Email me early and often! However, please note that I generally don’t respond to email on evenings or weekends. You can reach me at mposner@humnet.ucla.edu.
Meeting with me
I’m always happy to meet with you. Please use my appointment-booker to grab a slot. Generally, I’m available on Fridays. If you absolutely can’t find a time on my calendar, please email me so we can work something out.
Grades on BruinLearn
BruinLearn has some technical limitations that make it difficult to use as a live gradebook. For example, I can’t assign Hypothesis annotations to some groups and not to others. Because of these limitations, your grade on BruinLearn may appear to reflect some missed assignments, which in turn affects the final grade you see on BruinLearn.
Please don’t let this worry you; I keep a separate gradebook with accurate records of required assignments. But of course you’re welcome to ask if you have any questions.
Attendance and participation
You’re an adult and life happens! You can miss up to two classes without penalty; after that, your absences will affect your participation grade.
Please also note that part of your grade depends on class participation. I know that not everyone is equally comfortable speaking out to a roomful of people, and that’s OK! That’s why I include many different ways to engage during each class session, including small-group discussions, writing prompts, and other activities in which you can participate.
A survey of UCLA undergrads found that their number one most-cited in-class distraction was other students using their phones or laptops for activities other than those related to class. So as a gesture of respect for your classmates (as well as for me), I ask that you use your devices for class-related materials only.
Finally, in your written work, you’ll be asked to reflect on and cite specific class discussions. So be sure to stay engaged during class and jot down notes you can reference later.
Late work
Please let me know ASAP if you suspect a deadline won’t work for you. We can talk about it. There are a few things we’ll need to take into consideration, including whether this has become a pattern that we need to address, whether it’s realistic to meet a later deadline in addition to all other upcoming deadlines, and whether I can work a later deadline into my grading schedule.
Syllabus changes
I want to keep the class relevant to your needs and interests as they evolve, so there is some possibility that the readings or assignments may change over the course of the quarter. I will always let you know about changes as soon as I possibly can.
Tech requirements
You will need a laptop (not a tablet) that allows you to navigate files and install software. Macs and PCs are both OK. I suggest a model with at least 16GB of RAM.
AI
I’ve designed all of the assignments for this class very deliberately so that you learn something from them and/or use them to check your own progress. Using an AI tool to complete an assignment defeats the purpose of the assignment. I assume that you understand this relationship between effort and reward. As a teacher, my inclination is to avoid punitive or surveillant policies as much as possible, but if I have concerns about your work, I’ll speak with you.
Accessibility
I take accessibility seriously. I am by no means an expert (I may need your help), but every time I teach I learn something new about how best to accommodate students. I aim to teach in accordance with universal design principles, which treat accessibility not as an add-on, but as a core function that makes the experience better for everyone.
Here is UCLA’s recommended accessibility statement, which I endorse: Students needing academic accommodations based on a disability should contact the Center for Accessible Education (CAE) at (310)825-1501 or in person at Murphy Hall A255. When possible, students should contact the CAE within the first two weeks of the term as reasonable notice is needed to coordinate accommodations.
In addition to CAE accommodations, I am willing to work with you to accommodate other accessibility needs. I will likely need your help to co-design accommodations, but I am happy to do so; just get in touch.
Life stuff
You don’t need me to tell you that these are incredibly stressful times. UCLA maintains a centralized list of resources available for students in need. UCLA Counseling and Psychological Services is open and providing all services through telehealth. You may also wish to be aware of free crisis counseling hotlines. For financial emergencies, UCLA can offer short-term loans as well as a range of other services for students experiencing economic crisis.
Many of my students have experienced crisis while in my class; you would not be the first and you don’t need to feel ashamed! I am not trained to, and cannot, provide counseling. But if something in your life is interfering with your ability to complete your work for me, it is very helpful if you tell me that this is the case. Together, we can develop a plan to help you successfully complete the class.