Des Moines Area Community College – Boone Campus

Environmental Science

ENV 115

Course Syllabus

INSTRUCTOR Dr. Timothy M. Bergin

OFFICE RM 130

OFFICE PHONE NO. (515) 433-5065 (leave a message on voice-mail)

OFFICE HOURS 11:15 - 12:00 MWRF

EMAIL tmbergin@dmacc.edu

INSTRUCTOR'S HOME PAGE http://www.dmacc.org/instructors/tmbergin/

Lecture Text: Chiras and Reganold. 2009. Natural Resource Conservation. 10th ed. Pearson.

Course Policies:

Class attendance and punctuality is expected of all students, and attendance will be regularly recorded. If you miss a lecture, then it is your responsibility to obtain from classmates the notes on the material missed. Reading assignments should be completed before the presentation of each course topic. Makeup exams will be given only when a student contacts the instructor before the exam (either by phone message or email) or at the discretion of the instructor. Unannounced quizzes can not be made up. In-class activities can not be made up. No extra-credit will be given for any reason. Food and drink, for health and safety reasons, are not allowed in class.

Academic Dishonesty:

Plagiarism, cheating or any other academic dishonesty can not be tolerated. Please take care that you do not to simply “copy” material from the Internet or any other source. Your work should be your own. For college policies see DMACC Educational Services Procedures ES 262 VII. A. and B.

Cell Phone Policy

DMACC has implemented a policy that cell phone use should be kept to a minimum and conducted only in designated areas on campus. Cell phone use is not allowed in classrooms; please turn your cell phone off or set to “silent ring”. If you must answer your cell phone, please leave the classroom with as little disruption as possible and talk quietly in the hallway. During exams you will not be allowed to leave the classroom to use your cell phone.

Available Support Services:

The DMACC-Boone library is a wonderful resource for all kinds of information, and the library staff are knowledgeable people who are there to help students. Books, video, audio and a computer lab are available to all students for both course-related and personal use. Please contact the library staff for assistance.

The staff of the Academic Achievement Center (AAC) are focused on helping students. They provide many educational services. Students can be matched with tutors; evaluated using COMPASS, instructed in learning and study skills; take make-up exams, or directed to ESL classes. Please contact the instructor or AAC staff if you need assistance with your courses.

DMACC provides access to computers for all enrolled students. The DMACC computer network runs Microsoft Windows 2003, and many compatible programs are available including Microsoft Word and Excel. Students can also access the DMACC intranet and the Internet from computers in RM 208, 210, 218 and the library. Computers are equipped with hard drives, USB ports and CD burners, and printers are available. The librarian staff or the LAN specialist will provide network user-ids and passwords. Please log-in to the system as soon as possible.

DMACC-Boone campus has developed a Writing Center in Rm 170 that is staffed from 8am to 6pm. They can help you with any kind of writing assignments for any course.

Accommodations:

It is the policy of DMACC to accommodate students with disabilities. Any student with a documented disability who requires reasonable accommodations should contact the special needs coordinator at (515) 964-6850.

Grading:

Your final grade will be determined from 4 exams, 10 unannounced quizzes, and 2 in-class class assignments. Plus and minus grades will be assigned at the discretion of the instructor.

Grading Scale: A - 100 to 90%, B - 89 to 80%, C - 79 to 70%, D - 69 to 60%, F - less than 60%.

Exams.................................................................................................................. 75%

Quizzes................................................................................................................ 15%

In-class Activities................................................................................................ 10%

Exams:

Exams will cover material presented in lecture, audiovisuals, and the textbook. Exams questions will focus on terms and concepts discussed in class and in reading assignments. Tests will consist of definitions of terms, multiple-choice, matching and short-answer questions. Makeup exams will be given only when a student contacts the instructor before the exam (either by phone message or email) or at the discretion of the instructor. (75%)

Quizzes:

Unannounced quizzes will be given almost every week in lecture (n=10). Students who are not present when quizzes are handed out will not be allowed to make them up. (15%)

In-class Activities:

In several different class periods during the semester, students will participate in group activities including discussions and online searching. Activity directions will be handed out in advance of the activity. Some prior background reading will be essential to complete the activities. (10%)

LECTURE SEQUENCE and READING ASSIGNMENTS

Unit 1: Introduction of conservation and resource management

Reading assignments:

Chapter 1 - Natural Resource Conservation and Management

Chapter 2 – Economics, Ethics and Critical Thinking

Exam 1

Unit 2: Basic scientific and biological principles

Reading assignments:

Exam 2

Unit 3: Land

Reading assignments:

Exam 3

Unit 4: Water and Air

Reading assignments: