Describe the unique legal, financial, and regulatory attributes of tax-exempt entities.

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1 Administration of Nonprofit Organizations ROCKHURST UNIVERSITY School of Graduate and Professional Studies Kansas City, Missouri Administration of Nonprofit Organizations NP 4010, CRN Meeting Times: Monday, 6:00pm 8:40pm Location: Conway Hall 200 Instructor: Office: Office Hours: Phones David A. Stallings, CPA, MPA, Chief Financial Officer, Girl Scouts of Northeast Kansas & Northwest Missouri 8383 Blue Parkway Drive Kansas City, Missouri By Appointment, On Campus C: O: Course Description: This course examines the principles and practices of administration in tax-exempt, charitable organizations. The course intends to teach students how to succeed as an effective manager in the administration of tax-exempt, charitable organizations organizations. Prerequisite or Concurrent: NP or HA Course Objectives: After completing this course, the student should be able to: Describe the unique legal, financial, and regulatory attributes of tax-exempt entities. Describe the basic elements of federal and state tax laws and regulations that create and regulate the taxexempt, charitable organizations in the U.S. Understand basic concepts of applied ethics and ethical management used to effectively administer a taxexempt, charitable organizations. Understand the basic concepts of ethical leadership and the tenets of servant leadership. Communicate using the basic vocabulary of tax-exempt, charitable organizations management. Administration of Nonprofit (tax-exempt, charitable) Organizations 1

2 Understand the role and responsibilities of charitable organization governance, including the role of managers, officers, and directors as they balance the challenging demands of donors, volunteers, regulators, funders, sponsors and allied agencies. Understand the basic tenets of the Policy Governance Model created by John and Miriam Carver and other basic design alternatives for governing boards of charitable organizations. Understand the function of organizational planning and its role in furthering the mission and long term goals of charitable organizations. Appreciate the distinction between operational and strategic planning as used in most charitable organizations and the critical role board and staff play in the efficient use of time and resources in the planning function. Course Materials Required Understanding Nonprofit Organizations: Governance, Leadership and Management (2nd Edition), Edited by J. Steven Ott and Lisa A. Dicke, (2012), Westview Press. The instructor will assign additional readings and handouts throughout the semester. Students will be responsible for all of the material distributed by the instructor as a crucial part of the total graded work. Grading and Weighting of Assignments: The following is a list of the components of the course evaluations and the weighting each component receives for the semester, using a total grading point distribution of 1,000 points: Examinations (400 points or 40%): There will be two in-class examinations, the mid-term (150 points), and the final exam (250 points). Blue Books are required for the exams, which are available at the bookstore. Topics covered on the exams include all readings, handouts, class lectures and discussions and presentations from guest speakers. Homework Assignments (250 points or 25%): There will be several homework assignments based on the readings assigned each week. Some assignments will require the use of basic levels of internet research, Microsoft Word, and strong writing skills. Unless otherwise noted, homework assignments are to be submitted by to the instructor. (Detail guidelines will be provided in class.) Independent Study Project (200 points or 20%): You will be given the option to design and create a major class project based on one of the core subject areas. The requirements of the project will be outlined later. The purpose of the project is a focus on independent study and the further research, reading and writing on a topic of greatest interest to you. This is individual work and should not be prepared with the assistance of other class members or others outside the class. This project will be presented in class toward the end of the semester and is intended to expand your study of a chosen area beyond the material presented in class. (Detail guidelines will be provided in class.) Class Participation, Discussion and Attendance (150 points or 15%): Your enrollment in this course is an implicit commitment to attend class, complete the assigned reading, participate in class activities and discussion, diligently participate in the work of study teams and complete all course requirements. Your grade for class participation, discussion, and attendance will be based on these factors. (See Course Policies below for additional information). Administration of Nonprofit (tax-exempt, charitable) Organizations 2

3 Use of Study Teams All homework assignments are to be prepared and turned in by either individually or by a study team, depending on the assignment. Unless specified, all work is to be individual work. Teams may self-select or, if students prefer, the instructor can assign teams. We will discuss team process procedures and communications. Each team will submit one collective set of solutions or answers for each of the team homework assignments as being representative of all its individual members. Each student of a team will receive the identical grade awarded to the team s homework solutions. This is intended to encourage teams to work together on assignments. Keep in mind that no matter how the distribution of work is accomplished within each team, all students need to clearly understand and have command of the content of each homework assignment, as the in-class exams will be designed to cover the identical material. Should a team member feel that any individual member is not contributing equally, the team should attempt to address those concerns with the other individual member before communicating with the instructor. As with any work place environment, teamwork is intended to provide the participants with the opportunity to self-govern and deal in a fair and healthy manner with disagreements and the fair distribution and completion of the team efforts. Grading Scale: Final course grades will be awarded based on the total points awarded for each area of class work listed above, on a straight scale of 1,000 points, as follows: A = 1, points A- = B+ = B = B- = C+ = C = C- = D+ = D = F = 629 or less. The + and system of grading will be used in the awarding of final course grades. The instructor reserves the right to allow all students to retake the mid-term exam, to drop exam questions after an exam or a homework assignment and its grade assigned, if the circumstances make that action fair and appropriate to all students. Students will not be allowed to make up for missing an exam, except for extraordinary circumstances and only with advance notice to the instructor. Unexcused missed exams and late or missing homework assignments will be awarded zero points. Administration of Nonprofit (tax-exempt, charitable) Organizations 3

4 Course Policies: Attendance Policy: Attendance and class participation is important so that everyone can benefit from the course material and from the collective knowledge and experience of all students. Therefore, please read all assigned materials before coming to class, including chapter appendices and handouts. You are expected to regularly attend class sessions and contribute to a meaningful discussion of the topic of the day. Please remember that the definition of class participation includes attending class but also raising valid points, sharing experiences, remaining focused, and asking relevant questions. Tardiness or arriving late to class, both at the start of class and from class breaks, and leaving early from class, are disruptive and will be reflected in the points assigned for class participation, if excessive. If a student violates this tardiness policy frequently, the instructor reserves the right to count the tardiness as an unexcused absence. Only one unexcused absence of class is allowed. If you have a reasonable excuse, such as documented illness, or a family emergency for missing a class, please inform the instructor by phone, text or as soon as possible, and well in advance of the class period. Proof of the reason for your absence may be requested. The University attendance and tardiness policies are posted in the current Rockhurst catalog. Inclement Weather Policy: Cancellation of class due to inclement weather is determined by Rockhurst University central administration and not by the instructor. Please enroll in the campus weather and emergency notification system. Please consult the Rockhurst website should threatening weather conditions exist. Otherwise, students should plan accordingly when weather may cause a delay in getting to class. Communications: Most communications with students will be done by . Therefore, each student is asked to provide the instructor their Rockhurst student address that will be distributed to all class members. Due Dates: Assignments and papers turned in after the deadline, will receive substantially reduced points. The examinations and assignments due dates in the course schedule below are subject to change at the discretion of the instructor. However, if any changes are made to due dates, students will be given significant advanced notice. Academic Honesty Policy: It is the responsibility of every person in the academic community, faculty members, students, and administrators to ensure that academic dishonesty or misconduct is not tolerated. Academic honesty includes adherence to guidelines pertaining to integrity established for a given course as well as those established by the University for conducting academic, administrative and research functions. All forms of academic dishonesty or misconduct are prohibited. Please consult the University s catalog for further information on its Academic Honesty Policy. Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. All exams are closed book, closed notes and are to be taken without help or assistance. Persons observed cheating on tests will receive a grade of zero for the exam. Similarly, plagiarism or inappropriate assistance with the completion of assignments, projects, and papers is unacceptable and a grade of zero will be assigned on any such item where plagiarism has been detected. The use of private tutors or mentors should be done judiciously. If a student uses a subject tutor or mentor, the instructor must be informed. All work completed by individual students and/or study team must be work completed independent of or without outside assistance. Please be careful to review the information pertaining to plagiarism and cheating in the university handbook. If unsure about these policies, please ask the instructor for further information. The instructor and the university take these matters very seriously. Please review the website for additional information on how plagiarism is preventable. Administration of Nonprofit (tax-exempt, charitable) Organizations 4

5 Syllabus Subject to Change: While the provisions of this syllabus are as accurate and complete as possible, the instructor reserves the right to change any provision herein when circumstances warrant. Every effort will be made to inform students about changes as quickly as possible. It is the responsibility of each student to know what changes, if any, have been made to the provisions of the syllabus and to complete the course requirement accordingly. Access to additional support services on campus: The University offers several support services to insure student success. These include the following centers and sites are listed in the University s catalog. The University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. Please contact the Director of Access Services to provide the required documentation and requests for accommodation. The Classroom Environment: In-class use of wireless devices: Use of wireless devices such as laptop computers, smart phones, Blackberry handhelds and other note taking devices will be allowed in class, however, their use will be restricted if they are a distraction in class. It has been my experience that laptops and other devices can create distractions for the students using them and those around them. Since these devices can access the internet, , Facebook and an infinite variety of content which this course does not need, students are expected to use these tools judiciously. Note taking is encouraged and the use of laptops is allowed as long as the noise of use and their presence does not distract the class or instructor. Handouts in class will include detailed text outlines which should reduce a substantial part of note taking in class. Use of cell phones is strictly prohibited during class and should be turned off or put in silent vibrate mode during class. Leaving class to response to a cell phone call is disruptive to the entire class and will not be tolerated. Each class period will include a break midway through the evening. This is the only appropriate time to use cell phones. Food and Beverages: No food or snacks will be allowed in class. Beverages will be allowed. Please finish any food you are eating before coming into the class, even if you are early. Bringing food into class creates not only a distraction to others but increases the workload of the janitorial staff. Class Break: There will be one 20-minute class break during the evening class period. This leaves only 2 hours and 20 minutes for class time. Therefore, please take care to return to class promptly and be prepared to resume your work. Rockhurst University Statements: Rockhurst University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. Please contact Sandy Waddell, Director of Access Services, (Massman Hall, Room 7, , sandy.waddell@rockhurst.edu) to provide documentation and request accommodations. If the Access Office has already approved accommodations, please communicate with the instructor of this course regarding these arrangements by the second week of class in order to coordinate receipt of services. Student contact information must be kept current in order to receive important notices from Rockhurst University. Your contact information is online via your RockWeb account. Please check your local address, local phone number, and emergency contact information on RockWeb and revise as needed. Allimportant University notices will be sent only to your RU address. Please check your RU account in addition to any other accounts you may have. Accounts are activated at the Computer Services Help Desk. Administration of Nonprofit (tax-exempt, charitable) Organizations 5

6 Course withdrawals are the responsibility of the student. The RU Catalog lists the procedures for a student to withdraw from one or all courses and will be upheld. If the student does not process course withdrawal(s) correctly, it will result in a failing grade. Administration of Nonprofit (tax-exempt, charitable) Organizations 6