Class Policy Statement

The following rules apply to all Geography 176A students. Any exceptions to these rules must be presented in writing and signed by both your TA and Professor Clarke. Please read them carefully and address any questions to your TA or Professor Clarke.

The GIS Laboratory (a.k.a Star Lab; 2610 Ellison Hall)

Attendance:

Each lab period is one hour and fifty minutes and meets once a week. Attendance is MANDATORY.

Restricted Access:

You may not enter this lab while a lab section is in progress unless you are registered in that section.

Access:

With the above exception, any Geography 176A student may use the Lab whenever they can get access to it. You will need an Access Control Card issued by the UCSB Geography department and the UCSB Police Department. Note: This is not the same as your student ID. An Access Control Card allows you keyless entry to the Star Lab. This system is widely used across campus. If you are required access to additional labs or restricted areas, you can use the same Access Control Card. If you already have an Access Control Card, the department will add the Star Lab to your access privileges. There is a $15 fee for new Access Control Cards that must be paid in cash. Forms and photographs will be taken during the first week of lab. The Star Lab is locked at all times. An Access Control Card is required for entry, and the door cannot be propped open without setting off the alarm.

Laboratory Security:

The GIS Lab contains valuable materials and access to even more valuable data and software. If these materials (physical or intellectual) are stolen or corrupted, your educational experience in this class will be jeopardized. For your own benefit you must take some simple safety precautions:
  1. If you are the last person to leave the Lab you must close all of the windows. Note that the door will set off the alarm if left propped open.
  2. No food or drink is allowed in the Lab. No exceptions.
  3. The Lab is for Geography students only, and resources are limited. Do not allow friends, relatives, or pets to use the facility. If you see someone using the Lab who is not a Geographer, feel free to ask them to leave. If they do not, contact the Geography office and they will be removed.
  4. You must completely log off your machine when you are finished in the Lab. If you do not you will expose your own work and the entire Geography department to the potential of computer damage.

Laboratory Assignments Points:

The Lab Assignments are worth 50% of the overall class grade. Each lab will be worth 100 points with questions valued based on their difficulty.

Due Dates:

The Lab Assignments are due on the dates given to you by the TA, at the beginning of Lab. Late assignments will be accepted with a penalty of 10% for each day they are late (including weekends). Assignments will not be accepted more than 5 days late. All assignments will be turned in electronically via the Lab Gaucho Space. https://gauchospace.ucsb.edu/

Individual Work:

Each lab must represent individual work even though you will be working in a group setting with access to help from your TAs and fellow students. When a question asks for an expository answer, it must represent your individual work.

Lab Questions:

All lab questions must be posted on the Lab Gaucho Space Discussion Board for the lab the question pertains to. You are encouraged to include screen shots and upload files when posting questions. When your fellow students post questions to the Lab Gaucho Space Discussion Board, you are encouraged to answer them (potential rewards!). If the question goes unanswered - a TA or the professor will post an answer for you. Be sure to include as many details as possible. To log in to Gaucho Space, navigate to the following website and click the Courses Login button, entire your UCSB NetID, and click the link for Geography - 176A:

https://gauchospace.ucsb.edu/