Sample Syllabus

READING, ADVISING, & MENTORING PROGRAM
TRIO Student Support Services 
Sample Syllabus for CPU 1050A

COURSE DESCRIPTION:  CPU 1050A / Reading & Study Skills Development  is a one-unit reading course for Reading, Advising, & Mentoring Program (RAMP) participants. The course is designed as a tutorial program to help you improve your reading & study skills and assist with your retention and graduation from Cal Poly.

DETERMINING YOUR GRADE: The following criteria will determine your grade for the term:

Note: RAMP does not offer an incomplete (“I”) grade in this class.

It is your responsibility to attend each of the above MANDATORY activities.

You will lose 1/3 grade for each tutorial session and/or activity not completed.

Tutorial Sessions: In this course, you will be working on an individualized tutorial plan. The number of tutorial sessions that you attend in the reading lab is a large factor in the grade that you will earn. As noted above, you will attend two tutorial sessions per week for the duration of the semester for a minimum of 24 sessions. When you applied to RAMP, you took a reading assessment. The tutor coordinator and director use this to evaluate your reading strengths and weaknesses and develop an appropriate plan of study. With one of the program’s tutors, you will use materials and software to enhance your college-level skills in critical thinking, reading comprehension, vocabulary, and reading rate. The tutor coordinator and tutor will evaluate your progress after each of your tutorial sessions and prepare materials for the following session to reflect changes in your reading and vocabulary.

You will benefit most from the instruction by making a genuine effort to improve your skills. Credit for tutorial sessions is given to students who spend their entire 50-minute session working productively. 

Financial Aid/Literacy or Academic Success Workshop: You are required to attend a Financial Aid/Literacy or Academic Success Workshop. Registration for these workshops is available on the RAMP website under events. To receive credit, you must sign in and attend the entire meeting.

On-campus Play or Event AND Journal: You are required to attend an on-campus play or approved event and submit a 100-word journal describing the event and what you gained from attending. See a staff member for a voucher to attend one of the on-campus productions. 

Peer Mentoring Workshop:  You will meet with a RAMP Peer Mentor to develop campus awareness and skills critical to being a successful student. See your advisor to schedule a peer mentoring session.

Professional Spotlight: A professional staff member will share her or his college experience and career journey with RAMP students to help develop an awareness of the skills that play an integral part in a successful university experience. Register on RAMP website under events. To receive credit, you must sign in and attend the entire meeting. Lunch provided.

Post-test: You will take a Nelson-Denny post-test in your session during the last week of tutoring. The results of the test will not affect your grade but failure to take the test may lower your final grade.

Active Reading Project:  The active reading project entails one of the following two options:

• Join Book Club and write two journal entries about the novel (Book Club Meeting on RAMP Events Website and Active Reading Journals handout for Book Club available on Blackboard)

• Read one of the program’s novels and write four journal entries about the novel (see Active Reading Journals handout on Canvas)

If you wish to earn an A grade, you need to let a program advisor know by the end of week 3.

If you have questions at any time, email ramp@cpp.edu