College of Business
Oregon State University
COMMON SYLLABUS
LEGAL AND ETHICAL BUSINESS SOLUTIONS
BA 333 Fall 2008

INSTRUCTORS WHO TEACH THIS COURSE:

PROFESSOR NANCY KING COURSE COORDINATOR OFFICE PHONE: 737-3323 EMAIL: kingn@bus.oregonstate.edu OFFICE NUMBER: Bexell #336 OFFICE HOURS FOR Fall 08: Tuesday 9:30-10:30 a.m.; Wednesday 11:00 – 12:00 noon Thursday 12:30-1:30 p.m.; and by appointment

PROFESSOR DANIEL LYKINS OFFICE PHONE: 737-4139 EMAIL: lykinsd@onid.orst.edu OFFICE NUMBER: Bexell #415

PROFESSOR GARY HUNTER OFFICE PHONE: 737-3089 EMAIL: hunterg@bus.oregonstate.edu OFFICE NUMBER: Bexell #309 .

This common syllabus is intended as a brief overview of this course. IMPORTANT NOTE FOR STUDENTS ENROLLED IN BA 230 (Business Law I): this syllabus does not apply to you and you should consult the syllabus provided by your course.

Students in BA 333 should also consult the information provided by your instructor on your section’s Blackboard website. Each instructor has also prepared documents titled “Instructor’s Additional Requirements” and “Assignment Schedule” for their sections of BA 333 that supplement this syllabus and have been posted on the blackboard website for the sections of the course taught by the instructor.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: LEGAL AND ETHICAL BUSINESS SOLUTIONS (2). Legal and ethical regulations of U.S. and global business organizations including financial, human resources, operations and marketing functions. Emphasizes legal and ethical strategies for entrepreneurs including business entity selection, raising capital and managing intellectual property. PREREQ: BA 233; Junior standing/Business Major, ECON 201.

MEASURABLE LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon the successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

1) Critically analyze the meaning of selected judicial cases and statutes including the management implications of legal rules drawn from those cases and statutes.

2) Knowledgeably discuss contemporary legal issues related to managing a business including the impact of global business markets, electronic commerce and technology.

3) Formulate legal and ethical strategies for entrepreneurs related to business entity selection, raising capital and managing intellectual property.

4) Apply business law concepts to solve practical business problems including more advanced topics such as intellectual property, securities law and antitrust law issues.

5) Use online legal databases to conduct basic legal research about business problems.

LEARNING RESOURCES --REQUIRED MATERIALS:

Text:, Frank B. Cross and Roger LeRoy Miller, West’s Legal Environment of Business (6^th ed., 2007).

Blackboard Course: The blackboard site for the combined sections of the course taught by each instructor contains the syllabus, Instructor’s Additional Requirements for the course, and an Assignment Schedule as well as any other materials for the instructor’s sections of the course. Additional materials will be provided in class and/or posted on the Blackboard Website.

EVALUATION OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING:

READING ASSIGNMENTS: Generally the assigned reading for each class includes one chapter from the Cross and Miller text and/or additional assigned readings as listed on this syllabus. See Assignment Schedule posted on the Blackboard website for your section for the due dates for reading assignments. You are required to do the reading assignments in the text before the class for which it is assigned. Make sure you read the court opinions (“cases”) in each chapter carefully and that you understand them. You may need to read the entire chapter before reading the cases to fully understand the court opinions.

Sustainability: Consistent with the College of Business’s sustainability efforts, you may make the sustainable choice to use an electronic resource without making a paper copy. Students may not use copies of assigned readings, PowerPoint slides, or class handouts on exams, so there is no exam benefit to making a paper copy of these course supplements.

HOMEWORK: PROBLEM SETS, QUIZZES AND/OR WRITING ASSIGNMENTS: In addition to the assigned reading, you will have homework assignments that may be in the form of problem sets, quizzes (in-class or online), or writing assignments. See Assignment Schedule on Blackboard for your class section for the due dates for homework assignments. Your work must be turned in on time. Late work will receive a lower grade and/or zero points (See Instructor’s Additional Requirements on Blackboard). Your homework must be your own work. Work that is too similar to that of another student will result in neither student receiving credit for the assignment. It is academic dishonesty for a student to submit another student’s/person’s work as the student’s own work (in part or whole) or to assist another student in the process of submitting another student’s/person’s work as his or her own work.

CLASS PARTICIPATION: Class participation points may be assigned based on your class attendance, preparation for class and participation in class discussion. See Instructor’s Additional Requirements for this class, posted on the Blackboard website for your section.

MIDTERM: A midterm covering multiple chapters from your text and lecture material will be given as listed in Assignments Schedule on Blackboard for your section of the class. The midterm will be given during the regular class period. Test questions may be objective or short answer/essay. Unless excused in advance, if you miss the midterm because you are absent or late to class, you will not be allowed to make-up the midterm or be given more time to complete it. See Administrative Rules for Final Exam and Midterm, below.

FINAL EXAM: The final exam is comprehensive and may test any material (lecture, text, class problems, etc.) covered in the course. See Instructor’s Additional Requirements on the blackboard website for your section of the class for your instructor’s rules on using a limited amount of notes on the Final Exam. All sections of BA 333 take the final exam on a Group Examination schedule, meaning that all students take the exam at the same time and on the same date. The contents of the exam may and will vary by instructor. Students take the exam at a location with students taking the class from the same instructor. For the date and time of group exams, see Final Examination Schedule for Group Examinations on the OSU website under Registration Information. Your instructor will provide information about the location of your exam.

ADMINISTRATIVE RULES FOR THE FINAL EXAM & MIDTERM:

Identification for exams/rule on no electronic equipment. You are required to bring your student I.D. (with your picture) to the final exam. You are required to present your I.D. when you turn in the final exam if asked. No iPods, computers, cell phones, PDA’s, headphones or other electronic equipment are permitted in the final exam or in midterms. Exam materials are the property of the instructor and the College of Business. You will have the opportunity to review the materials and your scores after the midterm and/or final exam, but you will not be allowed to keep these materials.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY FOR ASSIGNED MATERIALS:

For all exams, you are responsible for all materials in the text and other reading materials that are assigned, as well as lecture material, unless expressly excluded. All aspects of a chapter or other reading assignment will not necessarily be covered in class and current material outside the text will be discussed in class; consequently lecture material will be emphasized on the tests and exams. You are encouraged to be present for all classes and to take good notes.

WRITTEN PETITION FOR EXCEPTION TO SYLLABUS RULES

You may make a written petition for an exception to the syllabus rules if you have a serious emergency or other extreme circumstances that prevent you from complying with the rules in this syllabus or your Instructor’s Additional Requirements that supplement this syllabus. No make-ups of the midterm or the final exam will be allowed unless arranged in advance or due to an emergency or other extreme situation. The following circumstances generally are not adequate reasons to support a make-up of a missed test or exam: illnesses not requiring hospitalization, doctor’s appointments, court appointments, work schedule conflicts, participation in OSU sports or other sports, child care problems, lateness due to over-sleeping, conflicts with class schedule and travel home for a holiday or break or travel delays upon returning to campus.

Petition format/Time to Appeal: You must make your petition in writing and state the circumstances and reasons you believe that an exception should be made for you. Include your name, email address, and class number (BA 333) and your class section number on the petition. Petitions regarding late homework or a missed midterm will not be considered unless received by your instructor within one week of the due date for the homework or test date. Petitions to take the midterm or final exam on a date different than the scheduled date must be made to your instructor in advance, at least two weeks in advance except for emergencies, and will be granted only for extreme circumstances. You must deliver your petition to your instructor in person or by email. Do not deliver petitions to your instructor’s office, faculty services, or through the mail. If you are unable to take the midterm or final exam on the scheduled date for any reason other than a conflict between two or more exams, your instructor reserves the right to substitute a 10 page, double spaced, research paper on an assigned legal topic in lieu of the scheduled exam.

GRADING

Each instructor will allocate the 1000 maximum possible points in the class to the following:

1.      Class Participation

2.      Homework (problems, study questions, quizzes & papers)

3.      Midterm

4.      Final Exam

Maximum Possible Points 1000

**Unless there is a calculation error, grades are final unless questioned within one week of receiving the grade and before the last day of class.

**Course grades will be on a “+/-“ grading system.

You may calculate an estimate of your course grade at any time during the term by adding up the points you have received and determining if you have at least the minimum percentage of available points to earn the applicable grade as follows:

A >= 93% C >= 72%

A- 90% C- 70%

B+ 88% D+ 68%

B 82% D 62%

B- 80% D- 60%

C+ 78% F <=59%

ACTING PROFESSIONALLY, ETHICALLY AND HONESTLY

The College of Business has adopted a Code of Conduct which can be found at: http://www.bus.oregonstate.edu/about/cobcodeofconduct.htm. This Code of Conduct includes the guiding Principles for members of the College of Business Community, which include the following promise: “As a member of the College of Business Community I will:

· treat others with honesty, respect, and courtesy

· maintain the highest levels of academic integrity

· act in accordance with my ethical and social responsibilities

· strive to foster a professional learning environment

· act in a professional manner”

You may also want to consult the University’s Statement of Expectations for Student Conduct: http://oregonstate.edu/admin/stucon/achon.htm.

DISABILITY ACCOMMODATION:

Accommodations are collaborative efforts between students, faculty and Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD). Students with accommodations approved through SSD are responsible for contacting the faculty member in charge of the course prior to or during the first week of the term to discuss accommodations. Students who believe they are eligible for accommodations but who have not yet obtained approval through SSD should contact SSD immediately at 737-4098.

The syllabus is a guide, not a contract, and therefore may be changed as necessary. If changes are made, your instructor will announce them in class and place them on the board, generally at least one class in advance of the due date for an assignment, etc.

Last Revised: September 23, 2008