Hi, my name is Wes (or Professor Sims, if you prefer the more formal option).

This letter is a little peek into what the course will look like.  If you have more detailed questions, please email me. 

If you are enrolled in the course, please refer (and defer) to the syllabus instead of this Welcome Letter. 

This class used to be called 201A, but that number is now outdated. 

Contact info:

• Please contact me at carl_sims@cuesta.edu
  • don't worry that my email says Carl; it goes to me, Wes
• My office is 6224 on the SLO campus. 

Response time:

• I will respond to your emails within 24 hours or one business day at the very latest .
• If you do not hear back from me, please write me back because I must have missed your email accidentally.

Availability:

• When the fall and spring semesters are in session, I will be available during "business hours" from 8-5 Monday through Friday. Outside of those hours, I am not available.
• See your current syllabus for the times that I hold my office hours.

Safe Zone:

• I am committed to creating a safe, welcoming, and inclusive learning environment where everyone feels respected and empowered to share their identities and perspectives with confidence and pride.
• If at any point you feel you may have been disrespected, please reach out to me immediately. 
• If at any point you feel another student may have been disrespected, please reach out to me immediately.

Instructor Contact Expectations

• My email, or going through your inbox in Canvas, is a great way to get in touch with me.
• I will respond back to your email in at least 24 hours, not including the weekends. If you don't hear back from me, that means I accidentally missed your email, so please email me back if you don’t receive a reply.
• I hold "business hours" from 8-5 Monday through Friday (excluding holidays), so you won't hear back from me outside of normal business hours.

Office Hours

• Online Office Hours: please email me a time works best for you during the time windows below, and I will do my best to accommodate.
  • Mondays 1:00pm -5:00pm.
  • Thursdays 8:00am-12:00pm.

This class is an Asynchronous DE Course.  What does that mean?  

• We have no face-to-face meetings.  We have no set, required times for virtual meetings. 
  • The only exception to this is required virtual meetings with your small groups. The small groups will agree on the best time to meet. 
• Asynchronous means that there are no set times when you must be in attendance.  However, there are due dates every week and you will need to be active in the class almost every other day.  You will have the freedom to schedule when you complete this work before the due date. 
  • (repeated from above) The only exception to this is required virtual meetings with your small groups. The small groups will agree on the best time to meet. 
• DE means Distance Education, which will take place in Canvas. 

Topic Oppression and Liberation: 

This class will be on a handful of topics all under the general umbrella of Oppression and Liberation.  I want your work in this class to focus on a current problem and how we might solve this problem.  I take this idea from the writer bell hooks who sees "education as the practice of freedom.  We will practice this freedom and liberation in this class by analyzing what oppresses us and what will work to free us. 

One example is climate change.  Here is a video by the writer Naomi Klein who looks at both the problems and solutions to climate change:

Textbooks?: 

This class has no textbook or materials costs!! 

Notes:

• Supplemental Materials necessary for the class, as applicable. For example:
  • A computer or laptop. 
  • The ability to record video. 
  • Adobe readerLinks to an external site.
  • Microsoft Office for Free (including word and powerpoint)Links to an external site.
  • University of Purdue OWL—Free Internet Resource https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_style_introduction.htmlLinks to an external site.  

Attendance and Student Expectations

• We have no face-to-face meetings.  We have no set, required times for virtual meetings. 
  • The only exception to this is required virtual meetings with your small groups. The small groups will agree on the best time to meet. 
• This course is 18 weeks long.
• You must participate in this course on an almost every-other-day basis.
• You will often write over 300 words a week in the discussion forums.
• You will have homework assignments and readings due once a week.
• You will be required to post videos, which will often require your face to be on screen. 
• You will be required to meet in Zoom (or a similar platform) with your small group of other students, which will often require your face to be on screen. 
• You will be dropped if you fail to log in for more than 7 days and/or if your postings-to-forum or postings-to-homework percentage falls below 50%.
• Written work will total over 5,000 words.  (You won't need to keep track of this number). 

Course Environment:

This online course will be using a Web-based Learning Management System Canvas as the method to disseminate information. Canvas provides the framework for the course including lecture material, student data files, the tools to receive and send course materials, and a grade book. Using the communication tools, you can communicate using e-mail, and you can share materials and ideas with other course participants via the discussion forums and groups.

Accessing the Course:

You will see your course in Canvas on the first day of class. You can access Canvas by clicking on Canvas from the top bar of the Cuesta homepage (www.cuesta.edu), or by typing the Canvas address (https://cuesta.instructure.com/) into your browser address bar.

If you are not familiar with logging into canvas, please refer to the Canvas Quick Reference Guide.Links to an external site. Once logged into Canvas you will be directed on where to get started. Be sure to read all the direction on the course home page.  

If you are having difficulty logging into Canvas after [Enter Date] and need assistance please email me or technical support at this email address support@my.cuesta.edu.   

Online Learning:

IS an ONLINE CLASS FOR YOU? 

Go to the Cuesta College Canvas Tutorial (self-paced)Links to an external site.,  there are many resources that were designed to help you understand the basis for an online class and the skills necessary for success. (If the tutorials do NOT describe you, then taking this class online is NOT for you and I strongly suggest that you drop the online class and enroll in a traditional classroom section.)

Regular Effective Contact policy:

Regular and Effective Instructor Contact will be met through weekly instructor initiated threaded discussion forums; weekly announcements to students; timely and effective feedback on student assignments; email, phone or messaging to individuals; and virtual office hours.

College Course Description 

Provides instruction in and study of expository and argumentative writing, appropriate and effective use of language, close reading, cogent thinking, research strategies, information literacy, and documentation.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Employ close reading strategies to identify and interpret patterns and ideas written in complex texts and to demonstrate comprehension of main and supporting ideas in selected readings.
2. Develop process-based writing practices that include generating, drafting, and revising to produce clear and persuasive writing.
3. Write essays that are organized effectively.
4. Formulate effective strategies to find relevant resources, critically evaluate information in light of its complexities of authority and production, and ethically attribute and skillfully integrate source material.
5. Write fair and persuasive arguments that assert and support positions, demonstrate audience awareness, and incorporate differing viewpoints. 

Technical Support

Cuesta students are encouraged to direct all technical support inquiries to  support@my.cuesta.edu. If you are having issues with Canvas, or email support@instructure.com.

If you are having difficulty viewing the course or logging in, it may be because you are not using the correct url: https://cuesta.instructure.com/ or you are using your phone or using an unsupported browser.  

Your learning environment is best accessed from a desktop or laptop computer, using Firefox or Chrome.  This may solve your problem!  Please review the browser requirements and minimum computer specifications.

Accommodations:

This course is designed using an accessible Learning Management System, and course materials have been created with ADA compliance in mind. If you have a disability and might need accommodations in this class such as extended time on exams or other resources. Please contact the instructor as soon as possible so that you can receive appropriate accommodations in a timely manner. You should also contact DSPS (Disabled Student Programs & Services)Links to an external site. or at 805-546-3148.

College & Course Policies:

Academic Honesty Policy: In addition to my course policy, please note all students attending San Luis Obispo County Community College District at any district site and when representing Cuesta College in any off-campus activity, assume an obligation to conduct themselves in an acceptable manner compatible with the Student Code of conduct. Please review the Cuesta College Student Code of conduct. at:

Add / Drop Policy:

• You will be dropped from the course if:
  • you fail to log in to our Canvas course for more than 7 days
• In addition to my policy, please review the Cuesta policy for drops
  • Add Policy.
  • Drop Policy.

Waitlist Policy: please review Cuesta’s waitlist procedure and instructions.  

English Division Attendance Policy

Attendance is required and directly influences students’ success in every English course. In a 4-unit course, students may not miss more than 8 hours total for a full-length semester course; for a 3-unit course, students may not miss more than 6 hours. Instructors will pro-rate hours accordingly for those courses that meet fewer weeks than a full-length semester course. Students who are not in attendance on the first day of instruction may be dropped unless they notify the instructor in advance of the first class meeting. Students with three consecutive absences or more will be dropped from the course unless the instructor is contacted by the student before or during this period of absences. It is the student’s responsibility to communicate with the instructor regarding missed classes. It is also the student’s responsibility to drop the course before the drop deadline.

English Division Cellphone Usage Policy

If a cell phone, laptop, or another electronic device is required during a class session due to extenuating circumstances, it is the responsibility of the student to request use of this device with the instructor in advance of the class session. Otherwise, unless directed or permitted by an instructor, cell phone use in class is prohibited, and cell phones must not be visible to the student, their classmates, or the instructor. Students should silence or turn off their cell phones while class is in session. A verbal warning may be issued if a student is on his/her phone during class time. Following a warning, a student may be dismissed from class for the day, and further action may be taken at the instructor’s discretion, such as a student misconduct report being sent to the office of the Vice President of Student Services.

English Division Policy--Adult-Level Course Content

An academic environment based on free and open inquiry is essential to the well-being of our pluralistic, democratic society – and your education as an adult learner. This course will examine potentially controversial subjects and themes in assigned reading, film, discussions, and writing assignments, such as those found in the academic areas of human sexuality, religion, and politics. If you are a student who, for whatever your reasons, may have strong personal reservations about participating in the free and open inquiry into such academic areas of discourse, you may want to meet with me immediately to preview course material to help you decide whether or not you will continue with the class. Otherwise, please be prepared to listen openly and contribute to class discussions without judgment in this college-level course.