BIOL 4930 – Environmental Toxicology

Course Syllabus – Fall 2008

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

Course description:

Number and title: BIOL 4930 (CRN 87106), Environmental Toxicology

Credit hours: 3.0 semester credit hours

Catalog description: This course will establish the scientific principles underlying the toxic actions of various substances and will introduce the various challenges within the field of toxicology.  The chemical nature of injurious substances, their uptake and metabolism by non-target organisms, and their mode of toxic action will be studied in addition to the methods used in safety evaluations and risk assessment.  This course will provide a general understanding of the basic concepts in toxicology.

Course prerequisites: BIOL 3200

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 periodically in this class. Various in class assignments will require students to use their computers.  In addition, computers will be required to access course materials.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Biology outcomes:

BIOL4930 supports outcomes 1, 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the biology major:

Course objectives:

1.  To introduce the basic principles of toxicology.

2. To introduce topics related to human health.

3. To introduce past and current environmental problems.

4.  To provide an understanding of the principle routes of toxic metabolism

5.  To introduce regulatory affairs related to toxic material use.

Instructor Information:

Instructor:

Dr. Jacqueline Jordan
Office: Lower Level of Library, Room L136
Phone: (678) 466-4781
email: JacquelineJordan@clayton.edu
Internet address: http://a-s.clayton.edu/jordan
Fall Office Hours: Mon 11:30 - 1:30pm, Tuesday 12:30 - 1:30pm, 3:30 - 4:30pm, Wed. 2-4pm, Thurs 12:30 - 1:30pm and 3:30-4:30pm

Class meetings: Classes will meet in the Lecture Hall, B11

Textbook information:

Required text:  Introduction to Toxicology, John Timbrell,  3rd Edition,  CRC Press, Chapter 1 - 12

Required Readings: Silent Spring (40th Anniversary Edition), by Rachel Carson, Edward Wilson, Published October 2002 (not in campus bookstore)

Required Classroom Materials:  Black Binder (2") , Graphing Paper, Ruler, and Calculator

Evaluation and grading:

Tentatively, the points will be distributed as follows:

*subject to increase

Your final grade will be determined as follows:

Mid-term Progress Report

The mid-term grade in this course will be issued prior to the midterm and it will reflect one-third of the course requirement.  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 Friday October 10, 2008.  If the withdrawal is submitted after October 10, 2008, a grade of  'WF' will be assigned by the registrar, which is equivalent to an F in the calculation of a student's GPA.

Final Examination Schedule:

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..

IMPORTANT LINKS

    Course Materials

    Research Articles- Updated

    Case Studies

COURSE POLICIES

Attendance:

Students are required to attend and participate in every class meeting.  Missing more than five lecture classes during the semester is considered excessive.  After a student misses four lectures, he or she will be given a written warning of violation of attendance policy.  After missing six lecture classes (regardless of the excuse), the student will be removed from the class by the instructor.  If withdrawal occurs before midterm a "W" will be assigned.  If withdrawal occurs after midterm a "WF" will be assigned.   If a student is asked to leave class due to disturbance (loud talking, etc), this will be considered an absence from class.

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.  You MUST present a valid excuse written by some authority (doctor, judge, etc.).  If possible contact me by e-mail to let me know why you are absent.  Please bring a copy of your excuse (a copy I can keep) to me the day that you return to school.

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.

If you know you have a conflict prior to a scheduled test, see the instructor well in advance to arrange to take the exam prior to that day.  The instructor has the discretion to decide if the conflict is a valid excuse for missing an exam.

Turning in late work/assignments:  Acceptance of late assignments will be at the discretion of the instructor. I will deduct 20% of the grade for each day that it is late.

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.

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 Judicial Affairs for any violation. Judicial procedures are described at http://adminservices.clayton.edu/judicial/.  

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.

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 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.
• 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.
• Turn off all cell phones, pagers, etc. when entering the classroom.  No electronic devices may be out or in use during exams.  Cell phones ringing during class will result in a 5 point deduction from the overall grade.  Cell phones ringing during an exam will result in a 10 point deduction from the overall grade.
• 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.