Biology for Non-Science Majors I Syllabus for 2019-2020
Return to Syllabus List

Instructor Information

Course Information

COVID-19 Protocols

Recording Policy

Disability Statement

If you have a disability (learning, mental, physical) that affects your ability to participate effectively and have access to any program or service at Amarillo College please contact Disability Services at (806) 345-5639 . Our offices are located in the Student Service Center office 112. More information may be found at www.actx.edu/disability.
Disability Services facilitates access to all programs and services according to the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as other federal and state laws.

Amarillo College Web Accessibility Policy Statement

Amarillo College is committed to providing equal access to all programs and services, including all working, learning, and service environments that affect equal access for persons with disabilities. This commitment to provide equal access and opportunity for persons with disabilities is in compliance with federal and state law. Amarillo College also strives to provide Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) that are accessible to all authorized users.

If you find you are unable to access material in an accessible format please contact the Disability Services Office at (806) 345-5639 . This office will work in conjunction with other campus resources to address and accommodate your issue in a timely manner.

Statement for Mental Health and Advocacy & Resource Center:

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

The Tutoring for Success policy applies to any student whose grade or performance in the course falls below a departmentally determined minimum threshold. In either of those cases, the instructor will direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. Under this policy, the instructor will follow specific departmental guidelines governing the use, duration, and grade component of the tutoring need.

Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

Student Withdrawal Procedures

Students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.

NOTE: Students who are attending Texas institutions of higher education, for the first time fall 2007 and later, may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.

Privacy Statement

The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students.  If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email to humanresources@actx.edu .

Course

BIOL-1408-DC008 Biology for Non-Science Majors I

Prerequisites

Course Description

Provides a survey of biological principles with an emphasis on humans, including chemistry of life, cells, structure, function and reproduction. Laboratory activities will reinforce lecture content.

Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(4 sem hrs; 3 lec, 2 lab)

Class Type

Dual Credit Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Lecture Book [any format is acceptable, loose leaf, soft cover, electronic]

Shuster, Michele . 2014. Biology For A Changing World With Physiology, 3rd edition

ISBN-13: 978-1319050573  -   ISBN-10: 1319050573

You are not required to have the access code, launchpad, with the book.

Laboratory Book

Porter, D., Hines, T., and Schwarzlose, S.  2015.  Life Science 1 Lab manual.  BIOL 1408 Non-Science Majors.

You are not required to have/purchase the lab manual from AC college bookstore.

Supplies

Note taking supplies such as a spiral/journal/loose leaf paper in a three ring binder and a writing implement (pen or pencil).

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu . 

AC Online "Blackboard" is utilized heavily in this class as a grade book and e-mail system. There may be quizzes and other assignments to be completed through AC Online. I will post announcements, lecture and lab handouts, photos, videos, and other important material via AC Online.

Student Performance

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

Every student will take personal responsibility for his/her learning in this course. To succeed, each student must...

1. Be respectful of others in the class.
2. Attend all lecture and lab meetings.
3. Design and implement a study schedule as advised by your instructor.
4. Complete reading assignments before coming to class.
5. Complete all before class assignments and videos.
6. Participate in lecture and lab by asking questions and being active in lab.
7. Demonstrate college-level effort and behavior.
8. Complete all assignments when due.
9. You are responsible for printing any notes off of AC Connect and bringing them to class as needed.  Class preparedness is a key to successful completion of the class.
10. Access to your grades and average will be obtained through AC Connect.
11. Students may only use their cell phones for the gathering of information when instructed and permission granted.  YOU MAY NOT TEXT OR MAKE PHONE CALLS DURING CLASS.

Grading Criteria

Exams count for 60%, Quizzes and Assignments count for 20% and Lab Tests and Assignments count 20% of the course grade.

GRADING SCALE: Grades will not be curved and there will be NO EXTRA CREDIT.
89.5 - 100 = A
79.5 - 89.4 = B
69.5 - 79.4 = C
59.5 - 69.4 = D
00.0 - 59.4 = F

 

LECTURE EXAMS - 60%
Exams are worth 60% of the overall grade for the course. There will be a minimum of 4 exams, not including the comprehensive final exam. Exams will consist of approximately 50 questions (multiple choice, fill in the blank, and short answer). The exam material will come from the lecture outlines, textbook readings, web readings, class discussions, and other assignments.  One exam grade will be dropped.

NO MAKE-UPS or extra time will be given for any reason on any EXAM. 

 

QUIZZES AND ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENTS 20%
There will be quizzes and additional assignments made daily/weekly during the semester. The quizzes will be fill-in-the-blank, multiple choice, labeling, and/or short answer.   IMPORTANT!! If you MISS the DUE DATE and TIME for any quiz or assignment, a grade of zero will be assigned for that quiz or assignment and that will be your drop for the semester. If you are late to class and there is an assigned quiz, and it has already begun you may participate in the quiz with the allotted time remaining only.  You are allowed 1 dropped quiz grade.

NO MAKE-UPS or extra time will be given for any reason on any quiz or assignment, so Please DO NOT ASK.

One assignment may be given as a class project for the Common Assessment.  The project will count as multiple quiz grades and is an exception to the drop rule.  Class projects will not be dropped.

 

LAB GRADE 20%

Your Lab grade will be determined by laboratory assignments, quizzes and practicals/exams.  You will have one lab practical during the semester that will cover all material in the previous laboratories.  Lab practicals will consist of identification of laboratory specimens, questions about experimental and lab procedures, and findings from lab exercises and assignments.  Questions can consist of multiple choice, fill in the blank, matching, and essay questions.  The Lab grade counts for 20% of your overall grade.

 

Science Enrichment Center and Science Testing Center: SEC & STC

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Science-Enrichment-Center/256176887910710

Warren Hall Room room 110 and 112: call 345- 5536

All tests, excluding take-home exams and final exams, will be taken in the Testing Center during days scheduled by the teacher during normal Testing Center hours.  Tests will be taken outside of class lecture time.  Please note:  No test may be started less than 1 hr. before the Science Testing Center closes. You must present an Amarillo College student ID every time you take a test. The Testing Center staff will retain your ID while you take your test and will return it to you when you turn in your test.  No appointments are necessary (However, I suggest you check for availability)

Washington Street Campus (STC) Science Testing Center hours: Mon-Thur 8am-10pm, Friday 8am-4pm, Saturday 9am-4pm, closed Sunday.

 

Mandatory Tutoring:

In an effort to increase retention in Biology courses, any student who scores below a 70 on any exam (excluding the Final Exam) must complete a mandatory 1 hour tutoring session before taking the next exam. Before getting mandatory tutoring, students must first make a tutoring session appointment.

Tutoring hours by appointment

Attendance

Regular attendance is necessary for satisfactory achievement.  It is therefore the responsibility of the student to attend class. Absences result in zeros for any missed quizzes, exams, presentations or participation grades. If you stop attending class and do not officially drop the course, you will receive an “F” for the course. A grade of “W” will be given for student-initiated drops or withdrawals. Texas law now mandates that students may only drop or withdraw 6 times in their entire college careers, excluding drops prior to the census date.  Before a student can drop a class, they must first meet with the instructor.

Students must Scan in at the beginning of class- All students must bring their student ID with them to every class.  When students enter the class you must scan in.  Smart phones can also be used by downloading “Ellucian Go”, which will contain there virtual, ID.  When students miss (2) consecutive absences, a retention alert case will be generated and a text and email message will be sent to the student at 7 am the next morning.  Three total absences during the semester will result in another retention alert.  Student academic affairs are notified of all retention alerts

Calendar

Additional Information

Respondus Lockdown Browser & Monitor
Respondus Lockdown Browser & Monitor must be used to complete all online exams and quizzes, outside of the Amarillo College testing facility.
Amarillo College requires any online exams that may be assigned for a grade, must be completed completed using a web browser called Respondus Lockdown Browser. This browser functions similar to other web browsers; however, it prevents a student from opening up other programs, web pages, notes, files, etc during an exam or quiz. This helps to maintain academic honesty, even when students are participating through online and distance education courses.

You will be required to 1) download and install Respondus Lockdown Browser on your computer, and 2) only use Respondus Lockdown Browser & Monitor when you attempt quizzes and exams, including the Final Exam. If you try to start an exam or quiz using Firefox, Safari, Chrome, etc, Blackboard will prevent you from starting the assessment until you navigate to the assessment using Respondus Lockdown Browser. 

You can download information once you log-in to Blackboard, and then click on “Student Tools” at the top right of your Blackboard page. Then, on the Student Tools page, you can find the Respondus Lockdown Browser information on the module on the left side of the screen.

Here is the Link explaining why you must use Respondus Lockdown Browser.
Here is the Link to Respondus Lockdown Browser download.
Here is the Link to Respondus Lockdown Browser installation tutorial.

You must also use Responds Monitor for each exam and quiz. This means you will need to set up your webcam and successfully initiate it for the software. You must show your Amarillo College ID or drivers license (if your AC ID is not handy) to the webcam to prove you are the one taking the test! You will also be required to use the webcam to show you have no books or notes around you before you start the exam or quiz. If you fail to do so, significant points will be reduced on your quiz or exam!

If you have ANY issues, errors, problems, or questions, please contact Amarillo College IT department as soon as possible!!! Contact your instructor about Respondus only if the AC IT Department is unable to resolve your problems or issues. If you are not comfortable taking exams or quizzes using Respondus Monitor, then you must take your exams and quizzes in the Amarillo College Testing Center.

Information Technology (IT) Department Info

Email Info: TIC@actx.edu

Washington Street Campus: Russell Hall, Room 121