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INSTRUCTOR :
Maura Copeland
Telephone:
(912) 478-7481
Email:
mconley@georgiasouthern.edu
PRE-REQUISITES: None
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Students explore basic legal precepts and their application to institutions of higher
education, primarily using the case study method and discussion. This course covers
such topics as constitutional mandates of due process and equal protection, nondiscrimination in employment and educational programs, privacy and openness,
contractual relationships with students, tenure and academic freedom, and faculty
governance.
Not only will this course provide a working legal knowledge for professionals in
higher education, but will familiarize them with relevant statutes, regulations and
judicial decisions that directly impact and govern higher education.
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COURSE OBJECTIVES:
4. Student will be able to discuss the legal relationships between higher education
institutions and its administration, staff, faculty, and student body.
5. Student will incorporate technology in research preparation and completion of
written assignments for the class.
TEXT AND RESOURCES:
TEXT:
Alexander, Klinton W. & Alexander, Kern, Higher Education Law: Policy and
Perspectives, 2011 (Routledge)
Additional resources will be cited and provided throughout the semester.
COURSE PROCEDURES
Weekly Assignments
Weekly assignments will include assigned readings from the textbook and other
supplemental materials. Assessment of your understanding of the textbook reading
will be demonstrated by answers to posted questions, which are required to be
submitted to the instructor each week. The supplemental materials will be posted as
applicable and subject to change to allow for emerging issues in higher education and
the changing legal response to those issues. You will need to plan for a minimum of 36 hours per assignment.
All assignments are due no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard time on the
due date. Late assignments will not be accepted unless there has been prenotification and approval or due to an emergency. Student answers to Discussion
Questions should be submitted in MS Word format through Folio. In case of an
emergency, you may email your answers to my Georgia Southern email account.
However, I prefer the submissions to be made within each module, as this makes
posting grades easier. Please pay attention to any scheduled downtime for Folio
each week and plan your submissions accordingly.
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Please note, the weekly readings are subject to being changed and/or supplemented
due to the dynamic of the changing legal environment in higher education.
Throughout the semester students will submit one (1) written commentary on a timely
legal issue in the higher education sector discussed in a case or article applying the
legal principles and theories studied in the course. The commentary must include
proper citations and sources. You may use whichever citation format is most
comfortable for you, so long as you give proper credit to the source of your material.
Case Review:
Throughout the course one (1) case law briefing exercise will be presented for legal
analysis to assess your knowledge of the subject matter presented, your critical
thinking skills, written organization skills and your ability to make practical
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application of the legal principles covered. I will provide more detailed instructions in
the module in which the paper is due.
Discussions
You will have five (5) discussion assignments. It is less important for you reach the
right legal conclusion (and sometimes there is not one!), than for you to display
reasoning skills in these exercises. Many students find these discussions to be the
most informative and useful part of the class.
Final
The final will consist of a fact pattern similar to those presented in law school exams
and state bar examinations. Your score on the final exam will be determined based on
how many legal issues you identify and your subsequent analysis of those issues. I
will provide a framework for crafting your response in the final module.
Class Participation
COURSE EVALUATION:
Percent of Grade
650 points
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Final
150 points
Case review
75 points
Law Commentary
75 points
Discussions
10 points each
(50 points total)
Class Participation
Discretionary
A = 950-1000
B = 850- 949
C = 750- 849
D = 650- 749
F = below 650
Academic Integrity Any student found to be responsible for violating the academic
integrity standards of the University, as defined in the Georgia Southern University
Student Conduct Code, will receive an F in the course.
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