INFORMATION PAGE
for substantive proposals only

1. Did this course receive unanimous approval within the Department?

true

If not, what are the major concerns raised by the opponents?

2. If this is a new course proposal, could you achieve the desired results by revising an existing course within your department or by requiring an existing course in another department?

The ideas and information in this new course could not be taught through the revision of an existing Honors class. Below is Stacy Palen's evaluation of classes that share bits and pieces of this new course, but none cover the same range of ideas.

Because this course is an interdisciplinary course, it contains elements that are often taught in many other courses, but assembles them in a different way than any of those courses. Most of these other courses are survey courses that do not reference primary texts. Given that one of the Learning Outcomes is to show that sciences are interconnected, overlap between this and courses in other departments is not only inevitable, but decidedly desirable.

Astronomy: ASTR/PHYS 1040 has the strongest overlap with this course. ASTR 1040 overlaps with portions of the content from weeks 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12 and 13. But this honors course goes more into depth in stellar spectra and planet detection. This course references the source data. It also leaves out, for example, the larger Universe.

Chemistry: CHEM 1010 also covers emission/absorption and information about spectral classification of elements. This honors course extends this information into the realm of stars, to explore how we know what stars are made of. Some organic chemistry is necessary to discuss DNA, microbial life and the arsenic bacteria fiasco. Introductory chemistry does not, in general, apply these concepts to the question of life in the universe.

Geosciences: GEO 1020 covers the fossil record and the history of life on Earth. This honors course will briefly address the beginning of life on Earth. The overlap is minimal. GEO 1030 focuses on earthquakes and volcanoes. We will address the impact of volcanoes on Mars, Venus and Earth, but in the sense of comparative planetology, not in the sense of a detailed understanding of the underlying geology. Earth as a special locale for life due to plate tectonics will also be discussed.

Mathematics: several concepts and techniques from mathematics (arithmetic, graphing, algebra, geometry, spherical geometry, curve fitting, Gaussian distributions, statistics, etc.) will be used in this course, in context. These concepts are covered widely in several different math courses.

Microbiology: MICR 1113 is an introduction to microorganisms, their biology and their relationships to health, technology and the environment. This honors course overlaps only in the relationship to the environment. We will look specifically at microbes in extreme environments, and compare the locations in which extremophiles flourish on Earth to possible environments elsewhere in the Solar System and the Milky Way.

3. How will the proposed course differ from similar offerings by other departments? Comment on any subject overlap between this course and topics generally taught by other departments, even if no similar courses are currently offered by the other departments. Explain any effects that this proposal will have on program requirements or enrollments in other department. Please forward letters (email communication is sufficient) from all departments that you have identified above stating their support or opposition to the proposed course.

I have discussed the course with the Honors Steering Committee (Bill Lorowitz, Madonne Miner and Susan Matt) and Associate Provost Ryan Thomas. Stacy Palen has also discussed the course with her department. No one foresaw a conflict with departmental offerings. In fact, faculty welcomed this approach as an effective way to deepen students' understanding and to promote open-ended inquiry.

4. Is this course required for certification/accreditation of a program?

no

If so, a statement to that effect should appear in the justification and supporting documents should accompany this form.

5. For course proposals, e-mail a syllabus to Faculty Senate which should be sufficiently detailed that the committees can determine that the course is at the appropriate level and matches the description. There should be an indication of the amount and type of outside activity required in the course (projects, research papers, homework, etc.).