Course Objectives:
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| This course is designed to give you a greater appreciation of the
politics that surround the development, implementation, and evaluation of environmental
policy. Specifically, the objectives of the course are to: |
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 | Help you develop a greater appreciation of the complexity and interrelated nature of
the causes of environmental problems |
| Help you to better understand how science and human values influence the development and
implementation of environmental policies |
| Develop your ability to analyze environmental problems and form your
own opinions and preferences about competing policies |
| Improve your ability to think, act, and communicate
more effectively about environmental issues and problems |
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| These objectives will be met by exposing you to a wide range of
perspectives on environmental issues using various readings, videos, guest speakers, class
discussions, and field trips. The class will develop your critical thinking
abilities by analyzing controversial policy issues and by participating in role playing
simulations. Your oral communication skills will be developed through class
discussions, debates, and role playing exercises while the preparation of memos and other
written assignments will help develop your ability to communicate your ideas and arguments
in written form. |
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Readings
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| The following books are required for this course and can be purchased at
local book stores or through vendors on the internet: |
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| Additional required readings have been placed on reserve in the library
or have links on the class web site. Copies of the lecture notes and overheads used in
class can also be found on the class web site. |
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Expectations and Approach
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| This is not a lecture-dominated class where the instructor speaks and
the students passively listen. Instead,
information will be presented to you in various ways using readings,
lectures, videos, occasional guest speakers, and possibly an optional
field trip. Part of your
learning will be cognitive or factual in nature.
However, much of what you learn in this course will involve
participating in class discussions and working in groups in order to share your opinions and experiences with your classmates.
The two class simulations and class debate each involve working in
groups. We will also
periodically undertake group exercises.
Although you may prefer to do assignments on an individual basis,
groups often do tasks more effectively than individuals and provide you
with an opportunity to participate more than would be possible in a larger
class. Groups also provide an
opportunity to work directly with and learn from your fellow classmates
and allow you to observe how others analyze and solve problems.
I encourage you to prepare yourself for, and be open to, the
variety of ways that you can learn from this course. |
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Course Requirements
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| Your grade in this class will be based on your ability to understand the
theories and concepts presented in the readings and discussed class.
More specifically, your grade will depend on your performance on
the following course requirements: |
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Class Participation
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| Students are expected to complete the assigned readings and come to class
prepared to discuss any readings, handouts, or assignments that are due that day. To
ensure that students are prepared to discuss the readings, occasionally I will have a pop
quiz or randomly ask students to present their assignments or to summarize the
readings. Your performance on these activities will affect your class participation
grade as will the failure to actively participate in class discussions, groups work, or
the simulations. |
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| While attendance will not be taken on a regular basis, poor classroom
attendance may result in a failing participation grade since you cannot
participate if you are not in class.
Therefore, you should notify the instructor when you are unable to
attend class. If you should
miss a session when a video is shown, it may be possible to make
arrangements to view the film privately at the library or to borrow the
video. In certain
circumstances it may also be possible to make-up other in-class activities
with a written assignment if frequent absences have become a problem.
Your participation grade will also be lowered due to the frequent
inability to respond to the instructor’s questions, poor class
preparation, lack of enthusiastic participation in class exercises, or the
failure to treat others in the classroom with respect (e.g., talking while
others are talking, ridiculing other students, etc.).
Simply put, in order to receive an “A” in this class you must
be a civil, active contributor to class and not merely score well on exams
and assignments. |
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Issue Memos
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| One way we will examine the politics surrounding environmental issues and
problems is to examine a series of 8 controversial issues. The readings for these
assignments are on reserve. Each reading offers arguments for and against a
particular policy question. These readings will be supplemented with additional
handouts, video clips, and reserve readings. You are required to prepare a
memo that provides your response to the issue in question for at least 5
of the 8 issues. I will take your best 5 grades so you are encouraged
to prepare additional memos to improve your class grade. When writing your memos,
you are encouraged to develop your own arguments based on the readings and class
discussions. They should be argumentative in nature and you should use facts from
the readings/class discussion/videos to support your arguments. Your memos will also
be graded on their technical merits (e.g., spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.). A
sample memo is provided, however, any standard single-spaced, 12 pt. font, 1 inch margin
memo format is acceptable (Most word processor software has templates). Your memos are
limited to 2 single-spaced pages. |
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Simulations
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| You will also participate in 2 simulations, each of which has a
corresponding written assignment. The common pool resource (CPR) simulation is
designed to help you understand Hardin's "Tragedy of the Commons" and the
problems associated with managing many natural resources. After participating in the
simulation, each student will write a short memo (no longer than 2 single-spaced pages)
reflecting on the experience and the associated readings. |
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| The second
watershed simulation is designed to help you better understand the wide range of user
conflicts, habitat impacts, and water quality problems associated with urban sprawl and
land development. Each student will be assigned a specific role to play at a public
hearing on a proposed development project. Prior to the simulation, each student
will be required to prepare their written testimony that they will present at the hearing
(no longer than 3 single-spaced pages). |
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Class Debate
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| You will also be required to participate in one class debate. This
semester we will debate President Bush’s proposal to open up a portion of the Alaska
National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil and gas development. To ensure that the each side
is equal in number, each student will be assigned to either the pro or the con position.
To ensure you come prepared to actively participate in the class debate, you will be
required to prepare a written summary of your position that they will present during the
debate (no longer than 3 single-spaced pages). You will have the option of working with
one other classmate to prepare one written assignment. If you choose this option, you will
both receive the same grade for the assignment. |
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Exams
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| There
will be 2 mid-term exams and an optional take-home final exam.
The mid-term exams will contain short answer and essay questions.
A review sheet will be posted on the class web site approximately
one week before the exam and will include a list of terms and concepts and
potential essay questions. The
final exam will consist of one or more questions that ask students to
apply the concepts discussed over the course of the semester. The take-home final exam will be due at the end of the
regularly scheduled exam period. If
you elect not to take the final exam, your grade will be based on an
average calculated based on 900 points rather than 1,000 points.
The take-home final exam will be due at the end of the regularly
scheduled exam period. |
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Grading
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| All written work will be evaluated based on your analysis of the
readings, the organization of your ideas, the strength and substance of your arguments,
your ability to properly apply the concepts discussed in class, and the quality of your
writing (e.g., spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.). Failure to complete an
assignment or failing to follow directions will result in a 0 for the assignment.
The final course grade will be calculated based upon the following weights: |
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| Class Participation |
10% (100 points) |
| Issue Memos (Best 5 of 8 @ 5% each) |
25% (250 points) |
| CPR Assignment |
5% (50 points) |
| Watershed Assignment |
5% (50 points) |
| ANWR Class Debate |
10% (100 points) |
| Mid-Term Exam #1 |
15% (150 points) |
| Mid-Term Exam #2 |
15% (150 points) |
| Take Home Final Exam |
15% (150 points) |
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| Course grades will be calculated
based on the following scale: A (920 – 1000), A- (900 – 919), B+ (880 –
899), B (820 – 879), B- (800 – 819), C+ (780 – 799), C (720 – 779), C-
(700 – 719), D+ (680 – 699), D (620 – 679), D- (600 – 619), and F (0
– 599). There
is no rounding up or down. |
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| I have a zero tolerance policy for cheating. Anyone caught cheating
will receive a failing grade for the course. |
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Late Assignments/Incompletes
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Tentative due dates for course assignments are listed on the attached
course schedule and are subject to change based on class progress and
student preferences. You
should check the course schedule and announcements pages on the course web
site periodically for changes in due dates.
Students may bring forward requests for changing the dates of major
assignments for class approval with a minimum of one-week advance notice
to the class. |
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| Unless I have agreed in advance, all assignments are due at the end of
the class period they are due. Informing
the instructor of your intention to be absent does not waive your
obligation to submit the work that is due. Late assignments lose
one full letter grade per class they are late. An incomplete will only be
granted when there are serious extenuating circumstances that occur after
the withdrawal period. |
