MSCJ 530 A Legal Aspects of Criminal Justice Management

Transcription

1 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 1 MSCJ 530 A Legal Aspects of Criminal Justice Management June 2015 Session (14-M55) Monday, June 1 Saturday, July 25, 2015 Course Description Textbooks This course is an examination of the legal issues within criminal justice management, and the effects of constitutional provisions, statutes, ordinances, and judicial decisions on justice administration. Included is an analysis of the legal aspects of selection, compensation, promotion, assignment, and termination of justice employees and consideration of operational issues not addressed in other courses. Prerequisite: Graduate standing Proctored Exams: None Avery, Isaac. Legal Aspects of Police Supervision. 2 nd Ed. New York: Wadsworth / Thomson Learning, Inc., ISBN: Avery, Issac & Mary Easely. Legal Aspects of Police Supervision: Case Resource Book. 2 nd Ed. New York: Wadsworth / Thomson Learning, Inc., ISBN: Textbooks for the course may be ordered from MBS Direct. You can order online at (be sure to select Online Education rather than your home campus before selecting your class) by phone at For additional information about the bookstore, visit Course Overview Welcome to Legal Aspects of Criminal Justice Management (MSCJ 530), online! This course focuses on the study of the law behind management / human resource issues arising in a justice department environment. The primary study will be from the text and assigned multimedia materials, but current events may also be used to the extent possible.

2 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 2 Technology Requirements Participation in this course will require the basic technology for all online classes at Columbia College: A computer with reliable Internet access, a web browser, Acrobat Reader, Microsoft Office or another word processor such as Open Office. You can find more details about standard technical requirements for our courses on our site. Course Objectives To broaden the knowledge of and appreciation for the legal issues faced by criminal justice managers. To expose the student to important employment related legal issues which are not adequately addressed in other courses. To expose students to the framework for analyzing and understanding the wide variety of important management related legal issues encountered in the criminal justice system. To enable students to apply assorted laws, methods and theories to evaluate real and hypothetical management related legal problems in the criminal justice system. To enhance critical thinking, research and oral and written communication skills on legal issues connected with criminal justice management. Measurable Learning Outcomes Assess current legal problems and issues relating to criminal justice management. Identify and describe the legal issues faced by criminal justice managers. Identify and apply competing laws, priorities, theories and concepts as they relate to criminal justice management. Construct and evaluate arguments for and against proposed and existing laws and policies connected to criminal justice management. Distinguish and differentiate between management related laws and policies adopted at the federal, state, local and intra-agency level. Appraise current literature, materials and developments concerning legal issues connected to criminal justice management.

3 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 3 Grading Grading Scale GRADE POINTS PERCENT A B C F Grade Weights ASSIGNMENT POINTS PERCENT % Hypothetical Responses % Exams % Term Paper % TOTAL % Schedule of Due Dates WEEK ASSIGNMENT POINTS DUE DATE Discussion Discussion 2 10 Discussion Discussion 4 10 Discussion 5 10 Discussion 6: Term Paper Topic 10 3 Discussion 7 10 Discussion 8 10 Hypothetical Response Discussion 9 10 Discussion Exam Discussion Discussion Hypothetical Response Discussion Discussion Annotated Bibliography for Term Paper --

4 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 4 7 Discussion Discussion Exam Discussion Discussion 18 5 Term Paper 300 Saturday TOTAL 1000 Assignment Overview and Supplemental Websites: Please complete the readings and view the supplemental websites prior to completing assignments for the week. : Each week, you will complete two to three Discussion postings focused on a specific aspect of labor law as it relates to managing a criminal justice agency. In your response, you are expected to discuss the legal issues and quote from the textbook and other legal sources. Additionally, you should post your initial thoughts on each Discussion by mid-week and respond to at least three other student postings. Hypothetical Responses: You will create two, short response papers during the term. You may choose what issue you wish to cover from the three to four options posted for your review in the Content area under Weeks 3 and 6. The topics range from Duty to Protect to Ricci Analysis covering issues as diverse as discrimination to codes of conduct. Each response should mix legal research and fact with opinion. Make sure to use your assigned text materials as a guide in conducting your own legal research. Do not plan to write your Term Paper on the same topic you selected for either Hypothetical Response Paper. Hypothetical Response Paper Format Requirements - Please format your paper as follows: 1. Topic: Using the fact pattern provided within the hypothetical / response, please respond to the questions posed at the bottom of the fact sheet. You can find the fact pattern for this assignment in the Content area of the course. 2. Length: 3-4 pages, not counting any cover page. 3. Style: MLA / APA for sources. 4. Format: Please format your paper as follows: a. Name: top left corner b. Double spaced; Arial or Times New Roman font, 12-point c. Page numbers at bottom of page 5. Response Format: For each of the questions posed at the bottom of the hypothetical fact pattern, please set up your content portion using the following subheads as a guide: a. Issue: formulate a hypothesis based on the first question posed within the fact pattern. b. Discussion of Relevant Law: provide me with case law, statutes, codes you plan to use to support your hypothesis/points. This law can come from your textbook, the casebook, legal research, newspaper and magazine articles, etc.

5 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 5 c. Discussion of Facts and Law: In this section, I want you to provide your analysis of the facts in relation to the law you have covered thus far. i. The fact pattern within the hypothetical will provide you with all the necessary details. Your responsibility is to apply the law as you understand it to the facts of the case/issue presented. ii. Your responses should draw from the previously covered material but also include your own legal research the idea is to apply the law to your hypothetical situation. iii. Additionally, you should supplement your responses with outside research and brief personal experiences from your criminal justice career. 6. Post your final draft in the appropriate Dropbox folder for my review. 7. I will provide you with feedback regarding your paper in the Dropbox area, usually no later than Friday of the following week. Term Paper: There will be one Term Paper that is to be submitted to the appropriate folder in the Dropbox area of the course. The length of the paper should be 5-7 pages of actual prose/analysis not counting a cover page, abstract or references on an issue of your choice from topics covered throughout the course, except those you wrote about in the Hypothetical Response Papers. The Term Paper should be written in MLA or APA format, and there should be 4 to 5 or more outside sources included in your paper. In the Content area of the course, you will find detailed instructions for your Term Paper. However, here are a few items and dates to remember. 1. Week 2 Paper topic due (Discussion post) I want to know what issue you plan to address in your research paper, and I must approve it. Unapproved topics will not be accepted. 2. The Term Paper is weighted heavily in your overall course grade and should represent your best effort. Take the Plagiarism Tutorial included in this course, and carefully read my comments in the Paper Proposal discussion thread (Week 2, Discussion 6) about this subject. 3. Week 6 Annotated Bibliography due (Dropbox) this preliminary bibliography needs to consist of a list of at least four sources, including a summary and evaluation of each source that describes what it adds to your paper and how you plan to use it to support your thesis. 4. Week 8 Term Paper is due. Exams: During Weeks 4 and 7, you will take an exam covering the materials from the previous weeks. These exams are not cumulative. In Week 4, the exam will cover legal issues reviewed in Weeks 1 through 3. In Week 7, the exam will cover legal issues reviewed in Weeks 4 through 6. The exam questions will consist of short-answer and multiple-choice, hypothetical style questions that apply your legal knowledge gleaned from your assigned materials to the fact patterns presented. Each exam will be open to you all week so that you may take it when it is convenient for you. The exams will be timed at 2 hours. Course Schedule Week 1 Constitutional Aspects 1. Textbook: Chapter 1 - Constitutional Law for Public Managers ; Chapter 2 - Constitutional Limitations on Codes of Conduct ; Chapter 3 - Employment at Will 2. Casebook: Wilson v. Swing: (Rights at Department Hearing, Overbreadth & Vagueness, Immoral & Indecent Conduct); Allen v. City of Greensboro: (Conduct unbecoming); Kelly v. Johnson: (Hair length & mustache regulation); other cases within book you deem relevant 3. Civil Right Codes: 42 U.S.C ; Civil Rights Actions 18 U.S.C Website: Social Science Research Network, Code of Conduct abstract, Making Criminal Codes Functional [Links can be found in the Content area of the course.]

6 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 6 Note: Appropriate case law, statutes, and civil codes can be found in your Case Resource Book. Additional resource links can be found in the Content area of our course. However, you are responsible for supplementing these items with research done either in a library or on the World Wide Web. Supplemental Websites American Bar Association The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy United States Supreme Court Judicial Watch Articles, Journals, Legal Book Reviews and News Can be found free of cost on the ABA website. Discussion 1: Introduction - Introduce yourself to me and to your classmates. I am hoping that you take the time to add information about your hobbies, family, educational goals, that kind of thing. Discussion 2: Basics of Constitutional Law - Choose any one of the issues [i.e. Full Faith and Credit, Freedom of Association, Freedom to Assemble, Confrontation of Witnesses, Excessive Bail, etc., except Cruel and Unusual Punishment] covered in Chapter 1. Research the concept online and provide a brief overview of the case law, statues, or codes you uncovered in your research. Discussion 3: Codes of Conduct - Review the website on Criminal Justice Codes of Conduct: Use and Application of the Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials, Including the Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms. According to the website authors,...the Assembly [those responsible for creating the Code] stressed the important task that law enforcement officials were performing; it also noted the potential for abuse that the discharge of their duties entailed. Though this Code was created by a United Nations body, and may or may not be applicable to your own department, please respond to the following questions given the concepts behind Vagueness, Overbreadth, and Substantive Due Process: a. What are some of your thoughts regarding the application of the Code to your own law enforcement field? Does this Code fall in line with what the Supreme Court has outlined in the cases covering Vagueness or Overbreadth or Substantive Due Process? b. Provide examples from your own experiences that are in line with the concepts covered in Chapter 2 or that might violate these concepts. Discussion Questions or Concerns: Use this topic for any syllabus questions, questions about course assignments, concerns you may have, issues with research, etc. I will respond to your general questions here. Specific, personal issues should be addressed through a private conversation. Week 2 Discrimination in the Workplace 1. Textbook: Chapter 3 - Employment at Will ; Chapter 4 - Discrimination in Employment ; Chapter 5 - Sexual Harassment 2. Casebook: Adams v. Nolan (Sex Discrimination); Dwyer v. Smith (Sexual Harassment); other cases within book you deem relevant 3. Casebook: 29 U.S.C. 623 Age Discrimination; 42 U.S.C Civil Rights Act of 1861 Supplemental Websites National Center for Women & Policing U.S. Department of Education The United States Department of Justice

7 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 7 Discussion 4: Age Issues - According to the United States Code Annotated (29 U.S.C. 623), an employer may participate in age discrimination where there is a bona fide occupational qualification reasonably necessary to operate as a normal business. Taking into account your own experiences in law enforcement, what are your thoughts regarding the Los Angeles Police Department s [see/find a link to the LAPD s official website in the Content area for details on academy requirements] removal of an age requirement given the nature of a job as a new recruit? Discussion 5: Harassment - Unlawful harassment is a form of discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other federal authority. Unwelcome verbal or physical conduct based on race, color, religion, sex (whether or not of a sexual nature and including same-gender harassment and gender identity harassment), national origin, age (40 and over), disability (mental or physical), sexual orientation, or retaliation (sometimes collectively referred to as legally protected characteristics ) constitutes harassment when: 1) The conduct is sufficiently severe or pervasive to create a hostile work environment; or 2) A supervisor s harassing conduct results in a tangible change in an employee s employment status or benefits (for example, demotion, termination, failure to promote, etc.). [See/find a link to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in the Content area and search its database under Archives. ] Respond: 1) What types of situations would one expect to fall under this Act? 2) How might you as a manager avoid these situations? Discussion 6: Paper Proposal - This week please provide me with an idea of what issue you plan to cover in your term paper. If you are having trouble deciding on a single topic, think about reviewing your textbook or some of the supplemental websites I recommend for ideas. You may also consider expanding the concept(s) behind one of the discussion topics we have covered or will cover. Your topic must be different than anything written on in your Hypothetical Response Papers. Your topic must be approved by me or the Term Paper will not be accepted. Week 3 Discrimination Cont. 1. Textbook: Chapter 6 - Americans with Disabilities Act of Casebook: 42 U.S.C , et.seq. Americans with Disabilities Act; 42. U.S.C. 2000e et.seq 3. Casebook: Champ v. Baltimore Country (Disability); Champ v. Baltimore County (Disability); other cases within book you deem relevant 4. Websites: Americans with Disabilities Act home page; U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission home page Supplemental Websites CNN Justice Police Chief Magazine Discussion 7: Discussion of the ADA - According to the framers of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Barriers to employment, transportation, public accommodations, public services, and telecommunications have imposed staggering economic and social costs on American society and have undermined our well-intentioned efforts to educate, rehabilitate, and employ individuals with disabilities. By breaking down these barriers, the (ADA) will enable society to benefit from the skills and talents of individuals with disabilities, will allow us all to gain from their increased purchasing power and ability to use it, and will lead to fuller, more productive lives for all Americans. Respond: 1) Based on this explanation, who is a qualified individual with a disability? 2) Should the criminal justice fields be exempt from compliance with this Act? Why or Why not?

8 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 8 Discussion 8: Reverse Discrimination - The recent decision by the United States Supreme Court in Ricci held that the New Haven fire department promotional board engaged in reverse discrimination when it discarded the test results of white firefighters. The Court, in a 5-4 decision, emphasized the need for fairness or a level playing field when it comes to promotion. Respond: 1) What are your thoughts on the decision? Did the Court get it right? Why or Why not? 2) How might this decision further impact the law enforcement field? [Note: I remind you that many of the issues in this course will evoke strong opinions. This is a college-level discussion. Please proceed accordingly.] Hypothetical Response Paper 1: Submit your paper to the appropriate folder in the Dropbox area of the course by the assigned due date. Instructions: A detailed fact pattern with specific questions for discussion can be found in the Content area of our course. Use the hypothetical fact pattern as presented as your basis for analysis. Please do not deviate from the fact pattern as it is based on the lessons studied this week. Additionally, you must supplement your responses to the posed questions by incorporating outside source material i.e. case law, statutes, codes and/or specific experiences gleaned from your career. Topic options are as follows: Option 1 Tennie Pierce: Discrimination or Not? Option 2 Constitutional Limitations Option 3 Ricci Expanded Note: I will provide you with feedback regarding your paper in the Dropbox usually no later than Friday of the following week. Week 4 Internal Affairs 1. Textbook: Chapter 9 - Internal Affairs Procedures ; Chapter 10 - The Ten (or So) Worst Mistakes... ; Chapter 17 - What Has O.J. Done 2. Casebook: Gilbert v. Homar (Suspension); O Connor v. Ortega (Search of Desk); Gardner v. Broderick; Jackson v. Gates; Lesher v. Reed; Other cases within book you deem relevant 3. Websites: Garrity Rights; JUSTIA US Supreme Court, Gardner v. Broderick Supplemental Websites Police Chief Magazine an authoritative and sourced article on Garrity American Bar Association searchable database of journals, reviews, etc., by topic Discussion 9: Garrity Rights - According to Chapter 9, a law enforcement member has rights under the Garrity Rule articulated in Garrity v. New Jersey. Respond: 1) What are Garrity Rights? 2) Why are they so important to law enforcement members? 3) Can a law enforcement member refuse to cooperate using Garrity as a shield? (A review of the website Garrity Rights may assist you.) Discussion 10: The Ten (or So) Worst Mistakes - The author of your text is deeply concerned over the ten mistakes he believes lead to lawsuits filed against criminal justice agencies. 1) Choose one of those mistakes (except for Garrity or Gardner) and research the concept on the Web. Then, return to this Discussion topic and provide your classmates with a summary of your findings. 2) How might a manager in the criminal justice system avoid one or all of these mistakes? Exam 1: This is a timed two-hour exam. The exam can be found in the Quizzes area and will consist of multiple-choice and short-answer application questions based on the relevant law discussed throughout the previous three weeks. There is no requirement for a proctor for this exam.

9 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 9 Week 5 The Injured Employee / Fair Labor Standards 1. Textbook: Chapter 7 - The Injured Employee: Three Bites of the Apple ; Chapter 8 - Fair Labor Standards Act 2. Casebook: 29 U.S.C. 2611(FMLA); Other cases within book you deem relevant 3. Website: The United States Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division Discussion 11: Three Bites of the Apple - In Chapter 7, the author of the textbook focuses on the idea of Three Bites of the Apple. What are those three bites and how do they apply to the criminal justice field? Discussion 12: Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) - How does the FLSA apply to law enforcement? What is the manager s role in applying FLSA within his or her work environment? Hypothetical Response Paper 2: Submit your paper to the appropriate folder in the Dropbox area of the course by the assigned due date. Instructions: A detailed fact pattern with specific questions for discussion can be found in the Content area of our course. Use the hypothetical fact pattern as presented as your basis for analysis. Please do not deviate from the fact pattern as it is based on the lessons studied this week. Additionally, you must supplement your responses to the posed questions by incorporating outside source material i.e. case law, statutes, codes and/or specific experiences gleaned from your career. Topic options are as follows: Option 1 Do They Have a Case? Failure to Protect (This option will require additional reading from your textbook.) Option 2 Political Speech Hypothetical Note: I will provide you with feedback regarding your paper in the Dropbox usually no later than Friday of the following week. Week 6 Freedom of Speech; Religious Freedom; Drug Testing 1. Textbook: Chapter 11 (Freedom of Speech); Chapter 12 (Religious Freedom); Chapter 13 (Drug Testing) N.B.: Ch. 12, p. 113 of Avery incorrectly asserts that the US Supreme Court declared police grooming standards in Kelly v. Johnson, 425 U.S. 238 (1976) unconstitutional. Such standards were found to be constitutional (pp of said opinion) under the 14th Amendment. However, this result changes when examined as a First Amendment issue under the Free Exercise Clause. 2. Casebook: Jackson v. Gates (Drug Testing); 42.U.S.C. 2000bb; 42 U.S.C ; other cases within book you deem relevant Supplemental Websites U.S. Constitution the Charters of Freedom FindLaw ( U.S. Constitutional Amendments ) Discussion 13: Drug Testing - In an abstract located on NCJRS.org, National Criminal Justice Reference Service, researchers focused on some of the lesser covered issues of recreational drug use by law enforcement officials. Respond: 1) According to the abstract, what technical issues are involved in drug testing of officers and what is their efficacy? 2) What were some of the 4th

10 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 10 Amendment issues involved in drug testing officers? 3) Finally, how might a union or collectivebargaining complicate drug testing and why? You are invited to search the web for additional resources and perspectives. Discussion 14: Freedom of Religion in Law Enforcement - Google search articles in which emphasis is focused on religious freedom and protections for law enforcement officers and criminal justice professionals. [See/find a link to the American Center for Law & Justice in the Content area for a description of legal precedent. The ABA search site is also valuable.] Respond: 1) What are some of the potential areas of conflict written about in the articles? 2) Share some areas of conflict you have encountered within your own career. Annotated Bibliography for Term Paper In the appropriate Dropbox folder, post a list of at least four sources, including a summary and evaluation of each source that describes what it adds to your paper and how you plan to use it to support your thesis. In other words, fully reflect on how each source fits into your research, to what degree it has been helpful in shaping your argument, and in what way it has changed your thinking about your topic. Course Evaluations: Please evaluate the course. You will be able to submit your course evaluation between of Week 5 and Thursday of Week 7. A link will be sent to your CougarMail that will allow you to access the evaluation. Week 7 Litigation under 42 U.S.C / Failure to Protect 1. Textbook: Chapter 14 Litigation ; Chapter 15 Failure to Protect 2. Casebook: Tennessee v. Garner (Use of deadly force); Boyer v. County of Inyo (Seizure roadblock); O Conner v. Ortega (Search of desk); Gregory v. City of Rogers, Estate of Sintahsomphone v. City of Milwaukee (Failure to Protect); other cases within book you deem relevant 3. Website: The Lectric Law Library (definition of qualified immunity ) Supplemental Website The Lectric Law Library - easy to read and understand website emphasizing general legal definitions Discussion 15: Broad Scope of 42 U.S.C Please take a moment to review 42 U.S.C on the constitution.org website. Respond: 1) Why is it important to identify a Person? 2) What is the significance of the Ku Klux Klan Act reference contained within 42 U.S.C. 1983? 3) How does this reference affect cases brought today? Discussion 16: Qualified Immunity - Please review the JUSTIA US Law website involving a Sixth Circuit decision regarding Officer Immunity. According to the case, there appeared to be a split among lower courts as to what qualifies as "reasonableness of an officer's actions." In another case regarding qualified immunity, this time before the Ninth Circuit (see/find a link in the Content area to the Environmental Law website, Headwaters Forest Def. v. County of Humboldt), the court articulated a specific test for "reasonableness" and found in favor of the plaintiff. Respond: 1) Given your experience in the field of law enforcement, did the Sixth Circuit make the right decision regarding "reasonableness" in the case before it? Why or Why not? 2) Given your experience in the field of law enforcement, did the Ninth Circuit make the right call in the case before it? Why or Why not? 3) Finally, how would you define "reasonableness" regarding officer conduct? Exam 2: This is a timed two-hour exam. The exam can be found in the Quizzes section and will consist of multiple-choice and short-answer application questions based on the relevant law discussed throughout the previous three weeks. There is no requirement for a proctor for this exam.

11 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 11 Week 8 Federal Criminal Violations 1. Textbook: Chapter 16 - Federal Criminal Violations 2. Casebook: 18 U.S.C Websites: THE FBI, Civil Rights, Color of Law Abuses ; Public Agency Training Council, Overview of Police Liability Term Paper Post your Term Paper in the appropriate Dropbox for my review. The paper is due Saturday. Discussion 17: Officer Complaints - Doctors disclose; lawyers disclose; so, should law enforcement members be required to disclose complaints lodged against them even if they are exonerated? Why or Why not? [See/find a link in the Content area to the U.S. DOJ Office of Community Oriented Policing Services document Building Trust Between the Police and the Citizens They Serve. ] Discussion 18: Improvements to the Course - Please take a moment to provide me with any suggestions you might have regarding discussion or hypothetical situations you would consider relevant to this course. Please focus on issues I may not have covered, which you feel are important, and/or issues I did cover but not to your satisfaction. Course Policies Student Conduct Plagiarism All Columbia College students, whether enrolled in a land-based or online course, are responsible for behaving in a manner consistent with Columbia College's Student Conduct Code and Acceptable Use Policy. Students violating these policies will be referred to the office of Student Affairs and/or the office of Academic Affairs for possible disciplinary action. The Student Code of Conduct and the Computer Use Policy for students can be found in the Columbia College Student Handbook. The Handbook is available online; you can also obtain a copy by calling the Student Affairs office (Campus Life) at The teacher maintains the right to manage a positive learning environment, and all students must adhere to the conventions of online etiquette. Your grade will be based in large part on the originality of your ideas and your written presentation of these ideas. Presenting the words, ideas, or expression of another in any form as your own is plagiarism. Students who fail to properly give credit for information contained in their written work (papers, journals, exams, etc.) or who use such work as their own are violating the intellectual property rights of the original author. For proper citation of the original authors, you should reference the appropriate publication manual for your degree program or course (APA, MLA, etc.). Violations are taken seriously in higher education and may result in a failing grade on the assignment, a grade of "F" for the course, or dismissal from the College. Collaboration conducted between students without prior permission from the instructor is considered plagiarism and will be treated as such. Spouses and roommates taking the same course should be particularly careful. It is not acceptable to use material from a former course, or to copy another author s material verbatim even if cited to that author unless placed in quotation marks and used sparingly. If you have any questions regarding this please contact me. All required papers may be submitted for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers may be included in the Turnitin.com reference database for the

12 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 12 purpose of detecting plagiarism. This service is subject to the Terms and Conditions of Use posted on the Turnitin.com site. Non-Discrimination There will be no discrimination on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, ideology, political affiliation, veteran status, age, physical handicap, or marital status. Disability Services Students with documented disabilities who may need academic services for this course are required to register with the Coordinator for Disability Services at (573) Until the student has been cleared through the disability services office, accommodations do not have to be granted. If you are a student who has a documented disability, it is important for you to read the entire syllabus before enrolling in the course. The structure or the content of the course may make an accommodation not feasible. Online Participation You are expected to read the assigned texts and participate in the discussions and other course activities each week. Assignments should be posted by the due dates stated on the grading schedule in your syllabus. If an emergency arises that prevents you from participating in class, please let your instructor know as soon as possible. Attendance Policy Attendance for a week will be counted as having submitted a course assignment for which points have been earned during that week of the session or if the proctoring information has been submitted or the plagiarism quiz taken if there is no other assignment due that week. A class week is defined as the period of time between Monday and (except for Week 8, when the week and the course will end on Saturday at midnight). The course and system deadlines are all based on the Central Time Zone. Cougar All students are provided a CougarMail account when they enroll in classes at Columbia College. You are responsible for monitoring from that account for important messages from the College and from your instructor. You may forward your Cougar account to another account; however, the College cannot be held responsible for breaches in security or service interruptions with other providers. Students should use for private messages to the instructor and other students. The class discussions are for public messages so the class members can each see what others have to say about any given topic and respond. Late Assignment Policy An online class requires regular participation and a commitment to your instructor and your classmates to regularly engage in the reading, discussion and writing assignments. Although most of the online communication for this course is asynchronous, you must be able to commit to the schedule of work for the class for the next eight weeks. You must keep up with the schedule of reading and writing to successfully complete the class. Late assignments will be penalized absent special circumstances approved in advance by the Instructor. Assignments cannot be submitted after the last accept date specified in the course Dropbox.

13 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 13 Course Evaluation You will have an opportunity to evaluate the course near the end of the session. Course evaluations will open on of Week 5 and will remain open until Thursday of Week 7. A link will be sent to your CougarMail that will allow you to access the evaluation. Be assured that the evaluations are anonymous and that your instructor will not be able to see them until after final grades are submitted. Additional Resources Orientation for New Students This course is offered online, using course management software provided by Desire2Learn and Columbia College. The Student Manual provides details about taking an online course at Columbia College. You may also want to visit the course demonstration to view a sample course before this one opens. Technical Support If you have problems accessing the course or posting your assignments, contact your instructor, the Columbia College Helpdesk, or the D2L Helpdesk for assistance. Contact information is also available within the online course environment. CCHelpDesk@ccis.edu ex helpdesk@desire2learn.com Online Tutoring Smarthinking is a free online tutoring service available to all Columbia College students. Smarthinking provides real-time online tutoring and homework help for Math, English, and Writing. The Writing Center can be used for writing assistance in any course. Smarthinking also provides access to live tutorials in writing and math, as well as a full range of study resources, including writing manuals, sample problems, and study skills manuals. You can access the service from wherever you have a connection to the Internet. I encourage you to take advantage of this free service provided by the college. Access Smarthinking through CougarTrack under Students->Academics->Academic Resources.