Faculty Instructor:	Dr. Steven Bachrach, Dr. D. R. Semmes Distinguished Professor of Chemistry 408C MEB, Department of Chemistry phone: 999-7379  email: sbachrach@trinity.edu office hours: 9:30 - 11:00 MWF or by appointment
Peer Tutor:	Kate Wetzel phone: 829-8537 email: kwetzel2@trinity.edu office hours: TBA
Course web page:	http://www.trinity.edu/sbachrac/fys2001/

Schedule of Topics:

Purpose of the course:

This class will explore a variety of topics related to water policy and the development of the American West. These topics are listed in the schedule above and will allow for a fairly wide-ranging discussion. While we discuss technology, economics, history, public policy, etc., please do not lose sight of the main goal - development of critical thinking and communication skills that will be applicable to all aspects of your scholastic and professional careers.

Resources:

Water and the West edited by Char Miller

Cadillac Desert: The American West and its Disappearing Water by Marc Reisner

Desert Solitaire: A Season in the Wilderness by Edward Abbey

Crossing the Next Meridian: Land, Water, and the Future of the West by Charles F. Wilkinson

The Secret Knowledge of Water: Discovering the Essence of the American Desert by Craig Childs

We will also view two films related to water policy:

Chinatown directed by Roman Polanski

The Milagro Beanfield War directed by Robert Redford

We will schedule a viewing time for these films at a mutually agreed-upon time. The films are also on reserve and can be viewed in the library at your own convenience.

Grading:

Attendence at all class sessions is mandatory. Every three class absences that are unexcused will result in a one-letter grade reduction in the course grade. Excused absences will be made at the discretion of the instructor only. Students are expected to come to class prepared to discuss the day's topic(s). This means that all relevant materials have been read and understood prior to class. Be sure to regularly check the course web page since additional recommended resources will be made available throughout the semester. (In fact, student input of additional relevant sites is encouraged and sought after.) Class participation in the classroom discussions will constitute half of the oral component of your grade (in other words, 20% of your overall grade). Class participation means actively partaking in the discussions, asking questions, coherently arguing your opinion, politely but vigorously objecting to some opinions, defending others. I expect all students to feel free to make any comments the wish, without insult or fear. Honest discussion and argument will require all of us to respect each other. Your grade is not dependent on your opinion coinciding with mine! (I may, in fact, take contrary positions in class simply to stimulate discussions within certain areas.) If you have not talked in class for a period or two, expect to be called upon at the next session.

Each student will lead the class dicsussion for one class period. This invlolves having thoroughly read the pertinent materials and developed a list of questions and comments to launch the day's class discussions. We will develop a schedule for the student lead discussions in the second week of class. Each student will meet with Dr. Bachrach a few days prior to the class they will lead to discuss the topics they plan to cover in class. The remaining portion of your oral grade (20% of your class grade) will be judged on your ability to lead the class discussion. We will have open dates so any student who wishes a second opportunity to lead the discussion, for example, if you performed poorly, can repeat as class leader. The schedule of the discussion leaders will be posted on the class web site as soon as possible.

The four short essays will be assigned about every 3-4 weeks during the semester. The dates and topics of each essay will be announced in class at least 2 weeks prior to their due date. The essays will be evaluated predominantly on the basis of the quality of your ideas and how well you argue the issues. A final long report (8-10 pages) will be due the last day of class. This report will be a research project on some aspect of water policy and we will discuss potential topics later in the semester.

All essays and reports must be written in grammatically correct English. While this course is not an introduction to rhetoric or writing techniques, poorly written prose dramatically reduces the impact and quality of an argument. If you are unsure of a grammatical rule or spelling, please consult appropriate resources, like a dictionary, a writing style guide, the Peer Tutor or the Writing Center. Essays must have an introduction, a body where the major arguments are made, and a conclusion. References must be cited completely and correctly, following a consistent format and style. All essays must cite at least 4 works and the long report must cite at least 10 references.

All papers must be your own original work. Be aware of what constitutes plagiarism and theft of intellectual property and be sure to understand the University's rules on academic integrity. Plagiarism will be dealt with in the most severe terms possible under the University policy.

Attendance:

Student Discussion Leader Schedule