Code of Conduct and Expectations
1. Embrace that it's OK to not know! No one enters this class knowing the material already. We all (self included) come in with different backgrounds and capacities, and none of us knows everything. Be curious, ask questions, take risks, "fail up," and encourage a space for your peers to do the same.
2. Collaborate! Your success in this course depends on your work with each other in full classes and assigned teams. You will not be penalized if a teammate slacks off, but learning happens best when we read, write, and workshop together. Listen and speak with each other, not over each other.
3. Be respectful. Do not use harmful language or stereotypes targeting gender identity, race and ethnicity, disability status, sexuality, religion, age, socioeconomic status, body size and appearance, and other aspects of identity. Identity is not a topic for thought experiments or debate.
Read everything. Actively ask for assistance or clarification if you need it. Assume responsibility for assignments, team responsibilities, coffee chats, and class attendance. Communicate often and early about unexpected situations that might impact your ability to engage in class.
Attend and participate regularly! There are lots of ways to participate: video, audio, text, teamwork, etc. Your grade depends on your participation so be attentive and contribute often, however you can.
4. Harassment, trolling, and malicious shitposting will not be tolerated. There is no place here for:
5. Report harassment. If you are made uncomfortable, bring your concerns to the facilitator (Dr. Mani).
6. Call people in. "Ouch" or "oops" are gentle ways to let people know they're talking over someone or have crossed a line, so we can open up dialogue around uncomfortable moments. Use "I" statements, focusing on your interpretations instead of assigning blame to others.
7. Ungrading. You are guaranteed a B+ (or higher) in this class if you do what is asked of you in the spirit you are asked to do it. This system only works if you participate, collaborate, and engage with the material, even and especially when it's strange, confusing, or hard. Struggle = reward.
8. Labor commitments. Keep track of how much work a given task takes: who is doing how much work and when. Bring your concerns about labor to the group.
Work towards excellence, not perfection—don’t be afraid to experiment, fail, and improve!
Adapted from the Feminist Media Collective’s Code of Conduct.