Spring 2023 Course Syllabus Course: BUSI-1307 (Section: 1, CRN: 10383) Personal Finance

Instructor Information
Instructor	Emily Peters
Email	petersem@lamarpa.edu
Phone	(409) 984-6418
Office	Umphrey Industrial Technology Center - Room: 201 A
Office Hours	T/R 9:00-9:30am and 12:15pm-12:45pm, or as needed, by appointment.
Additional Contact Information
Course Information
Description	Personal and family accounts, budgets and budgetary control, bank accounts, charge accounts, borrowing, investing, insurance, standards of living, renting or home ownership, and wills and trust plans.
Required Textbooks	Textbook Purchasing Statement: A student attending Lamar State College Port Arthur is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from the college-affiliated bookstore. The same textbook may also be available from an independent retailer, including an online retailer. Focus on Personal Finance: An Active Approach to Help You Achieve Financial Literacy, 7th edition, McGraw-Hill Education, 2022, by By Kapoor, Jack / Dlabay, Les / Hughes, Robert J.; Loose-leaf and eBook options should be available. McGraw-Hill Connect access NOT REQUIRED. Loose Leaf: ISBN10: 1264111975 | ISBN13: 9781264111978 Rental: ISBN10: 1260772373 | ISBN13: 9781260772371
Additional Materials/Resources	3-Ring binder REQUIRED for loose-leaf textbook material, pocket calculator
Corequisites/Prerequisites	None
Learning Outcomes
Core Objectives	* Communication skills: Students will demonstrate effective written, oral and/or visual communication. * Critical Thinking Skills: Students will engage in creative and/or innovative thinking, and/or inquiry, analysis, evaluation, synthesis of information, organizing concepts and constructing solutions. * Empirical and Quantitative Skills: Students will demonstrate applications of scientific and mathematical concepts. * Personal Responsibility: Students will demonstrate the ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making.
Lecture Topics Outline	Course Introduction Personal Financial Planning in Action (Chapter 1) Money Management Skills (Chapter 2) Taxes in Your Financial Plan (Chapter 3) Financial Services: Savings Plans and Payment Accounts (Chapter 4) Consumer Credit: Advantages, Disadvantages, Sources and Costs (Chapter 5) Consumer Purchasing: Strategies and Wise Buying of Motor Vehicles (Chapter 6) Selecting and Financing Housing (Chapter 7) Home and Automobile Insurance (Chapter 8) Health and Disability Income Insurance (Chapter 9) Financial Planning with Life Insurance (Chapter 10) Investing Basics and Saving for Retirement Chapters (11-14)
Major Assignments Schedule	Students should expect weekly Assignments and Quizzes on the topics above. Unless otherwise noted, these will typically be due the following week after assigned. Please check the calendar in Blackboard for specific weekly assignment/quiz due dates. Additionally, there will a several small projects due throughout the semester. Students will be expected to manage their time wisely to complete these. I hope to incorporate multiple speakers throughout the semester on the topics above or related and relevant personal finance topics; therefore, the following schedule/due dates ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE based on the availability and scheduling of speakers or at the discretion of the instructor.  Any and all changes will be announced in class and posted in Blackboard. Exam Dates (SUBJECT TO CHANGE): *Exam 1 over Chapters 1-3 due 2/19/23 *Exam 2 over Chapters 4-5 due 3/5/23 *Exam 3 over Chapters 6-7 due 3/27/23 *Exam 4 over Chapters 8-10 due 4/10/23 *Exam 5 (Comprehensive Final Exam, with emphasis on Chapters 11-14) will be posted by Tuesday, May 2nd. It will be due Tuesday, May 9th by 11:59pm. You may take it at your convenience during that timeframe. Tentative Project Due Dates (SUBJECT TO CHANGE): *Spending Log / Draft Budget due 2/6/23 *Home / Car Buying Project due 3/24/23 *Investment Project due 4/28/23
Final Exam Date	May 2, 2023 - 12:0 PM   Through  March 9, 2023 - 11:59 PM
Grading Scale	90 - 100=A 80 - 89=B  70 - 79=C   60 - 69=D  Below 59 = F
Determination of Final Grade	Exams (including Final) - 40%, Weekly Assignments/Quizzes - 50% Projects - 10%
Course Policies
Instructor Policies	Textbook/Supplies/Software: Every student MUST have a copy of the required textbooks by the beginning of the SECOND week of class. The student will be responsible for any assignments given. Reliable Internet access is required for all online courses and many traditional courses. Computer failure and lack of internet access are not acceptable excuses for missed assignments, projects, quizzes, or exams. Students will need a standard function calculator. You may use the calculator function on your phone, but I suggest an inexpensive desktop/pocket calculator. Unless otherwise specified, the use of calculators is permitted to solve problems on assignments, quizzes, and exams. If student chooses to use the calculator on their phone, it must remain on the table and only on the Calculator App during the exam. Students will also need a spiral to take notes and use as scratch paper.  Announcements: I will post announcements weekly, usually early in the week. These announcements indicate upcoming due dates and notes important to your success in this course. You should READ these Announcements every week. I also recommend using the Blackboard app on your phone, with notifications, so that you immediately receive notices of new announcements for this class. Please use your LSCPA email to communicate with me. Assignments: Assignments will be posted weekly. They will typically be posted by Tuesday and due the following Tuesday night by 11:59pm. This is subject to change.  Check Blackboard for any changes to due dates.  No emailed work is accepted. You must submit all your assignments in Blackboard unless you have been given specific written instruction otherwise from the instructor. Exceptions to this may include worksheets provided in class.  Because you are given adequate time to complete assignments, LATE WORK is not accepted without prior approval from the instructor. Assignments not turned in on time will receive a zero.  DO NOT wait until the last minute to complete your assignments. The lowest assignment grade with be dropped.  Some assignments, such as commenting on the Discussion Board, may be for a completion grade only. However, failure to participate or complete may result in a zero or a penalty/deduction on another assignment or quiz. Quizzes: Quizzes will be given on Blackboard covering the chapter studied that week. Quizzes will often cover the key terms/vocabulary/concepts contained in the chapter and will often be timed. There will be no makeups for missed quizzes. Missed quizzes will receive a score of zero. The lowest quiz grade with be dropped. Exams: Exams will be provided within a Blackboard examination window. Even though the exams are administered through Blackboard and not given during class time, you MUST WORK ALONE while taking the exam.  The use of your notes and book IS permitted; however, cheating on exams is not acceptable and will be subject to violations of the Academic Dishonesty policy.  If you fail to complete an exam (including the Final) by the due date, you will receive a grade of zero. If you have special circumstances which require you to miss an exam, you may contact the me to see if other arrangements can be made. Requests for makeup exams or other arrangements are granted ONLY if you have an exceptional reason for missing an exam, such as a medical emergency, or death in the family. It is your responsibility to initiate arrangements for a makeup or other arrangements. Approval should be cleared with me PRIOR to the date of absence. If it is not possible to contact me prior to the exam, please e-mail me within 48 hours after missing the exam and cite the reasons you missed the exam. The format of a makeup exam may differ from that of the regularly scheduled exam. As a word of precaution, please do not use mobile or wireless devices for exams. Late Work:  All assignments, quizzes, projects, and exams must be completed and submitted before the due date. Because you have ample time to complete all assigned work, LATE WORK is not accepted without specific approval of the instructor and may be subject to a 10-point per day penalty. Such approval is at the instructor’s sole discretion and will require appropriate documentation suitable to the to support the work being late. When possible, any requests for additional time must be submitted PRIOR to the due date. Technical problems on the due date are NOT an excuse for turning in assignments late. Grades: All grades will be posted you Blackboard under My Grades. I will not discuss your grades over the phone or by e-mail. If you want to discuss your grades, you must schedule a meeting with me, either in person or via TEAMS. Extra credit opportunities may be assigned at the discretion of the instructor but should not be expected. Students should check their grades in Blackboard often and keep a record of their grades/average. Instructor(s) will not average grades for students. If you notice a discrepancy, please talk to me about it early. Do not wait until the end of the semester. Academic Dishonesty: Copying, stealing, and/or submitting someone else's work is considered a violation of the Academic Dishonesty policy. Academic Dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated. A student violating this policy will receive a ZERO on any assignment (first offense); a second incidence of academic dishonesty will result in failure of the class and meeting with program coordinator and/or department chair. Software Requirements: If you are in a course that is using a specific software, you MUST have the software available to you either on your home computer or you must use the open lab provided in the Gates Library. Access to Microsoft Office (Excel and Word) will be necessary for this course. Reliable Internet access is required for ALL courses. Computer failure and lack of internet access are not acceptable excuses for missed assignments, projects, quizzes, or exams. There is access available on campus in the testing center and the Gates Memorial Library. DO NOT wait until the last minute to complete class work or exams. Do not complete assignments, quizzes, or exams on a phone or Chrome book, as they may not submit properly. E-Mail Etiquette: Please use your LSCPA email to communicate with me, not voice mail, as I do not have a permanent office on campus.  Students must use appropriate e-mail etiquette when corresponding with instructor, for example, complete sentences and a full subject line with your name and course name.  Classroom Etiquette: We will respect each other and their personal space. Always be considerate and treat others how you would like to be treated.  The following behaviors will result in the student being asked during class time to cease the action and/or leave the classroom: using cell phones, talking, or keying while the instructor is giving instructions or during class discussions; surfing the Internet during lecture; and/or displaying a rude or negative behavior toward the instructor or other students. No cell phones should be heard during class. No blue tooth technology or recording of lectures in any format (unless approved by the instructor). No charging of cell phones or plugging in of other devices in the classroom.
Attendance Policy	Poor attendance is a leading reason for termination from a job in all areas of employment. With this factor in mind, the instructor monitors student attendance daily and via Blackboard reports of logins and interaction with course. In addition, attendance on a regular basis is necessary for proper skill development.  This is an IN-PERSON class and attendance is expected unless other prior arrangements have been made and approved by the instructor. Tardiness is not acceptable and is disruptive to the class. Frequent tardiness to class will result in a meeting between the student and instructor. Continued tardiness could result in a ten-point penalty on the student’s final course grade.   Students are responsible for completing all assigned homework, including reading assignments, by the required due dates and for being prepared for each class meeting. If we completed an assignment in class, you will still be responsible for it even if you were absent from the previous class meeting.
Additional Information
Institutional Policies
MyLSCPA	Be sure to check your campus email and Course Homepage using MyLSCPA campus web portal. You can also access your grades, transcripts, academic advisors, degree progress, and other services through MyLSCPA.
Academic Honesty	Academic honesty is expected from all students, and dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. Please consult the LSCPA policies (Academic Dishonesty section in the Student Handbook) for consequences of academic dishonesty.
ADA Considerations	The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the the Office for Disability Services Coordinator, Room 231, in the Madison Monroe Building. The phone number is (409) 984-6241.
COVID 19 Information	The Lamar State College Port Arthur (LSCPA) Student Code of Conduct COVID 19 Policy requires students who have been diagnosed with COVID 19 to report their condition directly to their local health department. Students should also contact their course faculty to report their quarantine status. In addition, this policy requires all students to wear face coverings when directly exposed to COVID 19 in compliance with the criteria included in the policy. For more information please refer to the COVID 19 link on the LSCPA website.
Facility Policies	No food or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom. Only students enrolled in the course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission. Use of electronic devices is prohibited.
HB 2504	This syllabus is part of LSCPA's efforts to comply with Texas House Bill 2504.
Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect	As per Texas law and LSCPA policy, all LSCPA employees, including faculty, are required to report allegations or disclosures of child abuse or neglect to the designated authorities, which may include a local or state law enforcement agency or the Texas Department of Family Protective Services. For more information about mandatory reporting requirements, see LSCPA's Policy and Procedure Manual.
Title IX and Sexual Misconduct	LSCPA is committed to establishing and maintaining an environment that is free from all forms of sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, sexual violence, and other forms of sexual misconduct. All LSCPA employees, including faculty, have the responsibility to report disclosures of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, sexual assault (including rape and acquaintance rape), domestic violence, dating violence, relationship violence, or stalking, to LSCPA's Title IX Coordinator, whose role is to coordinate the college's response to sexual misconduct. For more information about Title IX protections, faculty reporting responsibilities, options for confidential reporting, and the resources available for support visit LSCPA's Title IX website.
Clery Act Crime Reporting	For more information about the Clery Act and crime reporting, see the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report and the Campus Security website.
Grievance / Complaint / Concern	If you have a grievance, complaint, or concern about this course that has not been resolved through discussion with the Instructor, please consult the Department Chair.
Department Information	Business and Industrial Technology Chair: Sheila Guillot Email: guillsr@lamarpa.edu Phone: (409) 984-6381