Southern Utah University

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Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2026

General Biology I (Face-to-Face)

BIOL 1610-10

Course: BIOL 1610-10
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2026
Department: Biology
CRN: 30590

Course Description

This course is intended for science majors. (Non-science majors should enroll in BIOL 1010 or BIOL 1020). It provides a basic foundation in the areas of biochemistry, organization and function of cells, as well as the transmission of genetic information. Three (3) hours of lecture per week. A minimum grade of "C" (2.0 or above) must be earned in this course before it can be counted in a biological science major or minor or as a prerequisite for any other biology course. (Fall, Spring, Summer) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Co-requisite(s): BIOL 1615 Registration Restriction(s): Intensive English Program majors may not enroll General Education Category: Life Sciences

Required Texts

Campbell Biology 9th, 10th, 11th, or newest edition (print or e-text). You must obtain and read the textbook to be successful in this class. Refer to daily Pre-Class Work in Canvas for assigned readings.
NOTE: You are automatically enrolled to receive a digital version of the textbook through a program called Inclusive Access which costs about $54.20. This cost has already been billed to your student account. If you want to access the textbook in an alternative way and receive a refund, you must opt-out of Inclusive Access by September 23, 2026. For additional information, you should have received an email from the SUU Bookstore with details on this program.

Canvas: We will be using Canvas (https://suu.instructure.com) as our course management system; this is where you will access all course materials and where your grades will be reported. Please make certain that you have access to this important tool.
Turn on your Canvas announcement notifications. I regularly make time-sensitive announcements through Canvas, and it is your responsibility to read and understand these announcements. You may contact me(within a reasonable timeperiod) to clarify any announcement after it has been posted.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Apply Scientific Methods: Describe and apply approaches to scientific discovery and interpretation of experimental data;
2. Understand: Demonstrate understanding of matter, energy, and their influence on biological systems;
3. Apply Knowledge: Describe and apply evolutionary concepts in terms of inheritance, adaptation, and diversity of life;
4. Explain: Explain the mechanisms of information storage, expression, and exchange in living organisms or eco-systems; and
5. Reflect: Reflect on the relevance of life sciences in a broader context.

Course Requirements

1. Syllabus and Commenced Attendance quiz: 0.1 % of the total grade
To encourage each student to read the syllabus and help ensure that you understand the course requirements, a syllabus quiz will be administered after the first day of class. Commenced attendance is required for your continued attendance in the course. Both are due Sep 08, 4:00 PM in Canvas. Not taking these MANDATORY quizzes, might drop you from the course.

2. Pre-Class Quizzes: 8.5 % of the total grade.
To encourage you to read the textbook and engage in class material before class, pre-class quizzes will be administered on Canvas before every topic of lecture. The lowest 5 scores will be dropped.

3. Homework: 26 % of the total grade.
Homework assignments will be posted to Canvas to help you explore important aspects of biology in more depth than will be covered in class, to practice skills introduced in class, and to help reinforce concepts beingtaught inclass. These will open after class after each topic of lecture. The lowest 2 will be dropped.

4. Concept Check and Class reflection: 10 % of the total grade.
These are group class activities to be finished in class. These activities will help you understand, brainstorm topics and problems discussed in class. Submit the concept check questions and class reflection within 24 hours of class INDIVIDUALLY after a topic is fully covered in class. The lowest 2 will be dropped.

5. Unit exams 1-4:
Unit 1 exam: 100 points, 9.85% of the total grade.
Unit 2 exam: 100 points, 9.85% of the total grade.
Unit 3 exam: 100 points, 9.85% of the total grade.
Unit 4 exam: 100 points, 9.85% of the total grade.

Four-unit exams will be administered during the semester. Approximate dates for each unit exam are listed on the course outline but are subject to change based on our actual progress in class. Exams will be available on Canvas and administered at the SUU Testing Center. A password is required to access the exams through Canvas, and the SUU Testing Center staffwill enter that password for you. Exam questions consist of short-answer, multiple-choice, and matching-type questions.Each exam must be taken at the scheduled date and time; exceptions will ONLY be provided for legitimate emergencies, as outlined in https:// www.suu.edu/policies/06/30.html

6. Cumulative final exam: 150 points,16 % of total grade
The cumulative final exam will be administered at the SUU Testing Center from Dec 14-16, 2026. Exam questions consist of short-answer, multiple- choice, and matching-type questions.

** Important exam information: If higher than any unit exam score, your score on the cumulative final exam will replace that unit exam score in your final grade. But, ONLY ONE unit exam score (the lowest one) will be replaced, if multiple exams have lower scores than the final. The purpose of this policy is to help you remain engaged and motivated all the way through the semester.

Exam Review: You may come to my office hours or make an appointment with me to review the results of your exams. I strongly encourage you to do so, as the final exam contains a cumulative portion, and identifying your mistakes on Exams 1-4 will help you prepare for the cumulative final. Your opportunity to review an exam expires once you have taken the next exam.
** If you are doing an exam review during my office hours, please let me know 24 hours before you come.

9. Extra Credit: I will be posting worksheets in Canvas for every topic, which can help you earn extra credit for Unit Exams. Cumulative Final exam extra credit will be announced later in class.

Grade Scale:

Letter Grade                      Range
     A                                100%  to 94%
     A-                                <94% to 90%
     B+                               < 90% to 87%
     B                                 <87% to 84%
     B-                                <84% to 80%
     C+                               < 80% to 77%
     C                                 <77% to 74%
     C-                                <74% to 70%
     D+                               < 70% to 67%
     D                                 < 67% to 64%
     D-                                < 64% to 60%
     F                                  <60%  to 0%

Course Outline

Week          Date                    Day                  Topic
1                 2-Sep                   W               Introduction and Themes of Biology
                   4-Sep                   F                Chemistry 
2                 7-Sep                   M               NO CLASS - LABOR DAY
                   9-Sep                   W               Chemistry and Water
                   11-Sep                 F                Water and Carbon
3                 14-Sep                 M               Carbon
                   16-Sep                 W               Carbohydrates, Lipids
                   18-Sep                 F                Lipids, Proteins
4                 21-Sep                M                Proteins
                   23-Sep                W               The Cell
                   25-Sep                F                The Cell and review for Unit 1 exam
5                 28- Sep               M                28 Sep - Cell Membrane AND
                                                                Unit 1 Exam @Testing Center, 28 & 29 Sep
                                                               (Themes of Biology, Chemistry, Water,
                                                               Carbon, Carbohydrate, Lipids and
                                                               Proteins).
                  30-Sep                W               Cell Membrane
                  2-Oct                   F                Metabolism
6                5-Oct                   M               Metabolism
                  7-Oct                   W               Metabolism
                  9-Oct                   F                Respiration
7                12-Oct                 M               Respiration
                  14-Oct                 W              Respiration and Fermentation
                  16-Oct                 F               Photosynthesis and Unit 2 exam review
8                19-Oct                 M              NO CLASS - FALL BREAK
                  21-Oct                 W             21 Oct: Photosynthesis AND
                                                             Unit 2 Exam @ Testing Center, 21 & 22 Oct.
                                                             (The Cell, Cell Membrane, Metabolism,
                                                             Respiration and Fermentation).
                  23-Oct                 F             Photosynthesis
9                26-Oct                 M            Nucleic Acid and DNA Replication
                  28-Oct                 W            DNA Replication
                  30-Oct                 F             Gene Expression
10              2-Nov                  M             Gene Expression
                  4-Nov                  W            Gene Expression
                  6-Nov                  F             Mitosis and Unit 3 Exam review
11               9-Nov                  M            NO CLASS
                                                            Unit 3 Exam @Testing center,9-10 Nov
                                                            (Photosynthesis, Nucleic Acid and
                                                            Replication, Gene Expression).
                  11-Nov                W            Mitosis
                  13-Nov                F             Meiosis
12              16-Nov                M            Meiosis
                  18-Nov                W            Meiosis
                  20-Nov               F             Mendel
13              23-Nov               M            NO CLASS
                  25-Nov                W           THANKSGIVING 
                  27-Nov                F            BREAK
14              30-Nov                M           Mendel
                  2-Dec                 W           Gene Expression Regulation
                  4-Dec                 F            Gene Expression Regulation and Unit 4 exam review
15              7-Dec                 M            NO CLASS
                                                          Unit 4 Exam @Testing center,7-8 Dec
                                                          (Mitosis, Meiosis, Mendel, Gene Expression
                                                         Regulation).
                  9-Dec               W            Final Exam Review
                 11-Dec              F             Study Day
16             14-16 Dec      M to W      Cumulative Final Exam              

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

Late work will NOT be accepted; all work is due at the date and time specified on the syllabus and/or canvas, unless it is an excused absence. No late work for class activities will be accepted. Policy link : https://www.suu.edu/policies/06/30.html

Attendance Policy

ATTENDANCE IN GENERAL: Although I will not be taken every day, but it is expected that classes will be attended regularly and complete class activities as discussed in class. No late work will be accepted for class activities.
EMERGENCIES:
• Life can present unanticipated challenges, and I am willing to make reasonable accommodations for you if an emergency arises.
• It is your responsibility to contact me about an emergency as soon as possible. When you contact me, please provide documentation of your emergency. For example: If you are physically or mentally ill, please provide a doctor’s note; In the unfortunate event of a death in your family, please provide a death certificate, obituary, memorial service, or other form of documentation.

• The following list includes, but is not limited to, examples of non- emergencies: family trips (whetherplanned or spontaneous), inclement weather where campus remains open, technical difficulties prior to a deadline, roommate disagreements, etc.
EXCUSED ABSENCES :
The university excused absence policy link can be found here: https://www.suu.edu/policies/06/30.html
If you know that you do have an excused absence as guided by the policy, please inform me as soon as possible with related documentation (like course outline ), to make necessary adjustments if necessary.
Other than excused absences and emergencies it is expected that students will attend all classes. I will take attendance once in a week.

Contacting me

  • I respond to emails and Canvas messages within 1-2 business days.
  • Please do not send the same message to both my email and my Canvas inbox – choose one or the other.
· Please include your full name, course number, and section number in your emails.
· I cannot guarantee a response to your emails in less than 1 business day, so be proactive and begin assignments with plenty of time to ask me questions.
· If you email me requesting information that is clearly specified on the syllabus, my response will likely be delayed.

Mental Health

Resources for mental health can be found in the following link :
• https://www.suu.edu/mentalhealth/
• If you are experiencing mental health challenges that are interfering with your ability to succeed in this class or in otherareas of your life, please promptly seek help either through the SUU student mental health website listed above or byreaching out to me.

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.