Mike Kobre Office: Room 172 CNS Phone number: 274-5199 kobre@ithaca.edu Office hours:  by appointment

BIOL-45200  Microbiology (Biology Elective) Spring 2011 Lecture:  Tuesday 6-8:30 PM, CNS 118 Lab: Thursday 1-3:50 p.m., CNS 107

Text: Fundamentals of Microbiology 9^th edition, Jeffery C. Pommerville. (including laboratory manual)

ISBN: 978-07637-6258-2 (text),  ISBN: 978-07637-9557-3 (lab Manual)

Course Description and Objectives:

This course will explore the fundamentals of Microbiology. The course will cover the basic foundations of microbiology, studies of Bacteria and Archaea, Bacterial diseases of humans, viruses and eukaryotic microorganisms, disease and resistance, control of microorganisms, and public health issues related to mircobiology. The course is a lecture/lab course and will meet twice per week for one lecture and one lab.

Previous course work in general biology and or chemistry is recommended.

At the conclusion of this course the successful student will have a better understanding of:

• Identifying and classifying microorganisms through laboratory analysis.
• Better understand the process of human bacterial disease infection and treatment.
• Gathering and deciphering relevant journal articles and Microbiology information from resources.
• Setup, perform and record microbiology laboratory culture/testing procedures.

Attendance Policy:

Students are expected to attend all lecture and laboratories. Students are encouraged to use the college’s Blackboard course site to obtain/review weekly lectures and reading assignments and to communicate with the instructor and other classmates on a regular basis.

Evaluation Procedures:

      Letter grades will be assigned as follows:

Examinations:

Two (3) major exams (100 Points each) will be given (see schedule for dates and materials covered). These may consist of objective questions such as fill-in, matching, multiple choice, short answer, essay, and true false.

Student Presentations: You will be randomly assigned a microorganism and a partner for this assignment.  You will research the microorganism, and give a short presentation/lecture to the class.

Presentation is to be in the form of a short (20 minute), PC-compatible, Power point “lecture”.

Please:

1. Make backup copies and E-mail a copy of the presentation to yourself.
2. Bring a digital copy of the presentation to class.  Format can be on a USB device, or CD.

You are responsible for computer compatibility issues.  If your presentation is not with you, or functional at the day/time that you are assigned, then you will receive a failing grade.

All individuals are to be present in class during your groups’ presentation.  Both individuals will present the material via PowerPoint as a team.

The goals of this assignment are to: 

1. Stimulate learning in an informal manner
2. Encourage student participation
3. Have fun (so be creative!)

Your presentation must include:

Remember that this assignment is worth 1/5 of your final grade.

Organisms:

1. Vibrio cholerae
2. Pseudomonas aeruginosa
3. Listeria monocytogenes
4. Myxococcus xanthus

Laboratory notebook:

To help understand Microbiology and better prepare you, you must keep a detailed Laboratory manual/notebook. Details will be discussed in class.

 Missed examinations:

Students are expected to take all exams. Missed examinations can only be made up with a viable excuse and permission of the instructor. If you cannot attend a regularly scheduled test you must notify (via e-mail, or phone) the instructor before or on the same day as the missed test. Any student missing a test that fails to notify the instructor within 24 hours of the missed test will not be allowed to makeup the missing exam.

Course Considerations:

It is recommended that you spend as much time as possible studying outside of class. On average, a student should spend at least 2-3 hours for every hour of class/laboratory time studying in addition to class time. I’ll do my best to make the course informative and enjoyable, as with all courses, your grade is totally dependent on how much effort you put into the class.

Student input is highly valued and is important to maintain high quality instruction.  Course evaluations are mandatory and must completed by Monday, May 2..  10 points will be deducted from total points earned if the student fails to complete the evaluation, and a 10 point bonus will be added after they complete the evaluation. Details on submitting these will be given as the time draws near.  The evaluation will be submitted to the Department Assistant. She will verify that you have submitted the form.  Once that has been checked, your identification will be removed and will not be printed with the comments.

Standards of Academic Conduct:

Mental Health and Well Being

Diminished mental health, including significant stress, mood changes, excessive worry, or problems with eating and/or sleeping can interfere with optimal academic performance. The source of symptoms might be strictly related to your course work; if so, please speak with me.  However, problems with relationships, family worries, loss, or a personal struggle or crisis can also contribute to decreased academic performance.

Ithaca College provides a Counseling Center to support the academic success of students. The Counseling Center provides cost-free services to help you manage personal challenges that threaten your well-being.

In the event I suspect you need additional support, I will express my concerns and the reasons for them, and remind you of resources (e.g., Counseling Center, Health Center, chaplains, etc.) that might be helpful to you. It is not my intention to know the details of what might be bothering you, but simply to let you know I am concerned and that help, if needed, is available.

Getting help is a smart and courageous thing to do -- for yourself and for your loved ones.

Course schedule