St. Cloud State University
General Education Goal Area 10
Environmental Issues
Academic Affairs Use Only:
Response Date:
Effective Date:
1.
Proposal Number:
Prepared by: Tony Hansen
Phone: 308-2009
Email: arhansen@stcloudstate.edu
2.
Requesting Unit: Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
3.
Department, Course Number, Title: EAS 106 Natural Hazards and Human Society (title change)
4.
New Course
5.
Will this course be flagged as a diversity course?
Already Designated as Diversity
Existing Course
No
Diversity Proposal Accompanying This Form
6.
Will this course also satisfy another General Education Goal Area?
No
Yes
If “Yes” specify which goal area.
Goal 3
7.
Course bulletin description, including credits and semesters to be offered:
The interaction of human societies with natural hazards spanning atmospheric, hydrologic and geologic
processes is discussed based upon in-depth case studies. The effect of the hazards on human society and the
effect of human action on exacerbating the hazards are emphasized.. 3 Cr. F, S (new description)
Current Description: Concepts from near-space astronomy, meteorology, oceanography, and geology. 3 Cr. F, S,
SUM.
8.
Indicate the clientele for whom this course is designed. Is the course for general education only, or
does it fulfill general education and other program needs for this or another department? Obtain
signatures from any affected departments.
This course is a general education course only.
9.
Indicate any changes that must be made in offerings or resources in your department or other
departments by offering this course.
NA
10.
For new courses or courses not yet approved for General Education, indicate any other SCSU departments
or units offering instruction that relates to the content of the proposed course.
NA
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11.
Courses designated as General Education are included in the assessment plan for the Goal Area(s)
for which they are approved. Courses for which assessment has not included in the annual GE
assessment report for two years will be removed from the General Education Program.
The Requesting Unit understands and recognizes the above conditions.
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12.
Provide a concise explanation of how the following goal is a “significant focus” of the proposed course.
Goal Area 10: Environmental Issues
Examine the interrelationship of humans and the natural worlds from scientific and socio-cultural
perspectives and the complex environmental challenges that result.
The focus of this course will be on case studies of issues involving the interaction of natural hazards with
human societies and the effect of those societies on exacerbating natural hazards. The scientific background
to understand the natural systems involved will be studied first for context in order to examine specific
examples of natural hazards. Problems will be selected from the spectrum of atmospheric, hydrologic,
geologic, and oceanographic systems. Specific case studies chosen will be determined by the faculty
assigned to the course in a given term, but an interdisciplinary team of qualified instructors will be used.
Case studies to be considered include: Effect of human engineering of river systems on coastal flooding in
river deltas and subsequent vulnerability of human populations to tropical cyclones (e.g., New Orleans, LA);
effect of human development near and along earthquake fault lines and resultant societal hazards
(earthquakes, tsunamis, etc.); and the effect of human societies on changing the atmopheric composition or
land surface conditions and the resultant effects on global and regional climate. Alternative proposals to
mitigate each problem will be critically examined.
13. In order for a course to be designated as fulfilling Goal Area 10, it must address at least 4 of the 5 student learning
outcomes (SLOs) below. Check the SLOs below that are focused on in the proposed general education course.
1. Explain the basic structure and function of various ecosystems and human adaptive strategies within those
systems.
2. Discern patterns of interrelationships of bio-physical and socio-cultural systems.
3. Describe the human institutional arrangements (social, legal, political, economic, and religious) that deal with
environmental and natural resource challenges.
4. Analyze environmental and natural resource issues in light of understandings about interrelationships,
ecosystems, and institutions.
5. Propose and assess alternative solutions to environmental problems including issues involving sustainability.
14.
Explain how each of the learning outcomes checked above is achieved by this course.
The list below is fairly generic with examples that might be used for the example case study given with the
Course Outline.
1.
Explain the basic structure and function of various ecosystems and human adaptive strategies within those
systems.
a) Students will demonstrate understanding of the basic scientific principles (atmospheric, hydrologic,
oceanographic or geologic) relevant to the case study and there interaction. For example, they must be able to
explain the natural dynamics of river delta formation and maintenance and also explain the factors leading to
tropical storm development and intensification.
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b) Students will analyze the societal hazards produced naturally (when relevant) and identify human actions that
modify those hazards. For example, they will assess the naturally occurring probabilities of hurricane landfall in
the Gulf Coast region and assess what human actions may have increased this risk.
2.
Discern patterns of interrelationships of bio-physical and socio-cultural systems.
Students must demonstrate understanding of the spatial relationships and physical interactions between different
components of the natural system being studied. For example, they must demonstrate an appreciation for how
changing the geologic and hydrologic dynamics of the Mississippi delta can occur due to actions taken far
upstream. Students must also demonstrate understanding of how engineering various river and intercoastal
channels exposes New Orleans to increased risks due to hurricane storm surges.
3.
Describe the human institutional arrangements (social, legal, political, economic, and religious) that deal
with environmental and natural resource challenges.
Students will identify societal actions (in some cases represented by government agencies) that have contributed
to the creation of a problem or inadvertently exacerbated a problem. For example, students will analyze the role
of various actions of the Army Corps of Engineers in constraining the flow of the Misissippi River including the
well-intentioned motivation for the actions and their unintended consequences.
4.
Analyze environmental and natural resource issues in light of understandings about interrelationships,
ecosystems, and institutions.
Students will analyze the factors that lead to societal actions that precipitate increased risks from natural hazards
and how these actions interplay with the natural processes studied earlier. For example, they will analyze how
engineering actions undertaken to improve agriculture or improve transportation have lead to settling of the
Mississippi delta and consequent sea level rise. They will then demonstrate understanding that similar problems
have been created in other parts of the world as well.
5.
Propose and assess alternative solutions to environmental problems including issues involving
sustainability.
Students will discuss various proposals to address the hazards being studied and will assess and recommend a
preferred course of action based upon their understanding of the physical and societal interactions. For example,
students will analyze proposals to address the problem of sea level rise near New Orleans that leads to increased
risk from tropical storms and identify an effective solution that is most likely to lead to a sustainable mitigation of
the risk without creating new problems.
15.
List or attach the Course Outline (adequately described and including percentage of time to be allocated
to each topic). Curriculum Committees may request additional information. Topics larger than 20% need
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to be broken down further.
Typically, three case studies will be considered each term. The course will be team taught and the choice of cases
will be made by the assigned instructors. Below is a template for the outline followed by a specific example of a
case study.
Introduction and Course Orientation (4%)
Case 1: (32%)
A.
Scientific background on natural system (12%):
B.
Natural risk factors to society (6%)
C.
Unintended human role in modifying the risk (6%)
D.
Options for societal response (8%)
Case 2: (32%)
A.
Scientific background on natural system (12%):
B.
Natural risk factors to society (6%)
C.
Unintended human role in modifying the risk (6%)
D.
Options for societal response (8%)
Case 3: (32%)
A.
Scientific background on natural system (12%):
B.
Natural risk factors to society (6%)
C.
Unintended human role in modifying the risk (6%)
D.
Options for societal response (8%)
1
2,3
2,4
3,5
1
2,3
2,4
3,5
1
2,3
2,4
3,5
Case study example:
Sea level rise and hurricane risk in New Orleans, LA
A.
Scientific background (12%):
1
1.
Basic hydrology and geology of drainage basins and the evolution of river systems and river
deltas
2.
Basic meteorology of tropical cyclones
B.
Natural risk factors to society (6%)
2,3
1.
Tropical cyclone risks in general
2.
Particular risks in New Orleans
C.
Unintended human role in modifying the risk (6%)
2,4
1.
Civil engineering of river systems
2.
Consequences of engineering on sediment transport and constraining river channels
3.
Resultant worsening of tropical storm hazards
D.
Options for societal response (8%)
3,5
1.
A ring dike for New Orleans
2.
Experiments with restoring a semblance of natural delta dynamics
3.
Restoring upstream sediment transport
Other possible case studies:
Anthropogenic modification of the atmosphere’s composition: Climate change and global warming
Earthquakes, tsunamis and risks for human society (e.g., Banda Aceh earthquake and tsunami of 2004: Haiti
earthquake of 2009)
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Volcanoes: (e.g., Pinatubo 1991; Vesuvius: past and future)
Land surface degradation and regional climate modification (e.g., Amazon River Basin)
Water resources and competing human demands (e.g., Colorado River, Platte River)
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St. Cloud State University
General Education Transmittal Form
Academic Affairs Use Only:
Response Date:
Effective Date:
Proposal Number
Department: Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
Course or Course(s): EAS 106: Humans and the Earth
Department or Unit Chair Signature
Date
Department forward to Academic Affairs for publication and electronically to Chair of General Education Committee, Chair
of College Curriculum Committee, College Dean
Recommendation of General Education Committee:
Approve
Remarks:
Disapprove
Chairperson
Committee
Signature
Date
Recommendation of University Curriculum Committee:
Approve
Remarks:
Disapprove
Chairperson
Committee
Signature
Date
Recommendation of Faculty Association:
Approve
Remarks:
Disapprove
FA Senate
Signature
Date
Action of Academic Vice President:
Approve
Disapprove
Signature
Entered in Curriculum Data File
12/11/2009
Remarks:
Date