ABS 360 Southwest Home Gardening Course Syllabus
2019 Fall C session
CONTACT INFORMATION
Course Instructor: Dr. Chris Martin
Email: chris.martin@asu.edu
This course is offered by the College of Integrative Sciences and Arts. For more information about the school,
visit our website: https://cisa.asu.edu. If you have questions or concerns, then please send your inquiry to
cisa@asu.edu
Because this is an iCourse offered exclusively through ASU Canvas, the best way to contact the course instructor
is by via email. Although every effort will be made to respond to student emails, students should not expect an
immediate response to emails, especially during evenings, weekends, or the day of a module deadline.
Instructor office hours are offered to students by appointment only.
Email Communications
All email communication for this class will be done through your ASU email account. You should be in the habit
of checking your ASU email regularly as you will not only receive important information about your class(es), but
other important university updates and information. You are solely responsible for reading and responding if
necessary to any information communicated via email. For help with your email go to:
http://help.asu.edu/sims/selfhelp/SelfHelpHome.seam?dept_pk=822 and file a help desk ticket by clicking on
“My Help Center.”
NOTE: The instructor will only respond to student emails sent to the instructor via the student’s official MyASU
email address. For example: chris.martin@asu.edu
The Instructor will not respond to students send an email to the Instructor from a non-ASU email address. Again,
students are responsible for communicating with the instructor through the official ASU email account. Please
keep this in mind when composing an email to the instructor.
COURSE FORMAT
This is an iCourse consisting of four modules on different aspects of gardening in the
Southwest including how to design and maintain sustainable landscape gardens, gardening for amenity, and
gardening for food. The core of the class consists of four modules that are available on MyASU Canvas. Each
module consists of three topics and is organized so that students can efficiently complete the activities and
quizzes for each module within the ample time allotted.
For each module, students must review all information including readings, videos and then complete three
online quizzes by the module deadlines given below. Prior to taking the online quizzes, students should print out
the topic study guide, complete the short reading assignments, view the instructional videos and readings, and
finally fill out the study guide. Having completed this, students will then be prepared to successfully take the
online quizzes.
The quizzes are open notes and can only be taken once during the module period. An announcement will be
posted for students on the Canvas Web page when modules become available in order to remind students of
the module deadlines. Canvas announcements are merely reminders given to students as a courtesy. Student
failure to see these courtesy reminders does not constitute an excusable reason for failure to perform.
REQUIRED TEXTBOOK
There is no required textbook in this course. Students wanting more subject information should purchase The
NEW Sunset Western Garden Book, 2012 Edition. Students may purchase this text at many local bookstores and
garden centers. It is also available online at amazon.com. This is a general book about landscaping and gardening
in the western U.S.A. This textbook is a great resource with information that students will find useful for the
course, as well as information about plants adapted to the desert Southwest. Otherwise, there are reading
assignments posted on Canvas.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT AND DEADLINES
Module Content
Module Deadline
Plants in Southwest Landscapes and Gardens
September 11 @ 11:59 pm
Creating Sustainable Southwest Landscape Gardens
October 9 @ 11:59 pm
Edible Southwest Gardens
November 6 @ 11:59 pm
Sustainable Landscape Practices
December 4 @ 11:59 pm
Students are allowed to work through the course materials at their own pace with the following caveats:
1. Students must review all content material and submit the quizzes for each topic within a module prior to
the module deadline before moving on to the next module in the course.
2. Quizzes within a module that are not completed prior to the module deadlines published above will be
given an automatic score of 0.
3. Each topic's quiz is open book/notes and can only be taken only once.
THE COURSE GRADING SYSTEM
Student’s grades for the quizzes will be posted electronically in the MyASU Canvas gradebook. A student’s final
course grade will be based on a 310 point system. Students will earn points on the 12 online quizzes. Plus and
minus grades will not be assigned.
Final Grade
Point range
A
279 - 310
B
248 - 278
C
217 - 247
D
186 – 216
E
185 and less
There are no extra credit opportunities for students in this iCourse. Final course grades will be issued by the
Course Instructor on MyASU roster grades at the end of the session.
COURSE POLICIES
There are no Barrett Student Honor‘s contracts offered for this course.
Students are strongly encouraged to not procrastinate by waiting until the last few days before a
module deadline to review the module content and do the module assessments. Students should be in
the habit of monitoring their grades, especially after the closing of a module deadline. If you feel there
is a discrepancy, contact the instructor ASAP. Do NOT wait until the end of the semester to check your
grades and ask to make up work. This will be denied.
The module deadlines are fixed and NO extensions will be granted to students after 5 days before each
of the module deadlines posted above. For example, the first module deadline is September 11, which
means that after September 6 NO extensions will be granted regardless of conditions or circumstances.
Student requests for an extension to a module deadline are not guaranteed. The Course Instructor
reserves the sole right to grant or deny a student’s request for a module extension. Under the unusual
and rare situation or circumstance in which the Course Instructor does grant a deadline extension, the
extension interval given to students is generally 1 to 2 days only.
Students are strongly encouraged to take the course’s online quizzes from a computer with a hard-wired
Internet connection. Students are strongly discouraged from taking their online quizzes using a Wi-Fi or
cellular phone Internet connection. When a student experiences any problems with Internet
connectivity while taking an online exam, then the student will assume total responsibility for this
problem and cannot use this problem as an excuse for non-performance.
Students must keep in mind that the Course Instructor though always prioritizing student success, may
not be able to resolve “last minute” kinds of Internet or Canvas related problems because of the very
high number of students enrolled in this course. Students must be mindful that in no way can the
Course Instructor be held responsible or be expected to solve these types of student problems or issues.
Students cannot use the failure, malfunction, or misuse of their personal technology (computers, mobile
phones, etc.) as an excuse for their non-performance at any time during the course session.
The Course Instructor is not an information technology specialist. Students cannot expect the Course
Instructor to solve problems that students might have that are unrelated to the course content.
Students MUST use their asu.edu email address for all correspondences in this course. For Internet
security reasons, the Instructor is not obligated to respond to students who try to correspond to the
Instructor using an email account other than their asu.edu email account.
Students should direct problems they might experience with their computer technology issues such as
Internet connectivity and ASU Canvas site access to an ASU UTO specialist (https://uto.asu.edu/).
Students can expect that the only time that the Course Instructor will give students a module extension
after 5 days before a module deadline is if there is a MyASU or Canvas outage that is published by ASU
UTO on their System Health web site (https://uto.asu.edu/system-health).
A student's failure to read the information presented in this syllabus or on the course's Canvas
website DOES NOT constitute a valid excuse for not complying with the information presented
therein.
DROP AND WITHDRAWAL DATES
Please refer to the academic calendar on the deadlines to drop/withdraw from this course.
Consult with your advisor and notify your instructor if you are going to drop/withdraw this course.
If you are considering a withdrawal, review the following ASU policies: Withdrawal from Classes,
Medical/Compassionate Withdrawal.
Please note that the ASU Academic Calendar only refers to withdrawal for the academic portion of your study
abroad program. Please refer to the Study Abroad Withdrawal Policies for important dates regarding
withdrawing from your Faculty Directed program.
INCOMPLETES
A mark of "I" (incomplete) is given by the instructor when you have completed most of the course and are
otherwise doing acceptable work but are unable to complete the course because of illness or other conditions
beyond your control. You are required to arrange with the instructor for the completion of the course
requirements. The arrangement must be recorded on the Request for Grade of Incomplete form
(http://students.asu.edu/forms/incomplete-graderequest).
UNIVERSITY POLICIES
Establishing a Safe Environment
Learning takes place best when a safe environment is established in the classroom. In accordance with SSM 104-
02 of the Student Services Manual, students enrolled in this course have a responsibility to support an
environment that nurtures individual and group differences and encourages engaged, honest discussions. The
success of the course rests on your ability to create a safe environment where everyone feels comfortable to
share and explore ideas. We must also be willing to take risks and ask critical questions. Doing so will effectively
contribute to our own and others intellectual and personal growth and development. We welcome
disagreements in the spirit of critical academic exchange, but please remember to be respectful of others’
viewpoints, whether you agree with them or not. All incidents and allegations of violent or threatening conduct
by an ASU student (whether on- or off-campus) must be reported to the ASU Police Department (ASU PD) and
the Office of the Dean of Students. If either office determines that the behavior poses or has posed a serious
threat to personal safety or to the welfare of the campus, the student will not be permitted to return to campus
or reside in any ASU residence hall until an appropriate threat assessment has been completed and, if necessary,
conditions for return are imposed. ASU PD, the Office of the Dean of Students, and other appropriate offices will
coordinate the assessment in light of the relevant circumstances.
Email Communication
ASU email is an official means of communication among students, faculty, and staff. Students are expected to
read and act upon email in a timely fashion. Students bear the responsibility of missed messages and should
check their ASU-assigned email regularly. All instructor correspondence will be sent to your ASU email account.
For help with your email go to: MyASU > Service > Live Chat OR New Ticket.
Prohibition of Commercial Notetaking Services
In accordance with ACD 304-06 Commercial Note Taking Services, written permission must be secured from the
official instructor of the class in order to sell the instructor's oral communication in the form of notes. Notes
must have the note taker’s name as well as the instructor's name, the course number, and the date.
Academic Integrity
Arizona State University and the College of Integrative Sciences and Arts strongly believe in academic integrity;
thus cheating and plagiarism is not tolerated. Students must refrain from uploading to any course shell,
discussion board, or website used by the course instructor or other course forum, material that is not the
student's original work, unless the students first comply with all applicable copyright laws; faculty members
reserve the right to delete materials on the grounds of suspected copyright infringement.
Academic honesty is expected of all students in all examinations, papers, laboratory work, academic
transactions and records. The possible sanctions include, but are not limited to, appropriate grade penalties,
course failure (indicated on the transcript as a grade of E), course failure due to academic dishonesty (indicated
on the transcript as a grade of XE), loss of registration privileges, disqualification and dismissal. For more
information, see http://provost.asu.edu/academicintegrity.
If you fail to meet the standards of academic integrity in any of the criteria listed on the university policy
website, sanctions will be imposed by the instructor, college, and/or dean. Academic dishonesty includes, but is
not limited to, cheating on an academic evaluation or assignment, plagiarizing, academic deceit (such as
fabricating data or information), or falsifying academic records. Turning in an assignment (all or in part) that you
completed for a previous class is considered self-plagiarism and falls under these guidelines. Any infractions of
self-plagiarism are subject to the same penalties as copying someone else’s work without proper citations.
Students who have taken this class previously and would like to use the work from previous assignments should
contact the instructor for permission to do so.
If you have any doubt about whether the form of cooperation you contemplate is acceptable, ask the TA or the
instructor in advance of turning in an assignment. Please be aware that the work of all students submitted
electronically can be scanned using plagiarism detection software, which compares them against everything
posted on the internet, online article/paper databases, newspapers and magazines, and papers submitted by
other students (including yourself if submitted for a previous class).
Student resources on Sun Devil Integrity and strategies for completing your work with integrity and avoiding
plagiarism are available here: https://provost.asu.edu/academic-integrity/resources/students. If you have any
questions about your work and the academic integrity policy, please discuss your assignment or concerns with
your instructor or TA in advance of submitting an assignment.
Students with Disabilities
If you need academic accommodations or special consideration of any kind to get the most out of this class,
please let me know at the beginning of the course. If you have a disability and need a reasonable
accommodation for equal access to education at ASU, please call Disability Resources for Students (DRC). The
site can be found here: eoss.asu.edu/drc. Instructors cannot provide accommodations without authorization
from the DRC.
Downtown Phoenix Campus
Post Office Building, Suite 201
Phone: 602.496.4321
E-mail: DRCDowntown@asu.edu
Polytechnic Campus
Sutton Hall - Suite 240
Phone: 480.727.1039
E-mail: DRCPoly@asu.edu
Tempe Campus
Matthews Center building, 1st floor
Phone: 480.965.1234
E-mail: DRCTempe@asu.edu
West Campus
University Center Building, Room 130
Phone:602.543.8145
E-mail: DRCWest@asu.edu
Mental Health
As a student, like anyone else, you may experience a range of challenges that can interfere with learning, such as
strained relationships, increased anxiety, substance use, and feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack
of motivation. These emotional health concerns or stressful events may diminish your academic performance
and/or reduce your ability to participate in daily activities. ASU Counseling Services provides counseling and
crisis services for students who are experiencing a mental health concern. Any student may call or walk-in to any
ASU counseling center for a same day or future appointment to discuss any personal concern. Here is the Web
site: eoss.asu.edu/counseling. After office hours and 24/7 ASU's dedicated crisis line is available for crisis
consultation by calling 480-921-1006.
Student Code of Conduct
Students are required to adhere to the behavior standards listed in the Arizona Board of Regents Policy Manual
Chapter V –Campus and Student Affairs: Code of Conduct located online at students.asu.edu/srr/code and the
ACD 125: Computer, Internet, and Electronic Communications available at
asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd125.html.
Students are entitled to receive instruction free from interference by other members of the class. An instructor
may withdraw a student from a course when the student’s behavior disrupts the educational process under USI
201-10 asu.edu/aad/manuals/ssm/ssm201-10.html. An instructor may withdraw a student from a course with a
mark of “W” or “E” when the student’s behavior disrupts the educational process. Disruptive classroom
behavior for this purpose is defined by the instructor.
Harassment Prohibited
ASU policy prohibits harassment on the basis of race, sex, gender identity, age, religion, national origin,
disability, sexual orientation, Vietnam era veteran status, and other protected veteran status. Violations of this
policy may result in disciplinary action, including termination of employees or expulsion of students. Contact the
professor if you are concerned about online harassment of any kind, and he/she will put you in contact with the
Dean of Students office.
Title IX
Title IX is a federal law that provides that no person be excluded on the basis of sex from participation in, be
denied benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity. Both Title IX and
university policy make clear that sexual violence and harassment based on sex is prohibited. An individual who
believes they have been subjected to sexual violence or harassed on the basis of sex can seek support, including
counseling and academic support, from the university. If you or someone you know has been harassed on the
basis of sex or sexually assaulted, you can find information and resources at
sexualviolenceprevention.asu.edu/faqs. “As a mandated reporter, I am obligated to report any information I
become aware of regarding alleged acts of sexual discrimination, including sexual violence and dating
violence. ASU Counseling Services, https://eoss.asu.edu/counseling, is available if you wish discuss any concerns
confidentially and privately.”
Statement on Inclusion
Arizona State University is deeply committed to positioning itself as one of the great new universities by seeking
to build excellence, enhance access and have an impact on our community, state, nation and the world. To do
that requires our faculty and staff to reflect the intellectual, ethnic and cultural diversity of our nation and world
so that our students learn from the broadest perspectives, and we engage in the advancement of knowledge
with the most inclusive understanding possible of the issues we are addressing through our scholarly activities.
We recognize that race and gender historically have been markers of diversity in institutions of higher
education. However, at ASU, we believe that diversity includes additional categories such as socioeconomic
background, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran status, nationality and
intellectual perspective.
Campus Resources
There is clear evidence that students who take advantage of academic support services perform better
academically. As an ASU student you have access to many resources on campus. This includes tutoring,
academic success coaching, counseling services, financial aid, disability resources, career and internship help
and many opportunities to get involved in student clubs and organizations.
Tutoring: students.asu.edu/academic-success
Counseling Services: students.asu.edu/counseling
Financial Aid: students.asu.edu/financialaid
Disability Resource Center: asu.edu/studentaffairs/ed/drc/
Major/Career Exploration: uc.asu.edu/majorexploration/assessment
Career Services: students.asu.edu/career
Student Organizations: asu.edu/studentaffairs/mu/clubs/
ASU Writing Centers: tutoring.asu.edu/writing-centers
ASU Police Department: cfo.asu.edu/police
International Student Resources: students.asu.edu/international/support/academic
Syllabus Disclaimer
The course syllabus is an educational contract between the instructor and students. Every effort will be made to
avoid changing the course schedule but the possibility exists that unforeseen events will make syllabus changes
necessary. The instructor reserves the right to make changes to the syllabus as deemed necessary. Students will
