Note: There may be a few minor revisions to the syllabus throughout the semester, which will be shared with you through email and on Course Announcements.
Course Description
3 Credits. An introduction to the concept of stewardship and leadership styles. Topics covered include problem solving and decision-making, influence and community development. This course fulfills the SEBS Ethics requirement.
School Requirement
This course will provide unspecified elective credit.
For specific academic majors, check with your academic department if this course satisfies ethics or other course requirements.
Prerequisites
None.
Required Text
Seven Pillars of Servant Leadership - Practicing the Wisdom of Leading by Serving. Revised and Expanded Edition. Sipe and Frick. 2015. Paulist Press. ISBN 978-0-8091-4926-1
Required Readings
Each week in this online course will have required readings. These readings will be the basis for the assignments for the course. It is essential that you complete all readings. Some readings are in the course textbook. Others will be provided to you.
It is essential that each enrolled student purchase the textbook before the class begins to avoid falling behind.
Course Learning Objectives
As a result of this course you will:
- Identify the different roles of a servant leader.
- Demonstrate an understanding of organizational challenges for effective servant leadership methodology.
- Compare servant leadership and other leadership philosophies/strategies.
- Distinguish the difference between effective and ineffective leadership practices.
- Explain personal leadership style and its implications as a practicing servant leader.
- Demonstrate how a servant leader can effectively lead others in varied environments.
- Apply the theories and practices of servant leadership to their life.
Basis for Grading
Each student will be assessed according to the following criteria: quality of work (including grammar, organization, spelling, 'flow', etc.), timeliness in completing assignments and class participation (i.e., Threaded Discussions postings).
| Assignment | Points | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Threaded Discussions | 210 | 6 @ 35 points each |
| Introduction | 15 | |
| Reflections on... | 100 | 4 @ 25 points each |
| Papers | 200 | 4 @ 50 points each |
| Quizzes | 75 | 3 @ 25 points each |
| Personal Servant Leadership Vision | 100 | |
| Servant Leader Paper | 125 | |
| Servant Leadership in Your Community | 125 | |
| Your Servant Leader Characteristics - Video | 50 | |
| TOTAL | 1,000 |
Extra Credit
One extra credit opportunity will be available to all students at a prescribed time (i.e., extra credit assignment has a specific start and end date). Deadlines for extra credit WILL NOT BE EXTENDED. Extra credit assignments on an individual basis are not available. Be sure to take advantage of all of your opportunities for extra credit as no additional extra credit will be offered.
Each assignment has assigned point values. Accumulation of points will result in the following grade ranges for this course:
A= 900-1000 points
B= 800-899 points
C= 700-799 points
D= 600-699 points
F= below
Course Policies/Student Information
Distance Education
Students should be reminded that the same dedication required for an on-campus course is required for a distance education course. Students must be self-motivated, manage time efficiently, and approach their studies seriously. Students are also expected to be computer literate and should be familiar with how to access articles online from the University library since this will be necessary throughout the semester.
This 14-week course will be comprised of weekly modules that will address issues of leadership and stewardship.
Please note: this course is reading and writing intensive.
How It Works
Students should log onto Rutgers Online Canvas at the start of each week (Wednesday) to review assignments and post their work. The course syllabus is accessible at all times throughout the semester so that students are always aware of upcoming assignments and deadlines. Deadlines for weekly assignments usually on Tuesday at midnight, unless otherwise noted. Please consult the assignments links for each week to read the most updated list of assignments. Any changes will be communicated to students via the Announcements Page and via email. A summary of all assignments and due dates can be found at the end of the syllabus under "Course Summary."
Plagiarism and Cheating
Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Anyone caught cheating will be subject to the same University Policies and Procedures on Academic Integrity, See studentconduct.rutgers.edu/processes/academic-integrity Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:
- Resubmitting your own work that has previously been evaluated in this class or any other class.
- Copying text directly from websites and other sources without attributing the original source.
- Copying the work of students in other sections (past or present) of this course.
Turn It In
Students agree that by taking this course all required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com (directly or via learning management system, i.e. Canvas, etc.) for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers. Use of the Turnitin.com service is subject to the Usage Policy posted on the Turnitin.com site.
Students who do not agree should contact the course instructor immediately.
Online Attendance/Expectations for Participation – Students
Your attention and active participation in this online course will enhance this unique learning experience for all. Contact with your instructor(s) and fellow students is crucial to your success. It is expected that you will log on 3 times each week to check and post assignments and participate in the threaded discussion or write in your student journal. If you foresee a conflict in participating at any time during the semester, you must contact the instructor(s). As class assignments and points are the basis for final grading and are distributed week to week, if a student has not "attended class" for two consecutive weeks, the student will be at risk for failing the course and/or may result in being dropped from the course.
Any and all absences must be cleared by the instructor(s) in advance.
Keep in mind that our course is available anytime, anywhere 24 hours a day.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality is key in this course. Be circumspect as you share information and likewise respect confidentiality of your classmates.... 'Only the learning leaves the training room'.
Types of Assignments
Weekly readings (textbook, additional articles/books/websites, as noted); threaded discussions with classmates; student journal exercises; short papers – i.e. - Movie Review Paper.
Threaded Discussions
Threaded Discussions will provide an interesting forum for students to expound on theory discussed in the text and apply it to personal experience. Additional assignments will also allow students to examine personal beliefs and think critically about leadership and stewardship.
Submission of Written Assignments
All written assignments should be double spaced with 1" margins. Type style used should be Arial or Times New Roman in 12-point font. Each assignment should include the following information in the header: Student Name, Title of Course, Title of Assignment, and Due Date.
Due Dates
Assignments are typically due at the end of the weekly module. Assignments can be posted until 11:59 pm on Day 7 (always be sure to check due dates as holidays, etc. can cause schedule changes).
Late assignments will not be accepted without instructor(s) approval and will not be accepted more than one week after the original due date. Entries into a threaded discussion cannot be posted late, as essentially that class discussion has ended.
Tips for Threaded Discussion - Students
The inclusion of a weekly Threaded Discussion in this course will allow you to post your own thoughts on readings, as well as comment on your classmates' posts. Please keep in mind that you may not agree with what someone else has to say. Because we all come from different backgrounds and possess different cultural values, it is expected that a difference of opinion will exist. Sharing your point of view is important to the progress of the course and will demonstrate your critical thinking.
The threaded discussion questions will change and relate directly back to the reading(s) for the week so it is important that you read the assignment first and then think about the question and how you will respond. The first post for the week should refer back to the text using a quote(s) or a point(s) that relates and include page references. If a personal experience is applicable to the question be sure to share that individual perspective. Being able to relate these concepts to your personal experiences will make the learning process even richer.
Quantity and Quality of Posts
The threaded discussion portion of this course may become a favorite assignment for some of you. Keep in mind that your grade is based on depth and quality of your posts, as well as participation. The threaded discussion should be viewed as an interesting forum in which to post and read the viewpoints of others. Keep in mind that you should respond to a classmate's post as it relates to a point you are making, if it provided fresh insight into the reading or theme for the week, or if you have an opposing viewpoint. If you seek to challenge one another in your posts by offering unique thoughts or personal experiences, it will provide a greater learning experience for all. As a guideline, students are required to post a minimum of two (2) substantial posts per week, including an initial response by Day 3 (Friday) and 1 additional post by Day 6 (Monday). See Threaded Discussion Grading Matrix in Course Home.
Additional Online Tools in Canvas
Students are encouraged to take advantage of additional tools offered through Canvas to enhance the online learning experience.
Accessibility to Online Courses
Rutgers University welcomes students with disabilities into all of the University's educational programs. In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, a student with a disability must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability services office will provide you with a Letter of Accommodations. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. To begin this process, please complete the Registration form on the ODS website.
Contact with Your Instructor(s)
Your instructor(s) will be available via email and voicemail. Students should expect a response to an email inquiry within 24-48 hours, unless otherwise noted during a particular week. Your instructor(s) is/are interested in seeing all students succeed, and therefore, is available for phone conferences to answer questions or listen to concerns.
Online Etiquette
We live in a world where technology has become a stronghold for how we communicate on a daily basis. While many of us are used to interacting in this manner, keep in mind the rules of etiquette, or "netiquette", in order to ensure respect for all. It is assumed that all students in this distance course will:
- Be considerate when interacting through email or online, considering the vocabulary and length of the communication.
- Be aware that body language is not visible through online communication and there is room for misinterpretation—choosing words carefully and being clear and concise should help alleviate any issues.
- Understand that profanity, sarcasm, and hurtful language will not be tolerated. An environment of professionalism and respect will prevail and be maintained by all students.
- Proofread all entries prior to posting work both in written assignments, student journal exercises, and in threaded discussions. This includes attention to spelling, tone, message content, grammar, and proper sentence structure.