Guidelines: home | classroom | laboratory | fieldwork | Archbold staff

1. Faculty/instructors are to read this form, sign the 2nd copy and return to the Facilities Coordinator. Faculty/ instructors are to share this important information with fellow faculty/instructors and with students before using the classroom.
2. Visiting faculty/instructors - not Station staff - are responsible for the well being of their students in this classroom. All visiting students and faculty/instructors must read and sign an Archbold Release of Liability form before participating in any activities at the Station and be aware of potential risks.
3. This classroom was renovated in 2000-2001 with funds from a National Science Foundation award (DBI-Field Station and Marine Labs #DBI0084141) to improve research and education infrastructure and enhance educational opportunities at Archbold Biological Station. Our preference is to have classes and workshops with 20 or fewer students use this classroom to reduce conflicts for access to the auditorium.
4. A fee structure is has been established to help cover the costs of maintaining the lab facilities and recharging supplies (see the fee schedule http://www.archbold-station.org/abs/visitorinfo/fees.htm).
5. Visiting classes, researchers, agency workshops, etc., should ensure they make advanced reservations with the Facilities Coordinator for use of the classroom.
6. Faculty/instructors with visiting classes and visiting investigators will be required to take a brief orientation to the classroom and associated equipment (please set this up with the Facilities Coordinator) for use of the classroom and associated equipment The Facilities Coordinator will also check out faculty/ instructors and classes at the end of the class session to ensure all equipment is returned.
7. Faculty/instructors and visiting classes will be required to abide by these guidelines as to the use and care of classroom equipment and facilities. Faculty/instructors and visiting investigators may be held responsible for avoidable breakage or losses during their stay in the classroom.
8. There is a numeric keypad entry to both the front door of the classroom and the back door of the lab (same number as the Library). Classes will be told this number on arrival. Instructions to activate and deactivate the keypad are posted inside the classroom door. Do not leave the classroom unlocked if unattended. In the classroom most cabinets are locked for secure storage; faculty/instructors will be allocated a key for these cabinets as well as a key for the outdoor shed behind the multi-purpose lab that contains the drying oven, muffle furnace and cutting mill.
9. Classes with students are expected to perform the majority of their indoor work in the classroom area. Access to the multi-purpose lab is limited due of the amount of expensive equipment in the lab. Students are not to use the dissecting and compound microscope or the analytical balance in this lab except under direct and continual supervision of a faculty/instructor who is familiar with the equipment.
10. Students should only be in the multi-purpose lab to:

    1. retrieve small equipment items stored in the multi-purpose lab
    2. sieve and wash out aquatic samples in the double deep sink
    3. use the balances under faculty/instructor supervision (normally the top loading balance - not the sensitive analytical balance)

11. The 26’x 27’classroom is designed to hold a 20-seat (maximum) class with a flexible layout. Faculty or instructors may set up the tables and chairs in any convenient layout to suit their needs, excess tables can be removed temporarily. The table shelving on the tables is removable and can be stored in the adjacent lab if not required. Note the location of overhead power strips before setting up tables for AV equipment and dissecting scope use.
12. AV equipment. The overhead projector, slide projector; and LCD projector is stored in the AV Cabinet in the classroom. A TV/VCR is mounted in the corner for class viewing. Also available are: a 70" x70" wall screen, large blackboard and dry eraser board. Faculty/instructors should bring their own laptop for class presentations (use with a surge protector). With prior warning we may be able to loan a laptop for use in the classroom. To be connected to the www for laptop/LCD presentations faculty/instructors need to make prior arrangements with our Systems Administrator.
13. The TV screen is connected to the networked computer in the adjacent multi-purpose lab and can be used for remote viewing. The TV also acts as a remote wall-mounted monitor, with cabling connection to the dissecting scope and compound microscopes in the adjacent multi-purpose lab for projection to the classroom. This allows classes to view or manipulate specimens and conduct computer-aided taxonomic identification. Students should NOT be operating the high-grade compound and dissecting microscope in the adjacent multi-purpose lab – these should be operated only by knowledgeable faculty/instructors.
14. A computer station is available with 2 Windows 2000 workstations connected to Archbold Intranet, T1 line Internet access, basic word-processing, spreadsheet and statistical software, HP840C laser printer. Instructions on how to log-on the system as a visitor are posted on the notice board above the computer station. Computer software manuals are stored in the Library, by the copy room; and must be returned. Faculty/ instructors and students are expected to be knowledgeable about connecting to their home emails via the www. Additional computer facilities (more workstations, scanner, remote log-in location, etc.) are available in the Computer Center above the Library.
15. Faculty/instructors are to sign the Station policy on use of the Archbold computer network on behalf of their classes. Use is a privilege. Policies are posted above the computer station on the notice board. Be especially wary of downloading emails or programs that may lead to the introduction of computer viruses into the Station network. Please avoid printing large documents – waste of paper. Recycled paper is available for use.
16. Visiting classes may store computer files created during their visit on the "D" hard drive on the classroom workstations in the Visitor Folder (this is the default). All stored files should be deleted before departure; the System Administrator will purge remaining files.
17. Archbold information. The Station web site www.archbold-station.org and the Library are primary sources of extensive information about Archbold. A box with general Archbold material (biennial reports, etc) is on the reference shelf in the classroom. Species lists for the Station and Ranch are on the Web site at http://www.archbold-station.org/abs/data/lists/biodiver.htm and also provided as hard copy in the Biotic Inventory Folder on the reference shelf in the classroom. Abrahamson et al. (1984) paper on "Vegetation of the Archbold Biological Station, Florida: an example of the southern Lake Wales Ridge" is also in this folder.
18. Classes typically provide their own field guides, although there are some guides on the reference shelf in the classroom and also materials in the Library to consult.
19. Maps on the classroom walls provide useful information about Station vegetation, burn histories, regional scrub, and protected area networks. Spare copies of the original Station vegetation map (use in conjunction with Abrahamson et al. (1984) "Vegetation of the Archbold Biological Station") are available in the classroom for student field use. Also available are small-scale maps of burn units, tracts and roads and trails. GIS maps can be found at http://www.archbold-station.org/abs/gis/gisABSmaps.htm. Other Station GIS products and imagery may be available if arranged in advance with the GIS System Manager.
20. Dissecting microscopes. In the locked cabinets in the classroom there are 8 high quality Olympus SZ40 stereo zoom microscopes with 8 Tungsten halogen external light sources. These are expensive scopes and should be treated with great care. An instruction manual for the scopes is available on the reference shelf. Please note carefully the instructions for the goosenecks on the external light sources; they are easily broken if bent. Also available are 6 Accuscope dissecting scopes (boxed in cardboard boxes). Again treat these carefully. In addition there are 4 older dissecting scopes that may be used for large classes – only one has an external light source. Be careful when connecting any microscopes or external light sources to the overhead lab power supplies – do not pull down on these hanging strip outlets.
21. Binoculars. 16 pairs of lightweight binoculars are available for visiting classes. Please treat these with care – they were bought with a donation for our K-12 program. Do not use over water or out in the rain and avoid getting sand onto them. Report any binoculars with problems to the Education staff.
22. First Aid equipment is in the large black cabinet by the sink area. An eyewash unit is available in the adjacent multi-purpose lab. In case of an accident Emergency information and emergency numbers are posted on the Notice Board in the classroom.
23. There is a sink unit in the classroom for general use, but sorting wet samples and equipment should be done either outside using a hose or in the wet lab area in the multi-purpose lab.
24. Small equipment items and supplies are stored (in locked cabinets) in the classroom and the adjacent multi-purpose lab as shown on the attached check-off list. Classes are welcome to use this equipment and these supplies, however, they should be returned clean to the locked drawers and cabinets. Faculty/instructors are expected to be knowledgeable about use of this equipment. Equipment items that are missing or damaged or supplies that need replenishing should be reported to the Facilities Coordinator on the back of the check off-list provided.
25. Larger equipment items (analytical and top balances, freezer, refrigerator, pH meter, compound and dissecting scope, oven, muffle furnace, and cutting mill) are also in the multi-purpose lab or outside shed. Please see the instructions for use of these items in the guide to use of the multi-purpose lab.
26. Please do not go into the K-12 storage area. Arrangements can be made to set up K-12 display material in the multi-user Classroom on request (e.g. skulls, feathers, natural history curiosities, insect trays, posters, wall displays on portable tabletop display units). This is stored in a 10’ x 17’ custom storage area, adjacent to the classroom. Use of K-12 display material must be pre-arranged through the Education Coordinator.
27. Use of research reference collections is only with express permission of the relevant lab head. We do not encourage use of these collections by large classes. We have a long-term goal of providing teaching collections, or digital access to reference collections, for visiting classes.

I have read and understand these guidelines for use of the classroom at the Station. I agree to abide by the guidelines and convey this information to other participating faculty/instructors and students:

YOUR NAME (print)                 

SIGNED                 

DATE                 

I am responsible for                 

CLASS/GROUP NAME                 

Visiting on these dates                 

DATES of CLASS VISIT