Austin Community College

 Business Principles    BUSI 1301

Typical

Instructor   Mack Brewer

Email  lionelbrewer@yahoo.com

Cell 422-5990

 

Typical Syllabus

•      OBJECTIVE   The objective of this course is to provide each student with an understanding and appreciation of basic business concepts and practices in a (relatively) free market enterprise system.   The course explores the concepts of business and management functions, organizational considerations, decision making processes and areas of specialization in the business world.

•      ATTENDANCE   You will benefit from regular timely class attendance.  One of the expected synergies of this class is your experience with and discussion of advanced business practices utilized by area businesses.  

•      CLASS PREPARATION    You will benefit from studying the assignments before class.   Bring your book to class each period. 

•      HOMEWORK   Please refer to the Course Schedule.

•      COMPUTER WORK   We will use Internet E-Mail and a word processor such as WORD or WORD PERFECT as part of our course.  All files will have     .rtf  or  .doc   extensions.  The computer assignments are part of the course requirements. You must individually perform the computer work to learn the concepts.  Remember the real test is tomorrow at work.

•      EXAMS   Please refer to the Course Schedule.   Please arrange your schedule to be able to take the exams as scheduled.  We will have five (5) exams.   The least grade will be “thrown out”.  This “throw out grade” eliminates the need for any make up of exams.

 

•      COURSE GRADE

 

»   EXAM I              25%
»   EXAM II             25%
»   EXAM III            25%
»   EXAM IV            25%
»   EXAM V                 25%
»   The least grade will be “thrown out”
 
»   EXAMS will equal 90% of final grade

 

E-Mail to instructor of student contact information will equal 1% of final grade.  See below.

E-Mail to instructor of Job seeking Introduction letter 2.5 % of final grade.  See below.

E-Mail to instructor of Job seeking Resume.  2.5 % of final grade.  See below

E-Mail to instructor Business Information Search Project 2% of final grade. See below.

Successful completion of the “Info Game” 2% of final grade.  See below

•      COMMENTS FOR SUCCESS    Read the book.  Do the assignments.  Keep current on assignments.  Utilize the CD-ROM found in the book.  Seek help in a timely fashion.

 

 

COURSE MATERIALS

Understanding Business, 8th Edition By; Nickels, McHugh, and McHugh. McGraw-Hill   ISBN 13-978-0-07-310597-0  is required. 

 

Office Hours

I am available before and after each scheduled class and upon appointment.

 

 

INCOMPLETE POLICY

An incomplete (I) will be granted to a student in rare circumstances. Generally, to receive a grade of I, a student must have completed all examinations and assignments to date, be passing, and have personal circumstances that prevent course completion that occur after the deadline to withdraw with a grade of W.

 

WITHDRAWAL POLICY

If you do not intend to complete the class, please inform me and then complete a withdrawal form at the Admissions Office on any campus.  It is your responsibility to drop this class should you decide not to complete the course requirements.  The last withdrawal date is  Nov 24, 2008.

 

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION:  GRADES AND COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Your course grade is determined upon your performance.  Please note that the points for an “A” equal eleven, (11) or 11%.

 

 

FINAL GRADE ASSIGNMENT

 

NUMERICAL

AVERAGE

LETTER

GRADE

90 – 100

A

80 – 89

B

70 – 79

C

60 – 69

D

BELOW 60

F

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EXTRA CREDIT

Maybe.  Come to class regularly to find out more.

 

SCANS

The Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Workplace Skills (SCANS) is a project of the Secretary of Education and Secretary of Labor.  The consensus is that students must develop and cultivate workplace skills as part of their college courses. 

 

The SCANS competencies (workplace skills) that will be assessed during this course include:

Responsibility

Exert at a high level of effort and perseverance toward goal attainment; works hard to become excellent at doing tasks by setting high standards, paying attention to details, and displaying a high level of concentration even when assigned an unpleasant task; and displays high standards of attendance, punctuality, enthusiasm, vitality and optimism in approaching and completing tasks.

 

Communicate Information

Selects and analyzes information and communicates the results to others using oral, written, graphic, pictorial or multimedia methods.  Competently performing the tasks of communications and interpreting information to others includes determining information to be communicated; identifying the best methods to present information (e.g., overheads, handouts); if necessary, converting to desired format and conveying information to others through a variety of means.

 

 

Academic Freedom Statement

 Each student is strongly encouraged to participate in class. In any classroom situation that includes discussion and critical thinking, there are bound to be many differing viewpoints. These differences enhance the learning experience and create an atmosphere where students and instructors alike will be encouraged to think and learn. On sensitive and volatile topics, students may sometimes disagree not only with each other but also with the instructor. It is expected that faculty and students will respect the views of others when expressed in classroom discussions.

 

Scholastic Dishonesty Statement

Acts prohibited by the College for which discipline may be administered include scholastic dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating on an exam or quiz, plagiarizing, and unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing outside work. Academic work submitted by students shall be the result of their thought, research or self-expression. Academic work is defined as, but not limited to tests, quizzes, whether taken electronically or on paper; projects, either individual or group; classroom presentations, and homework” (Student Handbook, 2002-2003, p. 32). Penalties for scholastic dishonesty will depend upon the nature of the violation and may range from lowering a grade on one assignment to an F in the course and/or expulsion from this institution.

 

Student Discipline Statement

 Classroom behavior should support and enhance learning. Behavior that disrupts the learning process will be dealt with appropriately, which may include having the student leave class for the rest of that day. In serious cases, disruptive behavior may lead to a student being withdrawn from the class. ACC's policy on student discipline can be found in the Student Handbook, 2002-2003, p. 32.

 

Students with Disabilities Statement

Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented physical or psychological disabilities.  Students with disabilities must request reasonable accommodations through the Office for Students with Disabilities on the campus where they expect to take the majority of their classes. Students are encouraged to do this three weeks before the start of the semester” (Student Handbook, 2002-2003, p. 14). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rule of three

October 17, 2005

To All Current ACC Students:

Per state law, effective spring 2006 any student taking a class for the third time or more may be charged an additional $60 per credit hour unless exempted. We call it the Rule of Three.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has mandated that all publicly funded higher-education institutions will not receive funding for courses a student takes for the third time or more. Without the state funding for those affected classes, ACC will charge additional tuition to pay for the cost of the class. The new “Rule of Three” tuition costs will not apply to developmental courses, Continuing Education courses, special-studies courses in which the content changes each time, or other select courses.

Students affected by this new policy should note the following:

Dr. Stephen B. Kinslow
President
Austin Community College

http://www.austincc.edu/admiss/ruleofthree/

 

 

Assessments

Communicates mastery of the material through examination and written assignments.

Meets with instructor to gain additional assistance as needed.

Assists other students to better learn the material.

 

Free Tutoring

Free tutoring is available at all the major campuses.  At Eastview Campus it is in Room 2304. At Cypress it is in room it is room 1022.  The web sight for all our campus tutoring is:

http://www2.austincc.edu/rvslab/ll.html

 

 

SUMMARY  These competencies will be assessed throughout the course as indicated above and through the student’s exams.

 

Assignments

 

1)  E-Mail assignment for 1% of your grade is to provide the following information

1.     how I may reliably contact you.  An E-Mail address and a cell phone number are best. 

2.     Please also include what you do for a living,

3.     how many years of college you have attended,

4.     why you are taking this course.  

For the 1% final grade credit, this assignment must be complete by  Sep  06, 2008.

 

 2)  E-mail assignment for 2.5% of your final grade.  Your Resume will be e-mailed to the instructor before the semester ends.

 

3) E-mail assignment for 2.5% of your final grade.  Your Resume Cover Letter will be e-mailed to the instructor before the semester ends.

 

4) E-mail assignment for 2% of your final grade.  Internet search for business information.     The information will be e-mailed to the instructor before the semester ends.

 

Here is the requirement:

1.         Look up on the County Appraisal District tax value of your house, or your relative’s house, or a house in which you are interested. Copy information to e-mail.  1% of grade  

2.         Pull up “Google.com”.  Plug in “Consumer price index”.

a.     Answer who/what publishes the CPI? In e-mail

b.    Read, copy and paste the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 to e-mail.  1% of grade

3.         Send e-mail with these items answered to me.

 

5)  Complete the Info Game.  Bring me the certificate. 2% of final grade. 

http://library.austincc.edu/help/infogame/start.htm

 

All E-mails will include your ACC name in the body and the Campus code (PIN) (NRG) (EVC) on the subject line and be sent to lionelbrewer@yahoo.com.  A current e-mail address and (cell) phone number are required on BlackBoard.