Grading System:

GRADES:  Your final grade depends on the total number of points you accumulate from these sources. 

*  Please note:  if the number of exams or assignments changes during the semester, the total number of points will be adjusted before computing your course average.

Final Grading Scale: 90-100% = A; 80-89% = B; 70-79% = C; 60-69% = D; below 60%= F

Exams:  (50 points each) You will have 2 exams in this course; a midterm and final both being comprehensive exams.  Exam format can include, multiple choice, matching, and short answer.  See schedule for topics.

Quizzes (10 points each)-- There are weekly quizzes in the course -- every Wed.  The lowest quiz score is dropped at the end of the semester for those students who take every quiz. 

Homework:  (10 points each graded in units) Each Chapter we cover contains vocabulary words and some review questions that you will work-up in a document and turn in for points. This document will be returned and used by students as a study tool.  Total will be determined near the end of the term but, approximately 60 pts. total.

MAKEUP EXAMS:  Makeup exams will be given to those students who provide written dated excuses in the form of hospital receipts, police reports, and the like.  If you have a disability, you will have to bring me a letter of accommodation before I can arrange special testing.  If you have a medical condition that would require you to leave the room during the exam, you are responsible for arranging, either with me or special services, to take the exam before the rest of the class takes it.  Students with disabilities must provide me with a copy of their letter of accommodation before I can make any special arrangements for lecture, lab or exams.  Due to ACC policies concerning the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), instructors cannot post grades or call or e-mail students with information about their grades. You can post grades on their Blackboard site for the class. In Blackboard, a student can only see his/her own grade.

Missed or Late Work

To qualify to take a make-up quiz the student must contact me prior to if possible otherwise, upon the day he or she returns to class.  I am reasonable and will try to accommodate.  Late homework will only be accepted at my discretion.

There are no retests in this course; once you have taken an exam, you may not take it again to try for a better grade.  All exams will be given in class on the days when they are scheduled unless the class and the instructor think there is a valid reason for changing the date.  When you take an exam, you must turn in the exam before you leave the room or you will receive a grade of 0 for the exam.  You may not leave the room without turning in your test materials.

COURSE POLICIES

Attendance/Class Participation
You are responsible for attending all lectures and lab.  For most students, course performance is linked to course attendance.  You are responsible for all materials, activities, assignments or announcements covered in class, regardless of your reason for being absent.  If you do miss a class, it is your responsibility to get lecture notes from someone in the class and to get handouts and assignments from me.I will keep track of attendance, if you fail to sign in it is not my job to remember that you were there.  If you have to miss class on a Home Work due date, or quiz, it is your job to let me know in writing before it happens if possible and if not, upon your return to class in order to qualify for a make-up. If you miss a lot of class time, either lecture or lab, you will most likely fail, because you will not do well and you will probably have failed to turn things in on time.  I have taught this course long enough to know that I do not need to take points away from you for poor attendance, your performance will have done that all by itself, though I will add that I will see no reason to give you any boost if you fall a bit short of the next grade and did not bother to come to class much.

Expectations:

• If you want a grade of at least a “C” in the class, spend a MINIMUM of 2 hours outside of class for every hour spent in class.  Most students need to spend MUCH MORE time to obtain a grade higher than a C. Short study periods every day are much more effective than one long study session.
• Check Blackboard daily for announcements.
• Be prepared for each lecture. Rewrite notes from previous lectures so they are more familiar and better organized.
• Read the textbook after each lecture (though some students prefer to read the textbook before each lecture-choose what works best for you). You should read the sections in the textbook that were covered in lecture and answer the pertinent Review Questions at the end of each chapter as soon as possible AFTER each lecture.
• Actively participate in all class activities. 
• Come see me if you need help. You can also try a tutor at the Learning Lab (see schedule at http://www.austincc.edu/tutor/ or on Blackboard. You can also form a study group (3 people per group is the maximum recommended).
• Clean up and store materials before leaving lecture. See specifics below.

Withdrawals: 

It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that his or her name is removed from the roll should he or she decide to withdraw from the class. The instructor does, however, reserve the right to drop a student should he or she feel it is necessary. If a student decides to withdraw, he or she should also verify that the withdrawal is submitted before the Final Withdrawal Date. The student is also strongly encouraged to retain their copy of the withdrawal form for their records.

Last day to withdraw without a "W" is June 6 2012. 
The last day to drop for the semester is July 17 2012.

I reserve the right to drop students for: (missing classes, missing exams, and violating safety policy.

Six Drop Rule: 

Texas Education Code Section 51.907 mandates that all students who enroll as first time freshmen at a Texas public institution of higher education in Fall 2007 or later may not drop more than six courses during their academic career.  Information about this rule is located at:  http://www.austincc.edu/business/documents/SixWdraft.pdf   and http://www.austincc.edu/handbook/acaguide2.php

Rule of Three: 

Students are charged a higher tuition rate for courses they repeat for the third or  more time.  This is generally referred to as the “Rule of Three”.  Information about this rule is located at:   http://www.austincc.edu/support/admissions/thirdattempt/index.php  and http://www.austincc.edu/support/admissions/thirdattempt/faqs.pdf

Reinstatement: 

In order to be reinstated in the class after having been withdrawn, the student must have been enrolled in the course on the state reporting date, as demonstrated by the twelfth-day class roll, must have been withdrawn from the course in error, must show evidence of being capable of passing the course within the time remaining in the semester, and the instructor must have documentation that the student is eligible to be reinstated in the course.

Students are responsible for understanding the impact withdrawing from a course may have on their financial aid, veteran’s benefits, international student status, and academic standing. Students are urged to consult with their instructor or an advisor or counselor before making schedule changes.

Per state law, students enrolling for the first time in Fall 2007 or later at any Texas college or university may not withdraw (receive a W) from more than six courses during their undergraduate college career. Some exemptions for good cause could allow a student to withdraw from a course without having it count toward this limit. Students are encouraged to carefully select courses and contact an advisor or counselor for assistance.

Incompletes: 

An instructor may award a grade of “I” (Incomplete) if a student was unable to complete all of the objectives for the passing grade in a course. An incomplete grade cannot be carried beyond the established date in the following semester. The completion date is determined by the instructor but may not be later than the final deadline for withdrawal in the subsequent semester. A grade of incomplete (I) will be assigned only if you have:

            -  A valid reason (instructor makes decision) with written documentation,

            -  Requested a grade of “I” in writing,

            -  Completed all of the course work scheduled before the drop deadline,

            -  Completed more than 50% of the course work, and

            -  At least a 70% (c) average on completed work.

Be aware that incompletes that are not finished convert to F grades automatically, regardless of your grade average when you request the incomplete.

Required Textbooks and Materials:

Inquiry into Life; 12^th edition or higher; Mader.  ISBN 0073309338 or 97800733093302

Tentative Schedule Summer 2012: By Week Number 

8 week:

1          intro,syllabus,schedule; ch1 levels of organization                 

            ch 1 cont. define living, diversity, scientific method                

 2         Ch 2 chem review; atoms, periodic table, bonds                                 

            Ch 2 cont. water, acids/bases, pH, and buffers                                   

            Ch 2 biomolecules; carbohydrates and lipids                          

            Ch 2 cont. amino acids/proteins; nucleic acids                                                            

3          Ch 3 Cell Structure and function Eukary vs. Prokary.

            Ch 3 cont. Cell Areas, organelles: structure / function           

          Ch 3 finish, cytoskeleton, memb. surface features                 

         Ch 6 energy of life and metabolism                                        

4          Ch 6 cont.  enzymes / pathways; diffusion                             

            Ch 4 cont. gradients, osmosis, membrane traffic                                

           Ch 5 cell cycle, growth, apoptosis, scenescence

            Ch 5 finish mitosis, structural changes                                      

5.         Ch 25DNA structure, function, genes                                       

6          Ch 25 finish replication, proofreading, mutations                   

            Ch 25 protein synthesis/ organelles and RNA                         

7        Ch 7 respiration intro: biomolecules as fuels

            Ch 7 finish krebs/ETC, Anaerobic Respiration, central metabolism.               

           Final Exam Review(tentative chapters Ch 7,8, 23 and 25)

8             Final Exam (July 23) ch 7,8,23 and 25.

Course Rationale:

This course was designed to provide the fundamentals of biology and critical thinking skills to prepare students for BIOL 2304 (Human Anatomy), BIOL 2305 (Human Physiology), BIOL 2404 (Intro to A&P), BIOL 1406 (Cellular and Molecular Biology) and BIOL 1408 (Introductory Biology—Unity of Life). It is recommended as preparation for the anatomy and physiology assessment tests.

Common Course Objectives:

 A general list of objectives can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/biology (click on the “Common Course Objectives” link). More specific objectives will be outlined at the beginning of each lecture.

Student Learning Outcomes

Course-Level:

Specific skills and competencies expected of students who complete this course include:

·         Describe basic physicochemical concepts that underlie the structure and function of cells

·         Describe the structure and function of the four classes of biomolecules

·         Describe the structure and function of eukaryotic cells and their organelles

·         Describe the processes by which substances move into and out of cells

·         Describe the structure and function of enzymes

·         Discuss energy transfer in cells and the pathways of cellular respiration

·         Describe DNA replication, protein synthesis, mitosis and meiosis

·         Analyze, synthesize, evaluate and apply information

·         Apply mathematical, logical and scientific principles and methods

General Education Outcomes:

As a Core Curriculum course, students completing this course will demonstrate competence in:

·         Demonstrating higher level critical thinking skills, solving problems, and following directions

·         Directing their own learning activities to meet course objectives

Statement on Student Discipline:

Classroom behavior should support and enhance learning. Behavior that disrupts the learning process will be dealt with appropriately, which may include having the student leave class for the rest of that day. In serious cases, disruptive behavior may lead to a student being withdrawn from the class. ACC's policy on student discipline can be found on the ACC website at http://www.austincc.edu/current/needtoknow/.

Specific Support Services for This Class:

The lab rooms at other campuses are also open during the week and on weekends. Usually an instructor is available to tutor students in the Open Labs.

In addition, the Riverside Campus has an extra room (The RVS Study Lab) that contains study items. Computers and software are available for student use, including several excellent CD ROMs. Students can also view videos in the study lab. The person who staffs the study lab is not a tutor, so don’t count on her or him to help you with course objectives.

Finally biology tutor is available in the Learning Lab at this campus and others. For Learning Lab hours and more information about tutoring services, go to http://www2.austincc.edu/tutor/index.php. I will also post the Learning Lab hours on Blackboard as soon as they are determined.