Department: Biology
Biology 1406: General Biology I (for Majors)
Fall 2015
Wendy Sera, PhD
CRN # 73856
Course location and
times:
Course credit:
Course contact hrs:
Course length:
Instruction type:
Alief—Hayes Campus
Tuesdays: 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM, Room D104 (Lab)
Thursdays: 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM, Room B121 (Lecture)
4 semester credit hours
96 total hours; 48 hrs lecture, 48 hrs laboratory
16 weeks
In-person, Lecture–Lab
Instructor:
Wendy Sera, Ph.D.
Phone:
TBA (office at Alief—Hayes campus). Not a good way to contact
me! Leave a message if I don’t answer.
wendy.sera@hccs.edu (best way to contact me!)
E-mail address:
Office location and
hours:
Alief—Hayes Campus, TBA (getting a new office!). Tuesdays &
Thursdays, 11 AM to Noon (no appointment necessary!). Your
performance in my class is very important to me. I am
available to discuss your progress or course topics. Feel free
to come by my office anytime during these hours. Send me an
e-mail to set up an appointment at other times. I am also happy to
communicate via e-mail or chat!
Course Description:
A contemporary course, including applications of the scientific method, cellular and
molecular biology, biochemistry, classical and human genetics, and virology. Core
Curriculum Course. Cannot be used in conjunction with 1308. Credit: 4 (3 lecture, 3 lab)
Course Prerequisites:
College reading skills (college reading level as determined by SAT, ACT, TASP; or
successfully passing ENGL0305 with a “C” or better. One year of high school biology
and one year of high school chemistry with a “B” or better are highly
recommended.
Course Goals:
This course is intended for BIOLOGY or HEALTH SCIENCE MAJORS. The coursework
and readings are geared toward students who intend to pursue biology (or a related
discipline such as the health sciences) as a major. If you are not majoring in biology
(or a related science/health discipline), you should enroll in BIOL 1308, the first
semester of our biology for non-majors sequence. The overall goal of Biology 1406 is to
prepare the student for advanced coursework in biology such as Anatomy & Physiology.
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Program Student Learning Outcomes (PSLO) for the Biology Discipline:
PSLO #1 – Students will display an understanding of biological systems and evolutionary
processes spanning all ranges of biological complexity, including atoms, molecules, genes,
cells, and organisms.
PSLO #2 – Students will integrate factual and conceptual information into an understanding
of scientific concepts by written, oral, and/or visual communication.
PSLO #3 – Students will demonstrate proficiency and safe practices in the use of laboratory
equipment and basic laboratory techniques.
PSLO #4 – Students will apply principles of the scientific method to problems in biology in
the collection, recording, quantitative measurement, analysis, and reporting of scientific data.
Course Student Learning Outcomes (CSLO) for Biology 1406:
CSLO #1 – The student will be able to describe the characteristics of life: its unity and
diversity and the evidence for evolution through genetics, variation, and natural selection.
(PLSO #1)
CSLO #2 – The student will be able to understand the basic requirements of life: explain
atomic structure, types of chemical bonding, properties of water, and the structures/functions
of the macromolecules of life: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. (PLSO #1)
CSLO #3 – The student will be able to compare and contrast structures, reproduction, and
characteristics of viruses, prokaryotic cells, and eukaryote cells. (PLSO #1)
CSLO #4 – The student will be able to identify the substrates, products, and important
pathways in the metabolic processes of energy transformation, cell communication, cellular
respiration, fermentation, and photosynthesis. (PLSO #1)
CSLO #5 – The student will understand the cell cycle and be able to differentiate between
the processes and functions of mitosis and meiosis. (PLSO #1)
CSLO #6 – The student will understand the principles of genetics/inheritance and be able to
quantitatively solve classical genetics problems. (PLSO #1)
CSLO #7 – The student will demonstrate knowledge of DNA structure, its replication, the
flow of genetic information from gene to protein, gene expression, and ultimately their
methodologies and applications in biotechnology. (PLSO #1)
CSLO #8 – The student will develop critical thinking skills and habits of active collaborative
learning by successfully participating in an INSPIRE (Innovative Science Program Initiatives
to Reform Education)-oriented case study module(s). (PLSOs #1, 2, 3)
CSLO #9 – The student will utilize the scientific method, as well as quantitative and empirical
skills to collect, record, measure, analyze, and communicate scientific data. (PLSOs #2, 3, 4)
CSLO #10 – The student will exhibit competence in the laboratory by appropriate use of the
light microscope and other laboratory equipment to collect and analyze data. (PLSO #3, 4)
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REQUIRED
Instructional
Materials:
Required Textbook:
Reece, J. B, et al. 2014. Campbell Biology, 10th edition
(Volume I—Biology 1406) (Custom Edition for Houston
Community College), Pearson. Get the NEW book available at
HCC bookstores bundled with a PearsonMastering.com
access code. ISBN: 978-1-26988114-2 (HCC custom
package).
I highly suggest you buy a NEW version of the textbook
because it will come with the Modified Mastering
(pearsonmastering.com) access code you will need to do
your online homework and quiz assignments, as well as the etext. If you purchase a used book, you will need to purchase
the access code online (but you will likely pay more overall)!
Required Lab Manual:
Houston Community College. 2015. Biology 1406 Laboratory
Manual. 3rd Edition. bluedoor, LLC. ISBN: 978-1-68135-061-5.
Required Textbook Web Resources:
PearsonMastering.com – The Modified MasteringBiology
platform is an online study guide, tutorial, homework, and
assessment system for biology. Students are required to
purchase an access code to use PearsonMastering.com this
semester. If you purchase your textbook new at an HCC
bookstore, this code along with the e-text will be bundled with
it at no extra charge. If you purchase a used book from any
vendor, you will be responsible for purchasing an access code
at additional expense.
Registering for PearsonMastering.com:
 Go to: www.pearsonmastering.com
 Under “Register,” click STUDENT. Then on the next page,
click the green button on the right hand side of the page
that says, “OK! Register now.”
 Next, enter the Course ID: sera82216
 Create a Pearson account by filling in your information or
sign into your Pearson account if you already have one.
 Select one of the following options: If you have an
access code that was packaged with a new textbook, click
the Access Code button (which also includes the e-text)
OR if you need to purchase access online, click either the
button that says $50.00 for Mastering access only (without
the e-text) or $100.00 for Mastering access with the e-text,
(if you don’t want a paper copy of the book). They accept a
credit card or PayPal account as payment.
 Sign in by going to www.pearsonmastering.com and click
the sign-in button.
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Instructional Methods:
The course is built around the chapters in the textbook. However, there is a fair amount
of material in the textbook that we will not cover, and some material from the lectures
that you will not find in the textbook. About 95% of the exam questions will come from
the lectures and classroom/laboratory learning activities. There is a strong correlation
between a student’s final grade in this course and his or her attendance. Attendance
alone is no guarantee of passing, but it certainly cannot hurt! Please, do not become an
academic fatality by not attending class!
Study Methods:
You will be spending a good deal of time, energy, and money on this course – please,
make the most of your investment! Plan to spend AT LEAST 12-18 hours PER WEEK
outside of class working on materials for this course. Note that this is a total of 196-216
minimum hours for the semester! To pass, you must study biology on a regular basis. Do
not wait to the last minute and try to cram for the exams. All-nighters before an exam will
not help you in this course—in fact, it will probably do more harm than good. The course
has an overwhelming amount of information that must be digested. The best study
approach is to read the textbook, complete your PearsonMastering.com homework, and
then review the chapter summaries quickly before class. Your goal is to get a good idea
of what will be covered so you are not hearing it for the first time in lecture. After class,
read your lecture notes, jotting down questions over areas that you are confused about
and filling in the holes in your notes. Lastly, take the assigned PearsonMastering.com
quiz before the next class period. Lastly, bring your remaining questions to the next
class period! In addition, one of the most helpful study methods is to get together with
another student or a small group of students to study on a regular basis. Cooperative
learning is one of the most efficient ways to tackle difficult material! Please feel free to
contact me concerning any problems you are experiencing in this course. Do not
wait until you have received a poor grade to ask for assistance or advice!
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Course Calendar:
Lab Schedule
(Tuesdays; D-104)*
Week
1
(August 25
& 27)
2
(September
1 & 3)
3
(September
8 & 10)
4
(September
15 & 17)
5
(September
22 & 24)
6
(Sept. 29 &
Oct. 1)
7
(October 6
& 8)
8
(October
13 & 15)
9
(October
20 & 22)
10
(October
27 & 29)
11
(November
3 & 5)
12
(November
10 & 12)
13
(November
17 & 19)
Lecture Schedule
(Thursdays; B121)**
Course Introduction—Syllabus
Ch. 1—Introduction: Themes in
the Study of Life
Introduction to Labs—Laboratory
Safety
Lab 1—Basic Chemistry
Ch. 4—Carbon and the Molecular
Diversity of Life
Ch. 1—continued
Ch. 2—The Chemical Context of Life
Lab 2—Properties of Water
Ch. 5—continued
Review for Lecture Exam #1
Lab 3—Biochemistry: Detection of
Biological Molecules, Scientific
Method, & Experimental Design
Lab 4—The Care and Feeding of
the Microscope
Lecture Exam #1—Chapters 1-5
Ch. 6—A Tour of the Cell
Lab 5—Cell Structure
Lab Exam #1—Labs 1-5
Lab 6—Diffusion and Osmosis
Ch. 9—continued
Lab 8—Respiration and
Fermentation
Lab 9—Photosynthesis and
Spectrophotometry
Review for Lecture Exam #2
Ch. 12—The Cell Cycle
Lab 10A—Cell Division (Mitosis
only)
Ch. 14—Mendel and the Gene
Idea
Lab 11—Genetics (worth 2 lab
report grades and 1 lab quiz
grade!)
Lab 11—continued
Ch. 3—Water & the Fitness of the
Environment
Ch. 5—The Structure and Function
of Large Biological Molecules
Ch. 6—continued
Ch. 7—Membrane Structure and
Function
Ch. 7—continued
Ch. 8—An Introduction to
Metabolism
Ch. 9—Cellular Respiration:
Harvesting Chemical Energy
Ch. 10—Photosynthesis
Lecture Exam #2—Chapters 6-10
Ch. 11—Cell Communication
Last Day to Withdraw is Friday,
October 30 by 4:30 pm
Ch. 13—Meiosis & Sexual Life
Cycles
Lab 10B—Cell Division (Meiosis)
Ch. 15—The Chromosomal Basis of
Inheritance
Lab 11—continued
Ch. 16—The Molecular Basis of
Inheritance
5
14
(November
24 & 26)
15
(December
1 & 3)
Lecture Exam #3—Chapters 1116
Ch. 17—From Gene to Protein
Ch. 17—continued
Ch. 18—Regulation of Gene
Expression (select topics)
Lab 12—DNA to Proteins
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(December
8 & 10)
NO CLASS
NO CLASS—
THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
Lab Exam #2—Labs 6, 8-12
Ch. 19—Viruses
Ch. 20—Biotechnology (select
topics)
Review for Final Exam
Final Examination—Comprehensive
(covers entire semester)
*Lab numbers refer to lab exercises in the lab manual that you should read before attending labs
on the date indicated (to prepare for Lab Reading Quiz).
**Chapter numbers refer to chapters in Reece et al.’s Biology, 9th edition that you should read
before attending class on the date indicated.
Evaluation:
Be sure to arrive early for your examinations. Both lab and lecture exams will usually be
followed about additional lecture and/or lab work. There are time limits for exams. You
will not be granted extended time for testing if you arrive late! Entering and exiting
the lecture room or lab room is not permitted once exams have begun. Please be sure to
use the bathroom before the exam begins! Several different instruments will be used to
assess your performance in this course. The objective is to diversify the methods used
to evaluate you with the hope of maximizing your performance in the class.
Lecture exams will include multiple-choice questions and essay/short answer questions. Many
of the multiple-choice questions will stress understanding, comprehension, and analysis rather
than just memorization. You will need a #2 pencil and the appropriate scantron for all
lecture exams and the final exam. The final exam will be comprehensive of the entire course,
both lecture and lab. More on the final exam when the time comes.
Lab exams may include multiple-choice, matching, true-false, essay/short answer,
problem-solving, as well as identification and/or labeling of models, specimens, or other
materials used in the laboratory exercises. You will need a #2 pencil and a scantron
for both lab exams.
You may request a make-up lecture or lab exam IF you have a documented illness,
death in the family, or other unavoidable emergency. You may take a make-up exam
only if you request it prior to the exam. Obviously, this may not be possible for some
types of emergencies and the instructor will take that into consideration. Only one makeup exam per semester will be allowed per student (with proper documentation). The
instructor reserves the right to administer an alternative exam to anyone requesting a
make-up exam.
I will use five kinds of multiple-choice questions, which range from very easy to very difficult:
1. Knowledge—the recalling of information (a favorite of students because no thinking is
required!).
2. Comprehensive—a basic understanding of concepts
3. Application—applying concepts learned to a new situation
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4. Analysis—breaking down of conclusions into the underlying assumptions and
interrelationships
5. Evaluation—making judgments based on certain facts and assumptions
Here are a few tips on taking multiple-choice exams:
1. Read the question carefully and read all the possible answers.
2. The correct answer is both true and relevant. There may be several true answers, but they
may not be relevant to the question.
3. After completing the exam, check for mechanical mistakes.
4. Don’t make the questions harder than they are by looking for trick answers. There will be a
range of questions from hard to easy, but there will not be “trick” questions or answers!
5. Don’t change you answers without very good reason. If you are unsure of an answer, your
first “guess” or instinct is usually best.
Laboratory Reading Quizzes:
During each laboratory period, usually at the beginning (but not necessarily—quizzes
may be given at any time during the laboratory period!), you will take a “reading” quiz
over the chapter in the lab manual assigned for reading that day. The quizzes will
usually consist of fill-in the blank, true/false, or matching, similar to questions you will
see on the lab exams. At other times, quizzes might be short answer/essay/problems.
During the course of the semester, you will be given 11 Laboratory Reading Quizzes
worth 5 points each. If you are absent, late for lab, or leave lab early before a quiz is
given, you may not make it up. THERE ARE NO MAKE-UP LAB READING QUIZZES,
EVEN FOR AN EXCUSED ABSENCE. NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE. However,
your lowest quiz grade for the semester will be dropped!
Chapter Homework in PearsonMastering.com:
For each chapter that is assigned as reading in Reece's textbook, you will complete an
untimed homework assignment that will be submitted via PearsonMastering.com prior
to the date of the lecture on that chapter. Therefore, most PearsonMastering.com
homework will be due on Tuesdays or Thursdays before 7:00 AM on the due date
(see due dates in PearsonMastering.com). Late homework will not be accepted even for
an excused absence. Homework assignments are late after 7:00 AM and will not be
accepted by PearsonMastering.com; therefore, there is no conceivable reason to skip
lecture to complete them! Your lowest homework grade will be dropped. In addition,
there will be optional extra credit “Adaptive Follow-up” exercises for each chapter
(usually due one week after the homework is due).
Chapter Quizzes in PearsonMastering.com:
For each chapter that is assigned as reading in Reece's textbook, you will complete a
timed quiz (10 multiple-choice questions in 20 minutes) that will be submitted to your
instructor via PearsonMastering.com prior to the date of the next lecture period after
that chapter is covered in lecture. Exact due dates are always listed under
“Assignments” in PearsonMastering.com. Therefore, most PearsonMastering.com
chapter quizzes will be due on Tuesdays or Thursdays before 7:00 AM on the due
date (see due dates in PearsonMastering.com). Late quizzes will not be accepted, even
for an excused absence. Quizzes are late after 7:00 AM and will not be accepted by
PearsonMastering.com; therefore, there is no conceivable reason to skip lecture to
complete them! Your lowest quiz grade will be dropped.
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Basis of Grading:
Lecture Exam 1—Chapters 1-5
Lecture Exam 2—Chapters 6-10
Lecture Exam 3—Chapters 11-16
100 points
100 points
100 points
PearsonMastering.com Online Homework (lowest
125 points
score will be dropped)—weighted based on length of
assignment.
PearsonMastering.com Online Quizzes (lowest score
75 points
will be dropped)
Total Lecture Points: 500 points
(55% of final grade)
Lab Reading Quizzes (11 @ 5 pts each; lowest score
dropped)
Lab Exam 1 (Labs 1-5)
Lab Exam 2 (Labs 6, 8-12)
Lab Reports (12 lab reports @ 15 pts each; lowest
score dropped)
Total Lab Points:
50 points
50 points
50 points
165 points
315 points
(34% of final grade)
Departmental Comprehensive Final Exam
100 points
(11% of final grade)
Total Course Points 915 points
HCC Grading
Scale:
A = 90-100% (at least 823.5 points)
B = 80-89% (at least 732 points)
C = 70-79% (at least 640.5 points)
D = 60-69% (at least 549 points)
F = less than 60% (less than 549 points)
Instructor’s Incomplete Policy:
The only circumstance under which you can get an “I”
(Incomplete) is if you are too ill to take the final. Once you receive
an “I”, in order to get a grade for the course, you will have to
complete the material by the end of the next full semester. If you
do not, the “I” will convert to whatever grade you earned in the
course.
Lecture Attendance Policy:
Attendance at lectures is required (attendance will be taken daily) and attendance at
exams is mandatory. Classroom doors will be closed at 8:00 AM promptly; late students
will not be admitted to class after 8:05 (unless they contact the instructor prior to class to
gain permission to be tardy) until the next break. The exception is exam days—please
enter the classroom even if you are late! However, under no circumstances will late
8
students arriving after the first person in the class completes their exam be allowed to
take the exam. The bottom line: tardiness is disruptive and rude to both your instructor
and your classmates! Don't embarrass yourself and come to class late! In addition, your
full attention during lecture and lab is essential to success.
It is in the student's best interest to attend class because students who miss class do
poorly on exams. Absence at an exam will result in a grade of zero for that exam unless
arrangements are made with the instructor at least one day prior to the day of the exam,
except for unavoidable emergencies, in which case, contact Dr. Sera by e-mail that
same day or ASAP. Such arrangements will generally only be made in the case of
documented illness, death in the family, or unavoidable emergencies.
Lab Policies:
Lab safety is outlined in your lab manual. Lab rules and regulations will be discussed
during the first lab and should be adhered to at all times. There is no food or drinks
allowed in the laboratories! Each student is responsible for cleaning up after labs, this
includes glassware, utensils, specimens/models, and other material used during lab time
(no, there is no one else to clean up after us in the labs!).
Attendance at laboratory sessions is required to gain credit for that lab. Students who
are absent from a lab session will not be allowed to hand-in the lab report or other
assignment for the missed lab. Therefore, absence from a lab (or any part of that lab)
will result in a grade of zero for that lab. THERE ARE NO MAKEUP LABS IN THIS
COURSE. In the case of an excused absence, individual arrangements must be made
with the instructor at least one day prior to the day of the lab. Such arrangements will
only be made in the case of documented illness, death in the family, or unavoidable
emergencies. If you are not in lab when it starts, then you will be considered absent
even if you show up later! Because of the nature of the laboratory exercises, it is
essential that you arrive for lab on time—please be considerate to your fellow students
and your instructor!
Phones/Electronic Devices:
Absolutely no phones or other personal electronic devices are to be used during
class (lecture and lab). This includes making or taking a call, reviewing messages,
texting, playing games, checking e-mail, surfing the Web, anything that involves a phone
or other personal electronic device. If your work or family situation requires that you be
available via phone, your phone can be on vibrate mode and you can take the call during
our regular scheduled breaks, or in the case of an emergency, you may exit the class to
review the call. Notify your friends, family, employers, and anyone else who regularly
contacts you that you will be in class and that you should be contacted only when
absolutely necessary. The taking of calls during class is not only disruptive, but it is also
discourteous to classmates and the instructor. Cell phone use during examinations is
considered cheating and will result in exam or course failure.
Biology Department:
Tutoring
Biology Department:
Lab Review 24/7
Online tutoring is available free to all HCC Biology students at:
http://hccs.askonline.net/. There may also be in-person
tutoring, which will be announced the second week of class.
These Biology Lab Study pages (http://hccs.edu/biologylabs)
are for HCC students to review lab materials 24/7. The pages
include models, microscope slides, experiments, dissections,
animations, and practice quizzes.
9
HCC Policy
Statements
HCC Policy Statement:
Students with
Disabilities
HCC Policy Statement:
Internet Outage
Policy
HCC Policy Statement:
Academic Honesty
Access all Student Services Policies in the HCC Student
Handbook: http://www.hccs.edu/district/students/studenthandbook/
Any student with a documented disability (e.g., physical,
learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to
arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the
Disability Services Office at the respective college at the
beginning of each semester. Instructors are authorized to
provide only the accommodations requested by the Disability
Support Services Office. If you have any special needs or
disabilities that may affect your ability to succeed in college
classes or participate in any college programs or activities,
please contact the DSS office for assistance. At Northwest
College, contact:
Mahnaz Kolaini, ADA Counselor
Spring Branch Campus, RC 14
Phone: 713-718-5422
Fax: 713-718-5430
TTY: 713-718-5697
If your professor experiences an Internet service outage or a
power outage that significantly affects the timing of distributing
online assignments, or in any way appreciably hinders the
professor in communicating with students, adjustments to due
dates and/or grades will be made appropriately. If there is any
official notification from HCCS concerning downtime of the
Eagle Internet course server that would affect distributing
assignments, or in any way appreciably hinders the professor
in communicating with students, adjustments to due dates
and/or grades will be made appropriately. This policy pertains
only to the professor’s Internet service or to HCCS’s Internet
course servers, not the students’ computers or Internet
access. No one at HCCS can monitor or verify outages at
student sites and student access is not the responsibility of
HCCS. Students are responsible for making sure that they
have continuous, reliable Internet access in order to complete
this course.
A student who is academically dishonest is, by definition, not
showing that the coursework has been learned, and that
student is claiming an advantage not available to other
students. The instructor is responsible for measuring each
student's individual achievements and also for ensuring that all
students compete on a level playing field. Thus, in our system,
the instructor has teaching, grading, and enforcement roles.
You are expected to be familiar with the University's Policy on
Academic Honesty, found in the catalog. What that means is:
If you are charged with an offense, pleading ignorance of the
rules will not help you. Students are responsible for
conducting themselves with honor and integrity in fulfilling
course requirements. Penalties and/or disciplinary
10
proceedings may be initiated by College System officials
against a student accused of scholastic dishonesty.
“Scholastic dishonesty”: includes, but is not limited to, cheating
on a test, plagiarism, and collusion.
Cheating on a test includes:
 Copying from another students’ test paper;
 Using materials not authorized by the person giving the
test;
 Collaborating with another student during a test without
authorization;
 Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or
soliciting in whole or part the contents of a test that has not
been administered;
 Bribing another person to obtain a test that is to be
administered.
HCC Policy Statement:
Student Attendance,
3-peaters, Withdrawal
Deadline
Plagiarism means the appropriation of another’s work and the
unacknowledged incorporation of that work in one’s own
written work offered for credit. Collusion mean the
unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing
written work offered for credit. Possible punishments for
academic dishonesty may include a grade of 0 or F in the
particular assignment, failure in the course, and/or
recommendation for probation or dismissal from the College
System. (See the Student Handbook.)
Attendance
It is important that you come to class! Attending class regularly
is the best way to succeed in this class. Research has shown
that the single most important factor in student success is
attendance. You are expected to attend all lectures and labs.
You are responsible for materials covered during your
absences and it is your responsibility to consult with the
instructor for make-up assignments, if available.
Class attendance will be checked daily. Although it is your
responsibility to drop a course for non-attendance, the
instructor has the authority to drop you for excessive
absences. A student will be dropped from a course 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 4 classes or labs for a 4-semester hour
course like this one.
You may decide not to come to class for whatever reason. As
an adult making the decision not to attend, you do not have to
notify the instructor prior to missing a class (except when an
exam is being administered). However, if this happens too
many times, you may suddenly find that you have “lost” the
class.
Poor attendance records tend to correlate with poor grades. If
you miss any class, including the first week, you are
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responsible for all material missed. It is a good idea to find a
friend or a buddy in class who would be willing to share class
notes or discussion or be able to hand in paper if you
unavoidably miss a class.
Habitual tardiness will not be tolerated. Students are expected
to be in attendance for the entirety of the scheduled class and
are responsible for completing assignments scheduled during
their absence/s. It is the responsibility of each student to
amend their professional/personal schedule to meet the class
schedule.
Class attendance equals class success!
Repeaters
Students who repeat a course for a third or more times face
significant tuition/fee increases at HCC and other Texas public
colleges and universities. Please ask your instructor/counselor
about opportunities for tutoring/other assistance prior to
considering course withdrawal or if you are not receiving
passing grades.
Withdrawals
Withdrawal from the course after the official day of record
(September 8) will result in a final grade of “W” on the student
transcript and no credit will be awarded. It is the student’s
responsibility to initiate and complete a request for withdrawal
from any course. Students will be required to formally request
a withdrawal from their instructors prior to the administrative
withdrawal date deadline (October 30 at 4:30 pm).
Abandoning the course or failing to formally drop or withdraw
will result in a grade being given based on the work completed
for the entire course (including missed exams).
The State of Texas has begun to impose penalties on
students who drop courses excessively. For example, if you
repeat the same course more than twice, you have to pay
extra tuition. Beginning in fall 2007, the Texas Legislature
passed a law limiting first time entering freshmen to no more
than SIX total course withdrawals throughout their educational
career in obtaining a certificate and/or degree.
Biology Department:
Behavior Policy
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
As your instructor and as a student in this class, it is our
shared responsibility to develop and maintain a positive
learning environment for everyone. Your instructor takes this
responsibility very seriously and will inform members of the
class if their behavior makes it difficult for him/her to carry out
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HCC Policy Statement:
Safe and Secure
Learning
Environment
EGLS3 -- Evaluation
for Greater Learning
Student Survey
System
this task. As a fellow learner, you are asked to respect the
learning needs of your classmates and assist your instructor in
achieving this critical goal.
It is the policy of HCC to provide a safe and secure
environment within which learning can take place effectively.
Accordingly, disruptive, threatening, or violent behavior in the
classroom will not be tolerated. Disruptive, threatening, or
violent individuals will be asked to leave the classroom for that
day. Failure to comply with this request may lead to removal
and/or arrest by the police. This is in addition to any college
disciplinary action to which the individual might be liable.
At Houston Community College, professors believe that
thoughtful student feedback is necessary to improve teaching
and learning. During a designated time, you will be asked to
answer a short online survey of research-based questions
related to instruction. The anonymous results of the survey will
be made available to your professors and division chairs for
continual improvement of instruction. Look for the survey as
part of the Houston Community College Student System
online near the end of the term.
The Instructor reserves the right to modify this syllabus when necessary with adequate
notification to the students
Have a GREAT SEMESTER and please remember to e-mail me with any questions!
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Biology 1406—Dr. Sera
Fall 2015—TTH 8-11
REQUIRED Acknowledgement Page
I acknowledge that I have read the syllabus for Biology 1406 and
understand the requirements of the course and the effort and time
commitment necessary to succeed in this science major’s class (12-18
hours per week!).
Print Name________________________________________________
Sign Name________________________________________________
Date__________________
E-mail Address ____________________________________________
Current Phone # ____________________________________________
Please PRINT OUT THIS PAGE and SUBMIT by the 2nd class meeting.
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