Passport

aka the Utterly Reasonable Laws and Statutes of
ECL 157, Comics & History #roboticeroticelectric24

This section of your online syllabus documents how your work will be evaluated Fall 2024. Here you will find all the little gates, cages, locks, statutes, ordinances, edicts, and formulas that allow our innovative comics and history collective to thrive.

Let me underscore that you have absolute intellectual freedom in our seminar, BUT to receive these awesome rights, you must also follow the serious but reasonable (and fair) responsibilities outlined in this part of your syllabus.

After all, we want to have a great time, to be the best literature/cultural studies class on the West Coast, even! Take that USC! Eat my dust UCLA! And it will be easier to achieve this semester as they, like us, are online all the time!

But to do that, we need room for intellectual play--a safe asylum within which to forge our comics-laced, history-filled wanderlust. So, then, read these laws carefully and thoroughly, so when you enter our cyborg-designed empire of comics, GMCS 333 on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, you will know what to expect!

PASSPORT RULE 1 BOOKS_BOOKS_BOOKS

BUY THE BOOKS AND READ THEM--DON'T COME TO SEMINAR WITHOUT YOUR BOOK! Though we very much adore living in the 21st century, we will, for the most part use ANALOG, printed books in this class. So check out each one and buy them or rent them now!

PASSPORT RULE 2 READ_READ_READ!

When you enter this room for class you will have FINISHED the reading that appears on the day-to-day class roster, aka the Day to Day Calendar!  Please note how I used the word "finished" (not "started," not "skimmed," not "glanced," and most decidedly NOT "I read the Cliffs/Sparks Notes and a review of the damned thing online!").

Coming to a university literature / film /cultural studies class without doing the reading is like a gardener trying to raise roses without getting her/his hands filthy with shit, a surgeon trying to operate without a scalpel, a fireman without her/his ax, a prostitute without ... -- I will stop there; you get the gist of it.

Do the readings! 

Do them twice if you can MAKE the time! I know, you are saying to yourself, "they don't make me read in my other classes" or some other sort of nonsense... well here, you must! Think twice about joining us if you have not finished the readings -- the quality of our class depends upon your dedicated work and your relentless and independent curiosity. Without your periodic intellectual donations, the class is likely to evolve into a boring, even painful waste of time. 

PASSPORT RULE 3 PUT
THE MONSTERS TO SLEEP!

Your laptop will be asleep IN YOUR BAGS during class -- or, still better, resting in your dorm room.

Have you noticed how anytime a student uses a laptop in an auditorium there is a "cone of distraction" alongside and behind the student using a computer?

This is usually due to said student surfing the web via wi-fi perusing erotic delights or god knows what. I was recently at a cool (ok, it was slightly boring, I confess) lecture by a noted writer -- as I tried to listen to her, in front of me, a diverted student (attending the lecture, no doubt, for extra-credit) was perusing sites like these (nsfw or school).

So, laptops are GREAT for entering your notes AFTER class, but they will not be allowed in our lecture hall. If you have an issue with this, schedule a meeting with me during office hours to chat the first week of class.

Your beloved magnificent iPhone, your cherished Galaxy, your fetishized Pixel, or even your primordial pager will be off, off, OFF during class meetings.

If for some reason you are expecting an emergency call, set it on VIBRATE (for privacy, pleasure, or both!) and sit in the back near an exit after letting me know in advance before class that you are expecting an emergency phone-call.

Cellphones KILL collective spaces of learning with their ill-timed, annoying clattering rings, bongs, squeaks, chirps, and themes.

Yes, the trauma of that delayed text, yes, the horror of that missed hook-up call, yes, the loss of the buzz of that random Tinder swipe will no doubt doom you to years and years on an psychoanalyst's couch, but we, the rest of us, will gain some silence, a kind of sanctuary without which ideas wither on the vine. We are NOT joking about this unthinkable edict! Don't end up like this former student from another ECL 157 I taught back in the day:

click to enlarge

PASSPORT RULE 5 Charlie-Delta_Thief

PLAGIARISM is for cads, thieves, and idiots who desire an "F" for the class. Plagiarism comes from the Latin word, "plagiarius" which means kidnapper, plunderer, or (get this!) thief--not a GOOD thing.

In the university, plagiarism refers to the art and crime of presenting other people's work under your own signature, aka cutting and pasting copied crap from Wikipedia--definitely a BAD thing. While your professor is forbidden by CSU/SDSU code from tattooing the word LOSER on the foreheads of guilty students, he can promise that felonious students will be remanded to the state-authorized SDSU executioners.  Read THIS as well--SDSU is SERIOUS about this shit, so don't take any chances!  Rely on your own singular mind and imagination!

Major Course Requirements

GRADING INFORMATION

• 40%  Attendance, Quizzes, In-class "Panic-Inducing Challenges", In-class participation, In-class writing, roboTREKS, office hour  visits, etc. -- note that "in-class" means "in-class" that is you can expect assignments to magically appear without warning.

• 30%  Your Mid-Term, aka the Mid-Semester #roboticeroticelectric24 Mid Term Challenge

• 30%  #roboticeroticelectric24 Final Exam
  

QUIZZES & ATTENDANCE

Coming to class for each seminar session is NOT optional -- the whole point of this class is to work together, the idea being that we creatively and magicly convert our classroom into a chaotic, unpredictable, and exciting intellectual laboratory.

Missing class, you miss, as well, the whole point of the adventure.

So please bypass no more than three classes during the semester -- you are responsible for any work/notes you miss when you are absent and can PRESUME that what you missed that day was important!

If you miss MORE than three classes during the term and your grade will decay in an ugly way.

EXAMPLES: your hard-earned A- will morph into a B-; your "gentleman's C" will appear on the your my.sdsu grade machine as a "D," etc. etc.

Ditching this class too often will be as fun as a case of flesh-eating virus.

During the semester, you can expect several In-class Panic-Inducing Challenges otherwise known as CHECK-YOU-DID-THE-READING QUIZZES. You can expect these miserable quizzes from time to time, the number of quizzes depending on how many of you are nostalgic for high school. In other words, if everyone acts like a talented university student, we will enjoy FEW if any quizzes during our semester.

DIGITAL/VIRTUAL CONTRIBUTIONS
(Voluntary NOT Mandatory)

We spend a fair amount of time online and as such we will, in the course of the semester, run into stuff online that resonates with something we read, screen, or talk about in class. Most social media sites are basically electronic surveillance machines tracking your movements in order to sell other companies your consumer profile. So, in this class, we use an old site called Tumblr -- you don't even have to be logged there to see my class-related postings and notes; nor even to contribute. You can see our #roboticeroticelectric tumblr site already here -- https://roboticeroticelectric.tumblr.com/

There will be both a Mid-Term Challenge, 11am in GMCS 333, Thursday, October 24, 2024 and a Final Challenge (aka, the FINAL EXAM) on the last regularly scheduled day of class: Thursday, December 10, 2024 at 11am in GMCS 333.  Your Mid-Term and Final are absolutely comprehensive; it assumes you have read all the books and screened all the movies that are part of our required work. If you do the work, the final is a breeze--even "fun" if you can believe it.

OFFICE HOURS

What are office hours is the first question some of you may ask. Here are two quick reviews, here and here. Most successful undergraduates visit My office hours are Tuesdays, right after class from 12:30pm to 3 or so. My office is located in Arts and Letters 273. Why visit me during 'office hours'? Why not? If only to experience the chaos of my inner chamber!  You are warmly invited to visit me in office hours at least once during the semester if you can. 

At SDSU, it's easy to fall through the cracks, to feel that you are nothing but a Red ID# or some warm pile of sentient flesh filling a seat. In order to convince you that the Professor teaching you is occasionally human, please make a point during the semester to take the time to introduce yourself whether it be by piping up in class, zapping me an email, or posting on one of our social media channels.

Regardless of how we end up arranging things, if you find my posted office hours are inconvenient, do not hesitate to email me for a phone appointment bnericci@sdsu.edu

Land acknowledgement : For millennia, the Kumeyaay people have been a part of this land. This land has nourished, healed, protected and embraced them for many generations in a relationship of balance and harmony. As members of the San Diego State University community, we acknowledge this legacy. We promote this balance and harmony. We find inspiration from this land, the land of the Kumeyaay.

Accommodations: If you are a student with a disability and are in need of accommodations for this class, please contact Student Ability Success Center at sascinfo@sdsu.edu (or go to sdsu.edu/sasc) as soon as possible. Please know accommodations are not retroactive, and I cannot provide accommodations based upon disability until I have received an accommodation letter from Student Ability Success Center. SASC registration and accommodation approvals may take up to 10–14 business days, so please plan accordingly.

Academic honesty:
The University adheres to a strict policy prohibiting cheating and plagiarism, including

●    Copying, in part or in whole, from another's test or other examination.

●    Obtaining copies of a test, an examination, or other course material

without the permission of the instructor.

●    Collaborating with another or others in coursework without the permission of the instructor.

●    Falsifying records, laboratory work, or other course data.

●    Submitting work previously presented in another course, if contrary to the policies of the course.

●    Altering or interfering with grading procedures.

●    Assisting another student in any of the above.

●    Using sources verbatim or paraphrasing without giving proper attribution (this can include phrases, sentences, paragraphs and/or pages of work).

●    Copying and pasting work from an online or offline source directly and calling it one's own.

●    Using information found from an online or offline source without giving the author credit.

●    Replacing words or phrases from another source and inserting one's own words or phrases.

Under CSU policy, instructors must report instances of academic misconduct to the Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities for disciplinary review by the University, which may lead to probation, suspension, or expulsion. Instructors may also, at their discretion, penalize student grades on any assignment or assessment discovered to have been produced in an academically dishonest manner.

Classroom Conduct Standards and Netiquette: SDSU students are expected to abide by the terms of the Student Conduct Code in classrooms and other instructional settings. Violation of these standards will result in referral to appropriate campus authorities. Prohibited conduct includes:

●    Willful, material and substantial disruption or obstruction of a University-related activity or any on-campus activity.

●    Participating in an activity that substantially and materially disrupts the normal operations of the University or infringes on the rights of members of the University community. This includes not following established Covid-related protocol in class and on campus.

●    Unauthorized recording, dissemination, or publication (including on websites or social media) of lectures or other course materials.

●    Conduct that threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person within or related to the University community, including physical abuse, threats, intimidation, harassment, or sexual misconduct.

 
Student Privacy and Intellectual Property: The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) mandates the protection of student information, including contact information, grades, and graded assignments. I will use Canvas to communicate with you, and I will not post grades or leave graded assignments in public places. Students will be notified at the time of an assignment if copies of student work will be retained beyond the end of the semester or used as examples for future students or the wider public. Students maintain intellectual property rights to work products they create as part of this course unless they are formally notified otherwise.

 
Religious Observances: According to the University Policy File, students should notify the instructors of affected courses of planned absences for religious observances by the end of the second week of classes (4 February).

 
Academic Support Services: A complete list of all academic support services including the Writing Center and Math Learning Center is available on the Student Affairs Academic Success website. Counseling & Psychological Services (619-594-5220, sdsu.edu/cps) offers a range of psychological services for students. Emergency support is available after hours at the same phone number. The San Diego Access and Crisis Line can also be accessed 24 hours/day (1-888-724-7240).

 
Academic arrangements for students with covid-related risks: SDSU via the Student Ability Success Center (SASC) provides academic accommodations for students with documented disabilities or medical conditions. Following their typical process, SASC will provide accommodations for students who are identified by a medical provider as having a condition which would present a COVID-related risk in a face-to-face instructional setting. In the context of the pandemic, SDSU will also provide academic arrangements for students who are unable to participate in face-to-face instruction due to a COVID-19-related concern that is not specific to the student’s medical condition, for example, having an immunocompromised family member at home. Students seeking accommodations or arrangements should contact the Student Ability Success Center (SASC). Documentation from a medical provider may be required.

In cases where students are seeking accommodations in connection with their own disability or medical condition or where students are seeking an arrangement in connection with another COVID-19-related concern (for example, an having immunocompromised family member at home), SASC will provide a PDF letter documenting the student’s needs. The letter will indicate that: 1) Arrangements should be provided in connection with COVID-19 due to potential risks associated with face-to-face instructional settings and 2) that the arrangement is temporary and only for the period that it is required. Students are responsible for providing the letter to their instructors, advisors, and assistant deans.

Faculty, advisors, and assistant deans will work together to provide reasonable accommodations or arrangements, including exploring options for course substitution or, in the case of face-to-face lab and clinical courses, deferral. If there are concerns about the newly established process for arrangements and/or the academic accommodation process, faculty, advisors, assistant deans and others can contact SASC by emailing SASCinfo@sdsu.edu.

 
Sexual violence/Title IX mandated reporting: As an instructor, one of my responsibilities is to help create a safe learning environment on our campus. I am a mandated reporter in my role as an SDSU employee. It is my goal that you feel able to share information related to your life experiences in classroom discussions in your written work and in our one-on-one meetings. I will seek to keep the information you share private to the greatest extent possible. I am, however, required to share information regarding sexual violence on SDSU’s campus with the Title IX coordinator, Jessica Rentto 619-594-6017. She (or her designee) will contact you to let you know about accommodations and support services at SDSU and possibilities for holding accountable the person who harmed you. Know that you will not be forced to share information you do not wish to disclose and your level of involvement will be your choice. If you do not want the Title IX Officer notified, you can speak confidentially with the following people on campus and in the community; they can connect you with support services and discuss options for pursuing a university or criminal investigation: Sexual Violence Victim Advocate 619-594-0210 or Counseling and Psychological Services 619-594-5220, psycserv@sdsu.edu. For more information regarding your university rights and options as a survivor of sexual misconduct or sexual violence, please visit titleix.sdsu.edu or sdsutalks.sdsu.edu.

 
SDSU Economic Crisis Response Team: If you or a friend are experiencing food or housing insecurity, technology concerns, or any unforeseen financial crisis, it is easy to get help! Visit sdsu.edu/ecrt for more information or to submit a request for assistance.

SDSU’s Economic Crisis Response Team (ECRT) aims to bridge the gap in resources for students experiencing immediate food, housing, or unforeseen financial crises that impacts student success. Using a holistic approach to well-being, ECRT supports students through crisis by leveraging a campus-wide collaboration that utilizes on and off-campus partnerships and provides direct referrals based on each student’s unique circumstances. ECRT empowers students to identify and access long term, sustainable solutions in an effort to successfully graduate from SDSU. Within 24 to 72 hours of submitting a referral, students are contacted by the ECRT Coordinator and are quickly connected to the appropriate resources and services. For students who need assistance accessing technology for their classes, visit our ECRT website (sdsu.edu/ecrt) to be connected with the SDSU library’s technology checkout program. The technology checkout program is available to both SDSU and Imperial Valley students. 

Help control the covid-19 pandemic: Addressing the COVID-19 pandemic is a shared responsibility. Each of us has a role to play in keeping our learning environments and campus as safe as possible. To that effect, it is critical students are aware that SDSU policy requires the wearing of face coverings by faculty, staff, and students on campus except if you are alone in a private office or eating outside while maintaining physical distancing of at least 6 feet. All individuals on campus must also practice physical distancing, stay home if ill, care for common work spaces if you use them, and report if you receive a positive COVID-19 test. Instructions for caring for instructional spaces will be posted in each lab, clinic, or classroom; supplies will be available. Individuals are required to provide their own facial coverings. If students need assistance purchasing facial coverings, please contact the Economic Crisis Response Team.

Our class is a face-to-face class. Students shall be required to bring or purchase PPE as part of their class supplies. Students who need financial assistance may contact the Economic Crisis Response Team for support. The modality of this course is subject to change in connection with evolving public health conditions and recommendations. Students with medical conditions that would present a COVID-related risk and a face-to-face instructional setting should contact the Student Ability Success Center (https://sdsu.edu/sasc) to begin the process of getting support. Students who do not adhere to the Covid19 Student Policies and do not comply with the directives of their faculty will be directed to leave the classroom and will be referred to the Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities.

• All SDSU students, faculty, staff, independent contractors and vendors must stay home if they are unwell.
• Do not come to campus if you do not feel good. Remain home and monitor your symptoms and seek medical attention as needed.
• Contact your instructors to notify them of your absence.
• All SDSU community members are encouraged to make a commitment to health and safety, please consider signing the SDSU Health Commitment. For additional COVID-19 information, visit the university’s COVID website.