Time and Place: 8:00 - 8:50am MWF CEC 102 (Shen Auditorium)
Instructor: Roger G. Olson
Office: Science 018    Telephone: x6295    E-mail alias: rogero
Office Hours: 10:00 - 11:30am M, 2:00 - 4:30pm TWR, or by appointment.
           Note: I'll be at St.Elizabeth's in Lafayette after 1pm each Monday.

TEXT

Enger/Smith, Environmental Science, 7th/ed., McGraw-Hill, 2000

Web site for textbook: http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/pae/environmentalscience/enger7e/

This course is intended to give you a thorough overview of environmental issues, both scientific and social. After you complete this course successfully, you should be "environmentally literate" and be able to give an informed statement about any environmental topic.

Even though it is cross-listed as a geology course, environmental science is truly interdisciplinary and includes aspects of biology, chemistry, geology, economics, politics, and ethics. You can't give a cogent argument about an environmental issue without having an idea of the science involved - in my opinion this is one of the main problems with political rhetoric. This course is intended to give you appropriate background to take further courses or to teach environmental issues.

Your course grade will be based on the following criteria: Two examinations, an oral presentation of either a research paper or a lesson plan for the education majors, and a comprehensive final exam. These criteria will be weighted in the following manner:

NOTES ON GRADING CRITERIA

• Examinations will contain material from both reading assignments and lectures.
• Oral presentations will be given during the last twenty minutes of each class period starting the fourth week of the semester. You must collect at least two outside references and submit these to me along with a brief outline when you do your presentation. Education majors may present a lesson plan on the topic of their choice, but should also have at least two references. This reference list will count towards your presentation grade. You should let me know your topic, preferably by e-mail, at least one week before your presentation.



• The comprehensive final exam also covers both reading assignments and lectures and will be given at 8am on Monday December 11, 2000.



• The exams will include questions from your colleagues' oral presentations.

You are expected to attend class as per college catalog guidelines (p. 45). However, attendance in this course is especially important since participation is essential to benefit fully. I will take attendance at every class session. Poor attendance will negatively affect your grade in borderline cases (up to a 2% deduction in the final grade).