All students are expected to maintain a constant online presence throughout the duration of the course. This includes (but is not limited to) signing into Canvas, watching recorded lectures, completing all online assignments, and studying using the practice quizzes.

Online attendance for our lecture class (3 hours a week) will be determined by:

1. Your timely completion and participation of discussion board assignments

2. The number of attempts on practice quizzes

3. The logged activity on our Canvas site for lecture activities (recorded by Canvas)

Here is my official policy for dropping a student from a hybrid class:

• Students that do not complete the Course Orientation assignments by their due date may be dropped from the course.

• Students that do not attend our first lab meeting may be dropped from the course.

• Students missing more than 2 online assignments may be dropped from the course.

• Students missing more than one (1) lab meeting may be dropped from the course.

• Students that do not respond to my many attempts to reach out via Canvas messages or email may be dropped from the course.

If you choose to withdraw from the course, it is your responsibility to do so by the appropriate dates, to avoid an “F” grade. Do not expect the instructor to exclude you. Enrolled students who do not attend the first lab class meeting will forfeit their right to a place in the class and will be excluded as a no-show. 

Waitlisted students have priority for any open seats. If a seat becomes available, students on the waitlist will be registered into the class in priority order until the seat limit is reached. Please be aware that fees will be assessed whenever you move from the waitlist into the class and must be paid immediately. Make sure to check your LAVC Student portal and student e-mail for announcements about your waitlist status. 

Online work that is turned in after the due date will receive 5% off with each day it is late. 

Unfortunately, assignments conducted in person (i.e., lab quizzes and lab activities) are nearly impossible to make up during the semester. If you miss a lab quiz or lab activity, you will receive a zero (0) for the assignment. Because of that, I will drop the lowest Lab Exit Quiz  at the end of the semester.

You will also be allowed one chance to make-up a missed exam during the semester. You must schedule a make-up within 1 week of the missed exam date. To schedule, please contact me via Canvas messages or email (swintema@lavc.edu). 

Extra credit may be offered periodically throughout the semester, but don’t count on it to raise your grade. The best way to succeed in this course is to give yourself enough time to complete your assignments, review the material, and take advantage of classroom activities and discussions.

Since we are in an asynchronous and online course for lecture, it is important that we all stay connected. This not only includes talking to each other in discussion boards, but also keeping a strong line of communication between you and me.

What to expect from Professor Mey:

• I will provide helpful feedback on your assignments every week.

• I will respond to discussion board posts by the end of the week.

• I will respond to emails or Canvas messages within 24 hours during the week, or 48 hours over the weekend.

What I expect of you (the student):

• You will participate in discussion boards with effort and tact.

• You will check and respond to assignment feedback (i.e., comments on graded assignments) weekly.

• You will keep an open line of communication with me via Canvas messages or student email.

• You will message or email me immediately after a missed online assignment if you would like to receive an extension.

• You will use Netiquette when posting on discussion boards (see policy below).

All students are expected to show professional and courteous behavior, even in an online environment. Be mindful of others in the classroom when sharing comments or using discussion boards. Any form of derogatory behavior will not be accepted (please see the school’s Standards of Student Conduct for more information). 

Every student is expected to:

• Treat their peers and the professor with respect

• Be considerate of others from different walks of life

• Monitor their word choice and use language appropriate for a classroom setting

Students are expected to abide by the College’s Academic Honesty Policy. Cheating is NOT tolerated. Any student caught cheating (i.e. obtaining test answers from classmates, using notes, assisting classmates, talking, looking, etc.) during any exam will be asked to leave the classroom for the remainder of the class session and will be given a score of 0 on that exam. In addition, a record of this cheating will be reported and placed in the student’s permanent file. Do NOT turn in identical lab activities or exercise. This will be considered cheating and will not be tolerated. Please do not copy exact words or sentences from books, the computer, or other sources. Plagiarism is prohibited.

Students are guaranteed the right to privacy of their educational records by the Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Any student materials that have been retained by the instructor will be destroyed seven (7) days following the official submission of final scores at the end of the semester.

This course is hybrid, which means there are online elements to the class that will require the use of a camera and microphone. However, other assignments have an option for choosing between camera or microphone. I always encourage students to use their camera during these assignments but respect the decision to leave it off no matter the circumstance.

If you require accommodations, you must inform the instructor in writing as soon as possible. If your accommodations are for religious purposes, you must also provide written documentation from your clergy. If your accommodations are for a disability you must register with the college’s Disabled Student Services. Once I receive a memo from the SSD office, we must discuss it immediately to make the appropriate arrangements. Accommodations will become effective after I receive a written notice from you and the supporting documentations described above. 

All programs and activities of the Los Angeles Community College District shall be operated in a manner which is free of discrimination on the basis of ethnic group identification, race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy, marital status, medical condition (cancer-related), sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability (including AIDS), or veterans status (Reference: Board Rule 1202). In order to ensure nondiscrimination policy compliance at Los Angeles Valley College, please direct inquiries to the Office of Diversity Programs by calling (213) 891-2317 or via email at diversityprograms@laccd.edu. Matters involving Section 504 may be directed to the Office of Administrative Services, (818) 947-2606.

An important part of Biology is learning about how things evolved from a common ancestor, so that we may understand how certain characteristics have stuck around while others have gone extinct. So, we will be talking about evolution this semester, especially in humans. If you are uncomfortable with this topic, I totally understand. However, this is a vital component of the learning outcomes for this course and something that I am quite passionate about. I ask that you be respectful during this part of the class and treat it like an important theory in biology. Or, you may choose to drop the class.

Food and drinks are NOT permitted in the classroom/lab at any time. Proper attire must be worn in the laboratory at all times, including closed-toe shoes and clothing covering the body from neck to knees. Long hair must be tied back, and loose jewelry removed. Anyone not dressed appropriately will be excluded from participating in that lab. It is your responsibility to leave the classroom/laboratory cleaner than you found it, especially during particular labs that tend to get messy.