California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Syllabus AG 101 Agriculture and the

Modern World
Instructor Information
Name: Amanda Marsh
Office Location: 2-215
Office Hours: M 3pm-5pm
Phone: 909-869-4409
Email: [email protected]

Course Information
Catalog Description
An introduction to the history of modern agriculture, its integration into social, economic and
political institutions, the biological systems of which it is a part, the causes and impact of world
hunger, and the implications of future changes and innovations in the production of food and
fiber. The course will emphasize critical analysis of current agriculture and food issues. Course
fulfills GE Sub-area D2. Open to all majors. Required of all agriculture majors.

Topics Covered:

I. American Agricultural Development: A Chronological History

II. Agriculture in Social, Economic and Political Institutions
III. Agriculture as a Biological System

Course Materials
Required Materials
The Omnivores Dilemma: The Secrets Behind What You Eat, Young Readers Edition by
Michael Pollan ISBN-13: 987-0803735002

Additional reading materials will be provided to students through the course Blackboard page.

Technical Requirements
Hardware
PC/Mac
Monitor with minimum resolution of 1024x768
Speakers or headphones
 California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Software
Adobe Flash Player - download at: https://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/
Adobe Acrobat Reader - download at: https://get.adobe.com/reader/
Java - download at: https://java.com/en/download/
Internet Browser - Blackboard supported browsers: https://help.blackboard.com/en-
us/Learn/9.1_2014_04/Student/015_Browser_Support/013_Browser_Support_for_Octob
er_2014

Organization of Course
This course is hybrid formatting consisting of weekly face-to-face class meetings and online
components. The online portion of the course and has been planned in a manner to be
delivered via distance education using Blackboard. The course will consist of mini lectures,
textbook and online readings, group discussions and instructor feedback. Course material will
be provided in Blackboard. Students will need to dedicate time in their weekly schedule to
interact via discussion board on Blackboard, complete assignments, and review course material
to prepare for face-to-face class meetings.

Students Obligations
Class Participation
Student involvement and input is an important aspect of this course. Students are expected to
prepare in advance for each class meeting by completing the weeks lecture and online
discussion questions. Students are expected to attend class meetings and participate in class
discussions and activities. Participation points are a portion of your grade.

Use of Technology
Use of electronic devises is not permitted during lecture meetings unless required by official
DRC note. However, some class activities may require use of cell phones or laptops and I will
notify student ahead of time when to bring/get out these devises.

Getting Help
If you are having trouble understanding concepts, it is your responsibility to seek help by
contacting the instructor.

If you are having difficulties with using Blackboard-specific tools or features, refer to the
Blackboard eHelp page. More complicated Blackboard inquires can be directed to the IT
Service Desk. Both links to the Blackboard eHelp page and IT Service Desk can be found under
the Technical Support section located on the left navigation menu of this course.

Assignments and Late Submissions Policy

In case of uploading error, unless otherwise noted, students may submit written assignments up
to two times BEFORE the assignment deadline for full credit consideration. The instructor will
 California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

only grade the second attempt. Follow all uploading procedures from Blackboard site as well as
the specific assignment instructions.

Unless otherwise notified, students may submit assignments up to 24 hours after assignment
deadline. However, assignments received after 11:59pm* of due date specified will be marked
as LATE. Assignments marked as LATE will be deducted an automatic 50% off of grade
earned. No late submissions of discussion board responses are accepted.

The instructor does not accept late work beyond 24 hours past due date (unless with an official
doctors or athletic note). Computer issues are not a reason to miss deadlines. It is student's
responsibility to assure work is submitted correctly by following Blackboard submission and
formatting instructions.

All assignments submitted through Blackboard are to be submitted as .doc, .docx, or

.pdf file formatting only. Mac users, please save files as .pdf before submitting through
course Blackboard page.

*The clock through Blackboard may differ from student's individual computer. Keep this in mind
and DO NOT wait until the last minute to complete assignments!

There are no assignment extensions or make ups for any course exams, quizzes, activities, or
assignments without an official doctors note or athletic note. It is students responsibility to
communicate with the instructor prior to due date regarding need for extension.

Doctor's notes: Only official doctor's notes documenting a medical emergency are considered
in order for students to request assignment make-ups. Notes must be submitted to instructor
within one week of missing assignment.

Athletic notes: Only official requests on campus letterhead, signed by team coach describing
dates, times, and location of team travel and scheduling are considered for students to request
assignment make-ups. Notes must be submitted to instructor before team travel.

Finals Week: Final exam for student may not be issued on date other than what is posted on
the University Final Exam Schedule unless it conflicts with another final exam or student has 3
or more finals scheduled on the same day. It is at the discretion of the instructor to reschedule
the exam upon request of the student.

Minimum Technical Skills

You are expected to have basic computer knowledge including, but not limited to:

Using email and attachments

Downloading, editing, saving, and submitting files
Copying and pasting
 California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Getting Help
If you are having trouble understanding concepts, it is your responsibility to seek help by
contacting the instructor.

If you are having difficulties with using Blackboard-specific tools or features, refer to the
Blackboard eHelp page. More complicated Blackboard inquires can be directed to the IT
Service Desk. Both links to the Blackboard eHelp page and IT Service Desk can be found under
the Technical Support section located on the left navigation menu of this course.

Students with Disabilities

Students who need specific accommodations are encouraged to speak with the instructor
directly.

Dropping this course

As a College of Agriculture policy, students my not drop this course after week 8.

Grading
Majority of assignments are writing based. College level writing skills are required to meet these
assignment standards. Grading criteria and rubrics will be provided for each assignment.
Assignments will either be submitted electronically through the course Blackboard page or
hardcopy during class session. Further information regarding will be provided during class
meetings, posted on Blackboard page, or provided in Course Calendar.

Quizzes may be administered during class meetings or online. See Course Calendar for specific
dates and quiz topics. No make ups for quizzes given unless student provides official doctors
note documenting medical emergency (must provide note within one week of missed quiz) OR
official athletic note signed by team coach provided prior to day of quiz.
 California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Approx.
Total
Assignment Points each % of
Points
Grade

10 Discussion
board responses 10 point each 100 25

3 Quizzes 20 points each 60 15

4 Written
Assignments 25 points each 100 25

4 Journal Entries 25 points each 100 25

8 Class
Participation 5 points each 40 10

Total 400 100%

Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All of the work completed in this course is expected to be your own. Plagiarism or cheating will
not be tolerated in this course. For more information, visit the Academic Integrity Policies page:
http://www.cpp.edu/~judicialaffairs/academic-integrity-resources/academic-integrity.shtml.

Professionalism and Netiquette

Netiquette refers to the behavior that you are expected to follow when communicating online. It
covers both common courtesy in an online environment and the informal ground rules for
navigating in cyberspace. For this course, you are asked to follow these basic guidelines:
 California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

When writing an email to your instructor, include the class name and section, along with a
description, in the subject line. For example: COM 206.01 RE: Design Project.
Use a signature with your full name at the end of your emails.
Remember that slang can be misunderstood or misinterpreted use your academic voice. pls
dnt use txt lang when sending messages 2 me.
Be aware of your tone and avoid sentences typed in all caps it implies online screaming or
shouting.
Respect different views and opinions.
Provide constructive feedback and use good judgment when composing responses to your
classmates.
Be professional and use good grammar and spelling. Consider writing your discussion posts,
assignments, and online correspondence in a text editor to check for spelling and grammar
before pasting it into an online submission.

Response Time and Feedback

Email is the quickest way to get a response from me. I generally check my email Monday
through Friday, but occasionally on the weekend. When emailing during the business week,
students can expect a response from me within 24 hours. If emailing me over the weekend,
students may not receive a response until after 10am Monday morning.

I will provide written feedback and grades on most assignments. Students can expect feedback
within one week from assignment submission deadline.

Note about Course Calendar

Course calendar is a tentative schedule provided for students convenience. All students will be
notified of any changes made to the course. Any due dates or changes made to course
calendar will be in favor of the student.