BIOL U531 01w – IMMUNOLOGY Online

Spring 2021 - CLASS SCHEDULE AND POLICIES

This class is asynchronous but is not self-paced
Instructor: Dr. Vince
Connors Office: Virtual
Office Hours: TW: 10:00
AM – Noon
Telephone: Office: 503-
5780 F:
10:00 – 11:00 AM
E-mail:
vconnors@usc
upstate.edu
Use these Links to get answers to important questions about this class.
Click on this button wherever it appears in the text to return to
this list.
What are Dr. C’s Office Hours?
How do I contact my instructor?
What is Dr. C’s email?
How do I make an appointment to meet with Dr. C?
How do we do Office hours if we are asynchronous and online?
Is there a required text for this course?
When will this class meet?
How will this class be structured?
How will I be evaluated?
What is the structure of Exams and Quizzes?
Are there make-ups for Exams and Quizzes?
How will I be graded?
When are exams?
How will quizzes and exam be taken?
When are quizzes?
Is there an attendance policy for this class?
 What is the sequence of topics covered in the class?
What readings are associated with each module/week?
What happens if I am diagnosed or come down with COVID-19?
What happens if I have been directly exposed to someone who
has tested positive for an airborne pathogen?
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Virtual Office Hours: All meetings are by appointment only and will be
online via Blackboard Collaborate. To keep meetings private, students
must call/email ahead of time to make an appointment, even during
regularly scheduled office hours, so that the necessary link can be
provided. The Office hours listed above are set aside and are times that
you can be assured that I am available to meet.
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Required Text: There is no required text for this class. Handouts will
be made available and outside readings linked to or provided.
Technology Needs and Resources
You will be able to complete this class using a laptop, other personal
computer, or larger sized tablet – phones are inadequate although they will
be needed to obtain pdf’s for uploading if no other method is available.
You will need access to the Microsoft suite of applications, including
PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel, and MSWord. Loaner laptops may be
available from IT if you have or develop problems.
Technical Support
If you have problems with your computer, technology, or IT-related
questions (including Blackboard), please contact the Division of
Information Technology Help Desk at 864.503.5257 or email
helpdesk@uscupstate.edu. The Help Desk in the lower level of the John
D. Stockwell Administration Building is open Monday-Thursday from
8:00 AM-10:00 PM, 8-5 on Fridays, and 5-10 on Sundays. The USC
Upstate Library also has a 24-hour computer lab just inside the main
entrance.
Course Requirements
Changes may be made to this syllabus due to weather or other unforeseen
circumstances as the class situation dictates. Students will be given
adequate notice of any changes through Blackboard announcements and
email, and no changes will negatively impact the grade breakdown or your
workload.
Course Description: This class is asynchronous but not self-paced.
BIOL 531 is an introduction to parasitism and focuses on parasites of
human and veterinary importance. Particular emphasis will be placed on
their identification and immunological, clinical, ecological, and
epidemiological significance. Virtual dissection of specimens required.
Special emphasis will be placed on the diverse nature of the people who
study and have contributed to our understanding of parasitism and its
effect on global health, ecology, and society.
Learning Outcomes: All biology courses for majors support biology
learning outcomes. The specific outcomes supported by this course are
as follows:
The student will be able to apply the scientific method
when testing hypotheses, designing, and conducting
experiments.
An understanding of important concepts and methods in the
biological sciences.
The student will demonstrate certain laboratory techniques
(such as light microscopy, gel electrophoresis, population
sampling, aseptic techniques, micro and macro pipetting).
An ability to critically analyze, evaluate, and interpret
scientific information.
 The student will be able to access, recognize, summarize,
and critically analyze primary literature.
An understanding of important concepts and methods in the
biological sciences.
The student will be able to apply and interpret descriptive
and inferential statistics.
The student will prepare oral and written reports in a
standard scientific format.
Course Objectives: Students who successfully complete this course will
be able to:
1. Recognize/identify, describe, and give examples of the major
macro- and micro-parasites impacting humans and other animals.
2. Describe, interpret, and demonstrate an integrated understanding
of the various organisms, processes, systems, principles, and
theories associated with parasitism (as exemplified by animal
parasites) and to express their understanding in a written format.
3. Describe and outline the impacts of parasitism at the individual,
population, and global levels.
4. Describe and give examples of the physical, behavioral,
social, and economic consequences of parasitism.
5. Describe and recognize the diverse and international nature and
roles of the people who study parasites.
Course structure:
This class is asynchronous but not self-paced. TechSmith Relay video
lectures will be posted beginning the Monday of each week (if not sooner)
via Blackboard and may be spaced out in their delivery over the course of
the week. Other videos, links, and readings will be provided as needed. It
is your responsibility to study and take notes on the provided lecture vides,
readings, and linked to contents. Exams and assessments will be accessed
and delivered via Blackboard.
How to study for this class:
Each Week you will have to view three or more videos on a particular
topic totaling ~ 150 minutes per week.
1. View the lectures: Set aside defined times each week to view and
take notes on each individual lecture.
2. Take hand written notes in outline format on each lecture,
much as you would for a regular lecture class - studies show that
hand writing notes works best for comprehending and remembering
complex material.
Stop, start, and rewind each video as needed to make
sure you don’t miss anything.
Do not try to write every word! Instead, pull out the key
terms and concepts as you listen/view the videos, making note
of novel or confusing items, terms, and concepts.
Hand draw life cycles, graphs, and figures making sure
you capture the major points, terms, and intent. Messy here is
OK: remember – you can come back to the video or do an image
capture to get the details to do a clean-up later. Again: studies
show that hand writing notes/drawings work best for
comprehending and remembering complex material.
3. Prepare to study by making a “Brief Outline”: Use
your notes to build a brief topical study outline of the material
covered in both lectures and readings. Once you have drawn up
your brief outline, draw a line down the right hand side of each
page and rewrite just key terms, concepts, and names/ID’s to the
right of their location in your notes.
Read and view all linked web sites/page/videos – take
notes as above for each.
4. Study: Set aside at least 1-2 hours at least three times a week
to study. Begin by using your Brief Outline as a guide. Your goal is
 to form an integrated and detailed understanding of the topic. Plan
on studying at least 1-2 hours for every study session. DO NOT
WAIT UNTIL A FEW DAYS BEFORE AN EXAM OR
ASSESSMENT TO BEGIN PREPARING OR STUDYING, AS
YOU WILL RAPIDLY RUN OUT OF TIME.
Studying involves memorizing terms and definitions in an
ordered context so that you develop a vocabulary that allows you to
form an integrated understanding of difficult and complex concepts
and material. Your goal is to be able to communicate your
developed comprehension of these concepts and topics in a logical
and coherent manner using proper terminologies, identifications,
and content. You will demonstrate your understanding of the
material by providing specific and detailed answers to
questions/problems in a variety of formats, including both written
and short answer formats. In the end, the final product of your
preparation and studying should be the easy identification of the
specific parasites discussed and the recall of the scientific names,
terms, definitions, life cycles, life cycle stages, infectious stages,
concepts, pathologies, treatments, management, alterations, and
issues/problems related to these parasites as well as to the broader
area of parasitism, health, ecology, and society.
How will you be evaluated?
It is the student’s responsibility to know when all assessments are
scheduled, available, and due.
Students may be required to download and use the Respondus system.
Click on this link “Setting up for Respondus” to go to the instructions
provided at the end of this syllabus on how to download and use the
Respondus system.
Exams and quizzes will be delivered online via Blackboard. Both
exams and quizzes will typically open on a Friday afternoon or
Saturday morning and must be completed by the end of day the
 following Monday (11:59 PM). Both will have strict time limits.
Lowest Quiz grade will be dropped. Both quizzes and exams will
typically consist of a combination of definitions, matching, multiple
choice, fill-in-the-blank, figure identification, comparisons/contrasts,
and/or T/F questions.
Exams will be closed book, closed notes, and no internet or other
sources allowed. Students must work alone.
Quizzes will be open book and open notes but students must work alone.
Lowest Quiz grade will be dropped.
Grading:
3 Lecture Exams
= 43%
Syllabus and
Contact Quiz
= 2%
Quizzes (Lowest
grade dropped)
= 10%
Final Exam
(Cumulative & New
Material) = 20%
Laboratory
= 25%
TOTAL 100%
Grade Cut-offs:
A 90% or more C+ 70-79% D 60-66%
B+ 87-89% C 70-76% F <60%
B 80-86 % D+ 67-69%
 Improvement points:
Each time you improve on an exam relative to your previous exam I
will "split the difference" with you. In short, I will add one-half of the
difference with your previous exam score as a bonus to your grade at
the end of the term. Improvement points do not include quizzes,
make up exams, and exams for which you received a grade of less
than 50%. In all cases the assessments must be taken during their
regularly scheduled time periods to be eligible for improvement
points. The “New Material” portion of the final exam can be used to
earn improvement points over your third exam.
Email and Instructor-Student Communication:
It is the student’s responsibility to check both email and BlackBoard daily
for important information regarding the class./
Email: all course related email communication must be via your USC
Upstate email account.
When you email your instructor you must include “BIOL
531” in the subject line to ensure that it is readily recognized.
Phone: Voice messages may be left at Dr. C’s office phone – please
leave a detailed message and return phone number if necessary.
Every effort will be made to respond promptly to phone and email queries,
but you must allow at least 48 hours to return contact (more for
weekends/holidays/breaks).
Disabilities:
USC Upstate supports the ongoing development of an accessible
university that embraces diversity through educational programming,
services, resources, and facilities that are usable by all members of the
campus community. In keeping with University policy, any student with a
disability who requests academic accommodations should contact
Disability Services at 503-5199 to arrange an appointment with a
Disability Services staff member. Students are encouraged to seek an
appointment as early in the semester as possible, as accommodations are
not provided retroactively. It is the student’s responsibility to provide
Disability Services office letters of accommodation these letters to
professors in a timely manner so that accommodations may be put in
place.
Expectations and general policies for this course and its laboratory:
It is the student’s responsibility to know when all assessments are
scheduled, available, and due. Advance warning of exams and quizzes
may not be given if they are already scheduled on the syllabus.
Attendance:
This is an asynchronous class but it is not self-paced.
Assignments/assessments will be made available with ample time to allow
students to complete them within the designated time period.
What happens if you are diagnosed or come down with COVID-19?
I recognize that airborne pathogens create conditions that may cause
absences, including extended absences. Students who are required to
quarantine or seek medical treatment due to a direct COVID-19 diagnosis
should contact me as soon as possible so a suitable equivalent makeup
arrangement can be provided. Students should provide documentation
to the Dean of Students Office when possible. The Dean’s Office will
notify me of the general circumstances of your absence without
compromising your privacy with respect to the specific issue.
What happens if you have been directly exposed to someone who has
tested positive for an airborne pathogen?
In this case you may also need to quarantine yourself. Anyone within 6
feet for >15 minutes (mask or no mask) of someone who has tested
positive is considered exposed. In this event, students should contact me
as soon as possible to discuss makeup arrangements. Absences due to care
obligations arising from airborne pathogens should be discussed with me
as soon as possible to determine the appropriate course of action.
Prompt communication with me, and prompt
notification of the Dean of Students, is critical and
expected in each of the above situations.
Make up exams/quizzes.
There will be no make-up exams for quizzes. There are no make-ups
on Exams without an excused absence (excused absences are those
verified by a written medical excuse from a doctor verifying illness, those
in which written proof is given of a death in the immediate family, and
those that occur as the result of a sanctioned University Event that you are
participating in as a non-spectator). All excused lecture exam make-ups
will be composed of several time-limited essays scheduled at the
Professor’s discretion. To qualify for a make-up exam, you must provide
evidence substantiating the absence within one week of that absence. It is
the qualifying student’s responsibility to make all arrangements with the
instructor within the one-week time period following the missed exam.
Under no circumstances will exams or quizzes be given early - PLAN
ACCORDINGLY!!!! No student will be given "extra credit"
assignments.
Cheating/Plagiarism: Cheating and other violations of the university's
"Code of Student Conduct" will not be tolerated and such misconduct will
be handled according to University rules/procedures. Plagiarism, which is
defined as the use or paraphrasing of another’s work or ideas without
appropriate acknowledgement, is a serious offense and will not be
tolerated. Individuals caught plagiarizing or cheating will receive a “0” for
that assignment, that grade will not be eligible to be dropped as a lowest
grade, and the student will be reported to the Dean of Students for
disciplinary action. Students who admit responsibility or who are found
responsible through the Student Code of Conduct will receive the
appropriate grade determined by the professor for the entire class, which
may include an X (including an “XF”) to signify academic
dishonesty. Grades with an X are not subject to grade forgiveness.
Course Syllabus, topic sequence/assessments:
The tentative sequence of topics follows on the next page. I reserve the
right to make all adjustments or changes deemed necessary). Click
here to find a detailed academic calendar of University breaks, start/end
dates, final exam dates, and deadlines for withdrawal, tuition payments,
and graduation applications online.
Week
Module/Assessment
Readings:
Jan. 11
Introduction; Items of Responsibility; Terminology; Basic Immunology
Syllabus and Intro to Lab #1 - Basic Microscopy
Syllabus and Contact Quiz
Jan. 18
Intro to Protists; Flagellates: Kinetoplastids, Trichomonads, Giardia,
Dientamoeba
Readings in Lab #2 – Kinetoplasts and other Flagellates
Monday, Jan 18: MLK Day
Tuesday, Jan 19: Last day to drop/add w/out a “W”
Jan. 25
Amoebas: Entamoeba sp., Endolimax, Iodamoeba
Readings in Lab #3 – Parasitic and Commensal Amoebas
Quiz 1
Feb. 1
Apicomplexans: Malaria, Coccidia, Gregarines, Kudoa
 Readings in Lab #4 – Apicomplexa
Exam 1
Feb. 8
Apicomplexans continued
Readings in Lab #4 – Apicomplexa

Feb. 15
Ciliates, Microsporidians, Myxozoans; Intro to Platyhelminthes
Readings in Labs #5 & 6 – Platyhelminthes: Trematodes (Flukes)

Feb. 22
Aspidobothrea, Digeneans
Readings in Labs #5 & 6 – Platyhelminthes: Trematodes (Flukes)
Quiz 2
Mar. 1
Digeneans continued
Mid-term grades due
Readings in Labs #5 & 6 – Platyhelminthes: Trematodes (Flukes)
Exam 2
Mar. 7-14
Spring Break
Mar. 15
Digeneans continued, Monogeneans and Cestodes
Readings for Lab #7 – Cestodes and Monogenes
Advising for Summer/Fall 2021
Mar. 22
Monogenes and Cestodes continued
 Readings for Lab #7 – Cestodes and Monogenes
Quiz 3; Advising for Summer/Fall 2021
Mar. 29
Intro to Nematodes
Readings for Labs #8 & 9 – Nematodes

Apr. 5
Nematodes continued
Readings for Labs #8 & 9 – Nematodes
Quiz 4
Apr. 12
Nematomorphs, Acanthocephalans
Readings for Lab 10 – Acanthocephalans and Arthropods
Exam 3
Apr. 19
Arthropods: Crustaceans, Pentastomes, Insects, Arachnids
Readings for Lab 10 – Acanthocephalans and Arthropods

Apr 29
Parasite Ecology
TBD
Classes end Monday, April 29
Apr. 27-May 3
Final Exam
TBA
New Material & Comprehensive
Using the Respondus LockDown Browser and a Webcam for Online
Exams and Quizzes
This course may require the use of LockDown Browser and a webcam for
online exams. The webcam can be built into your computer or can be the
type that plugs in with a USB cable. Watch this short video to get a basic
understanding of LockDown Browser and the webcam feature. A student
Quick Start Guide is also available.
Then download and install LockDown Browser from this link:
https://download.respondus.com/lockdown/download.php?ID=943743695
To ensure LockDown Browser and the webcam are set up properly, do the
following once the practice quiz is made avialable:
• Start LockDown Browser, log into Blackboard, and select
this course.
• Locate and select the Help Center button on the
LockDown Browser toolbar.
• Run the Webcam Check and, if necessary, resolve any
issues.
• Run the System & Network Check. If a problem is
indicated, see if a solution is provided in the Knowledge Base.
Troubleshooting information can also be emailed to our institution's
help desk.
• Exit the Help Center and locate the practice quiz named
Practice Quiz.
• Upon completing and submitting the practice quiz, exit
LockDown Browser.
When taking an online exam that requires LockDown Browser and a
webcam, remember the following guidelines:
• Ensure you're in a location where you won't be interrupted
• Turn off all other devices (e.g. tablets, phones, second
computers) and place them outside of your reach
• Clear your desk of all external materials not permitted —
books, papers, other devices
• Before starting the text, know how much time is available
for it, and that you’ve allotted sufficient time to complete it
• Remain at your computer for the duration of the test
• If the computer or networking environment is different than
what was used previously with the Webcam Check and System &
Network Check in LockDown Browser, run the checks again prior to
starting the test
• To produce a good webcam video, do the following:
• Avoid wearing baseball caps or hats with brims
• Ensure your computer or tablet is on a firm surface (a
desk or table). Do NOT have the computer on your lap, a bed or
other surface where the device (or you) are likely to move
• If using a built-in webcam, avoid tilting the screen
after the webcam setup is complete
• Take the exam in a well-lit room and avoid
backlighting, such as sitting with your back to a window
• Remember that LockDown Browser will prevent you from
accessing other websites or applications; you will be unable to exit
the test until all questions are completed and submitted.