NRC 381: NATURAL RESOURCE POLICY ANALYSIS
Spring 2009
Syllabus

General Information

  1. This class meets on Tuesday and Thursday, 8:00a.m. - 9:15p.m., Room 227, Charles Barnhart Bldg.
  2. Instructor: Dr. Craig Infanger
    Phone: 257-7274
    Room 415, Barnhart Bldg.
    E-mail: Craig.Infanger@uky.edu
    Class Assistant: Mr. Simon Jette-Nantel,
    Room 417 Barnhart
  3. Office Hours: Monday-Wednesday, 9:30-10:30am or by appointment
  4. Required text: Environmental Policy and Politics, Michael E. Kraft, Fourth Edition, Pearson-Longman. 2007 (can be purchased “used” but be sure to get Fourth Edition)

    Supplementary Text: Playing God in Yellowstone, Alston Chase, Harcourt, 1987. (Can be purchased as a used book on the internet. Copy on reserve in the Ag Library.)
















Course Objectives

  1. To heighten students' awareness of the complexities in the evolution of environmental thought and its relationship to natural resource policy.
  2. To provide an overview and historical perspective about the natural resource policy process and the key natural resource management and regulatory agencies.
  3. To investigate basic analytical concepts and tools necessary to systematically analyze and evaluate the performance and consequences of natural resource and environmental policies so that students can conduct a case-specific analysis of one federal or state natural resource or environmental policy and orally present the results of the analysis.

Course Policies and Procedures

  1. There is a web page for NRC 381 at this URL: www.uky.edu/Classes/NRC/381/ This web page contains a copy of this syllabus, the assigned readings, and other materials related to the major sections of the class. This page has been designed to help link students with other materials related to the research assignments and lectures. In addition, some lecture materials may also be posted at this site.
  2. The instructional format is readings, study assignments, lectures, class discussion and a semester-long case study in natural resource policy analysis, including an oral presentation before outside reviewers. Required reading assignments will be given from the assigned textbooks, other books, journals, and government reports or from material posted on the class web page or accessed on the WWW. Students are expected to have reading assignments and study assignments completed in advance of class lectures. Regular class attendance and participation are expected but not mandatory.
  3. A request for an excused absence should be made at least one class period before the absence is to occur. Any exam or assignment missed because of an excused absence must be made up within one week of the due date.
  4. Any student with a documented special need or access problem should talk to me on the first day of class so appropriate measures can be taken to address these concerns.
  5. It is always a good idea to telephone my office before making a visit since I am often out of the office on trips to locations around the state.
  6. Turn off cell phones when entering class. During any examination or presentation, use of any device that will allow you to connect to any place outside the classroom will be considered cheating (e.g., cell phones, iPods, PDAs, Blackberries, or related devices).
  7. Academic Grading. There will be 1000 total points possible. Students will be graded on study assignments (340 points maximum), class participation and discussion (50 points), a policy analysis project (300 points), and two examinations (140 points & 170 points). The oral presentation of the policy analysis assignment will be evaluated by classmates, the instructor, and a panel of outside reviewers. There will be no final examination. In grading the policy analysis project, these criteria will be applied:
    • Careful and complete analysis of the assigned topic;
    • Evidence of original research and creative thought;
    • Application of appropriate analytical concepts and logical organization;
    • Oral presentation and style; and
    • Writing mechanics and usage.
    The penalty for late completion of the policy analysis project will be -33%. Grades will be posted periodically on the class web page by PIN, for those students wanting online access to grades.

    Letter grades will be based on the following performance standards:
    91%-100% =
    A
    81%-90% =
    B
    71%-80% =
    C
    61%-70% =
    D
    below 61% =
    E

    For the oral discussion points, 25 points will be deducted each time a student is absent or unprepared to adequately respond to questions about the assigned readings or class discussion topic during a class session. Every student will be allowed to use one FREE PASS to restore 25 oral discussion points. To use this pass, cut it out, sign it and give it to Dr. Infanger at the next class session. FREE PASS

    Bonus Points: Any NRC 381 student who gets a “Letter to the Editor” or “Op-Ed” article published in a print or online daily or weekly newspaper, relating natural resource or environmental policy issues will receive 20-35 bonus points, based upon the nature of the creative thought and persuasiveness of the arguments.

  8. Study assignments will be used to encourage completion of assigned readings on time and reward students with notes which can be used during the in-class exams. Study assignments will be handed out in advance. Each assignment will be worth a specified number of points (5 to 40) and the student’s score will depend on completeness and meeting the deadline. Missing or late study assignments will receive -5 points each. The maximum total points to be earned on study assignments will be 340. All study assignments will be returned to students during the exams for consultation while writing the exam.
  9. The writing assignments, the policy case study, and all examinations are expected to be the products of your own investigation, thinking, and writing. Plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated. This warning should be underscored for material obtained from the internet. Some students have erroneously assumed that material on the internet is somehow “public domain” and can be re-typed or “copied and pasted” for submission as original work. For more detailed information about plagiarism, consult the Academic Ombud’s website (http://www.uky.edu/Ombud/Plagiarism.pdf). Because the university has experienced serious problems, the University Senate took a stiff position on the penalties for academic offenses like cheating and plagiarism:
    If the offense is the student’s first, the instructor must impose a zero for the assignment; an additional penalty of extra work, reduced letter grade, or E/F in class may be imposed at the instructor’s discretion. If the penalty is less than E/F, a “letter of warning” creates a record of the minor offense. If the offense is particularly egregious and the Chair agrees, the instructor may recommend to the Dean that XE/XF be imposed.

TOPICAL OUTLINE AND TENTATIVE TIME SCHEDULE

January 15 - February 10: Elements of environmental thought, the concept and meanings of wilderness/conservation/ecosystem science, green thinking and environmental propaganda
February 12 - Exam #1
February 17 March 5: Overview of policymaking process, major natural resource agencies
March 10 - March 26: Policy analysis and evaluation techniques
March 31: Exam #2
April 2- April 16: Policy Analysis case study
April 21: First draft paper and presentations due
April 23- 30: In-class policy analysis presentations
Wednesday, April 30, 10:30am: Final Policy Analysis Memorandum due


There will be no final exam in this class.