Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Interdisciplinary Public Land Studies: Practices, Policies and Issues (Online)

INDS 6550-70I

Course: INDS 6550-70I
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: INDS
CRN: 32511

Course Description

Parks and public lands are interdisciplinary by nature. As a nation, we have large tracts of land set aside for the common good and are reliant on these lands for their natural resources ensuring the people in our society have access to air, water, shelter, energy, and quality of life. National Parks, monuments, wildlife refuges, forests, reserves, waterways, seashores, and other public domain lands are managed for multiple use with the understanding that they will provide benefits to society: timber, water, grazing, minerals, wildlife, and outdoor recreation. This course will look at the interdisciplinary approach to managing public lands for the public’s good. Beginning with a review of agency missions, mandates and guiding policies we will investigate how public land agencies operate and maneuver through a complex set of demands and values. We will consider the natural history of places, our collective and individual land ethics and how mangers, visitors, and our society are addressing current challenges and issues. (Fall [As Needed]) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Repeatable for Add’l Credit? Yes - Total Credits: 6 Registration Restriction(s): Graduate standing required or acceptance into the Bridge program

Required Texts

There are no required texts for the course. However, students will be required to choose a book to review at the end of the term. All other readings will be provided on Canvas. 

Learning Outcomes

  1. Recall and distinguish between land management agency missions.
  2. Discuss how land management is an interdisciplinary practice.
  3. Compare different values that influence public land practices, policies, and issues.
  4. Consider and practice stewardship in their personal and professional endeavors.
  5. Assess current trends and issues affecting public lands.
  6. Identify and summarize key historical and political milestones in the history of public lands.

Course Requirements

Weekly Meeting Attendance: Every week we will meet as a group to discuss the week's readings. If you attend, and have shown evidence that you have read the assigned readings, you will get full points. If you are unable to make it, you can watch the zoom recording later and answer a number of questions for full points. 

Weekly Meeting Leadership: Once over the course of the term you will be asked to lead our weekly meetings. To prepare for this you will write a brief synopsis (two paragraphs) giving an overview of the readings for the week, as well as five questions that you believe will spur on conversation. You will be in charge of moderating the weekly meeting and turning in the overview/questions.


Public Lands in the News: Four times over the course of the term you will find an article dealing with recent events in the world of public lands and write a short (3-4 pages, double spaced) paper detailing how our readings from the week help you understand the event in question. These papers will be due on Wednesday of each week. 

Book Review Paper: During the final week of the semester, you will present on a book from a selected list during our weekly meeting. You will be charged with reading the book and reviewing it over zoom while utilizing Powerpoint

Course Outline

Modules:

1. History of Public Lands Policy
2. Natural Resources - Forests
3. Natural Resources - Mining
4. Re-Wilding
5. Religion and Indigenous Peoples 
6. Climate Change
7. Final Project 

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Late assignments are accepted for a reduction in points. Late work will be accepted up to two weeks after the deadline. 2% will be deducted from the score for each day the assignment is late (e.g. for an assignment submitted 4 days late, the maximum score you can earn is 92%). The maximum late deduction is 20%. It is important to note that assignments will NOT be accepted after the end of the course. So, an assignment that was due on Monday of Week 3 could be turned in on Monday of Week 5 for a maximum possible score of 80%. But an assignment due the last day of class must be turned in before the end of the class, and will not be accepted late.

Attendance Policy

As this is an asynchronous course, there are no required meeting times. We will however, attempt to come up with a time that students can meet on a weekly basis to discuss and present on readings. If students are unable to make it, recordings of the meetings will be provided along with a make up assignment. 

Course Fees

There are no course fees for this class. 

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.