting, and Pregnant Student Center
(https://www.fullerton.edu/tapp/) is available to help you connect with resources.
• The university has a Children’s Center with reduced daycare fees for students.
• There are breastfeeding and pumping locations throughout the campus.
3) Finally, the struggles of balancing school and childcare can be exhausting. I hope that you will feel
comfortable disclosing your student-parent status to me, but it also okay to not share this
information. I maintain the same high expectations for all students in my classes regardless of
parenting status, but we can work together to problem solve in a way that makes you feel supported
as you strive for school-parenting balance.
Questions
Please don’t be shy with questions—I’m happy to answer them, big or small. However, always check
the syllabus, Canvas, and/or assignment sheets before contacting me in case the answer is already
there (e.g., When is the paper due? What should I read this week?).
Further Resources
Technical Support
If you encounter technical problems, contact the student help desk at (657) 278-8888 or email
[email protected]. All CSUF students can also go to the Student Genius Corner
(SGC) located in the Titan Lab (PLN- 30). Take advantage if you are having a hard time getting
used to the Titanium site or your own software: they are there to help. Also, if you would like the
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latest version of Microsoft Office 365 or Adobe Creative Cloud, you can get free access to
software programs through our IT page. There are many free software options available for
students on the CSUF IT student software website
(https://www.fullerton.edu/it/students/software/).
Office Hours
I encourage you to attend Zoom office hours or schedule an appointment at another time. If you’re
struggling in the class, contact me sooner rather than later so we have time to work together to
improve your performance before the semester ends. You can send me an e-mail or Canvas
message.
Diversity Initiatives and Resource Centers
Diversity Initiatives & Resource Centers (DIRC) supports students by building communities that
foster a sense of belonging, creating opportunities to engage in self-discovery and critical inquiry,
and serving as a hub for resources in inclusive and affirming spaces. They create engagement
opportunities that empower, educate, and activate students in the areas of social justice, equity, and
anti-racism. For more information visit the Resource Centers homepage
(https://www.fullerton.edu/dirc/resource-centers/index.php).
University Learning Center (ULC)
The goal of the University Learning Center is to provide all CSUF students with academic support
in an inviting and contemporary environment. The staff of the University Learning Center will
assist students with their academic assignments, general study skills, and computer user needs. The
ULC staff work with all students from diverse backgrounds in most undergraduate general
education courses including those in science and math; humanities and social sciences; as well as
other subjects. They offer one-to-one peer tutoring, online writing review, and many more services.
More information can be found on the University Learning Center website
(https://www.fullerton.edu/ulc/).
Writing Center
The Writing Center offers 30-minute, one-on-one peer tutoring sessions and workshops, aimed at
providing assistance for all written assignments and student writing concerns. Writing Center
services are available to students from all disciplines. More information can be found at the Writing
Center webpage (https://english.fullerton.edu/writing_center/). The Writing Center is located on
the first floor of the Pollak Library. Their phone number is (657) 278-3650.
Disabled Student Services (DSS)
If you face temporary (like a broken ankle) or permanent disability this semester, or are concerned
you may have a learning disability, visit the DSS office homepage (https://www.fullerton.edu/dss/) for
information about access to closer parking, note-takers, and other forms of support.
Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS)
CSUF students are eligible for free counseling (individual, group, or couples), crisis intervention, and
wellness programs. Please visit the CAPS homepage (https://www.fullerton.edu/caps/) for an
appointment if you need to talk to someone this semester.
Tuffy’s Basic Needs
If you are facing challenges this semester regarding securing food and/or housing, please contact the
Tuffy’s Basic Needs office (https://www.fullerton.edu/basic-needs/). In addition to on-campus
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housing, they offer hygiene products, gently used career clothing, and emergency grants for those
who qualify.
Project Rebound
Project Rebound supports formerly incarcerated students and those affected by mass incarceration.
You can find out more information on the Project Rebound website
(https://www.fullerton.edu/rebound/).
