NURS 4613 101: Nursing Leadership&Management

NURS 4613 - Nursing LeadershipManagement

Fall 2024 Syllabus, Section 101, CRN 14438


Instructor Information

Robert Moran, MSN, FNP-BC, MPH, JD, CP-SANE

Email: robert.moran@tamiu.edu

Office: Canseco School of Nursing, 315 B

Office Hours:
Monday 1:00-2:20pm & 5:20-7:00pm
Tuesdays 1:00-4:00 when not in simulation and virtually by appointment.

Office Phone: 956.326.2572

Cell Phone: 956.235.1056

Students will email faculty to schedule in office meeting and/or virtual meeting.


Times and Location

M 2:20pm-5:20pm in Pellegrino Hall 101


Course Description

This course provides an introduction to the theory and practice of nursing leadership and management which emphasizes the role of nurse leader in professional nursing practice. Key concepts will include critical thinking, effective communication, ethical and legal issues, handling conflict, successful delegation, controlling resources, improving quality and safety, and leading change. This course is 3 hours of theory and 9 hours of practicum per week. 126 hours total practicum are required in this course. Prerequisites: NURS 3613, NURS 3410, NURS 3310, NURS 3614, NURS 3411, NURS 3412, NURS 4614, NURS 4410, and NURS 4310. Corequisites: NURS 4411 and NURS 4412.
Nursing Department, College of Nursing&Health Sci

Additional Course Information

NameRobert Moran, MSN-FNP, MPH, JD

Email: robert.moran@tamiu.edu (please use email to contact faculty)

Office: Canseco School of Nursing, 315 B

Office Phone: 956.326.2572 Cell: 956.235.1056

Office hours: Monday 1:00-2:20pm & 5:20-7:00pm

Tuesdays 1:00-4:00 when not in simulation and virtually by appointment.

Students will email faculty to schedule in office meeting and/or virtual meeting.           

Simulation day and time(s): Tentatively set for Tuesdays 12-5 pm throughout the semester and /or any clinical days / Wednesdays – Sundays assigned, and schedule/ simulation lab / sites permit. Clinical: Wednesdays – Sundays, times, and sites TBA

Course Credit Hours: 6 credit hours: 3 hours theory & 9 clock hours practicum per week. 

126 hours total practicum are required in this course.

Clinical Hours Breakdown: 70% direct patient care and 30 % combination nursing skills lab, low and high definition simulation and evolving case studies.

Program Learning Outcomes

NURS 4613 Nursing Leadership & Management  
CLO PLO DECs AACN QSEN ANA Key measure
Apply concepts and principles from the arts, sciences, humanities, management, and nursing when making practice decisions for managing individuals, families, communities, and healthcare teams. 1,3,4,6 1,2,4 1,5,6,9,10 1,3,4 1,2,3,4 Evidenced-based instruction, student-centered classroom discussions, case studies, PowerPoints, high and low fidelity simulations, students, Elsevier/Evolve/HESI assignments, writing assignments, guest speakers.
Incorporate social, cultural, ethnic, spiritual, psychological and economic factors when providing nursing leadership and management of individuals, families, communities, and healthcare teams. 2,4,6,7,8 1,2,4 1,2,3,9,10 1,2 1,2,3,4 Evidenced-based instruction, student-centered classroom discussions, case studies, PowerPoints, high and low fidelity simulations, students, Elsevier/Evolve/HESI assignments, writing assignments, guest speakers.
Use critical thinking, evidence-based knowledge, and interdisciplinary collaboration when providing leadership and management to individuals, families, communities, and healthcare teams within a healthcare system. 1,2,3,4,6,9 1,2,3 1,5,6,7,9,10 3,4,5,6 1,2,3,4 Evidenced-based instruction, student-centered classroom discussions, case studies, PowerPoints, high and low fidelity simulations, students, Elsevier/Evolve/HESI assignments, writing assignments, guest speakers.
Demonstrate leadership and management skills, including delegation, within ethical, legal, and professional nursing boundaries, to individuals, families, communities, and healthcare teams. 2,3,5,6,7,8 1,2,3,4 1,2,5,7,9,10 2,3,4 1,2,3,4 Evidenced-based instruction, student-centered classroom discussions, case studies, PowerPoints, high and low fidelity simulations, students, Elsevier/Evolve/HESI assignments, writing assignments, guest speakers.
Incorporate relevant research when providing leadership and management skills among diverse populations, including individuals, families, communities, and healthcare teams. 2,3,4,5,6,9,10 1,3 1,5,6,7,9,10 1,2,3 1,2,3,4 Evidenced-based instruction, student-centered classroom discussions, case studies, PowerPoints, high and low fidelity simulations, students, Elsevier/Evolve/HESI assignments, writing assignments, guest speakers.

Student Learning Outcomes

NURS 4613 Nursing Leadership & Management  
CLO PLO DECs AACN QSEN ANA Key measure
Apply concepts and principles from the arts, sciences, humanities, management, and nursing when making practice decisions for managing individuals, families, communities, and healthcare teams. 1,3,4,6 1,2,4 1,5,6,9,10 1,3,4 1,2,3,4 Evidenced-based instruction, student-centered classroom discussions, case studies, PowerPoints, high and low fidelity simulations, students, Elsevier/Evolve/HESI assignments, writing assignments, guest speakers.
Incorporate social, cultural, ethnic, spiritual, psychological and economic factors when providing nursing leadership and management of individuals, families, communities, and healthcare teams. 2,4,6,7,8 1,2,4 1,2,3,9,10 1,2 1,2,3,4 Evidenced-based instruction, student-centered classroom discussions, case studies, PowerPoints, high and low fidelity simulations, students, Elsevier/Evolve/HESI assignments, writing assignments, guest speakers.
Use critical thinking, evidence-based knowledge, and interdisciplinary collaboration when providing leadership and management to individuals, families, communities, and healthcare teams within a healthcare system. 1,2,3,4,6,9 1,2,3 1,5,6,7,9,10 3,4,5,6 1,2,3,4 Evidenced-based instruction, student-centered classroom discussions, case studies, PowerPoints, high and low fidelity simulations, students, Elsevier/Evolve/HESI assignments, writing assignments, guest speakers.
Demonstrate leadership and management skills, including delegation, within ethical, legal, and professional nursing boundaries, to individuals, families, communities, and healthcare teams. 2,3,5,6,7,8 1,2,3,4 1,2,5,7,9,10 2,3,4 1,2,3,4 Evidenced-based instruction, student-centered classroom discussions, case studies, PowerPoints, high and low fidelity simulations, students, Elsevier/Evolve/HESI assignments, writing assignments, guest speakers.
Incorporate relevant research when providing leadership and management skills among diverse populations, including individuals, families, communities, and healthcare teams. 2,3,4,5,6,9,10 1,3 1,5,6,7,9,10 1,2,3 1,2,3,4 Evidenced-based instruction, student-centered classroom discussions, case studies, PowerPoints, high and low fidelity simulations, students, Elsevier/Evolve/HESI assignments, writing assignments, guest speakers.

Important Dates

Visit the Academic Calendar (tamiu.edu) page to view the term's important dates.

Textbooks

Group Title Author ISBN
Required Essentials of nursing leadership and management • Weiss, S. A., & Tappen, R. M. (2019) 978-0-8036-6953-6

Other Course Materials

Other resources:

  • HESI must be purchased and will be used for assignments in this course. Required.
  • APA 7thed. Download handouts under resource tab from TAMIU Writing Center website.

Library Homepage: Search here for books, ebooks, journal articles, videos and more.  Serves as the portal to all library services. 

Killam Library Services, Hours and Access during COVID-19: Find updated status on Killam Library service changes that are occurring in response to COVID-19.  Here you will find among other topics how to borrow physical items in the collection during limited building access.

Nursing Research Guide: Specialized research guide to nursing information sources.

Distance Learning Research Guide:  Devoted to online learners and faculty, this guide includes general research tips as well as how to get help and support.

RefWorks Citation Management Tool: RefWorks is a web-based citation management tool that makes research management / paper-writing easier.  See tutorial on how to get started and use

rwebb@tamiu.edu : Email Rodney Webb, Library Liaison to the Sanchez School of Business, to get help with specific questions or problems using library resources or to request an appointment for help with your research paper or project.

researchhelp@tamiu.edu: Email a librarian to get answers to your library questions.

Library Chat: Chat with library reference staff to get answers to questions. When chat is offline, search frequently answered questions bank or submit your question to be answered later

Recommended Textbooks: None.

Other course Requirements: None.

Minimum Computer/Technology Requirements:

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.

Grading Criteria

College of Nursing and Health Sciences Policies:

I.            CSON Grading and Grade Rounding:

1.     The CSON has adopted a grading scale in line with other Texas schools of nursing:

A = 90 - 100   B = 80 - 89       C = 75 – 79   F- 74 and below

2.     Nursing students must achieve a grade of C or higher in both theory and clinical components of a course in order to pass that course and progress in the program. A grade of F in either theory or clinical components will constitute a course failure.

3.     To pass a nursing course and progress in the program, a nursing student must attain an exam average (includes tests and the final) of 75% or higher.

4.     To pass a nursing course and progress in the program, a nursing student must attain an overall course average of 75% or higher.

5.     All grade assignments and assessment (exams, quizzes, etc.) will be calculated to the hundredth (i.e. 2 decimal points); no mathematical rounding is to occur.

6.   Grade rounding:

         Test Average

a. The weighted exam average total for the courses includes all exams and the final exam, and is calculated to two decimal places and rounded mathematically as follows:

b. Less than 0.45 round down to the next whole number (74.44 rounds down to a 74)

c. 0.45 or greater: Round up to the next whole number (74.45 rounds up to a 75)

Course Average

a. The final weighted numeric course grade is calculated to two decimal places and rounded mathematically as follows:

b. Less than 0.45 round down to the next whole number (74.44 rounds down to a 74)

c. 0.45 or greater: Round up to the next whole number (75.45 rounds up to a 75)

Additional Grading

Method of Evaluation and Course Requirements:
Assignments:=5%
Exams (3) 20% each:=60%
Final Exam:=20%
HESI Leadership/Management Exam:=10% / 5% Remediation-(conversion score will be used) 850 or greater: 100 (May replace lowest test score-Not Final)

Clinical Case Studies Days 1-12 - .5 each due with your clinical documentation note after shift no later than midnight (MN). Extra Points subject to at least 5 of the events below: Attend 3 HR luncheons (LMC, DHL, LSH), Submit Typhon and Aefis evaluations with proof / picture in drop box 6 Extra Points
Clinical/Lab/Simulation activities: Hands on patient care, high and low fidelity simulation, case study P/F
Total 100%

HESI Statement

HESI Exit Exam:  At the end of the semester students will be required to take the Proctored standardized course exams. The score on this exam will count as a grade and will count for 10% of the course grade. Grading for this exam will be as follows:  850 or greater: 100. Students scoring below the benchmark of 850 will receive the conversion score that is assigned by HESI as the grade of record on the gradebook.
Students will receive review packets based on their performance on the HESI exam. These packets will be counted as an assignment for the course and will count as 5% of the course grade. All students will be required to complete the review packets by the due date assigned by course faculty. Failure to complete the review packets will result in the student receiving an Incomplete Grade for the course. Information regarding the Incomplete, Withdraw, and Dismissal process can be found in the TAMIU BSN Handbook https://www.tamiu.edu/conhs/documents/handbooks/bsnhandbook.pdf

Hesi: There is a mandatory requirement in this course for HESI specialty examination. The Hesi fee ($) is the responsibility of the student and must be paid within the first 2 weeks from the first day of class. If you take the Hesi and do not pay by the end of the semester the student will receive an Incomplete in the course and will have a Hold placed on their account till this matter is resolved. 10%

HESI Leadership/Management Remediation- See Hesi statement above. All students will be required to complete the review packets by the due date assigned by course faculty. Failure to complete the review packets will result in the student receiving an Incomplete Grade for the course 5% 
Course Participation: All HESI assignments/written/tests, weekly assignments/case studies, TBON jurisprudence exam, weekly quizzes. Group QA assignment (including class presentation)  

* If a 75% or less on any nursing exam, the student will be placed on an individual remediation plan. This plan will be based on student needs. L&M reserves the right to give a pop quiz at any time during class, no make, automatic zero if not present to take the quiz. 

Clinical Objectives:  
After completing the clinical portion of the course, the student will demonstrate:
1. The ability to manage care of a group of clients.
2. The ability to prioritize and delegate client care to other member of the health care team.
3. Effectively communicate verbally and in writing. 
4. Implement behaviors and actions reflective of a professional nurse as part of the health
        care team.
5. Discuss professional issues related to the profession of nursing.
General CLINICAL/LAB POLICIES:
1. Do not give medications without your nurse preceptor present.
2. Do not perform procedures without your nurse preceptor present.
3. Do not hang blood.
4. Do not hang chemotherapy.
5. Do not give IV narcotics.
6. Do not remove any type central lines.
7. Do not do anything that requires special certifications.
Clinical Hours Breakdown: (how will clock hours be distributed and what will student do). 
Clinical Experience Hours Description
Direct patient care 84 Leadership/management/delegation/prioritization
High-fidelity simulations 12 High definition 
Low-fidelity 12 Includes nursing lab 
Evolving Case Study 18 Case Studies on Learning Objectives (LO) Leadership/ Management/Delegation/Prioritization Case Studies on Evaluation on Nurses Notes / Nursing Documentation / Quizzes /Hesi Case Studies/Tests
Total 126
The following is required to meet the clinical requirements of NURS 4613: 
• Clinical performance includes 1) direct patient care, 2) simulation/nursing lab, and 3) evolving case studies (including QA assignment and CDC Heath Care Violence assignment)  
• All students must be up to date with all program requirements, payments, and inscriptions and / or will no be allowed to attend clinical or simulations and will receive an F for any missed clinical / simulation which may affect passing the course. 
• Simulation and lab activities: Will be assigned throughout the semester and dates and times can be found in the schedule of assignments for this class. Due to limited space and times for simulation if a student misses a simulation or lab activity make up may be scheduled after the end of the semester resulting in a grade of incomplete (provided theoretical portion of course is passed) 
• Evolving Case Studies: Evolving case studies will be assigned throughout the semester, late case studies or receiving a grade below 80% on evolving case studies will not count as clinical hours. Each case study will have discussion questions that the students must answer individually. This is not a group project and students sharing work is not allowed and considered plagiarism. Please refer to the course syllabus on how plagiarism will be handled. 
• Change/QA/Teaching project: Student will be assigned to a group to design and present a clinical change/QA/Teaching project as assigned by faculty.
Clinical Expectations:
Clinical hours are required to provide students the opportunities to obtain knowledge and skills to function safely as a professional nurse.
1. Clinical is pass/fail and at the end of the rotation:
a. If assigned a preceptor at the end of the rotation, the student will be asked to evaluate the clinical preceptor (done in Typhon) and the preceptor will be asked to evaluate the student. (If preceptors are used this semester).
b. Evaluation of all simulation activities using Typhon is required after all simulation activities.
2.  Attendance for hands on clinical experiences is expected and there are no excused absences; any hours missed must be made up.  Due to time and clinical agency constraints if a student misses a direct patient care clinical experience or a simulation activity the makeup sessions may be after the end of the semester. If students have passed the theoretical portion of the class they will be given a course grade of incomplete and the time will be made up based on clinical facility and faculty availability. 
a. Direct patient care clinical begins promptly at 6:45 AM or 18:45 (depending on the shift you are assigned). Please note that throughout the semester the clinical sites, dates and times are subject to change; this is based on faculty/preceptor/agency availability as well as to provide students with optimal clinical experiences.
b. If student is going to be late please contact the faculty and if assigned a preceptor notify the preceptor. Students who miss one day may make up hour for hour. Students missing more than one day are at grave risk of course failure. If unable to attend clinical notify by faculty and assigned preceptor.
3. Professionally attired; see student handbook for clinical dress code.
4. If a student is under the supervision and direction of a clinical preceptor, a signed agreement with the clinical preceptor must be obtained prior to the rotation. 
a. When in the clinical area students may only perform nursing actions, administration of medication, patient teaching, and documentation under the direct supervision of the assigned clinical preceptor.
b. No skill, treatment or medication that requires special training or certification (including blood transfusions, removal of central lines, chemotherapy administration etc.) may be undertaken by the student even under the supervision of a preceptor.
c. If the clinical preceptor is absent or pulled to another unit the student must immediately notify the faculty for directions on how to proceed. 
5. Exhibit professional behavior at all times, the preceptor and/or faculty may send the student home for non-professional behavior Examples include but not limited to the following:
a. Reporting to clinical unprepared, inappropriately dressed or comes in >5 minutes late.
b. Leaves clinical area without reporting to preceptor. 
c. Display non-professional behavior in the clinical area (i.e. fighting, using profanity, giving medication or performing procedure without preceptor or faculty supervision, non-compliance with confidentiality requirements, etc.).
d. Bringing a cell phone to clinical area. 
e. Displaying any behavior faculty/preceptor deems non-professional or unsafe to patient or others. 
f. Being asked to leave the clinical area for cause is grounds for clinical failure and thus course failure.
Unsafe Clinical Performance/Patient Safety: Any act, omission or commission that may result in harm to the patient is considered unsafe clinical practice. Any student who jeopardizes patient safety will be sent home from clinical and receive a clinical F for that day. See CONHS BSN Handbook.
Clinical “F” Day: Unacceptable nursing practice in the clinical setting or unexcused clinical absence is grounds for receiving a clinical fail day, also known as an “F” Day. A clinical setting is any activity for which the student receives clinical hours. A student who receives three (3) clinical “F” days in any clinical course will receive a grade of F for that course. CONHS BSN Handbook. 

Schedule of Topics and Assignments

Day Date Agenda/Topic Reading(s) Due
Mon 8/26 1)Read Chapter 4 and 5 (1-3) and review / answer Pre class objectives to discuss in class Week 1 Assignments Due: 2) Case Study 1 Review https://www.bon.texas.gov/about_newsletters.asp.html Pick one area that interests you and incorporate it into Case Study 1 LO 1-3. Due following Sunday 12 MN 3)- HESI style questions from adaptive testing Due following Sunday 12 MN 30 Questions Review Nursing Jurisprudence / how to register etc. / This will be last Case Study Assignment https://www.bon.texas.gov/licensure_nursing_jurisprudence.asp.html
Mon 9/2 1)Read Chapter Chap 6, 9 and 10 and review / answer Pre class objectives to discuss in class (LO 1-11) 2) Review Handouts from TBON on Rules of Delegation https://www.bon.texas.gov/practice_delegation_resource_packet.asp.html 3) Case Study Evaluation /TXBON - Delegation - (LO 1-11) Due following Sunday 12MN 4)- HESI style questions from adaptive testing -Due following Sunday 12 MN 30 Questions
Mon 9/9 Exam 1
Mon 9/16 1)Read Chapter Chap 11 and review / answer Pre class objectives to discuss in class LO 1-6 Week 4 Assignments Due 2) Case Study Evaluation on Nurses Notes 4- LO 1-6 Due following Sunday 12MN 3)- HESI style questions from adaptive testing -Due following Sunday 12 MN 30 Questions
Mon 9/23 Week 5 Assignments 1)Read Chapter Chap 12 & 13 and review / answer Pre class objectives to discuss in class (LO 1-5) Week 5 Assignments Due 2) Case Study 5 assignment – CDC – Safety Case Study due by 12MN (LO 1-5) CDC training Assignment Workplace Violence Prevention/Nurses. 3)- HESI style questions from adaptive testing -Due following Sunday 12 MN 30 Questions
Mon 9/30 Week 6 Assignments 1)Read Chapter Chap 14 & 15 (LO 1-4) and review / answer Pre class objectives to discuss in class Week 6 Assignments Due 2) Case Study / Assignments 6-7-8 (LO 1-4) 1) Resume / 2) 5-year Plan / 3) Letter of Intent Due Sunday 10/20/23 MN. Criteria plan found in content area of course Activities (1-3) 3)- HESI style questions from adaptive testing -Due following Sunday 12 MN 30 Questions
Mon 10/7 Exam 2
Mon 10/14 Monday Professional Development Speakers & HR recruit 1 pm DHL/ 2:15 -3:30 pm Specialty / 3:30-5 pm LMC
Mon 10/21 Monday Professional Development Speakers & HR recruit 1 pm DHL/ 2:15 -3:30 pm Specialty / 3:30-5 pm LMC
Mon 10/28 Week 10 Assignments 1)Read Chapter Chap 7 & 8 (LO 1-7) and review / answer Pre class objectives to discuss in class Week 10 Assignments Due 2) Case Study Evaluation on Nurses Notes 9- (LO 1-7) Due following Sunday 12MN 3)- HESI style questions from adaptive testing -Due following Sunday 12 MN 30 Questions
Mon 11/4 Week 11 Assignments 1)Read Chapter Chap 1, 2, 3, & 16 (LO 1-10) and review / answer Pre class objectives to discuss in class Week 11 Assignments Due 2) Case Study Evaluation on Nurses Notes 10 (LO 1-10) Due following Sunday 12MN 3)- HESI style questions from adaptive testing -Due following Sunday 12 MN 30 Questions 4) Simulation 6 Jurisprudence In class Review Video Prep Nurses Note on actual video. Prepare Nurses note on how they should read based on standard of care – Use all Learning Objectives (LO) above
Mon 11/11 Exam 3
Mon 11/18 L&M Hesi
Mon 11/25 Open Date
Mon 12/2 Open Date
Mon 12/9 Open Date

University/College Policies

Please see the University Policies below.

COVID-19 Related Policies

If you have tested positive for COVID-19, please refer to the Student Handbook, Appendix A (Attendance Rule) for instructions.

Required Class Attendance

Students are expected to attend every class in person (or virtually, if the class is online) and to complete all assignments. If you cannot attend class, it is your responsibility to communicate absences with your professors. The faculty member will decide if your excuse is valid and thus may provide lecture materials of the class. According to University policy, acceptable reasons for an absence, 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 to faculty members within seven calendar days of their absence and return to class. They must substantiate the reason for the 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. 

Classroom Behavior (applies to online or Face-to-Face Classes)

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 University will always tolerate different, 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).

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.

We are committed to strict enforcement of the Honor Code. Violations of the Honor Code tend to involve claiming work that is not one’s own, most commonly plagiarism in written assignments and any form of 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 2020, seventh edition of the Manual of The American Psychological Association (APA):

“Plagiarism is the act of presenting the words, idea, or images of another as your own; it denies authors or creators of content the credit they are due.  Whether deliberate or unintentional, plagiarism violates ethical standards in scholarship” (p. 254).  This same principle applies to the illicit use of AI.

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 (p. 11). For guidance on proper documentation, consult the Academic Success 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.

TAMIU has penalties for plagiarism and cheating.

  • 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 it 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 e- mail 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. In general, you should get credit for a work product only once. 

AI Policies

Your instructor will provide you with their personal policy on the use of AI in the classroom setting and associated coursework.

TAMIU E-Mail and SafeZone

Personal Announcements sent to students through TAMIU E-mail (tamiu.edu or dusty email) 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 their TAMIU e-mail accounts regularly, if not daily. Not having seen an important TAMIU e-mail or 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 download the SafeZone app, which is a free mobile app for all University faculty, staff, and students.  SafeZone allows you to: report safety concerns (24/7), get connected with mental health professionals, activate location sharing with authorities, and anonymously report incidents.  Go to https://www.tamiu.edu/adminis/police/safezone/index.shtml for more information.

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 as 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.

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 Office of Student Counseling and Disability Services located in Student Center 126. This office will contact the faculty member to recommend specific, reasonable accommodations. Faculty are prohibited from making accommodations based solely on communications from students. They may make accommodations only when provided documentation by the Student Counseling and Disability Services office.

Student Attendance and Leave of Absence (LOA) Policy

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 (Section 3.07) and the Student LOA Rule (Section 3.08), which includes the “Leave of Absence Request” form. Both rules can be found in the TAMIU Student Handbook (URL: http://www.tamiu.edu/studentaffairs/StudentHandbook1.shtml).

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: https://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 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 https://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

The Department of Biology and Chemistry does not permit WIN contracts. For other departments within the college, WIN Contracts are offered only under exceptional circumstances and are limited to graduating 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 sessions.

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.

Mental Health and Well-Being

The university aims to provide students with essential knowledge and tools to understand and support mental health. As part of our commitment to your well-being, we offer access to Telus Health, a service available 24/7/365 via chat, phone, or webinar. Scan the QR code to download the app and explore the resources available to you for guidance and support whenever you need it. The Telus app is available to download directly from TELUS (tamiu.edu) or from the Apple App Store and Google Play.