April 11, 2011

Comments on this blog

Comments will no longer be accepted on this blog: There was too much spam!

August 11, 2010

Getting Ready for Chemistry Classes

VCU classes begin August 26. Here are some hints for getting off to a good start:


  1. Check your VCU email daily. Chemistry classes will be held - and will begin covering material - immediately. However, some lab classes may actually start with check-in after the first lab lecture.

  2. Purchase your textbooks, clickers, lab manuals, and lab goggles before classes start.

  3. If you are new to VCU, find your classroom before classes begin.

  4. The organic and quantitative analysis chemistry labs meet twice weekly: First, you meet the whole class for a lab lecture. Second, you attend the lab and do the experiment. Exams and quizzes are given during the lab lecture. Lab lecture covers the chemistry concepts, the experimental procedures, and safety.

  5. General chemistry lab lectures are delivered online via Blackboard. Be sure to check your email regularly; Dr. Topich will send out information for the lab.

  6. The Introductory and General Chemistry classes include 4 hours of class time per week: 3 hours of lecture and 1 hour of "recitation". Recitations may involve quizzes, exams, homework, or group activities. Attendance at lecture and recitation is mandatory.
  7. Read the first chapter to be covered in your class before the first class!

August 10, 2010

Scheduling Updates: August 10, 2010

The fall semester begins in just over two weeks. Once again, we have more students registered for CHEM/CHEZ courses that we had in the previous year, although a smaller increase from 2009 to 2010 than 2008 to 2009.

We were able to open three sections of CHEM403, four sections of CHEM301, and two sections of CHEM302. CHEM301 and CHEM302 both have seats available. We also added sections of CHEM101 and CHEM102. Look for a few more seats in CHEM101 and CHEM102 after the next batch of transfer students registers (after August 18).

We do have a few remaining seats in most lab courses except CHEZ309, 303, and 409.

January 15, 2010

Chemistry Scheduling Updates Jan. 15, 2010

We have added a lecture section of CHEM101, General Chemistry I. The class meets MWF 12-12:50pm and R 8-8:50am. Class size is limited to 35 students.

All physical chemistry lab sections are now set to their maximum class size, 16 students each.

We have seats remaining in all courses except CHEM100 and CHEZ302. However, not all sections have open seats. Make sure you look through all sections to find the available seats. Also, course enrollments will fluctuate throughout the first week of classes (i.e., during drop-add). Continue looking for open seats through that week.

January 4, 2010

CHEM403/404 Spring 2010

The Biochemistry I course, CHEM/BIOC403, will not be offered spring semester. We were not able to find a qualified instructor to teach this class. We hope to offer that course this summer (2010); we have a verbal commitment from a qualified instructor for that class.

The Biochemistry II course, CHEM/BIOC404, has been officially changed to a three (3) credit course for the spring 2010 semester. We also added 10 seats to that class. Some of the students who enrolled in that course when it was 2 credits will need to get an overload form signed and turned into the Registrar; also, some students will be charged an overload fee.

July 22, 2009

New Chemistry Laboratories!

VCU is currently renovating space on the second floor of Oliver Hall. This space will become two new General Chemistry Laboratories. The new labs allow us to offer enough seats in CHEZ101 and CHEZ102 for all the students who need them, beginning fall 2009, and at the same time, we can return to reasonable class sizes (24 students per lab).

We will also be able to offer more seats in the Organic Chemistry Lab courses, CHEZ301 and CHEZ302. One of the rooms currently used for CHEZ101/2, on the first floor of Oliver Hall, has been changed to an organic chemistry lab. For fall 2009, we will have a total of 5 new sections of organic chemistry lab.

If you are registered for CHEZ101L or CHEZ102L, you will not see the actual room number for your lab. That is because the room numbers have not yet been assigned. Those numbers should be posted shortly, and we will post announcements online and around Oliver Hall noting the changes. Because of delays in construction, the actual first day you are in lab will be after the first week of classes. Be sure to check your email and Blackboard for announcements.