CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY

UST 302
Contemporary Urban Issues
Sections 502 and 504
Spring 2016
Online
3- Credit Hours
Adriennie Hatten, Ph.D
Visiting Assistant Professor Nonprofit Administration
Cleveland State University
Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs
Email: a.hatten@csuohio.edu or via Blackboard- Preferred
Office: UR 214
Office Hours: Tuesday 11:00am- 2 pm by appointment
Office Phone: 216-687-5383

Introduction
All solutions to contemporary urban issues require viewing challenges as opportunities, and
viewing opportunities through a lens of systems and not silos. Asking questions, analyzing
outcomes, and posing alternative approaches is the real work of creating effective solutions to
poverty, education, housing, politics, race and related challenges. That is the stuff that learning is
made of! Critical thinking, collective learning and substantive critique of multiple perspectives
are the tools that are available to Urban Studies professionals today.

General Education Requirements:

This is an African-American Experience course that fulfills the General Education
Breadth of Knowledge Skill Area requirements in Writing, Writing Across the
Curriculum (WAC), and Information Literacy.

Course Requirements:
This course will primarily consist of readings, online discussion, and written assignments.
Because the course is web-based, the interaction and discussion of issues presented in the class
will occur online. Therefore, it is imperative that students taking the course are familiar with
computers and the Internet and readily have access to both. Students are expected to complete
the assigned readings and assignments in accordance with the class schedule, as well as
participate in the online graded class discussions. Completion of assignments and participation in
online activities and discussions are necessary to do well in the course.
Log on to the course site frequently to check for changes and /or additional information.
For clarity, Assignments are due by 11:59 pm on Tuesday of each week, which allows
students a full weekend to complete all assignments. It is my intent to have all assignments
graded within 20 days of the due date. I will do my best to get things back to you in a timely
manner. If you have not received a grade for an assignment that you submitted via
Blackboard after this point, please contact me via email to reconcile your grade. Any
assignments submitted prior to the last two weeks of the semester that are not reconciled will
1

be given a grade of 0 at that point. There are occasional challenges with Black Board
submissions so I advise you all to keep copies of your submissions.
No late discussion submission will be accepted once the discussion board due date has passed
and the board is closed. On occasion, the discussion may be extended at the discretion of the
Professor. You will receive notification of any extensions via email, the Announcement section of
Blackboard or in the Forum itself so please check for announcements and updates regularly.
An assignment that is submitted after the due date will lose one point per day it is late.
Assignments will not be accepted more than 3 days past the due date unless permission is
granted from the Professor prior to the assignment due date. If you have extenuating
circumstances and will not be able to meet the 3 day timeframe to turn in a late assignment you
must request permission from the Professor before the end of the 3 days or you will receive a
grade of 0.

Required Text:
Swetkis, Doreen & Kellogg, Wendy A., 2013, The 21st Century American City:
Race, Ethnicity, and Multicultural Urban Life. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co.
**NOTE- the text is organized into 2 articles per topic.

WAC Requirements:
In order to earn WAC requirements each student must complete writing assignments
equivalent to 3,000 to 5,000 words (10-20 pages, double-spaced, in 12-point font, with 1
margins). Students must write an 8-10 page (2000 word minimum) analysis of a selected
research topic. This paper must be written at a minimum of a C skill level. However, if your
writing is weak, yet you demonstrate an understanding of the course material and meet all other
course requirements, you may receive at least a D grade, but will not receive WAC credit for
the course. A proposal topic paper that outlines your argument and a first draft will be submitted
prior to the final paper to ensure that you are on track with your research and feedback will be
provided by the professor. You should make the appropriate revisions and discuss any concerns
you have with the feedback with the professor prior to the submission of the final paper. This
paper must be typewritten or word-processed in double-spaced format. Papers must conform to
the Manual of Style of the American Psychological Association. Grammar and spelling will be
graded. Turnitin is a tool that CSU makes available to students to help assure that you are
submitting an original product. The rough draft must be submitted via Turnitin.
The course will address the needs of students regarding research competency.

Course Objectives:
This is an upper-level undergraduate course in which we will examine American urban life

through the lenses of race, class, and ethnicity, with emphasis on the African American
experience. It is through these lenses that we will consider political, societal, and economic
issues as they relate to life in the city. Given this framework, many topics we discuss will be
controversial, with people holding different opinions on respective subjects. Therefore, having
respect for others is fundamental to having open, educational discussions.

Here are the objectives of this course:

African-American Experience
1. This course will have a focus on the contemporary experience of African Americans and
maintain the perspectives, experiences and/or achievements of African Americans themselves
as central to the course.
2. This course will provide students with knowledge of how the field of urban studies presents
and analyzes the African-American experience.
3. This course will provide students with a framework for understanding inequality and the
distinguishing aspects of the African-American experience.
Skill Area: Critical Thinking
1. Inspire critical thinking using multi-disciplinary approaches and exercises.
2. Develop higher-order thinking (analysis, synthesis, evaluation) to address complex urban
problems.
Skill Area: Information Literacy
1. This course will require students to evaluate the accuracy, authority, currency, objectivity,
and reliability of information sources.
2. This course will require students to address the ethical and legal uses of information.
Additional Skills:
1. Encourage time management through multiple assignments.
2. Develop technology management and exploration skills.

Course Method
The course will be conducted on-line using CSUs Blackboard Learn platform. Online
discussions will be conducted under the Forum tab. All assignments will be submitted via the
Assignment Folder on the Home Page.
For clarity, Assignments are due by 11:59 pm on Tuesday of each week, which allows
students a full weekend to complete all assignments. New weekly assignments open at 11:59 pm
on Wednesday of each week. Adhere to the course schedule for specifics about the assignments.

Policies
Educational access is the provision of classroom accommodations, auxiliary aids and services
to ensure equal educational opportunities for all students regardless of their disability. Any
student who feels he or she may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability
should contact the Office of Disability Services at (216)687-2015. The Office is located in MC
147. Accommodations need to be requested in advance and will not be granted retroactively.
Refer to the CSU Bulletin for add/drop, withdrawal procedures, S/U, incomplete grading.
Academic misconduct: plagiarism or cheating will result in an F for the assignment and
possibly an F for the course.
You must adhere to the policy for late assignments. Plan your time accordingly. If you know
that you have upcoming events, please talk to me in advance.
Please note that Incompletes will only be given at the discretion of the Professor and must be
requested prior to May1, 2016.
3

 The Instructor reserves the right to make changes to this syllabus.

Grading:
Graded Online Discussions
Proposal Topic Paper (due 2/16/16)
Youth Voices Written Assignment (due 4/5/16)
Rough Draft (due 3/22/16)
Final Research Paper (due 5/10/16)

80 Points (10 points x 8 weeks)

50 points
40 points
100 points
80 points
100% = 350 total points possible)

Grading Scale
A: 94-100 % A-: 90-93% B+: 87-89 %B: 83-86%B-: 80-82% C+: 77-79% C: 70-76% D: 6069% F <60%

ASSIGNMENT: ANALYSIS OF AN URBAN POLICY OR ISSUE (Proposal

Topic short Paper, Rough Draft & Final Research Paper)
Your major written assignment will be to present an analysis of a chosen urban issue that is
aligned with the objectives of the course. These topics must focus on the African American
experience in the context of a contemporary urban U.S. issue; therefore students must
incorporate the African American experience into their paper. Your research paper should
discuss the subject matter and provide a critical analysis of the topic based on the perspective of
the selected population such as urban elementary school educators. You will want to narrow the
scope of your paper to a particular aspect of the issue. For example, if you were writing about
Hurricane Katrina, you may want to narrow your topic by time (e.g., what led up to the levies
failing), and by racial issues (African American neighborhoods receiving disproportionate
damage due to failed levies). This is a research paper, not a case study or an essay about your
own personal experiences/opinions. The paper must use primary sources as the basis for the
research and to develop and support your argument.

Research Paper Topics

Students must choose a topic that is consistent with the objectives of the course. It must address race and
the African American experience. The text addresses issues from multiple perspectives however the
articles are great examples of how to frame your argument from a particular cultural perspective.
Students who do not adhere to this requirement will be required to resubmit the Proposal Topic Papery
within 1 week and will be docked 20 points for the assignment. If the final paper assignment is not
properly aligned, the student will receive a score of 0 points for the assignment.
Students may share their topics of choice with the Instructor via email or by phone appointment by
2/10/16. After that date, Rough drafts will be subject to the penalty if the topic is deemed inappropriate by
this instructor.

Your assignment is broken down into 3 parts in order to help you organize the development of your paper.
Therefore there are 3 graded assignments related to this project. The Proposal Topic Short Paper is due
Week 5 (February 16, 2016 at 11:59 pm) of the course, The Rough Draft is due week 10 (March 22,
2016 at 11:59 pm) and your Final Paper is due Week 15 (May 10, 2016 at 11:59 pm).
PROPOSAL TOPIC SHORT PAPER
This assignment will provide an opportunity for the student to share the thesis for their final research
paper, including the key argument and supporting ideas that will guide the development of the final
research paper. At least 3 primary sources should be identified in this paper as well as the key
contributions that each source makes to the development of the argument. Each source should be
discussed in at least one full paragraph. A complete reference page should be included. The narrative of
this paper should be 2-3 pages in length. It should be clearly written.
ROUGH DRAFT
The Rough Draft should closely reflect your Final Research Paper. Both should be 8-10 pages
(excluding references) and be typed and double-spaced. In addition, this paper should have a cover page
and a reference page consisting of no less than six (6) different scholarly primary sources which include
books, book chapters, journal articles, reports, and/or databases (e.g, the U.S. Census). This assignment
will be graded for content and grammar as consistent with the WAC requirements and serve as a draft for
your final paper.
My revisions do not guarantee that you will obtain full points for the final paper, but they may serve to
guide you if you are encountering problems. If you have questions about my feedback you will have up to
two weeks after receipt of the feedback to contact me via email regarding your concerns.
FINAL RESEARCH PAPER
The body of your Final Research Paper should be 8-10 pages (excluding references) and typed and
double-spaced. In addition, this paper should have a cover page and a reference page consisting of no less
than six (6) different scholarly primary sources which include books, book chapters, journal articles,
reports, and/or databases (e.g, the U.S. Census).
The research paper is a writing-to-communicate exercise, which emphasizes proper writing style,
grammatical correctness, coherence, and focus. It is intended to help develop collegiate-level writing
skills.
Correct grammar and spelling will be included in determining your grade for your final paper, so be sure
to review all of your work before submitting it.
Information literacy skills require that students address the ethical and legal uses of
information. When using quotations in your writing, always set them off with quotation marks
and appropriately cite the author. Also be sure to attribute credit to an author when
paraphrasing information from a source. Paraphrasing is the act of restating the authors
words or ideas in your own words.

You will also be required to submit your Rough Draft to the plagiarism detection service,
www.turnitin.com as well. The Instructor will provide the log-in information in Blackboard.
5

 Format your research paper using APA (American Psychological Association) guidelines, including a
title page and a Reference page. If you need more information
on how this is done, information is available at the CSU University Library.

Internet sources that are merely web pages constructed by individuals airing their personal
views are unacceptable sources. However, using the Web to access academic articles is an
appropriate use of the Internet for this assignment. For example, it is appropriate to use an
article published in the Journal of Urban Affairs that you can download electronically. However,
using the writings found on www.lydiaspeakshermind.com would probably not be an
acceptable reference for this assignment. One way to determine if an Internet article is
legitimate is to ask yourself, If the Internet didnt exist, would I find this source in the
University library? Newspaper or magazine articles are relevant sources for this assignment,
provided they are in-depth articles on the issue, rather than editorials or commentaries.
These issues, although contemporary, have roots deep into American history and development, and you
can incorporate this history into your paper, where appropriate. NB CSUs Michael Schwartz Library
houses the Cleveland Press collection, the Citys last afternoon daily newspaper, published from 1878 to
1982. For information on this and other special collections, visit The Cleveland Memory Project at
www.clevelandmemory.org.
WIKIPEDIA is NOT an academic source for citations, but is fine as a resource for getting some starter
information on a topic. Please consult other sources if you are unfamiliar with the mechanics of a quality
research paper.
After reviewing the link listed in your assignments for week 2 regarding how to construct a research
paper, please contact the CSU Writing Center if you need additional guidance. A link is provided on the
Homepage.

Short Written Assignment- Youth Voices Written Assignment

This written assignment is expected to be 2.5-3 double spaced pages in length. Your response
should be succinct and clearly respond to the directions. This assignment also meets the Writing
Across the Curriculum standards for this course. More specific instructions for this assignment
will be included in Blackboard when the assignment is available. The due date (April 5, 2016 by
11:59 pm) is included in the course schedule in this document.

Written Assignment Evaluation:

Evaluation of all student papers is based on the following criteria:
Higher Order Concerns
(1) Focus The hypothesis or main point of your paper needs to be stated clearly at
the beginning of the paper.
(2) Development The research i.e., literature, date, etc. utilized to support your
hypothesis. More specifically, students incorporation of quotes, paraphrases,
examples, inferences, reasoning, opinions, and forecasts relative to supporting
their hypothesis.
6

(3) Organization The organization/structure of the paper. More specifically, is

the paper organized so that the paragraphs proceed from one to another in a
logical style using appropriate transitions? Is the paper well organized? Did the
student adhere to the APA style format suggested for this course?
Lower Order Concerns
(1) Style Style can be considered in terms of sentence patterns and diction. Are
the sentence patterns varied (preferred) or all the same? Variety in style
makes for a far more interesting read. Is the diction appropriate
(wording, choice of words) for an upper level college assignment? Is the
diction appropriate for the discipline?
(2) Mechanics Refers to the punctuation, spelling, and grammar. Students
should make sure they proofread their paper prior to submission. Points
will be deducted for inappropriate punctuation, improper use of grammar,
and misspelled words.

Online Discussions
After reading the required assignments for the week, students are to post in the related
Discussion Forum by the due date. Discussion topics will be posted at the start of each week
(Wednesday at Midnight). Students are required to respond to a question or set of questions that
is posted by the instructor on the Discussion section of Blackboard. The online discussion board
is an exercise in writing-to-learn. It is intended to foster a deeper understanding of the course
materials than mere rote memorization or recitation. Discussions must be delivered by the due
date listed on Blackboard as well as in the syllabus Course Schedule. The discussion boards
will be locked once the due date has passed and late entries will not be accepted unless there
are extenuating circumstances- at the discretion of this instructor. Typically you will have either a
written assignment or an online posting due each week.
The minimum standard for participation in online discussions is to:
Read the Instructors posting and follow the directions carefully;
Post an original 150-200 word response related to the instructors discussion topic/question
first;
Read several postings by fellow students;
Post a minimum 100 word response to at least 1 message posted by a fellow student for each
discussion topic Post a unique response; repeating what students wrote previously will not be
given full points.
It is imperative that the Instructors discussion board questions/comments be answered
completely. For example, if the question asks why is environmental justice important and to give
an example of a unique environmental justice issue that you are aware of, you would need to be
sure to address both portions of the reading assignment for the week in order to receive full
credit. When specific citations are requested please include page numbers and direct quotes from
the readings.

Syllabus is Subject to Change

7

Course Schedule
**Page number reflects the page in the text where the article begins. You are expected to
read the entire article(s) each week. There are 16 Modules in this course.

Module/Topic

Module
Dates

Module 1: Our
Perspective

1/201/26

Module 2:
Demography
Geography &
History

Due
Dates

Readings/Viewings

Text- Introduction vii

IAT ExerciseOnline
Discussion- in
the Forum

1/26/16

Text- Chapter 1 Intro

and Article pgs. 1 & 5
1/27-2/2

How to write a Research

Paper

No Assignment
Due

2/2/16

Text- Chapter 1

Online
Discussion

2/9/16

Proposal Topic
Paper Due

2/16/16

Online
Discussion

2/23/16

No Assignment
Due

3/1/16

Online
Discussion

3/8/16

No Assignment
Due

3/15/16

Rough Draft
Due

3/22/16

Online
Discussion
(Chapter 4)

3/29/16

Youth Voices
Assignment
Due

4/5/16

Online
Discussion

4/12/16

Module 3:
Demography
Geography &
History
Module 4:
Poverty Class and
Race
Module 5:
Poverty Class and
Race

2/3-2/9

2/102/16

Text Chapter 2

2/172/23

Text Chapter 2

Module 6:
Housing and
Neighborhoods

2/24-3/1

Module 7:
Housing and
Neighborhoods

Module 8: Urban
Governance

Article pg. 19

3/2-3/8

Articles pgs. 35 & 37

Article p. 53

Text Chapter 3
Articles pgs. 59 & 63

Text Chapter 3
Article pg. 77

Text Chapter 4
3/9-3/15

Article pgs. 89 & 93,

and 101

No Assigned Reading

Urban Governance

3/163/22

Module 10: Urban

Governance

3/233/29

Text Chapter 4

Module 9:

Module 11:
Education and
Urban Schools

3/30-4/5

SPRING BREAK

Article pg. 101

Text Chapter 5
Articles pgs. 117 & 121

9
Module 12:
Education and
Urban Schools

4/6-4/12

Text Chapter 5
Article pg. 125