WLLS
111 Fall 2007
Course Coordinators:
Professor
Scott Heinekamp scotth@wells.edu
364-3361
Stratton 202
Professor
Laura McClusky lmcclusky@wells.edu
364-3252
Macmillan 305
Attendance &
Course Support:
Ms.
Phyllis Siemiatkowski
364-3370
Macmillan
200
New Student Experience: Introduction to
Wells
Discovering Where You Are, Connecting to the
Wells Hive
Goals
of WLLS111: Students taking
this course will
- develop an awareness of our area’s history and resources (AA)
- be introduced to our community, its history and values (CV)
- learn how to navigate our college’s opportunities and services (NC)
- have the opportunity to learn broadly, outside the classroom and in our
community (LB)
- understand responsible citizenry at Wells (RC)
- delve further into issues and topics presented in The Secret Life of Bees
(BB)
- be introduced to timely issues (TI)
Where
to Find Stuff and Keep in Touch:
It will be
essential for you to keep in touch with this course. Opportunities and
logistics are likely to change from what is listed here. You can keep in touch
the following ways:
- Visit the WLLS111 Resource Room (also known as the German Culture Room).
It’s in the Long Library near the upper entrance. Here you will sign
up in advance for SESSIONS, obtain information about events on and off campus,
and cross paths with your fellow bees. The space is wireless-active, and
nice for study. Visit this place often.
- Visit the website http://aurora.wells.edu/~wlls111 . Go
here to find this syllabus, the calendar, and other on-line materials
- Check your e-mail regularly. We are completely reliant on email, using xxx@wells.edu
addresses only. It is your responsibility to check your email and
to be sure your inbox is not full.
- Visit or call (see numbers and offices above) your friendly attendance
administrator and course coordinators.
- As a courtesy to your fellow bees, pass on any late-breaking course
information that they might want to know about!!
Keys
to the Course and How Ye Shall Pass WLLS111:
A) First, you need to understand the
vocabulary of WLLS111:
SWARMS: All or most of the students in the class meet at the same place and
time for SWARMS (6 swarms in all are offered, each has a value of 1
swarm-credit [sc]), always on Fridays 1:30 – 2:30 (except for Boathouse
Beach Party which will open its doors at 1:00). You must obtain 5 sc to
pass.
POLLEN SESSIONS: Between the swarms, bees gather nutrition by choosing
from a number of offerings during POLLEN SESSIONS. Bees prefer
variety in their flower diet, and so you too will have lots of choices of
POLLEN SESSIONS. Some will be repeated, others not. Times and cc
values for each will vary, too: usually but not always POLLEN SESSIONS will
take place on Friday at 1:30, and they will have a value of 1 or 2 cc. 1
cc sessions are usually about an hour long, 2 cc sessions are longer.
Each POLLEN SESSION is tied to a few of the course goals listed above.
The two-letter code will guide you in making choices that help you get familiar
with our hive. You must obtain 10 cc to pass.
EVENTS: These are happenings bees can attend, independent from this
course. They are events that faculty and staff might organize for the
campus community, or happenings off campus that have nothing to do with Wells.
These can be performances, museums, sporting events, quality films, lectures,
and so on – and they can also be other SESSIONS in WLLS111 that
aren’t otherwise given cc. You must attend five events to
pass.
***NOTE***: some events will be transformable into starred (*) pollen sessions.
At various points faculty at Wells might organize a discussion session to
augment an “event”. In other words, “EVENT” +
“DISCUSSION” = 2 “POLLEN SESSIONS”. That is, if
you attend both the event and the discussion session that augments it, you get
2 cc. While we are aware of some of these now and have included them in
the syllabus, others will pop up over the course of the semester. These
sessions are starred*. Keep in touch to know what will count, and how much
comb-credit it will be worth. If you are inspired by a particular talk or
event and would like to a get discussion going after, contact either
coordinator and we’ll see if we might arrange it.
ATTENDANCE SHEETS, EVENT SLIPS AND SIGN-UP SHEETS: So that we know you are
present, we MUST take attendance. At SWARMS and POLLEN SESSIONS, please
write your name on a provided slip of paper and put it into the box. To
get credit for events, you MUST submit a paper form to the box in the resource
room, where forms are available (or on the web site). These forms require
you to briefly describe the event so we can determine if it qualifies as an
event. A week before a POLLEN SESSION takes place "sign-up
sheets" will appear in the Resource Room. Please sign up for
sessions you plan on attending. Many SESSIONS have limited space and this will
let you know if a session is full. Please be prompt when attending the
SESSION, your seat may go to someone else.
B) Now…what EXACTLY do you need to
pass this course:
We grade this course using
S/U (satisfactory = pass/ unsatisfactory = fail).
To pass the course you MUST
do the following:
1. Obtain at least 5
swarm credits (sc)
2. Obtain at least 10
comb credits (cc)
3. Attend and submit
accepted forms for at least 5 events.
ALWAYS REMEMBER TO SUBMIT AN
ATTENDANCE SLIP AT EVERY SWARM AND SESSION!! YOUR GRADE IS BASED ON
THIS!!
Phyllis
will keep track of your sc and cc numbers, and your event record. If you have
any questions regarding your status in the class, talk to her!!
Helpful
Hints: Typically a bee will need to acquire 1 cc or sc every week to finish the
course in good standing. Do not collect all your pollen at once, and
DON’T wait until the last minute. Also, try to collect different
kinds of pollen. This course is here for you to explore new things; try not to
be a boring bee and do the same kinds of things all the time.
TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE
All events run 1:30 –
2:30 on Fridays unless otherwise noted.
We have tried to offer
sessions at various times to
meet 225 different
schedules.
Please be sure to check the
calendar posted on the website and in the Resource Room for more accurate
information of listings.
Other SESSIONS might
be added, some of these MIGHT be canceled.
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Floating Sessions will occur
periodically throughout the semester. Stay in touch for further
information. More might be added.
FLOATING SESSIONS
FS-A The Magic Wells Garden (Place: south of white house
just south of campus) Come help keep this new project moving, which will be
producing delicious fall veggies. Environmental Studies Professor Anne
Herzig and other guest stars will work in the dirt alongside you. (1 cc)
CV, LB
FLOATING SESSIONS
FS-B The
Stars Shine for You
(Place: vans to
Southern Cayuga Observatory/Planetarium in Poplar Ridge) Come figure out your
place in the universe! There are regular events at the planetarium, as
well as monthly nighttime telescope use. (2 cc) AA, LB
FLOATING SESSIONS
FS-C Study Skills (Place: TBA) Workshops on
study skills, time managements, etc. help by Janet Snoyer. Two such
sessions are already scheduled, on Sept 1 and Sept 8. (1 cc) NC, RC
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SWARM I: Aug 24 What IS This Course about? (Place: Amphitheater,
the grassy area just to the rear/side of Macmillan Hall; Rain place: Chapel,
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SWARM II: Aug
31 Boathouse
Beach Party
(Place: Boathouse, rain or shine. Time: 1 pm if you can get there by
then.) Choose from boat rides on the good ship Haendel, learn
about myriad activities at the Student Club Fair, partake of swimming from the
dock, and indulge in FDF (Flying Disk Fun). Refreshments will be served
under the yellow-and-white-striped tent! (1 sc) AA, CV, LB
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WEEK 2A, Sept 1 for transfer students (Saturdays): Time Management and Study
Skills
(Time: 1:30, Place: WLLS111 Resource Room) Feeling Helpless? Janet Snoyer
can help you, even if you think you don’t need any help! (1 cc) NC,
CV
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WEEK 3A, Sept
7: Haudenosaunee History (Place: AER) Perry Ground,
Haudenosaunee storyteller and educator, will speak on the culture and history
of the original upstate NY dwellers. (1 cc) AA, LB, CV, TI
WEEK 3B, Sept 7: The Actual Lives of Bees (Place: WLLS111 Resource
Room) Professor Tom Vawter will tell you all you wanted to know but were afraid
to ask about bees: social life, communication,how queens are made and what IS
“royal jelly?” (1 cc) BB, LB CANCELED
WEEK 3D, Sept 8 (Saturday): Time Management and Study
Skills (Time: 1:30 Place:
WLLS111 Resource Room) see description for session 2A above - This session is
now for all students, not just transfers.
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WEEK 4A, Sept 11 (Tuesday): The Secret Life of
Voting/Eyes on
the Prize (Time: 4:45 Place: Macmillan 313) To
better understand the social context of The Secret Life of Bees,
we’ll watch an episode of “Eyes on the Prize” (an award
winning documentary on the civil rights movement) and discuss race
relations then and now, white privilege, and the social meaning and democratic
importance of voting. You’ll also get a chance to register to vote. (You
need to attend both the video and the discussion for 2 cc, attending one alone
will count as an event) BB, RC, TI
WEEK 4B, Sept
13 (Thursday):
Sullivan
Campaign/Cayuga Land Claim (Place: Tour by college vans. Meet in front of
WEEK 4C - Sept 14: Residential Living
(Place: Macmillan 313)
see description for session 3C above
WEEK 4D - Sept 14: The Actual Lives of Bees (Place: WLLS111
Resource Room) see description for
session 3B above
WEEK 4E Sept 15 (Saturday): Seneca Falls Women’s
Rights Museum
(Place: Field trip by bus to
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WEEK 5A*, Sept 17 (Monday) and Sept
21: Witnessing,
Resilience and Hope (Place: AER; Time: Monday
1:30-3:00, Friday 1:30) Keela Dates ’06 will be speaking to Professor Deb
Gagnon’s Positive Psychology class about her work at a school in
an impoverished Kenyan community on Monday Sept 17, and will then hold a panel
discussion on Friday Sept 21. (You need to attend both lecture and panel
discussion for 2 cc, attending one alone will count as an event) LB, BB, TI
WEEK 5B, Sept 18 (Tuesday): The Secret Life of
Voting/Eyes on
the Prize (Place: Macmillan 313) see description for session
4A above.
WEEK 5C, Sept
20 (Thursday):
Sullivan
Campaign/Cayuga Land Claim (Place: Tour by college vans. Meet in front of
WEEK 5D, Sept 21: Haudenosaunee Social Dance
Traditions: Performance and Workshop (Place:
WEEK 5E, Sept 21: Residential Living
(Place: Macmillan 313)
see description for session 3c above
WEEK 5F, Sept 22 (Saturday): Tutelo Park Homecoming (Place: Vans depart from
front of
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WEEK 6A*, Sept 24 (Monday): The Challenge of Fundamentalism: Political Islam and
the World Disorder
(Place: AER; Time: 4:30) International relations expert Dr. Bassam Tibi of
Cornell University will talk on issues of modern day Islam, Arab nationalism
democracy and religion. He will then lead a panel discussion on religious
pluralism. Members of the panel include Wells Professors from various
disciplines. This even should be done by 6PM. (You need to attend both lecture
and panel discussion for 2 cc, attending one alone will count as event credit)
CV, LB, TI
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SWARM III SEPT 27:
Sue Monk Kidd (Thursday): Sue
Monk Kidd (Place: Phipps
Auditorium. Time: 7PM) Award winning author Sue Monk Kidd will read from her
novel The Secret Life of Bees. She’ll also sign your copy,
answer questions and address comments. Don’t miss this one!! (1 sc) BB,
LB, CV
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WEEK 6B, Sept 28 & 29 (Friday
and Saturday): Stratton
Hall Ribbon-Cutting and Open House
(Place:
Stratton and environs. Time: see open house schedule) Attend various activities
that create connections between the sciences and the liberal arts and have fun
while you do it!! (1 cc) RC, CV, LB
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WEEK 7A, Sept 30 (Sunday): Trip to the SHARE
Farm
(Place: Meet in front of
RESCHEDULED TO OCTOBER 4
WEEK 7A, Oct 4 (Thursday): Trip to the SHARE
Farm
(Place: Meet in front of
Time: 1:30-4:00 The SHARE Farm (Strengthening Haudenosaunee-American Relations through Education) is
owned and operated by the Cayuga Nation. “Professor Ernie Olson
will show you around and give you the opportunity to pick fresh apples and
raspberries at this Cayuga-Nation owned working organic farm.” (2
cc) AA, LB, CV, TI
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SWARM IV-A Oct 5: Class of 2011 Meeting (Place: Chapel) Come to a
meeting for all freshman to talk about your experience at Wells thus far: what
is going well, what are your needs, what suggestions do you have for us, are
you connected to the college? Come share your ideas. (1 sc) NC, RC
SWARM IV-B Oct 5: Special Event for Transfers (Place: AER) Come to a
meeting for all transfer and WILL students to talk about your experience at
Wells thus far: what is going well, what are your needs, what suggestions do
you have for us, are you connected to the college? Come share your ideas. (1
sc) NC, RC
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WEEK 8A, Oct 12: The Co-Ed Protests: Why?
When? Where?
(Place: Art Exhibit Room) After the Board of Trustees voted to make
WEEK 8B, Oct 12: Identity: Who Am I? Who Are
You? (Place: Faculty Parlors)
(Time: 1:30-3:00) Join Director of
Institutional Diversity Steve Gilchrist and Joel McCarthy in an inter-group
dialogue process around identity. It will give you a chance to know
yourself, and one another. (2 cc) CV, RC, LB, TI
WEEK 8C, Oct 12: Writing as a Means to
Insight
(Place: Cleveland 109) Professor of English Cynthia Garrett and other
faculty invite you to join them to discuss, debate and even argue about the
role writing plays across the disciplines of the liberal arts. (1 cc) CV, LB
WEEK 8D, Oct 13 (Saturday): Harriet Tubman House (Place: Field trip by bus
to
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WEEK 9A Oct 19: Abolitionist
History/Underground Railroad (Place: Tour by college vans.
Meet in front of
Tanya
Warren, local historian and activist will lead a tour of local sites important
to the history of slavery and its abolition.
(2 cc) AA, LB
WEEK 9B, Oct 19: Identity: Who Am I? Who Are
You?
(Place: Macmillan 313) See description of session 8B above CANCELED
WEEK 9C, Oct 19: Writing As A Means of
Insight
(Place:
WEEK 9D, Oct 19: Thesis!! Did Someone Say
THESIS!?! (Place: Faculty Parlors)
Many of Wells’s majors require a thesis for your capstone experience.
Come listen and ask questions of “thesising” seniors and faculty
mentors. Transfers will find this especially useful!! (1 cc) NC, CV, RC
WEEK 9E, Oct. 19: Making The Most Out of Internships (Place: AER) Alumna Jocelyn Giannini
’06 will talk about working at Holtzbrinck Publishers (which includes St.
Martin’s Press, Henry Holt, and Farrar Straus & Giroux among other
major trade and college publishers) and how Career Services, the alumna network
and internships she did while at Wells helped her in getting the position that
she currently holds. (1 cc) NC, CV
WEEK 9F, Oct 20: (Saturday) CAYUGA/SHARE
FARM (Place: Meet in front of
Please plan to stay for at least 2 hours to
earn your 2 cc. There will be
Apples, possibly Cider Making, General Winterizing, Pot
Luck. After the work is done, from
mid-afternoon till Evening, Cayuga Chiefs And Clanmothers hold a Discussion with Cayugas
and Supporters of the Nation (A retired professor from a prominent university
is making a sizable donation to the Nation)
Unfortunately we cannot obtain ANY Wells
vans on this day, so I ask that anyone who might want to attend and who can
drive their car to meet other riders in front of Main at 10 am on Saturday: a
car-pool situation. Professor Olson
will be there to give a lift up there, too. Directions (easy!): Take Rt 90 N to
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WEEK 10, Oct 23: (Tuesday) THE
There will be a combination work
morning/salad-eating brunch hosted by Professor Herzig. Come dig the dirt and chomp its
bounty. The Garden is a 5-minute walk
south of campus on the east side of Rt 90 (next to
the white house). Just walk up the
gravel driveway and come around to the south side of the house. (Session added
to syllabus 10/17)
WEEK 10, Oct 24: (Wednesday) HATE CRIMES AND HATE SPEECH (Place: Chapel) (Time: 4:30-6:00) (2cc)
Judith
Rosenstein, Lecturer in Sociology at Wells. (Session added to
syllabus 10/19)
WEEK 10A, Oct 25 (Thursday) Sarah Mkhonza/ City of
WEEK 10B, Oct 26: Identity: Who Am I? Who Are
You?
(Macmillan 313) (Time: 1:30-3:00)
See description of session 8B above
WEEK 10C, Oct 26: (Place: AER) Why
do internships?
Hear from a Wells Alumna and two seniors about
why your experiences outside the classroom are so important and why you should
start planning these experiences NOW! (1 cc) NC, CV
WEEK 10D, Oct 26: Thesis!! Did Someone Say
THESIS!?! (Place: Faculty Parlors) See
description of session 9D above
WEEK 10E, Oct 26: Mommy, Where Does Ice Cream
Come From? (Place: Field trip by
van. Meet in front of RESCHEDULED
TO NOV 9
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SWARM V Nov 2: Five Minutes of Fame (Place: Chapel and Faculty Parlors) Talent Show and Party! Sign up in the Resource Room
if you’re interested in performing or exhibiting. (1 sc) RC, LB, CV
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WEEK 12, Nov 6: The
Healing Muse (1cc) visiting writer.
(Place: AER, Time: 4:30p)
(Added to syllabus 10/30/07)
WEEK 12, Nov 6: Action
Against Secual Violence: A film and conversation on how to make a
difference for survivors of sexual violence. (1cc) (Place: Faculty Parlors) (Time: 4:30-5:30p)
(Added to syllabus 11/06/07)
WEEK 12, Nov 6: Plant Yourself at Wells (Place: Meet in front of
WEEK 12, Nov 7: DUI
Simulator Car and Impact Video (1cc) (Place:
Time:
5:30-10:30p) (Added to syllabus
11/06/07)
WEEK 12, Nov 7: Wells
Magic Garden, (1cc) (Time:
1:45-2:45) Meet at garden. 5 minute walk south of campus on east
side of Rt. 90 (next to the white house).
Walk up the gravel driveway and go around to the south side of the house. Project: tilling the peas.
(Added to syllabus 10/30/07)
WEEK 12, Nov 8: Yewande
Multicultural Performance, (1cc) (Time:
12:30-1:30) (Place:
WEEK 12, Nov 8: Yewande
Motivational Workshop, (2cc) (Time:
6:30-8:00)) (Place: Faculty Parlors) (Added to syllabus 11/5/07)
WEEK 12, Nov
8: X.
J. KENNEDY, renowned anthologist, poet, and children’s writer to recite
from two new books of poetry (Place: AER, Time:
7:30p) (1 cc)
(Added to syllabus 10/30/07)
WEEK 12, Nov
9: Science
Colloquium, Professor Sol M. Gruner, Director of
Cornell High Energy Synchrottron Source (CHESS) CHESS and the Cornell ERL project (1cc)
(Place: AER, Time: 7:30p) (Added to syllabus 10/30/07)
WEEK 12A, Nov
9: Am
I Still in My Body?
(Place: Dance
Studio) Stress, fatigue, and long hours of sitting at the computer can leave us
feeling "divorced" from our physical being. This active workshop uses
awareness of breath and alignment, guided imagery, and movement games (NOT
dance) to release tension and put body, mind, and spirit back together.
Includes reflection and discussion time. Wear comfy clothes. (1 cc) LB, NC, CV
WEEK 12B, Nov 9: The Secret Lives of Wells
Students in the Early 1960s (Place:
Mac 313) Dean Leslie Miller-Bernal will reflect on what Wells students were
like and what they were doing when Lily, Rosaleen, August, May and June were
beekeeping in South Carolina. We'll discuss Wells students before and
after they became involved in political and social issues of the day, in particular,
civil rights and the anti-Vietnam war movement. (1 cc) BB, RC, CV
WEEK 12C, Nov 9: A Space for Spirituality (Place: Stratton 209) (Time: 1:45-2:45)
Chaplain Bob French and Emeritus Professor Arthur Bellinzoni will
encourage inquiry into the varieties of spiritual experience, and explain how
students can pursue their quest for meaning in life or maintain and deepen
their current spiritual practices. On Nov 9, the discussion topic will be
“Public Issues and Private Spirituality”; on Nov 16 it will be
“Education and the Challenge to Faith”. (1 cc) CV, LB, TI
WEEK 12D, Nov 9: Plant Yourself at Wells (Place: Meet in front of TO TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1:30-3:30)
WEEK 12E, Nov
9: The World
Outside of Aurora: OCS at Wells (Place: Cleveland 208) John Wells, the Director of Off-Campus
Study, will present your study abroad options through Wells and speak with you
about how to prepare for those options and apply for programs. (1 cc) NC, CV
WEEK 12F, Nov 9: Mommy, Where Does Ice Cream Come From? (Place: Field trip by van. Meet in front of
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WEEK 13A, Nov 12: Understanding Race, Class
and Gender (Place: AER) (Time: 4:30-6:00)
Sociologist Allan Johnson will visit Wells to help us think about the
relationship between race, class and gender. His recent book The Gender Knot
has provided scholars and others great insight into how gender and power are
connected. (2 cc) CV, RC, TI
WEEK 13, Nov 14: Am I Still in My Body? (Place: Dance Studio)
(Time: 7:50p-8:40p) (1cc) see description for session 12A above. (Rescheduled from
Nov. 16)
WEEK 13, Nov
15: Daniel
Huttenlocher, John P. and Rilla
Neafsey Professor of Computing, Information Science
and Business, Cornell University, Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Lecturer (Place: Stratton 209,
Time: 4:30p) (1cc) (Added to syllabus 10/30/07)
WEEK 13, Nov
16: Science Colloquium, Daniel Huttenlocher, John
P. and Rilla Neafsey
Professor of Computing, Information Science and Business,
(Added to syllabus
10/30/07)
WEEK 13B, Nov 16: Am I Still in My Body? (Place: Dance Studio) see
description for session 12A above
WEEK 13C, Nov 16: The Secret Lives of Wells
Students in the Early 1960s (Place:
Mac 313) see description for session 12B above
WEEK 13D, Nov 16: A Space for Spirituality (Place: Stratton 209) (Time: 1:45-2:45)
see description for session 12C above
WEEK 13E, Nov 16: Plant Yourself at Wells (Place: Meet behind Stratton
Hall) (1cc)
Tree
planting.
WEEK 13, Nov
16: The
World Outside of Aurora: OCS at Wells (Place: Cleveland 208) John Wells, the Director of Off-Campus
Study, will present your study abroad options through Wells and speak with you
about how to prepare for those options and apply for programs. (1 cc) NC, CV
(Added to syllabus 11/13/07)
WEEK 13A, Nov
17: Time
Management and Study Skills (Place:
Resource Room, Time: 10a-12p) (2cc)
Workshop on study skills, time management, etc. help by Janet Snoyer.
(Added to syllabus 10/30/07)
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SWARM VI Nov 30: Cider, Donuts and Course
Survey Party (Place: Dining Hall)
Here’s your chance to tell us about the class, while munching on the
edible bounty that IS upstate NY: Cider and Dunkin’ Donuts™.
WEEK 19, Dec 1: Time Management and Study
Skills (Place: Resource Room,
Time: 10a-12p) (2cc) Workshop on
study skills, time management, etc. help by Janet Snoyer.
(Added to syllabus 10/30/07)
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