Guy in Front
 My name is Joe Hull, instructor of geology and environmental science.  My office is room 5123, next to the elevator.  My telephone is 587-4905.  I have voice mail, so if I'm not there, leave a message (beep).  My e-mail address is jhull@sccd.ctc.edu.

Office Hours
     My office hours are MTu 1-2.  You can also drop by at other times that are convenient for you; I'm usually in my office in the afternoon (I teach all morning).  And you can make appointments for other times.

Division of Science and Mathematics
     Perhaps there are questions that I cannot answer.  Our omniscient secretaries are Ms. Carole Schmidt and Ms. Orandon Marie, in the division office (5104) at 587-3858.  The head of our division is our dean, Dr. Marty Cavalluzzi.

Texts (required)
     Alt, DD and Hyndman, DW (1995), Northwest Exposures: A Geologic Story of the Northwest; Mountain Press, Missoula, MT, 443 pp.   about $25 new.  You may be able to find this one in used bookstores.  

Lectures
     Lectures are MTWTh, 50 minutes or less, in Room 5121.  I'll talk about the material, show slides, point at maps, give demonstrations, ask and answer questions, etc. etc.  Interaction, questions, declarations, suggestions, arguments, etc. from you are encouraged, expected, required!

Field Trips
     This is a lab-science course, which contains about 20 hours of lab work per quarter.  But in this course, field trips ARE the labs.  I am offering 5 different all-day field trips.  Each field trip represents about 10 hours of field work, such that a minimum of two (2) field trips are required.  The field trips are on Fridays, Saturdays and/or Sundays.
     The van holds 10 plus me, so there is a limit of 10 students per trip.  Each student will probably have the opportunity to go on at least one more field trip than the 2 required, if you want to.
     Basic materials such as topographic and/or geologic maps, sketches, stratigraphic sections, rock descriptions, etc. etc. will be provided for each stop on each trip.

Safety
     The only cautionary material we will work with is very dilute hydrochloric acid.  It is rather safe, but you should be careful.  You should also be careful handling the rocks, minerals, and tools, for their safety, as well as yours.  If we use rock hammers in the field (we usually don't), saftey eyewear is required (will be provided).
     We are located on the 5th floor.  About 50 feet down the hall towards the Space Needle is the North stairwell, which takes us directly out of the building.
     During the earthquake, Duck Cover and Hold.  Get away from the windows and cabinets.  Don't panic!

Special Needs Students
 Students with documented disabilities who need course adaptations or accomodations, have emergency medical information to share with me, or require special arrangements for building evacuation,  should contact me after class within the first two weeks of class.  I'm here to help.

Supplies
     (A).  Supplies for Assignments:  Pens/pencils.  A metric ruler.  A few sheets of graph or ruled paper.  Colored pencils might be useful.
     (B).  Supplies for the Field:  A small diary-type or engineer-type notebook with a stiff cover would be very useful, on one of those tiny pocket flip notebooks.  A ziploc bag to protect the book.  It it's wet, go with a soft (#1) pencil, definitely not the engineering click type.
     Field Gear:  remember the Boy Sprout motto, Be Prepared.  We go, no matter what the weather (except snow).  I will talk about field gear before each trip.

Library
 The textbook for this class is on reserve, but this textbook is required.  Also on reserve are a couple of other books about the geology of the Pacific Northwest.  Also on reserve are reading assignments and other photocopied articles, as source materials for the takehome quizzes.  Our library also contains a variety of books on geology, located in the back right under QE.

Days to Remember
 05 April, Monday, is first day of class
 09 April, Friday, last day for 80% refund
 16 April, Friday, last day to add a class or drop without permission ("10th Day")
 23 April, Friday, last day for 50% refund
 28 May, Friday, last day to add or drop, with permission
 31 May, Monday, holiday, Memorial Day
 15 June, Tuesday, last class meeting

Schedule Notables
 31 May, Monday, holiday, Memorial Day.   Monday's takehome due Tuesday
 Hull gets 3 non-instructional days this quarter.  He will take them randomly with about a week notice.

Evaluation:  Lecture and Reading Material
     Your knowledge and comprehension of the lecture material will be determined on a weekly basis, by a takehome quiz.  I will distribute this quiz on Monday; it is due the next Monday the following week.
     The takehome quiz usually involves a few specific questions related to the material for that week.  You will use your lecture notes, handouts, reading assignments, textbook, source materials on reserve and YOUR BRAIN.  The answers to the questions should be succinct and to the point; no need to ramble on or quote material at great lengths.  Handwritten or typescript is your choice.

Evaluation:  Field Trips
     Your knowledge and comprehension of the field trip material will be determined by a field trip report.  Handwritten or typescript, your choice.  The field trip report will consist of:

    A)  YOUR description of the geology at each stop on the field trip.  You will describe what YOU saw in YOUR words, aided by support materials.  Descriptions need not be lengthy.  The intent is NOT for you to simply repeat what you were told on the field trip or what you read, but for you to make observations.

    B)  Answers to specific questions about each stop, questions that will be given in the field trip exercise handout.

    C) Answers to more general questions about the geology of the field trip after the field trip is over.  These questions may require you to draw upon your field observations, class notes, textbook, supplemental readings on reserve, and of course, your brain.

    The field trip reports are usually due the Monday after the Monday following the field trip; that is, about 8-10 days after the field trip.  I will write the due date out on the field trip exercise for each field trip.

Grades
     There are 10 takehome quizzes, each of which is worth 10 points, for a total of 100 points. There are 2 field trip exercises and reports (required), each of which is worth 50 points, for a total of 100 points.  There are 200 points possible.  The Matrix looks like this:

190   4.0    176  3.5      163   3.0     149   2.5   135   2.0     122   1.5    108   1.0
187   3.9    174   3.4     160   2.9     146   2.4   133   1.9     119  1.4     105   0.9
185   3.8    171   3.3     157   2.8     144   2.3   130   1.8     116   1.3    103   0.8
182   3.7    168   3.2     155   2.7     141   2.2   127   1.7     114   1.2    100   0.7
179   3.6    165   3.1     152   2.6     138   2.1   125   1.6     111   1.1    <100  0.0

The formula is:   grade = (.03666 * total points) ­ 2.966

 At Seattle Central, we don't give letter grades, only numerical grades.  But here's a handy conversion chart:

A 4.0       A- 3.5      B 3.0       B- 2.5      C 2.0      C- 1.5         D 1.0
A 3.9       B+ 3.4     B 2.9       C+ 2.4     C 1.9      D+ 1.4        D 0.9
A- 3.8     B+ 3.3      B- 2.8     C+ 2.3     C- 1.8     D+ 1.3        D- 0.8
A- 3.7     B+ 3.2     B- 2.7      C+ 2.2     C- 1.7     D+ 1.2        D- 0.7
A- 3.6     B   3.1      B- 2.6       C 2.1       C- 1.6     D 1.1         E  <0.7

Exams
 NO EXAMS.

Extra Credit
 NO EXTRA CREDIT.

Makeups
 NO MAKEUPS.

Incompletes
 NO INCOMPLETES.

Attendance
 I do not take attendance; sometimes you must make a "life choice."  However, it is my long experience that those who do not attend class regularly do not learn much, and do not pass.  Attending class means less studying and easier studying.

Excuses
     Illness and death in the family are the excuses I will consider.
     If you are ill, or you must stay home because your child is ill, you must contact me beforehand, before the quiz, field trip or due date.  You must also bring a note from your physician, with their phone number and a complete explanation of the reason for your absence.  Then I will decide.
     For a death in the family, you must contact me before the quiz due date, field trip, etc..  The deceased must be an immediate family member.  Like the airlines, proof of bereavement is required.  Then I will decide.
     If your excuse is judged valid by me, then I will omit that quiz for that week, and you will not receive a zero, it won't count against you.  There will be opportunity to attend another field trip.
 NO MAKEUPS.

All topics, materials, dates, times, etc. etc. are subject to change at any time, etc. etc., without warning, etc. etc., depending on class conditions, etc. etc.
 

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