Syllabus THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT BROWNSVILLE College of Education

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT BROWNSVILLE
College of Education
Syllabus
Conceptual Framework & Knowledge Base
The conceptual framework contains four core
concepts that are themes through which we
organize and deliver our programs; hence they are
central to our vision of professional educators and
scholars. These include:
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Interculturalism
Interrelatedness
Inquiry
Pedagogical Leadership
College of Education (COE) Mission
Statement
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To prepare highly skilled professionals to assume roles and positions in teaching,
research, educational leadership, and human development.
To provide undergraduate and graduate programs based on proven best practice,
knowledge acquisition, reflective inquiry, critical thinking, and respect for the
cultural and linguistically diverse learner.
To continuously develop a dynamic local, state, national, and international,
dimension that promotes innovations and contributes to scientific educational,
economic, and social change.
College of Education (COE) Vision Statement
The vision of the College of Education is to be consistently recognized as fullyaccredited and as a nationally and internationally respected college in the areas of
science, mathematics, educational technology and intercultural dimension (language,
literacy, culture and interdisciplinary studies in regard to preparing teachers,
counselors, administrators, educational researchers, and professional at all levels, not
only for the school system but for other economical and service areas which require
training, human resources, development and life-long learning.
Teacher preparation programs of the College of Education will be central to the
mission of the University and will have national prominence. It will be at the
forefront in programs for English Language Learners and, through teacher
preparation, P-16 and life-long education initiatives will be a model for helping to
close the student achievement gap.
All of these will require the COE to be noted for the quality of its graduates, the
scholarship of its faculty, and the leadership and service they provide to the local,
regional, and national educational communities in the previously mentioned areas.
Note: Be advised that the College of Education conducts ongoing research
regarding the effectiveness of the programs. You will receive one survey in the final
semester prior to graduation regarding your program during your time here. A
second survey will occur within one year following graduation from or completion
of a program, and will be sent to your employer. This survey will focus on the
preparation received at UTB. Please remember that your response to these surveys
is critical to UTB excellence.
LANGUAGE, LITERACY, AND INTERCULTURAL STUDIES
BILC 6361 Issues in Bilingual and ESL Education
Dr. Sandra Mercuri [email protected]
Office hours Dr. Mercuri
M 3:00-5:00 T 3:00-5:00 W 11:00-12:00
Office EDBC 1.112 Phone 956 882-5842
Please try to make an appointment with the professor even when you come in during
office hours to avoid waiting. Appointments outside of office hours can be arranged. Email is the most efficient way to communicate.
Course Description: Students review social, cultural, political, and educational issues
that affect bilingual and ESL education, especially those that impact the education of
Latino students. The course reviews the history of bilingual education, effective models
of ESL and bilingual education, and best practices for ELLs.
Goals: Students will be exposed to recent publications related to bilingual education and
ESL education and come to understand key concepts in bilingualism. They examine
bilingual education not only in Texas but in the broader world context. They will explore
different models including dual language and the place of ESL in bilingual education.
Student Learning Outcomes
Program SLO
• The student will demonstrate an
understanding of concepts, theories, research,
and practice related to the acquisition of
Spanish and English.
SPA
Standard
1B
CORE Concept Standard
1 c Interculturalism
3 a, b Inquiry
4 a Pedagogical leadership
• Students will demonstrate an understanding of
the relationship of culture, language
development, and academic achievement with a
particular emphasis on Latino culture.
2B
• Students demonstrate knowledge of history,
research, and current practice in the field of
bilingual education and apply that knowledge
to improve the teaching and learning of their
bilingual students. Candidates become familiar
with different models of bilingual education
and the effectiveness of different models.
5A
* The knowledge students gain of the history
of and research on bilingual education helps
them take advocacy positions at their schools in
their districts. Students serve as professional
resources and build partnerships with students’
families.
* Students collaborate with and are prepared to
serve as a resource to all staff, including
paraprofessionals, to improve learning for all
bilingual students.
1 c Interculturalism
3 a, b Inquiry
4 b,c Pedagogical leadership
1 c Interculturalism
3 a, b Inquiry
5B
1 c Interculturalism
5C
1 c Interculturalism
4 b,c Pedagogical leadership
Course Evaluation
1) Students will read and respond through two guided response papers to reports,
textbook readings, and journal articles related to bilingual and ESL education
demonstrating an understanding of the readings and showing the ability to interpret and
apply the concepts to emergent bilinguals and bilingual ESL programs in Texas and
beyond.
2) Students will carry out guided application projects applying key concepts from the
readings and respond to application projects from other students.
3) Students will prepare a final presentation highlighting key learning from the course.
4) Students will do an advocacy paper based on what they have learned in this course
about English language learners in our schools as well as their needs and their families’
needs.
Required Textbook
(1) Baker, Colin. (2006). Foundations of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, Fourth
Edition. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
(2) Freeman, Y and D. Freeman. (2002) Closing the Achievement Gap: How to Reach
Limited-Formal-Schooling and Long-Term English Learners. Portsmouth: Heinemann
Other Required Readings
3) García. O., Kleifgen, J.A. & Falchi, L. (January 2008). “From English language
learners to emergent bilinguals.” Campaign for Education Equity: Teachers
College. (on blackboard) also
www.tc.edu/i/a/document/6468_Ofelia_ELL__Final.pdf
4) Gándara and Contreras. (2009). The Latino Education crisis.Cambridge,
Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. (Chapters 1, 2, 3 & 4)
5) Cummins, Jim. "Rethinking Monolingual Instructional Strategies in Multilingual
Classrooms." Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics 10, no. 2 (2007): 221-140.
6) King, Kendall, and Lyn Fogle. "Raising Bilingual Children: Common Parental
Concerns and Current Research." In CAL Digest. Washington, D.C.: Center for
Applied Linguistics, 2006.
www.cal.org/resources/digest/raisebilingchild.html
7) Olsen, Laurie "Reparable Harm: Fulfilling the Unkept Promise of Educational
Opportunity for California's Long Term English Learners." Long Beach, CA:
Californians Together, 2010.
www.calfund.org/pub_documents/reparable_harm_full_final_lo.pdf
Course Requirements
Attendance and Participation- Learning takes place during social interaction. Many of
our activities will involve group work, and your presence on time and prepared for each
session is important for the class and for your grade. It is important that you not only
come to class but that you participate in whole class and group discussions. See Criteria
for Class Participation. Please note attendance is not the sole criteria for you
attendance and participation grade.
Reading Assignments: It is expected that students will complete reading assignments on
time and be prepared to discuss what they have read. The professor will provide both
preview and review lecture and respond to questions and written assignments from the
readings.
E-mail -It will be necessary to check your e-mail at least three times a week to read
messages from your professor either clarifying or reminding you of assignments. In
addition, there will be times that an e-mail response from you may be required.
Check your e-mail frequently for reminders and messages from the professor.
Blackboard Response Group: You will be assigned to a group consisting of educators
in different districts who are taking the course. You will be responsible for responding to
the application assignments that your colleagues submit on the designated dates.
Application Assignments: These are activities related to the readings and are meant to
help students connect the course content to the school and community context in which
they live and work. Students will carry out these activities, take notes on findings, and
report back both orally and in writing. Application assignments should not only report
findings but also connect to the readings.
Your response will receive 4 points for content and 1 point for responding to group
members.
1) SUBMIT these electronically on Blackboard to your group by the due date on the
syllabus. Applications must be submitted ON TIME for grading.
2) Bring a copy to class for discussion.
3) Post responses to colleagues in your group by the following Saturday at noon.
Posting after Saturday at noon will not be considered for grading.
Guided Response papers to readings: Students will write two guided response papers
responding to reports, textbook readings, and journal articles related to bilingual and ESL
education demonstrating an understanding of the readings and showing the ability to
interpret and apply the concepts to emergent bilinguals and bilingual/ESL programs in
Texas and beyond. SUBMIT these electronically before class on the due date and bring a
copy to class. Points will be deducted for late assignments.
Final presentation – Due 12/03 - For this final, you will prepare a presentation (working
in pairs or threes) summarizing what you have learned about bilingualism and second
language acquisition in this class. You should bring together the different theories,
research, and practices you have been reading, writing, and talking about in this course
connecting them to theorists and researchers. You should include somewhere in the
presentation what kind of curriculum and/or programs emergent bilinguals in your district
need. This presentation can be a power point, a video tape of a skit, pictures of a big book
you produce, a video of a tri-fold poster you produce and talk through, a video of a
graphic you talk through (or talk to the professor about other media for presentation).
SUBMIT electronically your power point, the video, or other media with a separate onepage summary of the key points of your presentation.
Applications #1 Post on blackboard before 9-24. Bring copy to class.
1. Page 17 of García “From English language learners to emergent bilinguals” lists
common characteristics of ELLs. Look at the ELLs in your school (or a school or district
you know). List the characteristics that are the same for your school.
ELLs Common characteristics
Characteristics of ELLs in ___________
Most ELLs are Spanish-speaking Latinos
2. In Closing the Achievement Gap there is a discussion of Ogbu’s classification of
immigrant and involuntary minorities (pp. 6-11). Both groups experience discrimination,
but they react differently. Consider two emergent bilinguals in your schools. What
characteristics do you notice that they have? Are they immigrant or involuntary? Explain.
3. Write two paragraphs reflecting on three topics. (1) How do you feel about the second
language learners in your class and how do they impact your teaching? (2) What do you
think the role the families should be in the schooling of English language learners? (3)
What are your roles and responsibilities for teaching English language learners?
Keep this part for your final paper.
Application #2 Post on blackboard before 10/8. Bring copy to class.
1. (Baker, Chapter 1) Think about students, friends, colleagues, and family members.
List one example of each of the following telling the name of the person, how you know
the person (can be you, a family member, friend, student, co-worker, etc) and describing
why the person fits the dimension of bilingualism.
1) productive bilingual
2) receptive bilingual
3) Someone with bicultural competence
4) An example of an endogenous community
5) An example of an exogenous community
6.) Elective bilingual
7) Circumstantial bilingual
Put your response in chart form like this
Example
Productive bilingual
Name
Sandra Mercuri
Receptive Bilingual
Christian
Relationship
Colleague at the university and
friend
Husband of a family friend
Why?
Sandra reads, writes, speaks, and
understands Spanish and English
Christian reads and understands
quite a bit of English but is more
comfortable not speaking or writing
it.
2. (Baker chapter one)
Make a chart like the one on p. 5 of Baker to reflect on what language you use with
different targets and in different domains. List the targets and which language(s) you
use (Spanish, English, other) and then the domains and which languages you use. If you
are NOT bilingual, choose a bilingual person or student you know well enough to answer.
Application #3 Post on Blackboard before 11-5. Bring copy to class.
1. King and Fogle make four points about childhood bilingualism. Do you think parents
understand them? Briefly discuss each point.
2. Do you think that the Spanish language is seen as a problem, a right, or a resource in
your area in general? in your school district? in your home? For those in the Houston
area, how are other languages viewed?
Application #4 Post on Blackboard before 11-19. Bring copy to class.
(A) Do a survey of 5 of your colleagues asking them the following true or false
questions. (You may edit the questions to make them clearer to the people you interview)
Make a chart of the answers.
1) The younger a person is the easier it is to learn a second language.
2) Older learners do not master a second language because it is more difficult to learn a
language at an older age.
3) There is research evidence showing that if a person does not begin learning a second
language before puberty, they will not be able to become proficient in a second language.
4) ELLs should be allowed to keep their first language because they can then maintain
their social identity.
5) Older learners learn a second language faster than younger learners.
6) Power relationships between students learning English and teachers and communities
influence language learning.
(B). Do a survey of 5 of your colleagues asking them the following true or false
questions. (You may edit the questions to make them clearer to the people you interview)
Make a chart of the answers.
1. English language learners will learn English best if they are immersed in all English.
2. English language learners will learn English best if they are given some first language
support (for a few months or a year) and then immersed in all English.
3. Children who are taught in two languages get confused.
4. A child who comes to school speaking only Spanish and learns all in English will do
better than a Spanish speaking child taught in English and Spanish.
5. A child who comes to school speaking Spanish will do well in school in English if
he/she learns to read and write well in both Spanish and English.
6. Teaching a Spanish speaking child all in English can harm the child’s academic
achievement in English.
7. When teaching in a bilingual classroom, the languages must be kept separate at all
times.
(c). Compare their answers with those in your reading of Baker chapters 7 and 8. Write
your findings and your summary of what your learned.
Application #5 Post on blackboard before 12-03. Bring copy to class.
1. Do a timeline of bilingual/ESL education in the U.S. (based on Baker and the Gándara
et. al. chapter)
Guided Response Papers
Paper #1-10/22
In about five to 6 pages respond to the following points referencing the readings you have
done (García and Baker.)
(1) Compare education of ELLs in the Rio Grande Valley or the Houston area (and your
district in particular) with García’s discussion in “ From English Language Learners to
Emergent Bilinguals” including demographics and characteristics of students, programs
and policies for ELLs, and quality of instruction and materials. Does your school/ area
match what García has to say?
(2) Describe the characteristics of long term and limited formal English language
learners. After you give these characteristics, describe two students or a person you know
who represent either a LTEL or LFS explaining how they fit the characteristics. Based
this response in Closing the Achievement Gap and Reparable Harm resources you have
read for this course.
(3) In Closing the Achievement Gap the authors suggest four keys for success for ELLs.
What are the four keys? Describe a different activity you read about or you have done in
your classroom for each key. (You should have at least four activities.)
(4) Baker writes about language loss around the world. Summarize what Baker tells us
about language death and what we might do to prevent it.
Paper #2 11/26
(1) Describe the social context, including examples of some of the social factors that
affect Latino/a students’ ability to navigate successfully through school such as poverty,
socioeconomic conditions of their families and neighborhoods, and identity issues among
others. In addition, elaborate on some of the limiting school experiences Latinos have
had and continue to have in American schools. Include but not limited to resources, no
pre-school and inadequate school conditions, instructional offerings, unprepared teachers,
tracking, segregation, stereotypes and cultural and social capital.
(2) Explain Cummins’ concepts of Common Underlying Proficiency (CUP) and Separate
Underlying Proficiency (SUP). Explain how concepts and language transfer from one
language to another. Draw and explain in a paragraph the The Threshold Hypothesis.
(4) Choose six programs we have discussed that are used with bilingual/ESL students
including at least three used in your district. Explain the language and academic results of
each of these programs. Which programs does your school use? Taking into
consideration all you have learned this semester, which program would best serve the
ELLs in your district/school.
Final reflection: Advocacy 12/10
In this final reflection paper, you are asked to do the following:
1. Reread the paper you submitted at the beginning of the course in which you
answered the following questions:
a. (1) How do you feel about the second language learners in your class and
how do they impact your teaching?
b. (2) What do you think the role of the families and culture should be in the
schooling of English language learners?
c. (3) What are your roles and responsibilities for teaching English language
learners
2. Review the readings and application assignments you have done for the course.
3. Write a paper of 3 to 5 pages reflecting on the question below.
Question #1:
After the readings and applications you have done for this class, how do you see
English language learners in our schools? Describe students’ strengths (COE
Disposition: Interculturalism), What do you understand about how their culture and
family social conditions may or may not impact their learning? (COE Disposition:
Interculturalism – 2.a, 2.b), How should schools meet the needs of the students and
their families? (COE Disposition: Interculturalism – 5a), Describe programs school
should provide for both students’ and families (COE Disposition: Pedagogical
leadership – 5.a), What are some ways teachers can help to meet their needs?
Describe what strategies you should use to support both students’ and families’ needs
(COE Disposition: Pedagogical leadership 5.a), What are teachers’ roles and
responsibilities to serve minority students’ needs? (COE Disposition: Pedagogical
leadership 5.b, 5.c), In your paper reference the readings we have done and refer to
the applications you carried out.
Date
8/27
Week
One
Assignment due
Six Advantages of bilingual education-Who are you?
9/3
9/10
Two
Three
Labor Day weekend
• Read García. O., Kleifgen, J.A. & Falchi, L. (January 2008).
From English Language Learners to Emergent Bilinguals.
Download from blackboard under “Articles to read”
9/17
Four
• Read the introduction and chapters 1, 2, and 3 (pp ix to 69)
of Closing the Achievement Gap book (Freeman, and
Freeman, with Mercuri)
Identify one LTEL and one LFS learner for class discussion
Begin to work on Application 1
9/24
Five
• Read the rest of (of Closing the Achievement Gap book,
Chapters 4, 5, and 6 (pp. 70-152) (Freeman, and Freeman,
with Mercuri)
Application #1 due
(Post on Blackboard and bring copy to class to discuss).
10/1
Six
• Read "Reparable Harm: Fulfilling the Unkept Promise of
Educational Opportunity for California's Long Term English
Learners." pp. 1-49 (on blackboard)
• Read Chapter 1 in Baker, “Definitions and Distinctions” p. 2-19
10/8
Seven
Distinguished lecture series: attendance and report
Read Gándara and Contreras The Latino Education Crisis
(Chapter 1) and bring notes to class 10/15 for discussion.
Complete graphic organizer with main poinst and reaction to
te readings for submission
Application #2 due
(Post on Blackboard and bring copy to class to discuss).
10/15
Eight
• Read Chapter 3 in Baker pp. 43-66.
• Read Gándara, Patricia, and Contreras The Latino Education
Crisis (Chapter 2)(on blackboard)
10/22
Nine
• Read Gándara, Patricia, and Contreras The Latino Education
Crisis (Chapter 4)(on blackboard)
• Read Chapter 17 in Baker pp. 382-397.
Paper #1 Due
10/29
Ten
• Read Chapter 5 in Baker pp. 96 -118
• Read “Raising Bilingual Children (King and Fogle). (on
Blackboard)
11/5
Eleven
•Read Gándara, Patricia, and Contreras The Latino
Education Crisis (Chapter 2)(on blackboard)
Application #3 due
(Post on Blackboard and bring copy to class to discuss).
Culture: Power Point
11/12
Twelve
• Read Chapter 6 pp. 120-141 of Baker
• Read Cummins, Jim. "Rethinking Monolingual Instructional
Strategies in Multilingual Classrooms." (on blackboard)
Power point on Advocacy (Soltero)
11/19
***
Thirteen
• Read Chapter 7 in Baker pp. 143-165
• Read Chapter 8 in Baker pp.167-186
Application #4 due
(Post on Blackboard and bring copy to class to discuss).
11/26
Fourteen • Read Chapter 9 in Baker pp. 188-211 and Chapter 10 in Baker
pp. 213-225. Fill in Timeline as you read
• Paper #2 Due
12/03
Fifteen
Application #5 due: Turn in Timeline
(Post on Blackboard and bring copy to class to discuss).
Final presentations due
12/10
Sixteen
Present final presentations
Final reflection: Philosophy and Advocacy Paper due
Grading- Your grade will be based on your written work, and your participation and
attendance. If you see that your grade is not good, please talk to the instructor. Do not
wait until the end of the course to talk about how you might improve your grade.
Attendance and participation
15%
Guided papers (2) (15 % each)
30%
Application Responses 5 (5 % each)
25%
Final Reflection: Philosophy and Advocacy Paper
15%
Final Exam ( Presentation)
15%
Note: The grading system for UTB has changed so we now have an Alphanumeric
system. Please go to this link to see how this works. It is summarized below.
http://www.utb.edu/vpaa/graduate/Pages/GradesandGrading.aspx
GRADING SYSTEM
Partial evaluations will be made with numbers (exams, tests, papers, presentations
and so on). Letter grades of “A” through “F” (course final grade) will be awarded
based on the following scale:
A+ 98-100
A 93-97
A- 90-92
B+ 88-89
B 83-87
B- 80-82
C+ 78-79
C 73-77
C- 70-72
D+ 68-69
D 63-67
D – 60-62
F 0-59
Incomplete Grades: A grade of Incomplete (I) may be given at the discretion of the
instructor to a student who has been unable to complete the course requirements due
to a serious interruption not caused by the student’s own negligence.
A Outstanding scholarship demonstrating mastery of key concepts. Performance on key
assignments that significantly exceeds the requirements and qualitative expectations of
the course. Superior mastery of subject matter. Initiative and self-direction leading to
significant study and related activity beyond course requirements.
B Good Scholarship. Performance that fully meets all the requirements and qualitative
expectations of the Course. Solid mastery of subject matter.
C Marginal Scholarship. Performance that meets the requirements and qualitative
expectations of the course but does not indicate solid mastery.
Criteria for Class Participation
Outstanding Contributor: Contributions in class reflect thorough preparation and critical thinking.
Ideas offered are usually substantive, provide one or more major insights as well as direction for the
class. Arguments, when offered, are well supported and persuasively presented. If this person were
not a member of the class, the quality of the discussion would be diminished significantly.
Contributes but does not dominate.
Good Contributor: Contributions in class reflect thorough preparation. Ideas offered are usually
substantive, provide good insights and sometimes direction for the rest of the class. Arguments,
when presented, are well supportive and are often persuasive. If this person were not a member of
the class, the quality of the discussion would be diminished considerably.
Adequate Contributor: Contributions in class reflect satisfactory preparation. Ideas offered are
sometimes substantive, provide generally useful insights. Arguments are sometimes presented, and
are fairly well supported.
Non-participant: This person has said little or nothing in the class. Hence, there is no adequate basis
for evaluation.
Unsatisfactory Contributor: Contribution in class reflects inadequate preparation. Ideas offered are
seldom substantive, provide few if any insights, and rarely a constructive direction for the rest of
the class.
Note: Students are to turn cellular phones and pagers off during classroom sessions.
Note: Students may only use computers during class time in specified situations.
Note: Course assignments, due dates, etc are subject to change at the discretion of the
professor. Changes will be announced with ample time.
SYLLABUS ADDENDUM
SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS (SAP)
UTB/TSC monitors academic progress every fall and spring semester to identify
those students who are experiencing difficulty with their courses. Satisfactory
Academic Progress (SAP) is based upon two components: GPA of 2.0 or higher
and successful course completion of at least 70% of course work
attempted. Students remain in good standing with the university and Financial
Aid when both criteria are met. Students who do not maintain these required
minimum standards will be placed on probation or suspension as
appropriate. The complete Satisfactory Academic Progress policy and the
Undergraduate Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid policy can be
found in the current Undergraduate Catalog. For more information, please visit
http://www.utb.edu/vpaa/sap/Pages/Home.aspx
SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY
Students who engage in scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties,
including the possibility of failure in the course and expulsion from the
University. Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating,
plagiarism, collusion, submission for credit of any work or materials that are
attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for
another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student, or the
attempt to commit such acts. Since scholastic dishonesty harms the individual, all
students and the integrity of the University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will
be strictly enforced. (Board of Regents Rules and Regulations)
All scholastic dishonesty incidents will be reported to the Dean of Students. Do
not allow your peers to pressure you to cheat. Your grade, academic standing and
personal reputation are at stake. For a brief informative video on cheating and its
consequences click on “Academic Integrity at UTB/TSC” at this link:
http://www.utb.edu/sa/judicial/Pages/academicIntegrity.aspx
STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC RESPONSIBILITIES
Students are expected to be diligent in their studies and attend class regularly and
on time. Students are responsible for all class work and assignments. On
recommendation of the instructor concerned and with the approval of the Dean,
students may, at any time, be dropped from courses. This may result in a “W” or
“F” on the student’s permanent record.
EMERGENCY POLICY STATEMENT
In compliance with the Emergency UTB/TSC Academic Continuity Program,
academic courses, partially or entirely, will be made available on the MyUTBTSC
Blackboard course management system. This allows faculty members and
students to continue their teaching and learning via MyUTBTSC Blackboard
http://myutbtsc.blackboard.com, in case the university shuts down as a result of a
hurricane or any other natural disaster.
The university will use MyUTBTSC Blackboard to post announcements notifying
faculty members and students of their responsibilities as a hurricane approaches
our region. If the university is forced to shut down, faculty will notify their
course(s). To receive credit for a course, it is the student’s responsibility to
complete all the requirements for that course. Failure to access course materials
once reasonably possible can result in a reduction of your overall grade in the
class.
To facilitate the completion of class, most or all of the communication between
students and the institution, the instructor, and fellow classmates will take place
using the features in your MyUTBTSC Blackboard and UTB email system.
Therefore, all students must use Scorpion Online to provide a current email
address. Students may update their email address by following the link titled
“Validate your e-Mail Account” in MyUTBTSC Blackboard Portal. In the event
of a disaster that disrupts normal operations, all students and faculty must make
every effort to access an internet-enabled computer as often as possible to
continue the learning process.
Emergency Notification System
UTB/TSC has implemented an emergency communication system to provide
students, faculty, staff and visitors with important information in the event of an
impending threat. This system allows UTB/TSC to send time sensitive
notifications via telephones, computers, indoor speakers in classrooms and
laboratories, outside speakers, e-mail messages, and announcements on the
University’s home page: www.utb.edu. The notification methods used will vary
depending on the level of the emergency. Messages will communicate the current
situation and provide guidance for what action needs to be taken immediately.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA)
Students with disabilities, including learning disabilities, who wish to request
accommodations in this class should notify the Disability Services Office early in
the semester so that the appropriate arrangements may be made. In accordance
with federal law, a student requesting accommodations must provide
documentation of his/her disability to the Disability Services counselor. For more
information, visit Disability Services in the Lightner Center, call 956-882-7374 or
e-mail [email protected].