Welcome to the
Division of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
Whether you are an instructor, a staff member, or a student, we want you make sure you are aware of who we are and what we do, and we especially want to use this space to provide you with the information you need to be successful at Merritt. Below we will provide information that will help you with current topics and news, links on the left will help you with general FAQs, and the right column will provide a directory and contact information. Anything else you’d like to see? We welcome your feedback!
Who We Are
Ann Elliot, Interim Division Dean, aelliott@peralta.edu
Denise Woodward, Staff Assistant, dwoodward@peralta.edu
Ne’Shawn Hayes, Staff Assistant, nhayes@peralta.edu
Who is in our Division
Art, Communication, Music, Health Education, Kinesiology, Athletics, English, ESL, Foreign Languages, Humanities, Philosophy, Spanish, African-American Studies, Mexican-Latin-American Studies, Asian-American Studies, Native-American Studies, Fruitvale Education Center, Child Development, Community Social Services, Educational Technology, Learning Center, Learning Resources, Library Information Studies, Anthropology, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, History
Important Reminders for the Start of the Semester
CHECK YOUR FACULTY CENTER FREQUENTLY. Important dates for both full-term classes and dynamically dated (i.e. late start and short-term) classes are there. Census/attendance and grade roster submission dates are stated there
Take attendance every class meeting in the first two weeks to identify students who are “no show” AND DROP THEM ON YOUR CENSUS ROSTER (2/05/18 for regular classes) to avoid grade change requests and students being charged fees for classes they did not attend. It is always easier to reinstate a student who is mistakenly dropped as a “no show” than to change any grade to a “no show.” Here is a link to the academic calendar with all important dates for SP 18. http://web.peralta.edu/admissions/spring-2018-important-dates-deadlinesenrollment-dates/
ADDING STUDENTS
Briefly, After the first week of full-term classes students can only be added to your class If you give the student a permission # for online enrollment, and for in-person enrollment, a permission # and a signed add card. See the attached FAQs from Sylvia Cortez.
YOUR SYLLABUS –Submit to your Department Chair by end of Week One 1/26/18
Please title your syllabus as follows: aelliott_Engl252_MW9-11_SP18(firstinitiallastname_course&#_day&time_term)
As stipulated in Faculty Evaluation Handbook (a negotiated item):
“At the first meeting of a course, instructors shall: distribute a syllabus to students describing course content, the times and places where office hours are held, the grading standards by which the work of students shall be evaluated, and other relevant information; it is especially important that students be made aware of exactly what is required of them in order to succeed in the course.”
Given this, it is strongly recommended you include the official SLOs for your course on the syllabus, highly relevant information for students. If you are unclear about SLOs, be sure to ask your department chair. This is also important so you know what are the SLOs you may be asked to assess for your course.
OFFICE HOURS:
Full-time instructors shall schedule, post and maintain at least five (5) office hours per week, four (4) hours to be scheduled over four (4) days and one (1) hour to be arranged. (CBA Article 18.A.6)
Please list office hours clearly on your syllabus. If you teach online, you may hold office hours online.
Part-time office hours. Faculty must submit their “Request to Participate in Office Hour form” to their Division Dean every semester, by the end of the first week of instruction. Please submit in person or email to Ne’Shawn Dixon at nhayes@peralta.edu. Here is a link to the form http://pft1603.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/A.33-Form-to-Participate-in-Office-Hour.pdf
REPORTING ABSENCES
If you will be unable to meet your class, CALL Ne’Shawn Dixon 434-3600. Please call ahead as early as possible, so we can post a sign to notify students. EMAIL your students and the dean, Ann Elliott, notifying them of your absence. Before the end of the month complete the Leave of Absence Form and submit to the Dean. You can find the LAR at the link below.
http://web.peralta.edu/hr/hr-documents-forms/