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Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2026

General Biology Lab I (Face-to-Face)

BIOL 1615-02

Course: BIOL 1615-02
Credits: 1
Term: Fall Semester 2026
Department: Biology
CRN: 30595

Course Description

Lab to accompany BIOL 1610. One two-hour meeting 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 1610 Registration Restriction(s): Intensive English Program majors may not enroll General Education Category: Life Sciences

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the General Education Life Sciences requirement, students will be able to:
  • Apply scientific methods: Describe and apply approaches to scientific discovery and interpretation of experimental data,
  • Understand: Demonstrate understanding of matter, energy, and their influence on biological systems,
  • Apply knowledge: Describe and apply evolutionary concepts in terms of inheritance, adaptation, and diversity of life,
  • Explain: Explain the mechanisms of information storage, expression, and exchange in living organisms or ecosystems, and
  • Reflect: Reflect on the relevance of life sciences in a broader context

Required Texts

  • NO required textbook.
  • A reliable laptop or tablet is required; you must be able to access materials through Canvas during class. Alternatives may be requested if you are unable to access a device, but please make the request at least 2 business days before the scheduled lab session.

Course Requirements

Pre-Requisites: none
Co-Requisites: BIOL 1610


Required Item & Points
  • Syllabus quiz* 1 @ 5 pts
  • Lab worksheets* 9 @ 20 pts each
  • Pre-lab quizzes 9 @ 10 pts each
  • Find 3 Non-Technical Sources* 1 @ 20 pts
  • Find 1 Technical Source* 1 @ 10 pts
  • Optional 30-minute SUU Writing Center Appointment* 1 @ 20 extra credit pts
  • Individual Article 1 @ 50 pts
  • Group Contract* 1 @ 5 pts
  • Group Meeting Summary* 3 @ 5 pts each
  • Group Presentation 1 @ 50 pts

    *These assignments can be submitted up to 72 hours late, but 10% will automatically be deducted for every 24 hours late, starting immediately after the due date. All other assignments will NOT be accepted late. Due dates are listed on Canvas and in the Description of Course Requirements in this syllabus.


Description of Course Requirements

Syllabus Quiz
  • Purpose: Students are responsible for reading the entire syllabus and requesting any necessary clarification from the instructor within the first two weeks of the semester. To highlight key items and policies from the syllabus, a Syllabus Quiz will be administered on Canvas.
  • Authorized materials: You may use the syllabus while you take the quiz, but the quiz must be completed individually.
  • Grading: You get 2 attempts on the Syllabus Quiz, and the average of your 2 attempts is your final score.
  • Due date: The Syllabus Quiz is due within the first two weeks of the semester, and the exact due date will be displayed on Canvas immediately upon the start of the semester. The Syllabus Quiz can be submitted up to 72 hours late, but 10% will automatically be deducted for every 24 hours late, starting immediately after the due date.

Lab Worksheets
  • Purpose: Each time you come to lab you will carry out an experiment with a group of 3-4 students. The Lab Worksheets contain instructions for how to carry out the experiments. They also contain the assignment for the day’s lab.
  • Authorized materials: You will access and complete the Lab Worksheets with a device that you bring to lab. You may collaborate with your group members to complete Lab Worksheets, but answers must be in your own words; identical worksheets will receive a 25% penalty per student.
  • Grading: Lab Worksheets are worth 20 points each, broken down as follows:
    • 10 points are earned through attendance and engagement in the lab. If you arrive late or depart early, the percentage of class you missed will be the percentage deducted from this score. For example, if you arrive 30 minutes late to class, the percentage of class missed is 30 minutes out of 110 minutes (27%), so I will deduct 27% (i.e., 2.7 points) from this score. Excessive use of your cell phone, excessive breaks, failure to help your group complete and clean up the lab, or any other behaviors indicating lack of engagement will result in point deductions commensurate with the offense.
    • 10 points are earned through accurate and original completion of the Lab Worksheet. Ask questions if you’re not sure of a correct answer, fill out lab worksheets entirely, look at the preview of your submission on Canvas to ensure submission of the correct and complete assignment, and write answers in your own words.
    • If you do not attend the lab at all, then you are not eligible to earn any of the 20 points possible on the Lab Worksheet. You cannot earn credit for a completed Lab Worksheet whose accompanying lab you did not attend. See the Make-Up Work Policy in this syllabus for details on resolving an absence.
  • Due date: Lab Worksheets are due the day after your lab at 11:59pm. For example, if your lab takes place on Friday, then your Lab Worksheet is due on Saturday at 11:59pm. Lab Worksheets can be submitted up to 72 hours late, but 2 points (10% of the point value of a Lab Worksheet) will automatically be deducted for every 24 hours late, starting immediately after the due date; there is no grace period before the penalty applies.
  • Other information: Here is a list of every Lab Worksheet this semester, and you can view these worksheets through Canvas:
    • The Scientific Method & Experimental Design
    • Macromolecules
    • Microscopes & Cells
    • Diffusion & Osmosis
    • Enzymes
    • Cellular Respiration
    • Photosynthesis
    • The Cell Cycle
    • Inheritance, DNA Extraction & Gel Electrophoresis

Pre-lab Quizzes
  • Purpose: Preparation is key to success in the lab. To gauge your level of preparedness, a Pre-Lab Quiz will be administered before every lab.
  • Authorized materials: To prepare for the Pre-Lab Quiz, read the instructions for the lab in the accompanying Lab Worksheet and watch/read any additional materials linked on Canvas in the lab’s module. These materials will also be linked in the instructions associated with each Pre-Lab Quiz. Pre-Lab Quizzes are open book and open note but must be completed individually.
  • Grading: You get 2 attempts on each Pre-Lab Quiz, and the average of your 2 attempts is your final score.
  • Due date: Pre-Lab Quizzes are due 30 minutes before your lab. For example, if your lab takes place on Tuesday at 10am, then your Pre-Lab Quiz is due the same day at 9:30am. Pre-Lab Quizzes will not be accepted late to ensure that you prepare for the lab before arriving to class.
  • Other information: Here is a list of every Pre-Lab Quiz this semester, and you can view these quizzes through Canvas:
    • The Scientific Method & Experimental Design Pre-Lab Quiz
    • Macromolecules Pre-Lab Quiz
    • Microscopes & Cells Pre-Lab Quiz
    • Diffusion & Osmosis Pre-Lab Quiz
    • Enzymes Pre-Lab Quiz
    • Cellular Respiration Pre-Lab Quiz
    • Photosynthesis Pre-Lab Quiz
    • The Cell Cycle Pre-Lab Quiz
    • Inheritance, DNA Extraction & Gel Electrophoresis Pre-Lab Quiz

Individual Article (IA) & IA-Associated Assignments
  • Purpose: To practice skills in reading, evaluating, and communicating scientific information, you will write an IA about an assigned biological topic. Your job is to research your assigned topic, choose a sub-topic that you are interested in learning more about, and then write an informative, accurate, and interesting IA about the topics. To help guide you in preparing to write the IA, you will complete the following 3 IA-Associated Assignments: 1) Find 3 Non-Technical Sources, 2) Find 1 Technical Source, and 3) 30-minute SUU Writing Center Appointment (optional; worth 20 extra credit points).
  • Authorized materials: You may use reliable sources, as defined in the instructions for the Find 3 Non-Technical Sources & Find 1 Technical Source assignments. You may use your textbook for BIOL 1610 (the lecture co-requisite for this lab). You may not use artificial intelligence for any part of these assignments; you must personally read, understand, interpret, and summarize your sources so as to achieve the purposes of these assignments.
  • Grading:
    • IA-Associated Assignments: Instructions are posted on Canvas with each of the IA-Associated Assignments, but overall you will be graded on completion and honest effort in assessing sources for reliability.
    • IA: A detailed rubric for the IA is available on Canvas, but overall you will be graded on accuracy, research and content quality, tone, originality, and length.
    • No resubmissions with regrades of the IA and IA-Associated Assignments will be offered for any reason, such as misunderstanding of instructions or overlooked instructions.
  • Due dates:
    • IA-Associated Assignments: These will be due one at a time, roughly every 2 weeks, beginning near the start of the semester. Exact due dates are displayed on Canvas. The IA-Associated Assignments can be submitted up to 72 hours late, but 10% will automatically be deducted for every 24 hours late, starting immediately after the due date.
    • IA: To prevent use of artificial intelligence, the IA will be written by hand in class the week of November 9-13. The IA will not be accepted late. 
  • Other information: Successful completion of these assignments depends on you thoroughly reading and understanding the written instructions provided on Canvas. Please begin these assignments at least 1 week before the due date so that you have time to ask me questions about any instructions that are unclear to you.

Group Presentation (GP) & GP-Associated Assignments
  • Purpose: To practice skills in collaboration and synthesis of complex scientific information, you will give a GP that educates the general public about your general topic and the subtopics that each group member wrote about in their Individual Articles. To help guide you in completing the GP, you will complete the following 4 GP-Associated Assignments: 1) Group Contract, 2) Group Meeting 1, 3) Group Meeting 2, and 4) Group Meeting 3.
  • Authorized materials: You may use reliable sources, as defined in the instructions for the Individual Article and IA-Associated Assignments. You may use your textbook for BIOL 1610 (the lecture co-requisite for this lab). You may not use artificial intelligence for any part of these assignments; as a group, you must collaborate to understand the overall topic and each other's subtopics, create your own summaries of key information, and create your own presentation materials.
  • Grading:
    • GP-Associated Assignments: Instructions are posted on Canvas with each of the GP-Associated Assignments, but overall you will be graded on completion. 
    • GP: A detailed rubric for the GP is available on Canvas, but overall you will be graded on accuracy, research and content quality, integration of all group members' sub-topics, and general presentation quality.
    • No resubmissions with regrades of the GP and GP-Associated Assignments will be offered for any reason, such as misunderstanding of instructions or overlooked instructions.
  • Due dates:
    • GP-Associated Assignments: these will be due one at a time, roughly every 2 weeks, beginning a few weeks into the semester. Exact due dates are displayed on Canvas. You will be given time in class to work on the Group Contract and Group Meeting 3, but the other Group Meetings must be completed outside of class. The GP-Associated Assignments can be submitted up to 72 hours late, but 10% will automatically be deducted for every 24 hours late, starting immediately after the due date.
    • GP: The GP will take place on the final day of class. The GP will not be accepted late. 
  • Other information: Successful completion of these assignments depends on you thoroughly reading and understanding the written instructions provided on Canvas. Please begin these assignments at least 1 week before the due date so that you have time to ask me questions about any instructions that are unclear to you. The GP takes the place of a Final Exam.

Advice for Success in this Course

For many of you, this is your first semester of college. Welcome! SUU is a student-focused institution where you will have many academic and extracurricular opportunities and much support. Two things are true: 1) many college graduates remember their time in college positively, and 2) college is going to challenge you. Not only are the academic expectations different than they were in grade school, but many aspects of your personal life are new and uncertain.

I am aware that college students face many challenges, such as the high financial burden of college and technology's increasingly sophisticated ability to consume our attention. I have designed this class with those challenges in mind. My goal is not for biology to become your entire life this semester. My goal is for you to use your time efficiently, develop disciplined work habits, and leave this course with a strong understanding of biology and the scientific method while still having time for your other classes, work, family, and personal interests. 

Our system of higher education has defined something called a "credit hour". This is essentially the amount of your time that a class must consume. For every 1 credit hour, a class must consume 45 total hours of your time over the course of a semester. Our semester is 15 weeks, so 1 credit hour requires about 3 hours of your time per week. I am required to design my class in accordance with this credit hour system (See SUU Policy 6.26).

This class is 1 credit hour, meaning this class must consume 3 hours of your time per week. 2 of those hours will be spent in class, so the remaining 1 hour must be spent independently outside of class. These numbers are the expectation for an average student. If you have an excellent background in biology and the scientific method, then you might ultimately spend less than 1 hour per week outside of class. If your background in biology and the scientific method is limited, then you might ultimately spend more than 1 hour per week outside of class.

Assuming you are an average student spending 1 hour per week outside of class, I expect your time to be broken down approximately as follows:
  • 0.5 hours per week spent preparing for lab by reviewing the pre-lab materials and taking the Pre-lab Quiz
  • 16.5 hours over the course of the semester spent completing the Individual Article and the Group Presentation. Here is how I calculate these 16.5 hours:
    • Since you will spend 0.5 hours per week preparing for the lab as described above, you have 0.5 hours per week remaining. These remaining 0.5 weekly hours will accumulate to a total of 7.5 hours of work outside of class over the course of the entire semester (0.5 hours per week * 15 weeks in the semester = 7.5 hours).
    • You will likely complete several labs before the official end time of class, which I expect will accumulate to about 3 hours not spent in class over the course of the entire semester. These hours should be redirected to completing work outside of class.
    • Our class will not meet on 3 occasions during the semester due to holidays and final exams (see Course Outline for exact dates). However, as explained above, the definition of a credit hour still requires that this class consume about 3 hours of your time per week. These 3 occasions that we don't meet in person do not excuse you from the 6 hours of time that would have been spent working in the lab. Instead, these 6 hours should be redirected to completing work outside of class.

Now that the credit hour system is explained, I can give you more actionable advice for succeeding in this class:
  1. Set alarm-style reminders on your phone for due dates. I have made due dates as predictable as possible, but since this class only meets once a week, it is quite easy to forget due dates.
  2. Follow best-practices for completing work digitally:
    • Save your work often.
    • Begin your work well in advance to ensure you have time to resolve technical difficulties prior to a deadline.
    • Preview all submissions on Canvas to ensure your intended submission was made.
    • If you are having Canvas issues, please email your completed work to me prior to the deadline.
  3. COME TO CLASS. As explained in the Descriptions of Course Requirements (Lab Worksheets) section of this syllabus, absences make you ineligible to earn a substantial amount of points. See the Make-up Work Policy and Emergencies Policy in this syllabus for your options to resolve anticipated and unanticipated absences, respectively.
  4. Spread out the 16.5 hours of work intended to be spent completing the Individual Article and the Group Presentation. Many students start these assignments too late, have difficulty understanding all of the requirements in the limited time they have, and either submit incomplete work or submit nothing at all. These assignments are worth a substantial amount of points, and missing any one of them will have a substantial impact on your grade.
  5. Ask questions. There are many written instructions in this class, and I want you to feel confident that you understand what I'm asking you to do.

Course Outline

Date | Lab Title | Description
  • Sep 8 | Course Introduction | Learn the expectations of you and key items/policies from the syllabus
  • Sep 15 | Lab 1: The Scientific Method & Experimental Design | Participate in a group activity aimed at learning the key elements of experimental design.
  • Sep 22 | Lab 2: Macromolecules | Carry out experiments to detect the key types of macromolecules present in organisms.
  • Sep 29 | Lab 3: Microscopes & Cells | Learn how to use a microscope. View various cell types and observe how their structures enable their functions.
  • Oct 6 | Lab 4: Diffusion & Osmosis | Carry out experiments to demonstrate the concepts of diffusion and osmosis.
  • Oct 13 | Lab 5: Enzymes | Carry out experiments to demonstrate the effects of various environmental variables on enzyme activity.
  • Oct 20 | NO LAB - Fall Break
  • Oct 27 | Lab 6: Cellular Respiration | Carry out experiments to quantify the rate of cellular respiration in organisms under various conditions.
  • Nov 3 | Lab 7: Photosynthesis | Carry out experiments to observe the effects of different types of light on the rate of photosynthesis.
  • Nov 10 | Individual Article Writing | Write your Individual Article in class. See Description of Course Requirements (Individual Article) in this syllabus for more details.
  • Nov 17| Lab 8: The Cell Cycle | Observe cells in various stages of mitosis.
  • Nov 24 | NO LAB - Thanksgiving Break
  • Dec 1 | Lab 9: Inheritance, DNA Extraction, & Gel Electrophoresis | Learn the key principles of inheritance, and learn the process of forensic DNA analysis.
  • Dec 8 | Group Presentations

Attendance Policy

Laboratory activities are designed to provide hands-on experiences that cannot be fully replicated outside of class. Because each lab builds practical skills through participation, in-person attendance in and timely arrival to the laboratory period is a required component of this course. Attendance will be verified through sign-in and sign-out each laboratory period.

Because the Lab Worksheet is based on work completed during the laboratory period, students who miss lab cannot complete the day's worksheet and will receive a score of zero unless the absence is covered by the Section Swap or Emergencies Policies in this syllabus.

Students who arrive late or leave early will receive a reduction proportional to the amount of laboratory time missed. For example, arriving 30 minutes late to a 110-minute lab results in approximately a 27% deduction from that day's Lab Worksheet.

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

Late Work Policy
  • Some assignments can be submitted up to 72 hours late with a 10% penalty for every 24 hours late, starting immediately after the due date; see Course Requirements in this syllabus for a list of assignments that can be submitted according to this policy.
  • All other late work will NOT be accepted. 
  • Exceptions to this policy will be determined according to the Emergencies Policy in this syllabus.

Making Up Anticipated Absences (also known as "Section Swaps")
I understand that you balance many demands on your time alongside this course. Because laboratory experiences cannot easily be recreated outside of class, attendance is still expected. To provide flexibility when scheduling conflicts arise, this course includes a Section Swap option that generally allows students to attend another laboratory section when arrangements are made in advance, per the following policy:
  • I define an "anticipated absence" as an absence resulting from a schedule conflict for which you had reasonable advance notice, such as work, athletics, family obligations, or planned travel. In other words, the schedule conflict is not a last-minute surprise. The exact amount of time that constitutes "reasonable advance notice" will vary depending on the circumstances; for example, most work schedules are posted at least 2 weeks in advance, so you would be aware of a schedule conflict with work and this class at least 2 weeks before the absence.
  • This class is taught in several sections at various times each week, Tuesday through Friday. Various instructors teach the different sections of this class, but we generally follow the same schedule of activities/topics. Therefore, if you anticipate an absence from your scheduled lab section for any reason, then you can generally make up the absence by attending a different section. I will call this process "Section Swaps".
    • Important: Each lab activity is completed within a single week and does not extend beyond that week. Therefore, a Section Swap will only allow you to make up a missed lab activity if the section you attend occurs during the same week as your scheduled lab. For example, if you miss your scheduled lab on Wednesday of Week 3, then you must attend a Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday section during Week 3.
  • In general, each student may only conduct up to 2 Section Swaps in the semester. This limit helps ensure that all laboratory sections remain manageable while still providing flexibility for occasional scheduling conflicts. Additional requests may be approved at my discretion if space permits. If you anticipate regular absences due to work, travel, weddings, or other currently planned commitments, I encourage you to consider enrolling in a different section that better aligns with your schedule.
  • Section Swaps require approval from the instructor of the section you wish to attend and are subject to available space, compatibility of laboratory activities, and other instructor-specific considerations.
  • A Section Swap will change your Lab Worksheet due date ONLY if you attend a section that occurs after your scheduled section; in this case, I will change your Lab Worksheet due date to 11:59pm the day after the section you attend. All other assignment due dates will NOT change.
  • "Section Swaps" are the only way to make up anticipated absences. See the Emergencies Policy in this syllabus for instructions on making up unanticipated absences.

How to arrange a "Section Swap" for an Anticipated Absence:
  1. It is your responsibility to monitor your schedule and begin the Section Swap process as soon as you become aware of a schedule conflict.
    • If a Section Swap request is submitted shortly before the scheduled lab for an absence that appears to have been foreseeable, I may request documentation showing when you became aware of the schedule conflict.
  2. Find a section that fits your schedule by viewing the schedule of all BIOL 1615 sections posted near the top of our Canvas homepage.
    • In the event that no section fits your schedule, reach out to me as soon as possible. Depending on the circumstances, I may be able to arrange an alternative.
  3. Use the email template below to compose an email to the instructor of the section you want to attend.
    • Paste the following into the email's Subject Line: Request to attend your BIOL 1615 section
    • Instructor's email addresses are listed on the “Attendance Policy” page on Canvas
    • CC me on the email so I know what's going on - if you don't CC me, I will not accept your section swap as a legitimate make up of your absence. This video shows you how to CC.
  4. If the instructor declines your request, repeat steps 1-3 with a different section that fits your schedule until you receive approval from the instructor of the alternate section.

"Section Swap" Email Template:
Dear Professor <insert their last name>,

My name is <insert your name>. I am enrolled in Professor Craft's BIOL1615 class. I will not be able to attend our scheduled lab on <insert date and time of the lab you will miss>. May I attend your lab on <insert date and time of the lab you want to attend>?

Thank you,

<Insert your first and last name>

Emergencies Policy

I understand that not all circumstances can be anticipated. I am willing to consider reasonable accommodations for you, at my discretion, if an emergency arises, per the following policy:
  • It is your responsibility to contact me about an emergency as soon as possible or as soon as you are reasonably able. Delays in notifying me may limit the accommodations that are available.
  • Upon contacting me, please provide documentation of your emergency. For example:
    • If you are physically or mentally ill, please provide documentation from an appropriate healthcare provider.
    • In the unfortunate event of the death of a family member or loved one, 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 (whether planned or spontaneous), inclement weather where campus remains open, technical difficulties prior to a deadline, roommate disagreements, weddings, your job, etc.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy

The laboratory, writing, and group activities are designed to provide hands-on experiences that are only effective through your genuine participation. Therefore, AI tools generally may not be used to complete activities and assignments in this course.

The topics covered in the lab may not always coincide with topics covered in the lecture. To resolve this, I have provided relevant background information for each lab activity, which you should review as part of preparing for lab and taking the Pre-lab Quiz. There may be occasions where the background information I have provided is not enough for you. In these cases alone, you may use AI tools to help you understand the background information associated with the lab activity; however, be cautious because AI is not always accurate. Furthermore, if you begin your lab preparations early enough, then you can bring your questions about the background information to me via email or during office hours, where I can provide an accurate, concise explanation.

Unauthorized use of AI will be treated as Academic Misconduct according to SUU Policy 6.33.

Contacting Me Policy

Office Hours
  • I encourage you to attend office hours! I want to help you with specific questions, steer you in the right direction if you don't know where to start, and get to know you.
  • Office hours dates, times, and location are listed at the top of the Canvas homepage.
  • You may attend office hours any time without notifying me in advance.
  • Office hours are subject to change, and I will use Canvas announcements to notify you of changes to office hours.

Email/Canvas Messages
  • I respond to emails and Canvas messages within 1-2 business days.
  • I cannot guarantee a response in less than 1 business day, so be proactive and begin assignments with plenty of time to ask me questions.
  • Please do not send the same message to both my email and my Canvas inbox - choose one or the other, as I monitor both.
  • Please include your full name, course number, and section number in your messages.
  • Before contacting me, please check the syllabus and Canvas, as many common questions are answered there. Emails requesting information that is clearly available in those resources may receive a lower priority than other messages. 

Grading Policy

The following grade scale will be used to assign letter grades to your work:
A: >= 94%
A-: 90-93.9%
B+: 87-89.9%
B: 84-86.9%
B-: 80-83.9%
C+: 77-79.9%
C: 74-76.9%
C-: 70-73.9%
D+: 67-69.9%
D: 64-66.9%
D-: 60-63.9%
F: < 60%

  • If you identify an error in your grade, please inform me within 7 days of the grade being posted. After 7 days from the initial posting of the grade, the grade becomes final.
  • Your final course percentage is calculated by dividing the total points you earn by 425 possible points.

Statement of Safety / Risk Assumption

There is inherent risk associated with any laboratory course, and this General Biology Lab 1 course is no exception. Risk in this laboratory includes, but is not limited to, thermal burns, cuts, eye damage, chemical burns & poisoning. Following stated safety guidelines; heeding verbal warnings; and wearing closed-toe shoes, gloves, and safety goggles will help minimize risk and help keep you and your classmates safe.

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.