Microbiology 5 – General Microbiology
Section 1457
Fall 2025 Syllabus
v1.0 – Last Updated 15AUG2025

Instructor
Ian Perrone
Email: iperrone@santarosa.edu
Office Hours: T/Th: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | F: 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Office hours to be held in Baker 1895. If you need to make an appointment outside of these times, please send me an email – I’ll do everything I can to find a time that will work for both of us!

Class Times & Materials
Laboratory: T/Th 5:30 PM – 8:20 PM, 1885 Baker Hall
Lecture: T/Th 8:30 PM – 9:50 PM, 1801 Baker Hall

Textbook (Required): Microbiology: An Introduction by Gerard J. Tortora, Berdell R. Funke, and Christine L. Case. (Pearson; 13^th edition preferred but not required)
Laboratory Manual (Required): Microbiology 5 Laboratory Text by Claire Shurvinton (Arbor Crest, Santa Rosa Junior College, updated Fall, 2023, ISBN: 979-8852450227)

Course Description & Goals

As described in the course outline of record, at the end of this course, you should be able to:
1. Integrate basic principles of microbial cell structures and processes with evolutionary and ecological concepts.
2. Explain the impact of microbiology on medical, public health, and environmental concerns.
3. Demonstrate proficiency in a variety of standard laboratory techniques used for the routine culture, analysis, and identification of microorganisms.

I think this description does a great job of telling me what I need to help you learn, but it makes the topic of the course sound a bit… dry when it’s actually super interesting! Here are some neat things we’ll be discussing this semester:

• How do bacterial cells differ from eukaryotic cells? Why is this so important, and what can we do with this information?
• What do microbes tell us about the origins of life as we know it? Are all microbes even alive?
• How can we use microbes to accomplish tasks that no human could do alone (yes, even you!)?
• Why do some microbes cause disease? What do they get out of it, anyways? What makes some infectious diseases much easier to treat than others?
• If the world were ending and you needed to identify unknown microorganisms without a microscope to save it, how could you do so (probably not necessary, but you never know...)?
  
  

General Expectations

Microbiology 5 covers a lot of material, and the skills/information that you learn here will be important if you aim for a career in healthcare or biomedical research. That said, just because it’s important (and let’s be honest, a lot of work) doesn’t mean that we can’t have fun this semester! With that objective in mind, here are some norms and expectations I’d like you to keep in mind:

• If something isn’t making sense during lecture or lab, please don’t hesitate to raise your hand to ask questions. If something sounds interesting and you’re curious how it connects to something else we’ve learned, raise your hand to ask questions. Odds are that someone else either has the same/a similar question or would benefit from the answer anyways! If I can’t respond to your question immediately, I will circle back to it when convenient/feasible.
  
  
• We’re all in this together! Please treat your fellow students with the same respect and consideration that you deserve and rightfully expect for yourself. Please adhere to the Student Conduct Policy – in short, when in doubt, be nice!
  
  
• No use of cell phones, laptops, tablets, smart watches, smart glasses, smart water bottles (just kidding… or am I? O_O) for anything other than work related to this course while in the classroom except during breaks. Even if you find that paying attention during class isn’t necessary for your own success, texting, browsing social media, watching videos, etc. will be distracting to others. Beyond this, using a phone or other device during quizzes and exams is considered cheating (more on this later…).
  
  
• Show up to class on time and having completed pre-lab and pre-lecture assignments for the day. Assigned readings for lecture can be completed before or after lecture, but it is highly recommended that you complete these reading assignments within the 24 hours following lecture at the latest. Please complete assigned lab reading before each lab to ensure you have enough time to complete lab activities each day of class. I will be taking attendance (more on this later…). Due to our limited classroom time, you may be tested on material that was not explicitly covered in lecture but was covered in assigned reading. In addition, some material covered in lecture will likely make a lot more sense to you if you’ve done the reading ahead of time – make no mistake, understanding something when explained in lecture is NOT a substitute for understanding it outside of lecture as well!

Phew. Ok, now that we’ve got that out of the way, here are some things you can expect from me to help make things easier and dare I say… more fun!

• I will endeavor to supply snacks, including caffeinated options (!!!) that you can enjoy during break(s). This is an evening course and I’m fully aware that you have lives outside of general microbiology (crazy, I know). I want to make sure that the timing of our classes doesn’t interfere with your goals! I will also be supplying tea and snacks during office hours.
  
  
• Prior to major assessments, I will host extended office hours (details to follow). I will also share a google document where you can post any and all questions! These cloud-based study documents are an excellent place to ask questions anonymously… and answer them anonymously to check your own understanding! I will be regularly checking the study documents in the leadup to exams to ensure that questions are answered correctly, and in a timely fashion.

Course Evaluations and Grading

Quizzes + Exams: 80%                                                                           
Writing Assignments: 10%                                                                  
Oral Presentation: 3%                                                                                                                              Lecture Participation: 2.5%                                                                
Laboratory Participation: 2.5%                                                       
Laboratory Practical Assessments: 2%                                                                                                  

Total: 100%

Grading Policies

Attendance: Attendance is required. If you cannot attend class due to illness or an emergency, please let me know as soon as you are able. Attendance and participation in lecture and lab will earn points towards the respective lecture/lab participation scores. For an absence to be excused, you must provide paperwork that explains the nature of the absence (such as a signed doctor’s note). To account for unexpected/unforeseeable circumstances, the first two absences will not count against your participation scores (but missed quizzes, exams, and in-class assignments will still count as missed). Do not use these “safe” absences lightly!

Make-Up Exams: Lecture exams and quizzes may be made up with my prior approval. Requests for lecture make-up exams and quizzes MUST be accompanied by some form of documentation (such as a signed doctor’s note). Make-up lecture exams and quizzes will be scheduled within one week of the original assessment date barring exceptional circumstances (if unsure whether your circumstances are exceptional, get in touch with me!). Note that lab exams cannot be made up, as they require significant preparation on the part of SRJC staff.

Late Assignment Submissions & Extensions: Assignments turned in up to a week late will not be penalized for tardiness. Assignments turned in later than a week after the initial due date will lose 10% of the maximum possible score for every additional week that they remain unsubmitted. This is meant to encourage you to plan your time accordingly – if circumstances beyond your control are interfering with completion of your assignments, please meet with me and we will discuss whether an exception to this policy is appropriate.

Exam Review Policy: It is the policy of the Biological Sciences Department to not return exams to students. Once graded, your exams will be filed in my office and available for review during the semester. After each exam is graded you have one week to hand in any rebuttals, in writing, concerning the grading of that exam. After that week, your grade will remain as given. After final course grades are posted, exams will be kept in my office for a period of one year, after which time they will be shredded.

Academic Integrity & Artificial Intelligence: Students are expected to adhere to strict academic honesty – no exceptions. Cheating and/or plagiarism will result in receiving a zero on the affected assignment(s), and an official academic dishonesty report will be filed as per institutional guidelines on academic integrity.

For the sake of clarity, cheating is defined as any attempt, successful or unsuccessful, to subvert assessments meant to evaluate your individual comprehension of the material covered in this course. Examples include, but are not limited to, submitting work done by others and passing it off as your own, using notes when not explicitly authorized during exams, and generally any attempt to get credit for material that does not reflect your own understanding and thoughts about topics discussed in class. If you are unsure whether something you plan to do would be considered cheating, please contact me. Otherwise, it’s better to be safe than sorry!

I will do everything I can to provide you with the resources and assistance to achieve your target grade honestly – as such, any cheating will be taken very seriously. Cheating doesn’t just deprive you of the skills and knowledge you will need for your future academic and professional careers, it also undermines the honest work of your peers. Just don’t do it! Similarly, artificial intelligence, though an emerging technology with potential benefits for learning, can be used to circumvent the work meant to help you learn. Submitted written assignments that I suspect of being generated by AI will be subject to additional scrutiny, which may result in receiving a zero for the affected assignment(s).

Additional Resources & Information

Special Considerations: Please let me know of any special needs or concerns you may have. You may reach out to me via email or Canvas message, during office hours, or set up an appointment to discuss your needs or concerns. We will work together to address them if possible.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: Accommodations are collaborative efforts between students, faculty, and the Disability Resources Department (DRD). Students with accommodations approved through DRD are requested to contact me during the first two weeks to discuss these accommodations if possible. Students who believe they are eligible for accommodations but who have not yet obtained approval through DRD should contact DRD immediately. Their office is in Room 4844 (3^rd floor), Bertolini Student Center (707) 527-4278.

Physical and Mental Health: Should you experience any physical or mental health issues, know that all of us at SRJC care about your well-being (we really, really do!). SRJC’s Student Health Services (SHS) has nurse practitioners and mental health therapists available. Sessions are free for SRJC students taking credit or non-credit classes, and some providers can converse with you in Spanish if you prefer. SHS also has on-site covid rapid testing and vaccinations available also at no cost. To start the process for any type of physical or mental health appointment contact Student Health at 707 527-4445 or email studenthealthservices@santarosa.edu. More information about all that Student Health Services provides is available at shs.santarosa.edu.

Emergency Evacuation Plan: In case of emergency, dial 527-1000 from a cell phone or 1000 from any campus phone. In the event of an emergency during class that requires evacuation of the building, please leave the class immediately, but calmly. Our class will meet at Bech Parking Lot to make sure everyone exited the building safely and to receive further instructions. If you are a student with a disability who may need assistance in an evacuation, please see me during my office hours as soon as possible so we can discuss an evacuation plan.

Tentative Course Schedule: