Knowledge of the basic principles of major fields of biology (Biology outcome #1)
	Mastery of a broad range of basic lab skills applicable to biology (Biology outcome #2)
	Ability to communicate orally and in writing in a clear, concise manner (Biology outcome #4)
	Ability to collect, evaluate and interpret scientific data, and employ critical thinking to solve problems in biological science. (Biology outcome #5)
	Ability to function effectively on  team-oriented projects. (Biology outcome #6)

Item	Points
3 lab practical exams	150
Lab reports/assignments/quizzes	100
Attendance	20
TOTAL	270

Your final grade will be determined as follows:

Grade	Percentage range
A	90-100%
B	80-89%
C	70-79%
D	60-69%
F	Below 60%

Attendance: Each student must attend the assigned laboratory weekly for 2 hrs & 50 min.  

	You are expected to remain in lab for 2 hr & 50 min weekly, so do not schedule other appointments during this time. Attendance will be checked at each lab period.
	Due to limited space and resources, labs CANNOT be made up. However, you may attend lab in the other lab section if you have a valid excuse and with the permission of the instructor.  If you miss lab, you must have a written excuse (that I can keep) from an authority (doctor, judge, funeral director etc.). With the written excuse, the missed points for the laboratory will not count against you. You cannot turn in a lab report or lab assignment for a lab that you did not attend.
	If you miss lab, you are responsible for the lab material on the lab practical.
	If you miss the lab practical altogether and have an excused absence, notify the instructor immediately by e-mail, and see the instructor upon your return to school.
	Except under extenuating circumstances, you will be counted absent if you are more than 20 minutes late and will not be able to turn in the lab assignment or complete a lab report for that lab.

Lab exercises: You are expected to prepare for the current week's lab topic prior to lab so that you will already be familiar with the subject matter. This will enable to you to work through the lab on your own, asking the instructor when you have questions.  You may be responsible for bringing in a representative organism from the group of organisms that we are studying.  You will be notified of this one week in advance of the due date. You are responsible for printing handouts and bringing them to lab.

Late assignments: Lab reports will be accepted late using the following chart for subtracting points. Lab reports will not be accepted more than one week after they are due. Turn in all of your lab materials together. No supplemental materials may be added once you have turned in you lab report or assignment.

E-mail: Important messages and announcements will be sent to you via your CCSU account. You must activate your account and check your e-mail regularly. If you cannot use your CCSU account, it is your responsibility to send me an alternate e-mail address.  You are responsible for all e-mails sent to the class list.

Website: Check my web page (http://a-s.clayton.edu/bmusolf/) regularly for new postings. Handouts and other important items will be posted on the syllabus for this class.  It your responsibility to print these handouts before coming to lab.

Taking exams:  All electronic devices including cell phones, palm pilots, pagers, calculators, etc. are not allowed during exams or quizzes.  Possession and/or use of these items during an exam will result in a zero on the graded activity.

Disruptive Classroom Behavior¹: Disruptive behavior in the classroom can negatively effect the classroom environment as well as the educational experience for students enrolled in the course. Disruptive behavior is defined as any behaviors that hamper the ability of instructors to teach or students to learn. Common examples of disruptive behaviors include, but are not limited to:

	Eating in class
	Monopolizing classroom discussions
	Failing to respect the rights of other students to express their viewpoints
	Talking when the instructor or others are speaking
	Constant questions or interruptions which interfere with the instructor’s presentation
	Overt inattentiveness (e.g., sleeping or reading the paper in class)
	Creating excessive noise
	Entering the class late or leaving early
	Use of pagers or cell phones in the classroom
	Inordinate or inappropriate demands for time or attention
	Poor personal hygiene (e.g., noticeably offensive body odor)
	Refusal to comply with faculty direction

Students exhibiting these types of behaviors can expect a warning from the instructor or dismissal for the lesson in which the behavior occurs. Failure to correct such behaviors can result in dismissal from the course.

More extreme examples of disruptive behavior include, but are not limited to:

	Use of profanity or pejorative language
	Intoxication
	Verbal abuse of instructor or other students (e.g., taunting, badgering, intimidation)
	Harassment of instructor or other students
	Threats to harm oneself or others
	Physical violence

Students exhibiting these more extreme examples of disruptive behavior may be dismissed from the lesson or the entire course.

Students dismissed from a lesson will leave the classroom immediately or may be subject to additional penalties. Dismissed students are responsible for any course material or assignments missed.

Students dismissed from a course have the right to appeal the dismissal to the department head responsible for the course. Appeals beyond the department head may also be pursued. If no appeal is made or the appeal is unsuccessful, the student will receive a grade o WF (withdrawal – failing) regardless of the current grade in the course.

Conditions attributed to physical or psychological disabilities are not considered as a legitimate excuse for disruptive behavior.

¹ The description of disruptive behavior and listings of examples of disruptive behavior are taken from the Web sites of James Madison University, the University of Delaware and Virginia Tech.

General policies:

	Students must abide by policies in the Clayton College and State University Catalog, Student Handbook, and if applicable, program handbook.
	Visitors, including children, are not allowed in the laboratory.
	No smoking, other use of tobacco, eating, or drinking is permitted at any time in the laboratory.
	Cheating in any form will not be tolerated; all work that you turn in must be in your own words and must be your own work.  If your brainpower did not generate what you turn in, it is considered cheating.  The following are examples of cheating:  copying the work of another person, allowing another person to do your assignment,  working in a group on a graded item, copying or closely paraphrasing referenced sources, using anything but your brainpower on an exam, etc.  Cheating in any form will result in a minimum of zero on the assignment and academic misconduct forms will be filed with the Office of Judicial Affairs for any violation.
	Turn off all cell phones, pagers, etc. when entering the classroom.  No electronic devices may be out or in use during exams or other graded assignments.