UH 210 Section 005: HNFineArts:Arts of Tuscaloosa
Fall, 2010
3 Credit Hours
Primary Instructor: Allen Jones
Core Designation: University Honors, Fine Arts
T 9:30-10:30, W 2:00-3:00, and by appointment
Membership in the University Honors Program.
Following a traditional honors methodology, we will take “the place as text” and immerse ourselves in the fine arts of the University and its community. Among genres studied will be architecture, painting, sculpture, music, theatre, dance, and literature. Students will be required to attend lectures by arts experts, to attend performances and exhibitions, to take walks, to read, to discuss, and to write. This course will take part in the UA’s Creative Campus initiative.
At the conclusion of the course students will be informed about and experienced in exploring a broad spectrum of arts and creative endeavors on campus and in the community.
TOPICS FOR EACH RESPONSE PAPER
Date Due Topic Number(s)
August 31 1—Visual Arts 1
2—Riverwalk
September 7 3—Music I
September 14 4—Architecture
September 21 5— Capitol Park
September 28 6—Screwtape
7—Music 2
October 5 8—Dance! Alabama
9—Photgraphy
October 12 10—An Enemy of the People
11—Movie/Event—Bama Theatre
October 19 12—Westervelt Warner Museum
October 26 13—Visual Arts 2
14—The Bourgeois Gentleman
November 2 NO PAPERS DUE
November 9 15—Reel to Real
16—Music 3
November 16 GROUP PROJECTS DUE
17—ARDT
November 23 18—Literary Journals
19—The Rose Tattoo
November 30 20—Jazz
21—Author Reading
GUEST ARTIST/SPEAKERS AND THEIR TOPICS
Tues. 8/24 Lecture-Dr. Hank Lazer, Poetry and the Arts (No Responses Due)
Discussion Groups MEET –Wed. 8/25-Tues. 8/31
Tues. 8/31 Lecture-Professor Tom Wolfe, Jazz (Responses 1 and 2 Due)
NO DISCUSSION OR PROJECT GROUPS MEET—Wed. 9/1through Tues. 9/7
Tues. 9/07 Lecture-Dr. Robert Mellown, Architecture (Response 3 due)
Project Groups MEET—Wed. 9/8 through Tues. 9/14-Place of your choice
Tues. 9/14 Lecture-Professor Christopher Montpetit, Theatre (Response 4 due)
Discussion Groups Meet —Wed. 9/15 through Tues. 9/21
Tues. 9/21 Lecture-Professor Carlton McCreery, Classical Music-Meet in 1093 Shelby (Response 5 due)
Project Groups MEET—Wed. 9/22 through Tues. 9/28-Place of your choice
Tues. 9/28 Lecture—Ms. Sandra Wolfe, MEET AT BAMA THEATRE (Responses 6 and 7 due)
Discussion Groups MEET—Wed. 9/29 through Tues. 10/5
Tues. 10/5 LectureMr. Chuck Hall, Collage Artist (Responses 8 and 9 due)
Project Groups MEET—Wed. 10/6-Tues. 10/12
Tues. 10/12 Lecture-Professor Raphe Crystal, Musical Theatre (Responses 10 and 11 due)
Discussion Groups MEET—Wed. 10/13 through Tues. 10/19
Tues. 10/19 Lecture—Jim Harrison/Jan Pruitt MEET AT FERG THEATRE (Response 12 due)
Project Groups MEET—Wed. 10/20-10/26
Tues. 10/26 Lecture-Professor Paul Houghtaling, Opera MEET AT FERG THEATRE (Resp. 13 and 14 due)
NO DISCUSSION OR GROUP PROJECT MEETINGS from Wed. 10/27-Tues. 11/2
Tues. 11/2 Lecture-Prfs. S. Barry and C. Carter, Dance MEET AT MORGAN AUDITORIUM
(NO PAPERS DUE)
Discussion Groups MEET—Wed. 11/3 through Tues. 11/9
Tues. 11/9 Lecture- Professor Chip Cooper, Photography (Responses 15 and 16 due)
Project Groups MEET-Wed. 11/10 through Tues. 11/16
Tues. 11/16 Lecture-Professor Steve Miller, Book Arts (GROUP PROJECTS AND Resp. 17 due)
NO DISCUSSION OR GROUP PROJECT MEETINGS from Wed. 11/17-Tues. 11/23
Tues. 11/23 NO LECTURE—THANKSGIVING WEEK, *However* --
Responses 18 and 19 are still due—Bring to my office, 391-B Nott Hall, by 3:30!
NO DISCUSSION/GROUP PROJECT MEETINGS—Wed. 11/24 thru Fri. 11/26
Mon. 11/29 Lecture-Creative Campus Event (Responses 20 and 21 due)
ALL DISCUSSION GROUPS MEET, MONDAY-FRIDAY.
WRITTEN RESPONSES:
To Arts Experiences:
*There are 21 assignments over the course of the semester. The 19 highest response grades will determine your written response average. Specific criteria and guidelines for each response are attached to this syllabus. BE SURE TO READ ASSIGNMENT BEFORE ATTENDING EVENT!! YOU MUST MEET ASSIGNMENT CRITERIA. ALL WRITTEN RESPONSES MUST BE WRITTEN ON EVENTS ATTENDED THIS SEMESTER, IN TUSCALOOSA.
*You must submit the specific written responses as assigned on the due dates, which are listed in 3 places on this
syllabus—1)the topic lists 2) the class schedule, and 3) the assignments themselves
1. You will turn a hard copy of each paper at the Tuesday lectures in Lloyd Hall, starting Tuesday, August 31. N.B.—Do not wait until the week a paper is due to find an event! Except for plays and dance, remember that assignments are not necessarily aligned with specific events and performances.
*During any week that no lecture is scheduled, papers still could be due!! If so, place them in the appropriate envelope, by section, outside 391B, Ms. Jones’s office, by 3:30.
*The 250- (and one 500-) word written responses make up the primary writing requirement for this class. They may include some description but MUST go beyond the descriptive level and include some degree of analysis. Your response to and experience of the art exhibit or event is most important and you should follow the guidelines that we have provided. MOST ASSIGNMENTS REQUIRE REFERENCE TO SPECIFIC PIECES/NUMBERS. A GRADE OF “D” WILL BE THE HIGHEST GRADE GRANTED TO PAPERS THAT DO NOT MEET THIS REQUIREMENT.
*DISALLOWED: Fraternity or cover bands for music; Bryant Museum for visual arts; the Million Dollar Band for music; the Downtown Gallery for art, events outside Tuscaloosa County, including Birmingham. You will receive an automatic zero for papers written on an out-of-town event. While these are interesting opportunities, they do not suit the purpose of this class. In-class speakers DO NOT count for any type of response paper. You must attend an outside event.
*All written responses should be typed and double-spaced in 12 pt. Times New Roman font, 1” margins. No exceptions. You will lose a minimum of 5points if you do not follow formatting guidelines
*We do not accept e-mailed response papers. Any assignment e-mailed will be deleted unread.
*Format for response paper headings: The heading should be placed at the top left corner of your paper. The heading should be bold and single-spaced. The text of the paper should not be bold and should be double-spaced, 12 pt. Times New Roman font.
Name
Section Number
Date Due
Response #
FIVE POINTS WILL BE DEDUCTED FOR EACH PAPER THAT:
-DOES NOT FOLLOW THIS FORMAT
-IS NOT STAPLED (THIS MEANS PAPERS THAT ARE LONGER THAN ONE PAGE; DO NOT
STAPLE SEPARATE RESPONSES TOGETHER)
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A FIVE-POINT DEDUCTION FOR EACH INFRACTION; I.E., IF YOU DO NOT FOLLOW FORMATTING INSTRUCTIONS AND DO NOT STAPLE RESPONSES THAT ARE LONGER THAN ONE PAGE, YOU WILL LOSE TEN POINTS. NO EXCEPTIONS.
IMPORTANT: PLEASE DO NOT ASK YOUR INSTRUCTOR FOR A STAPLER AT THE LECTURE. IT IS UP TO YOU TO HAVE YOUR WORK PROFESSIONALLY PREPARED BEFORE COMING TO CLASS.
*Computer/Technical failure IS NOT an excuse for turning in late work.
*For all responses, your submitting them constitutes your affirmation that you personally have had the experience
described in your response.
IN-CLASS REFLECTIONS: At the end of each Tuesday lecture, you will turn in a short, hand-written reflection in response to that day’s speaker. Your reflection must focus on at least three aspects of the lecture. Be sure to save these when they are returned to you as you will refer to the Capitol Park, Opera, and Jazz lectures in those 250- word responses.
GROUP PROJECT:
Within the first two weeks of the semester, you will be assigned to a group comprised of five people. Each group is required to produce a brochure or other publication that can be used to encourage future students to participate in Arts of Tuscaloosa.
These projects are due Tuesday, November 16.
Guidelines and requirements for the group project are:
1. Each person in the group must participate in some way, and you must provide me with a summary of your group’s planning, development, and completion methods. This typed summary should include a review of each group meeting and an explanation of each group member’s contribution to the project.
2. The brochure or other publication should use some color and should incorporate AT LEAST the following:
If any piece of the elements listed below is lacking, ½ letter grade will be deducted.
3. The project will be graded and each group member will receive that grade. If it is determined that any group member does not participate fully, that person will receive a grade of “0” for the group project.
4. Each group should submit TWO copies of the project. You MUST include the project attendance sheet when you turn in your projects. PROJECTS WILL NOT BE RETURNED, SO MAKE EXTRA COPIES FOR YOURSELVES. Be sure to turn in, clipped together: The 2 copies of the project, the project write-up, and the attendance sign-in sheet. ATTENDANCE AT THESE MEETINGS FALL UNDER THE CATEGORY OF –DISCUSSION GROUP- ATTENDANCE. EACH ABSENCE FROM A
PROJECT MEETING OVER ONE WILL LOWER YOUR PROJECT GRADE BY ONE LETTER.
GRADING:
Attendance/ in-class reflections, class participation, written responses, and the group project will determine your grade. WE DO NOT ACCEPT LATE ASSIGMENTS. NO EXCEPTIONS. LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL RECEIVE A GRADE OF ZERO. Attendance and participation will count 15% of your grade; responses will count 70%; and the group project will count 15%. YOU are responsible for keeping up with the number and the categories of the papers you have completed. Grade corrections/changes will be considered ONLY when the graded, returned papers are brought to us.
LATE ASSIGNMENT POLICY: WE DO NOT ACCEPT LATE ASSIGMENTS. NO EXCEPTIONS. THUS, SUCH ASSIGNMENTS WILL RECEIVE A GRADE OF ZERO. ASSIGNMENTS ARE DUE AND WILL BE TAKEN UP AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH LECTURE BEFORE THE SPEAKER BEGINS; PAPERS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE GUEST ARTIST BEGINS HIS OR HER PRESENTATION AND WILL BE TREATED AS LATE PAPERS, THUS RECEIVING A GRADE OF “ZERO” IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LATE PAPER POLICY. IF YOU MUST BE ABSENT ON THE DAY AN ASSIGNMENT IS DUE, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO SUBMIT THE ASSIGNMENT ON OR BEFORE THE DUE DATE.
E-MAILED SUBMISSIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AND WILL BE IGNORED.
CLASS Attendance POLICY:
You are allowed a total of two absences with no penalty, one lecture absence and one discussion group absence. NO EXCEPTIONS. DO NOT expect to be counted present beyond 10 minutes after class starts. Oversleeping does not constitute any sort of valid excuse for exceptional tardiness or absence. ALSO, YOU MAY NOT MISS THE FINAL LECTURE! If you miss the final lecture, 3 points will be taken off your final grade. If you go over your allotted absence for either lectures or discussions, each absence will lower your final grade ½ letter. For example, if you miss two lectures and no discussion group, ½ letter grade still will be deducted from your final grade.
REQUIRED Texts: A. The Black Warrior Review, $10.00 and The Marrs
Field Journal, 15.00.
EXPENSES: These will be charged to your student account later in the semester.
(Total-$25.00)
B. Many performances and events are free, however you will need to pay for the
following:
$70.00 for theatre and dance season tickets
$ 7.00 for the Westervelt Warner Art Museum
$ 6.00-15.00 for movie/event at the Bama Theatre (Some possibly free)
$ 5.00 for Opera Theatre
Thus, A. + B. = a baseline total of approximately $120.00 for required expenses/experiences.
All students in attendance at the University of Alabama are expected to be honorable and to observe standards of conduct appropriate to a community of scholars. The University expects from its students a higher standard of conduct than the minimum required to avoid discipline. Academic misconduct includes all acts of dishonesty in any academically related matter and any knowing or intentional help or attempt to help, or conspiracy to help, another student.
The Academic Misconduct Disciplinary Policy will be followed in the event of academic misconduct.
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UA is a residential campus with many students living on or near campus. In general classes will remain in session until the National Weather Service issues safety warnings for the city of Tuscaloosa. Clearly, some students and faculty commute from adjacent counties. These counties may experience weather related problems not encountered in Tuscaloosa. Individuals should follow the advice of the National Weather Service for that area taking the necessary precautions to ensure personal safety. Whenever the National Weather Service and the Emergency Management Agency issue a warning, people in the path of the storm (tornado or severe thunderstorm) should take immediate life saving actions.
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