Deserts of Southern Africa
2005-2006 Expedition

Current news
Check this site regularly for updates and news concerning the 2005-2006 expedition
(anticipated dates: 26 December 2005 to 18 January 2006)

The deserts class will not meet on Thursday 13 October because of Yom Kippur. We will recommence our meetings on Thursday 20 October

11 October 2005
Please note: Thursday 13 October is Yom Kippur and an official university holiday. Therefore, the deserts course orientations classes will not meet on 13 October. We will meet again on 20 October.

3 Oct 2005
We have new meeting venues. The morning class will now meet in Baker 135 at 8:20. The afternoon group will meet in Illick 5.

7 September 2005
Course weekly meetings begin Thursday 8 September 2005. Below is a table of the times and venues, and who will be attending which.

8:00-9:20 AM Rm 127 Illick	5:00-6:20 PM 105 Marshall
Stef Kennedy-Roth	Kathleen Mahoney
Miranda Monica	Megan Napoli
Erika Cologgi	Amy Stevenson
Stephanie Plautz	Dan Baldassarre
Caroline Brady	Jacob Harris
Matt Palumbo	Justin Paolicelli
Melissa Bendle	Adam Hainer
Catheryn Strang	Meredith Germain
Alia Aeid	Dani Frederick
Kim Cunningham	Michael Smith
	Lauren Silvernail

2 September 2005
The fiscal hole is not completely plugged, but I think it is plugged sufficiently to give the course a thumbs-up. It’s a rather creaky patch, but it should hold if:

• We do not sustain any more dropouts,
• Everyone pays their full fee within the next two weeks and
• The last minute replacements that stepped forward for the dropouts stay in the course.

If you’re at all uncertain that you will be able to stay with the course, the time to tell me that is right now.

Given that the course is a “GO”, there are several things that require your immediate attention: ·

Please send me your course schedule and any times that you are obliged to work during the week. I would like this by tomorrow (Friday 2 Sept). I need this to set up times for the introductory lectures. A heads up: you may need to have some flexibility in your work schedules. ·

• Please register for 5 credits of EFB 500 Deserts of Southern Africa. Section 06. Course # 20218. It says in the schedule of classes that it is 1-3 credits, but ignore that and register for 5. You will need my signature on the Permission of Instructor block on a SCORE sheet. If I am not in my office, simply slide a completed SCORE sheet under my office door. I will sign it, and tape it on my office door for you to pick up later. DO THIS BY TUESDAY. That is the last day to add classes without paying a penalty.
• Please give me ASAP a copy of your passport picture page. I will need this to book your airline ticket. If you do not now have a passport, you need to show me a copy of your passport application. If you have not yet applied for a passport, DO IT NOW, and give me your name EXACTLY AS IT WILL APPEAR ON YOUR PASSPORT.
• Please start filling out the required SUNY forms for international study. These are available as a downloadable pdf document at the expedition web page, on the “Health & Liability Forms” link on the right-hand side of the page. There are four:
  • OAP7 Medical Report. You must have a physician certify that you are fit to travel.
  • OAP8 Waiver of Insurance Study Abroad. SUNY requires all students studying overseas to have insurance for emergency medical care, evacuation and repatriation. This form certifies that you have either purchased insurance yourself, or that you have private insurance that meets the requirements. Insurance that complies with SUNY rules can be purchased through the Business Office for a small fee.
  • OAP9 Release & Indemnification. This form limits SUNY’s liability in certain cases, mostly due to negligence on your part to meet the SUNY requirements for study abroad.
  • OAP10 Permission for Emergency Treatment. This form confers upon me a limited proxy to grant permission for you to receive emergency medical treatment in the event you are unable to give permission yourself or next-of-kin who could give permission on your behalf cannot be contacted in a timely way.

Some things to keep in mind with respect to these forms: ·

• Some must be notarized. In that case, do not sign the form until you are at the Notary Public. You can find a Notary Public at most banks. Several members of the Business Office in Bray Hall are also Notary Publics. ·
• If you are under 21, your parents or legal guardian must sign the form on your behalf. · All forms are to be returned to me. ·
• For the purposes of this course, I am the “Director of International Education” for this campus. ·

Please complete these forms as soon as possible. You will not be given your airline ticket, nor will you be allowed to go on the course without completing them. This is a SUNY rule.

17 August 2005
I hope your summer is going well, and that you are looking forward to returning to ESF in a couple of weeks.

I'm writing just to remind everyone that a decision point for the deserts course is approaching fast. As I mentioned in my 24 July e-mail to everyone, I will be looking for full payments will be in place by 31 August, or documentary proof (like a loan award letter) that full payment will be forthcoming soon.

The end of August has become our firm decision date because our travel agent has advised me that exceptionally high demand this year requires that our flights be booked by the first week of September at the latest.

Because we purchase non-refundable tickets (to save money), this means firm commitments must be in place from a sufficient number of students to make the course fly. If those commitments are not in place, I'll have no choice but to cancel the course and refund everyone's deposits.

23 July 2005
I hope your summer has been a productive and enjoyable one so far.

I'm sitting here at my field research site in Namibia, and I am reminded that we are coming up on August, which is final decision month for the deserts course. So, I just wanted to touch bases with all of you to let you know where things stand.

As of today, I have received 20 applications, seventeen of which are backed with deposits. One additional student has paid in full, bringing the total number who have backed their applications with a financial commitment to 18. This is very good, and meets the minimum goal.

However, the picture has not changed since the end of last Spring semester. At the end of August, we are looking to begin making commitments, such as purchasing airline tickets, chartering our ground transport, etc. This makes the end of August, as the web site says, the rock-hard deadline we are up against. This unfortunately means there are some crass financial matters that must be attended to.

The ultimate decision on whether the course can fly or not will depend upon at least 18 people either:

• having made payments in full to the Deserts of Southern Africa account by the fourth week of August or
• providing me with documentary proof by the fourth week of August that full payment will be forthcoming within a few weeks of the start of the semester. This could be, for example, a copy of a notification letter to you that a student loan has been approved and that disbursement of funds is forthcoming.

If we cannot meet those goals, there will be no choice but to cancel the course and refund all payments made.

2 May 2005
We have ended the school year very close to meeting our goals. There are 19 applications submitted with 14 deposits posted. The applicants who have not posted deposits are applying for loans. So the course is a provisional go.

For the summer:
If you make further payments, please make them directly to the Business Office. Checks should be made payable to "Deserts of Southern Africa - SUNY ESF". The mailing address for payments is:

BUSINESS OFFICE
Attn: Jim Raymond
102 Bray Hall
SUNY ESF
1 Forestry Drive
Syracuse, New York 13210
Credit card payments are also accepted. These can be phoned to Jim Raymond at 315 470 6630. The fax number for the business office is 315 470 6897

Have a great summer!

24 March 2005
Some have asked for a memorandum from me to the financial aid office listing a breakdown of expenses for the course. They apparently need this for determining eligibility for student loans to defray the cost of the course. This is available here for downloading or in the box of linkages to the right.

 

Download an application
Financial aid breakdown
Course fee & minimum enrollment
Calendar of targets
Refunds policy
Forfeiture policy

Future of field biology documents
History & issues
Field programs survey
Field programs white paper
DSA course proposal
Health & liability forms
Recommendations for packing

Deserts course home page
My home page

Calendar of targets
Following is the calendar of targets and goals that must be met for the course to proceed. At each target date, applications and payments will be reviewed and a decision made on whether to cancel the course, depending upon how firm the target is. If the course is canceled, all payments will be refunded in full. All payments may be made by check or credit card to the Bursar's Office in Bray Hall.

10 March 2005:
Enrollment opens
24 March 2005 (soft target):
Deposits from twenty-two students @ $1000 each
11 April 2005 (firmer target):
Advising week. Payments from twenty students totaling $2000 each
29 August 2005 (really firm target):
Start of Fall 2005 semester. Payments from twenty students totaling $3500 each
30 September 2002 (rock hard target):
Payments from eighteen students totaling $4600 each

Refunds policy
You will be refunded the full amount of any monies paid in the event:

• the course is canceled due to insufficient enrollment.
• if the targets outlined in the calendar are unmet or if there is a reasonable belief that the course cannot be run due to financial reasons.
• the course is canceled due to unforeseen circumstances, such as outbreak of war or natural disaster that would put students’ personal safety at risk .
• the course is filled before you submit the full fee.

Forfeiture policy
Because of the substantial financial commitments we must make on your behalf, you will forfeit part or all of your fee if you withdraw from the course after 26 August 2002, unless the course is canceled as outlined in the refunds policy. If you withdraw:

• after 29 August 2005, you will forfeit $500
• after 30 September 2005, you will forfeit $2300
• after 28 October 2005, you will forfeit $4000
• after 25 November 2005, you will forfeit 100% of the fee ($4600).

Course fee and minimum enrollment

The course fee is $4,600. This fee covers:

• Round trip economy airfare between Syracuse and Cape Town, South Africa.
• Breakfast, lunch and dinner for the duration of the trip.
• All accommodation (mostly camping, but some hotel stays) while we are in southern Africa.
• Cost of the textbooks.
• Ground transportation in southern Africa

The course fee does not cover tuition.

• For full-time SUNY students, course tuition is covered in the normal tuition fee and no extra charges accrue.
• Part-time or non-matriculated SUNY students may be subject to extra tuition for the five credits of the course.
• SU students may take the course, but may be subject to extra tuition charges if the student's total credits exceed the maximum load allowed.
• The course may not be audited, nor is the course open to people not enrolled for credit.

Because of certain economies of scale, the minimum course enrollment is eighteen students. The course will be cancelled if the enrollment falls below eighteen.

Books & materials on reserve
Lovegrove, B. The Living Deserts of Southern Africa
Richmond, S et al. Lonely Planet Guide to South Africa, Lesotho & Swaziland
Mack, P. Night Skies of Southern Africa
CameraPix. Spectrum Guide to Namibia
Stuart C & T Stuart. A Field Guide to the Tracks & Signs of Southern and East African Wildlife
Newman, K. Newman's Birds of Southern Africa
Bevis, M. The Insects of Southern Africa
Migdoll, I. Butterflies of Southern Africa
Stuart, C & T Stuart. Mammals of Southern Africa
Branch, B. Snakes and Other Reptiles of Southern Africa
LeRoux, A & T Schelpe. Namaqualand. South African Wildflower Guide I
MacLean, G. Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa
Moll, E. Table Mountain. A Natural Wonder
Palgrave, K C. Trees of Southern Africa
Dean, R & S Milton. The Karoo. Ecological Patterns and Processes
Smith, G F et al. Mesembs of the World
Allan, T & A Warren. Deserts. The Encroaching Wilderness
Cowling, R & S Pierce. Namaqualand. A Succulent Desert

Some helpful links
Which Way Adventures
Satellite map of southern Africa
Video clip of Hadley/Walker cells (scroll to bottom)
Map of world deserts
Global air circulation
Seasonal rainfall
Vegetation of southern Africa
Upwelling 1
Upwelling 2
Ekman transport
Seasonal upwelling patterns