ACC 3335 180: Financial Analysis Technique

Email Notifications/Alerts for Blackboard: Please make sure to checkmark (v) Email notifications of Global Notification Settings.

Minimum Technical Skills Expected
When participating in distance education courses, it is vital to consider the technology involved in order to have a successful course. Students in distance education should have knowledge of basic computer and Internet skills, as mentioned on the Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services’ webpage.
Required Basic Skills
• Getting online.
• Using an Internet browser.
• Downloading, saving, opening, and printing material found online.
• Conducting Internet searches.
• Composing e-mail/course messages and attaching documents. (Blackboard Student Help Link: Course Messages) 6 Page 6
• Take online examinations.
• Learning new computer skills

This course demonstrates useful Excel financial analysis techniques, focusing on analyzing financial statements using Microsoft Excel spreadsheet tools. Students with no prior experience with spreadsheets will be introduced to the basics, from navigating the interface to building financial models within an introductory accounting context.

Learning Objectives: Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
1. Prepare basic financial statements and calculate the common ratios using financial statement data.
2. Understand the relationships between financial statements using basic financial models.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of Excel Financial Analysis techniques to build cash budget, forecasting, and break-even and leverage analysis.

To go to the bookstore, click here.

Assignments and Assessments
Your weekly assignment is due is every Thursday by 11:55 PM (CST) via ExPrep (Excel Homework) and Hubro (Simulations) without exception. Your graded assignments will be available by the following next Monday by 10 PM (CST) via Blackboard Dropbox with instructors’ comments. Please do not submit your completed homework via Blackboard. I will post your graded homework with grade and comments via Blackboard.

TAMIU OIT have scheduled maintenance for FY24/25 for the following dates and time. When in doubt, please contact 956-326-2310.
Fall
September 13th, 2024 at 7pm (Friday)-10am (Saturday)
October 4th, 2024 at 7pm (Friday)-10am (Saturday)
November 15th, 2024 at 7pm (Friday)-10am (Saturday)
December 20th, 2024 at 7pm (Friday)-10am (Saturday)

Grade Breakdown: In determining the final course grade, the following scale is used in point value. The number of points earned will be converted to an equivalent final letter grade for the course.

Grading Policies

Grade	Value
Description and Assignment Break Down	Points
Excel Homework (16 homework@ 20 pts each)	320
Discussion (16 discussions@ 5 pts each)	80
Midterm (25 questions @ 4 pts each)	100
Simulation Homework (10 homework@ 10 pts each)	100
Final (24 questions @ 4 pts each; 13 questions @ 8 pts each)	200
Total	800

Grading Policies

Grade	Value
Points	Grade
720-800 pts	A
640-719 pts	B
560-639 pts	C
480-559 pts	D
0-479 pts	F

Dates to keep in mind:
August 26: First Class Day of Fall 2024
September 10: Last day courses may be dropped without record
October 13: Midterm Grades due
November 28-30: Thanksgiving Holidays, No Class
December 3: Tuesday. Last Class Day
December 4: FINAL EXAM, Wednesday, at the time of your choice within 24 hours.

Interim Progress Report
Please track your performance via Blackboard proactively and forecast your final grade according to the grading policy.

Course Announcements
Please read the “Announcements” link in the Blackboard course menu on a daily basis to check any update from both instructor and students for important information.

Course Q&A Forum
In the Course Q&A Forum, you may post general questions about the course, and content-related questions.

Excel Homework
ExPrep: We use the ExPrep platform (REQUIRED) to submit your 16 Excel homework. The following guideline will show how to register for the ExPrep account, as well as providing a brief overview to get you up and running on the platform. If you have troubleshootings in connecting with ExPrep, please visit http://excelpreparation.com/contact.html and contact ExPrep team via Contact@excelpreparation.com for additional assistance. If the problem persists, please reach out to me the day before the due date. Otherwise, I am not able to assist you in a timely manner.

Student Account Setup
1) Go to the ExPrep Portal: https://portal.excelpreparation.com
o We recommend using Google Chrome as the preferred browser
2) Click “Create Account” at the bottom of the login screen.
• NOTE: If you already have an account and purchased a subscription in the past 12 months, you should be all set after clicking the link above and can ignore the remaining steps. You must be signed in when clicking the account to register for the new class.

3) Fill in the missing information and make sure to remember your email address and password. Afterwards, click Create Account and you should be automatically logged into the ExPrep portal.
• Note: You cannot create an account unless you have a course code. If a course code is not provided, contact your instructor.

4) There should be an Exam/Assignments tab available to the left in the portal. Click the “Exam/Assignments” tab to access your professor assignments/projects. (Note: The dashboard is connected to a separate ExPrep product and is not relevant to your class)
NOTE: If you do not see an Exam tab or any assignments/projects, log out and back into your account.

PLEASE DO NOT RENAME THE TABS OR DELETE ANY TABS, AND MAKE SURE TO SUBMIT USING MICROSFOT EXCEL WORKSHEET (.xlsx) format. NO SUBMISSION WILL BE ACCEPTED UNLESS YOU SUBMIT VIA ExPrep STARTING FROM HW 1-1. NO EXCEPTION. HANDLE THE TECHNICAL ERRORS PRIOR TO THE DUE DATE. NO LATE SUBMISSION IS ACCEPTED IN THIS CLASS. DROP BOX IS CREATED TO POST GRADED HOMEWORK AND POINTS. PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT ANY WORK VIA DROP BOX IN THIS COURSE.

Please start your homework early. Each homework has multiple questions, and it takes time to finish. Do not wait until the due date, and practice writing to interpret the analysis. Copying and pasting textbook solutions or submitting others’ work will be caught immediately based on excel formulas that you have used and writing style.

Please do not submit multiple files via ExPrep. Make sure to word file with detailed directions for homework before start working on Excel worksheet.

Online discussion participation
Online discussions demonstrate students’ ability to comprehend contexts of each lecture and homework questions, and to encourage knowledge sharing to understand questions in a public online setting. Online discussion is a public web tool to help each other studying instead of using private web tool such as WhatsApp. You may discuss more than 16 times, but no credit will be given for additional discussions. Please do not disclose your private information via online discussions. Students need to post minimum one discussion question in each lecture AND corresponding answer to earn points by each homework due date. 

You may discuss more than 16 times, but no credit will be given for additional discussions. You may not ask any question at all, then no points will be given. Using online discussion platform, you may share appropriate resource(s) to answer for assignment questions for lecture. All shall adhere the following online discussion guidelines.

1) Think and read other’s questions and answers before posting yours. Any time we are communicating in print, there is a greater risk of misunderstandings occurring because we do not communicate our ‘tone’ when we write. Read your message thoroughly before you post it. If needed, include friendly comments or emoticons to make sure your message is taken as you intend it. Please do not repeat another student’s question.
2) Use lower and upper case appropriately. DO NOT USE ALL CAPS! It appears as if you are shouting at your classmates.
3) Keep the focus on the topic at hand. Remember, this is an academic discussion board. While we want to get to know each other as appropriate, not all of your classmates want to read sidebars to the class discussion.
4) Focus your comments on the message, not the messenger. Debating ideas is encouraged, but make sure you do not attack another for his or her ideas.
5) Avoid posting “me too” or “I agree” posts. If you have nothing more to add to the content, don’t post a reply. These posts take your classmates extra time to weed through without adding substance to the discussion. If you agree with a post, take the time to articulate why you agree, and then your reply will be worthy of posting.
6) Keep your replies brief. Replies should be no longer than three paragraphs.
7) Avoid the use of foul language or insults. Remember that there are real people out there who may be offended by something that you find humorous. Be overly cautious about posting anything that is even slightly off-color.
8) Do not create a new thread unless you are indeed introducing a new question. If a discussion is in progress, reply to the last message on that topic instead of creating a new topic or thread. Make sure you do read through the messages on that thread before replying because someone may have already posted a response that is similar to yours. Make sure you add something new to the discussion instead of being redundant.
9) Check the discussion board frequently. You will enjoy and get more out of the discussions of your read posts regularly instead of waiting until the end of the week and reading 100 posts all in one sitting.
10) An example of good online discussion etiquette.
Good: Question about HW 1-1 –c) in relation to a creation of a line chart showing the stock prices from January to June 2021 for three companies. How do you select a different dash type for each line representing each company?
Bad: An assignment HW1-1-c), I do not know.
Take advantage of threaded discussion. Many are in the habit of creating a new topic heading rather than replying to the previous one. Please take the advantage of keeping the discussion board organized so that you can scan by topic. Good use of threaded discussions greatly reduces your needs to open messages in order to determine relevance. If you do not understand how to use online discussion, please reach out to your instructor.

Simulation homework

Hubro: We use the Hubro platform (REQUIRED) to submit your 9 simulation homework and 1 final report in word document when 9 simulation is finished. More information will be disseminated after midterm. You may discuss about simulations with classmates via discussion board. 

Exams
There are two exams; midterm and final comprehensive exam. Midterm will be multiple choices (25 questions @ 4 pts each) and final comprehensive exam will be a mixture of multiple choices (24 questions @ 4 pts each) and short answer questions (13 questions @ 8 pts each). These questions will be what we have covered in the classes. Students must complete a comprehensive final exam. Importantly, there will be 100 points deduction from students’ earned points if students do not complete a comprehensive final examination during the exam window period and none of the exams will be dropped. In this class, exams will be administered using Lockdown Brower, and Respondus Monitor. Please take the exam during the 24 hour window period on the day of exam from 12:00 AM (CST)-11:59 PM (CST).

Homework Rubrics

Criteria 1: Identify and Access Needed Information

4 Points (Capstone) 

Student appropriatelyidentifies the data, data sources, understands how to retrieve the data and information needed to answer for the problem.

3 Points (Milestones)
Student identifies many of the data, data sources, understands how to retrieve most of the data and
information needed to answer for the problem.

2 Points (Milestones)
Student identifies some of the data, data sources, understands how to retrieve most of the data and
information needed to answer for the problem.

1 Point (Benchmark)
Student confuses some of the data, data sources, lacks an understanding of how to retrieve the data and
information needed to answer for the problem.
Criteria 2: Analysis

4 Points (Capstone)
Student is able to organize and synthesize evidence to reveal insightful patterns, differences, or similarities related to focus.

3 Points (Milestones)
Student organizes evidence to reveal important patterns, differences, or similarities related to focus.

2 Points (Milestones)
Student organizes some evidence to reveal patterns, differences, or similarities related to focus.

1 Point (Benchmark)
Student lists evidence, but it is not organized and/or is unrelated to focus.

Criteria 3: Use Information Effectively to Accomplish a Specific Purpose

4 Points (Capstone)
Student is able to describe, communicate, and synthesize information from data sources and analysis to fully achieve a specific purpose with clarity and depth.

3 Points (Milestones)
Student is mostly able to describe, communicate, and synthesize information from data sources and analysis for intended purpose.

2 Points (Milestones)
Student is partially able to describe, communicate, and synthesize information from data sources and analysis for intended purpose.

1 Point (Benchmark)
Student fails to describe, communicate, and synthesize information from data sources and analysis for intended purpose.

Criteria 4: Use Information Effectively to Accomplish a Specific Purpose

4 Points (Capstone)
Student is able to describe, communicate, and synthesize information from data sources and analysis to fully achieve a specific purpose with clarity and depth.

3 Points (Milestones)
Student is mostly able to describe, communicate, and synthesize information from data sources and analysis for intended purpose.

2 Points (Milestones)
Student is partially able to describe, communicate, and synthesize information from data sources and analysis for intended purpose.

1 Point (Benchmark)
Student fails to describe, communicate, and synthesize information from data sources and analysis for intended purpose.

Learner Support

For technical supports, please visit http://www.tamiu.edu/distance/technical-support- services.shtml. You may contact elearning team via phone at (956) 326-2792, via e-mail at elearning@tamiu.edu or by stopping by their offices located in Killam Library, Room 259. If the technical issues are associated with your assignment submissions, please contact elearning 24 hours and me prior to the submission due date. In that way, both elearning and the instructor are aware of the issue. If you encounter the same issue more than three times, please post the issue in the Course Q&A Forum. In that way, both instructor and students are aware of the issue. Then, I will contact elearning as soon as possible. I will forward eLearning’s solution to you and the class, and leave the message in the course announcements.

Technology Accessibility Statements

At Texas A&M International University (TAMIU), we believe that all students should have equal technology opportunities in the classroom. The following technologies may appear in this course. Learning Management System: Blackboard

Software: Adobe Acrobat, ECHO 360, Google Chrome, Microsoft Office (Excel, Word) Third-Party Websites: LexisNexis, Google Scholar, Newspapers, EBSCOhost Sites.

Course Communication Guidelines (Netiquette)

There are course expectations concerning etiquette or how we should treat each other online. It is vital that we consider these values as we communicate with one another. Visit Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services’ web page on Netiquette for further instruction.

What Is Netiquette?

By definition, etiquette is "the customary code of polite behavior in society or among members of a particular profession or group." In cyberspace, netiquette is "acceptable way of communicating and behaving on the Internet." Netiquette Tips Regardless of the type of communication used, you should always keep in mind the following:

• be respectful
• be considerate of others
• think through before responding
• write clearly and concisely
• respond in a timely manner
• use short paragraphs
• spell-check your responses Avoid:
  • CAPITAL LETTERS may be used to EMPHASIZE but avoid typing in only capital letters as it may "sound" AS THOUGH YOU'RE SHOUTING!
• rambling writing style; get to the point quickly
• screens full of text 

Academic Honesty

TAMIU Honor Code: Plagiarism and Cheating

As a TAMIU student, you are bound by the TAMIU Honor Code to conduct yourself ethically in all your activities as a TAMIU student and to report violations of the Honor Code. Please read carefully the Student Handbook Article 7 and Article 10 available at https://www.tamiu.edu/scce/studenthandbook.shtml.

Violations of the Honor Code tend to involve claiming work that is not one’s own, most commonly plagiarism in written assignments and simple cheating on exams and other types of assignments.

Plagiarism is the presentation of someone else’s work as your own. It occurs when you:

1. Borrow someone else’s facts, ideas, or opinions and put them entirely in your own words, you must acknowledge that these thoughts are not your own by immediately citing the source in your paper. Failure to do this is plagiarism.
2. Borrow someone else’s words (short phrases, clauses, or sentences), you must enclose the copied words in quotation marks as well as citing the source. Failure to do this is plagiarism.
3. Present someone else’s paper or exam (stolen, borrowed, or bought) as your own, you have committed a clearly intentional form of intellectual theft and have put your academic future in jeopardy. This is the worst form of plagiarism.

Here is another explanation from the 2010, sixth edition of the Manual of The American

Psychological Association (APA):

Plagiarism: Researchers do not claim the words and ideas of another as their own; they give credit where credit is due. Quotations marks should be used to indicate the exact words of another. Each time you paraphrase another author (i.e., summarize a passage or rearrange the order of a sentence and change some of the words), you need to credit the source in the text. The key element of this principle is that authors do not present the work of another as if it were their own words. This can extend to ideas as well as written words. If authors model a study after one done by someone else, the originating author should be given credit. If the rationale for a study was suggested in the Discussion section of someone else's article, the person should be given credit. Given the free exchange of ideas, which is very important for the health of intellectual discourse, authors may not know where an idea for a study originated. If authors do know, however, they should acknowledge the source; this includes personal communications (pp. 15-16). For guidance on proper documentation, consult the Writing Center or a recommended guide to documentation and research such as the Manual of the APA or the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. If you still have doubts concerning proper documentation, seek advice from your instructor prior to submitting a final draft.

• Penalties for Plagiarism: Should a faculty member discover that a student has committed plagiarism, the student should receive a grade of 'F' in that course and the matter will be referred to the Honor Council for possible disciplinary action. The faculty member, however, may elect to give freshmen and sophomore students a “zero” for the assignment and to allow them to revise the assignment up to a grade of “F” (50%) if they believe that the student plagiarized out of ignorance or carelessness and not out of an attempt to deceive in order to earn an unmerited grade; the instructor must still report the offense to the Honor Council. This option should not be available to juniors, seniors, or graduate students, who cannot reasonably claim ignorance of documentation rules as an excuse. For repeat offenders in undergraduate courses or for an offender in any graduate course, the penalty for plagiarism is likely to include suspension or expulsion from the university.
  • Caution: Be very careful what you upload to Turnitin or send to your professor for evaluation. Whatever you upload for evaluation will be considered your final, approved draft. If it is plagiarized, you will be held responsible. The excuse that “it was only a draft” will not be accepted.
• Caution: Also, do not share your electronic files with others. If you do, you are responsible for the possible consequences. If another student takes your file of a paper and changes the name to his or her name and submits it and you also submit the paper, we will hold both of you responsible for plagiarism. It is impossible for us to know with certainty who wrote the paper and who stole it. And, of course, we cannot know if there was collusion between you and the other student in the matter.
• Penalties for Cheating: Should a faculty member discover a student cheating on an exam or quiz or other class project, the student should receive a “zero” for the assignment and not be allowed to make the assignment up. The incident should be reported to the chair of the department and to the Honor Council. If the cheating is extensive, however, or if the assignment constitutes a major grade for the course (e.g., a final exam), or if the student has cheated in the past, the student should receive an “F” in the course, and the matter should be referred to the Honor Council. Additional penalties, including suspension or expulsion from the university may be imposed. Under no circumstances should a student who deserves an “F” in the course be allowed to withdraw from the course with a “W.”
• Caution: Chat groups that start off as “study groups” can easily devolve into “cheating groups.” Be very careful not to join or remain any chat group if begins to discuss specific information about exams or assignments that are meant to require individual work. If you are a member of such a group and it begins to cheat, you will be held responsible along with all the other members of the group. The TAMIU Honor Code requires that you report any such instances of cheating.
• Student Right of Appeal: Faculty will notify students immediately via the student’s TAMIU email account that they have submitted plagiarized work. Students have the right to appeal a faculty member’s charge of academic dishonesty by notifying the TAMIU Honor Council of their intent to appeal as long as the notification of appeal comes within 10 business days of the faculty member’s e-mail message to the student and/or the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement. The Student Handbook provides more details.

Use of Work in Two or More Courses

You may not submit work completed in one course for a grade in a second course unless you receive explicit permission to do so by the instructor of the second course.

UConnect, TAMIU E-Mail, and Dusty Alert

Personal Announcements sent to students through TAMIU’s Uconnect Portal and TAMIU E-mail are the official means of communicating course and university business with students and faculty –not the U.S. Mail and no other e-mail addresses. Students and faculty must check UConnect and their TAMIU e-mail accounts regularly, if not daily. Not having seen an important TAMIU e-mail or UConnect message from a faculty member, chair, or dean is not accepted as an excuse for failure to take important action. Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to sign-up for Dusty Alert(see www.tamiu.edu). Dusty Alert is an instant cell phone text-messaging system allowing the university to communicate immediately with you if there is an on-campus emergency, something of immediate danger to you, or a campus closing.

Copyright Restrictions

The Copyright Act of 1976 grants to copyright owners the exclusive right to reproduce their works and distribute copies of their work. Works that receive copyright protection include published works such as a textbook. Copying a textbook without permission from the owner of the copyright may constitute copyright infringement. Civil and criminal penalties may be assessed for copyright infringement. Civil penalties include damages up to $100,000; criminal penalties include a fine up to $250,000 and imprisonment.

Copyright laws do not allow students and professors to make photocopies of copyrighted materials, but you may copy a limited portion of a work, such an article from a journal or a chapter from a book for your own personal academic use or, in the case of a professor, for personal, limited classroom use. In general, the extent of your copying should not suggest that the purpose or the effect of your copying is to avoid paying for the materials. And, of course, you may not sell these copies for a profit. Thus, students who copy textbooks to avoid buying them or professors who provide photocopies of textbooks to enable students to save money are violating the law.

Accommodations/Accessibility Policy

Texas A&M International University seeks to provide reasonable accommodations for all qualified persons with disabilities. This University will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal education opportunity. It is the student's responsibility to register with the Director of Student Counseling and to contact the faculty member in a timely fashion to arrange for suitable accommodations. For more information, contact the online at Office of Disability Services for Students (DSS), or via phone at 956.326.2230, or by visiting the staff at the Senator Judith Zaffirini Student Success Center, room 138. A link to the Disabilities Services for Students site has also been included under the "Resources" tab inside the course.

Students with Disabilities

Texas A&M International University seeks to provide reasonable accommodations for all qualified persons with disabilities. This University will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal education opportunity. It is the student’s responsibility to register with the Disabilities Services Coordinator located in the Student Counseling Center and to contact the faculty member in a timely fashion to arrange for suitable accommodations.

Safety and Security- You are the Difference

Your safety and security are of prime concern here at Texas A&M International University, and the University police department work hard to ensure the campus is a safe place to live, learn, work and play. TAMIU is not, however, exempt from crime. To be safe and secure, you must take common sense precautions. Be alert and aware of those around you; look out for the safety of others. Do not leave valuables unattended; do not attempt to touch or interfere with our wildlife.

Student Attendance and Leave of Absence (LOA) Policy:

Pregnant and Parenting Students

Under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, harassment based on sex, including harassment because of pregnancy or related conditions, is prohibited. A pregnant/parenting student must be granted an absence for as long as the student’s physician deems the absence medically necessary. It is a violation of Title IX to ask for documentation relative to the pregnant/parenting student’s status beyond what would be required for other medical conditions. If a student would like to file a complaint for discrimination due to his or her pregnant/parenting status, please contact the TAMIU Title IX Coordinator (Lorissa M. Cortez, 5201 University Boulevard, KLM 159B, Laredo, TX 78041, TitleIX@tamiu.edu, 956.326.2857) and/or the Office of Civil Rights (Dallas Office, U.S. Department of Education, 1999 Bryan Street, Suite 1620, Dallas, TX 75201-6810, 214.661.9600). You can also report it on TAMIU’s anonymous electronic reporting site: www.tamiu.edu/reportit.

TAMIU advises a pregnant/parenting student to notify their professor once the student is aware that accommodations for such will be necessary. It is recommended that the student and professor  develop  a  reasonable  plan  for  the student’s  completion  of  missed coursework or assignments. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity (Lorissa M. Cortez, lorissam.cortez@tamiu.edu) can assist the student and professor in working out the reasonable accommodations.. For other questions or concerns regarding Title IX compliance related to pregnant/parenting students at the University, contact the Title IX Coordinator. In the event that a student will need a leave of absence for a substantial period of time, TAMIU University urges the student to consider a Leave of Absence (LOA) as outlined in the TAMIU Student Handbook. As part of our efforts to assist and encourage all students towards graduation, TAMIU provides LOA’s for students, including pregnant/parenting students, in accordance with the Attendance Rule and the Student LOA Rule. Both rules can be found in the TAMIU Student Handbook (https://www.tamiu.edu/scce/studenthandbook.shtml).

Anti-Discrimination/Title IX

TAMIU does not discriminate or permit harassment against any individual on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation or gender identity in admissions, educational programs, or employment. If you would like to file a complaint relative to Title IX or any civil rights violation, please contact the TAMIU Director of Equal Opportunity and Diversity/Title IX Coordinator, Lorissa M. Cortez, 5201 University Boulevard, Killam Library 159B, Laredo, TX 78041, TitleIX@tamiu.edu, 956.326.2857, via the anonymous electronic reporting website, ReportIt, at www.tamiu.edu/reportit,, and/or the Office of Civil Rights (Dallas Office), U.S. Department of Education, 1999 Bryan Street, Suite 1620, Dallas, TX 75201-6810, 214.661.9600.

Incompletes

Students who are unable to complete a course should withdraw from the course before the final date for withdrawal and receive a “W.” To qualify for an “incomplete” and thus have the opportunity to complete the course at a later date, a student must meet the following criteria:

1. The student must have completed 90% of the course work assigned before the final date for withdrawing from a course with a “W”, and the student must be passing the course;
2. The student cannot complete the course because an accident, an illness, or a traumatic personal or family event occurred after the final date for withdrawal from a course;
3. The student must sign an “Incomplete Grade Contract” and secure signatures of approval from the professor and the college dean.
4. The student must agree to complete the missing course work before the end of the next long semester; failure to meet this deadline will cause the “I” to automatically be converted to an “F”; extensions to this deadline may be granted by the dean of the college. This is the general policy regarding the circumstances under which an “incomplete” may be granted, but under exceptional circumstances, a student may receive an incomplete who does not meet all of the criteria above if the

faculty member, department chair, and dean recommend it.

WIN Contracts

WIN Contracts are offered only under exceptional circumstances and are limited to seniors. Only courses offered by full-time TAMIU faculty or TAMIU instructors are eligible to be contracted for the WIN requirement. However, a WIN contract for a course taught by an adjunct may be approved, with special permission from the department chair and dean. Students must seek approval before beginning any work for the WIN Contract. No student will contract more than one course per semester. Summer WIN Contracts must continue through both summer.

Student Responsibility for Dropping a Course

It is the responsibility of the student to drop the course before the final date for withdrawal from a course. Faculty members, in fact, may not drop a student from a course without getting the approval of their department chair and dean.

Independent Study Course

Independent Study (IS) courses are offered only under exceptional circumstances. Required courses intended to build academic skills may not be taken as IS (e.g., clinical supervision and internships). No student will take more than one IS course per semester. Moreover, IS courses are limited to seniors and graduate students. Summer IS course must continue through both summer sessions.

Grade Changes & Appeals

Faculty are authorized to change final grades only when they have committed a computational error or an error in recording a grade, and they must receive the approval of their department chairs and the dean to change the grade. As part of that approval, they must attach a detailed explanation of the reason for the mistake. Only in rare cases would another reason be entertained as legitimate for a grade change. A student who is unhappy with his or her grade on an assignment must discuss the situation with the faculty member teaching the course. If students believe that they have been graded unfairly, they have the right to appeal the grade using a grade appeal process in the Student Handbook and in the Faculty Handbook.

Final Examination

All courses in all colleges must include a comprehensive exam or performance and be given on the date and time specified by the Academic Calendar and the Final Exam schedule published by the Registrar’s Office. In the College of Arts & Sciences all final exams must contain a written component. The written component should comprise at least 20% of the final exam grade. Exceptions to this policy must receive the approval of the department chair and the dean at the beginning of the semester.

Computer/Technology Requirements

When participating in distance education courses, it is vital to consider the technology involved in order to have a successful course. Online students will need regular access to a personal computer that runs on a broadband Internet connection.

It is recommended that you meet the technical requirements listed on the Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services’ webpage when using the learning management system (LMS) of the University.

Additional Hardware. For this class, you will need the following additional hardware: a webcam and microphone for VoiceThread discussions. Recently purchased laptops may have these built-in web cameras. If you do not have this equipment, it is recommended to purchase a stand-alone webcam, microphone or a webcam with a built-in microphone from your local electronic store or any online store.

Additional Software. You will need the following additional software: Microsoft PowerPoint for viewing lesson presentations and Microsoft Word for viewing course files and submitting assignments. TAMIU Students may access online versions of this software through their Dusty Office 365 account at https://dusty.tamiu.edu/. This site also provides students access to download the Microsoft suite for educational use. See instructions for downloading the Microsoft Office suite.

Note: Students if you do not own the required hardware, software or do not have access to internet, it will be highly challenging for you to make any progress in this class. However, my goal is to assist you to find solutions and guide you appropriately most of the required materials can either be found free of charge at TAMIU’s library, computer labs, and classrooms. In addition, you may also purchase any of these items at any electronic store.

Learning Management System (Blackboard)

Students are provided with guides on how to use the Blackboard LMS. Guides may be available at Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services' Student eLearning Tutorial Videos page. or by contacting the eLearning team at elearning@tamiu.edu.

Technical Support Services

Because of the nature of distance education courses, the Office of Information Technology (OIT) computing and information services are vital to the success of online students. This webpage covers contact information for Distance Education Services (Blackboard Support), the OIT Help Desk, and E- mail support: Technical Support Services.

Course Evaluation

At the end of this course, students are encouraged to complete a course evaluation that will be distributed to them via email and through a course link.

Syllabus Subject to Change

While information and assurances are provided in this course syllabus, it should be understood that content may change in keeping with new research and literature and that events beyond the control of the instructor could occur. Students will be informed of any substantive occurrences that will produce syllabus changes.

Accessibility and Privacy Statements on Course Technologies

Information on the accessibility and privacy policies of all course technologies must be provided to the students. At TAMIU, the eLearning team has compiled a list of accessibility and privacy statement links on their website. Link to these pages and contact eLearning if any new technologies should be listed on their pages. See the following example. Customize technologies to include those that pertain to your course:

At Texas A&M International University, we believe that all students should have equal technology opportunities in the classroom. These technologies/sites may also require user data, such as the creation of a username and password. In this class, we will utilize Blackboard, Echo360, and Exprep. You may find the accessibility and privacy policies of these technologies on the following pages: Accessibility Statements and Privacy Statements.

University/College/Department Policies

Campus/Classroom Requirements (Spring 2021 COVID-19 Requirements)

In order to ensure your safety and that of others, for the Spring 2021 semester and until further notice you are required:

• To self-monitor each day before coming to campus and to stay at home if you have any of the symptoms of COVID-19 as enumerated in the required A&M System training that you took prior to coming back to campus;
• To wear a covering over your mouth and nose at all times while on campus and in any university facility except when eating or drinking;
• To wash your hands thoroughly and use personal hand-sanitizer frequently;
• To wipe down your work areas with provided sanitizer wipes; and, importantly,
• To maintain social distance (6’ or more) at all times while on campus.

Classroom Behavior

TAMIU encourages classroom discussion and academic debate as an essential intellectual activity. It is essential that students learn to express and defend their beliefs, but it is also essential that they learn to listen and respond respectfully to others whose beliefs they may not share. The College will always tolerate diverse, unorthodox, and unpopular points of view, but it will not tolerate condescending or insulting remarks. When students verbally abuse or ridicule and intimidate others whose views they do not agree with, they subvert the free exchange of ideas that should characterize a university classroom. If their actions are deemed by the professor to be disruptive, they will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action (please refer to Student Handbook Article 4).

Synchronous (“Live”) Class Attendance Required for TAMIU Flex

Students are expected to attend every class in person and to complete all assignments. In Spring 2021 and until further notice, attendance for TAMIUFlex classes must be in-person or virtually on

the days and times class is scheduled. If you cannot attend in-person or virtually, it is your responsibility to communicate absences with your professors and to request access to a recording of the missed class. The faculty member will decide if your excuse is valid and thus eligible to view a recording of the class. According to University policy, acceptable reasons for an absence (physical or virtual), which cannot affect a student’s grade, include:

• Participation in an authorized University activity.
• Death or major illness in a student’s immediate family.
• Illness of a dependent family member.
• Participation in legal proceedings or administrative procedures that require a student’s presence.
• Religious holy day.
• Illness that is too severe or contagious for the student to attend class.
• Required participation in military duties.
• Mandatory admission interviews for professional or graduate school which cannot be rescheduled.

Students are responsible for providing satisfactory evidence (i.e., physician note, medical release, etc.) to faculty members within seven calendar days of their absence and return to class. They must substantiate the reason for absence. If the absence is excused, faculty members must either provide students with the opportunity to make up the exam or other work missed or provide a satisfactory alternative to complete the exam or other work missed within 30 calendar days from the date of absence. Students who miss class due to a University-sponsored activity are responsible for identifying their absences to their instructors with as much advance notice as possible. The right to viewing recorded class meetings depends upon receiving an excused absence from the faculty member teaching the class.