CHEM 241 Course Introduction, Resources, and Syllabus Notes

Academic Support Services and Tutoring

• Rinella Learning Center Tutoring:

  • Schedule:

  • Mondays through Thursdays: $9:00\text{ AM}$ to $5:00\text{ PM}$.

  • Fridays: $9:00\text{ AM}$ to $3:00\text{ PM}$.

  • Appointment Scheduling Procedure:

  • Search for the "Miami and Rinella Learning Center".

  • Select the button labeled "schedule with a tutor" to open the official website.

  • Follow the on-screen instructions to complete booking.

  • Tutor Qualifications and Cost:

  • Peer tutors have previously taken and completed the Organic Chemistry course.

  • Tutoring services are fully paid for through university fees and free of additional charge to enrolled students.

• Social Media Communication:

  • An official Instagram account is active for student updates and information.

Supplemental Instruction (SI) Program

• SI Leadership Team:

  • Head SI: Michael.

  • Additional SIs: Abby and Megan.

• Peer Review Sessions:

  • Frequency: Three sessions hosted per week.

  • Scheduled Days: Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays.

  • Content: Direct review of concepts discussed during lecture.

  • Logistical Details: Exact times and room locations will be distributed via announcement later in the week.

  • Start Date: Sessions officially commence the following week.

• Quiz Preparation and Q&A Sessions:

  • Sunday Quiz Reviews:

  • Held on the Sunday immediately preceding scheduled quizzes.

  • Consist of $15$ practice questions modeled directly after official quizzes.

  • Created in direct collaboration with Dr. Rock and Dr. Earth (secondary Organic Chemistry instructor) to target critical material.

  • Tuesday Q&A Sessions:

  • Held on the Tuesday preceding scheduled quizzes for open question-and-answer discussion.

Instructor Background and Contact Information

• Primary Email Communication Protocol:

  • Primary Contact Method: Email.

  • Incoming Email Volume: $50$ to $100$ emails daily.

  • Mandatory Email Organization Rule: Students must include chem 241 in the subject line.

  • Purpose of Subject Requirement: Automatically routes student emails into a dedicated folder to guarantee review and response.

• Office Hours and Location Details:

  • Building: Hughes Hall (located across the street, directly outside the lecture hall).

  • Office Room Number: Room $254$ on the $2\text{nd}$ Floor.

  • Office Hours Schedule: Mondays and Wednesdays from $11:00\text{ AM}$ to $12:00\text{ PM}$ (immediately following lecture).

  • Office Amenities: Complimentary tea and chocolates are available to visiting students.

• Instructor Personal and Professional Background:

  • Hometown: Hampton, located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh (approximately a $4$ to $5$ hour drive from campus).

  • Educational Background:

  • Undergraduate: University of Pittsburgh.

  • Graduate School: UCLA (relocated to California to avoid East Coast winters and reside near the beach).

  • Postdoctoral Research: UC Irvine (resided in Orange County).

  • Personal Color-Coding System:

  • Places of Education: Blue and Gold (University of Pittsburgh, UCLA, UC Irvine).

  • Places of Employment: Red and White (Valspar, DuPont, Washington State University, Miami University).

  • Industry and Academic Experience:

  • Worked in corporate industry at Valspar and DuPont.

  • Former Professor at Washington State University prior to joining Miami University.

  • Entrepreneurial Endeavors: Founder/owner of an active pharmaceutical startup company.

  • Pets: Two dogs named Jody and Pippin.

• In-Class Participation Policy:

  • Students are encouraged to raise their hands or interrupt at any point during lecture to ask questions.

Course Materials and Registration Requirements

• Required Course Materials:

  1. Organic Chemistry Textbook.

  2. Wiley Homework online access code.

  3. Molecular modeling kit (strongly recommended).

• Purchasing Options and Cost Comparison:

  • Miami Bookstore: Available option, though generally more expensive for most students unless covered by specific scholarships or aid arrangements.

  • Directly from Wiley: Direct purchasing option that is typically less expensive for the majority of students.

  • Multi-Semester Bundle: Purchasing option available covering both the current course and the subsequent Organic Chemistry II (O Chem 2) course at a discounted rate.

• Material Components and Platform Registration:

  • Access code includes the online textbook alongside a complete solutions manual for practice problem verification.

  • Course Code Specificity: Wiley access codes are unique to each individual semester; codes from previous semesters cannot be reused.

  • Student Registration Mandate: Students must register in the Wiley system using their official Miami ID and exact legal name as listed on the Miami ID (e.g., John Smith) to enable accurate homework tracking.