Individuals with disabilities who need to request accommodations should contact the Disability Services Coordinator, Student Center 214
(678) 466-5445, disabilityservices@clayton.edu.

In class requirement of student notebook computers

Student computers will occasionally be used in the classroom. Computers will also be required to access course materials and to communicate with your instructor.

Instructor:

Dr. Barbara Musolf
Phone: (678) 466-4851
Fax: (678) 466-4899
E-mail: BarbaraMusolf@clayton.edu
Homepage: http://a-s.clayton.edu/bmusolf/

Office: Faculty Hall A 16C

Office hours: Mon. 3:15 - 4:45 pm; Wed 2:00 - 5:00; Th 3:30 - 5:00 pm

General policies:

Students must abide by policies in the Clayton State University Student Handbook, and the Basic Undergraduate Student Responsibilities.

Visitors (friends, children, etc.) are strictly prohibited from attending class without the permission of the instructor.

Changes or additions to this syllabus, including reading, exam schedule, grading, and course policies can be made at the discretion of the instructor at any time.

Required textbook information:

Victoria E. McMillan.  2006.  Writing papers in the biological sciences, 4th edition.  Bedford/St. Martin's.  New York.

Journal papers will be either distributed or linked on-line for you to access.

Evaluation and grading:

Tentatively, the points will be distributed as follows:

Your final grade will be determined as follows:

The mid-term grade  will be issued by October 6th, reflects approximately 25% of the course grade.  Based on this grade, students may choose to withdraw from the course and receive a grade of "W."  Students pursuing this option must withdraw from the course using the DUCK or fill out an official withdrawal form, available in the Office of the Registrar, by mid-term, which occurs October 9, 2009.

Course Description

Number and Title: BIOL 4500 (CRN 87105) Biology Seminar

Credit Hours:1.0 semester credit hours

Catalog Description: Experts from industry, government, and academe address current topics in Biology. Students enrolled in the seminar prepare for the talks by performing electronic literature searches and submitting questions for the speakers. This course gives students the opportunity to meet with and question experts in the field. Examinations and projects are based on seminar topics.

Course prerequisites: BIOL 1108/L and CHEM2412/L and MATH 1231.

Notebook computer requirement: Each CSU student is required to have ready access throughout the semester to a notebook computer that meets faculty-approved hardware and software requirements for the student's academic program. Students will sign a statement attesting to such access.  For further information on CSU's Official Notebook Computer Policy, please go to http://itpchoice.clayton.edu/policy.htm .

Computer skill prerequisites: You must be able to use Windows, Microsoft Word, Outlook or Outlook Express (including attaching and retrieving files via e-mail), a Web browser, Adobe Acrobat Reader, and Microsoft Excel.

Course objectives: To learn about current research in the biological, chemical and physical sciences that could be applied to the business world.

Biology outcomes: BIOL 4500 supports outcomes 1, 3, 6 and 7 of the biology major.

• 1.  Effectively demonstrate knowledge of the basic principles of major fields of biology.  This course provides background in evolutionary biology.
• 3. Knowledge of physical science, mathematics, and statistics required to support an understanding of biology.
• 6. Collaborate effectively on team-oriented projects.
• 7. Demonstrate the ability to identify and describe the impact of biological and physical sciences on the environment and society.

Class Schedule is on this page.  Please check the schedule frequently as it can be changed.

Course policies

University Attendance Policy: Students are expected to attend and participate in every class meeting. Instructors establish specific policies relating to absences in their courses and communicate these policies to the students through the course syllabi. Individual instructors, based upon the nature of the course, determine what effect excused and unexcused absences have in determining grades and upon students’ ability to remain enrolled in their courses. The university reserves the right to determine that excessive absences, whether justified or not, are sufficient cause for institutional withdrawals or failing grades.: You are expected to attend all class meetings. Attendance may be taken at each class meeting by signing the class roll.

Class Attendance Policy: Students are expected to attend and be prepared for class. Roll will be taken and participation grades will be given to provide both you and me with feedback on your attendance.

Cheating and Plagiarism: 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 zero on the assignment and academic misconduct forms will be filed with the Office of Student Conduct for any violation. Disciplinary procedures are described at http://adminservices.clayton.edu/studentconduct/.  

Making up missed work

• There are no make-up quizzes. One quiz will be dropped.
• Missing a presentation: IPresentations cannot be made up. In the event of a serious accident, birth of a baby, death of a family member, or jury duty, written documentation is required for the length of time absent. Routine doctor visits (i.e., annual eye exam, cleaning of teeth, etc.) should not be scheduled during class time.
• Please contact instructor ASAP if you have difficulty in hosting a speaker or making your presentation. 

Quizzes: Quizzes will be given at the beginning of the class period. If you come in late and the exam is still in progress, you may take the exam, but you will not be given any additional time to work. You must turn in your work when time is called. 

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

Late assignments: Assignments are due on the posted due date and by the end of my scheduled appearance on campus that day. Any work that is not turned in on the due date will be considered late and penalized 10% daily. Under no circumstances can an assignment be turned in more than 5 days late.

E-mail: Important messages and announcements will be sent to you via your CSU account. You must activate your account and check your e-mail regularly.  If you cannot use your CSU 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. You are responsible for printing out any handouts or other important items posted on the syllabus for this class.  

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 of WF (withdrawal – failing) regardless of the current grade in the course.

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.