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Course Description:
Environmental Geology (GEL1102) is a general education course that investigates the relationship between society and the geologic environment. The three areas of study will be: 1) geologic hazards such as floods, landslides, volcanoes and earthquakes; 2) geologic resources such as metals, stone, fossil fuels, and water; and, 3) environmental challenges such as waste disposal and ground water contamination. We will study these topics from a global perspective, paying particular attention to their importance in Pennsylvania and New York. When you complete the course you should be able to use what you have learned to make informed decisions related to personal safety, real estate purchases, selecting insurance coverage and intelligently vote on important issues related to earth and environment.
Purpose of this Syllabus:
The syllabus serves as a contract between professor and students. It
is intended to cover all important administrative matters related to the
course. As a student, it is your responsibility to read the syllabus to
understand the format of the course, the instructor's expectations and
your duties as a learner. When you have a question about the course you
should consult the syllabus first. It is posted on the web to give you
immediate answers.
Course Format:
The course meets in Retan G2 on Tuesdays and Thursdays with an anticipated
enrollment of about 60-80 students. You will learn by attending lectures,
reading the textbook, exploring the internet, doing calculations, and
completing computer-based assignments. Grades will be determined by performance
on four exams, computer-based assignments, quizzes and in-class activities.
Your instructor is demanding and maintains high academic standards. You
should come to the course expecting to work hard.
Textbook and CD-ROM:
The textbook for this course will be Introduction to Environmental
Geology, third edition, by Edward A. Keller (ISBN: 0-13-144764-5).
Your reading assignments are listed in the course
timetable. Questions from the reading assignments will make up a significant
part of your exam. You will also complete assignments from the CD which
accompanies the text; Hazard City: Assignments in Applied Geology
second edition, by Hobart King (ISBN: 0-13-145664-4).
Software / Computer Skills:
All students in the course will need access to a web-connected PC running
Windows 98 (or greater), Internet Explorer or other compatible browser and PowerPoint. Students must
understand how to use this software to be successful in the course. If
the student does not have a computer with these programs, access is available
at several campus computer labs (see the
student technology web page). You will use Internet Explorer to access
the course website and submit online assignments. In addition, your instructor
will post several PowerPoint files on the course website. An ability to
access, print and review these files will be important to your success.
It is up to you to acquire the skills and software to do this work.
Materials: An important part of this course will be the illustrations, charts, and maps that your instructor will draw in class. Many of these will be complex and your instructor will use color to emphasize important details. It will be very important for you to have these recorded in your notes for study purposes. Bringing a few colored pencils or markers to class will help you prepare clear illustrations for your notes, assignments, and exams. Color can significantly improve the clarity of your work and is easy to use. Take advantage of it.
Email Communications: All Mansfield University students are given an e-mail account that should be used for all electronic communications about academic matters. It is your responsibility to learn how to use your MU e-mail account and check it on a regular basis. You are responsible for any announcement or assignment that is sent to your MU e-mail account. To assure that your academic information remains confidential, your instructor will not respond to requests for private information with a return address that is outside of the MU e-mail system.
Course Website: All of your assignments will be posted on the course website - geologyeducation.com. Every student should plan for regular and frequent use of personal or University computers to access this website and complete these assignments. Your instructor will provide access information on the first day of class.
Getting Help Outside of Class Hours: Your instructor has office hours for consultations and tutoring. Questions about grades and other private matters should be discussed in person with your instructor or sent to him using your Mansfield University email account. During the Fall and Spring semesters free tutoring for geology is available at the Academic Success Center.
Attendance and Expectations: You are expected to attend every class, complete in-class quizzes and submit homework assignments. All quizzes and assignments must be submitted on time and according to instructions. They will not be accepted at other places or at other times. If you are absent or fail to complete and deliver an assignment according to instructions you will not receive credit for your work. You should complete and submit all homework well ahead of schedule so that computer or personal problems will not interfere with your work as assignment deadlines approach. Requests for deadline extensions or exceptions to this policy will be denied.
Seating: Seating assignments will be determined by the instructor. If you need to sit in a special location to see, hear, or gain access please notify the instructor on or before the first day of class so that accommodations can be made.
Exams: Exam dates will be posted in the course timetable. All exams will begin promptly at the beginning of class on the scheduled date. If you arrive after the first test-taker has left the room, you have missed the exam. Your exams will have a variety of question types - short answer, calculations, geologic problems, annotated drawings and short essays. Be prepared for anything! Exam questions will be drawn from: classroom activities, textbook readings, web-based readings, and homework assignments. All exam answers must have correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Numerical answers must have complete and correct units of measure. The use of electronic devices is not permitted during exams. This includes calculators, spell checkers, personal digital assistants or any other electronic device. Exam questions that involve calculations will be simple enough that the math can be done by hand. Anyone who has an electronic device in view during an exam will receive a zero on that exam. You may review your graded exam during the class meeting immediately after the exam is given. After review, all exams must be returned to the instructor. If you miss class on the date that an exam is reviewed, you forfeit the opportunity for review.
Make-up Exam Policy: Any student who misses an exam for any reason will be able to take a make-up exam at the end of the semester. This make-up exam will be given during the final examination period and will contain questions from topics covered throughout the semester. Students who miss the final exam, or take it outside of the scheduled final exam period are required to take the make-up exam.
Grades: Letter grades will be based upon the percentage of possible points earned. These are summarized in the chart below. Requests for special consideration, exceptions or extra credit will be denied.
Academic Integrity: Your instructor's goal is to provide an equal opportunity for every student in the course. He will make a planned effort to maintain academic integrity on every exam. For written assignments, students are expected to submit original work. Where outside sources have been used full citations must be provided. All incidents of academic dishonesty or plagiarism will be reported to the Provost's Office and will result in penalty or failure of the course. Additional information on academic honesty can be found in the Mansfield University Password.
Inclement Weather Policy: Your instructor intends to teach class every day that the University is open. However, there may be days that roads in the campus service area are closed or dangerous. On those days, you should use to your own judgment. You know the conditions of the roads in your area, the condition of your vehicle, your driving skills, and your other responsibilities. If you have any concerns on these matters, err on the side of safety. If there is a day that local schools (K-12 schools in Tioga County) are closed due to road conditions, the class meeting on that date will not include any hand-in assignments or quizzes. In addition, all homework due on that date will be accepted without penalty at the designated time on the date of the next class meeting. If there is a day that weather prevents your instructor from teaching the class, he will place a message on his answering machine at 570-662-4615 and a message on the Mansfield University course cancellations website - as long as telephone and internet access is available from Wellsboro, Pennsylvania. If you check these places and there is not a class cancellation announcement, then you should assume that class will be held. This announcement will be in place at least two hours before the scheduled class, unless conditions causing the cancellation develop at a later time.
Office Hours: Your instructor is available for consultations in Belknap Hall 205-C during the times listed on his Office Hours webpage. If none of the posted times work for you other mutually convenient opportunities can be arranged. Office hours are dedicated to your needs and interests. You are welcome and can visit or phone (570-662-4615) to discuss grades, careers, assignments, course topics, and other items of importance to you.
Your Instructor: Hobart King is a graduate of California University of Pennsylvania (B.S. Geology, 1975) and West Virginia University (M.S. Geology, 1978; Ph.D. Geology, 1982). From 1980 until 1994 he worked as a geologist at the West Virginia Geological Survey. There he did work in coal geology, economic geology and environmental geology. During his last seven years at WVGES he directed the Economic Minerals and Geologic Hazards Section. He
joined the Mansfield University faculty in 1994 and serves as advisor for the
Earth and Space Science Education Program, the Geology Minor, and the MU Geology
Club. His main professional interests are developing computer-based problem-solving
assignments for introductory geology courses, mapping and GPS software, and
teaching with technology. He is the author of "Hazard City: Assignments in Applied
Geology," a CD that accompanies introductory geology textbooks published by
Prentice Hall. He is also fascinated
with the web and is the publisher of Geology.com.
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