JURI 5289, ECOL 8710 The class meets Tuesdays, 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm in the Seminar Room at the School of Ecology. View a map.
The Environmental Practicum is a service learning course that provides a structured and supportive format for students to apply policy, design and ecological principles learned in the classroom to the real world of people and policy.
Instructions re Journal-keeping, Review of Rubric (Laurie)
Political Biography
Political Biography Exercise (if time permits)
Sept. 1
Political Biography Exercise (if not completed Aug. 25)
Developing a Work Plan (Alex Scherr, Director of UGA Law School's Clinical Programs, scherr@uga.edu, and Beth)
Group Project Selection (with pizza)
Journal Entry 1
Sept. 8
Considerations in Drafting Ordinances (Lee Carmon, NE Georgia Regional Development Center; lcarmon@negrc.org)
Work Plan draft
Abstract, draft
Week of Sept. 8
Groups meet with Laurie to go over Work Plan draft; one person in each group responsible for setting up these meetings
Sept. 15
3:30 pm: Solar group meet with Rita Kilpatrick
4:30 pm: Presentation to entire class - Alternative Energy Policy in Georgia (Rita Kilpatrick, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy,
kilpatrick@cleanenergy.org)
Journal Entry 2
Sept. 22
NO CLASS
Work Plan, final
Memo 1 outline
Sept. 29
Land Protection in Georgia and the Role of Land Trusts (Hans Neuhauser, Georgia Land Trust Service Center, hansneuhauser@bellsouth.net)
Work plan presentations
Memo 1, draft
Journal Entry 3
Wed. Sept.30
9 am-12 noon
Optional, Alternative Wastewater Treatment Roundtable (for students who choose this as a group project or memo topic)
Mon. Oct. 5
(St. Marys) Optional, St. Marys River Septic Think Tank (for students who choose this as a group project or memo topic)
Oct. 6
Work plan presentations
Memo 1, final version
Oct. 13
No Class
Memo 2 outline
Journal Entry 4
Oct. 20
Clean Water Act provisions for mitigation banking and how they are
applied in Georgia (Robin Goodloe, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
Environmental mediation (Doug Yarn, Georgia State University College of Law)
Memo 3 outline
Journal Entry 5
Nov. 10
No class
Nov. 13
All Group Products, draft
Memo 3, draft
Nov. 17
Group Product presentations to class
Friday
Nov. 20
Faculty comments on drafts due back to students
Dec. 1
Students meet with faculty re their comments on drafts; it is up to students to schedule these meetings
Wed.
Dec. 8
All Group Products, final version
Memo 3, final version
TBD (Nov. or Dec.)
Dress rehearsals of presentations of Group Products to clients
TBD (Nov. or Dec.)
Presentations of Group Products to clients
Please note: The course syllabus is a general plan for the course; deviations announced to the class by the instructors may be necessary.
About the Class
Format
Two or three class meetings in first two weeks of semester to select projects and develop work-plans
From four to eight lectures on ecological, design and policy issues affecting the watershed
One paddling trip on the Broad River
Periodic group meetings to develop particular projects
Project presentation (either to stakeholders or to the class and other interested parties at the University) with dress rehearsal
Journals
Expectations (students)
Attend class lectures and field trip, read assignments prior to each lecture, work together to define class projects, attend group meetings and work cooperatively to develop a work plan and to complete projects, attend individual meetings with professors, and document reflections. Students will be graded on class participation and project substance and presentation.
Expectations (faculty)
Coordinate informative lectures and field trip; facilitate interaction between students and stakeholders; provide support to students in identifying and completing particular projects; facilitate dress rehearsals and project presentations; facilitate publication of projects and provide a forum for students to reflect on their experiences in the course.
Philosophy and History
The Environmental Practicum matches graduate students from the University of Georgia with community stakeholders facing specific environmental challenges. Students from law, ecology, environmental design, wildlife ecology, scientific illustration and agricultural engineering may participate in the course. Water quality and the protection and restoration of aquatic species through the best available science, design and policy concepts are key goals for this hands-on program. The course presents a holistic approach to land use planning from the perspectives of our interdisciplinary faculty and guest lecturers. In 2003, the Georgia Water Coalition recognized the Environmental Practicum for Leadership in Protecting Georgia's Water Resources.
Goals
Provide an educational environment where students can apply skills learned in the traditional classroom to pressing community concerns and problems
Provide an opportunity for students and faculty to work with other disciplines in integrated environmental decision-making and problem-solving, thus improving their ability to understand, communicate with, and influence other disciplines
Increase awareness of the importance of addressing environmental issues proactively within the university community and the broader community;
Respond to community concerns and problems in the river basins of Northwest Georgia
Build capacity for service learning at the University of Georgia
