NR400 Public Relations in Natural Resources Spring 2015 Class meets from 11am 12:15 (lecture and recitation) on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Glover 201 Instructor: Ann Randall Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Department Contact Info: Ann.Randall@Colostate.edu, 970.491.1458 (office), 970.219.6067 (cell) Office Location: 114B Wagar Bldg. Office Hours: Tuesdays/Thursdays 1pm-3pm drop in, Wednesdays by appointment ** Email is my preferred mode of communication. It is my goal to respond within 24-36 hours. Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA): Valerie Steen Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Department Contact Info: valerie.steen@gmail.com Office Location: 105 Wagar Office Hours: Mondays 11am - 12pm and Wednesdays 2pm - 3pm University Course Description: Effective public relations and public information programs applicable to natural resource professions. 3 credits Text: Communication Skills for Conservation Professionals. (2009). Susan Jacobson. Island Press, Washington DC. 461 pp. (required) Additional readings will be assigned via CANVAS or distributed in class. Recitation: 1 hour of recitation per week is a required part of this course. Recitations will be used for discussion, group work, guest speakers, and in-class assignments depending upon the week s topic. Attendance at recitation will factor into your overall participation grade. Course Overview: NR400 is an introduction to the people-side of natural resource management. This class is designed to assist students in developing an understanding of the role of public relations and communication in the effective management and conservation of our natural resources. Public relations means that you need to understand and invest in the people our publics and how to communicate effectively with them. Throughout this course we will explore diverse issues in natural resource management and conservation from a public relations and/or communications perspective. Through readings, case studies, class/group projects, and assignments, students will analyze the effectiveness of different approaches to public relations and develop new, creative ways to address current natural resource issues. Course Goals and Objectives: 1. Students will explore the tools, terms, theory, and concepts of public relations and how to apply them to related natural resource and conservation issues. 2. Students will analyze and critique case studies of natural resource and conservation public relations efforts. 3. Students will meet and learn from public relations and communications experts from various natural resource disciplines.
4. Students will develop public relations strategies, materials, and products through group and individual efforts. 5. Students will develop and deliver public relations, communications, and/or educational presentations to their class and natural resource and/or public relations professionals. Course Format/Organization 1. Course information will be posted on CANVAS (http://info.canvas.colostate.edu/login.aspx). You will need to check in well in advance of each class for updates, new reading material, quiz and test information, etc. I highly recommend developing a daily habit of checking CANVAS for updates and announcements. 2. Emails need to be sent via my CSU email address posted above, not through CANVAS. However, I will send reminders or class announcements through CANVAS, so please make sure you have the correct email address set up in the CSU system or you have your CSU email forwarded to the one you use regularly. 3. Complete assignments and quizzes in the allotted time/by set due dates. Assignments that are due in class are due at the beginning of class. 4. Late assignments will not be accepted unless you have medical, case management, or other Universitysanctioned documentation for having missed class or an assignment due date. 5. Occasionally I will post partial lecture notes if they have a lot of text, however most of the time I will not post lecture notes. Take good notes and utilize recitation sessions to discuss topics and content from class. Exam material will be based primarily on lecture material, in-class discussions, and reading assignments. 6. Class discussion is a critical part of this course. Come prepared to each class with readings and assignments completed. Participation is a significant component of your overall grade. Weekly quizzes on readings will be given at the start of most Tuesday classes. 7. Please let me know as soon as possible if you have any documented special needs which require special arrangements. Course Grading: Your grades, missing grades in CANVAS, tracking your overall performance, etc. are your responsibility. Make sure you understand all of the expectations outlined in this document, especially deadlines for checking on why a grade may not have appeared in CANVAS, etc. or how your grade is attained. Consideration of missing quizzes, exams, assignments after the allotted time identified below will not be permitted.
There will be a total of 1000 points available for this course. The breakdown is as follows: 1. 2 in-class exams (if final exam score better, will replace lowest in-class test score) 150 pts. 2. Comprehensive Final Exam (comprehensive/cumulative and not optional) 100 pts. 3. Quizzes/Assignments 100 pts. 4. Participation (attendance, group work, in-class discussions) 100 pts. 5. Existing Situation Analysis 125 pts. 6. Desired Future Condition 75 pts. 7. Individual Products (1 from categories A and B) a. Product A 50 pts. b. Product B 30 pts. 8. Service Learning/Action and Summary 70 pts. 9. Final PR Plan/Paper 100 pts. 10. Final Group Presentation 100 pts. 11. TOTAL available 1000 pts. NOTE: Pass/Fail is not a grading option. Grades will be based on the following: A+ = 97-100 A = 94-96.9 A- = 90-93.9 B+ = 87-89.9 B = 84-86.9 B- = 80-83.9 C+ = 77-79.9 C = 70-76.9 D = 60-69.9 F = <59 Exams: In class exams: 150 points of your total 1000 will be based two in-class exams. These exams will cover all class material (including videos and guest lecturers), reading material, and assignments. In general, exams will have some combination of true/false, multiple choice, and matching. If you have questions, or your grade is not registering in CANVAS, or you want to have an exam question re-evaluated, you must make your request within one week of scores being posted. Final Exam: 100 points of your total 1000 points will be based on a cumulative/comprehensive exam given during finals week. This exam is not optional and requests for alternative test dates will only be considered for documented medical, case management situations, or University sanctioned events.
Quizzes and Assignments: 100 points will be based upon quiz scores. Most quizzes will be conducted in class, however some may be posted in CANVAS. If you have questions, a grade is missing in CANVAS, or you want to have a quiz question answer re-evaluated, you must make your request within one week of an in-class quiz and 24 hours of a CANVAS quiz closing. **Make sure you check CANVAS directly after completing each quiz to confirm that it has registered that you have completed each quiz. For CANVAS quiaaes, you must contact me within 24 hours of a quiz closing that there was a problem, in order for credit to be awarded. Also, do not wait until the last minute (11:59pm) to take your quizzes if there is a problem (internet connectivity, wireless service), you may run out of time before the quiz closes. Assignments may be assigned and completed during class, assigned and due at the next class, or assigned and completed via CANVAS. Due dates will be discussed in class and may be posted on the syllabus. Additional information about these assignments may be posted on CANVAS. If you miss a class when an assignment is distributed, it is your responsibility to follow up, provide formal documentation as to why you missed the class (medical, case management, CSU sanctioned), and make up missed work and/or obtain class notes from a classmate. Otherwise, late assignments will not be accepted. Participation: 100 points of your total 1000 points will be based on participation such as in class activities, group work, discussion groups, and attendance. You are expected to attend all classes and recitations. As noted, a portion of your grade depends on your active participation and attendance. Students often mention that studying from someone else s notes can be confusing and many of the questions they miss on tests and quizzes are from lectures they did not attend. Additionally, as many of you will graduate soon, active participation and attendance are directly related to developing professional skills and habits, job performance and reputation will be assessed in part by your active participation and reliability. Absenteeism and tardiness are not accepted in most professional positions. In the case of an anticipated absence, students must inform me before the absence occurs and are expected to come to Valerie s or my office hours to review missed materials, and make up any missed work. Make sure you check your participation grades regularly in CANVAS. If a grade does not appear within 10 days of the participation date it is your responsibility to follow up with Valerie or me to check on the status or why you do not have a grade for a specific participation date. Additional information regarding group work can be found in the public relations plan overview. Group Project/PR Plan and Presentation The remainder and largest portion of your grade for this class will consist of several parts and group project work which will be described in detail in class and through additional handouts. These include an analysis of an Existing Situation, Desired Future Condition, Individual Products, Service/Action and Summary, your final paper (with edited versions of the Existing Situation and Desired Future Condition) and your group presentation.
Helpful Hints: Attend class, ask questions, do the readings, record lectures, re-write your lecture notes, study with others from class, keep up (on average you should be studying 6hrs/wk for a 3-credit class). If you are struggling or not doing well in class contact me or make an appointment with me do not wait until the last week of class! Academic Integrity and Professionalism: Professionalism is expected throughout this course. Your responses to questions, interaction/communications/emails with classmates, Valerie, and me should be professional in manner. This includes netiquette (electronic etiquette) such as using salutations (not Hey! ) when you send an email, signing your emails, and using respectful discourse in discussions. Disrespectful or flaming discourse will not be accepted. Professionalism also includes each student being responsible for keeping track of due dates, tracking all of your grades and that they are showing up in CANVAS, and turning assignments in on time and in the format outlined. Lastly, and most importantly, academic integrity is expected and is central to the mission of this University. This course will adhere to the Academic Integrity Policy of the Colorado State University General Catalog and the Student Conduct Code. Cheating or plagiarism will not be tolerated in class. If found cheating or plagiarizing, or other types of academic dishonesty will be addressed according to the principles published in the CSU General Catalog and may be referred to the Office of Judicial Affairs, which can result in University action (see Student Rights and Responsibilities section of the CSU General Catalog for more information). Distractive behaviors such as talking to classmates, reading (hardcopy or on-line) materials that are not a part of the current class, texting, phone calls, inappropriate discussion posts, and regularly coming to class late or leaving early are not acceptable. Students engaged in such activities may be asked to leave. Please invest in creating a respectful and professional learning environment for everyone.
Month Day Lecture Topics Assignments/Quizzes/Readings/Due Dates JAN 20 Introduction/Overview Jacobson: Intro and Chapter 1** 22 Intro PR, Terms, Concepts, NR Conservation Worksheet 1 (WS1) due at the beginning of class Issues/Situation Analysis Intro 27 Group Dynamics and Professionalism Jacobson: Chapter 7** (pgs. 207 224) - Quiz 1 (Q1) on previous week s reading 29 Case Studies/Guests/Discussion WS2 FEB 3 PR Research methods and tools Jacobson: Chapters 4 & 5** Q2 5 Case Studies/Guests/Discussion WS3 10 Situation Analysis Jacobson: Chapter 3** Q3 12 Case Studies/Guests/Discussion WS4 17 Groups, Publics, & Stakeholders Jacobson: Chapter 2** Q4 19 Case Studies/Guests/Discussion WS5 24 Groups/Situation Analysis Continued Jacobson: Chapter 6 & pgs. 224-232 in Chapter 7 ** Q5 26 Exam I WS6 MAR 3 Forms of Communication Jacobson: Chapter 8** Q6 5 Case Studies/Guests/Discussion Existing Situation Draft1 Due in class 10 Forms of Communication Continued Jacobson: Chapter 9 ** Q7 12 Case Studies/Guests/Discussion WS7 17 Spring Break! 19 Spring Break! 24 Conflict Resolution and Problem Solving Jacobson: Review pgs. 207-224 ** Q8 26 Case Studies/Guests/Discussion WS8 31 Crisis Management Jacobson: Chapter 11 (review Chapters 4 & 5) APRIL 2 Case Studies/Guests/Discussion Existing Situation 2 nd Draft Due in class 7 Evaluation, Analysis, and Feedback Jacobson: Chapter 10 9 Exam II WS9 14 Public Process TBD** Q10 16 Case Studies/Guests/Discussion Desired Future Condition Draft Due in class 21 Ethics, Leadership, & Conservation Jacobson: Review pgs. 328-341 (presentations) Q11 23 Case Studies/Guests/Discussion WS10 28 Final Project Prep 30 Final Projects Final Plan with all parts see rubric due when present/in class (2 copies/group) MAY 5 Final Projects Final Plan with all parts see rubric due when present/in class (2 copies/group) 7 Final Projects Final Plan with all parts see rubric due when present/in class (2 copies/group) 13 FINAL Cumulative 6:20pm **Additional articles and items may be announced in class or posted on CANVAS for readings or assignments. Always check CANVAS well before lecture to see what you might need to print out and bring to class with you.