• The debate for Issue #2 is whether you agree or disagree with this statement “The Grace Company should be held responsible.” Please watch the Youtube video for an introduction at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04iyh_g9XFA
• Please let me know ASAP if you want to be a judge for Issue #2. We can have 5 judges again this time. If you have been a judge before, you cannot be a judge this time. I will post the names of the judges as soon as I hear from 5 of you.
• For EVERYONE except for the judges, please email me by the end of Wednesday (10/1) your side and your role. I will then post the names on each side, as well as your contact information.
• By 10/15 (Wednesday), EVERYONE except for the judges will need to post a position statement, AND by 10/22 (Wednesday) a short video. The short video must be something that you recorded, relevant to issue #2, limited to 3 minutes maximum. It does not have to be that you are making statements. You can be creative on this!
• Everyone will have chance to read the posted statements and view the videos in the week of 10/15-10/29, to prepare for the debate on 10/29.
• We’ll meet on 10/29 to start the debate. Look for more announcements prior to that date.
• In redard to the term poster project, here is the list of topics & groups: (1) Green Market - Babushkin, Azimov, Schwartz, Cheung; (2) Tap water vs. bottle water - Ishak, Salame, Chan, Harari, seo; (3) NYC public transportation development - Leung, Papadopoulos, Ratna; (4) Jamaica Bay - Alessandro, Tlya, salim, Bushra, Jon; (5) Waste disposal - Chudner, Shteyler, M Sahin, A Sahin, Eze.  Please let me know if you want to change.
• Judges for Issue 1: please email me your 2-3 page summary as soon as it is ready.

Macaulay Honors College

Seminar 3 2008

Meet the Scientists

Is it Time to Revive Nuclear Power? 

This is a copy of the Chapter Issue 12: Is it time to Revive Nuclear Power? (P220-240), taken from the textbook. Click on the above link to download the PDF file.

I’ve noticed that at amazon.com there don’t have the 13th version of the textbook in stock. You can buy the earlier versions which should also work. The book is very affordable at <$30 each.

Also, I forgot to mention that when you upload your Position Statement, please indicate both your name and your role and side in the title. This will make it easier for me to keep track. Thanks!

CHC 3 Seminar: Debating Environmental Issues

Brooklyn College, Fall 2008

Instructor:

Professor Joshua (Zhongqi) CHENG 

E-mail – zcheng@brooklyn.cuny.edu

 Office: Room 5135, Ingersol (N)

Office Phone: (718) 951-5000 ext. 2647, on campus dial 2647

Office Hours –Thursdays 3:45-5 PM, or by appointments 

 (Email is the best way to contact me under non-emergency situations)

Tech Fellow:
Jennifer Griffith (jgriffiti@gmail.com)

Meeting Time & Location

Every Wednesday 1 – 3:30 PM in Rm 522A

Required Textbook:

Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Environmental Issues, 13^th edition, by Thomas A. Eaton, McGraw-Hill.  ISBN 978-0-07-351444-4

Class website Http://macaulay.cuny.edu/seminars/cheng08/

Course Description:

The purpose of this course is to introduce you to a number of contemporary issues regarding our environment. As is always the case, any environmental issues are complicated by many factors beyond science, such as politics, economics, cultural and social limitations. Often, reality is not simply black or white, but is colored by an infinite number of subtles of gray.  Therefore, when confronted by differing opinions and points of view, it is necessary to develop the ability to comprehend, evaluate, and make decisions in the face of uncertainty. The use of such “critical thinking skills” can have a profound impact upon one’s life in terms of academic, professional, and personal success.

Course Objectives:

1.      To introduce you to a number of concepts, controversial issues, and theories in contemporary environmental sciences, as well as literature research methods.

2.      To provide you with thinking skills that will enable you to analyze, evaluate, critique, and make decisions concerning complex contemporary issues in environmental problems at different scales.

3.      To help you improve your communication skills, both written and oral, in order to enhance your effectiveness in expressing your view on the issues. To this end, there will be many written assignments and much class discussion.

4.      To encourage you to become more tolerant of ambiguity and diversity and increase your ability to deal with multiple points of view.

Course Requirements:

1.      Position Statement.  For each of the five topics that we’ll debate on, each student will need to act in DIFFERENT role (e.g., President of United States, DEP, a farmer, a student at BC, a local resident, a factory worker, etc. ), stand in that role’s position and write a 1-page position statement. You must do sufficient research on the topic and write in a way that truly represents that role. The position statement will need to be uploaded to the blog website one week before the live debate so that everyone else can read and comment on it.  The position statement will be graded by the instructor and your peer.

2.      Live Debate.  Other than five students who will serve as judges, the rest of the students will divide into two groups which either support or against the issue.  The debate will be moderated by the instructor.  Each group will need to do sufficient homework beforehand to analyze, evaluate and critique the other group’s position statements.  Each group is allowed to do short presentations to state their position and arguments.  Innovations, humor, data & graphs, comparison, as well as other techniques are strongly encouraged in the presentation and debate.  The debate will be recorded and posted on the blog website for viewing and commenting.  The Live Debate will be graded by the instructor and the judging panel (rotated each week).  Everyone on the judging panel will need to write summary evaluations and comments to both sides of the debate, in addition to giving the grade.

3.      Final Presentation & Letter to the Mayor (or Governor, or the Congress, etc.): we will be divided into 5 groups, each work on a different environmental topic in New York City area.  You must discuss with the instructor the issue that you’ll be working with.  You will need to carefully gather and evaluate different views on the issue and make a poster presentation that encompasses major views.  Each group will need to submit a Letter to the Mayor (5 pages, single space, 12 point Times New Roman) that summaries your suggestions and arguments.

Course Grading:

Your grade in this course will be determined on the following percentage distribution:

A. Five 1-page position statement: 25%

B. Live debate: 25%

C. Participation (judging, teamwork, leadership, blogs, comments): 25%

D. Final Presentation & Letter                        25%

(For A, B and C, grades will be given after each debate)

University’s policy on Academic Integrity:

The faculty and administration of Brooklyn College support an environment free from cheating and plagiarism. Each student is responsible for being aware of what constitutes cheating and plagiarism and for avoiding both.  The complete text of the CUNY Academic Integrity Policy and the Brooklyn College procedure for implementing that policy can be found at this site:  http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/bc/policies.  If a faculty member suspects a violation of academic integrity and, upon investigation, confirms that violation, or if the student admits the violation, the faculty member MUST report the violation.

In order to receive disability-related academic accommodations students must first be registered with the Center for Student Disability Services. Students who have a documented disability or suspect they may have a disability are invited to set up an appointment with the Director of the Center for Student Disability Services, Ms. Valerie Stewart-Lovell at 718-951-5538. If you have already registered with the Center for Student Disability Services please provide your professor with the course accommodation form and discuss your specific accommodation with him/her.  The state law regarding non-attendance because of religious beliefs can be found on p. 53 in the Bulletin.

Tentative Schedule