San José State University * Fall 2009



San José State University * Fall 2009

MUSE * Metropolitan University Scholar’s Experience * Freshman Seminar

General Education area B2 * Life Sciences

Fact or fiction? What every college student should know about drugs.

Mondays and Wednesdays 12:00-1:15 133 Clark Hall

Susan Snycerski, Ph.D.

Phone: (408) 924-5662

Office: DMH 311

Office Hours: M, T, W, & TH, 4:15 – 5:15 p.m.

Online Hours: M, T, W, & TH, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Blackboard

We will use Blackboard throughout the semester. This is the primary contact for the class.

Assignments will be posted and collected via Blackboard, thus, it is imperative that you

become familiar with how to navigate this website. You should check our Blackboard class

website at least once daily. I will post handouts, reminders, and relevant links on our website.

There will also be additional assignments and quizzes posted on the website. Some quizzes

and assignments are available ONLY via our Blackboard website; therefore, you must have

regular access to the internet.

There is also a discussion board on the website that allows you to post questions regarding

assignments or other class related material. I check the website often during the day, thus,

this is the best way to contact me. Please be advised that I will post lecture guidelines, study

guides, for your benefit (it is not required of me) and I ask for your patience if delays occur

when posting these materials. In most cases, lecture guidelines will be posted prior to

lectures. Also note that online quizzes have automatic deadlines that prevent the student

from taking a quiz after the time allotment has expired, therefore, it is very important to be

aware of such deadlines. All deadlines will be posted on Blackboard.

Course web site:

*Login using your 9-digit student ID and password “fall” (in all lower-case letters).

*See for more information regarding using Blackboard.

*The best method of contacting me is via Blackboard email. Due to the large volume of

email that I receive daily, please allow 1-2 days for a response.

A Note Regarding Furloughs & Their Impact On The Course

Due to the California budget crisis, the CSU faculty and many staff members have been furloughed. Implementation of a furlough for faculty is complicated. In theory, the current furlough calls for a 10% reduction in work time, which translates, generally, to 2 days per month of non-work.

At the time of the writing of this syllabus, the specific SJSU campus guidelines for implementation of the furlough for faculty have not been issued. The implications of the furlough for the course are unclear. Students might expect changes to the course schedule, or delays in assignment feedback and grades, among other consequences. Nevertheless, instructors will work to find a reasonable accommodation with student needs, faculty obligations, and furlough requirements.

Course Text and Materials

Hart, C. L., Ksir, C., & Oakley, R. (2009). Drugs, Society, and Human Behavior (13th ed.)

McGraw Hill, NY.

Other Readings

Additional reading materials will appear on Blackboard or will be distributed in class.

Other equipment / material requirements

You will need regular access to a computer and five scantrons (888E).

Course Description:

Drug use among college students is a major public health concern. Furthermore, there are many myths concerning what drugs to the body, psyche, and community. To this end, this course is designed to educate students on drug effects in the individual and in the culture at large. Topics to be addressed include: pharmacology, or what drugs do in and to the body; how genetics influence drug effects; the behavioral effects of drugs; the mechanisms of drug action; the methods scientists use to study drugs and their effects; the history of drug use and abuse across cultures; individual and cultural differences in drug use and abuse; how drugs, such as stimulant medications, are manufactured and approved by the FDA; the process of drug regulation; and treatments for drug abuse.

Introduction to MUSE: As part of the vision, SJSU offers the Metropolitan University Scholars’ Experience (MUSE) program. University-level study is different from what you experienced in high school. MUSE is designed to help make your transition into college a success by helping you to develop the skills and attitude needed for the intellectual engagement and challenge of in-depth university-level study. Discovery, research, critical thinking, written work, attention to the rich cultural diversity of the campus, and active discussion will be key parts of this MUSE course. Enrollment in MUSE courses is limited to a small number of students because these courses are intended to be highly interactive and allow you to easily interact with your professor and fellow students. MUSE courses explore topics and issues from an interdisciplinary focus to show how interesting and important ideas can be viewed from different perspectives.

This course qualifies as an Area B2 (Life Sciences) course in your General Education requirements. Science is a continuous and adaptive process through which we discover and communicate how the natural world works, separate fact from inference, and establish testable hypotheses. All students should sufficiently master essential quantitative and qualitative skills that are necessary to understand scientific knowledge and methods. Students should be able to incorporate scientific knowledge into the workplace and everyday life experiences. Life Science (B2) courses focus on structures and functions of living organisms, levels of organization of living systems, strategies for survival and reproduction, patterns of evolution, principles of genetics, and interaction of organisms and their natural environment.

Learning Objectives and Activities for this Course

This course qualifies as an Area B2 (Life Science) course in your General Education requirements. It is designed to enable you to achieve the following learning outcomes:

• To use methods of science and knowledge derived from current scientific inquiry in life or physical science to question existing explanations. [GE]

• To demonstrate ways in which science influences and is influenced by complex societies, including political and moral issues. [GE]

• To recognize methods of science, in which quantitative, analytical reasoning techniques are used. [GE]

• To understand the learning process and their responsibility and role in it. [MUSE]

• To know what it means to be a member of a metropolitan university community. [MUSE]

The following content and activities will be incorporated into the course as you engage in the subject matter of the course:

• Diversity: Issues of diversity shall be incorporated in an appropriate manner. [GE and MUSE]

• Writing: The minimum writing requirement is 1500 words in a language and style appropriate to the discipline. [GE]

• Demonstrate how scientists focus on structures and functions of living organisms; levels of organization of living systems, from atom to planet; strategies for survival and reproduction; patterns of evolution; principles of genetics, including the basis for variation; and interaction of organisms and their natural environment. [GE]

• University scholar: Course activities should be designed to enable students to improve critical thinking skills, information competencies, critical writing and reading skills, and group interactions. [MUSE]

• University life: Students should attend workshops and participate in group activities to help them learn about university resources and activities and to improve in areas they have identified. [MUSE]

Graded Course requirements:

1. Exams: There will be four examinations that will cover material from the textbook as well as material presented in lectures, in-class activities, and supplemental readings. There will be a review for each exam. Exams may consist of multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, short answer, matching, or essay questions. Each exam is worth 20 points.

2. Reflection papers: There will be thee reflection papers throughout the semester. Each paper has a minimum of 500 words. Papers will be double-spaced and typed in American Psychological Association format (this will be discussed further, and repeatedly, in detail in class). You will receive feedback on your first paper that will aid you in preparing for the second two papers. Your paper grades will be based on the reflections papers #2 and #3. Each of the two papers is worth 50 points. Topics for reflection papers will be discussed in class.

3. Class participation: Because this class is in part an experiential class, attendance and participation are crucial for your success. Thus, absences will diminish the level of participation you can achieve in the class, and will reduce your grade. Participation is reflected in your attending class, listening well, asking questions, developing your thinking through class discussions, completing assignments and responding to feedback on future assignments. Specifically, a variety of activities will be used to assess class participation. These may include: quizzes, in-class activities (e.g., group work), class discussions, oral presentations, take-home writing assignments and reaction papers. There will be a total of 50 points available for class participation.

4. MUSE workshops: The primary objective of the MUSE program is to provide its participants with the fundamental skills to succeed in a University setting. The MUSE program conducts many workshops throughout the semester on various topics to meet this objective. Each student will be required to attend at least three MUSE sponsored workshops (listed under Workshops at ) during the semester. I strongly encourage you to attend more than the minimum three required.

Choose workshops that you think will help you the most. I highly recommend that at least one of the workshops you attend be on writing. All of these workshops are in our Peer Mentor Center. After you go to the workshop, you will hand in a typed short paper that shares how it went for you. Include the topic of the workshop, whom was the presenter, what you learned, and provide and honest evaluation. For each evaluation, think of your answer to the question: Would I recommend this to my friend and why or why not? You must have attended both MUSE workshops and handed in your short reports before our November 9 class meeting. Each of the three required reports on a MUSE workshop is 50 points.

5. Oral presentation: Each student will give an oral presentation in class. Topics for the presentation will be discussed in class and must be approved by the instructor. In addition to using text and classroom experiences to prepare for your presentation, you will also include at least two sources you find from the library and three sources from the web (appropriate websites only [e.g., no Wikipedia]). This report and preparation will be done outside of class, on your own time. This project is worth 50 points.

Non-graded Course requirements

The following assignments will not contribute to the letter grade you earn in the course. HOWEVER, you must complete them all in order to pass the class. Therefore, even if you earn an “A” on the above graded assignments, you will receive an “F” in class if you have not completed the following:

1. Meeting with the professor: You and I will meet one-on-one at least twice during the semester. This is our chance to check-in on your progress and future assignments. It is your job to arrange these meetings. The dates by which these meetings must occur are listed in the schedule.

2. Tutorials: You must complete and earn an 80% or more on two online tutorials –one libarary basics and one plagiarism. These must completed by September 14. Go online to and click on the tutorials in the left margin. Follow the directions carefully!

NOTE: There will be a minimum of three writing assignments in this course. These assignments are designed to:

1. Comply with the University’s General Education course credit writing requirement of a minimum of 1500 words in order to: (a) provide you with practice in writing, (b) provide you with feedback on your writing, and (c) provide you with the opportunity to incorporate the instructor's feedback into your writing assignments.

2. Help students achieve mastery of various aspects of the Learning Objectives given above.

How the writing assignments meets number 1, a, b, and c as noted above:

1. Students will receive their papers back within two weeks after submission (a).

2. Feedback by the instructor regarding students written work will be provided to the students when papers are returned to them (b).

3. Students will be able to incorporate instructor feedback from writing assignments. That is, opportunities to correct written work by following the instructors’ feedback will be provided to students. (c).

How the writing assignments meets number 2 above:

1. Writing assignments will incorporate material from the learning objectives by the nature of the topic(s) to be addressed in the writing.

2. Some writing assignments may cover material germane to more than one objective, whereas other writing assignments may deal with only one objective per assignment.

Grading summary:

|4 exams @ 20 points each= |80 |

|Class participation |50 |

|2 reflection papers @50 points each= |100 |

|3 MUSE workshops and reports @ 50 points each = |150 |

|In-class activities (e.g., work sheets, projects, etc)= |70 |

|Oral presentation and report= |50 |

|Total available points= |500 |

| |Grading scale | |

|Points earned |Percentage |Grade |

|90 - 100% |448 - 500 |A- to A+ |

|398 - 447 |80 - 89% |B- to B+ |

|348 – 397 |70 - 79% |C- to C+ |

|298 - 347 |60 - 69% |D- to D+ |

|0 – 297 |0 - 59% |F |

\Late Work: Make-up Exams

No extensions or make-up exams will be given except in cases of documented emergencies, serious illness, or a dean’s excuse. If such a circumstance should arise, please contact me as early as possible and be ready to provide documentation.

Late Assignments

Late assignments will not be accepted except in cases of documented emergencies, serious illness, or a dean’s excuse. If such a circumstance should arise, please contact me as early as possible and be ready to provide documentation.

Major assignments (10 or more points) will lose a full letter grade (10%) for each day late. Graded assignments more than 3 days late will not be accepted.

There will be no exceptions to this policy, and this policy will be strictly enforced. DO NOT EMAIL ASSIGNMENTS. You will not receive credit for emailed assignments. Turn all late assignments into the Psychology Office, DMH 157. Be sure to ask for a date stamp on your work.

Electronics Policy: You may not use foreign language dictionaries, laptop computers, headphones, or any other electronic device during exams. Doing so will be considered a form of academic dishonesty. Be sure to turn off all pagers, cell phones, headphones, and so on during lectures and exams.

Laptops

In-class laptop use should be restricted to course-related activities (e.g., taking notes). Other activities (e.g., web surfing) distract both the instructor and students and will not be tolerated. You will be asked to turn off your laptop is you are engaged in non-class activities. You will be asked to refrain from laptop use for the duration of the course if this behavior continues.

Note: This course will follow this syllabus to the extent possible. The timing and specific nature of topics and activities may change. You are responsible for keeping informed of any changes made to the class syllabus. Such changes will be clearly stated in class and will be posted on the class web site. You are responsible for checking the class web site before each class.

Academic Integrity

Students should know that the University’s Academic Integrity Policy is availabe at . Your own commitment to learning, as evidenced by your enrollment at San Jose State University and the University’s integrity policy, require you to be honest in all your academic course work. Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development. The website for Student Conduct and Ethical Development is available at .

Instances of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Cheating on exams or plagiarism (presenting the work of another as your own, or the use of another person’s ideas without giving proper credit) will result in a failing grade and sanctions by the University. For this class, all assignments are to be completed by the individual student unless otherwise specified. If you would like to include in your assignment any material you have submitted, or plan to submit for another class, please note that SJSU’s Academic Policy F06-1 requires approval of instructors.

Cases of plagiarism will result in a failing grade for the course and the student will be reported to the Office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development for further action.

Campus Policy in Compliance with the American Disabilities Act

If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need to make special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible, or see me during office hours. Presidential Directive 97-03 requires that students with disabilities requesting accommodations must register with the DRC (Disability Resource Center) to establish a record of their disability.

Dropping and Adding

Students are responsible for understanding the policies and procedures about add/drops, academic renewal, etc. Information on add/drops are available at . Information about late drop is available at . Students should be aware of the current deadlines and penalties for adding and dropping classes.

Student Technology Resources

Computer labs for student use are available in the Academic Success Center located on the 1st floor of Clark Hall and on the 2nd floor of the Student Union. Additional computer labs may be available in your department/college. Computers are also available in the Martin Luther King Library.

A wide variety of audio-visual equipment is available for student checkout from Media Services located in IRC 112. These items include digital and VHS camcorders, VHS and Beta video players, 16 mm, slide, overhead, DVD, CD, and audiotape players, sound systems, wireless microphones, projection screens and monitors.

Learning Assistance Resource Center

The Learning Assistance Resource Center (LARC) is located in Room 600 in the Student Services Center. It is designed to assist students in the development of their full academic potential and to motivate them to become self-directed learners. The center provides support services, such as skills assessment, individual or group tutorials, subject advising, learning assistance, summer academic preparation and basic skills development. The LARC website is located at http:/sjsu.edu/larc/.

SJSU Writing Center

The SJSU Writing Center is located in Room 126 in Clark Hall. It is staffed by professional instructors and upper-division or graduate-level writing specialists from each of the seven SJSU colleges. Our writing specialists have met a rigorous GPA requirement, and they are well trained to assist all students at all levels within all disciplines to become better writers. The Writing Center website is located at .

Peer Mentor Center

The Peer Mentor Center is located on the 1st floor of Clark Hall in the Academic Success Center. The Peer Mentor Center is staffed with Peer Mentors who excel in helping students manage university life, tackling problems that range from academic challenges to interpersonal struggles. On the road to graduation, Peer Mentors are navigators, offering “roadside assistance” to peers who feel a bit lost or simply need help mapping out the locations of campus resources. Peer Mentor services are free and available on a drop –in basis, no reservation required. The Peer Mentor Center website is located at .

Schedule (tentative)

|Date |Topics |Due and/or reading to be |

| | |completed |

|M 8-24 |Introduction to MUSE seminar. Discussion on drug myths and facts | |

|W 8-26 |History of psychoactive drugs: History and classification |Chapter 1 |

|M 8-31 |Drug Use as a Social Problem & Drug Products and Their Regulations |Chapter 2 & 3 |

| |Drug Classification worksheet | |

|W 9-2 |How Drugs Work |Chapter 4 |

| |The Nervous System | |

|M 9-7 |Labor Day – No Class | |

|W 9-9 |Nervous System & The Actions of Drugs/Pharmacokinetics & Pharmacodynamics |Chapter 4 & 5 |

|M 9-14 |The Actions of Drugs |Chapter 5 |

| |Reflection paper #1 due today at beginning of class | |

|W 9-16 |Uppers/Stimulants |Chapter 6 |

| |Amphetamines, amphetamine congeners, look-alikes and | |

| |over-the-counter stimulants, other plant stimulants | |

|M 9-21 |Mandatory Furlough Day – No Class |Chapter 6 |

|W 9-23 |Review for Exam 1 | |

|M 9-28 |Exam 1 (chapters 1-6, plus lecture materials) | |

| |Must have met me at least once during office hours by today | |

|W 9-30 |Downers: Sedative-Hypnotics |Chapter 7 |

| |Sedative-hypnotics: classification, general effects | |

|M 10-5 |Barbiturates, benzodiazepines, other sedative-hyponitics, |Chapter 7 |

| |other problems with depressants | |

| |Depressants worksheet | |

|W 10-7 |Downers: Alcohol |Chapter 9 |

| |Overview, alcoholic beverages, absorption and metabolism | |

|M 10-12 |Downers: Alcohol |Chapter 9 |

| |Alcohol and public health, teenage drinking, treatments for alcohol addiction | |

|W 10-14 |Review for Exam 2 | |

|M 10-19 |Mandatory Furlough Day – No Class | |

|W 10-21 |Exam 2 (Chapters 7, 8, & 9, plus lecture materials) | |

|M 10-26 |Opioids |Chapter 13 |

| |Reflection paper #2 due at beginning of class today | |

|W 10-28 |Opioids |Chapter 13 |

|M 11-2 |All Arounders Hallucinogens |Chapter 14 |

| |Peyote, MDMA and other psychedelics | |

| |DMT worksheet | |

|W 11-4 |All Arounders |Chapter 14 & 15 |

| |Belladonna and other anticholinergic plants, PCP and other psychedelics, | |

| |marijuana and the cannabinols | |

| |Must have met my at least twice during office hours by today | |

|M 11-9 |Hallucinogens & Marijuana continued |Chapter 14 & 15 |

|W 11-11 |Review for Exam 3 | |

|M 11-16 |Veteran’s Day No Class (Campus Closed) | |

|W 11-18 |Exam 3 (chapters 13, 14, 15, plus lecture materials) | |

|M 11-23 |How drugs get to the market place |Handouts |

| |Clinical trials: Preclinical to Phases 1-4, antidepressants and teens, | |

| |performance-enhancing drugs, drug control policy Drug use and prevention: From cradle to grave | |

| |Drugs at work, drug testing, drugs and the elderly | |

|W 11-25 |Prevention & Treatment |Chapter 17 & 18 |

| |Treatment effectiveness, broad range of techniques, beginning treatment | |

| |Reflection paper #3 due at beginning of class today | |

|M 11-30 |Treatment |Chapter 17 & 18 |

| |Treatment goals, selection of a program, treatment continuum, | |

| |individual versus group therapy, treatment and the family, drug-specific treatment | |

| |Community Reinforcement Approach to Drug Treatment worksheet | |

|W 12-2 |Mental/Emotional Health and Drugs |Chapter 8 |

| |Brain chemistry, epidemiology, determining factors | |

|M 12-7 |Mental/Emotional Health and Drugs |Chapter 8 |

| |Dual diagnosis or the Mentally Ill Chemical Abuser: Definition, | |

| |patterns of dual diagnosis, psychiatric medications | |

|M 12-10 |Review for Exam 4 | |

Final exam (Exam 4): Dec 15 (Tuesday) 9:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Covers chapters 17, 18, 8, plus lecture material.

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