Glossary of Terms
Course 2-, 4-, or 6-credit offering, usually with a disciplinary focus.
DTF Disappearing Task Force. A group of faculty, staff and/or students that comes together to study problems, make recommendations, then disappear. We have very few standing committees at Evergreen.
Governance Contributions to the work of the college beyond our regular teaching assignments. This includes, but is not limited to, participation on DTFs, serving on Faculty Hiring Committees, or other contributions to the work of the college that needs a perspective from Evening and Weekend Studies.
Governance Hours Governance hours are on Monday from 3-5 pm and Wednesday from 1-5 pm. We try not to schedule classes during these hours so students and faculty are free to participate in committees and task forces.
Exam Program Credit can be awarded for Advanced Placement Exams, College Level Exam Programs (CLEP), Proficiency Exam Programs (PEP) with appropriate scores. Students should contact Registration and Records (ext. 6180).
FERPA The Federal Educational Right to Privacy Act that guarantees student confidentiality. Contact the Registrar for more information.
Human Subjects All students, staff and faculty conducting research at the college which involves the participation of humans as subjects must ensure that participation is voluntary and that risks are minimal. A faculty member assigned to this committee reviews applications. Applications are available at the front desk in the Academic Deans’ Area in the Library building or at http://www.evergreen.edu/humansubjectsreview/application.htm
Incompletes A temporary agreement and report to track disposition of credit. These are usually used when a student fails to complete work and the faculty member is willing to give them a specific extension of time to complete that work. Adjunct faculty cannot issue Incompletes without prior approval of their Dean.
Individual Learning Student-proposed plan of study. The student and faculty sponsor draw up a contract outlining work to be completed and evaluation criteria. Final copies become the student’s registration document. All adjunct faculty must first get their Dean’s approval before sponsoring Individual Learning Contracts, and they must attend a contract-writing workshop led by the Curriculum Dean, Scott Coleman.
Internships Students work in designed internships with public agencies, community organizations or businesses under the guidance of a field supervisor. The academic sponsor is a TESC faculty member. These agreements must be finalized on college Internship Agreements and include consultation with an Academic Advising counselor. Adjunct faculty must get Dean’s approval to sponsor these.
Planning Unit Evergreen’s faculty organize themselves into Planning Units and thematic planning groups to develop our curriculum. The units are formed to provide an intellectual and curricular focus for faculty that reflects breadth of interdisciplinary teaching and learning. Current planning units are: Consciousness Studies, Critical and Creative Practices, Culture, Text and Language, Environmental Studies, Expressive Arts, Native Programs, Reservation-Based Community Determined Program, Scientific Inquiry, Society, Politics, Behavior and Change, Sustainability and Justice, the Tacoma Program, and Evening and Weekend Studies.
PLE Prior Learning from Experience. A program that awards academic credit for significant life experiences by use of portfolios and faculty review. There is more information at www.evergreen.edu/priorlearning/
Program Half-time (8-credit) interdisciplinary offering that is usually team-taught. Knowledge and skills from different disciplines are unified around a common theme. Programs can be one, two, or three quarters in duration.
PUCs Planning Unit Coordinators. Each of the planning units has at least one faculty member who serves as the coordinator of the group.
QuaSR The Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning Center is the campus hub for peer tutoring and consulting in quantitative reasoning in programs and contracts. The Center also works with faculty to develop initiatives to encourage the integration of quantitative reasoning in the curriculum. The Director is Vauhn Foster-Grahler and her office is in the Library 2304J, ext. 5630, fostergv@evergreen.edu.
Seminar One of the central experiences of an Evergreen education. The purpose of seminars is to give students the opportunity to discuss a text, film, or common experience assigned in a particular program or course. Faculty roles vary by preference and need, but are all some form of facilitation. Seminars at Evergreen are student-centered.
Social Contract A document that articulates the social ethics and expectations of working together at Evergreen. (http://www.evergreen.edu/advising/academicpolicies.htm)
Special Students Students who are not yet admitted to the college may enroll in courses or programs for up to 8 credits per quarter. No student may enroll for fewer than 8 credits in a half-time program.
Writing Center The hub for peer tutoring and consulting on all writing in programs and contracts. The Center also works with faculty to develop initiatives to encourage Writing Across the Curriculum. The Director is Sandra Yannone. Her office is Library 2304H, ext. 6382, yannons@evergreen.edu`