BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
BUSINESS 140 – LEGAL
ENVIRONMENTS OF BUSINESS
FACULTY INFORMATION
Professor Christina Hata
Office: Room 4810,
Tel: (760) 757-2121 ext. 6399
Fax: (760) 795-6770
Email: chata@miracosta.edu
REQUIRED MATERIALS
1.
Essentials of Business Law – Beatty & Samuelson, 3nd
Edition, Thomson/Southwestern, ISBN 0324537123
2.
Union Carbide in
3.
Various articles as assigned
DAYS AND TIME Tuesday/Thursday
1:00PM – 2:15PM
Office Hours:
Tuesday/ Wednesday 12:30-1:00PM, Thursdays 3:00-4:00PM
COURSE DESCRIPTION
“Business law and government regulation topics include:
court system, torts, crimes, contracts, sales, consumer protection, commercial
paper, agency, employment, business entities, secured transactions, bankruptcy,
insurance, real and personal property, landlord-tenant, wills and trusts.”
Although the course is an on-campus offering, a substantial
portion will involve using the Internet and the online Blackboard course
management system. You must have an email address that you check regularly
(minimum of 3 times per week) and reliable Internet access to take this course.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
My goals go beyond having you just learn the subject matter.
I hope the course and the activities appeal to a variety of learning styles to
keep everyone active and interested. As you proceed through the course, you
will:
·
Learn
the subject matter and remember the key points
·
Develop
a good overview of how law and legal issues relate to business
·
Be
able to apply the concepts to your own business and personal situations
·
Think
about ethical, social, and business consequences of legal decisions
·
Effectively
work with other classmates to accomplish tasks
·
Communicate
through the discussion forums with other students on legal, ethical, technical,
and other issues
·
Increase
your knowledge and improve your technical computer and Internet skills
·
Improve
your oral and written communication skills
·
Discover
and explore some interesting web sites that will be useful to you
The
specific subject matter objectives for the course are for you to:
·
Develop
an understanding of the structure and process of the U.S. legal system,
including organization, statutory law, case law, criminal law, tort law,
dispute resolution, and litigation
·
Explore
business ethics and social responsibility and how these relate to
decision-making by business managers
·
Examine
and compare legal doctrines in the Constitution, civil law, criminal law, and
international law
·
Understand
the nature, characteristics, and status of contracts, and be able to draft and
critique contracts
·
Learn
and apply the laws related to sales and consumer protection
·
Examine
the rules related to personal and real property
·
Learn
the nature and types of negotiable instruments
·
Explore
and utilize the rules and laws related to agency and employment
·
Examine
the laws related to insurance, secured transactions, bankruptcy, intellectual
property
·
Discover
the various forms of business organization and how businesses are regulated
·
Explore
the law related to estate planning and insurance
Together the students and instructor in this course will be creating a learning community. All members of this community are responsible for ensuring that learning takes place. Thus, preparation and contribution to discussion are very important. Students are expected to complete the assigned reading and preparatory assignments, contribute meaningfully and substantively in class, and complete and submit all assignments by their due dates. The nature of the learning activities includes lecture, in-class discussion, homework, small group activities, and short writing assignments at the beginning of each session.
The course
software platform is Blackboard. When you log in with your user name (SURF
login ID) and password, you will find these ten major sections that you can
click on:
·
Announcements:
Check this regularly for instructor communication
·
Syllabus:
Syllabus you can print out and refer to
·
Faculty Information: Instructor, and MiraCosta Help Desk
·
Course Documents: Extra Credit, PowerPoint Slides, Chapter Supplements,
·
Assignments:
Weekly Assignments
·
Books: Text
Book for the Class
·
Communication:
Announcements, Discussion Board, Send E-mail
·
Discussion Board: Direct link to Discussion Board
·
Resources:
Useful Internet Links
·
Student Tools:
Dictionary & Thesaurus, My Grades, Personal Information, User Manual
Suggested steps each week:
Check the weekly schedule in the Syllabus (and also listed
in the Assignments section) for the chapters/topics covered for that week.
For each week, click on the appropriate link in
“Assignments”:
Generally, each week you will
1.
Read
the assigned chapters. (Generally, 3 chapters per week are covered.)
2.
Read
any supplemental material assigned.
3.
Go to the Discussion Board section
and post at least one reply to one of the discussion questions that the
Instructor has posted or one response to another student’s posting.
4.
Sunday 11:55PM deadline: Complete the week’s three Chapter’s untimed Quizzes
(In the Assignments section) that will be automatically graded. (Suggestion:
Don’t wait till the last minute to take the quiz; it disappears on Sunday at
exactly 11:55PM; too many things can go wrong and there will not be time to
contact Instructor and have her respond.)
5.
TUES/THURS 1:00PM: Attend class. Be prepared and
participate. Be ready to discuss the
week’s first two chapters on Tuesday and the third chapter on Thursday. A quiz (formats will vary each class) will be
given during class. Some will be taken individually and some will be taken in
teams. There are no make-ups. You must be in class to take the quiz. Questions assigned for each chapter are due in
the class period where the material is covered.
All assigned homework is due at
the start of class. Homework must be
typed; I will not accept handwritten submissions. Nor will I accept homework via email.
PARTICIPATION STANDARD (DISCUSSION BOARD)
All
discussion board posts should be of high quality. Your post should be well
thought out, articulate, and responsive to the question or comment. Brief
statements of agreement or disagreement without rationale are not counted.
Minor and periodic spelling errors and grammatical errors are not a problem;
however, if you are not confident of spelling or grammar, be sure to
spell-check and/or grammar-check your submission before posting. Be courteous
and professional. Stick with the subject. Be clear and concise. Practice good
netiquette. (See Netiquette Rules in the Course Documents section of the
Blackboard site.) DO NOT WRITE IN ALL CAPS! Carefully review your messages
before posting.
In addition
to the discussion question for each week, there will be a Student-to-Student
Discussion Board set up for the entire semester in which you can talk about
anything related to the course,
·
Chapter
quizzes will be graded automatically. You will get immediate feedback on your
score. You can review your scores in the Online Gradebook. (Student Tools: My
Grades section)
·
Model
Answers for the prior week’s assigned questions will be posted in the
Announcements after Sunday midnight so you can review them if desired. Credit
is given for reasonable attempts to answer each case. Whether you get it
“correct” is of less importance than the identification of issues and a timely
well-reasoned effort. Give it your best shot.
·
Other
items will be graded and posted periodically by the Instructor. Be sure to
check the Online Gradebook regularly. Any claimed errors or discrepancies in
the grades must be brought to the Instructor’s
attention within two weeks of the due date. Point postings are final
after that.
·
Instructor
will monitor and periodically respond in the Discussion Boards.
·
Instructor
will respond to appropriate questions in proper format. See the EMAIL
SUBMISSION RULES.
GRADING CRITERIA ( 1798 total
points)
·
230
points: Chapter Questions (46 chapters x
5 pts each)
·
322
points: Chapter Quizzes (46 chapters x 7 pts each)
·
300
points: In-Class Quizzes (30 classes x 10 pts each)
·
96 points: Discussion Board Replies (12 weeks x 8
pts each)
·
100
points: Fight Your Ticket
·
150
points: Changing the Law
·
100
points: Cell Phone Contract
·
200
points: Peer Reviews
·
100
points: Case Analysis
·
200
points: Chapter Facilitation
Subject to adjustment (lowering) by
Instructor in his sole discretion at the end of the semester, the letter
grading will be: (percentage of total possible points)
·
A
(Excellent): 90% +
·
B
(Good) 80-89%
·
C
(Average) 70-79%
·
D
(Below Average) 60-69%
·
F
(Failure) less than 60%
Extra credit possibilities and rules
are listed under Course Documents: Chapter Supplements. Additional
opportunities may be listed in the Announcements section periodically during
the semester. You can also propose an activity related to the class. Generally,
each activity (speech/seminar/etc.) that is attended along with a brief paper
describing the activity and applying it to your personal or business situation
will be worth 10 points. The maximum extra credit points allowed for the class
is ten percent (10%) of the total points for the class. Submit all Extra Credit
either in person to the Instructor or in an email attachment to the Instructor
(chata@miracosta.edu) with the top
line:
Last Name, First Name BUS140:1011 Extra Credit Date
The
instructor retains sole discretion throughout the semester to make adjustments
in the scoring, grading, and curving that he deems appropriate or necessary.
LATE WORK ACCEPTANCE POLICY:
Late work
is not accepted. If you cannot attend
class please make accommodations to turn in your homework to me via email, fax,
through a classmate, dropped in my box at the administration office, or some
other method. I absolutely understand
that sometimes things happen to inhibit your ability to make it to class (work,
personal matters, etc). However, this
course is a business course and is designed in part to prepare you for the
business world, where deadlines simply cannot be missed!
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Verified Disability:
A student
with a verified disability may be entitled to appropriate academic
accommodations. Please contact me and/or the Disabled Students Program
& Services Office at (760) 795-6658, or the office of the ADA Coordinator
at (760) 795-6866.
Important
Dates and Drop Information:
·
September
6, 2008 (Saturday):
Last day to ADD classes.
·
September
6, 2008 (Saturday); Last day to DROP classes with no grade and no “W”.
·
September
26, 2008 (Friday): Last day to file Petition for Degree/Certificate and to file
for Credit/No Credit; Consider this option if you do not need a letter
grade.
·
November
20, 2008 (Thursday): Last day to Drop class with “W” grade; Drops after that
receive a letter grade (generally an “F”); If you discover this course is
not for you, make sure to drop by this date.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
Each
student is responsible for performing academic tasks in such a way that honesty
is not in question. Unless an exception
is specifically defined by an instructor, students are expected to maintain the
following standards of integrity:
·
All
tests, term papers, oral and written assignments, recitations, and all other
academic efforts are to be the work of the student presenting the material.
Plagiarism
and Ethics Policy:
Each
student agrees to the following statements of student behavior:
EXPECTATIONS OF STUDENTS
All
students are expected to be present, to be prepared, and to contribute actively
to discussion in ways that enrich the quality of learning for all. Reading and project/written assignments
specified on the course calendar are to be completed prior to the designated class meetings. Written assignments and projects are due on
the dates shown; none will be accepted late.
We have a contract as joint participants in the course: we are responsible for coming together as
prepared professionals, with ownership of our time and a stake in ensuring that
it is spent in ways that are valuable to us both individually and as a
group.
EXPECTATIONS OF
FACULTY
To be
prepared for every class; to return student papers promptly, with appropriate
feedback; to be available during office hours and by appointment, to meet with
students; to be frequently responsive to email messages; to hold high standards
for all of us. Faculty and students
together are responsible for creating and sustaining a safe environment that
facilitates learning, openness, personal growth, and mutual trust and respect.
The faculty is committed to the success
of each student.
TUTORING AND
TASC offers free tutoring for this course (and others) at
the HUB. For more information call (760)
944-7748 ext. 7748 or just drop by the HUB. I urge you to take advantage of
this valuable resource.
THE
The
WRITTEN PROJECTS AND MAJOR
ASSIGNMENTS
Several
research projects and peer reviews will be assigned during the semester. The
first research project will be due at the end of Week 4. Peer review of it will
be due at the end of Week 5. The second research project will be due at the end
of Week 8. Peer review of it will be due at the end of Week 9. The web site,
www.turnitin.com, will be used for submitting and reviewing the written
projects. More details will be furnished as the time for each approach. All
projects must be turned in with proper grammar and spelling, and with proper
citations using APA format. Peer reviews will allow for each student to review
and anonymously critique several other students’ submissions.
CASE ANALYSIS
One case
analysis project will be assigned.
Students will be required to read and analyze the case, Union Carbide
in Bhopal giving special attention to the legal aspects of the
article. The case is available on
reserve in the library or can be purchased from Harvard Business Online.
CHAPTER FACILITATION
Working in
small groups create a class facilitation that a) highlights the key concepts
from the reading assigned that week, and b) illustrates at least one key
concept with a relevant topic from the popular or business press (newspaper,
magazine, journal) for classroom discussion.
The format of this assignment is as follows:
·
Present
key concepts from preparatory reading for the session (15-20 minutes)
·
Illustrate
with real life example (5-10 minutes)
·
Facilitate
class discussion (10-15 minutes)
You and
your partners will receive a grade based on the extent to which you cover the
three points above. Please turn in a
brief summary of the material you cover on the day you give your
presentation. This should be typed,
double spaced, and approximately two pages in length.
GET OUT OF A TICKET
It’s
Thursday morning, and you wake up at 7:40, realizing you’re going to be late
for your 8:00 class. You’ve already been late twice, and your professor has
made it clear the next time you wander in late, he’s lowering your final
grade. You throw on your clothes and
jump into the car in a futile attempt to make it to class on time. As your car
flies up Barnard drive, you hear the unmistakable siren of the OPD. The officer writes you a ticket for speeding,
which you believe is unfair given the road conditions (and your
circumstances).
In this
project, you will “fight” your ticket via trial by declaration; you will state
the facts of the case (in your view) and petition the court to find you not
guilty.
CHANGING THE LAW
In this
project you will identify a
CELL PHONE CONTRACT
Many of us
have experienced the pains of cell phone ownership. In order to demonstrate your understanding of
contract law, you will attempt to cancel your cell phone contract based on a
representation your company makes in your contract that you believe they have
violated.
In addition
to the above described projects, you will be required to complete a 7-page
research paper.
SCHEDULE OF ASSIGNMENTS
The assignment schedule is tentative
and subject to change. Students are
responsible for any schedule/assignment changes announced in class.
|
Wk # |
DATE: Tues Thurs |
PREPARATION
FOR THE WEEK: READ/PREPARE/REVIEW |
SUBMIT Answers
to Short-Answer Questions (Due in class) |
BB DISC
BD (Due Sun 11:00 PM) |
QUIZ Due
Sunday 11:00 PM |
IN
CLASS QUIZ (no
makeups; you must attend to take quiz) |
|
Wk 1: |
08-20 |
INTRODUCTIONS & EXPLORATION |
|
WK01DB |
|
|
|
|
08-22 |
CH 1 INTRO
TO LAW |
13 |
|
Ch01Q |
Wk01aicq |
|
Wk 2 |
08-28 |
CH 2
BUSINESS ETHICS |
|
WK02DB |
Ch02Q |
Wk02aicq |
|
|
|
CH 3
COURTS, LITIGATION |
13 |
|
Ch03Q |
|
|
|
08-30 |
CH 4
CONSTITUTION, STATUTES |
13 |
|
Ch04Q |
Wk02bicq |
|
Wk 3: |
09-04 |
CH 5
INTENTIONAL TORTS |
14 |
WK03DB |
Ch05Q |
Wk03aicq |
|
|
|
CH 6
NEGLIGENCE & STRICT LIAB |
|
|
CH06Q |
|
|
|
09-06 |
CH 7
CRIMINAL LAW |
11 |
|
Ch07Q |
Wk03bicq |
|
Wk 4: |
09-11 |
CH 8
INTERNATIONAL LAW |
|
WK04DB |
CH08Q |
Wk04aicq |
|
|
|
CH 9 INTRO TO CONTRACTS
|
14 |
|
Ch09Q |
|
|
|
09-13 |
CH 10
AGREEMENT |
15 |
|
Ch10Q |
Wk04bicq |
|
|