This course offers a theoretical and pragmatic exploration of the interaction of people and their social systems with the physical and biological systems of the Earth, examining our socially shaped understanding of this relationship as well as our efforts to manage it.

Upon completion of the course, the student will demonstrate understanding on:

1. the history of environmental impacts and social reaction to that impact.
2. the nature of individuals, informal and formal groups’ participation if environmental policy formulation.
3. the social and political processes of environmental policy formulation.
4. social movements in environmentalism.
5. the ideology of science and its impact on the environment and policy formulation.
6. the evolution of social factors affecting public and private land stewardship.
7. the ideology of economics and its impact on the environment and policy formulation.
8. the evolution of social factors affecting waste and the cleanup of waste.
9. the evolution of social factors affecting water resources.
10. the evolution of social factors affecting air quality.
11. the evolution of social factors affecting endangered species and forests.
12. the evolution of social factors affecting population growth.
13. the impact of global trade and consumerism on the environment.
14. the value of their own power of effective, reading.
15. the value of their own power of effective, written communication.
16. the value of their own power of effective, oral communication.
17. the value of their power of effective, creative thinking.
18. the value of their own power of making ethical choices.
19. the value of diversity in American and world culture.

If you need course adaptation or accommodation b/c of a disability or if you have emergency medical information to share w/ me, please make an appointment to talk w/ me as soon as possible. To make inquiries regarding disability services, please contact Whitney Wells, ADA Coordinator, at 276-328-0265 or wew3x@uvawise.edu, or visit Academic Support Services in Zehmer Hall.

If you need course adaptations or academic adjustments b/c of a documented disability, if you have emergency medical information to share w/ me, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment to talk w/ me as soon as possible. My office location & hours are found at my Office Hours Link

Regarding disability services, students are expected to take an assertive role in communicating w/ faculty & staff about their need for reasonable accommodation.  If you need accommodations due to a disability or if you have emergency medical information to share w/ me, please make an appointment to talk w/ me as soon as possible. Students w/ disabilities must register w/ Disability Services to discuss accommodations: Whitney Wells, Zehmer 152, 276-328-0265 or wew3x@uvawise.edu

Students registered w/ Disability Services will present faculty w/ an accommodation notice which should be reviewed & signed. I, the prof, will work w/ those students on an individual basis to meet their needs. If an agreement is not reached on an appropriate accommodation, I will contact the office at 276-328-0265 for assistance.

If a student does not present a letter from the ADA Coordinator & does not have a visible disability, the faculty member should refer the student to Disability Support Services (Zehmer Hall, Room 152) prior to making any accommodation.

Any information about a student's disability should be kept confidential.

Testing services are provided by Disability Services as assistance to faculty. Students may receive extended time (time plus half), audio testing, word processors, etc.  Students receiving this accommodation should sit w/ faculty to develop a plan (a form will be provided) for pre & post delivery of the test, answering questions during the test, allowable materials, etc. I will deliver tests in person, via mail, via student or via email (ada-online@uvawise.edu). All tests are kept in a locked cabinet and destroyed after delivery. The office provides students w/ paper & all backpacks & mobile devices are outside of the testing room. Word processors do not have internet access, unless necessary for online courses or components.

Bobbi VanHuss is the administrator for the office, but she is the main contact for testing appointments. She can be reached at blv5j@vuawise.edu or 276-328-0186.

Additional information about making your course materials accessible is available in our office and online at http://www.uvawise.edu/ada/facstaff_info or http://www.uvawise.edu/ada/faq
 

	Office Hours:	Link
	The UVa - Wise Guide for Accommodating Students w/ Disabilities	Link
	Whitney Wells, ADA Coordinator	Link

To view the UVa Wise’s Sexual Misconduct/Harassment policy, please visit: http://www.uvawise.edu/compliance/TitleIX

If you have questions or concerns, please immediately contact your Title IX Coordinator listed below.

Tabitha Smith, Title IX Coordinator
Office of Compliance and Conduct
1 College Avenue
Wise, VA  24293
Office: 276-328-0131 | Cell: 276-870-5065 | Fax: 276-376-4876 | Email: tabitha.smith@uvawise.edu

The office is located on the first floor of Cantrell Hall.

Please note that I am a Title IX Responsible Employee, ie a Mandatory Reporter, which means that if you disclose any relevant experiences, eg, sexual discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault, & the like, that occurred to you or someone else, I am legally obligated to report this information to our Title IX coordinator. 

All students graduating from UVa - Wise must be able to demonstrate computer proficiency.  Please refer to p.79-80 of the 2004-2005 College Catalog.  If
you do not believe that you can meet this requirement, additional instruction will be provided, see your advisor.

Given that this course has all of its written work, notes, projects & so on, on the web, & given that all assignments, other than exams, are submitted in digital format, it is required that the student be able to operate effectively in the computer / web environment.  The student should be proficient in emailing, word processing, web searching, & spreadsheets. 

I am here to help you succeed in the course.  Please come see me, or email me if you have any questions or concerns. 

There is also help available from the College: 
Student Support Services seeks to support students in the ultimate goal of graduating and the services provided through these offices allow students to attain both success and access. 
Disability Services ensures that anyone who has a disability will have everything they need to succeed. 
The Writing Center focuses on interdisciplinary writing supports at all levels.
The Tutoring Center offers free tutoring to all UVa Wise students and additional academic supports for students. 

Some of the people available to help you are: 

Marcia Mitchell
Director
276.328.0177
m_mitchell@uvawise.edu

Whitney Wells
Counselor and Director of Disability Services
276.328.0265
wew3x@uvawise.edu
http://www.uvawise.edu/student-life/diversity/disability-support-services/
Maggie Robinson
Academic Coordinator
276.328.0283
mer8g@uvawise.edu

Linda Couch
Office Specialist
276.328.0177
los5s@uvawise.edu
 
 

Student Support Services

http://www.uvawise.edu/academics/academic-support/student-support-services/

Link

Student Support Services is designed to increase retention and graduation rates of eligible students and help foster a campus environment supportive of eligible students.

Eligible students are enrolled at The University of Virginia's College at Wise and meet one or more of the following criteria:
    First generation college student
    (neither parent/guardian has a bachelor's degree)
    Limited income
    Physical or learning disability

Students must also:
    Be U.S. citizens or meet residency requirements for Federal financial aid
    Demonstrate a need for academic support
 
 

Disability Services

http://www.uvawise.edu/student-life/diversity/disability-support-services/

Link

Disability Support Services works to assist all qualified students with disabilities in the pursuit of their educational objectives. We attempt to coordinate the students’ needs with services and resources available within our college system, and to ensure accessible educational opportunities for students according to their individual needs.

Our philosophy is that the individuals we serve are students first, and their disabilities are secondary. The office strives to coordinate services that will enable students with disabilities to act as independently as possible in a supportive atmosphere that promotes self reliance. It is the students’ choice whether or not they utilize the available services.

The need for equal access to education in college campuses was mandated by the passage of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Section 504 states that reasonable adjustments in post secondary programs must be made in order for persons with disabilities to fulfill academic requirements. In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed, extending equal protection to persons with disabilities in the private sector, public institutions, employment, communications and public accommodations. On September 25, 2008, the President signed the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (“ADA Amendments Act” or “Act”). The Act emphasizes that the definition of disability should be construed in favor of broad interpretation of the term “substantial limitation.”
 
 

The Writing Center

http://www.uvawise.edu/academics/academic-support/writing-center/

Link

The UVa Wise Writing Center is dedicated to assistance in writing for all classes
and for anyone who enjoys writing.

The Writing Center is located in Zehmer Hall 144b, at the hearth next to Student Support Services. The center offers services with the following:

    face to face consultations
    assistance with Powerpoint presentations
    assistance with any form of written presentation

Always bring the assignment.
Each computer in the center has access to the internet.
 
 

The Tutoring Connection

http://www.uvawise.edu/academics/academic-support/tutor-connection/

Link

The program seeks to promote independent learning that students may use throughout their academic careers. Tutors are qualified individuals who possess proven academic backgrounds, foster strong study habits, and are endorsed by faculty. All tutoring services are provided free of cost to students enrolled in courses offered by the College.

The Tutor Connection is located on the first floor of Zehmer Hall beside the Writing Center. UVa Wise students in need of tutoring can drop by the office and fill out a tutor request form or click on the forms link to the left to print out the form.

Hours of operation are 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. weekdays with additional evening hours arranged as needed. Except for designated holidays, the Tutor Connection is open year round. Summer hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

COURSE OVERVIEW: 
All assignments are due on Thursdays at 2 PM of the week they are assigned on the course home page except for week one, when assignments are due on Friday at 2 PM.  No late assignments are accepted. See the section below for more info on this policy.  It is suggested that you work ahead to foil any snafus life inevitably supplies.

The requirements for this course are discussion forums (2 posts, on 2 different days of 60 words each is required), objective quizzes (including the final) (40 mult choice & true false questions), essay tests, & a research paper (4 pages).

In order to do well on the tests, consider the following methodology:   Read the Course Reading & the Course Notes. Take notes from them.  For each chapter there are Objective Quizzes w/ 40 mult choice & true false questions.  These are found in Moodle.  There is a 40 minute time limit for each quiz.  A good method is to use the search function.  There are Discussion Forums for each chapter.  You are required to make 2 postings on 2 different days w/ 60 words for each. 

There are 2 Essay Exams throughout the term.  Essays should strongly reflect info from the Course Notes & from the Readings provided.  General use of the internet is allowed to supplement this material, but usually it is found that an essay response which relies on the internet is incomplete since the Course Material is more comprehensive. 

The Moodle course home page has info on the course organization that you will need to know, ie due dates, etc. 

DISCUSSION FORUMS:      PLEASE DISGUISE SITUATIONS, PLACES, ETC, & DO NOT USE REAL NAMES

Online forums allow students to participate in course discussions w/ fellow class members.  For each forum you are to:  1.  make at least two separate entries in the forum, 2. make the entries on different days, 3.  make the entries at least 60 words each, 4.  make your 1st post a comment on the question/issue of the week & your 2nd post a response to another student, 5. make your entries by the due date & time.   You cannot see other students' posts until you make a post.  Please use the Subject Line & indicate whether your post is: MY COMMENT, or RESPONSE TO... Students are always concerned w/ 'how much... how long should my answer be?' About 60 words should be good for each of your two entries (posted on two separate days). Or you may post 3 or more entries of 40 words each on two separate days.

Note, I, Patrick Withen, may appear as "Sample Student" in the course, esp the discussion boards. I do this so I can check to see what the course looks like from a student perspective.

In this & all of the forum questions that follow, please use the following ethical guidelines. Do not use actual names of anyone you know. Maintain anonymity in relation to all persons, places, things, & time. Use your experience, knowledge, understanding, what you have seen in the media, etc. If you feel you have no experience, etc. for the question, use your scholarly creativity to answer the question.  Though not required or expected, if you use outside sources, cite & reference & follow all referencing guidelines.  If I determine these guidelines were not followed, I will remove the post & it will have to be re-done to earn credit.

OBJECTIVE QUIZZES: 
Each objective quiz consists of 40 multiple choice & true - false questions.  You have 40 minutes to complete them.  Two hints on how to do well on these quizzes. 

First, each question begins w/ a phrase that indicates where in the Course Review Notes the answer is found.  That is, each question begins w/ the phrase: "In relation to ..." then it says the name of the Course Review Notes section where the answer may be found.  For example, True False:  "In relation to decision making, decisions made under stress are always weak."  This question is found in the Course Review Notes section entitled Decision Making.  If the question does not begin w/ "In relation to...", it begins w/ just the name of the section of the Course Review Notes where the answer is found.  For example: True False:  "Durkheim believes that the division of labor is a primary shaper of modern society"  This question's answer relates to the section on Durkheim in the Course Review Notes. 

Second, use the search function to find the answers to questions because the questions nearly always come directly from the course notes.  Copy a unique word or phrase from the question, & then if you search for it in the appropriate Course Review Notes section, you should be able to find the answer. 

ESSAY TESTS:
There is no time limit on this essay.  And you may open & close the essay as much as you like as long as you do not click the submit button.  But do not forget to submit the essay when you are done.

Because Moodle does not have an option of choosing an essay from a pool of essays, your first question is a true - false question (Answer: false).  This is your essay.  Copy it & paste it into your second question, which is your essay.  Then answer the essay there.  Your grade will read 1 or 0 until I grade the essay.   Include the Honor Code. 

The essay should be 300 words in the body (excluding the question, honor code, refs, etc).   If you go over 350 word, there is a penalty.  It is expected that essay answers discuss the material found in the appropriate course review notes section.  There is no need for the use of outside sources.  The essay answer may come from material from any of the chapters available, including chapters from weeks later in the term.  Once the material from the course has been discussed in the essay, feel free to add outside sources & your own ideas, but this is neither needed nor expected.  The goal here is to establish a base of knowledge from the course info on which to develop intelligent opinions/discussion. 

Essay answers receiving full credit will be drawn from the text readings, the course review notes, & other course materials.  The use of sources other than the course readings, course review notes, & other course materials is not required, but if you choose to do so, you should use primary sources such as peer reviewed journals, books, or reputable website.  No "open" internet sources such as Wikipedia, Answer.com, etc. are allowed.  If you use such sources APA formatted in text citations &  a reference list will be included, eg (Author, date) & a Bibliography.  To maintain academic integrity, and to promote authentic student engagement, I recommend that students answer subjective questions by using their own words. I will assign a zero grade to responses to subjective questions that include (but are not limited to) any of the following: (a) text that is substantially similar to that found in other students’ subjective responses, &  (b) quoting or paraphrasing w/o attribution from work or ideas that appear in internet or print sources, including course notes & textbooks.  Cite appropriately.  If you use quotes, they should be short b/c this is a short essay.  Quotes should only be used to emphasize a point or highlight the fame of the author.  Quotes should never be used simply to convey info.  In this case, you should be paraphrasing.  

Prepare & save your essays & research paper off line, then paste it into Moodle.  You may be required to resubmit it if Moodle eats it. 

RESEARCH PAPER: 
The research paper should have 1300 words in the body excluding title page, table of contents, & bibliography on the topic of your choice related to any of the topics in this course.  If you are unsure of your topic, please email me, w/ sufficient time to review it before the paper is due, the topic & a sentence or two about it.  Topics can be anything related to the course.  Look at chapter titles, any of the subtitles in the chapters, or subjects from the index or glossary of the readings or topics from the Review Notes. The subject of the paper should be primarily sociological, not psychological, political science, etc.  Do not use the readings or the course notes as a reference.  The paper should use 4 scholastic references from the social sciences, to be included in a Bibliography.  These references should be cited in-text.  Papers should go beyond the analysis presented in the course, & not repeat it.  Include the Honor Code in full on the Title Page.

LATE POLICY: 
No late assignments are accepted. 

All assignments are due on 2 PM as delineated on the Moodle home page of the course.  Nearly all assignments are due on Thursdays at 2 PM except for week one.  See the Moodle course page

Each assignment in this course is available to work on at least three weeks in advance.  None of the assignments are that lengthy, but there are many of them.  Thus each of the assignments may range in worth from 2%  to 10% of the course value. 

Given the number of assignments, & the lengthy availability of time for the student to work on each assignments, there are no excuses accepted, nor are any make-up assignments.  Because the student has three weeks to work on all assignments, if the student waits until the last moment & has problems & cannot turn it in, that student must suffer the penalty. 

Thus to avoid any late penalties, I suggest students adopt a professional outlook & attempt to turn in all assignments early.  This allows the student to avoid any of life's many travails that may affect your timely completion of these assignments such as crashed computers, lost books, illness, & the other very real things that inevitably come down. 

Prepare & save your essays & research paper off line, then paste it into Moodle.  You may be required to resubmit it if Moodle eats it. 

My email address is pww8y@uvawise.edu 

HONOR CODE POLICY.
Violation of the Honor Code may result in penalties as serious as failure of the course. 

Please include the Honor Code on all of your assignments. 

All Readings are supplied online in Moodle.

In this course you are evaluated on the the discussion forums, objective quizzes (including the final), the essay quizzes, & the research paper 

Prepare & save your essays & research paper off line, then paste it into Moodle.  You may be required to resubmit it if Moodle eats it. 
 

Drafting Essay Exams    http://www.writers-place.com/drft-ess_exams.htm

Link

Prepare & save your essays & research paper off line, then paste it into Moodle.  You may be required to resubmit it if Moodle eats it. 

The length of the research paper is to be 1200 words in the body, & not over 15% over that length, excluding title page & biblio on the topic chosen.  Please use APA or MLA style. 
The paper should use 4 scholastic references from the social sciences.  Do not use the text or the notes as a reference.  Papers should go beyond the analysis presented in the course, & not repeat it. 
Social science references include sociology, economics, psychology, political science, criminology, anthropology, & cultural geography.  If you want to use sources from the sciences, humanities, or other fields have these reviewed by the professor. 

Submit the research paper through the appropriate assignment tab in Moodle.
Be sure & have all parts of the research paper in one document; i.e. title page, body, biblio, etc. 

The topic should be one that relates to the course.  If you are looking for ideas, I suggest you consider anything from the Table of Contents or Index from the course's text.  Or any topic from the Review Notes.  If you have doubts about your topic, email me w/ sufficient time to review it before the paper is due. 

This is a research paper, thus it should go beyond reporting or describing the topic & apply sociological concepts from the course to create an analysis of the topic.  Other sociological concepts not found in the course may also be used. 

The preferred word process program is Microsoft Word for PCs (No Mac's), but Note Pad or a simple text editor may be used.  You may not use Word Perfect, or any Mac word processors. 

The Research Paper may either utilize the outline below or your typical narrative research paper model of intro, body, conclusion. 

If you choose the outline below, see the Research Paper Webpage for more details & the following info: 
      This Research Paper must utilize a socio historical analysis but additional types of analyses may be used. 
      As outlined on the Research Paper Webpage,  the following components are required for this Research Paper ( all other components are optional )