Proposed Revision to Biology Major at SUNY Potsdam: Adding Laboratory Sections to Ecology, Lab Reports of Biology

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A Proposal to Revise the Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of

Arts Degrees in Biology

SUNY Potsdam

Submitted 12 February 2009

Proposed Revision to Biology Major

The Biology Department at SUNY Potsdam proposes the addition of laboratory sections to

BIOL 300 Ecology. Currently, this course is a lecture-only course and is required of all Biology

majors in both the Biology BA and BS degree options. The Biology Department proposes that

these laboratory sections would be a requirement to fulfill both the Biology BA and BS degree

options. We anticipate adding three laboratory sections. The number of total Biology credits

required for both programs will remain the same: 38 for the BS and 36 for the BA.

Rationale

The Biology Department has long recognized the need to add a laboratory component to

Ecology. With the restoration of a faculty line in 2008, the Biology Department is fully prepared

to add laboratory section to this course, beginning in Fall 2009. We are proposing this change for

two compelling reasons: 1) to provide an enriching experience to the subject that cannot be

achieved in a lecture format and thus be of direct benefit to our students and 2) to be in line with

nearly every similar Biology Department across the country. A survey of college web catalogs of

the following similar SUNY institutions revealed that laboratory sessions are a required

component of Ecology courses: New Paltz, Fredonia, Buffalo State, Cortland, Oswego,

Plattsburgh, Brockport and the College of Environmental Science and Forestry; it is an option at

SUNY Geneseo.

The course will be tied to the developing Biology Department Assessment Plan by using

similar grading procedures used in the Introductory Biology (BIOL 151 and 152) sequence for

writing and presentation assignments. The rubric used in Introductory Biology (especially BIOL

152) will be used in the ecology course when grading the students for their final assignments.

This will assess the impact of the program on improving our students writing and speaking

abilities. Since the class consists mostly of sophomores, we will have program assessment while

they are still in the major instead of just a final assessment of their progress.

Curriculum for the SUNY Potsdam Biology Major/ B.S. Degree

1. Core Biology Curriculum Required Courses: BIOL 151 General Biology I (4) BIOL 311 Genetics (4) BIOL 152 General Biology II (4) BIOL 300 Ecology (4)+ BIOL 483 Current Topics (3) Physiology course (4)*

• Physiology Component: Choose at least one with consultation with advisor BIOL 303 Plant Physiology BIOL 407 Cell Physiology BIOL 410 Human Physiology BIOL 440 Comparative Animal Physiology

• Will increase from 3 to 4 credits. This is the only change from Current Curriculum Required Core Courses: (23) 2. Concentration Curricula A. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Concentration Recommended for everyone taking this Concentration: BIOL 319 Evolutionary Biology (3) Recommended at least 12 hours from the following concentration-specific electives : BIOL 312 Insect Ecology (4) BIOL 320 Microbiology (4) BIOL 331 Nat. Hist. High Verts. (4) BIOL 330 Nat. Hist. Low. Verts. (4) BIOL 334 Biology of Woody Plants (3) BIOL 350 Biotic Comm. S. Florida (3) BIOL 351 Biol. Northern Ecosystem (3) BIOL 355 Invertebrate Zoology (4) BIOL 375 Behavioral Evolution (4) BIOL 400 Field Ecology (WI) (4) BIOL 402 Conservation Biology (3) BIOL 409 Aquatic Ecology (4) Concentration Courses: (15) Plus additional Biology Electives to make up 38 hours in major total B. Cell and Molecular Biology Concentration Recommended for everyone taking this Concentration: BIOL 320 Microbiology (4) BIOL 407 Cell Physiology (4) Recommended at least 8 hours from the following concentration-specific electives : BIOL 321 Cell Structure BIOL 410 Human Physiology (3) BIOL 415 Virology (3) BIOL 420 Medical Microbiology (3) BIOL 425 Tech. Mol. Biology (3) BIOL 426 Immunobiology (3) BIOL 431 Developmental Biology (3) BIOL 495 Molecular Genetics (3) Concentration Courses: (16) Plus additional Biology Electives to make up 38 hours in major total

C. Anatomy and Physiology Concentration : : Recommended for everyone taking this Concentration: BIOL 305 Comparative Anatomy of the Vertebrates (4) Recommended at least 12 hours from the following concentration-specific electives : BIOL 320 Microbiology (4) BIOL 325 Morph. Lower Plants (3) BIOL 326 Morph Higher Plants (3) BIOL 360 Neurobiology (3) BIOL 407 Cell Physiology (3) BIOL 410 Human Physiology (3) BIOL 431 Developmental Biology (3) Concentration Courses: (16) Plus additional Biology Electives to make up 38 hours in major total

3. Cognate Requirements: Chemistry, Physics, and Math MATH 151 Calculus I (4) CHEM 105 General Chemistry I (4) CHEM 106 General Chemistry II (4) CHEM 341 Organic Chemistry I (4)* Plus one of the following STAT 100 Probability & Statistics (3) MATH 125 Probability and Statistics (3) MATH 152 Calculus II (4) Physics sequence of PHYS 101 College Physics I (4) PHYS 202 College Physics II (4) Or PHYS 103 University Physics I (4)** PHYS 204 University Physics II (4) * CHEM 342 Organic Chemistry II is highly recommended for most Biology Majors ** MATH 151 and 152 are corequisites for the General Physics sequence Cognate Requirements (27-28) Total B.S. Course Requirements (65-66)

Proposed Curriculum for the SUNY Potsdam Biology Major/ B.A. Degree

36 credit hours required. Required Courses: (17-18) BIOL 151 General Biology I (4) BIOL 311 Genetics (4) BIOL 152 General Biology II (4) BIOL 300 Ecology (4)+ BIOL 483 Current Topics (3) Physiology course (4)*

• Physiology Component: Choose at least one with consultation with advisor BIOL 303 Plant Physiology BIOL 407 Cell Physiology BIOL 410 Human Physiology BIOL 440 Comparative Animal Physiology

• Will increase from 3 to 4 credits. This is the only change from Current Curriculum Required Core Courses: (23) Under advisement, students must choose a minimum of 13 additional hours from the department’s elective offerings to make up a total of 36. Elective Courses: 13 Total: 36 Cognate Requirements CHEM 105 General Chemistry I (4) CHEM 106 General Chemistry II (4) CHEM 341 Organic Chemistry I (4) Cognate Requirements 12 Total Course Requirements 48