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Welcome to ABC 123

Land and Labor Acknowledgement

We recognize and honor the original occupants and stewards of the land where this class gathers. Many of us are joining this space from lands that are the traditional home of the Coast Salish people, the traditional home of all tribes and bands within the Duwamish, Suquamish, Tulalip, and Muckleshoot nations. We honor the survival, the adaptations, the forced assimilation, and the resilience and creativity of Native peoples—past, present, and future.

We also pause to recognize and acknowledge the labor upon which our country, state, and institutions are built. We remember that our country is built on the labor of enslaved people who were kidnapped and brought to the U.S. from the African continent and recognize the continued contribution of their survivors. We also acknowledge all immigrant labor, including voluntary, involuntary, trafficked, forced, and undocumented peoples who contributed to the building of the country and continue to serve within our labor force. We acknowledge all unpaid care-giving labor.

Meet your Instructor!

Your Name (pronouns/pronouns)

[Include here some type of visual to help students connect a face to the name. You may even consider recording an introduction video!]

About me:

[Start with a brief background—where you're from, your academic credentials, and what brought you to teaching. Share a little about your teaching philosophy or what excites you about the subject you're teaching, so students can feel your passion and enthusiasm. Include a few personal details to make yourself relatable—mention hobbies, interests, or something you enjoy outside of teaching. End with an invitation for students to reach out to you with questions or for support, reinforcing that you're approachable and available.]

Course Description and Objectives

[Provide an overview of the course topics and objectives. Try to get students excited about what they'll be learning! Make clear why the course matters and mention how it connects to students’ lives, future careers, or current global issues.]

By the end of this course, students will be able to…

[Insert learning objective
Insert learning objective]

Required Materials

[List out any materials students are expected to have for this class. This may include things like a device to access the internet. Inform students that they can visit the library to use the computers and Wi-Fi and encourage them to reach out if they need support finding resources.]

Assignments and Grading Outline

[Provide an outline of what sort of assignments students can expect and how they will weigh into final grades. We recommend using a variety of assessment types (e.g., written work, presentations, group projects, and discussions) to accommodate different learning styles and abilities.]

Course Calendar

Course Calendar
Week	Dates	Topics	Assignments Due
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Weekly Course Structure

[When explaining your weekly class structure, aim for clarity and consistency. Start by giving an overview of what students can expect each week—whether it’s lectures, readings, assignments, or discussions. If possible, break it down by days or components (e.g., in-class vs. online). Highlight key dates like assignment due times, quizzes, and office hours. Let students know how they should prepare each week (e.g., readings or pre-class activities) and emphasize any opportunities for participation. If applicable, provide a visual schedule to help students understand the pattern this course takes each week. Reinforce that while the specifics may shift, the weekly structure will remain consistent, helping them manage their time effectively.]

Course Policies and Resources

Communication Info

[It's important to set clear expectations for how you and students will interact. Here are key elements to include:

Preferred Communication Channels: Specify the methods through which students should contact you (e.g., email, Canvas inbox, office hours). Make it clear if you prefer one over the other.
Response Time: Let students know how long it typically takes you to respond to emails or messages (e.g., within 24-48 hours on weekdays). This helps manage expectations.
Communication Etiquette: Outline how you expect students to communicate with you (e.g., professional language, subject lines for emails, appropriate tone). This encourages respectful and clear exchanges.
Announcements: Explain how course updates or announcements will be shared (e.g., via email, Canvas, or in class). Make sure students know where to look for important information.
Class Participation: If you expect communication or participation during class (in-person or online), let students know what’s expected in terms of contributions, discussion forums, or group work.]

Drop-In Hours

[Drop-in Hours are effectively Office Hours, but with a friendlier name. Let students know when and how they can meet with you for help outside of class. It can also help to give examples of why a student might want to come to drop-in hours.]

Safe Space

[Specifying that a class is a "safe space" signals to students that they will be treated with dignity, regardless of their identity, and encourages open, honest dialogue. This can reduce fear of discrimination and foster a sense of security, especially for marginalized or vulnerable students. Below is a sample Safe Space policy.]

In this course, we will discuss research tied to social problems especially issues of inequality and sometimes these issues will be controversial in nature. This classroom aims to be a safe space for both students and the instructor. Please be respectful to the instructor and your fellow classmates. This includes all interactions digitally via email, Canvas, and other platforms. Hateful speech and language directed toward a person or group of people will not be tolerated. This includes, but is not limited to, language that can be considered racist, sexist, xenophobic, islamophobic, ageist, homophobic, transphobic, derogatory toward immigration status, ableist, etc. If you are not sure if something might be offensive, then it is probably best to not say it. I want to encourage open discussion and communication in the digital classroom, but we also have to be respectful to each other. Any student deemed to be breaking this policy will be limited in their class communications.

Late Work

[Describe your late work policy. We advise an inclusive late work policy that recognizes students have varying life circumstances. Personal health issues, family emergencies, work commitments, and mental health challenges can all interfere with deadlines. An inclusive policy should allow students to reach out for support when they encounter these barriers and allow space for all to succeed.]

Academic Honesty

[Below is a sample inclusive Academic Honesty Policy]
Academic Honesty is a broad term that refers to plagiarism, cheating, and similar actions. Academic honesty is also a phrase rooted in a specific set of "academic" standards that are culturally and contextually specific. In this class, we'll spend time discussing what "academic honesty" means in an American context, looking at global examples of "academic honesty," and learning more about citation conventions so that you feel comfortable knowing what the "standards" are. In this class, MLA, APA, and Chicago Style are all welcome (use what you know), and we'll have the chance to discuss why these big 3 can prove problematic when researching and archiving indigenous and other non-Eurocentric knowledge systems. We'll additionally delve into Creative Commons licensing so we can answer hard questions like these ones: Is remixing considered plagiarism? Why is our instructor using images in this syllabus without citations?

Cultural Observances

[The college's holiday calendar does not account for all important holidays across cultures. It is important to let students know they can reach out to plan ahead when holidays conflict with the course schedule.]

I strongly support honoring cultural and religious holidays as well as related events and practices. If you have a religious or cultural observance that coincides with this class, please just let me know via email, one week in advance. If you’re unable to notify me one week in advance, I encourage you to meet with me via Zoom to chat. Since some of our in-class activities are in real-time online and we have a range of suggested due dates to juggle this quarter, one week's notice allows the two of us to collaborate on a plan of action for submitting assignments. (For additional reference, please also review the district's policy).

Title 9

For more information, please consult Seattle Colleges' Title IX page.

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