BUL 2131

Legal Environment of Business

Syllabus

ABOUT_INSTRUCTOR ACADEMIC_HONESTY

COURSE_DESCRIPTION COURSE_DESCRIPTION

COURSE_REQUIREMENTS

DROPPING_COURSE

GRADING_POLICY TEXTBOOK

TIME_COMMITMENT TUTORING_ASSISTANCE

WEEKLY_ASSIGNMENT_SCHEDULE

About the Instructor:  

Hello and welcome to The Legal Environment of Business! My name is JoAnne Hopkins and I am a full time professor with St. Petersburg College. I have been an attorney since 1990. I started as an associate with an insurance defense/personal injury law firm for 6 years. I then opened my own firm and practiced personal injury and criminal law. I teach Applied Ethics here at SPC as well as this class, The Legal Environment of Business. This is an exciting class that I love to teach!  I hope you find it informative and interesting.  I look forward to getting to know you and reading your assignments. Remember I am here to help you succeed so email me!  Be sure to watch the due dates to avoid any unnecessary stress.  The goal is to learn and develop skills to use throughout your career and life - and to have fun while you learn!  I wish you all the best!  Any questions – just ask.

This is an online course. Your online Classroom is MyCourses

There is a MyCourses Tutorial in the class with clear instructions on how to use all sections of the course. Also, you will see a HELP link at the top of your page for help with any technical issues.

Instructor and Contact information:

PROFESSOR                                       Dr. JoAnne V. Hopkins

I will be available to answer questions and help you learn in my office and online through MyCourses email.  Please ask for help whenever needed.

CONTACT INFORMATION:         1st contact MyCourses email is best and should always be used

2nd contact - SPC email - hopkins.joanne@spcollege.edu

Office Telephone – 727-791–2712;

Fax – 727-499-9002 (please put to the attention of JoAnne Hopkins);

OFFICE LOCATION HOURS:                Clearwater Campus – ES 213G

TBA

ONLINE OFFICE HOURS:                    Online – MyCourses email is the best and will get the quickest response.

I check MyCourses daily and will also be online at the designated times below:

Monday – 7:00 p.m. – 8:15 p.m.

Tuesday – 7:00 p.m. – 8:15 p.m.

Wednesday – 7:00 p.m. – 8:15 p.m.

Thursday – 7:00 p.m. – 8:15 p.m.

INSTRUCTOR WEB PAGE:            http://it.spcollege.edu/course_info/inquiry.cfm?number=104

 Full-time Ethics instructor at SPC since 1998

o Part time Paralegal department instructor since 2013o 1996 - 1998 - adjunct Ethics instructor at SPC o Attorney and active member of the Florida Bar Association since 1990 o Graduate of Stetson College of Law - Florida - JD o Graduate of the University of South Florida - Criminology - Florida

o Graduate of Hudson Valley Community College - Criminal Justice - New York

Course Description:

This course is designed to give the student a general understanding of the various areas of statutory and common law, and their impact upon the business community. This will be accomplished by including such topics as the structure of the American legal system, alternate dispute resolution, constitutional law, contracts, UCC sales, negligence, torts and the law of agency. There are 47 contact hours. 

Course Objectives:  

As your instructor it is my goal that you learn the following from this course.

1. Knowledge of the impact of various statutory and administrative laws on the business-making decision processes.

2. Knowledge of personal property as it relates to business enterprises.

3. An understanding of the impact of consumer legislation on business enterprises.

4. Understand the federal bankruptcy laws.

5. Understand the securities regulations.

6. Demonstrate knowledge of employment contracts and employment regulations.

7. Demonstrate knowledge of the impact of environmental laws and community planning on business enterprises.

8. Demonstrate the knowledge of the laws of contracts and business organizations.

Course Requirements:

This is an online course so you must have access to a computer with internet access.  If your computer breaks down it is your responsibility to get to a computer at a local library, on campus, etc. and complete your work for the week on time.  You will be submitting work via attachments/drag and drop which must be in .doc, .docx or .rtf format.  Microsoft Word is best. 

In order to successfully complete this course, it is imperative that students have regular access to a computer that is connected to the Internet. It is strongly recommended that students have a broadband (high-speed) internet connection such as DSL or a cable modem. When taking on-line quizzes and exams (or viewing on-line video), students should have an internet connection that is stable and will not drop their connection. 

If you haven’t a stable high-speed internet connection I encourage you to take on-line quizzes and exams at one of the St. Petersburg College libraries (or a similar facility) where a stable high-speed internet connection is available. Internet Explorer is the preferred browser to use to access course materials. 

Because of the use of teams in many classes, a formal standard has been devised. This standard applies to all classes. Students are required to submit assignments and share team documents in Microsoft Office formats (Word, Excel and other Microsoft formats if specified).

The College provides full function student licenses of Microsoft software, other than the basic Office product.

Some courses allow or require students to submit assignments as video responses with a PowerPoint attachment. Students would require a Webcam compatible with their computer to record these videos. Very low cost cameras have been found to work well when they claim support for the student's computer operating system (such as XP, Vista, MAC, Linux). Alternatively, students may book a machine equipped with a camera at the EpiCenter in Clearwater. These bookings should be made through the College of Technology and Management.

PLEASE be sure you submit assignments in Microsoft Word 97 or higher. Please be sure you use Microsoft word for all drop box attachments, because, if I can’t open the assignment it’s considered late and will receive a zero.

Required Textbook(s) : BUL 2131 ISBN: 9781285435473

St. Petersburg College - BUL2131 - The Legal Environment of Business

You may directly purchase the textbook, an e-book or rent the text via Cengage Brain . There is a course code that is part of the purchase so you must purchase the book directly from either our campus bookstore or the publisher.

INSTRUCTOR’S EXPECTATIONS:

1. I expect you to abide by this syllabus, provide positive participation, submit your best work, learn and have fun. Positive participation adds to the class in a respectful manner and does not detract from the class.  

2. I expect you to come to me for help. I will be available to answer questions and to help you learn. You can reach me in my office and online through the online course email.  Please ask for help if needed. 

3. I expect you to come to me if you cannot keep up or if you need to withdraw from the class. I will do what I can to help you succeed in this class and in college.

STUDENT EXPECTATIONS OF INSTRUCTOR

1. You can expect me to abide by the syllabus and provide you with any changes. You can expect constructive feedback and respect.

2. You can expect your emails answered within 24 – 48 hours during the work week (maybe sooner if you use MyCourses email). If you use my SPC email it may go to spam. Note, emails Friday night or on the weekend are not answered as quickly.

3. You can expect most grading to be completed within one week after the due date. 4. You can expect help. Please ask whenever you need help or have a question; that is

why I am here.

REQUIRED INTERACTION :

You will have discussion posts and reply posts to complete for each unit.  Consider the discussion boards your classroom; as in a face to face class, being in the classroom is vital to learning.  Online, being on the discussion board is vital to learning.   You will learn from posting and reading others’ posts.  Also, you can be dropped for non-participation if you do not post.  Posting is participating online.  Participation will also show the dedicated students. 

You must post one assignment post and at least one reply post to receive credit.

You will lose points for each discussion post if you do not reply to at least one other student’s post.

You will not receive any points if you do not post an assignment post (even if you post reply posts).

AVAILABILITY OF COURSE CONTENT: 

Class will meet online in MyCourses.  Attendance will be determined by adequately completing your assigned work online, by the due date.   Attendance is mandatory. 

Since we will meet online it is suggested that you check your online classroom several times a week – MyCourses is our online "classroom".  

Online – Every week you will normally complete one unit.

 The mandatory work for most units will include:

1.    Assignment Post(s)

2.     Reply Post (s) for each discussion board (at least one)

3. and/or a Drop Box Assignment (Case Brief)

4.     and/or a quiz

There is additional work, such as the team project, individual project, midterm, final exam - as you will see below.

This course is NOT self-paced.  You are expected to keep up with the class schedule. Units are due according to the due dates. Due dates are clearly posted on the calendar. 

Late assignments will receive a grade of zero for that assignment. Any assignment not turned in by 11:30 p.m., on the due date will be considered late. Drop boxes close promptly at 11:30 p.m. so please govern your time accordingly.

The students who drop out of the course or fail are almost always the students who get behind early in the semester and then can't catch up.

WEEKLY ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE Modules

Class Date Chapter Title/Projects

Reading Assignment

WrittenAssignment

Points Assignment Due Date

1 Aug. 17 Use Questions to Zero In on Valuable Information

Read the information at the beginning of the textbook (in blue before the table of

None

contents)1 Discussion

Topic

Week 1 & Introductions

Discussion Forums

10 Initial Posting due Thursday night. Response posting due Sunday night.

1 Syllabus Quiz Syllabus Quiz 5 Sun. 8/23/15

2 Aug. 24 Law and Legal Reasoning

Ch. 1 Sun. 8/30/15

2 The Court System

Ch. 2

2 Business Ethics

Ch. 3

2 Discussion Topic

Discussion Forum

10 Initial Posting due Thursday night. Response posting due Sunday night.

3 Aug. 31 Alternative Dispute Resolution

Ch. 3 Brief a Case –Part I

10 Sun. 9/6/15

3 Business & the Constitution

Ch. 5 10 Mon. 9/8/15

3 Quiz I Chs. 1-5 Complete Quiz 10 Mon. 9/8/153 Discussion

TopicDiscussion Forum

10 Initial Posting due Thursday night. Response posting due Sunday night.

4 Sept. 8 Administrative Agencies

Ch. 6

4 Team Project Materials

 Module 4 Begin working on Team Project

Drop Box: Complete organizational Materials for team project

Sun. 9/13/15

5 Sept. 14 Criminal & Cyber Crime

Ch. 7 Matching Column

5 Sun. 9/20/15

5 International Law in a Global Economy

Ch. 8 Brief a Case-Part 2

10 Sun. 9/20/15

5 Discussion Topic

Discussion Forum

10 Initial Posting due Thursday night. Response posting due Sunday night.

6 Sept. 21 The Law of Torts

Ch. 12 Brief a Case Part 3 (The Holding & Law)

10 Sun. 9/27/15

6 Strict Liability & Product Liability

Ch. 13

Quiz Chs. 6-8 & 12-13

Quiz II 10 Sun. 9/27/15

7 Sept. 28 Formation of Traditional & E-Contracts

Ch. 9

7 Contract Performance, Breach & Remedies

Ch. 10

7 Discussion Topic

Discussion Forum

10 Initial Posting due Thursday night. Response posting due Sunday night.

8 Oct. 5 Sales & Lease Contracts

Ch. 11 Brief a Case Part 4 (The Rationale)

10 Sun. 10/11/15

8 Matching Column

Matching Column

5 Sun. 10/11/15

9 Oct. 12 MIDTERM Modules 1-8 Take Midterm 100 Sun. 10/18/15

10 Oct. 19 Intellectual Property Rights

Ch. 26

10 Internet Law, Social Media & Piracy

Chs. 14 & 15

Discussion Topic

Discussion Forum.

10 Initial Posting due Thursday night. Response posting due Sunday night.

11 Oct. 26 Creditor-Debtor Relations & Bankruptcy

Ch. 16 Dropbox 10 Sun. 11/1/15

11 Quiz III Chs. 14, 15, 16 & 26

Complete Quiz 10 Sun. 11/1/15

12 Nov. 2 Agency Ch. 20 Work on Individual Term Project due next week

12 Employment Relationships

Ch. 21

Discussion Topic

Discussion Forum

10 Initial Posting due Thursday night. Response posting due Sunday night.

13 Nov. 9 Individual Term Project

Individual Term Project Materials

Complete Individual Term Project

100 Sun. 11/15/15

14 Nov. 16 Small Business Organizations

Ch. 17 None

Limited Liability Business Forms

Ch. 18 None

Corporations Ch. 19 NoneQuiz IV Chs. 16, 17,

18, 20, 21Complete Quiz 10 Sun.

11/22/15

15 Nov. 22 Antitrust Laws Ch. 27 Drop Box: Complete Team Project

35 Tues. 12/2/15

Nov. 25-29 Thanksgiving Break

16 Nov 30 Review & Final Exam

Final Exam 100 Online Sun. 12/6

Grading Policy:

A 90-100% D 60-69%

B 80-89% F Less than 60%

C 70-79%

Course Breakdown WEIGHT POINTS

Assignments, Case Briefs/Group Project       19%        95

Class Discussion                                             12%        60      

Quizzes                                                           9%            45   

Individual Project/Paper                                  20%        100      

Midterm                                                           20%          100

Final                                                                20%          100

GRADING AND REPEAT COURSE POLICIES

State policy specifies that students may not repeat courses for which a grade of “C” or higher has been earned except by appeal to an associate provost. Students may repeat a course one time without penalty. On the third attempt, students will pay the full cost of instruction. The full cost of instruction rate for 2009-2010 is $280.39 per credit hour. In addition, on the third attempt students may NOT receive a grade of “I,” “W,” or “X,” but must receive the letter grade earned. The grade on the final attempt with the exception

of a “W” grade will be the grade that will be calculated into the overall grade point average. (Developmental courses do not average into the grade point average).

CLASS ASSIGNMENTS/TERM PROJECTS

Class Assignments

I post class assignments under the LESSONS tab within each weekly folder. Assignments are due by Sunday evenings at 11:30 p.m., unless otherwise stated in the syllabus. Example, Week 1 assignments are due by Sunday, August 23, at 11:30 p.m. Any assignment not turned in by 11:30 p.m., on the date scheduled on the syllabus will be considered late. Drop boxes close promptly at 11:30 p.m. so please govern your time accordingly. Please see the Assignment Schedule for due dates. Late assignments will receive a grade of zero for that assignment. Any assignment not turned in by 11:30 p.m., on the date scheduled on the syllabus will be considered late. Drop boxes close promptly at 11:30 p.m. so govern your time accordingly. Please remember, if I can’t open a drop box attachment it’s considered late.

Again, you must submit all of the assignments for each week; in word format, by the deadline or you won’t receive credit for that assignment. I understand situations happen, but, except for a family emergency or death, with supporting documentation, there ’s no exceptions to the deadlines.

I’m sorry to be so strict, but, in the "business world", if you are late with your bid, you will not get the contract. The very same principal applies here – it is all or nothing! Please note that computer problems, sickness, travel, and lack of planning do not constitute an excuse for not making a deadline. This may mean you will have to use computers on campus or somewhere other than your home should the need arise. Again, please be on time with your assignments as there are limited exceptions to this rule. Be sure to view all of the contents and expectations in the syllabus and be very careful of due dates which are provided in the far right column of the assignment schedule. . 

Blended Course Students: Be sure you read the chapters and cases for each class in advance so you are prepared to discuss the assigned cases in class. The information folder for each week will advise you of which cases we will be discussing.

Grading:

You will be returned “graded” assignments. Assignments account for 20% of your grade.

General weekly assignments are graded based on two criteria:

(1) Substantive content; i.e. whether the student understood the assignment task(s) and provided complete answers to same.a. Complete answers means you not only provide the answer but that you

fully explain it. In other words, if the question calls for you to list the elements of negligence, not only list the elements, but, explain the meaning of each element as well. If a case problem asks you the appellate case result, state the result of the case and explain in detail how the court reached that result. As a general rule, you won’t be able to properly answer any questions or chapter problems in less than 250 words.

(2) Written communication skills; i.e., whether you were able to clearly communicate your answer to the question using proper grammar and sentence structure.

Case Brief and Individual Term Project:

These items are graded based on the grading rubric provided in the course materials folder, as well as the following:

1. Ability to identify the cause of action which is the legal reason the lawsuit is taking place;

2. Ability to identify the relevant case facts, which are those facts that gave rise to the lawsuit and any issues in the case;

3. Ability to identify the issue or issues in the case, which are the legal questions based on the cause of action and facts;

4. Ability to identify the holding which is the decision made by the court regarding the issue(s);

5. Ability to identify the law used by the court to reach it’s holding;6. Ability to identify the court’s reasoning for its holding. This is generally the

longest section of the brief and explains in detail why the court held as it did.

If for some reason you fail an assignment you will receive I will explain the reason in the accompanying e-mail or grading comments. Please always check the grading comments for each assignment. If you simply do not submit an assignment, you will automatically receive an “F”. Missed assignment will be taken into account under the Professor Evaluation of Student.

BE SURE TO PLACE YOUR COMPLETED ASSIGNMENTS IN THE CORRECT DROP BOX IF YOU WOULD LIKE PROPER CREDIT. I have no doubt you’re each very busy and things happen so please double check the deposit of your assignments. If you have a problem uploading an assignment please contact technical support before emailing me as I will need confirmation of the technical issue.

IndividualTerm Project/Paper

Each student will be responsible for submitting an individual term project on the pertinent course subject. The project is divided into two deliverables, an initial draft and a final draft. Please review the assignment schedule above for the due dates.

CLASS PARTICIPATION:

Class participation is not only encouraged but expected. Participation is defined as reading and preparing for class, and taking part in course discussions and activities. Discussion boards will be provided each week and you must review the forum prior to class, but, plan to discuss the subject in class on Thursdays. Your class participation grade is based on your active participation in class. I teach in a Socratic method, meaning student involvement is required. You must read the chapter for the assigned week prior to class.

ATTENDANCE/ACTIVE PARTICIPATION/WITHDRAWAL POLICIES

For online classes: Attendance for online classes is based on the student’s timely submission of course assignments and participation in the discussion forum each week. This is very important for all weeks, but, particularly weeks 1 & 2, please see below for explanation.

Modmester Students who miss 2 classes, unless excused by the Professor, must be dropped after the second absence with a grade of WF. For online classes, if you added to the class during the first week I’ll have to consider you absent if you do not post your assignment by the due date and don’t post to the discussion forum.

For blended classes: Your attendance is based solely on your physical appearance in class. If you don’t attend class, you will be considered absent. If you are absent four times, you will be dropped from the course.

As faculty we are required to publish our own participation/attendance policies in our syllabi. However, please note that instructors must verify that students are in attendance during the first two weeks of class. Students classified as “No Show” for both of the first two weeks will be administratively withdrawn from any class which they are not attending. The student’s financial aid will be adjusted based on their updated enrollment status. If a student is administratively withdrawn from a class because they were a “No-Show” during the first two weeks of class, financial aid will not pay for the class and the student will be responsible for paying for that class.

Students who are not actively participating in class as defined in this syllabus will be reported to the Administration during the week following the last date to withdraw with a

“W” (as posted in the academic calendar on the college’s web site). A grade of “WF” will be assigned to students who are not actively participating during the week following the last day to withdraw with a W grade.

Students will be able to withdraw themselves at any time during the term. However, requests submitted after the last date to withdraw with a “W” (see academic calendar) will result in a “WF.” Students and instructors will automatically receive an email notification through their SPC email address whenever a withdrawal occurs.

Withdrawing after the “Last Date to Withdraw with a Grade of ‘W’” can have serious consequences. If the student withdraws from a class after the deadline posted in the academic calendar, the student will receive a final grade of ‘WF,' which has the same impact on the student's GPA as a final grade of “F.” A “WF” grade also could impact the student's financial aid, requiring repayment of financial assistance. Students should consult with an academic advisor or financial assistance counselor prior to withdrawing from a class.

SPC requires on-line instructors to monitor student attendance/participation in educational activities on a weekly basis. Students are required to participate in their on-line course each week as verified by activity within the MyCourses Learning Management System, such as a discussion board posting, submission of an assignment, messaging your instructor, chat, and completion of polls, quizzes or tests. When you have two (2) weeks of unexcused or otherwise undocumented absence for an 8 week class, you will either be administratively withdrawn by the instructor if this occurs before the 60 percent point in the term, or be given a grade of WF if it occurs later in the term. If you are in your third attempt at completing a course, you will be given a WF grade at any point in the term that you exceed the maximum number of weeks absent. Excused absences, of course, will not count against you.

60% Participation

Participation for the 60% point of this class will be determined based on your active participation for 60% of the class by the SPC determined 60% date. That means you must not only attend class weekly you must also timely submit your assignments and any discussion forums plus timely complete quizzes and tests. If you do not actively participate this will be reflected in your grade which will result in a grade below 60% at that designated point in the semester or mod-mester. At that point we must report that you have not participated at 60% and you will be administratively withdraw with a grade of WF. Receiving a WF may negatively impact your financial aid so it is important to keep up with the course and assignments and contact your instructor if you are having difficulty or an issue arises.

Again, please Note: Not achieving attendance nor 60% participation leads to a WF (Withdrawn and Failed) implying serious financial and GPA consequences.

MAKE-UP POLICY:

While I understand situations occur, there is a very limited Make-up Policy. If there is an emergency, or some other valid reason you will not be able to meet a deadline, CONTACT ME DIRECTLY. I’ll need verifiable documentation evidencing the reason for the delay. At such time as discussed a deadline may be extended depending on the reason.

 Time Commitment:

This is a 3-credit course conducted over 16 weeks. In order to meet accreditation standards, on average, students should expect to spend between 6 to 8 hours per week on course activities and assignments. Spending less time would be insufficient for success in this course.

Academic Honesty:

St. Petersburg College has an Academic Honesty policy. It is your responsibility to be familiar with the policies, rules, and the consequences of violations.  There is no tolerance for cheating and academic dishonesty. Discipline can range from a zero on a specific assignment to expulsion from the class with a grade of F. Note that copy/pasting published information, whether it's from your textbook or the Internet, without citing your source is plagiarism and violates this policy. Even if you change the words slightly, the ideas are someone else's so you still have to cite your sources. Cheating, plagiarism, bribery, misrepresentation, conspiracy, and fabrication are defined in Board Rule 6Hx23-4.461. Student Affairs: Academic Honesty Guidelines, Classroom Behavior. http://www.spcollege.edu/webcentral/catalog/current/stu_affairs_honesty.htm

Academic honesty and plagiarism falls under the http://www.spcollege.edu/webcentral/admit/honesty.htm of the college. There is a “0” tolerance policy for academic dishonesty and if the student is in violation; at the instructor’s discretion, an “F” for the course may be applied. I strongly encourage each student to review and become familiar with the APA Guidelines for citation.

This policy applies to all work and assignments, tests, and any documents produced for this course, excluding the team project.

All quizzes, the midterm and the final exam are open book, however, that does NOT mean open forum. Under no circumstances may students collaborate, in any manner, with one another in taking quizzes, the midterm or the final. That means that you may not discuss any question or any proposed answer with any other student, period. Only after the quiz, midterm, final exam are closed, may you discuss the questions and your answers with other students. Any students who are found to collaborate on quizzes, the midterm, or

the final exam will be considered in violation of the school’s academic honesty policy and the conduct will be addressed accordingly.

Dropping the Course:

COLLEGE POLICY REGARDING COURSE DROP/ ADD PERIOD AND AUDIT INFORMATION

Students CANNOT add a course following the 1st day the class meets prior to the second class meeting. Students CAN drop a course during the 1st week of classes and be eligible for a refund. Except by appeal to an associate provost, students may not change from credit to audit status after the end of the first week of classes. Online classes may be added through the standard drop/add period for that course.

Students may drop a course through the registration process and may receive a refund during the first week of classes. You must drop a course during the first week of class to be eligible for a refund. (See a counselor/advisor to finalize your schedule, so you won’t be left without the classes you want or need).

After the first week students need to notify the instructor and then withdraw from the course as faculty will not drop or withdraw students. Please refer to the academic calendar for the exact dates and also review the Withdrawal Policy

FEDERAL GUIDELINES RELATED TO FINANCIAL AID AND TOTAL WITHDRAWAL FROM THE COLLEGE http://www.spcollege.edu/central/SSFA/HomePage/hdiasbs.htm

The U.S. Department of Education requires students who completely withdraw prior to the 60% point of the term and who receive Federal financial aid i.e., Federal Pell Grant, Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG), Federal Stafford Loan, and/or Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant SEOG--to repay a portion of their financial aid.

Students considering a withdrawal from all classes before the published withdrawal date should consult a financial assistance counselor to understand their options and the consequences of the total withdrawal. For further information regarding this policy and other financial assistance policies we encourage you to visit our website at: www.spcollege.edu/getfunds

COLLEGE LEVEL ACADEMIC SKILLS TEST (CLAST) CHANGES

During the 2009 legislative session, the Legislature repealed the Florida Statutes relating to the College-Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST) and eliminated funding for the test. As of July 1, 2009, students will no longer be required to take the CLAST. However, to earn an A.A. degree or transfer to a bachelor's program, you must still demonstrate college-level proficiency in English language skills, reading, writing/essay and computation skills.

If you have passed any of the CLAST subtests before July 1, 2009, you have met the requirements in those designated areas. If you have not previously passed the CLAST subtests see the following link for alternatives: http://www.spcollege.edu/webcentral/CLAST.htm.  DUAL ENROLLMENT, EARLY ADMISSIONS, & EARLY COLLEGE STUDENTS A Dual Enrollment, Early Admissions, or Early College student may not withdraw from any college course without permission from the Early College/Dual Enrollment office. Withdrawal from a course may jeopardize the student's graduation from high school. The Dual Enrollment office can be reached at 727 712-5281 (TS), 727 791-5970 (CL) or 727 394-6000 (SE). http://www.spcollege.edu/central/de/index.htm

STUDENT EXPECTATIONS

All electronic devices including computers, cell phones, beepers, pagers, and related devices are to be silenced and/or turned off unless they are required for academic purposes. Any use of these devices (including texting) for non-academic purposes is a violation of College Policy and subject to disciplinary action.

Students may be required to have discussions of class assignments and share papers and other class materials with instructors and classmates via chat rooms and other mechanisms. Due to the potential piracy of students’ materials, the College is not responsible for student work posted on the Internet (outside of the college’s Learning Management System, currently MyCourses, also known as D2L).

Each student's behavior in the classroom or online is expected to contribute to a positive learning/teaching environment, respecting the rights of others and their opportunity to learn. No student has the right to interfere with the teaching/learning process, including the posting of inappropriate materials on chatroom or Web page sites.

The instructor has the authority to ask a disruptive student to leave a classroom or lab. The instructor may also delete posts or materials from an online or blended class and/or take disciplinary action if disruptive behavior continues.

ONLINE STUDENT PARTICIPATION AND CONDUCT GUIDELINES The practices of courtesy and respect that apply in the on-campus classroom also apply online. Any discriminatory, derogatory, or inappropriate comments are unacceptable and subject to the same disciplinary action applied in courses offered on campus.

 EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

In the event that a hurricane or other natural disaster causes significant damage to St. Petersburg College facilities, you may be provided the opportunity to complete your course work online. Following the event, please visit the college Web site for an announcement of the College's plan to resume operations.

Students should familiarize themselves with the emergency procedures and evacuation routes located in the buildings they use frequently.

Located in each classroom is an Emergency Response Guide (flip-chart) that contains information for proper actions in response to emergencies. Students should be prepared to assess situations quickly and use good judgment in determining a course of action. Students should evacuate to assembly areas in an orderly manner when an alarm sounds or when directed to do so by college faculty or staff or emergency services personnel. Students may access additional emergency information by going to www.spcollege.edu/security . In face to face courses your instructor will review the specific campus plans for emergency events.

CAMPUS SAFETY AND SECURIT Y For information on campus safety and security policies please contact 727-791-2560. If there are questions or concerns regarding personal safety, please contact the Provost, Associate Provost, Campus Security Officer, or Site Administrator on your campus. http://www.spcollege.edu/tsc/security.htm  SEXUAL PREDATOR INFORMATION Federal and State law requires a person designated as a “sexual predator or offender” to register with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). The FDLE is then required to notify the local law enforcement agency where the registrant resides, attends, or is employed by an institution of higher learning. Information regarding sexual predators or offenders attending or employed by an institution of higher learning may be obtained from the local law enforcement agency with jurisdiction for the particular campus by calling the FDLE hotline (1-888-FL-PREDATOR) or (1-888-357-7332), or by visiting the FDLE website at http://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/homepage.do

SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONSIf you wish to request accommodations as a student with a documented disability please make an appointment with the Learning Specialist on campus. If you will need assistance during an emergency classroom evacuation, please contact your

campus learning specialist immediately about arrangements for your safety. The Office of Services for Students with Disabilities can be reached at 791-2628 or 791-2710 (CL and EPI), 341-4758 (SP/G), 394-6289 (SE), 712-5789 (TS), 341-3721 (HEC), 341-4532 (AC), or 341-7965 (DT). http://www.spcollege.edu/central/ossd  

Tutoring Assistance:

TUTORS: The College of Legal Studies provides tutoring for our law classes as follows:

1. Dr. Deborah Eldridge, Tuesdays 12:30-2:30 p.m., Gibbs Campus Writing Lab (2nd Floor of the library) and by appointment via emailing eldridge.deborah@spcollege.edu

2. Dr. Rachel Bennett, by appointment. Please contact at bennett.rachel@spcollege.edu

3. Dr. Ian Banks, by appointment. Please email at banks.ian@spcollege.edu

Technical Assistance: Help Desk Hours 7 Days weekly (7 A.M. to 12 A.M. (Midnight))Email: onlinehelp@spcollege.eduPhone: (727) 341-4357

DISABILITY RESOURCES

Disability Resources at SPC wants to help you succeed. If you have a documented disability or think that you may have learning or other disability and would like to request accommodations, please make an appointment with the Learning Specialist on your campus. If you will need assistance during an emergency classroom evacuation, please contact your campus learning specialist immediately about arrangements for your safety. Disability Resources staff can be reached at 791-2628 or 791-2710 (CL and EPI), 341-4316 (SP/G), 394-6289 (SE), 712-5789 (TS), 341-3721 (HEC), 341-4532 (AC), or 341-7965 (DT). If you would like more information, you can learn more about Disability Resources on our website: http://www.spcollege.edu/dr/

If you wish to receive special accommodations as a student with a documented disability, please make an appointment with the Learning Specialist on the Clearwater, Tarpon Springs, or St. Petersburg sites. If you have a documented hearing loss, please contact the Program for the Deaf at 791-2628 (V/TDD). 

Health Education Stefanie Silver 341-3721St. Petersburg/ Gibbs Ray Hollowell 341-4316

Tarpon Springs Barbara Thompson 712-5789

Seminole Aimee Stubbs (TTY) 394-6289

Clearwater Jeff Zeigler 791-2710EpiCenter & Downtown/Midtown T.J. Williams 341-7913

LIBRARY SERVICES There are libraries at various SPC sites. You may choose the one that is most convenient for you. You also can access library services online at http://www.spcollege.edu/libraries/

FREE TRANSPORTATION TO THE LEEPA-RATTNER MUSEUM OF ART

Free student transportation to the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art on SPC’s Tarpon Springs Campus will be available once each month during the Fall Term from the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus, the Clearwater Campus, and the Seminole Campus. Please visit your Student Activities Office to get departure times and to sign up for a trip to the museum.

OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES:  COLLEGE CALENDAR http://www.spcollege.edu/calendar/  CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES http://www.spcollege.edu/careerservices/

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT SERVICEShttp://www.spcollege.edu/central/international/ LEARNING SUPPORT CENTERS (Learning Support Services) http://www.spcollege.edu/support/

Please access the following link for updated addendums to the syllabus: http://www.spcollege.edu/addendum/index.php