Syllabus for Biology 172 GENERAL BIOLOGY Fall 2010. NOTE: The copy of this syllabus at http://www2.hawaii.edu/~rsnider/171syl.htm contains any updates or corrections.

Section 31429 is online, and is available in Laulima 24/7 http://laulima.hawaii.edu/portal/

Instructor: Hank Snider Office: Koki'o 202K (808-734-9869) Office Hours: MWF 12 - 1 PM, or whenever present. You are welcome.

Email: rsnider@hawaii.edu I respond to emails frequently. Email me!

TEXTBOOK: BIOLOGY, 8th. ed., by Campbell, Neil A. & J.B. Reece, et al., Benjamin/Cummings, 2008. Any version is acceptable, including the ebook. The looseleaf product has been chosen for the KCC campus for the convenience of the F2F students.

The instructor's website is at http://www2.hawaii.edu/~rsnider/

INSTRUCTION METHOD: You are expected to read the assigned material in the textbook as scheduled. Each chapter is discussed in the lecture, illustrated with PowerPoints, online links, and other materials. Each lecture and discussion has been recorded and available through Laulima. Additional recorded versions are also available. These recordings are supplemented with other recorded lessions, games, internet links, etc. available in Laulima. You can reach these materials through chapter links in Laulima. Quizzes:You will find in the Laulima Menu a link called Quizzes Tests & Reviews, that gives you access to the chapter quizzes, each worth 2.5 points. You make take these chapter quizzes as many times as you like, and the items are drawn from a set of about 60 questions. Your highest score on each quiz is retained. New this semester: You must take the Chapter quizzes by the closing date. Chapter Reviews are set up as quizzes, but they don't count; they are intended to give you study access to all the questions in the chapter quiz bank. Class activities may include reading current science news articles on the internet, and discussing them on online bulletin boards. Workpages may be distributed at the beginning of some lectures, and are due on a strict schedule; no late workpages will be accepted. They are intended to help you keep up to date in the course. GRADING: The course grade will be determined by scores on various activities, chiefly online quizzes on each chapter, 8 Exams and a Final Exam. Your Laulima participation will be graded both quantitatively and qualitatively. In other words you are rewarded for more and better contributions.

Tests will be taken in your campus computer testing lab. Each will consist of about 25 online multiple choice questions from the online quizzes you have taken, and about 25 questions from another test bank that you have not seen. The questions are selected randomly, so each individual test is unique. Test dates are shown in the course schedule, and include some flexibility. If you have a problem meeting this schedule, email the instructor and we will make adjustments.

All your scores in the course will be immediately available within Laulima. You should know your standing in the course at all times.

Alphabetical grades will be given as follows:

• The "A" grade represents outstandingly high achievement, above 90% of the possible points.
• The "B" grade indicates above average achievement, above 80%
• The "C" grade indicates average achievement in point totals, usually clustering around 75% of the total possible points.
• The "D" grade indicates below average achievement, generally below 70% of the possible points.
• The "F" grade indicates low achievement in point totals, usually with scores below 60% of the total possible points

Course Policy Statements:

•       Appropriate student conduct as defined by the Kapi‘olani Community College Student Conduct Code will be expected of students at all times. You are expected to take all quizzes, tests and exams independently. Do not provide or receive unfair assistance. Ultimately the person you harm will be yourself and perhaps a future client/patient who may depend on you. When taking proctored exams in a qualified testing center, you may not use any electronic, printed or live supplemental information sources. In addition, you may not participate in any verbal, written or electronic communication. You must rely solely on your own knowledge of the subject material. When sitting down for an exam, you may have a blank sheet of paper and pen/pencil on the table beside you. Absolutely everything else should be securely stored away for the duration of the exam. Any report from a proctor that these rules have been broken will result in a zero score for the exam and a potential failure of the class!

• MATH/SCIENCE DEPARTMENT POLICY ON WITHDRAWALS (W GRADES) AND INCOMPLETE (I GRADE):
  1.   WITHDRAWALS (W GRADES) – After the “last day of withdrawals” OCT. 26, 2010, the instructor will sign withdrawals only in cases of extreme or unusual circumstances. Grade related excuses are unacceptable.
  Examples of extreme or unusual circumstances are:
  1.       a certified medical reason
  2.       a death in the immediate family
  Students who no longer attend class and who DO NOT OFFICIALLY WITHDRAW from the course will receive “F” grades.

  2.   INCOMPLETE (I GRADE) – Students must present the “Request for Incomplete” form prior to the last day of instruction. “I” grades will be given only to students who are achieving passing grades and are very close to completing the course. In addition, the student must have a very good reason for not being able to complete all the work on time.
  Examples of good reasons are the same as those listed under the withdrawal policy above.

   KAPI’OLANI COMMUNITY COLLEGE POLICY:
  1.   Kapi’olani Community Collage is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action Institution.

  2.    Extended time in a distraction-free environment is an appropriate accommodation based on a student's disability.  If you do have a disability and have not voluntarily disclosed the nature of your disability and the support you need, you are invited to contact the Special Student Services Office, 734-9552 (V/TTY), Ilima 105, for assistance.

  3.  Students are expected to attend all classes for which they are registered. If a student is unable to attend class, he or she should contact the instructor in advance to give notification of the absence and make necessary arrangements.

  4.   For those students who receive financial aid and fail to attend the first week of classes without making arrangements with the instructor, the instructor will submit the student’s name to the Financial Aid Office. The student will be denied
  financial aid for the class he/she is not attending. In addition, it is solely the student’s responsibility to withdraw from the class or attend the class and pay the tuition.

  TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION DEVICES:
  These devices are not allowed in the classroom. Please see to it that these devices are turned off while in class.

  UH POLICY ON EMAIL COMMUNICATION:
  
   The electronic communications policy adopted in December 2005 establishes the University of Hawai'i Internet service as an official medium for communication among students, faculty, and staff. Every member of the system has a hawaii.edu address, and the associated username and password provide access to essential Web announcements and email. You are hereby informed of the need to regularly log in to UH email and Web services for announcements and personal mail. Failing to do so will mean missing critical information from academic and program advisors, instructors, registration and business office staff, classmates, student organizations, and others.

  ACADEMIC GRIEVANCE STATEMENT:
  In instructional activities, the students are responsible for meeting all of the instructor's attendance and assignment requirements. Failure to do so may affect their final grade. In all college-related activities, including instruction, they must abide by the college's conduct codes and regulations, refraining from behavior that interferes with the rights and safety of others in the learning environment. Finally, if they decide to file a grievance, they are fully responsible for providing proof that they have been wronged. 
  CLASS CANCELLATION:
  Lecture is cancelled if, without prior notice, the instructor is more than 15 minutes late for 75 minute classes or 10 minutes for 50 minute classes.