FOR JAN TERM FACULTY

Wed, Jan. 3 - Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.

• Week 1: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
• Week 2: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
• Week 3: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
• Week 4: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday

During Jan Term, students will engage with topics beyond their major, minor, or other Core requirements, as well as develop skills related to life-long learning. They will accomplish this by independently selecting courses based on their interests and curiosities and by engaging in intense, focused inquiry and a commitment to personal and intellectual growth.

Jan Term classes can be offered at the 100, 200, 300, or 400-level. All first-year students will take 100-level courses only. Please select the course level for your proposed course. A course level cannot be changed once it has been accepted by the Jan Term Committee.

The standard 100-level Jan Term class is 20 students, the standard 200, 300, or 400-level course with one instructor is 25 students, and the standard 200, 300, or 400-level course with two instructors is 35 students.

JAN v. CORE: Starting in Jan Term 2024, no JAN prefix courses may “double-dip” or be “dual-designated” with any other area of the Core (e.g., the former designations of Creative Practice, American Diversity, or Global Perspective). The lone exception is that JAN courses may be coupled with Engaged Learning with a 1 CU additional unit at the 200-level or above.

JAN classes offered during January may apply for the Engaged Learning (EL) designation. Please read through the CCC’s description of this designation. The 1 CU “add-on” EL designation requires students to complete 37 hours of work in-line with the EL learning outcomes. Out of 37 hours, at least 20 hours must be spent on direct service to the community. If you have not taught an EL course, you will engage in CILSA-led trainings and work with CILSA to create a MOU with your community partner.

Starting in Jan Term 2024, “full credit” JAN courses will be 3 CUs each. The standard expectation is that courses meet 15 times (not 16 times as in previous years) across 4 weeks for 150 minutes at a time. Deviations from this standard expectation are permitted so long as pedagogical justification is provided within the application.

Applications for 1 CU courses (previously known as quarter credit courses) are welcome! The standard expectation is that these courses meet 4 times across 4 weeks for 150 minutes at a time. Deviations from this schedule (e.g., 8 meetings across 4 weeks for 75 minutes at a time) are allowed.

For JT24, proposals for 2 CU courses will not be accepted.

This rubric will be used to assess every Jan Term proposal

Faculty submitting a Jan Term team-taught course proposal should first consult the Team-Teaching Protocol (section 2.2.4 of the Faculty Handbook) in order to ensure that their proposal meets the administrative criteria for team-teaching. 

If a team-taught course is approved by the JT Committee, the faculty members need to draft an alignment statement that shows the need for a second faculty member according to section 2.2.4 of the Faculty Handbook. These alignment statements are gathered together at the end of the Jan Term Committee's selection process and forwarded to the Vice Provost. The Vice Provost sends their recommendation to the Provost, who makes the final decision. 

For Travel proposals: Jan Term Travel courses must either be team-taught or taught by a single faculty member who is accompanied by a co-traveler. Please review the Co-Traveler Policy and Position Description before submitting your travel course proposal. 

The January Term Committee's goal is to offer a diverse array of travel courses that students will find enlightening, challenging, and enjoyable. The Special Guidelines that follow will help you to develop and market a travel course that will represent a unique educational opportunity for your students and yourself.

The Travel Risk Assessment Committee (TRAC) assesses and advises all Jan Term Travel courses in collaboration with the Jan Term faculty and staff. TRAC review is an integral component of SMC's due-diligence measures regarding travel health and safety.

TRAC requires that all Jan Term Travel course proposers submit two interrelated Risk Assessment Documents as part of their proposal.

TRAC was established to review any and all domestic and international travel conducted by faculty, staff, athletic teams, courses, and co-curricular groups to assess and identify potential risks. The committee provides feedback to instructors, coaches, and staff regarding potential risk as well as recommendations for addressing those risks to reflect the college’s due diligence and commitment to ensure safe travel experiences for its community members.

The committee does not “approve” travel activities, but instead makes recommendations to SMC administration when a potential risk is evident. Faculty and staff are then advised of appropriate steps to take to mitigate risk. TRAC works directly with the Center for International Programs (C.I.P.) and the Jan Term Committee to review international travel courses, learning opportunities, and other global activities. Questionnaires designed to identify risk factors are included in Jan-term course proposals. This information is the basis of TRAC review and assessment. 

With the information provided and obtained from travel questionnaires and applications, TRAC maintains a robust, automated database that can be used to immediately and efficiently monitor and contact SMC travelers according to their itinerary in case of emergency. In rare and extreme cases, TRAC considers extraordinary circumstances such as political unrest, terrorist activity or health conditions that pose potentially serious harm by consulting appropriate sources such as the U.S. State Department, professional organizations and various news media to make informed decisions.