Community Standards and Practices 2020

## Overview

This page is for describing our community standards and practices. These standards and practices are in place to help make our work in the course and on the wiki both meaningful and enjoyable. Many of these standards and practices are the kind that tend to get included on course syllabi. For this course, we should also consider the following questions: How might these be expanded, adapted, or disrupted given our work on this Wiki? During this time of pandemic? This would be a good topic to discuss in our Forum.]

For one major example, here is Wikipedia's "Policies and guidelines."

## Course Policies

### Virtual Participation

Participation in the course includes a few specific formats. We will have a weekly, one-hour synchronous video session as well as asynchronous participation in a discussion forum and editing of this course wiki. An email reminder with the video session link and password will be sent weekly.

Doing well in this course requires reading assigned readings multiple times & annotate them before participating in forums, video session, or editing the wiki; it requires having the readings readily available during video sessions; it requires asking questions and speaking to your classmates. Late work will not be accepted. If you have an emergency, of if circumstances prevent your regular participation, please communicate with Dr. Sparks to discuss ways to make course participation work for you.

### Digital Communications

Our communications in the course are reflected in the participation formats, which include weekly synchronous video chats, asynchronous forum participation and wiki editing, as well as regular asynchronous office hours and synchronous office hours by appointment. Dr. Sparks checks his e-mail during business hours, and he does his best to respond within 24 hrs.

### Data Ethics

Zoom is currently the campus's default video conferencing application. There are serious concerns about the company's data ethics. To mitigate some of these concerns, no class session will be recorded, and participants in class sessions are free to leave video functionality off. Zoom has provided security and privacy information in the “Resources” section of this page: https://zoom.us/docs/en-us/privacy-and-security.html. In addition, any and all student recordings of class sessions must adhere to the University's "Student Audio and Video Recordings of Classes Policy" here: https://www.csuchico.edu/pres/em/2019/19-028.shtml.

Fandom, the wiki platform used for this course site, collects various data from both visitors and registered users. The platform's privacy policy can be found here: https://www.fandom.com/privacy-policy. Please note that California residents have particular rights to request user data not be collected for advertising purposes. Toward the bottom of the privacy policy page is a section titled, "ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS OF THIS PRIVACY POLICY THAT ARE APPLICABLE TO CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS." This section includes a link where a user who is a CA resident can "opt-out" from certain kinds of data collection.

### Academic Integrity

Any work with your name or wiki user name on it signifies that you are the author—that the wording and ideas are yours, except when you use quotation/paraphrase & citation. Briefly, plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of others’ materials (words or ideas). Evidence of plagiarism may result in an “F” in the course and a report filed with the dean. Please familiarize yourself with the definition and consequences of plagiarism as outlined on the “Policy on Academic Integrity and the Establishment of the Academic Integrity Council; Revised,” at http://www.csuchico.edu/prs/EMs/2004/04-036.shtml

### Accessibility Resource Services

First and foremost: keep open clear lines of communication during the evolving situation presented by the COVID-19 outbreak. Please let Dr. Sparks know if you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability or illness. Please also contact Accessibility Resource Center (ARC) as they are the designated department responsible for approving and coordinating reasonable accommodations. ARC website HERE.

Additionally, the Office of Accessible Technology (OATS) provides services especially relevant to the online nature of this course. OATS works with staff, faculty, students, administrators, and community members to ensure that Section 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and CSU ATI standards are met in all aspects of the university. OATS website HERE.

### Title IX

State law makes university professors mandated reporters. This means I am required to report to the Title IX Coordinator whenever I learn about incidents of sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic violence, or
stalking that affect any member of the campus community. This includes disclosures that occur during our class discussions or in private. Students may make a confidential report to the Counseling and Wellness Center or Safe Place. Information of campus reporting obligations and other Title IX related resources are available here:

## Wiki Policies and Procedures

### Wiki Goals

The ENGL661 course wiki is meant to be an informative, public source of information on various texts and thinkers that generally fall under the rubric of "theory and criticism." While maintained by academics in the discipline of English Studies, the texts and thinkers represented on the Wiki work in or have been used across the arts and sciences.

### Wiki History

The wiki was created and is maintained by graduate students at California State University, Chico enrolled in ENGL661: Literary Criticism and Interpretation, a core course in the English Department's MA program.

### Wiki Editing Guidelines

Content on the wiki should be well-researched, well-written, and well-organized. Unlike other online encyclopedias, like Wikipedia, there is room for interpretive work here.