Faculty FrontDoor

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A – 90-100

B – 80-89

C – 70-79

D – 60-69

F – 59 and below

 

Exam 1 – 25%

Exam 2 – 25%

Exam 3 – 25%

Project – 20%

Attendance – 5% (each absence will reduce the percentage – the second absence reduces to zero)

 

Make Up Policy:

                You will be given ample notice of exam dates and the project due date. If you must miss an exam, you must contact me first for permission and to schedule a make-up. If you do not contact me first, and you do not have documented proof that you were unavoidably absent (copy of bail receipt, hospital admission papers, death certificate, etc.) then you will receive a zero (0) for that exam.  My make-up exams consist solely of long format essay questions, you probably don’t ever want to take one. Please do your best to complete exams within the scheduled time frame. Turning in the final project late will result in the drop of one letter grade for each calendar day late. The conclusion of the class period on the due date is the start of late day one. Please allow yourself time in advance to submit to lessen the impact of internet issues/outages.

                The final exam for this class will be Wednesday December 12^th at 7am.  The same rules for missing this exam apply, with the following exception: The determination of whether your excuse is legitimate and if you may take a make-up exam will be a joint decision between myself and the Dean of Social Sciences.

Class Attendance:

                You must be present for the first week of class or you will be withdrawn as a ‘NO SHOW’, receive a W for the class, and possibly still be held financially responsible for the course.

 I understand that unexpected things happen in life; therefore you may miss three (3) class meetings throughout the semester. As long as this day is not an exam and/or project due day, I don’t care why you aren’t present. The fourth time you are absent the instructor reserves the right, but is not required, to withdraw you from class.

There will be no class meetings on the following date:

                November 21

Course Schedule:

Week 1	Intro/ Ethics
Week 2	Genetics/Mutation
Week 3	Living Primates/Hominid Adaptations
Week 4	Early Ancestors
Week 5	Exam 1
Week 6	Genus Homo
Week 7	Neolithic
Week 8	Rise of Civilization
Week 9	Culture
Week 10	Exam 2
Week 11	Archaeology
Week 12	Linguistics
Week 13	Physical Anthropology
Week 14	Forensics
Week 15	Prep/Final Exam

 

College Withdrawal Procedure

            Per Valencia Policy 4-07 (Academic Progress, Course Attendance and Grades, and Withdrawals), a student is permitted to withdraw from a class on or before the withdrawal deadline, as published in the College calendar. A student is not permitted to withdraw from a class after the withdrawal deadline. A student who withdraws from class before the established deadline for a particular term will receive a grade of “W.”    Any student who withdraws or is withdrawn from a class during a third or subsequent attempt in the same course will be assigned a grade of “F.”  For a complete policy and procedure overview on Valencia Policy 4-07 please go to: http://valenciacollege.edu/generalcounsel/policy/default.cfm?policyID=75&volumeID_1=4&navst=0

 

Valencia Student Core Competencies

                Valencia faculty have defined four interrelating competencies (Think, Value, Communicate, Act) that prepare students to succeed in the world community.  These competencies are outlined in the College Catalog.  In this course, through classroom lecture and discussion, group work, and other learning activities, you will further your mastery of those core competencies. Additional information is available in the College Catalog (http://valenciacollege.edu/competencies/).

 

 

Internet Research Statement

                Because of the variety of sources, ease of publication, lack of central control and proliferation of commercial information on the free Internet, it is often hard to tell if the information is reliable.  Many sites contain research and information of high quality.  However, unlike traditional print publications or library-based electronic resources, there is usually no process of peer review, nor is there an editor verifying the accuracy of information presented on the Internet.  There are an increasing number of sites containing information that may be incomplete, anonymously written, out-of-date, biased, fraudulent, or whose content may not be factual. Students should, therefore, use caution in use of the free Internet for their research needs.  For academic topics that are addressed in scholarly literature, use of electronic databases or visiting the library may better meet your needs. 

Academic Dishonesty

                All forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited at Valencia.  Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, plagiarism (turning written work that you took, word for word, from another source and pretending such work is your own, reusing a paper from another course, or “Cut and Paste” from websites is plagiarism.), cheating, furnishing false information, forgery, alteration or misuse of documents, misconduct during a testing situation, and misuse of identification with intent to defraud or deceive.  Any form of cheating during exams will constitute an immediate “F” for that quiz/exam. Other sanctions available to the professor should a violation occur are described in the Valencia Student Handbook or online http://valenciacollege.edu/generalcounsel/policy/default.cfm?policyID=193&volumeID_1=8&navst=0

 

Student Code of Conduct

                Valencia is dedicated not only to the advancement of knowledge and learning, but is concerned with the development of responsible personal and social conduct.  By enrolling at Valencia, a student assumes the responsibility for becoming familiar with and abiding by the general rules of conduct.  The primary responsibility for managing the classroom environment rests with the professor.  Students who engage in any prohibited or unlawful acts that result in disruption of a class may be directed by the professor to leave the class.  Violation of any Valencia policies/procedures or classroom rules may lead to disciplinary action up to and including expulsion from the College.  Disciplinary action could include being withdrawn from the class, disciplinary warning, probation, suspension, expulsion, or other appropriate and authorized actions. So, act mature, treating others with respect, verbally or online. Valencia’s Student Code of Conduct is in the current Student handbook or   

http://valenciacollege.edu/generalcounsel/policy/default.cfm?policyID=180&volumeID_1=8&navst=0

 

Students with Disabilities

                "Students with disabilities who qualify for academic accommodations must provide a notification from the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) and discuss specific needs with the instructor, preferably during the first two weeks of class.  The Office for Students with Disabilities determines accommodations based on appropriate documentation of disabilities.  The East Campus Office is located in Building 5, Room 216."

Laptop Policy

                Students may use their laptop during class to take notes or to access the Internet for research.  A student who uses this freedom to “surf the web” may be asked to leave the class for that day or to turn off their laptop.

 

 

This syllabus is subject to change, at the discretion of the instructor, for the benefit of the class as a whole. Any changes made will be discussed in class beforehand and students will be given a chance to present their case against changes.