I make a commitment to my students as individuals and to the class as a collaborative whole to offer a challenging, rewarding, smart, fun, and captivating experience with our course and our time spent learning together. In the end, it is my classroom, and I set the terms. So please be aware of my position regarding your participation in my class:

All policies, requirements, assignments, materials, expectations, rules, operating methods and procedures including but not limited to office hours, classroom practices, assignments and grading policies and methods, conferencing as well as informal and/or oral guidelines provided by Professor Jamie Skye Bianco are fully subject to change at Professor Bianco’s discretion. If changes are made notification to students may be made in and/or out of the classroom, on one or several of our online community pages, the website, Twitter, or any other communication method established in the class. Changes are the immediate and ongoing responsibility of the students.

Check IN!

THE CLASS IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY!

YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE TO ATTEND CLASS ALWAYS, READ COMMUNICATIONS REGULARLY, INSURE THAT YOUR PROPER EMAIL ACCOUNT IS REGISTERED WITH PROF. BIANCO, AND TO CHECK DAILY THE CONTENT OF TWITTER, EMAIL, COURSE WEBSITES, AND ANY OTHER DIGITAL COMMUNITY THAT IS ESTABLISHED FOR THIS COURSE.

AGAIN, IF ADDITIONAL COURSE PLATFORMS ARE USED, YOU WILL BE EXPECTED TO CHECK THESE DAILY AS WELL. STUDENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE, ACCOUNTABLE FOR AND SUBJECT TO ANY CHANGES MADE IN THE COURSE. THESE CHANGES MIGHT BE ANNOUNCED IN CLASS, BY EMAIL, TWITTER, AND/OR ON DIGITAL COMMUNITY SITES. CHECK THEM!

confused...

IF YOU DO ATTEND CLASS AND ARE CONFUSED, ASK QUESTIONS IN CLASS. THEN POSE YOUR QUESTIONS ON THE CLASS TWITTER FEED. TRY GOOGLE...YES, GOOGLE. PROFESSOR BIANCO HAS OFFICE HOURS POSTED ON THE WEBSITE...STOP IN. There are lab hours... tons of lab hours.

IF THESE QUESTIONS COME TO YOU LATER AND YOU HAVE TRIED ALL OTHER OPTIONS LISTED ABOVE, AND YOU HAVE STARTED YOUR WORK EARLY ENOUGH THAT YOU MAY CONTACT PROF. BIANCO OUTSIDE OF CLASS IN TIME TO HELP.

THIS MEANS THAT FROM TUESDAY-SATURDAY YOU ARE REQUIRED TO CONTACT PROF. BIANCO AT LEAST 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF CLASS MEETING. "I DIDN'T KNOW" OR "I EMAILED YOU THIS MORNING" WILL NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT EXCUSE FOR UNFINISHED ASSIGNMENTS

GRADING

plagiarism--let's not bore one another (Pitt Policy on Academic Integrity ... keep in mind what was discussed regarding intellectual property in Molly's lecture on the first day of class.). That said, if you do it, you will not pass this course & may face University disciplinary action.

1. Every single assignment must be completed to pass the course. This includes making up any in-class work that you may have missed due to absence.

2. Any late work will receive a '0' grade, but all work must be turned in to pass the course.

3. Each student will produce a FINAL Digital Portfolio (DP) of all work produced for this course. The DP is a website that will be organized and maintained for presentation at the end of the semester.

4. Grading is holistic and based on your improving quality of work.

5. Participation in class is the a significant portion of your grade and the only aspect of the class that can only be earned by regular active and engaged on-time attendance in class. There is no way to reflect your participation in the DP.

6. A mid-term assessment/student-professor conference may be scheduled to discuss your progress.

7. Professor Bianco practices "minimal marking" a style of teaching that respects the student's work. She will not write or comment all over your work. She will discuss your work with you as often as you make yourself available in her office hours. Furthermore, you will receive constant in-class "collaborative feedback" from Prof. Bianco and from your student peers. In the end, your university career, your work, your education, your progress in this class...are yours--your responsibility, your achievement, your brilliance. Learning to evaluate the quality of your own thinking and composing is the number one goal for this course.

NOTES ON THE EVALUATION OF ASSIGNMENTS:

1. All assigned studio work, readings, listenings, and watchings must be practiced, read, listened to, and/or watched at least once and any assigned writing must be completed and uploaded prior to class meetings and according to the given due date and time.

2. This course is a WRITING INTENSIVE SENIOR SEMINAR. In-class projects, writing, assignments or exercises CANNOT be made up in the event of absence or tardiness, even excused absences or tardiness.

3. You must adhere to your assigned dates and times. All assignments must be prepared prior to the class meeting, according to the due date and time, and fully complete. No credit will be given to assignments if components are missing or if the assigned date is missed. If hardcopy is requested, it must be prepared before class…no exceptions. STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE ALL ASSIGNMENTS TO PASS THE COURSE. This means that if your assignment is late, it will receive a "0"; nevertheless, ALL assignments must be completed in order to pass the course.

4. Writing in response to each other (Written Peer Responses) is a major component of the course. Care, consideration, and constructive criticism are expected.

5. All homework and composing for class must be produced as a digital document using the assigned software platforms, exported in the assigned formats, and successfully uploaded, copied, exported, and/or legibly printed and/or photocopied prior to class if hardcopy is required. If in-class writing assignments are completed by hand, you must write legibly. All assignments must be accurately and fully labeled.

6. Though in few cases I am collecting only final drafts, preparatory writing and drafts will be presumed for all writing assignments. Drafts are required assignments.

7. Late work will not be graded. Period. All assignments are due by the start of class on the due date. After this time, they will be accepted with a "0" grade and are required to pass the course. Period.

8. All student work will be read, discussed, and/or evaluated in class through the use of online digital communities, a digital projector, and photocopies.

9. Each assignment will be discussed in great detail in class. If you are absent, you will have missed this discussion. It is your responsibility to get notes from the TA and from your peers regarding the in-class discussions. Prof. Bianco does not hold the same class twice, once for everyone and once for you.

10. MLA documentation or assigned documentation/citation is expected for all research work, papers, projects and presentations.

11. BE BRILLIANT OFTEN…YOU ARE, SO SHARE IT WITH THE CLASS.

Use of Communication Devices & Computers in Class

In order for us to work together well, we need to construct the boundaries of digital device usage. First: turn off cellphone ringers for this and every public venue in which you attend or participate. This is a matter of basic etiquette.

So, unless given permission to use a specific device IN A PARTICULAR MANNER, usage is not permitted. This means that texting is not ok, unless the class is texting. This means that when we are using the computers, you should not be on FaceBook unless the class is doing something with FaceBook.

Furthermore, when permission is granted specific devices may only be used as directed by Professor Bianco. If you are confused at a given moment in class, please ask her and she will let you know what is permissible.

Absolutely no in-class recording of any kind without the written permission of Prof. Bianco and all students present in class.

I DO NOT <3 TARDINESS. I H8 TARDINESS. THIS IS VERY SIMPLE. TARDINESS=RUDENESS. TARDINESS=DISRUPTION TO 18 PEOPLE OTHER THAN YOU. TARDINESS=UNHAPPINESS FOR PROFESSOR BIANCO=SERIOUS UNHAPPINESS FOR LATE STUDENT.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, THIS IS A "W" course (WRITING WORKSHOP) THAT REQUIRES YOUR ACTIVE PRESENCE AND PARTICIPATION IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOM.

NIGHT CLASSES COMBINE TWO CLASSES INTO ONE EVENING. IF YOU MISS MORE THAN ONE CLASS, YOU ARE NOT LIKELY TO PASS. ONE CLASS IS AN ENTIRE WEEK. YOU MAY MUST MAKE UP ANY IN-CLASS WORK NO LATER THAN THE FOLLOWING CLASS MEETING.

LET ME REPEAT: IF YOU ARE ABSENT FROM CLASS MORE THAN ONCE, FOR ANY REASON, EXCUSED OR OTHERWISE, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT YOU WILL PASS THIS COURSE.

YOU AND ONLY YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ACQUIRING MISSED NOTES, INFORMATION, ASSIGNMENTS, MATERIALS, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS. THIS DOES NOT MEAN SIMPLY ASKING PROF. BIANCO TO WRITE UP AND EMAIL NOTES FOR THE CLASSTIME THAT YOU MISSED. THIS MEANS ASKING TWITTER, ONE OR TWO PEERS TO TAKE NOTES FOR YOU, CHECKING ALL ONLINE COURSE RESOURCES, AND MAKING SURE THAT EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT IN CLASS, AND WORK DUE IS.

PROF. BIANCO WILL BE HAPPY TO CONFIRM ANY INFORMATION COLLECTED FROM THE TA OR FROM PEERS, BUT SHE WILL NOT REDO THE CLASS FOR YOU. IN A STUDIO WORKSHOP, WE WORK TOGETHER, SO THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE EVEN IF SHE WERE WILLING (AND SHE IS NOT).

DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE NIGHT BEFORE CLASS (TUESDAY!!) TO CONTACT PROF. BIANCO TO CONFIRM WHAT YOU SHOULD PREPARE FOR CLASS.

PLAN AHEAD.

When emailing Prof. Bianco (AND ANYONE FOR THAT MATTER), fully identify yourself and indicate the class you are taking. Consider the context in which you are writing...is Prof. Bianco your neighbor, best friend, parent, or shoe salesperson? No, she is your professor. Use the appropriate language code for any given communication in order to a) not offend and b) optimize the outcome.

PROF. BIANCO DOES NOT WORK 7 DAYS/WEEK NOR 24 HOURS/DAY AND DESPITE THE INVESTIGATION OF OUR CLASS, SHE HAS A NON-DIGITAL LIFE AS WELL AS A DIGITAL ONE. SO SHE DOES NOT SPEND 16 HOURS/DAY LOGGED ONTO HER VARIOUS ONLINE ACCOUNTS WAITING FOR YOU TO CONTACT HER, SO PLAN AHEAD AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOURSELF IN THIS COURSE.

THIS MEANS THAT FROM YOU ARE REQUIRED TO CONTACT PROF. BIANCO AT LEAST 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF CLASS WITH ANY QUESTIONS. TWITTER IS PREFERRED.