Course and PNC Policies 2015

THIS DOCUMENT IS A PART OF THE COURSE SYLLABUS THEREBY IT IS EXPECTED YOU WILL READ,
UNDERSTAND, AND ABIDE BY THE FOLLOWING POLICIES.
GENERAL UNIVERSITY EXPECTATIONS, GUIDELINES , AND RESOURCES
BLACKBOARD
It is essential that you are comfortable with navigating and using the general tools within our course in
Blackboard (email, discussion post, submitting an assignment, etc.). If you are new to using Blackboard
Learn or need additional support, it is very important that you proceed through the Student Help tab
from the main menu in this course. In addition, you can always access the PNC student website for
support with Blackboard, Microsoft Office, and general distance education success tips at:
http://www.pnc.edu/distance/student-support
Note that this course requires access to the Internet and access to Microsoft Office in order to be
successful. You may find everything you need on campus in the student labs that are available and in the
use of the Wi-Fi network with your own laptop or other equipment.
If you are unable to access your Blackboard course or have other technical issues with log-in, etc.,
contact the PNC helpdesk at (219)785-5511.
Note that any system outage that impacts our ability to meet course deadlines will be dealt with on a
case-by-case basis, and actions may include extension of due dates due to uncontrollable outage
circumstances.
ACADEMIC HONESTY STATEMENT
The Communication division at PNC is committed to encouraging our students toward academic
excellence. I expect students enrolled in this class to be honorable in their academic work. This means:

The work you complete for this class should be your own.
Work completed for another course should not be used to meet assignment requirements in
this class.
All work submitted should be clearly and accurately cited.
Academic dishonesty, including plagiarism and cheating, will result in failure of the learning
opportunity and--depending on the nature of the offense--possible failure of the course. Please see
http://www.pnc.edu/Policy/conduct for more information.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides
comprehensive civil rights protection 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 have a disability requiring an accommodation,
please inform the instructor. For additional information, refer to: http://www.pnc.edu/sa/disabilityservices/

Jodie M. Bowers

Course and PNC Policies 2015

The Disability Services Coordinator, in LSF-103A, extension 5374, provides information and resources
to all students with disabilities, faculty and staff, ensuring equal access to educational opportunities.
The office will provide guidance regarding appropriate accommodations. Academic accommodations
and other services are provided on an individual basis determined by documented need.
Documentation of the disability completed by a physician or qualified health care professional must
be on file in the office.
OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION STATEMENT
E-mail is the official means of communication for Jodie Bowers, your instructor. Please note: Failure to
receive or read official university communications does not absolve you from knowing and complying
with the content of the official communication.

As a rule, I always try to reply to emails within 24 hours of receiving them. With this in mind, it
is your responsibility to email me in a timely manner if you have questions pertaining to
assignments (i.e. do not email me within two hours of an assignment deadline and expect a
response right away).

HONORS PROGRAM
Students have the opportunity to earn honors credit in their courses by joining PNCs Honors Program,
which is dedicated to enhancing the learning experiences of highly motivated and academically
exceptional students. For more information or to apply, see www.pnc.edu/honors or send an email to
honorsprogram@pnc.edu.
COUNSELING SERVICES
Short term confidential counseling is available to enrolled students free of charge through the Student
Counseling Services office located in LSF 103. The phone number is 219-785-5230 or 1-800-872-1231
ext. 5230. Call or stop in to make an appointment Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
COURSE EVALUATIONS
Students are highly encouraged to complete the online evaluation for the course at the end of the
semester. These survey results provide valuable information to the professor. You may also be asked
to provide feedback throughout the semester as well, in order to better serve you and future
students. Please feel free to share your feelings about the course at any time via email.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
Preview http://www.pnc.edu/pd/emergency-guide/ for information about handling emergency
situations on campus.

Jodie M. Bowers

Course and PNC Policies 2015

GENERAL COURSE EXPECTATIONS AND POLICIES

PROFESSIONAL EXPECTATIONS
Professionalism is the ability to exhibit professional conduct in appearance, ideas, and work habits that
are vital for success in the professional world. In particular, our class will emphasize the following:
1. Commitment to learning, which involves the ability to self-assess, self-correct, and self-direct to
identify needs and sources of learning; and to continually seek new knowledge and
understanding.
2. Interpersonal skills, especially a) showing respect for classmates and instructor; b) handling
disagreements graciously; and c) accepting feedback as a way to improve.
3. Responsibility, the ability to fulfill commitments and to be accountable for actions and
outcomes.
4. Problem-solving, the ability to recognize and define problems, analyze data, develop and
implement solutions and evaluate outcomes.
5. Use of constructive feedback, which includes the ability to seek out feedback and to effectively
use it as a way to improve.
COURSE EXPECTATIONS
I expect that you will:
Prepare for each discussion and post on time.
Actively engage in discussions and learning opportunities.
Show respect for your classmates. This will be seen in the ways you give them helpful feedback
on their ideas and comments.
Take responsibility for making this course as relevant as possible to you and your goals.
Ask questions when any material or activities are unclear to you.
Take initiative and let me know if and how I can help you perform better in class.
You can expect me to:
Provide the utmost respect and attention to your comments and questions.
Evaluate your work fairly.
Offer constructive feedback.
Respond in a timely manner to the messages you send to my email.
Do what I can to help you master the material.

ATTENDANCE, ENGAGEMENT, AND PARTICIPATION

You are expected to check into the course at least twice per week in BlackBoard, Online participation is
essential to successful completion of this course. In addition, Federal Regulations on Title IV financial aid
require all faculty to document a last date of attendance for students that are not attending classes. This
includes your attendance as tracked in BlackBoard participation.

Jodie M. Bowers

Course and PNC Policies 2015

LATE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
I expect that all work will be submitted on time. All deliverables are due according to the dates posted
within the course modules. These must be computer-generated in Microsoft Word as I will be utilizing
Track Changes to provide feedback on your work. In general, I do not accept late work unless there is a
documented and valid reason for the tardiness. It is always preferable to talk with me before a
potential conflict occurs so that we can look into alternate arrangements. In an emergency, get in touch
with me as soon as possible.

Late learning opportunities will automatically be penalized 20% of the total possible points if
submitted after the announced due date and time. Late learning opportunities will only be
accepted up until 1 week of the original due date. Late work will not be accepted during Finals
Week.

NETIQUETTE POLICY
In an online course such as this one, it is important to be courteous and considerate of others when
posting/responding to emails, discussion posts, and other forms of communication.
Please refer to the following links for additional information:
o http://www.screencast.com/t/7vMQOMMeABrC
o http://www.pnc.edu/distance/guides/studentnetiquette_guide.pdf
ANNOUNCEMENTS
At least once weekly throughout the semester I will be delivering important information/reminders via
the announcements tool in Blackboard. This is another reason why it is extremely important to check
into your course frequently, as you do not want to miss anything.

Jodie M. Bowers