Syllabus Checklist Snapshot
DORI 0200_2A3– College Success Skills Spring 2026 INSTRUCTOR CONTACT INFORMATION Instructor: Danielle Grundy Email: dngrundy@lit.edu Office Hours: Virtual Office Hours by Appointment only Via Email CREDIT 2 Non-Credit Semester Credit Hours MODE OF INSTRUCTION Online PREREQUISITE/CO-REQUISITE: None COURSE DESCRIPTION Psychology of learning and success; examines factors that underlie learning, success, and personal development in higher education. Topics covered include information processing, memory, strategic learning, self-regulation, goal setting, motivation, educational and career planning, and learning styles. Techniques of study such as time management, listening and note taking, text marking, library and research skills, preparing for examinations, and utilizing learning resources are covered. This includes courses in college orientation and the development of students’ academic skills that apply to all disciplines. COURSE OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to 1. Navigate the systems of college (including technology, career/major exploration, academic advising, registration, and campus resources). 2. Examine factors that underlie learning, success, and personal development in higher education. 3. Discover techniques of study such as time management, listening and note taking, test taking, library and research skills, reading, and memory. 4. Demonstrate the State of Texas core objectives of critical thinking, communication, teamwork, personal and social responsibility, and qualitative reasoning. 5. Understand the concept of financial literacy for students, including the financial aid process. REQUIRED TEXTBOOK AND MATERIALS • College Success Concise by OpenStax by Amy Baldwin, Free at OpenStax.com • Computer • Internet connection (Broadband highly recommended)
• MS PowerPoint (students are provided with free Office 365 access) • MS Word or compatible word processor (students are provided with free Office 365 access) • MS Outlook Email (students are provided with free Office 365 access ATTENDANCE POLICY You are required to log on weekly to Blackboard and review the week's course material. Additionally, you are required to check your LIT emails weekly. Assignments are typically due each week. DROP POLICY Students are NOT permitted to drop DORI. If you stop completing your coursework, you will FAIL the course and have to retake DORI in order to be eligible to graduate. If you wish to drop a course, you are responsible for initiating and completing the drop process by the specified drop date as listed on the Academic Calendar. If you stop coming to class and fail to drop the course, you will earn an “F” in the course. STUDENT EXPECTED TIME REQUIREMENT For every hour in class (or unit of credit), students should expect to spend at least two to three hours per week studying and completing assignments. For a 3-credit-hour class, students should prepare to allocate approximately six to nine hours per week outside of class in a 16- week session OR approximately twelve to eighteen hours in an 8-week session. Online/Hybrid students should expect to spend at least as much time in this course as in the traditional, face-to-face class. COURSE CALENDAR Daily work is highlighted in GREEN and major assignments are highlighted in YELLOW. Module Course Content and Activities Assignments Due Date Due (See Late Work Policy) 1 Course Syllabus & Schedule College Basics LIT Policies Course Textbook Link Plan Ahead for Title IX Compliance Training Campus Tour Video Chapter 1 Reading Assignment: Transitioning to College 1. Syllabus and College Basics Quiz 2. Email Instructor Assignment 3. Class Introduction Discussion Assignment 4. Smiling Faces Assignment 5. Technology Assignment 4/1/26 (Wednesday) 11:59 pm 2 Campus Tour Video Chapter 1 Reading Chapter 2 Reading Time Management Videos 1. Scavenger Hunt Assignment 2. GRIT Assignment 3. Chapter 1 & 2 Knowledge Check 4. DegreeWorks, Starfish, and Banner Assignment 4/5/26 (Sunday) by 11:59 pm 3 & 4 Chapter 3 Reading Chapter 4 Reading Videos on Studying Module 3: 1. LIT and its Website Assignment 2. Planner Assignment 3. Chapters 3 & 4 Knowledge Check Module 4: 4/12/26 (Sunday) by 11:59 pm
1. Library Assignment 2. Career Exploration Assignment 5 Chapter 5 Reading 1. Title IX Training Assignment 2. Prepare for Advising Assignment 4/19/26 (Sunday) by 11:59 pm 6 Chapter 6 Reading Healthy Lifestyle Videos 1. Healthy Lifestyle Self-Assessment 2. Chapter 5 & 6 Knowledge Check 3. Resume Assignment 4/26/26 (Sunday) by 11:59 pm 7 & 8 Chapter 7 Reading Chapter 8 Reading Study Previous Reading Notes & Knowledge Checks Module 7: 1. Scholarship Application Verification Assignment 2. Advisor Meeting Assignment 3. Chapter 7 & 8 Knowledge Check Module 8: 1. Final Knowledge Check 2. Registration Assignment 3. LIT Course Evaluations Assignment 5/6/26 (Wednesday) by 11:59 pm **No late work accepted COURSE EVALUATION Final grades DO IMPACT your overall GPA and will be calculated according to the following criteria: • Daily Work 45% (highlighted in Green) • Major Assignments 55% (highlighted in Yellow) GRADING SCALE 90-100 A 80-89 B 70-79 C 60-69 D 0-59 F TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS The latest technical requirements, including hardware, compatible browsers, operating systems, etc. can be online at https://lit.edu/online-learning/online-learning-minimum-computer-requirements. A functional broadband internet connection, such as DSL, cable, or WiFi is necessary to maximize the use of online technology and resources. DISABILITIES STATEMENT The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are federal anti-discrimination statutes that provide comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. LIT provides reasonable accommodations as defined in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, to students with a diagnosed disability. The Special Populations Office is located in the Eagles’ Nest Room 129 and helps foster a supportive and inclusive educational environment by maintaining partnerships with faculty and staff, as well as promoting awareness among all members of the Lamar Institute of
Technology community. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Special Populations Coordinator at (409)-951-5708 or email specialpopulations@lit.edu. You may also visit the online resource at Special Populations - Lamar Institute of Technology (lit.edu). STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT STATEMENT It is the responsibility of all registered Lamar Institute of Technology students to access, read, understand and abide by all published policies, regulations, and procedures listed in the LIT Catalog and Student Handbook. The LIT Catalog and Student Handbook may be accessed at www.lit.edu. Please note that the online version of the LIT Catalog and Student Handbook supersedes all other versions of the same document. STARFISH LIT utilizes an early alert system called Starfish. Throughout the semester, you may receive emails from Starfish regarding your course grades, attendance, or academic performance. Faculty members record student attendance, raise flags and kudos to express concern or give praise, and you can make an appointment with faculty and staff all through the Starfish home page. You can also login to Blackboard or MyLIT and click on the Starfish link to view academic alerts and detailed information. It is the responsibility of the student to pay attention to these emails and information in Starfish and consider taking the recommended actions. Starfish is used to help you be a successful student at LIT. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE STATEMENT Lamar Institute of Technology (LIT) recognizes the recent advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT, have changed the landscape of many career disciplines and will impact many students in and out of the classroom. To prepare students for their selected careers, LIT desires to guide students in the ethical use of these technologies and incorporate AI into classroom instruction and assignments appropriately. Appropriate use of these technologies is at the discretion of the instructor. Students are reminded that all submitted work must be their own original work unless otherwise specified. Students should contact their instructor with any questions as to the acceptable use of AI/ChatGPT in their courses ADDITIONAL COURSE POLICIES/INFORMATION 1. Due Dates: All assignments, daily work, and major projects/tests due dates are indicated in the Blackboard course for this class and/or on the instructor-supplied course schedule. Due dates are subject to change. I will update you all via Blackboard if changes are made. 2. Late Work: Quizzes and Knowledge Checks are due the day they are stated due. There are no extensions for quizzes and knowledge checks. Assignments can be submitted late up to 5 days after the due date at a 10 point deduction per day. After 5 days, the grade will be zero.
Example: If the assignment due date is 4/1 11:59 pm and you submit it past the due date, the grade will look as follows. 4/2- 1 day late (-10 point deduction) 4/3- 2 days late (-20 point deduction) 4/4- 3 days late (-30 point deduction) 4/5- 4 days late (-40 point deduction) 4/6- 5 days late (-50 point deduction AND the last day you may submit the assignment) 4/7 and beyond the grade is a zero. **No late work will be accepted for Modules 7 & 8. The course ends on 5/6 at 11:59 p.m. Due Dates: Module 1 is due 4/1 (Wednesday) by 11:59 pm Module 2 is due 4/5 (Sunday) by 11:59 pm Module 3 & 4 are due 4/12 (Sunday) by 11:59 pm Module 5 is due 4/19 (Sunday) by 11:59 pm Module 6 is due 4/26 (Sunday) by 11:59 pm Module 7 & 8 are due 5/6 (Wednesday) by 11:59 pm (no late work accepted for modules 7 & 8) ** ALL Assignments are due by 5/6 at all 11:59 pm ***Working ahead is encouraged. 3. Work Submissions: All assignments must be submitted via Blackboard. Assignments submitted through any other method, including email or course mail, will receive a “0”. Do not submit any links, shared document, or google docs for your submissions. All submissions should be Word documents or PDFs. No exceptions. All submissions should be used in academic language. 4. Grading Work: While I strive to grade quickly, please allow me up to one week to grade your assignment. I will always communicate with students if there is a reason for a grading extension. 5. Communication: You can email me using your LIT email address only. I prefer email, but you can also message through Blackboard messenger. I will respond within 24 hours Monday- Friday and within 48 hours on the weekends. Please note that I am not always available on weekends. 6. Academic Dishonesty: All homework, papers, and tests must be the work of the student only. Do not use AI on your assignments, nor copy and paste from the internet or your friends. The first offense of plagiarism may result minimally in a 20-point deduction on the assignment. A second offense may result in a zero on the assignment. Continuous abuse will result in an F in the course. 7. Extra Credit/Bonus Points: Please do not ask me for individual consideration/favors, which includes asking for extra credit. Any opportunities will be given to the class as a whole and not on an individual basis. 8. Announcements:
I will communicate any changes/updates through Blackboard announcements. Check your Blackboard account DAILY. 9. General Info: Some assignments can only be fully completed during the work week and work hours due to having to schedule meetings with LIT advisors/staff. Be mindful of this as you plan out your week. Best practice would be to open the course assignments on Monday of each week and read through them so that you can have enough time to complete it. Technology issues will not result in any extensions on your course of work due dates. If you have technical difficulty, you need to reach out to LIT's IT department or Blackboard immediately. I will not be able to help you with these issues. Working ahead is encouraged. If you can stay ahead, you will be prepared for when "life" happens. I know many of you have jobs, families, and other priorities that all require your time. This course is important too. Stay on track and keep pushing through! You can do it!