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DEPARTMENT OF AFRICAN, AFRICAN AMERICAN, AND DIASPORA STUDIES

2013-2014 POLICIES AND PROCEDURES NOTEBOOK

Prepared by Eunice N. Sahle, Chair

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CONTENTS

1. Calendar – Important dates (2013-2014) …………………………….3-4

2. General Policies ……………………………………………………...5-7

3. Policies on Exams and Grading ………………………………….…8-15

4. New Curriculum and Subject Code ………………………………..16-20

5. Contract for Independent Study Courses …………………………..21-22

6. Syllabi Requirements ………………………………………………23-25

7. Administrative Staff ………………………………………….……….26

8. Department’s Governance Structure (2013-2014) …….…………..26-29

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CALENDAR

Academic Calendar Year 2013-2014

FALL SEMESTER 2013

August

8/20- Classes begin

8/21 –Faculty Lounge Gathering

8/26- Last Day of Late Registration

September

9/2- Labor Day

9/4- Meeting-Chair’s Advisory Committee (Battle Hall, 101)

9/11- Meeting- Department Faculty (GEC room 2010)

October

10/2- Faculty Colloquium (Hyde Hall, Incubator Rm)

10/14-Last day for Undergraduate students to drop courses

10/16- Fall Break begins at 5:00pm

10/21- Classes resume 8:00am

10/21-Chair’s Advisory Committee (Battle Hall, 101)

10/23-Meeting-Department Faculty (Vance Hall, Conference room 1st floor)

November

11/6- Faculty Colloquium (Dey Hall, Toy Lounge at 11am)

11/13- Department Faculty meeting (Hyde Hall, Incubator Rm)

11/20- Meeting - Chair’s Advisory Committee (Battle Hall, 101)

11/27- Thanksgiving Recess. Classes resume Mon. Dec. 2

11/30- *Textbook orders due for Spring 2014 *

December

12/4- Department Faculty meeting (Hyde Hall, Incubator Rm)

12/4- Classes End

12/5- Reading Day

12/6- Exams begin

12/11- Reading Day

12/13- Exams End

SPRING SEMESTER 2014

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January

1/8- Classes begin

1/14- Chair’s Advisory Committee-Battle Hall room 101

1/15- Department Faculty meeting- Hyde Hall

1/20- Holiday, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

1/22- Last day for all students to drop a course using the web registration system

February


2/6- Faculty Colloquium- Incubator Room, Hyde Hall

2/12- Meeting- Department Faculty- Hyde Hall

2/28- *Textbook orders for Summer School Due* 2/28- The Dunbar Stone Lecture – Graham Memorial

March

3/1- The Diaspora Student Undergraduate Conference – Graham Memorial

3/5- Last day for Undergraduate Students to drop courses


3/7- Spring Recess begins 5:00 P.M.

3/17- Classes resume 8:00 A.M.


3/19- Meeting - Department Faculty – Hyde hall

3/28- *Textbook Orders for Fall Semester Due*

April



4/3-5 2nd Global Africana Annual Conference

4/9- Department Faculty meeting- GEC 4003

4/18- Holiday

4/25- Classes End

4/25- Absences (AB’s) from prior term (Fall 2013) change to F* for Undergraduate

Students

4/30, 5/3- Reading Days

4/28- Exams begin

May

5/6- Exams end

5/10- Commencement Ceremony- Stone Center

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GENERAL POLICIES

1. The Department office will be open from 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. It will be

closed from 12-1 p.m. for lunch. Please do not ask staff to keep the office open

during lunch hour and after 5.00pm.

2. The Department provides basic supplies in reasonable amounts for professional

purposes only. Please let the Department Business Officer know what supplies

you need to facilitate your professional duties.

3. As the section on policies on exams indicates, only a faculty member can

proctor make-up exams for their classes. A faculty member will need to give the

exam to the student and explain and enforce the rules concerning the exam.

Please note that if you are using the conference room in the main office for

make-exams, you need to these exams at all times. Further, as indicated above,

please note that the main office will be closed between 12pm-1.00pm.

4. The Department pays reasonable photocopy costs associated with instructional

purposes.

5. This academic year we have two Work Study Students. Providing support to

faculty is one of the duties of these students. Please send support requests for

these students to me via email with a copy to the department Business Officer

and the Administrative Assistant. To ensure systematic and timely responses to

your requests, please send them 2 days in advance. If the requests cannot be met

because of students’ absence from work or for other reasons, we will let you

know as soon it is feasibly possible.

6. The Department pays postage for reasonable amounts of professional first class

and air mail correspondence. Take note of the requirements for how envelopes

must be addressed within the United States in order for us to receive the Post

Office discount (ALL CAPS NO PUNCTUATION OR SYMBOLS, DONT

ASK WHY). Personal correspondence will only be mailed if already stamped;

we do not have the staff support required to sort out professional from personal

correspondence and to bill appropriately. Mail is sent twice a day, usually

around 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. In order for mail to go out the same day, it has to

be in our mail tray by 12:30 p.m. Under state regulation, the Department cannot

provide stationary or postage for correspondence associated with partisan

advocacy; it can do so for policy advocacy only if this is done strictly in a

professional capacity. The Department will not cover the cost for overnight,

rush or express mail.

7. For faculty with standard teaching loads, office hours of at least 3 hours a week

should be posted and held. Let the Administrative Assistant know your office

hours by the first day of classes each semester.

8. Final exams are mandatory in undergraduate classes; final exams cannot be

moved from the date fixed by the Registrar, even if “all” students seemingly

agree. Please review more details concerning exams in the section on policies

on exams and grading in this notebook.

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9. Any unusual absence should be noted and explained via email to the Chair.

Keep a record of your absences from class (if any) with an explanation.

10. Course instructors may not leave the geographic area until their grades for the

semester have been submitted in Connect Carolina and marked “Approved” by

the instructor of record; any requested deviation from this must be presented in

advance to the Chair.

11. Student course evaluations are mandatory for all courses. Evaluations are now

done on line. Their results are made available (after semester grades have been

turned in) to you, to the Department Chair, and to appropriate department

review committees.

12. Syllabi should be sent to Kenneth (as Director of Undergraduate Studies - DUS)

and to me (as Department Chair) by the first day of classes in each semester.

13. All long distance calls within the United States are free. You are responsible for

paying any international fees charged to your phone.

14. The Department will pay for photocopying of your own manuscripts, and of

your papers for presentation at professional conventions.

15. Questions regarding university travel regulations may be directed to the

department Business Officer. The College of Arts & Sciences provides

normally up to $1,000 in travel funds for professional conferences where your

name appears on the program. Recently, eligibility has been restricted to non-

tenured faculty. Since these rules change with budget constraints, ask the

department Business Officer about the current rules before making travel plans.

None of these funds can be used for personal travel or for recreational purposes

(e.g., you travel to a convention which ends on a Sunday and you stay until

Monday for personal purposes; the Sunday night hotel and associated per diem

expenses cannot be billed to the university). College travel funds cannot be

accumulated or “rolled over” into a subsequent year. Additional restrictions

may occasionally apply. The preceding policies on travel may be different for

department faculty with endowed chairs or research accounts and/or fixed-term

faculty.

Although limited, this year, there is some additional travel support from the

Chair’s Fund. If you have travel plans to conferences where you are on the

program, and you know that the normal College funds will not be sufficient,

send me an email with an explanation of your need for additional travel funds.

16. The university requires that all investigators (faculty, graduate and

undergraduate students) carrying out research on human subjects receive prior

approval of their procedures (to assure where appropriate that there is informed

consent and that potential harm or risk to subjects is minimized). Information

on the university policy and procedures may be found at the web site of Office

of Human Research Ethics: http://irbis.unc.edu

17. All research grant proposals need to go through departmental and OSR (Office

of Sponsored Research) approval before being submitted to funding

agencies. OSR insists on IRB certification.

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18. There are important university policies of which you need to be aware regarding

issues such as conflict of interest, illegal drugs, political activities (candidacy

and office-holding), classified research, racial harassment, sexual harassment,

amorous relations, computer use, and others. They are all available at

http://www.unc.edu/campus/policies.html and at www.unc.edu/policy/ . You

may also want to read the university’s “Policy on the Privacy of Electronic

Information” also available at www.unc.edu/policy/. A general statement on

personal use of university resources may be found

at: www.ais.unc.edu/busman/act/actpol26.html . Additional university

guidelines regarding “acceptable use policy” of your UNC email address may

be found at: www.unc.edu/policy/aupol.html .

19. As mandated by the Office of the Dean, the department’s personnel policies and

procedures will be revised this academic year and submitted to the Dean’s

office for approval. In the meantime, there are important university and

department policies regarding tenure and promotion. Current university policies

on tenure review, post-tenure review and promotion are available on-line.

20. As per University policies, exams and papers with grades on them cannot be left

in hallways for students to pick up or be returned in a way which permits other

students to see the grades; this is considered a violation of the “Family

Educational Rights and Privacy Act” (FERPA). For more on FERPA (brief

version) and student privacy rights,

see: http://regweb.unc.edu/official/FERPA/notice.html . Note that tests, final

exams, term papers or other course work not returned to students should be

destroyed (or placed in confidential recycling) one year after the completion of

the course for uncontested grade results. (If challenged, then destroy only after

resolution of the challenge.)

21. Internships: Please familiarize yourself with requirements for internships before

you agree to be a student’s academic supervisor. Make sure that the student is

aware of his or her internship responsibilities.

22. There is an important policy on External Professional Activities: “In accord

with the University of North Carolina Board of Governor’s Policy on External

Professional Activities for Pay by Faculty and Non-Faculty EPA Employees, all

EPA Faculty and EPA non-Faculty employees of the University are required to

receive approval in advance of engaging in external professional activities for

pay (except for contract employees performing external professional activities

for pay entirely outside the months of their University contract employment).”

To complete a request for External Professional Activities for Pay go to the

following web address: https://cfx.research.unc.edu/epap/

23. Please note that the Business Officer and Administrative Assistant are not

involved in curriculum matters. Duties of administrative staff are outlined in

more detail in the section on Administrative Staff.

24. Finally, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions pertaining to

policies and procedures in this Notebook or anything else.

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POLICIES ON EXAMS AND GRADING

Faculty members are responsible for photocopying exams and assignments for their

classes. Further, only faculty members can proctor make-up exams.

University rules require all undergraduate courses taught on campus to have a final

exam. “A traditional final examination is written, is administered at a predetermined

time as specified in the official final examination schedule, and takes place at a

designated location” (2012-2013 Undergraduate Bulletin, p. 404). Faculty members

who wish to offer a nontraditional final exam such as a final project, a take-home

examination, or a portfolio of a semester’s work must secure permission from the

department chair. Such permission must be secured BEFORE the first day of classes.

Permission does not carry over from one semester to the next; it must be asked for and

granted each time a faculty member would like to offer a nontraditional exam.

Not only are final examinations mandatory in undergraduate classes but also they

cannot be moved from the date fixed by the Registrar under any circumstances, even if

seemingly “all” students agree (exceptions can be granted only by the Provost, and

must be requested well in advance). All department faculty teaching undergraduate

classes are asked to confirm with the chair that they are complying with this policy.

Any deviations or issues will need to be discussed with Senior Associate Dean Jonathan

Hartlyn.

Grading practices need to follow university policy and standard practices. The

syllabus should specify which kinds of requirements/ assignments, if not completed,

would mean that the student fails the course regardless of the grades earned for the rest

of the assignments (for instance, a certain number of unexcused absences). Non-

completion of other assignments will result in a lower grade and may result in an F if

the quality of the other work is low as well. Only in extraordinary circumstances, such

as for illness or other excused emergencies (see below), should a temporary grade be

assigned.

There are critical differences across AB, FA and IN grades. AB should be given in

courses with final examinations in which the student is absent from the final

examination, but could have passed if the exam was taken. A grade of FA must be

reported when a student does not attend the final examination, and cannot pass the

course regardless of how well he or she performs on the final examination. The IN

grade is for incomplete work other than the final examination. University policy states:

“Any student who ceases to attend a class without officially being dropped may receive

a temporary grade of AB or IN or a permanent grade of FA.” In general, instructors

should grant temporary grades of AB and IN very rarely and in accordance with

University procedures and standard practices.

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More specific details of concerning AB, FA and IN grades follow shortly and further

information on the grading system and an explanation of procedures to be followed

regarding AB and IN grades is available at:

http://www.unc.edu/ugradbulletin/procedures1.html

Grading System: Details

Permanent Letter Grades

A letter-grade and plus/minus system for evaluating academic performance is employed

for all undergraduates. Each letter grade corresponds to a number of grade points. Each

letter-graded course receives a numerical value of quality points (quality points equal

grade points times semester credit hours per course) to use in determining a student’s

average (per credit hour) in a particular term and to find a student’s cumulative grade

point average (per credit hour).

A = 4.0

A- = 3.7

B+ = 3.3

B = 3.0

B- = 2.7

C+ = 2.3

C = 2.0

C- = 1.7

D+ = 1.3

D = 1.0

F = 0.0

To determine the grade point average for a term, first determine the total quality points

earned in the term by multiplying the number of grade points awarded for each course

by the course’s assigned number of semester credit hours and adding the resulting

quality points earned for each course in the term. Then divide the total quality points

earned in the term by the number of semester credit hours attempted (for letter grades)

in the term.

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Example

Course Grade Grade

Points

x Credit

Hours

= Quality

Points

Course A C+ 2.3 x 3.0 = 6.90

Course B B- 2.7 x 3.0 = 8.10

Course C B 3.0 x 4.0 = 12.00

Course D C- 1.7 x 3.0 = 5.10

Course E A- 3.7 x 1.0 = 3.70

Course F F 0.0 x 1.0 = 0.00

Course G A 4.0 x 3.0 = 12.00

Total quality points earned: 47.80

Total graded hours: 18.0

Term grade point average: 47.80 ÷ 18.0 = 2.656

Permanent grades are defined as follows:

A Mastery of course content at the highest level of attainment that can reasonably be

expected of students at a given stage of development. The A grade states clearly that

the student has shown such outstanding promise in the aspect of the discipline under

study that he/she may be strongly encouraged to continue.

B Strong performance demonstrating a high level of attainment for a student at a given

stage of development. The B grade states that the student has shown solid promise in

the aspect of the discipline under study.

C A totally acceptable performance demonstrating an adequate level of attainment for a

student at a given stage of development. The C grade states that while not yet showing

any unusual promise, the student may continue to study in the discipline with

reasonable hope of intellectual development.

D A marginal performance in the required exercises demonstrating a minimal passing

level of attainment for a student at a given stage of development. The D grade states

that the student has given no evidence of prospective growth in the discipline; an

accumulation of D grades should be taken to mean that the student would be well

advised not to continue in the academic field.

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F For whatever reasons, an unacceptable performance. The F grade indicates that the

student’s performance in the required exercises has revealed almost no understanding

of the course content. A grade of F should warrant questioning whether the student may

suitably register for further study in the discipline before remedial work is undertaken.

Grades earned and semester hours attempted at other institutions are not included in the

calculation of the University grade point average.

Plus/minus grades earned prior to the 1978 fall semester are not assigned a particular

numerical quality point value; the value of the basic letter grade A, B, C, or D alone is

used in computing a grade point average.

Records of progress are kept by this institution on all students. Students have three

methods to gain access to term grades:

• Using a browser to access ConnectCarolina at MyUNC.

• Submitting (after the first day of classes but before the last day of classes) a written

request for printed grades each enrolled term and sending it to Office of the University

Registrar, CB# 2100, UNC–Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-2100. The request

should include the student’s full name, personal identification number, term for which

grades should be mailed, and college/school in which the student is enrolled.

• Making a request in person at the Office of the University Registrar. Students should

call the Office of the University Registrar at (919) 962-0495 if they have questions

about grade reporting services.

Temporary Grades (IN and AB) and FA Grades

Any student who ceases to attend a class without officially being dropped may receive

a temporary grade of AB or IN or a permanent grade of FA.

Students who do not complete all requirements in a course by the end of the semester,

but who could pass the course if they did, receive a temporary grade of IN (incomplete)

or AB (absent from the final exam) in place of a permanent letter grade. Grades of IN

and AB carry the value of an F grade (zero quality points) and are used in the

computation of semester and cumulative grade point averages. Students who do not

complete the course requirements within a specified period of time are assigned

permanent F* grades on their academic transcripts by the Office of the University

Registrar.

The instructor must report the grade of AB for any student who did not take the final

examination and who, by taking the final examination, could pass the course. This AB

grade carries the value of an F in computing the student’s cumulative and semester

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grade point average, and later converts to an F* unless the student arranges to take the

final examination before the last class day of the next scheduled semester (fall or

spring). If the student cannot pass the course regardless of a final examination

performance, the instructor must report the grade FA. The grade of FA (cannot pass the

class) is a permanent failing grade. A grade of F may be assigned instead of a

temporary grade or a grade of FA where a final examination is not required in the

course.

Absence from a final examination may be officially excused only by the student’s dean

or the director of Campus Health Services or Counseling and Wellness Services. An

absence may be excused for significant physical or psychological illness or for serious

personal or family problems. Please see “Final Examinations” for information about

final examination excuses.

The grade IN may only be assigned by an instructor to a student who took the final

examination in a course but did not complete some other course requirement with a

valid excuse and who, by virtue of completing that missing work, might pass the

course. An IN carries the value of an F (zero quality points) in computing a student’s

cumulative and semester grade point average. Unless removed within eight weeks of

the beginning of the regularly scheduled semester (fall or spring) following its

assignment, an IN converts to an F*.

Important Rules and Procedures Pertaining to AB and IN Grades

The decision to report an IN grade is solely the responsibility of the course instructor;

however, a student may present proper justification for the instructor’s consideration.

Temporary grades should be cleared by completion of the work outstanding, preferably

no later than the start of the following semester. The deadline for clearing a temporary

grade of AB is the last class day of the next regularly scheduled semester (fall or

spring) after the AB grade is awarded. A temporary grade of IN must be cleared within

the first eight weeks of the regularly scheduled semester (fall or spring) after the IN

grade is awarded.

If students intend to remove IN or excused AB grades, they should not officially enroll

in the course(s) during the next semester or summer session. If recommended by the

course instructor, a student may attend by officially auditing a part of that instructor’s

section of the course or another instructor’s section of the same course in which the

temporary grade was awarded.

If a student enrolls in a course in which a temporary grade has been previously

received, the second enrollment is taken as evidence that the student could not or is not

permitted to remove the temporary grade. This results in replacing the temporary grade

by F* after the deadline for removing the temporary grade. The grade earned during

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the second enrollment is also reported on the student’s academic transcript and is used

along with the F* grade in the computation of a cumulative grade point average.

Final Examinations

Undergraduate courses taught on campus must include a final assessment (i.e., final

examination) unless the provost grants an exception. A traditional final examination is

written, is administered at a predetermined time as specified in the official final

examination schedule, and takes place at a designated location.

The final examination schedule, announced prior to the beginning of the semester, sets

the time for each examination. Once having been established, the schedule cannot be

changed. Examinations must be held at the time shown on the schedule. No special

preparation quizzes may be given during the last five days of classes (last two days of

classes for summer school) before the beginning of the final examination period. No

examination may start later than 7:00 p.m. Final examinations for a full course should

ordinarily cover a minimum of two hours and should not exceed a period of three

hours. Only examinations requiring an exceptional portion of practical work should be

longer than three hours.

Only the provost can grant exceptions to the scheduled time and location of a

traditional examination after review and approval by the appropriate department head

and the dean. No examination (except for laboratory sections) may be held at a time

other than that specified in the general schedule except with the advance approval of

the provost (see below.)

A course instructor may, due to highly unusual circumstances, petition for a change in

the examination schedule. The petition must be made before the first day of final

examinations, and it must be cleared by the department head and the appropriate dean

before consideration by the provost. If the petition is approved, the course instructor

assumes responsibility for making special arrangements to give the examination to any

student who has a schedule conflict as a result of the change.

Chairs (i.e., heads of instructional units) must give permission for faculty members to

use nontraditional examinations, such as a portfolio of a semester’s work or a take-

home examination. Materials pertaining to these non-traditional examinations have to

be handed in by the students to the instructor at the time and place scheduled for the

traditional final. Instructors may not leave campus until these materials have been

evaluated and final grades handed in. Non-traditional examination should only be

given in 400-level courses and above. For multidisciplinary and co-taught courses,

permission to give a nontraditional examination must be granted solely by the chair of

the instructional unit in which the course is based.

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All regular final examinations must be held in Chapel Hill. Students who are absent

from an examination receive a course grade of AB (absent), which is equivalent to F

(zero quality points), or FA (absent and failing regardless of performance on the final

examination). When students are unable, for reasons clearly beyond their control, to

take a final examination at the scheduled time, they can be excused only by the director

of Campus Health Services (who can authorize the registrar to issue an “official permit

to take final examination”) or their academic dean (who can issue an “examination

excuse”). An absence may be excused for severe health problems leading to the

student’s placement on the Infirmary List, for serious personal or family problems, for

religious observances required by the student’s faith, or for a scheduling conflict

involving multiple examinations. In cases of illness, personal or family emergency, or

religious observance, additional documentation may be required by the dean.

Students may be excused for a final exam for religious observances required by their

faith. Primary holy days for religious observances are noted on a Web-based interfaith

calendar site: www.interfaithcalendar.org. Students must be given the opportunity to

make up final exams missed due to an excused absence for a religious observance.

Students are responsible for providing the course instructor and the dean a written

request for an excused absence from a final exam for a religious observance no later

than the last day of classes.

• Campus Health Services. Students who are seriously ill during the time of their final

examination(s) (including complications related to pregnancy) should consult Campus

Health Services or Counseling and Wellness Services about having their names entered

on the Infirmary List. In some cases, outpatient treatment can also result in a student’s

name being entered on the Infirmary List. Students on the Infirmary List may obtain an

official permit from the Office of the University Registrar to take the final examination

to remove a grade of AB. They must make arrangements to take the final examination

with their course instructor and provide the instructor with their official permit. If

students are treated at Campus Health Services or Counseling and Wellness Services

but do not appear on the Infirmary List, they should see the dean of their college as

soon as possible.

• Academic Dean. If students know in advance that they must miss one or more final

examinations because of illness, religious observance, or other serious problems, they

should notify in writing both the course instructor and the dean of the school in which

they are enrolled no later than the last day of classes. If this is not possible, they should

see their dean as soon after the fact as possible. For students in the College of Arts and

Sciences, only the associate dean for advising (or designee) is authorized to issue

examination excuses for reasons other than three exams in 24 hours or two exams at the

same time. For other students, only the dean of the school in which the student is

enrolled has that authority. The dean may require documentation of a student’s

religious observance, illness, or problems.

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Assuming that a student did not take a final examination for one of the reasons

previously cited, the dean will issue an official examination excuse, which the student

must present to the course instructor when arrangements are made for a suitable time to

take the final examination.

If a student presents an examination excuse or an official permit to take the final exam

to an instructor or the instructor’s chair or dean, then a final examination must be given

to the student at a time subsequent to the regularly scheduled exam but no later than the

end of the following semester.

A student who has three final examinations scheduled by the Office of the University

Registrar within a 24-hour period or two scheduled at the same time may request his or

her dean (or designee) for permission to have one of the scheduled examinations

rescheduled. In the event that one of the scheduled examinations is a common final

examination for a multiple-section course, that examination is the one to be

rescheduled.

Students who have secured an examination excuse or an official permit and who

transmit the document to the instructor or the instructor’s chair or dean must be granted

permission to take the exam at an alternate time, although students will need to arrange

a mutually convenient time with the instructor. Except when the provost has provided

an exception in writing, the exam will be taken at a time subsequent to the regularly

scheduled exam, though no later than the end of the following semester.

The final examination in any course may be taken only by regularly enrolled members

of the class whose registration has been certified and by students certified to be eligible

to take a special examination in that course. The certifying authority is the Office of the

University Registrar.

Each student is required to sign a full and explicit Honor Code pledge certifying that he

or she has neither given nor received aid during the examination.

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NEW CURRCULUM AND SUBJECT CODE

An important aspect of the curriculum revision in the department is the establishment of

AAAD as the department’s subject code, replacing AFAM and AFRI. (Language

subject codes remain unchanged.) A single subject code signals to students that we

view the fields of African and African American and Diaspora studies as imbricated. In

the discussion that follows, I highlight the major work that the department has carried

out as part of curriculum reform.

Revision of major requirements and the new subject code.

To accommodate the single subject code we have renumbered the department’s course

offerings in the following manner for all courses numbered 100 and above:

Courses ending in 00 to 29: African studies

Courses ending in 30 to 59: African American studies

Courses ending in 60 to 84: African Diaspora outside the U.S.

Courses ending in 85 to 99: Courses that cross geography; dedicated courses

whose numbers are reserved by the College, such as independent studies and

internships.

As it is currently constituted, our department offers the B.A. in African and Afro-

American Studies; students choose one of two concentrations: African Studies or Afro-

American Studies. We propose to keep this structure; that is, there will be a single B.A.

in African, African American, and Diaspora Studies, and students will choose between

a concentration in African Studies and a concentration in African American and

Diaspora Studies. The requirements for each concentration of the major are

adumbrated in the succeeding paragraphs. The courses that all students majoring in

AAAD must take in common create an intellectual framework for understanding the

interplay among Africa, African America, and other parts of the Diaspora.

The major in African, African American, and Diaspora Studies will be ten courses (see

chart). First-year seminars and other courses numbered below 100 do not count toward

the major. Students in both concentrations will take three courses in common:

AAAD 101 – Introduction to African Studies

AAAD 130 – Introduction to African American and Diaspora Studies

AAAD 487 – Intellectual Currents in African and African Diaspora Studies, the

focus of which is the works of important African and Diaspora writers and

thinkers, and their interplay.

Majors will also take AAAD 395 (Undergraduate Research Seminar) in their respective

concentrations. (With the permission of the instructor and the DUS, a student may take

this seminar in the other concentration.) The exact topic will vary according to the

instructor’s interests. The emphasis in this course will be research skills, which will

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also vary according to the expertise of the faculty member teaching the course; put

another way, the course will be a disciplinary investigation into a topic relevant to the

fields of African or African American and Diaspora studies.

Of the remaining six courses, the following rules apply:

One course must be from outside the student’s major concentration. That is,

majors concentrating in African studies must take a course whose last two digits

are from 30 to 99, while majors in the African American and Diaspora

concentration must take a course whose last two digits are from 00 to 29 or from

85 to 99.

Two courses must be numbered above 399.

One course may come from a list of courses outside the department, which will

be reviewed and updated annually.

For Academic Year 2013-2014 the following courses from outside the department will

count toward the major concentrations:

African Studies Concentration: ART 155; ART 255; ANTH 238; FREN 505;

GEOG 268; HIST 130; HIST 301; HIST 535; PORT 385; WMST 237; WMST

289; WMST 293

African American and Diaspora Concentration: ANTH 130; COMM 437;

COMM 662; DRAM 287; ENGL 367; ENGL 368; ENGL 369; ENGL 472;

ENGL 589; HIST 378; HIST 380; PHIL 274; POLI 274; POLI 419; PSYC 467;

RELI 580; SOCI 444; WMST 285; WMST 553

18

Chart: New proposed major requirements

AFRICAN STUDIES

CONCENTRATION

CORE REQUIREMENTS

ALL AAAD MAJORS AFRICAN AMERICAN &

DIASPORA STUDIES

CONCENTRATION AAAD 101: Introduction to African

Studies

AAAD 130: Introduction to African

American &Diaspora Studies Six Courses (One of which

may come from an approved

list of courses from other

departments)

Six Courses (One of which

may come from an approved

list of courses from other

departments)

As many as three African

studies courses numbered

between 100-129, 200-229,

and 300-329

AAAD 395: Undergraduate Research

Seminar (students take the seminar in

their concentration; with the permission

of the instructor and the DUS, a student

may take this seminar in the other

concentration)

As many as three African

American & Diaspora

Studies courses numbered

130-184, 230-284, and 330-

384.

At least two courses

numbered 400-429

At least two courses

numbered 430-484

One African American,

Diaspora, or transnational

course numbered 130-199,

230-299, 330-399, 430-499

AAAD 487: Intellectual Currents in

African and African Diaspora Studies

One African studies or

transnational course

numbered 100-129, 185-199,

200-229, 285-299, 300-329,

385-399, 400-429, 485-499

Minor Requirements

The department will offer two minors: African Studies and African American and

Diaspora Studies.

Students minoring in African Studies will take AAAD 101 and four additional

AAAD courses at or above the 100 level whose last two digits are from 00 to 29

and African studies courses whose last two digits are from 85 to 99.

Students minoring in African American and Diaspora Studies will take AAAD

130 and four additional AAAD courses at or above the 100 level whose last two

digits are from 30 to 84 and African American and Diaspora studies courses

whose last two digits are from 85 to 99.

In reforming its curriculum, the department has made systematic plans for handling the

transition for students who have already started the major or minor.

19

Transition plan for majors concentrating in African studies

Students who are in the process of completing their concentration in African studies at

the time the new requirements go into effect can make the following course

substitutions:

For AFAM 101, substitute AAAD 130

For AFRI 101, substitute AAAD 101

For AFAM/AFRI 474, substitute AAAD 485 or AAAD 487

For AFRI 600, substitute AAAD 419 or AAAD 395

For one regional seminar, substitute any AAAD course numbered 300-329 or

400-429

For five AFRI courses, substitute five AAAD courses numbered 100-129, 200-

229, 300-329, or 400-429, at least one of which must be numbered 400-429

Transition plan for majors concentrating in Afro-American studies

Students who are in the process of completing their concentration in Afro-American

studies at the time the new requirements go into effect can make the following course

substitutions:


For AFAM 102, substitute AAAD 231 or any other AAAD course numbered

230-284


For AFAM/AFRI 474 substitute AAAD 485 or AAAD 487


For five AFAM courses, including courses cross-listed with other units, with at

least one being numbered 400 or above, substitute five courses numbered 130-

184, 230-284, 330-384, or 430-484, with at least one course numbered 430-484.

Transition plan for minors in African studies


For four additional courses

o For List A, substitute as many as four AAAD courses numbered X00-

X29 and African studies courses whose last two digits are from 85 to 99,

one of which must be at the 400-level.

o We will continue to accept up to two courses from List B, with the

exception of HIST 479, which is no longer a course on Africa.

Transition plan for minors in Afro-American studies

Under the minor requirements now in place, students must take AFAM 101, AFAM

102, and AFRI 101, plus two AFAM courses.


20

For AFAM 102, substitute AAAD 231 or any other AAAD course numbered

230-284


For two additional AFAM courses, substitute two courses numbered 130-184,

230-284, 330-384, or 430-484.

21

CONTRACT FOR INDEPENDENT STUDY COURSES REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES

Independent Study courses are intended to provide undergraduate African and Afro-American Studies majors with an opportunity to engage in a research project that entails a workload that meets or exceeds that of a regular 3-credit course. Approval for Independent Study courses will only be considered in exceptional circumstances. Such courses must focus on a theme or topic that is not currently covered in an existing undergraduate course, be it inside or outside the department. Majors may take only one Independent Study in the department.

1. Students and their prospective faculty advisors are required to sign a contract before a

student will be permitted to register in an Independent Study course in the Department.

Further, the approval and signature of the Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee is also

required.

2. Faculty may supervise a maximum of two Independent Study courses per academic year.

3. Student Requirements: Independent Studies are only open to junior- and senior-level

African and Afro-American Studies majors. African and Afro-American Studies majors

with a 3.00 and above GPA will be allowed to register in an independent study project

4. Enrollment in an independent study project:

During the semester prior to an Independent Study, each student must consult with their intended faculty advisor and develop a research proposal for the proposed Independent Study. It is the student’s responsibility to meet all required deadlines in order for his/her proposal for an Independent Study to be given serious consideration. In order to receive departmental approval for enrollment in an Independent Study course, a student must meet the following requirements:

a. Submission of a Research Proposal: Students should submit a 2-page research

proposal to his or her faculty advisor four weeks before the end of the semester

preceding the semester during which an independent study will be done.

Expected assignments and levels of effort should be developed in consultation

with the faculty advisor and clearly outlined in the proposal.

b. Review by the Academic Affairs Committee: Faculty advisors should submit their

students’ research proposals for review by the Academic Affairs Committee three

weeks prior to end of the semester. Following the review, the Committee will

inform the faculty of the status of their students’ proposal. The status will be

indicated along the following lines: Approved (without revisions); Approved with

minor revisions; Declined. Only students whose proposals fall in the first two

categories will be approved for registration.

5. Registered students: During the semester that a student is registered, he or she will be

required to meet with their Faculty advisor on a bi-weekly basis and maintain a log-of

their research activities which they should submit to their advisor prior to each meeting

for Departmental Records.

6. Required assignments and workload for a 3-credit hour independent study project:

In general, the following assignments will be required for Independent Studies. Modifications to these requirements must receive approval from the Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee.

22

a. Preliminary annotated bibliography (journals, books, archives and other scholarly

sources) - To be submitted within the first 4 weeks of the semester a student is

registered.

b. Detailed research paper outline by week 10 of a given semester.

c. Bi-weekly research log – research activities and discussions with Faculty advisor.

d. 25 page research paper the last day of the semester.

7. Storage of Independent Study Projects: Copies of the graded Independent Study project

will be stored in the department office for 3 years.

Signature and date: __________________ Chair, Department of African and Afro-American Students ___________________Chair, Academic Affairs Committee ___________________Faculty Advisor ___________________Student

23

DEPARTMENT OF AFRICAN, AFRICAN AMERICAN, AND DIASPORA

STUDIES: SYLLABI REQUIREMENTS

In line with UNC-CH’s Faculty Council Resolution 2012-11 adopted on October 5,

2012, university rules on undergraduate courses and departmental policies on courses,

please find below details concerning course syllabi in the Department of African,

African American and Diaspora Studies.

1. Syllabus: A syllabus must be provided to students no later than the first day of

class. The department is required to retain every syllabus for 4 years. Please submit

your syllabus to the department’s Director of Undergraduate Studies, Kenneth

Janken and I by the first day of classes each semester.

2. Course identifiers: Should indicate the course number, section number,

department, semester, and times at which the class meets.

3. Instructor identifiers: Should have your name, office location, office hours (three

office hours each week), term and contact details.

4. Course goals and key learning objectives: The syllabus should state course goals

and key learning objectives. It is important for students to understand what they will

accomplish by taking the course.

5. Course requirements: The syllabus should explain what kinds of work students

must do to successfully complete the course.

6. 10 pages writing requirement: As per our discussion during our faculty meeting

in March 2013, please ensure that your syllabus indicates compliance with the

University rule concerning writing. Here is the exact language on the writing

requirement:

Course content and assignments should be significant within the rubric of each

particular academic discipline, including but not limited to research papers,

electronic projects, substantial creative projects, laboratory reports,

mathematical analysis, problem sets, case study analyses, etc. “Significant”

should generally be construed to mean at least 10 pages of written work (at least

3000 words) over the course of the semester, excluding pages written for essays

on in-class examinations. This written work may consist of several short papers,

reading logs, journals, or projects composed in an alternate medium or format,

as long as the materials represent the equivalent intellectual investment of 10

pages of written work. Students in classes that typically require little writing

(math, some sciences, etc.) must complete other work (homework exercises, lab

reports, etc.) equivalent to 10 pages of writing by virtue of the intellectual labor

24

expended. Take-home examinations that take the form of an instructor-assigned

essay or essays may count toward fulfilling this requirement.

Implementing the 10-page writing requirement (or other work involving

equivalent intellectual effort) can be challenging in large classes without

teaching assistants or graders. Instructors are free to relax the standard in classes

that exceed 60 students without a teaching assistant or classes that exceed 80

students without a grader. In no case, however, should students receive General

Education credit for a course in which they have not completed a significant

project designed to help them interpret for themselves, not just for the

instructor, what the course teaches.

7. Final exams: Every syllabus should have a date for a final exam as indicated in the

final exam schedule. As per University rules, final exams are mandatory for all

undergraduate courses. Because the final exam period contributes instructional

contact hours for all undergraduate courses, only the Office of the Provost can grant

an exception to this University policy.

Please note that the university requires instructors not planning to give in class final

exams to seek authorization from the department chair. Consequently, if you are not

planning to give a final exam in class during the scheduled time (for example, you

plan to have students write a final research paper or a take-home exam), please send

me your request for authorization via email by the first day of classes at the latest.

Please note that the university requires instructors to give final examinations – in

class or otherwise – during the scheduled exam period and not before.

8. Course Policies: The syllabus should explain your expectations for student conduct

during the course. Examples include the consequences of missing an exam; whether

regular attendance is expected; the consequences for missing class too often;

whether or not late work is accepted and, if so, how late work is penalized.

9. Course Calendar: The syllabus should contain a course calendar that gives

requirements for each class meeting and dates of all examinations and due dates for

all assignments.

10. A statement on the use of technology in the classroom by students: Each

syllabus should have a statement concerning an instructor’s policy on technology in

the classroom.

11. Grading policies (components and weights) and assessment scale: Provide a list

of all assignments and the grade weight for each. In addition, an assessment scale

(or grade rubric) detailing the amount of points constituting each letter grade is

required for every syllabus.

12. Academic integrity and UNC-CH’s Honor Code: Each syllabus should include a

statement on academic integrity and the following link detailing UNC-CH’s Honor

25

Code:

http://studentconduct.unc.edu/sites/studentconduct.unc.edu/files/2012_2013_Instru

ment.pdf

13. Syllabus Changes: Please provide a statement on potential changes to the syllabus

such as:

Topics and reading assignments, and their orders on the syllabus could be changed,

but not matters related to grading. Such changes will be announced as early as

possible.

14. Accommodation of disabilities policy and link to disability services such as:

Students who feel they may need accommodations based on the impact of a

disability should contact the course instructor to discuss their needs. Students with

documented disabilities should also contact the Department of Accessibility

Resources & Service at 919-962-8300 in SASB North Building, Suite 2126 to

coordinate necessary accommodations for exams and other in-class assignments.

Visit the internet address of this office at http://accessibility.unc.edu for more

information.

Eunice N. Sahle

Chair, Department of African, African American and Diaspora Studies

August 11, 2013

26

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

Members of the administrative staff are vital to the proper functioning of the

department. As required by the University, their duties are clearly articulated in their

annual work plans. Here are their core duties in the department:

Business Officer: Sonia Colon (Supervisor, Chair)

Processing paper work in these areas:

- Leave of absence

- Return from leave

- Overload/Lump sum payments

- Hiring RAs, Work Study Students and placing them on payroll

- Benefits questions

- HR Policy Questions

- Grant management

- Managing the budget with the Chair.

- P-Card/receipts

- Check requests

- Travel reimbursements and arrangements

- Equipment/Supplies ordering

- Printing requests

- Monthly accounting reconciliation and reports

Administrative Assistant: Travis Gore (Primary Supervisor, Business Officer and

Secondary Supervisor, Chair)

- Entering course assignments in ConnectCarolina once they are approved by

the Courses Audit Committee in November 2012

- Managing department’s Website, Intranet and listserv

- Providing administrative support to the Chair, Director of Undergraduate

Studies and Summer School Administrator and Business Officer.

- Maintaining facilities.

- Reception duties.

- Supervising Work Study Students.

- Booking meeting spaces for faculty.

- Providing emergency photocopying support to faculty.

- Providing logistical support to the Intellectual Dialogues Committee

(monthly colloquium and annual newsletter logistics) Institutional, majors

and community engagement committee, Dunbar-Stone Lecture and

Commencement Committee.

27

DEPARTMENT’S GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE: 2013-141

TITLE NAME/S DUTIES

Chair Eunice Sahle

Supervisor, Professor Jonathan

Hartlyn, The University of North

Carolina at Chapel Hill, Senior

Associate Dean for Social Sciences

and Global Programs, College of

Arts and Sciences.

From the Sept. 2013 Chair’s

Manual (p.18)

-Prepares the departmental budget.

-Administers departmental

personnel policies, including annual

and other required faculty

evaluations.

-Makes recommendations for

appointments, salary increases,

promotions, and tenure.

-Prepares course offerings and

assigns teaching duties.

-Formulates educational policies.

-Maintains instructional facilities.

-Notifies Dean’s Office in advance,

or as soon as possible in an

emergency, when she/he plans to be

away from campus for more than

one (1) business day. -Provides

information on who will cover

teaching and administrative

assignments during the absence.

-Files “notice of intent” and follows

other university policies regarding

external professional activities for

pay as appropriate.

-Leads fundraising for the

department or curriculum.

-Other duties assigned by the

Dean’s Office.

Summer School Administrator,

Honors Advisor and Director of

Undergraduate Studies

Kenneth Janken Summer School Administrator

-Works with the Chair to assign

summer course offerings.

-Works closely with the Dean of

Summer School and the Chair in

administering Summer school.

Director of Undergraduate

Studies -Advises majors and minors on

courses and curriculum issues.-

Works closely with the Office of the

Dean of Undergraduate Education

on curriculum matters.

-Works with the Chair on the annual

Learning Outcomes Assessment.

Honors Advisor

1 Department’s committees are constituted by the Chair’s Advisory Committee. Administrative and

committee assignments and duties are subject to change as the department and the university evolve.

Faculty members on leave should contact the Chair/s of their committee/s,

28

-Coordinates department’s honors

thesis projects.

- Monitors the progress of honors

thesis projects.

Coordinator, Wendell McCain

Research Fellows Program

Reginald Hildebrand -Works with the Chair to generate

research priorities for the Fellows

program

-Send out call for research proposals

to faculty.

-Chairs the research proposal review

ad-hoc committee.

Department’s Webmaster Tim McMillan Supervises the department’s

administrative assistant in the

management of the department’s

website.

Diversity Liaison Charlene Regester -Develops a diversity framework for

the department in consultation with

the Office of the Director of Faculty

Diversity Initiatives for the College

of Arts and Sciences.

-Works with Chair on diversity

reports.

DEPARTMENT’S COMMITTEES

TITLE Members DUTIES

Academic Affairs Committee Chair: Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja

Members: David Pier, Charlene

Register, Kenneth Janken, Esther

Lisanza, Walter Rucker,

Mamarame Seck, Robert Porter

and Kia Caldwell

-Reviews new course proposals.

-Reviews Independent Studies

proposals and enforce the

requirements of the department’s

Independent Studies’ Contract.

-Works on the department’s

strategic plan in consultation with

Dr. David Kiel and the Chair.

Courses Audit and salary

committee

Chair: Bereket Selassie

Members: Eunice Sahle, Georges

Nzongola-Ntalaja and Kenneth

Janken

–Advises the Chair on salary equity

and compression matters.

- Reviews course schedule – 2014-

2015 generated by the Chair.

-Conducts an audit of courses

offered in the department in 2013-

2014.

Colloquium and Annual Conference

Committee

Chair: Margaret Lee

Members: Mamarame Seck,

Bereket Selassie, Joseph Jordan,

Reginald Hildebrand, Barbara

Anderson, Perry Hall, Lydia Boyd

and Alassane Fall and Alphonse

- Organizes the department’s

monthly colloquium

-Works with the Chair in organizing

the 2nd Global Africana Conference

focusing on the nexus of water,

health and environment.

29

Mutima

Institutional, majors and community

engagement committee

Chair: Tim McMillan

Members: Reginald Hildebrand,

Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja, Robert

Porter, Ronald Williams, Margaret

Lee, Charlene Register, Alphonse

Mutima, Michael Lambert and

Donato Fhunsu

-Co-ordinates the new department’s

majors’ initiative: Wendall McCain

Undergraduate Fellowship.

- Organizes the annual Dunbar-

Stone Lecture.

-Organizes the 2014

commencement ceremony in

consultation with the Chair.

- Advises the Chair on community

engagement initiatives.

-Organizes the department’s annual

picnic.

Standing Personnel Committee Joanne Hershfield (Chair, Women

Studies – appointed by the Dean),

Bernard Boxill (Philosophy –

appointed by the Dean), John

Pickles (Geography – appointed by

the Dean), Paul Leslie

(Anthropology – appointed by the

Dean), Bereket Selassie, Georges

Nzongola-Ntalaja and Kenneth

Janken

Advises the Chair on personnel

matters.

Chair’s Advisory Committee Chair: Eunice Sahle

Members: Kia Caldwell, David

Pier, Margaret Lee, Reginald

Hildebrand, Mamarame Seck Tim

McMillan and Kenneth Janken.

- Advises the Chair on department’s

governance matters including

constituting annual committees.

-Sets agenda for the department’s

monthly meeting.

- Reviews minutes taken by

Mamarame Seck and Tim McMillan

for each monthly meeting.

-Advises the Chair on new

department initiatives.

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