Course Description

This course explores color from a variety of perspectives, from literature film and art to science and technology. Topics include color symbolism; color harmonies; simultaneous contrast; colorscripts; color systems and models; chromadepth. Students are not expected to be artists or technologists, though all are welcome. Over the semester, students will develop an ePortfolio showcasing their explorations in color.

Prerequisite: Admission to Undergraduate College of Creativity, Technology, and Innovation (CTI)

Course Goals

Goals for all Freshman Seminars are to ...

• Improve critical thinking by developing evaluative, problem-solving, and expressive skills.
• Enhance group communication skills through discussions, small-group work, presentations or debates.
• Develop intellectual curiosity and better understand the role of a student in an academic community.

In addition, at the conclusion of this seminar it is expected that students will be able to ...

• Understand color theory and apply it in a variety of situations;
• Effectively express themselves and use color to communicate ideas; and
• Use computer software to create images using a variety of effects.

Course Delivery Mode and Structure

Classes will be held in-person and simulcast on Zoom. You will get the most out of the class, and will likely earn a better grade, if you come to all of the classes. However, if you are sick or unable to attend in person, you should attend class online. There may also be circumstances that will require me to hold the entire class online; be sure to check your Stony Brook University email before coming to class, so you can avoid an unnecessary trip. The link to the class meeting is available on the class' Brightspace page. See the Zoom for Students page (https://it.stonybrook.edu/services/zoom/students) for more information on how to download and use this application.

On the first day of class, you will be asked to select a seat in the lab. This will be your seat for the duration of the semester. You will be asked to fill out a placard with your name, which will be collected at the end of each class. Please do not sit in a seat that has someone else's name on it. This is primarily for the purpose of contact tracing, should it be necessary. It also helps me to take attendance and learn your names.

Office Hours

Office hours will also be conducted both in-person and on Zoom. You must sign up for office hours on my calendar (Google calendar appointment slots). You can also set up a special appointment with me by sending email. Please be on-time as appointments are only 15 minutes long.

If you need to contact me, the best way to communicate is through email. If you use Brightspace’s email tool from the course site, it will automatically include your full name, course name and section when you send me an email. Please allow between 24-48 hours for an email reply. Your Stony Brook University email must be used for all University-related communications. You must have an active Stony Brook University email account and access to the Internet. All instructor correspondence will be sent to your SBU email account. Plan on checking your SBU email account regularly for course-related messages. To log in to Stony Brook Google Mail, go to http://www.stonybrook.edu/mycloud and sign in with your NetID and password.

Technical Assistance

If you need technical assistance at any time during the course or to report a problem with Brightspace you can:

• Phone: 631-632-9800 (client support, Wi-Fi, software and hardware)
• Submit a help request ticket: https://it.stonybrook.edu/services/itsm
• If you are on campus, visit the Walk-Up Tech Support Station in the Educational Communications Center (ECC) building.

Required Materials

For this class we will be using Adobe Photoshop. I have requested Adobe CC licenses (which include use of Adobe Photoshop) for all of you to use this semester. You can also use Adobe Photoshop in the Multimedia Lab (Adobe CS6) or other locations on campus. Wherever you do your work, you are responsible for backing up your work.

There is no textbook for this class. All readings may be found in the Course Materials section of the Blackboard site for the course.

Course Requirements

The First-Year Seminar (102) is a 1-credit course for which students will receive a grade between A-F. Your grade will be based on the following criteria:

1. Class Attendance & Participation: Students are expected to attend all of the class sessions for the First-Year Seminar, and participate in all classroom activities. Missing more than 2 classes will have an impact on your final grade for the course.
    
2. ePortfolio: Over the course of the semester, you will work on a variety of creative projects that will be presented in an ePortfolio. You will also be required to reflect on these projects. On the last day of class you will present your ePortfolio to the class. See the Assignments page for further details.
    
3. Meet the Professor: You are required to schedule at least one meeting (either face-to-face or on Zoom) with the Professor outside of class time. Use Google calendar appointment slots to select a time. Or, if office hours don't work with your schedule, send me email and we'll set something up.
   

Classroom Expectations and Information

• Classroom Environment: As members of the seminar, you are expected to read, discuss, and think critically about seminar topics and your responses to them. This does not mean that you are not supposed to disagree or have emotional reactions to the material, but you should also be willing to engage those reactions - and your classmates - in respectful and thoughtful ways. As a class community we should always be mindful of different people’s experiences. If at any time you have concerns about the material or class discussions, please speak to me.

• Critical Incident Management: Stony Brook University expects students to respect the rights, privileges, and property of other people. Faculty are required to report to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards any disruptive behavior that interrupts their ability to teach, compromises the safety of the learning environment, or inhibits students' ability to learn. Faculty in the HSC Schools and the School of Medicine are required to follow their school-specific procedures. Further information about most academic matters can be found in the Undergraduate Bulletin, the Undergraduate Class Schedule, and the Faculty-Employee Handbook.

• Laptops, smartphones, tablets: Electronic devices should only be used during class for class purposes (e.g. taking notes, research, Blackboard, eTextbook, etc). Facebook, email, texting, or accessing other forms of media that are not part of the seminar should wait until after class.

• Email: Students are expected to check their Stony Brook email account regularly for important course information from their instructor and Undergraduate College Advisors. I am accessible via email and will try to respond to your emails as soon as I can. However, I may not check email continuously throughout the day so please do not wait until the last minute to email concerns or questions – typically any question that requires a more complicated response or thoughtful conversation should be asked in person/during office hours (e.g. grading concerns; further explanation of readings, etc). When sending emails, please include the class/section in the subject line and your full name somewhere in the body of the email. Students are encouraged to visit office hours or make an appointment with me.

• Student Accessibility Support Center: If you have a physical, psychological, medical, or learning disability that may impact your course work, please contact the Student Accessibility Support Center, Stony Brook Union Suite 107, (631) 632-6748, or at sasc@stonybrook.edu. They will determine with you what accommodations are necessary and appropriate. All information and documentation is confidential.

• Academic Integrity: Each student must pursue his or her academic goals honestly and be personally accountable for all submitted work. Representing another person's work as your own is always wrong. Faculty is required to report any suspected instances of academic dishonesty to the Academic Judiciary. For more comprehensive information on academic integrity, including categories of academic dishonesty please refer to the academic judiciary website at http://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/academic_integrity/index.html

• Course Evaluation: Each semester Stony Brook University asks students to provide feedback on their courses and instructors through an online course evaluation system. The course evaluation results are used by the individual faculty, department chairs and deans to help the faculty enhance their teaching skills and are used as part of the personnel decision for faculty promotion and tenure. No individually identifiable data are ever reported back to the university or instructor. Students who have completed previous evaluations can view all faculty ratings at: https://classie-evals.stonybrook.edu/

• Academic Success and Tutoring Center (ASTC): The ASTC provides free academic support services for all undergraduate students, including one-on-one tutoring, small group tutoring, academic success coaching, and public speaking seminars. Learn more about these services and additional campus resources at www.stonybrook.edu/tutoring.

• UGC Events and Programs: Getting involved and participating in campus life is an essential part of being a successful college student. As part of your 101 seminar, attending events and submitting reflection papers about those events was/is part of required course assignments. Although you will not have the same event requirements and assignments in this 102 seminar, you are expected to continue participating in events offered by your Undergraduate College as part of your Undergraduate College affiliation.

• Final Note: Success in college is about more than just getting ‘good’ grades; it’s also about building networks, especially with professors. If you anticipate requesting letters of recommendation from professors for internships, job applications, scholarships, or graduate school (which you will!), then it’s important that they get to know you, not just the quality of your work. Professors notice when you show up for class on time, pay attention, contribute to the class discussion, ask thoughtful questions, and attend their office hours. A small class like a 102 seminar offers a great opportunity for me to get to know you and write a future letter of recommendation. But this is ultimately up to you and your approach to this seminar - I encourage you to treat this seminar with curiosity and interest, and to take full advantage of the small setting and my support. When I don’t know much about a student - then I ask them to find a recommender who knows their strengths better. I add this note on the syllabus because students in the past have said they “wish” they’d had this advice earlier on.

Schedule

Nearly every week, you will be expected to do an assignment. The assignment should be brought to class and/or posted in your ePortfolio on the day the assignment is due. It will be discussed in class, which will count as part of your participation grade. See the Assignments for further details.