Instructor: William Hirt hirt@siskiyous.edu
Office: LS-15
Phone: 938-5255
Office Hours: MWF 10:00-10:50 AM, TTh 12:30-1:20 PM, and by appointment

Meeting times: TBA (online)
Units: 3.0
Meeting place: online
Advisories: ENGL 1A (College Composition) and MATH 56 (Elementary Algebra); Assessment data show that students who have successfully completed these advisories succeed in courses comparable to this one at a rate (68%) more than twice that of students who have not (32%). If you have not completed these advisories you are strongly encouraged to complete them before you enroll in this course.

Textbook (required): Introduction to Environmental Geology, 4th edition, by E. Keller [ISBN: 978-0-13-225150-1] (Please note that this text includes the Hazard City CD ROM, 3rd edition. If you purchase a used text please be sure that it includes the correct edition of the CD. [ISBN: 0-13-156682-2])

Course Learning Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course a student will be able to:

• Assess the constraints that specific geologic hazards typically place on human activities and outline strategies for coping with or mitigating these hazards;
• Describe the distribution and renewability of common geologic resources and infer the likely consequences of humanity continuing its current patterns of resource use;
• Summarize the changes that are occurring on Earth as a result of the pollution (including global climate change) and waste produced by human activities, and evaluate the pros and cons of the various strategies being considered to deal with these changes;
• Formulate, solve, and interpret the results of a variety of problems relevant to the introductory earth sciences;
• Determine whether or not a proposed explanation, experimental result, or observation is consistent with a scientific hypothesis for a natural phenomenon and effectively communicate that understanding to others.

Evaluation: Grades will be based on total scores for:

• 17 weekly quizzes (170 total points);
• 13 weekly exercises (125 total points);
• 4 writing assignments (60 total points);
• 1 comprehensive final exam (45 points).

A student should expect to spend about 9 hours per week reading, taking notes on the text, and working on their activities and homework assignments. Preparation of the writing assignments will require about an additional 12 hours over the course of the semester.

Attendance/withdrawal/incomplete statement: Regular participation and punctual submission of assignments are required for satisfactory completion of this course. If a student incurs two unexcused "absences" (fails to submit two assignments on time without notifying the instructor) the instructor has the option of dropping the student from the class. If a student incurs four unexcused "absences" (fails to turn in four assignments on time without notifying the instructor) the instructor will drop the student from the class. A student may withdraw before the end of tenth week (20-Nov-09) and is responsible for notifying the student services office and completing all necessary forms. Arrangements for an incomplete contract must be made with the instructor, and an "I" grade will be given only in the case of an unforeseen personal or family emergency.

Cheating policy: Students are encouraged to collaborate with one another as they work on their weekly reading assignments and exercises by posting questions to the discussion board, sending one another private messages, and using the class chat area. I expect that a student will work independently, however, when he or she submits exercise results, takes quizzes and the final exam, and writes his or her outlines and abstracts. If I find evidence that any students are not living up to this code of academic integrity (for example, because they submit identical or nearly identical writing assignments) I reserve the right to drop them from the class unless it is after the tenth week, in which case the students will receive F grades regardless of accumulated points.

Make-up policy for missed work: Although our class schedule will be the same throughout the semester (new assignments will be posted on Monday mornings and be due by 10:00 PM on the following Saturdays) I realize that, occasionally, a student will have unforeseen problems or simply "space out" and miss turning in an assignment in on time. The key to avoiding this problem is to complete your assignments well ahead of the Saturday due dates. If you do end up missing a deadline, however, contact me on or before the next Monday and I will reopen the missed assignment for a brief period (typically one or two days). Each student will be allowed two such "excused" make-ups, after which the late assignment policy given below will apply. Because of the tight schedule for turning in final grades, the final exam may not be made up.

Late assignment policy: Except for the excused make-ups mentioned above, late assignments will not be accepted for full credit. If you find yourself having to turn a third or fourth assignment in late you probably should carefully consider whether you have the time or inclination to give this course the attention it requires. Nevertheless, it better to submit work late than not at all. So, if you are going to be late with a third or fourth assignment contact me on or before the Monday following the original due date and I will arrange to extend the submission period for a day or two. Such assignments will be penalized 10% of their original values for each day (or part of a day) they are late.

Date and time of final exam: Available 14-Dec to 17-Dec-2009; due no later than 4:00 PM, 17-Dec-2009

Here is a link to a full-page version of this syllabus that can be printed without its navigation bar and footer.

Mass movement near Siskiyou Summit, Oregon.	COS Home  ~  Course Home Pages  ~  Earth and Space Sciences Home
	College of the Siskiyous Department of Natural Sciences 800 College Avenue Weed, California 96094 (530) 938-5555
	Last updated August 10, 2009 .