studentinstructions1406fall2008
BIOLOGY 1406 - GENERAL BIOLOGY I
FALL 2008
INSTRUCTOR DR. SMITA SAVANT
smita.savant@hccs.edu
Course Description:
Discussions focus on biological chemistry, biological processes, cellular morphology, metabolism, genetics and molecular biology. Core curriculum course. Cannot be used in conjunction with 1308.
Course Prerequisite:
One year of high school biology/high school chemistry recommended
Instructor’s contact:
Email:smita.savant@.edu
Contact number: 713 718 7771 (Biology Department Rm. S113)
Office Hours: Monday to Thursday: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m..
You can access the syllabus and lecture notes at: http://learning.swc.hccs.edu
Attendance:
Attendance at lecture is importance since most exam material will come from the lecture notes. Students are expected to attend classes regularly and on time. Latecomers will not be tolerated. Students are responsible for materials covered during their absences. Class attendance is checked daily by instructors. Although it is the responsibility of the student to drop a course for non-attendance, the instructor has full authority to drop a student for excessive absences. A student may be dropped from a course for excessive absences after the student has accumulated absences in excess of 12.5% of the hours of instruction (including lecture and laboratory time).” Note that 12.5% is approximately 4 classes or labs for a 4-semester hour course, such as this one, which meets for 3 hours twice weekly. If circumstances significantly prevent you from attending classes, please inform me. I realize that sometimes-outside circumstances can interfere with school, and I will try to be as accommodating as possible, but please be aware of the attendance policy.
Examination:
Lecture exams will consist of multiple-choice questions. They will cover material we cover in class. You will get a maximum of one and half-hour period to complete your lecture exam. There will be two final exams – 1) Instructor’s and
2) Department
Final exams will be comprehensive (it will cover all the chapters).
Cell phones are not allowed in use at any time as it disturbs the class.
Audible cell phone ringing may result in your removal from class that day.
Cell phone use during examination is cheating and will result in course failure.
Make-up Examination:
There will be no make-up exams and final exams are mandatory. The two laboratory exams are mandatory. Everyone has to start the lab. exam at the same time. No one will be allowed late for the lab. or lecture exams.
Missed lecture exam or quiz will be considered as zero grades.
Please note: All students are required to take the final.
Laboratory Policy:
Lab safety will be reviewed on the first day of lab. Experiments will be performed in groups. Each student should arrive at the lab. on time, with his or her lab. manual. Each student is responsible for completing the lab. reports at the end of each lab.
Grade Determination:
All the exams and quizzes will be considered towards final grade.
2 Assignments/Quizzes – 1 best score, and its 10% = 10
3 Lecture Exams – 2 best scores, their average, and its 20% = 20
2 Lab. Exams – their average, and its 20% = 20
2 Projects – their average, and its 20% = 20
13 Lab Reports – their average, and its 10 % = 10
2 Finals – best of the 2, and its 20% = 20
_______
100
_______
A = 90-100,
B = 80-89,
C = 70-79,
D = 60-69,
F = Below 60.
Academic honesty:
Students are expected to comply with stated policies in HCCS student handbook concerning academic honesty. Cheating will not be tolerated. There will be no talking, looking on other people’s papers or in anyway try to cheat on any examination. This can lead to expulsion from
Last Day for Administrative and Student Withdrawals
Refer to the syllabus for the last date. I urge any student who is contemplating withdrawing from the class to see me first! You may be doing better than you think. Either way, I want to be accessible and supportive. I do not believe in "weed out" classes, and I consider you to be much more than just a name or number! Note my office hours, above; if you need assistance, I'm here to help. It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw from the class before the last day of withdrawal. The instructor cannot give a “W” after the withdrawal date.
To help students avoid having to drop/withdraw from any class, HCC has instituted an Early Alert process by which your professor will “alert” you that you might fail a class because of excessive absences and/or poor academic performance. The counselors with work with you to learn about what, if any, HCC interventions might be available to assist you – online tutoring, child care, financial aid, job placement, etc. – to stay in class and improve your academic performance.
International Students:
Receiving a W in a course may affect the status of your student Visa. Once a W is given for the course, it will not be changed to an F because of the visa consideration. Please contact the International Student Office at 713-718-8520 if you have any questions about your visa status and other transfer issues.
Tutoring:
The college will provide tutoring for the students. More information will be available later. You can check the tutoring and open lab. schedule at http://learning.swc.hccs.edu
Disability Support Services (DSS)
Any Student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations should inform the instructor within one week of the first class session and must contact the Counselor at 713-718 7889, or contact the DSS office for assistance. At
Important Notice:
Student who repeats a course three times or more may soon face significant tuition/fee increases at HCC and other public colleges and universities. If you are considering course withdrawal because you are not earning passing grades, confer with your instructor/counselor as early as possible about your study habits, reading and writing homework, test-taking skills, attendance, course participation, and opportunities for tutoring or other assistance that might be available.
