COURSE SYLLABUS

BUL 2241 BUSINESS LAW I

(Blended Classes: Tuesdays 10:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.)

Gibbs CampusSemester 535, Fall 2017

View the Syllabus Addendum which provides the most current version of fluid information, such as the academic calendar.

WELCOMEHi everyone and welcome to BUL2241. My name is Deborah Cerminaro Eldridge and I’m a full-time law professor with St. Petersburg College and the lead instructor for all business law courses.

I practiced law for over 20 years, as a trial attorney in the areas of family law, juvenile dependency law, real estate law, including acting as a title agent for closing purposes, immigration law, insurance law, contracts and consumer rights law. I have been licensed in the State of Florida since 1993.

I hope you enjoy this course and learn not only about the law but how it effects everyday business decision making. I designed this course with a focus on the business executive’s needs and while the material is intense and there’s much to cover, I’ve incorporated several fun assignments and discussions so I hope you enjoy the class.

INSTRUCTORName: Deborah Cerminaro Eldridge

Email: Primary Email: Please use MyCourses Secondary email: eldridge.deborah@spcollege.edu

Phone: 727-791-2783

Office and Online Chat Hours: Mondays: Clearwater Campus 9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.; Tuesdays: Gibbs Campus until 3:00 p.m.; Wednesdays: Gibbs Campus 10:30-Noon and 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.; Clearwater Campus 4-6 p.m.; Thursdays: Gibbs Campus 9:00 a.m.-9:45 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Online Hours: By appointment

Office Location: Clearwater Campus: SS-171 Gibbs Campus: EI Program Office

Instructor Web Page: https://webapps.spcollege.edu/instructors/id/eldridge.deborah

COURSE INFORMATIONThis 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 Goals:

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

1. To understand the legal environment of business including a study of the nature

and sources of law, court systems, constitutional law, law making by

administrative agencies and torts.

2. To apply the laws and understand the principles of contract law including the

nature and classification of contracts, agreement, consideration, contractual

capacity, illegality, reality of consent, contracts required to be in writing, rights of

third parties and discharge of contracts.

3. To analyze commercial transactions, including the law of sales, formations and

interpretations of the sales contract, title, risk of loss, insurable interests,

warranties and performance, and remedies.

4. To understand government regulation, environmental law, and the principles of

agency law.

Course Objectives:

1. Students will define and apply the nature and sources of law, court systems, constitutional law, law making by administrative agencies, jurisdiction, dispute resolution and torts.

2. Students will describe and evaluate the law of agency as well as principles of contract law including the nature and classification of contracts, agreement, consideration, contractual capacity, illegality, the reality of consent, those contracts required to be in writing and the effect of this area of law on the business decision making process.

3. Students will define and apply the law of commercial transactions including formation and interpretation of the sales contracts, title, risk of loss, insurable interest, warranties and performance and remedies and its application to the business decision making process.

4. Students will identify the types of business structures presently available and determine the risks and benefits of each as well as the importance of choosing the right form of business structure for the particular style of business being created.

5. Students will delineate between types of government regulation as it applies to the transacting of business.

6. Students will describe and evaluate environment laws and their impact on the business decision making process including sustainability business practices.

Availability of Course Content: The course content will open the Friday before classes begin, however you have access to the syllabus and may begin reading assigned chapters and working on the upcoming week 1 assignments.

There is no Proctored Testing for this course. All tests are open book and open note, however you may not collaborate with any other student nor person when taking a quiz or test.

Course Requirements:

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.

Other Critical Course Expectations: You must have regular and continued access to a computer that has internet access. You must also have access to a web cam with audio to successfully complete this course.

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. PDF’s are not permitted.

REQUIRED TEXTBOOK & OTHER RESOURCE INFORMATIONEbook or Custom version of Business Law and The Legal Environment, 7th Ed. by Beatty and Samuelson; Cengage Publishing

You may directly purchase an e-bookfor just $50.00 via http://www.cengagebrain.com/course/2207477. Alternatively, you may purchase the course code from our Barnes & Noble Bookstore for $65.50. Once you have registered your course code or purchased directly from Cengage, you may purchase a loose leaf copy of the textbook for an additional fee.

ISBN: 9781305074217 if purchasing the text via Barnes & Noble.

View the site http://www.cengagebrain.com/course/2207477

IMPORTANT DATESCourse Dates: Enter course beginning and ending dates here OR View the Academic Calendar site

Drop Date: Enter Drop date here OR View the Academic Calendar site

Withdrawal Date: Enter Withdrawal date here OR View the Academic Calendar site

Proctor Dates: View the Proctored Testing Information site.

Financial Aid Dates: View the Financial Aid Dates site

GRADING

Grading Policy:

A 90-100% D 60-69%B 80-89% F Less than 60%C 70-79%

Grading:You will be returned “graded” assignments. Weekly assignments account for 26% of your grade. Be sure to understand that the textbook is only your starting point when completing chapter assignments and case evaluations and that if a case is associated with a chapter assignment, you must locate the case via the Lexis database in our online library. Also, the textbook is our starting point because the information provided in it is general and it is only by reading the supplemental materials and cases that you understand how the law is applied on a fact by fact basis.

General writing assignments and discussions 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.

(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/Issue Evaluation and The Team 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 relevant case facts, which are those facts that gave rise to the lawsuit and any issues in the case as well as the facts that support the defendant’s position;

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

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

4. Ability to identify the law used by the court to reach its holding;5. 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.

6. Ability to provide an opinion and management recommendations based on your understanding of the case and application of the law. For the management recommendations you must be specific with the manner in which company policies and procedures would be modified to avoid similar future issues.

If for some reason you fail an assignment I will explain the reason in the accompanying e-mail. If you simply do not submit an assignment, you will automatically receive an “F”. BE SURE TO PLACE YOUR COMPLETED ASSIGNMENTS IN THE CORRECT DROP BOX FOR PROPER CREDIT. I have no doubt you’re each very busy and things happen so please double check the deposit of your assignments.

Group/Team Projects

There will be one group/team project. The project is split into several sections or what I call deliverables and you’ll be assigned to your team in week 5. Once assigned you’ll check in with your team and post to the team discussion forum. Please see the Team Materials folder for instructions and be sure to read the team policies and expectations before starting any work.

The team captain is the first to post to the team’s discussion forum unless agreed to otherwise by the team. Also, the team captain is responsible for completing and submitting the team expectation form. The team is not autocratic; therefore, input from team members is required prior to submitting the expectation form.

Team members – Failure to meaningfully participate with your team will result in your grade being adjusted accordingly.

Please see the Team Materials Folder for instructions and the policy on team participation.

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. In addition to any required lab or special fees, the full cost of instruction rate for 2011-2012 is $352.29 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 last 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).

ASSIGNMENTS

WEEKLY ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE

Modules

Class Date Chapter Title/Projects

Reading Assignment

Written Assignment

Points

Assignment Due Date

1 Tues. Aug. 15 (10 a.m.-12:15 p.m.)

Introduction to Law

Ch. 1   None

1 Common Law, Statutory Law, and Administrative Law

Ch. 4 WebCam Research Assignment

10 Sun. 8/20/17

1 Quiz I Chapters 1 & 4 Quiz I 10 Sun. 8/20/171 Syllabus Quiz Syllabus Syllabus Quiz 10 Sun. 8/20/171 Discussion

Topic

Week 1 & Introductions

  Please see this module’s discussion forum

5 Please be prepared to introduce yourself in class on Tuesday and discuss the topics in class on Thursday

2 Tues. Aug. 22

Constitutional Law

Ch. 5 Brief a Case – Part 1 (Just the Facts)

10 Sun. 8/27/17

2 Alternative Dispute Resolution

Ch. 6

2 QUIZ II

Taken and completed online

 Chs. 5 & 6 Complete Quiz II (Chs 5 & 6)

10 Sun. 8/27/17

3 Tues. Aug. 29

Crimes Ch. 7 Brief a Case –Part 2

10 Tues. 9/5/17

3 Intentional Torts & Business Torts

Ch. 8 Video Exercise (Accessible via Cengage)

10 Tues. 9/5/17

3 Negligence, Strict Liability & Product Liability

Ch. 9

3 Quiz III Chs. 7-9 Complete Quiz III

10 9/5/17

3 Discussion Topic

Please see this module’s discussion forum

5 Be prepared to discuss topic in class Thursday

4 Tues. Sept. 5 Introduction to Contracts

Ch. 11 See Brief a Case Assignment

4 Agreement: Offer & Acceptance

Ch. 12 See Brief A Case Assignment

10 Sun. 9/10/17

4 Consideration Ch. 134 QUIZ IV   Complete quiz

(Chs 11-13)10 Sun. 9/10/17

5 Tues. Sept. 12

Legality Ch. 14 See Brief a Case Assignment

5 Voidable Contracts: Capacity and Consent

Ch. 15 Teams Assigned

5 Written Contracts

Ch. 16 Brief a Case-Part 4

10 Sun. 9/17/17

5 QUIZ V Chs. 14-16 Complete quiz (Chs. 14-16

10 Sun.9/17/17

5 Cengage Media/Video Quiz

Choose a chapter

Watch and Take Video Exercise (Accessible via

10 Sun. 9/17/17

Cengage)5 Teams Assigned Check

Announcements

Post to your team discussion and introduce yourself

5 Sun. 9/17/17

5 Discussion Topic

Please see this module’s discussion forum

5 Be prepared to discuss topic in class Thursday

6 Tues. Sept. 19

Third Parties Ch. 17 Work on Team Building Exercise

6 Cengage Media/Video Quiz

Choose a chapter

Watch and Take Video Exercise (Accessible via Cengage)

10 Sun. 9/24/17

6 Performance and Discharge

Ch. 18

Team Project Team Building Exercise (Complete as a Team)

Complete and submit Team Building Exercise

10 Sun. 9/24/17

6 Discussion Topics

Please see this module’s discussion forum

Be prepared to discuss the topic in class on Thursday

7 Tues. Sept. 26

Remedies & Review

Ch. 19 Dropbox Assignment (Putting it all together)

10 Sun. 10/1/17

7 Team Deliverable I

The law – Your starting point for any case

Complete and submit Team Deliverable I

20 Sun. 10/1/17

7 Discussion Topic

Team Project Discussion Forums

5 Be prepared to discuss topic in class Thursday

8 Tues. Oct. 3 Agency Ch. 28 Study for Midterm

MIDTERM Chapters for weeks 1-7

100 Thurs. 10/5– Sun. 10/8

8 Cengage Media/Video Quiz

Choose a chapter

Watch and Take Video Exercise

10 Sun. 10/8/17

(Accessible via Cengage)

8 Discussion Topic

Team Project discussions

5 Be prepared to discuss topic in class Thursday

9 Tues. Oct. 10 Introduction to Sales

Ch. 21

9 Ownership & Risk

Ch. 22 Video Exercise accessible via Cengage

10 Sun. 10/15/17

9 Team Deliverable II

Investigate and Learn (create questions to ask your own client)

Complete and submit Team Deliverable II

20 Sun. 10/15/17

9 Discussion Topic

Team discussions

5 Be prepared to discuss topic in class Thursday

10 Tues. Oct. 17 Antitrust Ch. 3810 Consumer Law Ch. 39 Video

Exercise via Cengage

10 Sun. 10/22/17

10 Team Deliverable III

Discovery Time: Interrogatories & Request to Produce

Complete and submit Team Deliverable III

20 Sun. 10/22/17

10 Discussion Topic

Team discussion

5 Be prepared to discuss topic in class Thursday

11 Tues. Oct. 24 Environmental Law & Sustainability

Ch. 40 View and take Cengage Video quiz

10 Sun. 10/29/17

11 Team Deliverable IV

Answering the Rogs & RTP

Complete and submit Team Deliverable IV

20 Sun. 10/29/17

11 Discussion Topic

Team discussion

5 Be prepared to discuss topic in class Thursday

12 Tues. Oct. 31 (Halloween)

Introduction to Business Organizations

Ch. 31 View and Take Cengage Video Quiz

10 Sun. 11/5/17

12 Team Deliverable V

Create Questions for Deposition purposes

Complete and submit Team Deliverable V

20 Sun. 11/5/17

12 Discussion Topic

Team discussion

5 Be prepared to discuss topic in class Thursday

13 Tues. Nov. 7 Intellectual Property – An introduction

Ch. 41 Team Project

13 Cyberlaw & Privacy

Ch. 10 Team Project

13 Mock Trial Prepare for Trial

Deposition Time

20 In class Tues. (Must be present and participate to receive credit)

14 Tues. Nov. 14

Team Project Plaintiff’s Case in Chief/Defense Rebuttal

Mock Trial 50 In Class Tues. (Must be present and participate to receive credit)

15 Tues. Nov. 21

Team Project Wrap Up

Closing Arguments (Last opportunity to convince the trier of fact)

Mock Trial Continued (Closing Arguments)

20 In Class Tuesday (Must be present and participate to receive credit)

Nov. 28 Thanksgiving Break

No Class this week

16 Tues. Dec. 5 Review & Final Exam

Final Exam 100 Online Tues. 12/5-Thurs. 12/7

Grading Policy:

A 90-100% D 60-69%B 80-89% F Less than 60%C 70-79%

Course Breakdown WEIGHT      POINTS                                                                                         

~ Case Problems/Case Briefs 22%          140

~ Class Discussion                                                    8.5%           55                   

~ Team Project                                                 31.5%          200                

~ Quizzes                                                                  7%               45                               

~ Midterm                                                                15.5%           100

~ Final                                                                     15.5%           100

STUDENTS’ EXPECTATIONS AND INSTRUCTOR’S EXPECTATIONSTime Commitment:

This is a 3-credit course conducted over 8 weeks. In order to meet accreditation standards, on average, students should expect to spend between 12 to 15 hours per week on course activities and assignments. Spending less time would be insufficient for success in this course.

REQUIRED INTERACTION

Because there is a team project in this course that accounts for a 33% of your grade, you will be required to interact with your team members on a regular basis. You will do so by logging into your team’s discussion several times each week and by online team meetings and any other form of communication agreed to by all team members. Please see the team policies and expectations document provided in the team materials folder for further details.

You will also be required to participate in online meetings as scheduled on the syllabus. As stated above you must have online access to a computer with a webcam.

PARTICIPATION, CONDUCT, & NETIQUETTE

CLASS PARTICIPATION:

Class participation is not only encouraged but expected as well. Participation is defined as reading and preparing for class, and taking part in course discussions and activities. Discussion boards will be provided each week for online courses, and failure to participate in discussion forums will negatively affect your grade. For blended courses 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.

Discussion Boards: For online classes your initial comments each week are to be posted by Thursday, at 11:55 p.m., of that week with the response comments being posted by the Sunday at 11:55 p.m. Your postings must also meet the required word counts and answer the questions presented. Each discussion forum is worth a total of 5 points, with the first posting being 3 points and the second posting worth 2 points. Please see the grading rubric for further details.

SPC has outlined expectations for student behavior and interaction for online discussions, email, and other forms of communication. View the Student Expectations in the Syllabus Addendum.

ATTENDANCE:

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 two 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 may 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:Because of the intensive 8 week schedule, 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. 

ACADEMIC HONESTY

View the Academic Honesty Policy

It is your responsibility to be familiar with St. Petersburg College’s Academic Honesty policies and the consequences of violations. There is no tolerance for any form of academic dishonesty. Discipline can range from a zero on a specific assignment to expulsion from the class with a grade of “F” and the possibility of expulsion from the college. Note that copying/pasting published information without citing your sources, whether the information is from your textbook or the Internet is plagiarism and violates this policy. Even if you slightly change the words from an outside source, 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. https://www.spcollege.edu/studentrights/

 

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.

COPYRIGHT

Copyrighted material within this course, or posted on this course website, is used in compliance with United States Copyright Law. Under that law you may use the material for educational purposes related to the learning outcomes of this course. You may not further download, copy, alter, or distribute the material unless in accordance with copyright law or with permission of the copyright holder. For more information on copyright visit: www.copyright.gov.

TURNITINThe instructor of this course may require use of Turnitin.com as a tool to promote learning. The tool flags similarity and mechanical issues in written work that merit review. Use of the service enables students and faculty to identify areas that can be strengthened through improved paraphrasing, integration of sources, or proper citation. Submitted papers remain as source documents in the Turnitin database solely for the purpose of detecting originality. Students retain full copyright to their works. Review the Turnitin Usage Agreement. Students who do not wish to submit work through Turnitin must notify their instructor via course email within the first seven days of the course. In lieu of Turnitin use, faculty may require a student to submit copies of sources, preliminary drafts, a research journal, or an annotated bibliography.

STUDENT SURVEY OF INSTRUCTIONThe Student Survey of Instruction is administered in courses each semester. It is designed to improve the quality of instruction at St. Petersburg College. All student responses are confidential and anonymous and will be used solely for the purpose of performance improvement.

TECHNOLOGYMINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

View the MyCourses Minimum Technology Requirements

Students should know how to navigate the course and use the course tools. Dropbox-style assignments may require attachments in either Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) or Rich Text Format (.rtf), so that they can be properly evaluated. If an attachment cannot be opened by the instructor, students will be required to re-format and re-submit an assignment so that it can be evaluated and returned with feedback. 

Minimum Technical Skills: All students must have computer skills that include the use of Microsoft word, the use of Microsoft powerpoint, and know how to navigate MyCourses.

MyCourses tutorials are available to students new to this LMS and are located at the beginning of the course. Most features on MyCourses are accessible on mobile devices, although it is recommended that you use a computer for quizzes, tests, and essay assignments.

ACCESSIBILITY OF TECHNOLOGY

View the MyCourses (Brightspace by Desire2Learn) Accessibility Statement

PRIVACY

View the MyCourses (Brightspace by Desire2Learn) Privacy Statement

TECHNICAL SUPPORT

Technical support is available via the Technical Support Desk.

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/faeligibility/

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: http://www.spcollege.edu/withdrawal/

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/clas/ 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).

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

The college website at www.spcollege.edu is the official source of college information regarding the status of the institution. Other important information will be communicated via SPC Alert, local media outlets, and the college toll free number 866-822-3978. All decisions concerning the discontinuation of college functions, cancellation of classes, or cessation of operations rest with the President or his/her designee.

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 http://www.spcollege.edu/safety/ . 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/safety/  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

LEARNER SUPPORTView the Disability Resources site

This course is designed to be accessible to, and usable by everyone. Be sure to let me know immediately if you encounter a required element or resource in the course that is not accessible to you.

If you have documentation of a disability or feel you may have a disability:

St. Petersburg College recognizes the importance of equal access to learning opportunities for all students. Accessibility Services (AS) is the campus office that works with students who have disabilities to provide and/or arrange reasonable accommodations. Students registered with AS, who are requesting accommodations, are encouraged to contact their instructor by the first week of the semester. Students who have, or think they may have, a disability (e.g. learning disability, ADD/ADHD, psychiatric, medical/orthopedic, vision, and/or hearing), are invited to contact the Accessibility Coordinator (AC) that serves your campus for a confidential discussion. To find your AC for your specific campus, please go to the college-wide Accessibility Services website: https://www.spcollege.edu/accessibility

View the Academic Support site

View the On-Campus and Online Support site

View the Student Services site

Tutoring Assistance:

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

1. Dr. Deborah Eldridge, Gibbs Campus 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

ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTDEAN

Name: Susan Demers

Office Location: Clearwater, SS-165

Office Phone Number: (727) 791-2501

Email: demers.susan@spcollege.edu

WEBSITE

URL: http://www.spcollege.edu/paralegalbas/

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/central/libonline/

OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES:  COLLEGE CALENDAR http://www.spcollege.edu/calendar/ M.M. BENNETT LIBRARIES http://www.spcollege.edu/libraries/ CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES http://www.spcollege.edu/intern/ INTERNATIONAL STUDENT SERVICEShttp://www.spcollege.edu/internationalstudents/ LEARNING SUPPORT CENTERS (Tutorial Services) http://www.spcollege.edu/support/

VETERANS SERVICEShttp://www.spcollege.edu/veterans/ Please access the following link for updated addendums to the syllabus: http://www.spcollege.edu/addendum/

INSTRUCTIONAL CONTINUITY PLAN - EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS POLICY

The St. Petersburg College website at www.spcollege.edu is the official source of college information regarding the status of the institution. Other important information will be communicated via SPC Alert, local media outlets, and the college toll-free phone number 866-822-3978. All decisions concerning the discontinuation of college functions, cancellation of classes, or cessation of operations rest with the President or his/her designee. The College realizes that it is possible for a significant natural disaster to compromise SPC campus facilities sufficiently to disrupt the delivery of classes on campus/campuses for an extended period of time, and is planning ways our operations can continue following such an emergency.

So, 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 website for an announcement of the College's plan to resume operations.

Further, in the event of such a disaster, the instructor will continue using the Learning Management System (LMS) of MyCourses for continuation of all required learning and instructional activities in this course, including the issuing of graded online assignments and expectation of student completion of those graded assignments.

Therefore, in order to keep up with all activities in this course during and after a natural disaster, please plan to continue this course by maintaining online access to MyCourses in lieu of meeting in a classroom—possibly through duration of the course’s regularly scheduled end date. We will finish this course in MyCourses, as directed by your instructor online, and your instructor will use all graded assignments—both online and formerly on-campus—to assess and issue your final letter grade for this course, as normally planned, despite occurrence of the natural disaster.