MICROBIOLOGY

FALL 2023 SYLLABUS/COURSE OVERVIEW

BIOL 2421.004 [syn. 66735]  16-wk session

PROFESSOR:  SUZETTE MATHIS (please call me Suzy!)

OFFICE: CYP, Bldg. 2000 (2nd floor), Rm 2204.014     ACC OFFICE PHONE:  512-223-2064

EMAIL: smathis@austincc.edu      PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR SECTION NUMBER IN ALL EMAIL COMMUNICATION WITH ME

CYP MATH/SCIENCE OFFICE: Mark Jones, admin. asst.     PHONE:  223-2065    

OFFICE HOURS: (Other times are available upon request.)

On Campus: Tues: CYP, Bldg. 1000, Rm. 1133 (micro lab), 2:50-3:50 pm

                       Mon/Wed CYP, Bldg. 2000, Rm. 2204.014, 12:15-2:15 pm

Virtual Office Hours Available by Appointment: Held on Blackboard using Class for Zoom. Please email me to make an appointment and so I know which section to attend. 

CLASS SCHEDULE:

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Characteristics and life activities of microorganisms and their interactions with their surroundings. Emphasis is placed on relationships that influence man: infection, immunity, parasitism, and control. Includes laboratory techniques.  Credit Hours: 4, Classroom Contact Hours per week: 3, Laboratory Contact Hours per week: 4

COURSE PREREQUISITE: This policy is strictly enforced – no exceptions! You will be dropped from the class if you do not have the required prerequisites. Students that have not taken their prerequisutes at ACC must present proof that they have the necessary prerequisite on the first day of class (transcript or grade report). Successful completion means at least a grade of “C”.

• Both BIOL 1406 (Cellular & Molecular Biology) & CHEM 1405 (Intro. to Chemistry) with minimum grade of C
• ACC Skill Level G also required (reading, writing, & math proficiency) (see below)

TEXAS SKILLS INVENTORY (TSI): The Texas Success Initiative (TSI) program is designed to assess your ability to successfully complete freshman-level academic courses. It requires an assessment of your math, reading, and writing skills. If you have not successfully completed TSI standards, it is strongly recommended that you drop Biol 2421 and take developmental courses to help you gain these skills. If you remain in this course, you will likely struggle and not get your goal grades. Reading, writing, and math proficiency are required for successful completion of Biol 2421.

COURSE RATIONALE: This course is designed for science majors requiring microbiology for their professional preparation, usually in an area of clinical application as pharmacy, nursing, physician’s assistant, dental assistant, and others. In addition, this course is required in the biotechnology program. In order to enhance learning, the laboratory exercises are coordinated with lecture topics within each unit of study. Critical thinking and problem solving skills are developed in both laboratory and lecture.

TRANSFERABILITY:  ACC offers two microbiology courses, so make sure you are in the right course. Check with other institutions to make sure they will accept this course! Some programs may accept BIOL 2420 (Microbiology for the Health Sciences). The prerequisites are different for BIOL 2420.

MANAGING YOUR PREREQUISITE COURSE LOAD: To increase your chances for success in this course, the biology department advises that you NOT take Microbiology with other biology courses like A&P II or Genetics. Most students cannot successfully take Micro, A&PII, and Pharm in the same semester and end up having to drop something or end up making lower grades and have to retake courses! Know up front that my microbiology course is tough and I give no consideration to students trying to take this course with other biology courses against the advice of the biology department! It is not my fault if you have A&PII, microbiology, and pharm exams all in the same week!

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
Course-Level:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Develop and use critical thinking and problem solving skills through the use of infectious disease case studies and reviews of scientific literature.
• Become proficient at characterizing “unknown” microbes by both microscopic and macroscopic techniques using dichotomous keys and aseptic techniques.
• Describe the chemical reactions and metabolic processes of eukaryotic, prokaryotic and noncellular microbes.
• Effectively use a computer and Internet browser to find and assess infectious diseases information for writing a disease report and solving case studies.
• Explain the relationships between our body defenses and pathogenic mechanisms of various microbes.

General Education:

As a Core Curriculum course, students completing this course will demonstrate competence in:

• Critical thinking in the gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating and applying information.
• Quantitative and empirical reasoning through the application of scientific methods.

DEPARTMENTAL COMMON COURSE OBJECTIVES: http://www2.austincc.edu/biology/ccobjectives  [Follow link to BIOL 2421]

LEC & LAB TEXTS: There is no textbook or lab manual for this course. All course materials for lecture and lab will be posted on Blackboard. Any used introductory level microbiology textbook can be purchased to use as a reference for lecture.

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS: You must be able to access course materials (lecture notes, PowerPoints, assignments, lab objectives) from Blackboard. It is often beneficial to be able to print materials. Students who do not have access to a printer can print on campus in the library, learning lab, or computer center. Color printing is not available to students on campus. For lab, you will need colored pencils for drawings, permanent markers (like Sharpie markers), and safety goggles/glasses.

INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGY: This course is taught as a lecture/lab combination. You must take both lab and lecture in the same semester. This is a rigorous course so being organized, following directions, paying attention to detail, and practicing good time management skills will go a long way in helping you to achieve success! There are lots of projects built into the course to help your understanding and your grade. My course is not for you if you want an exam- based course!

Lecture Instructional Methodology:

1. Check the lecture schedule: Check the schedule for the topic to be covered
2. Prepare for lecture: Locate your lecture materials on Blackboard. Lecture materials are organized into 5 units. Each lecture topic has a set of notes, a PowerPoint, a homework exercise called a bridging exercise, and a quiz. It is highly recommended that, if possible, students should print the bridging exercises and notes so that you can complete the bridging exercise while I am lecturing. Being active during lecture promotes effective learning. Of course, you may also complete the bridging exercise on your computer, but research has shown that handwriting engages more of the senses, enhancing the learning process. Many students find it helpful to work through the bridging ex. before the associated lecture so the material sounds more familiar.
3. Complete the bridging exercise: Be complete with your answers – detail is important so don’t make answers too concise. You do not turn in bridging exercises, but you will use them to help you take your quizzes (see below).
4. Take the quiz: Students must take the timed quiz posted on Blackboard before the next class period. Completing the bridging exercise will help you to do well on the quiz. You are allowed to use your completed bridging exercise to help you take the quiz! You will not use Respondus Lockdown Browser/Monitor to take quizzes. Quiz due dates are posted in the lecture schedule.
5. Download the bridging exercise answers: The bridging exercise answers will become available to you after you have taken the quiz. Check your answers against these answers to make sure there are no misconceptions.
6. Study: Study the notes, PPT’s, bridging exercises, quizzes, and any activities to help you prepare for the exam. Your focus should be on the bridging exercises, quizzes, and other activities.

Lab Instructional Methodology:

Students often feel like lec and lab are two separate classes. I promise it will eventually all come together! Lab activities are organized into folders, posted on Blackboard. Each folder contains lab notes and PPT’s to take the place of a lab manual. Bacteria are organized into three major units - In each unit you will learn how a particular group of bacteria can be identified. You will then be given an “unknown” bacterial species from this group and you will complete a lab report outlining how that species would be identified. It’s like working in a medical lab to determine the pathogen in a patient’s sample! There are lab quizzes and exams, with dates posted in the lab schedule. It is expected that students print or download the lab activities and read before coming to class.

BLACKBOARD: Students will use the Blackboard learning management system for accessing all course materials, submitting assignments, taking quizzes/exams, accessing grades, etc. Students may access Blackboard by selecting the “Blackboard Login” link on ACC’s homepage at http://www.austincc.edu. You will need to activate your ACC eID before you can log into Blackboard (see ACC’s homepage for a link). Check this site on a daily basis. Posted Blackboard announcements will also be sent out to students as an email (see ACC email below). For help setting up your ACC eID, ACC Gmail, or ACC Blackboard, contact the ACC Help Desk at https://www.austincc.edu/help.

TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT SERVICES: ACC provides free, secure drive-up WiFi to students and employees in the parking lots of all campus locations. WiFi can be accessed seven days a week, 7 am to 11 pm. Additional details are available at https://www.austincc.edu/sts. Students who do not have the necessary technology to complete their ACC courses can request to borrow devices from Student Technology Services. Available devices include iPads, webcams, headsets, calculators, etc. Students must be registered for a credit course, Adult Education, or Continuing Education course to be eligible. For more information, visit http://www.austincc.edu/sts. Student Technology Services offers phone, live-chat, and email-based technical support for students and can provide support on topics such as password resets, accessing or using Blackboard, access to technology, etc. To view hours of operation and ways to request support, visit http://www.austincc.edu/sts .

ACC EMAIL: All College e-mail communication to students will be sent solely to the student’s ACC Gmail account, with the expectation that such communications will be read in a timely fashion. ACC will send important information and will notify students of any college- related emergencies using this account. Students should only expect to receive email communication from their instructor using this account. Likewise, students should use their ACC Gmail account when communicating with instructors and staff. Information about ACC Gmail accounts, including instructions for accessing it, are available at: https://www.austincc.edu/help/accmail/questions-and-answers. You can your ACC email forwarded to your personal email account. For help setting up your ACCeID or ACC Gmail, contact the ACC Help Desk https://www.austincc.edu/help.
 

FREE MICROSOFT OFFICE 365 AVAILABLE: ACC students and employees can obtain a subscription to Microsoft Office 365 at no charge. Office 365 is the cloud-based version of the Microsoft Office software package, which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and other applications. It can be installed on up to five compatible PCs or Macs, plus up to five tablets or personal devices that meet the minimum operating system requirements: https://sites.austincc.edu/newsroom/2014/12/05/microsoft-office-365-offered-free-to-acc-students-employees/ 

GRADE COMPONENTS:

Curves/Extra Credit:  Extra quizzes/activities are already built into the class. Grades are NOT curved! No extra extra credit projects or exam retakes are given under any circumstances. Grades already get a big boost from dropping the lowest lec exam grade, and having lots of projects (quizzes, case studies, and unknowns).

Determining the Final Grade: I will hold firm to the point distributions shown above! Students often have an inaccurate understanding of the point system. Consider the following example: A student has earned a total number of 880 points and thinks they are only 2 points away from an A. Unfortunately, they are considering the 100 point system instead of the 1000 point system (88 out of 100 instead of 880 out of 1000). This student is actually 20 points away from an A, as 900 points are needed to earn an A. Please keep this in mind when you are evaluating your grade at the end of the semester. Blackboard will keep you aware of your grade so that you will know what you’ve got to make on the last exam to get your goal grade.
 

ORIENTATION  Students should complete the Orientation assessment and sign the Syllabus Contract posted on Blackboard by the date and time posted in the lecture schedule. Failure to do so will result in the student being withdrawn from the course.

LECTURE NOTES:

• You must be able to access course materials from Blackboard.
• The purpose of lecture is to clarify difficult points, not to cover every little detail in the notes. You are responsible for everything in the notes and bridging exercises, whether it is covered in lecture or not.  

LECTURE EXAMS

• Five lecture exams will be administered; the lowest of exams 1-4 will be dropped. Exam 5 covering bacterial and viral diseases cannot be dropped!
• There is no comprehensive final, but many concepts carry over!
• Students will use Respondus Lockdown Browser on class iPads to take exams 1-4 in class.
• Format for exams: Ex. multiple choice, multiple answer, T/F, short answer, labelling diagrams.
• Lec exams are timed exams.
• For review - study your notes, bridging exercises, & quizzes!
• No exams are curved and retakes are not allowed!
• Students will have the opportunity to review exams in class or online in virtual office hours
• See the lecture schedule for exam dates.

LAB EXAMS & QUIZZES: 2 major lab exams will be given during the semester. Each exam is worth 80 points. Shorter lab quizzes will also be given. No lab quiz/exam grades are dropped. There are no makeup quizzes/exams, but they can be taken early. Study the lab notes questions and practice tests to prepare for lab quizzes exams. See the lab schedule for dates. Lab quizzes/exams consist of MC questions, matching, true/false, labelling diagrams, fill-in-the-blank, short answer questions.

MISSED LEC & LAB EXAMS: Students are not allowed to take makeup lec/lab exams for any reason. Retakes are not permitted. Please let me know if you need to take an exam early. Remember, your lowest lec exam grade of the first four exams is dropped. No lab quiz/exam grades are dropped!

RETURN/REVIEW OF EXAMS: I will post grades on Blackboard within one week of the exam deadline. Set up your Blackboard to notify you when grades are posted. You will be allowed to quickly review your exams in class. A more extensive review of exams is allowed during office hours.

ACTIVE STUDYING: Microbiology is a difficult course because it includes so much physiology. Expect to spend a minimum of 3 hours outside of class for every hour spent in class every week if you want a grade of C. More time may be needed to achieve a higher grade. Of course, study time depends on your previous courses and experience and how you study. Keep in mind that it’s really HOW your study that counts, not how much time you study. Active study habits will reap more rewards than passively reading over the materials for hours on end. Examples: making note cards, tables/charts, concept maps/flowcharts, redoing bridging exercises, participating in a study group, making up practice tests using notecards or PowerPoints, teaching a topic to someone outside of class.

BRIDGING EXERCISES (HOMEWORK) & QUIZZES:

• Bridging exercises are homework exercises that consist of a list of review questions for each chapter. They are called bridging exercises because they act as a bridge from one lecture to the next.
• Bridging exercises for each chapter can be found on Blackboard.
• Bridging exercises should be completed after each associated lecture.
• Detailed answers are important! Don’t be too concise with your answers!
• Bridging exercises are NOT turned in. Use your completed bridging exercises to help you take quizzes. That should be great motivation to get your homework completed on time!
• Quizzes will consist of MC questions, matching, true/false, label diagrams, etc. from bridging exercises.
• Most quizzes are worth 5-10 points each.
• Quizzes are timed (usually 10-20 min.).
• No makeup quizzes are allowed for any reason, but quizzes can be taken early.
• Respondus LD Browser/Monitor will NOT be used on quizzes.
• Students will have access to the homework answers on Blackboard once the associated quiz has been taken.

OTHER HOMEWORK/PROJECTS/EXTRA CREDIT:

• Turn in assignments on time. Extra credit assignments cannot be turned in late for any reason.
• In-class activities must be completed in class on the date they are due and cannot be made up.
• Save assignments as a PDF file to be posted to Blackboard (Blackboard sometimes messes up your format if you don’t). Blackboard cannot open Apple files!

CASE STUDIES: I will provide examples of infectious diseases in the way you will encounter them in your life or clinical practice. You are allowed to use your disease lecture notes to help you solve the cases. This in-class project cannot be turned in late, nor can it be completed online. See lec schedule for due date.

LATE WORK:  All assignments must be turned in by the posted deadline. Quizzes cannot be taken late, but can be taken early. Other assignments (unknown lab reports, etc.) will be counted off 10% of the total points possible for each day late. Extra credit projects will not be accepted late.

ATTENDANCE/WITHDRAWAL POLICY: 

• Research shows that most students are not successful when they don’t attend class. This is especially true for a difficult science class like Microbiology. Attendance will be taken at both lecture and lab class meetings. Missing both lab and lecture counts as 2 absences. Students are only allowed 6 absences (3 class days) over the course of the semester. Students are still expected to adhere to deadlines when they are absent.
• It is the responsibility of each student to ensure their name is removed from the rolls should they decide to withdraw from the class. If you forget to withdraw, you may receive a grade of “F” on your transcript. Just know that the biology department head and division chair frown on retroactive withdrawals!
• The instructor reserves the right to drop a student should they feel it is necessary.
• Students are responsible for understanding the impact that withdrawal from a course may have on their financial aid, veterans’ benefits, and international student status. Per state law, students enrolling for the first time in Fall 2007 or later at any public Texas college or university may not withdraw (receive a “W”) from more than six courses during their undergraduate college education. Some exemptions for good cause could allow a student to withdraw from a course without having it count toward this limit. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with an advisor when making decisions about course selection, course loads, and course withdrawals.
• MOST IMPORTANTLY, communicate with me if you have to be absent! Don’t just fall off the face of the earth!

Official Reporting Date: Last day to withdraw without a grade or “W” appearing on your transcript is September 6th.

The last day to withdraw with a “W” from this course is November 16th.

You should be aware of Texas law before you decide to drop:

Rule of Three: Students are charged a higher tuition rate for courses they repeat for the third or more time. This is referred to as the “Rule of Three”. More information can be found at: http://www.austincc.edu/tuition-and-financial-aid/repeating-a-class-third-course-attempt  

Six Drop Rule:  Texas Education Code Section 51.907 mandates that all students who enroll as first time freshmen at a Texas public institution of higher education in Fall 2007 or later may not drop more than six courses during their academic career. More information can be found at:  http://www.austincc.edu/business/documents/SixWdraft.pdf.

BAD WEATHER, PANDEMIC, OR OTHER EMERGENCIES: ACC notifies instructors and students on the ACC homepage (http://www.austincc.edu) and on local radio and television stations. Students are responsible for communicating with their professor during the closure and completing any assignments or other activities designated by their professor.

REINSTATEMENT: In order to be reinstated in the class, the student must have been enrolled in the course on the state reporting date, as demonstrated by the twelfth-day class roll, must have been withdrawn from the course in error, must show evidence of being capable of passing the course within the time remaining in the semester, and the instructor must have documentation that the student is eligible to be reinstated in the course.

INCOMPLETE GRADES: An incomplete (grade of "I") will only be given due to extenuating circumstances.  What constitutes “extenuating circumstances” is left to the instructor’s discretion.  If a grade of “I” is given, the remaining course work must be completed by a date set by the student and professor. This date may not be later than two weeks prior to the end of the next semester.  An Incomplete also requires completion and submission of the Incomplete Grade form, to be signed by the faculty member (and student if possible) and submitted to the department chair. Students are required to successfully complete a minimum of three units in the course with an average of 70% on all completed work. This process must be followed:

1.      Prior to the end of the semester in which the “I” is to be awarded, the student must meet with the instructor to determine the assignments and exams that must be completed prior to the deadline date. This meeting can occur virtually or in person. The instructor should complete the Report of Incomplete Grade form.

2.      The instructor will complete the form, including all requirements to complete the course and the due date, sign (by typing in name) and then email it to the student. The student will then complete his/her section, sign (by typing in name), and return the completed form to the faculty member to complete the agreement. A copy of the fully completed form can then be emailed by the instructor to the student and the department chair for each grade of Incomplete that the faculty member submits at the end of the semester.   

3.     The student must complete all remaining work by the date specified on the form above. This date is determined by the instructor in collaboration with the student, but it may not be later than the final withdrawal deadline in the subsequent long semester.  

4.     Students will retain access to the course Blackboard page through the subsequent semester in order to submit work and complete the course. Students will be able to log on to Blackboard and have access to the course section materials, assignments, and grades from the course and semester in which the Incomplete was awarded.  

5.     When the student completes the required work by the Incomplete deadline, the instructor will submit an electronic Grade Change Form to change the student’s performance grade from an “I” to the earned grade of A, B, C, D, or F.

6.     If an Incomplete is not resolved by the deadline, the grade automatically converts to an “F.”  Approval to carry an Incomplete for longer than the following semester or session deadline is not frequently granted.”

CELL PHONE USE FOR FACE-TO-FACE CLASSES: Please silence cell phones during class. It is extremely inconsiderate to leave class to answer a phone call or to text during class. Thank you for your understanding! I will ask you to leave the classroom if I discover you texting during class (lec or lab) and it will count as an absence. This is your only warning involving this policy. Cell phones are not allowed out during any kind of testing (exams, lab practicals, quizzes); students will receive a grade of “0” on that assessment if this occurs. Please set your phone on my bench at the front of the room if you would like to use your phone to record my lectures.

VAPING: Vaping is not allowed in the lecture or laboratory classrooms.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: Austin Community College values academic integrity in the educational process. Acts of academic dishonesty/misconduct undermine the learning process, present a disadvantage to students who earn credit honestly, and subvert the academic mission of the institution. The potential consequences of fraudulent credentials raise additional concerns for individuals and communities beyond campus who rely on institutions of higher learning to certify students' academic achievements, and expect to benefit from the claimed knowledge and skills of their graduates. Students must follow all instructions given by faculty or designated college representatives when taking examinations, placement assessments, tests, quizzes, and evaluations. Actions constituting scholastic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, collusion, falsifying documents, or the inappropriate use of the college’s information technology resources. Further information is available at https://www.austincc.edu/about-acc/academic-integrity-and-disciplinary-process. Penalties for scholastic dishonesty depend upon the violation and may range from lowering a grade on one assignment to an “F” in the course and/or expulsion from the college.

Common Categories of Cheating: use of unauthorized materials, misrepresenting work, and deception to gain favoritism

Examples of Cheating [Some of the things I will be looking for]:

• Writing on lab benches, cheat sheets in lab drawers, notes left in trashcans. Cheat sheets made into labels on soda cans, etc.
• Notes on underside of cap bill, scarves, coats/jackets, backpack.
• Use of cell phones
• Wandering eyes
• Going to the bathroom
• Asking someone to take a test for you

• Collusion is defined as knowingly helping another individual violate any provision of the Academic Dishonesty guidelines. Collusion includes assistance with assignments or tests that are not authorized by the instructor. Telling another student about lec exams, lab exams/practicals, spelling tests, case studies, quizzes, etc. is considered collusion. Students are encouraged to collaborate on homework (bridging exercises), but you should never let another student simply copy your work! You do not want to be responsible for them possible getting ahead of you on the waiting list for a particular program!

• Copying of homework/bridging exercises
• Information relayed via blue tooth ear buds

Classroom policies:

• Cell phones must be put away during all exams; this includes lab practical and quizzes. Any student caught with a cell phone out during exams/practicals/quizzes will receive a grade of “0” for that assessment. Phones must also be put away when students are reviewing graded exams.
• All watches, caps, and ear buds must be removed during testing.
• Any student who leaves the classroom with any lecture or lab exam will receive a grade of “0” for that exam. Students are not allowed to leave to go to the bathroom. 
• Wandering eyes – Please keep your eyes on your own work! I will come stand by you if I suspect you are cheating. Look at me when you are through or at your own paper to avoid raising suspicion.
• No water bottles or coffee cups of any kind are allowed on the desk.

Possible consequences for academic dishonesty include:

• Cell phones must be put away during all exams; this includes lab practical and quizzes. Any student caught with a cell phone out during exams/practicals/quizzes will receive a grade of “0” for that assessment. Phones must also be put away when students are reviewing graded exams.
• Any student who leaves the classroom with any lecture or lab exam will receive a grade of “0” for that exam. Students are not allowed to leave to go to the bathroom. 
• Any student who makes a copy of case studies will receive a grade of “0” for that assignment.
• Any student suspected/caught cheating on a quiz will be given a “0” for that quiz grade.
• Any student suspected/caught cheating on an exam will receive a “0” for that exam; further violations will result in the student receiving a failing grade for the course.
• Students committing collusion may be asked to retake an exam, quiz, or assignment.
• Plagiarizing is defined as the borrowing of ideas, wording, or organization from another source without referencing that information in an appropriate manner. Please see PowerPoint instructions for guidelines to follow. Students will receive a grade of “0” for this assignment if guidelines are not followed.

ACC POLICY CONCERNING COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS: All class materials provided on the instructor's web page, electronic reserves, on CD, and in printed form (labs, study questions, assignments, etc.) are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the copyright holder (the instructor or ACC).  Reproduction consists of photocopying, scanning and copying files, or posting on a server or web site. Students currently registered for this section have permission to print copies of course materials or download to their computer for their own personal use. No permission is given for posting course materials on web sites or sharing materials with others. Selling course materials to online services like Course Hero, including trading materials in exchange for services, is in violation of copyright law.

THE BIG QUESTIONS IS: AS A PATIENT, WOULD YOUR WANT A DOCTOR OR NURSE WHO HAD CHEATED TO GET INTO THEIR PROGRAM OF STUDY?

ACC SAFETY AND LAB SAFETY:

SAFETY STATEMENT: Health and safety are of paramount importance in classrooms, laboratories, and field activities. Students are expected to learn and comply with ACC environmental, health and safety procedures and agree to follow ACC safety policies. Emergency Procedures posters and Campus Safety Plans are posted in each classroom and should be reviewed at the beginning of each semester. All incidents (injuries/illness/fire/property damage/near miss) should be immediately reported to the course instructor. Additional information about safety procedures and how to sign up to be notified in case of an emergency can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/emergency

Everyone is expected to conduct themselves professionally with respect and courtesy to all. Anyone who thoughtlessly or intentionally jeopardizes the health or safety of another individual may be immediately dismissed from the day’s activity and will be referred to the Dean of Student Services for disciplinary action. In the event of disruption of normal classroom activities due to an emergency situation or an illness outbreak, the format for this course may be modified to enable completion of the course. In that event, students will be provided an addendum to the class syllabus that will supersede the original version.

For safety reasons, students should wait outside of the lab room until the instructor is present. Do not enter the lab room until your instructor arrives.

You will receive safety training during the first week of class in your lab room prior to working with any hazards such as chemicals or microbes. If you miss in-class safety training and do not make it up by the end of the second week of class, you will be dropped from the class and not reinstated. If you show up on lab days without appropriate safety eyewear and shoes you will not be able to participate in lab or remain in the room during class. Additional information can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/ehs. Because some health and safety circumstances are beyond our control, we ask that you become familiar with the Emergency Procedures poster and Campus Safety Plan map in each classroom. Additional information about emergency procedures and how to sign up for ACC Emergency Alerts to be notified in the event of a serious emergency can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/emergency/.

STUDENT INJURY INSURANCE: Students enrolled in lab and field courses are covered by student insurance if they are injured as a result of the lab or field activity. The instructor will provide the student with the necessary forms and complete an injury report for the Office of Environmental Health, Safety and Insurance. There is a small deductible.

OFFICIAL BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT POLICY CONCERNING STUDENT USE OF ORGANISMS IN THE CLASSROOM AND LABORATORY: Most ACC biology classes, particularly those with laboratory components, use actual organisms during instruction in addition to images and models. ACC students generally are preparing for real-world careers requiring workers with hands-on experience. These careers include health care, veterinary work, horticultural and agricultural work. Other students plan to transfer to four-year colleges and will be participating in biological research where hands-on experience is equally important. Organisms used at ACC are fundamental in biology instruction and they are utilized to teach specific skills and knowledge. Their condition and usage varies from course to course. Students will be expected to actively participate in these activities. Students with particular concerns in this matter should consult with their instructor and/or departmental officials before enrolling in a laboratory course so that they can know what will be required of them. Some organisms are observed alive while others are dead and preserved in various ways. Student manipulation of organisms ranges from culturing living organisms to dissecting preserved ones. Some examples include, but are not limited to: bacterial culturing for microbiology courses; cat, pig or rat dissection for anatomy courses; skeleton and pelt examination for field biology; and use of frogs in physiology experiments.

OPEN LAB: Micro open lab is not a “study lab“ like Anatomy & Physiology open lab. It is meant for students to make up a lab they have missed or repeat an activity if needed. A lab technician will be available to help a student locate materials and equipment, but their role is not to be a tutor. It is especially important that students keep up with unknown lab work, as deadlines will usually not be extended due to missed class. You should notify your instructor via email immediately upon missing lab and make plans to attend open lab. The open lab schedule will be posted on the lab door, as well as on Blackboard. The lab door is always locked when not in use, so please knock on the lab tech’s office door next-door to the lab. Students are only allowed to attend open lab on the same campus as their microbiology course.

COLLEGE POLICIES: See link on Blackboard or follow this link: https://www.austincc.edu/offices/academic-outcomes-assessment/master-syllabi/college-policies

Lecture notes and powerpoints are posted on Blackboard, as well as links to current events for class discussion. Students are encouraged to read their lecture notes and lab objectives before coming to class. 

Unit 1

• Intro to Microbiology - includes overview major groups and history of microbiology
• Prokaryotes: Structure & Funtion
• Prokaryotes: Classfication
• Parasitic Eukaryotic Organisms: Fungi, Protistans, & Helminths

Unit 2

• Bacterial Metabolism
• Bacterial Growth
• Chemical & Physical Methods of Microbial Control
• Antimicrobial Drugs [antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals]

Unit 3

• Bacterial genetics
• Viruses
• Genetic Engineering [Biotechnology]

Unit 4

• Microbial Mechanisms of Pathogenicity
• Epidemiology
• Nonspecific Host Defenses
• Specific Host Defenses [Immune Responses]
• Immunizations/Vaccinations
• Diagnostic Testing

Unit 5

• Bacterial & Viral Diseases

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Course-Level:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Develop and use critical thinking and problem solving skills through the use of infectious disease case studies and reviews of scientific literature.
• Become proficient at characterizing “unknown” microbes by both microscopic and macroscopic techniques using dichotomous keys and aseptic techniques.
• Describe the chemical reactions and metabolic processes of eucaryotic, procaryotic and noncellular microbes.
• Effectively use a computer and Internet browser to find and assess infectious diseases information for writing a disease report and solving case studies.
• Explain the relationships between our body defenses and pathogenic mechanisms of various microbes.

General Education:

As a Core Curriculum course, students completing this course will demonstrate competence in:

• Critical thinking in the gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating and applying information.
• Quantitative and empirical reasoning through the application of scientific methods.

DEPARTMENTAL COMMON COURSE OBJECTIVES:  http://sites.austincc.edu/biology/common-course-objectives/
Follow link to Biol 2421.

MATHIS – MICROBIOLOGY, BIO 2421.004, Mon/Wed Fall 2023 Tentative Lec Schedule

Schedule changes will be announced in class and posted on Blackboard

Schedule changes will be announced in class and posted on Blackboard

MATHIS – MICROBIOLOGY, BIO 2421.004 (Mon/Wed) Fall 2023  Tentative Lab Schedule

Schedule Changes May Occur. Announcements will be made in class and on Blackboard

You are responsible for these changes if you miss class!

Schedule Changes May Occur. Announcements will be made in class and on Blackboard

You are responsible for these changes if you miss class!