GEL 101:

Fall General Education, Lifelong Learning

2008 & Information Literacy:
The Student, The University, The Community

CONTACT INFORMATION
Instructor: Ryan McRae
Office: University Village Business Office Email: rmcrae@csusm.edu
Office Phone: 750-3711 Office Hours: By Appointment

WELCOME TO GEL 101

You are about to start the adventure of a lifetime! This class is designed to help you chart
the course and handle the challenging currents of receiving a college education here at Cal
State San Marcos! We will cover how to utilize the library and the career centers—vital ar-
eas here at CSUSM—to help you achieve your academic goals.

This class will help you assess your: time management, study skills, learning styles, team-
work skills, test-taking strategies and personal wellness. The library faculty will introduce
you to college level research skills and the technology available on our campus to access,
evaluate and communicate information and ideas. Career advisors will help you clarify your
long term career goals and you will learn the elements of effective résumé writing and how
to research careers. This course will also expose you to opportunities and resources for be-
coming an active member of our campus community outside the classroom.

This class is designed to equip students with the basic skills, concepts, and knowledge nec-
essary to become a lifelong learner. Examination of current theory and research regarding
the information age, health and wellness, career development, and psychological assess-
ment. practical application of the theory and research. Includes information literacy and
technology skills, group and teamwork, and learning styles. It is my goal that at the end of
this class, hopefully sooner, you realize how much there is to learn and that you are excited
about it. This is the adventure of a lifetime.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon completion of GEL 101 you will be able to:

Academic Success Skills

• Design and implement an effective time management plan that meets your personal
schedule and the demands of your coursework.
• Assess your personal learning style, study skills and test taking strategies and de-
velop a plan to improve in these areas.

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Fall 2008 GEL 101

Information Literacy & College Level Research

• Formulate a research topic and write a relevant thesis
• Use electronic databases to locate and retrieve information related to a thesis
• Critique scholarly vs. popular press literature
• Write a college level research report (in APA or MLA style) and reproduce a related
oral presentation

Academic & Career Planning

• Research different academic majors (or confirm your choice of major)
• Develop a personal academic plan that includes university requirements, general
education courses and courses for a major
• Research various career options
• Understand the career development process and explore key factors (skills, inter-
ests, values, personality and abilities) affecting career/major choice
• Write a detailed and effective professional resume
• Identify and make contact with an academic advisor, a career advisor and a faculty
advisor

Wellness
• Assess personal wellness along a number of dimensions including physical, psycho-
logical, social and fiscal
• Acquire and analyze information on wellness from Student Health Services and
other campus resources

Institutional Awareness and Resource Utilization

• List the campus resources available to students
• Identify common student needs and the appropriate campus resources to address
those needs
• Identify the variety of ways students can become active participants in the campus
community outside the classroom

Moral & Ethical Decision Making

• Locate and analyze the Cal State San Marcos policies on Academic Honesty, Drug-
Free Campus & Smoking, Nondiscrimination, Sexual Assault, and Student Disci-
pline
• Clarify your own values while understanding the values and ethical practices of our
university community

GEL 101: The Student, The University, The Community 2

Fall 2008 GEL 101

Expectations of the Classroom Environment

• Students will be on time for class; punctuality is expected.
• Cell phones will be turned off during class; if a student’s phone rings during class,
that student will lose 5 points per ring since it disrupts the class. You are not per-
mitted to use a cell phone while in class regardless if you are working independ-
ently. I have a short fuse about cell phones. There is a time and place for cell
phones. My classroom is neither.
• Students will respect one another during discussions.
• Students will uphold the Code of Conduct for CSUSM. Course Requirements for
GEL 101.
• All assignments that are not to be completed in class must be typed, using Micro-
soft Word or Pages (except for your journal).
• Assignments that do not have a name on them will be introduced to Mr. Shredder.
They will be utterly consumed. Utterly.
• Any plagiarized assignment is grounds for an immediate failure of the class and a
not-so-fun referral to the Dean .
• Extra credit is given sparsely. It is offered, not given. No extra credit can be applied
to the library or career module. Zero.
• Class behavior (foul language, lack of respect, etc.) can cause a loss of points in the
class.
• Quit the complaining when something is assigned. You chose to come here. Unless
you are a court appointed college student, please no whining.

Point Scale for Determining Final Grade out of 750 points:

90% A
80% B
70% C
60% D
59%-0% F

Description of each graded item:

Class Discussions & Reflection Papers

The class discussions will occur in class on a variety of topics such as: Kite Runner, ethics,
study skills, first year experiences. Reflection papers will be assigned and handle topics such
as: the Custom textbook, other texts, ethics, study skills and personal reflection. This is not
an exhaustive list of topics, merely examples.

GEL 101: The Student, The University, The Community 3

Fall 2008 GEL 101

In-class exercises, quizzes & homework from the texts

The in-class exercises and quizzes will happen in class and will not be made up for any rea-
son. These will deal with the reading due that day and any reading previously due. Home-
work will be from assigned reading and reflection.

Tukwut Leadership Circle

All students are required to participate in the Tuwkut Leadership Circle

Debate
The information for the debate will be forthcoming.

Library and Career Module

This will be outlined in the appropriate syllabus. If you fail either of these sessions, you may
fail this class.

Communication with the Instructor

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need help. My email is rmcrae@csusm.edu and
my phone is 760-750-3711. You can also set up an appointment to see me in my office. My
general course policy does not allow for make up exams or acceptance of late work. How-
ever, if you have a serious illness or other issue, it is your responsibility to contact me as
soon as possible.

Although I live in University Village, please refrain from coming to my home. Please respect
my privacy—I am available through office hours.

Attendance Policy
You have two excused absences when it comes to my class. After that, you will lose 5% of
your total grade for every absence. If you are absent, it is your entire responsibility to make
up the work, to contact me, come by and find out what you missed; I will not chase you
down. Any absence over two days will require a doctor’s note. Please be aware—if you miss
7 or more classes, you will fail the class (regardless of your grade); there will be no extra
credit, life vest or anything like that.

Communication with the Instructor

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need help. My email is rmcrae@csusm.edu and
my phone is 760-750-3711. You can also set up an appointment to see me in my office. My
general course policy does not allow for make up exams or acceptance of late work. How-
ever, if you have a serious illness or other issue, it is your responsibility to contact me as
soon as possible. If you need help, ask. Ryan McRae, despite the rumors, is not a mind
reader.

GEL 101: The Student, The University, The Community 4

Fall 2008 GEL 101

Academic Honesty Policy Statement

Students will be expected to adhere to standards of academic honesty and integrity, as out-
lined in the Student Academic Policy. All written work and oral presentation assignments
must be original work. All ideas/material that are borrowed from other sources must have
appropriate references to the original sources. Any quoted material should give credit to the
source and be punctuated with quotation marks.

Students are responsible for honest completion of their work including examinations.
There will be no tolerance for infractions. If you believe there has been an infraction by
someone in the class, please bring it to the instructor’s attention. The instructor reserves the
right to discipline any student for academic dishonesty, in accordance with the general rules
and regulations of the university. Disciplinary action may include the lowering of grades
and/or the assignment of a failing grade for an example, assignment or the class as a whole.
If you cheat blatantly, I will fail you blatantly.

Incidents of Academic Dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Students. Sanctions at

the University level may include suspension or expulsion from the University.

ADA Statement

Students with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations must be approved for
services by providing appropriate and recent documentation to the Office of Disabled Stu-
dent Services (DSS). This office is located in Craven Hall 5205, and can be contacted by
phone at (760) 750-4905, or TTY (760) 750-4909. Students authorized by DSS to receive rea-
sonable accommodations should meet with me during my office hours in order to ensure
confidentiality.

Texts Needed to be Purchased

The Student, The University, The Community

Texts We Will Read But Are Free

Urban, Hal, (2003 or newer). Life’s Greatest Lessons: 20 Things that Matter.
Maxwell, John C. (2008). Make today count.
Bach, David (2008). Go Green, Live Rich.
Newport, Cal (2007). How to become a Straight A Student.
Pauch, Randy (2008). The Last Lecture.

GEL 101: The Student, The University, The Community 5

Fall 2008
Schedule
Date The Plan What is DUE that day.

8/26 Introduction to the class. Your attention. Undi-

vided

8/28 Poster Project Your poster

8/29 Poster Project/Why We Refuse to Believe We’re Intelli- Your poster.

gent
This is a
9/2 Career Module: Your Strengths. Strengthsquest printout rough esti-
mate of what
9/4 Career Module: Your Strengths. TBA
is due; I will
9/5 Career Module: Your Strengths. TBA keep you up
to date
9/9 Career Module: Your Strengths. TBA through the
class.
9/11 Career Module: Your Strengths. TBA

9/12 Career Module: Your Strengths. TBA

9/16 How To Become a Straight-A Student Discussion Straight A Part 1/ chapter

4 of Custom

9/18 How To Become a Straight-A Student Discussion Straight A Part 2/ Chap-

ter 3 of Custom is due

9/19 How To Become a Straight-A Student Discussion Straight A Part 3

9/23 Life’s Greatest Lessons Chapter 1-2

9/25 Life’s Greatest Lessons Chapter 4-5

9/26 Life’s Greatest Lessons Chapter 6-7

9/30 The Definition of Gratitude

10/2 The Definition of Gratitude

10/3 Academic Resources Your full attention

10/7 Public Speaking Your courage

10/9 Public Speaking Your imagination

10/10 Public Speaking Your story

10/14 Library Module

Fall 2008 Schedule
Date The Plan What is DUE that day.

10/16 Library Module

10/17 Library Module

10/21 Library Module

10/23 Library Module

This is a
10/24 Library Module
rough esti-
10/28 Debate Preparation mate of what
is due; I will
10/30 Debate Preparation keep you up
to date
10/31 Debate through the
class.
11/4 Election Day/Coverage

11/6 Time Management One More Time Alcohol 101 due.

CCR due

11/7 Diversity. I might blow your mind

11/11 Veteran’s Day

11/13 How to Analyze Literature. Simply. Make Today Count Due.

11/14 Student’s Choice

11/18 Last Lecture Discussion

11/20 Last Lecture Discussion

11/21 The most important lecture I’ll ever give

11/25 The most important lecture I’ll ever give

11/27 Thanksgiving Holiday

11/28 Thanksgiving Holiday

12/2 Presentations

12/4 Presentations

12/5 My Last Lecture Final Project Due

12/12 Final Exam 9:15-11:15 AM