BIOL 3200 – Cell Biology

Course Syllabus – Summer 2007

Individuals with disabilities who need to request accommodations should contact the Disability Services Coordinator, Administration Building room # 23, 678-466-5445, disabilityservices@mail.clayton.edu.

Course description:

Number and title: BIOL 3200 (CRN 52531), Cell Biology

Credit hours: 3.0 semester credit hours

Catalog description: An exploration of life's basic unit. Students will examine the cell from both structural and functional viewpoints. The fundamentals of cellular chemistry, life cycles, and regulation will be discussed. Seminal experiments in cell biology will be examined, and current studies in primary research journals will be addressed. Students will gain an understanding of how contemporary methods of laboratory experimentation are being used to unravel the mysteries of life's irreducible unit.

Course prerequisites: BIOL 1108, BIOL1108L, CHEM 2412, CHEM 2412L

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:

• Able to use the Windows^TM operating system.
• Able to use a the Microsoft Word^TM word processing program.
• Able to send and receive e-mail using the Outlook^TM or Outlook Express^TM program.
• Able to use a Web browser.

In-class Use of Student Notebook Computers:

Student notebook computers will be used extensively in this class. Various in class assignments will require students to use their computers.  In addition, computers will be required to access course materials and to communicate with your instructor.  Plan on bringing your laptop to class or arrange with another student prior to the meeting time of the class to share computers.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Biology outcomes:

BIOL3200 supports outcomes 1, 4, 5, and 7 of the biology major:

• Outcome 1.  Knowledge of the basic principles of major fields of biology.
• Outcome 4.  Ability to communicate orally and in writing in a clear concise manner.
• Outcome 5.  Ability to collect, evaluate, and interpret scientific data, and employ critical thinking skills to solve problems in biological science and supporting fields.
• Outcome7.  Appreciation for the impact of biological and physical science on the environment and society

Course objectives:

• To investigate the organelles that compose eukaryotic animal cells and understand how these organelles function individually and cumulatively to contribute to the overall function of the cell.
• To understand the molecular interactions that occur within cells and contribute to the overall function of the cell.
• To investigate cell-cell communication and cell-environment communication.

Instructor Information:

Instructor:

Dr. Fran Norflus
Office: Arts and Sciences Building , Room G110G
Phone: (678) 466-4852
email: FrancineNorflus@clayton.edu
Internet address: http://a-s.clayton.edu/fnorflus/
Summer Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12:50 – 1:20 in the UC lunch area or room UC331.  Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:00 – 5:00 in room G-110G or C28.  Other office hours may be made by appointment.

Class meetings: Classes will meet in the University Center , room U331 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:50 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Textbook information:

Required text: Essential Cell Biology 2nd Edition. Alberts, Bray, Hopkin, Johnson, Lewis, Raff, Roberts, and Walter, Garland Publishing, 2004 (this textbook comes with a CD-ROM.  It is very important that you have the CD-ROM)

Text coverage: Chapters 1-4, 11-18 and 21

Recommended text:   Biology, Campbell & Reece, Pearson/Benjamin Cummings

This class builds on the information that you learned in biology 1107.  I HIGHLY recommend that you review the material that you learned in that class.

Evaluation and grading:

Evaluation:

Grading:

Your final grade will be determined as follows:

Mid-term Progress Report

The mid-term grade in this course will be issued prior to June 27, 2007, and it will be based on 2 examinations and on any assignments given.  To calculate your grade, you should take an average of all of the assignments.  To this number, you should add your grade for the first two exams and then divide this final number by 3.  Based on this grade, students may choose to withdraw from the course and receive a grade of 'W'.   Students pursuing this option must fill out an official withdrawal form, available in the Office of the Registrar or from the Registrar's webpage, on or before the mid-term, which occurs on Wednesday, June 27, 2007.  If the withdrawal is submitted after June 27, 2007, the grade will be a 'WF', which is equivalent to an F in the calculation of a student's GPA.

Tentative course schedule:  

*This lecture schedule and lecture testing is tentative and may change. Tests may be given the week before or the week after the week listed here--or during the week predicted. Specific test dates will be announced approximately one week in advance in class.

Format of class and resources used

This class will be taught by a mixture of lecturing and observing videos and animations from the Internet and from the CD-ROM that comes from your textbook.  The topics covered in these animations and videos will be BASED on the material presented in the textbook but may include additional material.  Exam questions will also come from this material.  You need to make sure that you have the CD-ROM that comes with the textbook.

Making up missed work

·         There will be NO make up exams. Instead your final exam grade will count twice.  Missing more than one of the scheduled, regular hour exams is considered excessive.   You will be asked to withdraw from the course or to apply for a hardship withdrawal (after the midterm only) if you miss more than one exam. 

·        If you need to miss the final exam for an extraordinary circumstance, a makeup examination will be given but only if you contact me in advance of the exam.

·         You will only be allowed to miss one assignment during the semester.  If you have a valid excuse, the grade on the next assignment will count twice.  If you miss more than one assignment, regardless of the excuse, you will be given a grade of 0 for the missed assignment.

·         You MUST present a valid excuse written by some authority (doctor or judge) in order to get an excused absence.  If there is a death in your family, you will need to bring me official documentation to validate your excuse.

·         You will only have 48 hours to notify me of your excuse in order to get credit for the missed assignment.  If you miss a test or assignment on Tuesday, then you will have until Thursday at 3:50 PM to contact me about your excuse.  If you miss a test or assignment on Thursday, then you will have until Saturday at 3:50 PM to contact me.  If you do not contact me by this time, you will receive a grade of 0 regardless of your excuse.  I regularly check my e-mail so if you have an excuse where you cannot return to class, then you may e-mail me your excuse and will then have to provide the documentation immediately upon your return.  Otherwise, you will be given a grade of 0.

·        Routine doctor visits (i.e., annual eye exam, cleaning of teeth, etc.) should not be scheduled during class or exam time; they will not be considered excused.

·         Problems with your car and getting stuck in traffic is not considered a valid excuse.  You will be given a grade of 0 if that is your reason for not attending class.  If you are in an accident on the way to school, you will need to present me with a police report within 48 hours of the accident inorder to get an excused absence.

·        All other extraordinary circumstances will be handled by the instructor on a case-by-case basis.  However, you should contact me in advance or as soon after the extraordinary circumstance as possible.

Turning in late work/assignments:  I will deduct 10 points for each day that your assignment is late unless you have a documented excuse. No assignments will be accepted after 3 days past the due date.  All assignments are due at the beginning of the class period.  If you come in late and hand your assignment in late, I will deduct 10 points from your grade.  Remember, that you can miss only one assignment during the semester regardless of your excuse so choose your excuses wisely.  If you do have a documented excuse, you will need to hand your official excuse in when returning to class or you will receive a grade of 0 for the assignment.

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

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/do not 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.

General policies:

• Students must abide by the policies in the University Catalog and Student Handbook, and if applicable, program handbook.
• Students must follow the guidelines set forth in Basic Undergraduate Student Responsibilities.
• Visitors, including children, are not allowed in the classroom.
• No smoking, other use of tobacco, eating, or drinking is permitted at any time in the classroom.
• 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 a source written by another person, using anything but your brainpower on an exam, assignment, 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.  Judicial procedures are described at http://adminservices.clayton.edu/judicial/
• All examinations are closed book.  NO student produced study sheets, note cards, notes from class, electronic information,etc. may be used on exams.  During exams you may have only pencil(s) and an eraser at your desk.  You may not work with another person on exams or graded assignments.
• Turn off all cell phones, pagers, etc. when entering the classroom.  No electronic devices may be out or in use during exams, other graded assignments or lectures.