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Course Syllabus

Course: GNST 1060

Division: Humanities
Department: English & Philosophy
Title: Convocation: Snow College Arts and Lecture Series

Semester Approved: Spring 2021
Five-Year Review Semester: Fall 2025
End Semester: Fall 2026

Catalog Description: The Convocation Arts and Lecture Series at Snow College is a weekly enrichment series for students and for residents of local communities. A 50-minute lecture, visual, or musical presentation is offered each Thursday at 12:30 p.m. Speakers and performers are selected from diverse disciplines, including humanities, arts, business, science, public service, education, entertainment, and ethnic/international areas of study. The series is also used as a vehicle for presenting faculty honor lectures and campus performing groups.

Semesters Offered: Fall, Spring
Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 1; Lecture: 1; Lab: 0
Repeatable: Yes.


Prerequisites: none

Corequisites: none


Justification: The Convocation Arts and Lecture Series was initiated as an extension to the academic offerings at Snow College. It is designed to promote, foster, and stabilize intellectual and aesthetic inquiry. As an enrichment program, it stimulates an exchange of views with a variety of speakers. The convocations are a natural extension of the college experience and as such add important depth to the academic/cultural life of the campus and the local communities.The merits of this program and the advantages it brings to Central Utah are clearly consistent with the goals of the College and of higher education in general. The College may also, through such convocations, be of service to those students, faculty, staff, and citizens of the Central Utah area who look to the College for academic and cultural leadership in exploration of the arts, humanities, sciences, business, and public affairs.Two other institutions in the Utah System of Higher Education award credit for similar convocations courses: Weber State, COMM 1040; and Southern Utah University, UNIV 2010.


Student Learning Outcomes:
Students will recognize that cultural and philosophical diversity will enrich their own experience and will demonstrate this by sharing new ideas and insights gained in a weekly quiz on canvas. 

Students will increase their interest in academic inquiry and thought-provoking dialogue and will demonstrate this by participating in the Q&A with weekly presenters.  

Students will increase their appreciation of and attendanace at academic lectures and performances and will demonstrate this by attending in class presentations and three additional cultural events. 


Content:
Convocation content will vary from semester to semester. The class will have twelve presentations for the Thursday class meetings. Speakers should represent a variety of academic fields, life experience, professional expertise, and diverse identities. The choice of Convocation presenters can contribute to the college's efforts toward diversity and inclusion.

Additionally, students are required to attend musicial, cultural, artistic, dance, theatrical, or scientific events to enrich their college experience.

Key Performance Indicators:
Students will submit at least ten (10) weekly Convocation surveys/responses and three (3) cultural event surveys via canvas with all questions completed: 100% of the final grade. (Final grade is pass fail.)

At least 10 times attending+at least 10 weekly responses, and 3 cultural events (Art/Science, Music/Culture, Theater/Dance), and two quizzes (orientation & end-of semester reflection)  100 to 100%


Representative Text and/or Supplies:
None


Pedagogy Statement:
Convocation is a unique class to teach. Because of its size and purpose, instructors spent more time building semester schedules and managing the logistics of campus visitors. That being said, instructors should make an effort to meet students in the class and answer their questions. It is also important to regularly check course grades and communicate with students on what needs to be done to pass the course.

Also, there is an opportunity to schedule presenters who will resonate with the identities, experiences, and needs of students in the class. Planning an engaging schedule of presenters can help with diversity and inclusion initiatives on campus.

Instructional Mediums:
Lecture

Maximum Class Size: 400
Optimum Class Size: 300