J A FRIENDLY NOTE FROM YOUR TA ! J

SPRING 2004

Course: Bio 213 Diversity and Ecology (unique # 46575, 46580, 46585, 46590, 46595)

Discussion website: www.sbs.utexas.edu/gonzalez/bio213/discussions.htm

TA: Krushnamegh Kunte

Phone: 471-4506                                                      

Email: krushnamegh@mail.utexas.edu

Office: PAT 627 (on the top floor in Patterson, which is on 24^th and Speedway. The easiest way to find my office is look for a door with a huge human skull hanging on top. I welcome all prey).

Office hours: Don’t have fixed office hours. Call up and drop by or email to fix an appointment. I am in my office whenever you need me. At other times, who knows?

Discussion sections that I TA:

Bldg & room                        Time

GEA 127                              M: 8:00-9:00

JES A217A                           F: 8:00-9:00

CBA 4.326                           W: 12:00-13:00

RLM 7.124                           F: 12:00-13:00

CBA 4.324                            W: 13:00-14:00

Switching between discussion sections: It is not necessary that you attend only the section for which you are registered. You can switch to a different discussion and time as long as you take the decision as soon as possible, and then stick to it throughout the semester. Due to conflict with my class schedule, discussion section on Wednesday will be re-scheduled for evening hours. If the changed timing doesn’t suit you, you should consider switching to other discussion sections.  Anyway, we'll make sure that you can attend one of three discussion sections available.

You don’t have to inform me if you attend a different discussion section than the one you usually go to, but do it only if you must. Sometimes some discussions lag behind or advance more rapidly than other sections. If you get stuck in this situation, I can’t help it (but you can always see me in my office).

Attendance, discussions and grading: I won’t impose it, but attendance is advised. We will discuss scientific articles and lecture material. Grading is based on weekly participation (11 participations worth 3 points each for a total of 33 points) and article reading/discussion (7 articles worth 6 points each for a total of 42 points). The participation will consist of 2 or 3 questions about each week’s lectures aimed at judging your grasp of the course contents.  You will get points even if your answers are wrong!

A total of 475 points will be available in the course (400 for lectures and 75 for discussions).  Final letter grades will be assigned at the end of the semester following a curve. Since discussion points contribute substantially to your final grade, if you aspire for an A or B, attending and actively participating in the discussions is the way to go. There is no extra credit.

Requirements: I am cool about anything that you may decide to do or not do in these discussions. One thing that is absolutely forbidden is to come to discussions without having read the websites/handouts/chapters and similar material that I asked you the previous week to read. Don’t freak me out on this matter. Hounds from hell will chase you if you do. I will not waste my time in explaining what is already clearly explained in the suggested material. We will take the discussions from where the material ends. Of course I will be more than happy to shoot any troubles that you may have in understanding the stuff from the suggested material.

Unexpected Events: Shuttles get delayed, you miss the bus, sometimes there is excessive traffic on the road, cars get wrecked, hearts get broken, long-forgotten or unmet friends catch you on your way to the discussion class. If you miss the discussion, see if there is another section you can attend. If the reason for missing the section is genuine, I will even personally sit with you and we can work through the discussion.

As for me, sometimes I may oversleep! And this doesn’t apply only to morning discussion sections. Your TA is a freak and he can oversleep for afternoon sections as well. If you don’t find me in the discussion classroom when the discussion is supposed to have started, wait for five minutes and/or call my office (in the afternoons I often doze off in my office!), or else the professor.

Cheating: Not a good idea. I have too much cunning and am very good at busting people (come to my office and I can tell you lots of success stories!). But I hate it and let’s not get into that. Let’s live a straightforward life and be honest. A bad grade is not a reflection of your intelligence or character so there is nothing to cheat for.

Problems: If there is anything, come to me or Dr. Gonzalez any time. I look forbidding and I may speak in a monotone (can’t help it, I was born with it), but I am the most friendly TA you could ever find J

Also, top 5 lies told by TAs:

1. I’m not going to grant any extensions.

2. Call me any time.

3. It doesn’t matter what I think; write what you believe.

4. Think of the midterm as a diagnostic tool.

5. My other section is much better prepared than YOU guys.

Relate to any of this? J. Don’t worry, we are easy-going folks in this class!

Bio 213 Home