New Course
Note: Proposals are not necessary for a selected topics or nonrecurring topics course or project
which is not a regular part of the curriculum of a department or school and is offered to a group
of students on a nonrecurring or experimental basis. In essence, a selected topics course enables
the faculty to offer the course on a first-time basis, or for experimentation with the curriculum.
It is distinguished from an independent study project in that it is available to a group of students
under the same conditions by which a they may register for a regular course. A course may be
offered as a nonrecurring selected topics course at most two times.






Academic Unit:
KSB
Teaching Unit:FIN
Course Titles: Financial Literacy: Financial Planning and the Time Value of Money
Course Numbers :
FIN-197
Credit Hours:
(1.0)
Proposed effective date:
Fall 2014

Prerequisites: None

Course description for University Catalog:
FIN-197: Financial Literacy: Financial Planning and the Time Value of Money
This is the first course of a three course sequence for students to build their financial literacy. It
provides a foundation of the basic concepts of personal financial literacy. It will include an
introduction to basic personal financial planning and personal budgeting including the effects of
taxes as well as concept of the time value of money and how to make time value of money
calculations. Note: students may not receive credit toward a degree for both FIN-200 and the FIN197, FIN-198, and FIN-199 sequence.

Grade type: (underline one)
o A/F or Pass-Fail

Expected frequency of offering: (underline one)
o Every Fall
o Every Spring
o Every Summer

Underline all that apply:
o Online course (some sections)

Please explain the main purpose of the new course, including whether it will be a
requirement for an existing or proposed program or an elective, and how the new
1
course relates to the existing courses in the program and department. Note: if a
required course for an existing program, submit a corresponding Minor Change to
Program proposal.
This elective course will serve the dual purpose of teaching students the critical thinking
and quantitative skills of Financial Literacy, while also helping students understand the
investment decisions that they are making in their undergraduate education.

Will the course require that students pay a special fee associated with the course? If
so, please provide a justification for this additional cost to students.
N-A

Has the course previously been offered under a rotating topics course or an
experimental course number? If so:
o
o
o
o
o

Semesters/year offered:
N-A
Course number:
N-A
Instructor:
N-A
Enrollment: N-A
What observations and conclusions were derived from the previous offering(s)
that now lead to proposing this course as a permanent part of the curriculum?
Please indicate other units that offer courses or programs related to the proposed
course and provide documentation of consultations with those units.
N-A.

Estimated enrollment per semester: 25 in-person, 25 online.

Does your teaching unit’s classroom space allotment support the addition of this
course?
Yes

Are present university facilities (library, technology) adequate for the proposed
course?
Yes

Will the proposed course be taught by full-time or part-time faculty?
Full-time

Will offering the new course involve any substantial changes to the scheduling of
existing courses?
2
No

What are the learning outcomes including the competencies that students are
expected to demonstrate for the course and how are those outcomes assessed?
Students learn to:
1. Plan and manage personal finances through budgeting and financial planning.
2. Understand and calculate problems in the time value of money.
3. Describe the function of banking for personal finance.
4. Understand the tax process and its implications for personal finance.
The outcomes for this course will be assessed through graded assignments, discussions, and
examinations.

Please attach a draft syllabus.
See attachment.
3
FIN-197: Financial Literacy: Financial Planning and the Time Value of Money
Larry Schrenk, Instructor
Perquisites: None (FIN-197 is, however, the prerequisite for FIN-198 Financial Literacy: Debt, Insurance, and
Saving and FIN-199 Financial Literacy: Personal Investing)
The goal of the course is for you to learn sophisticated, but sound and secure ways to reach your own financial
goals based upon your own resources.
This course will introduce basic personal financial planning and personal budgeting including the effects of taxes as
well as the concept of the time value of money and how to make time value of money calculations.
The course will emphasize two things: First, it will be a 'personal' course: it is about understanding your individual
needs, goals and aspirations and how a financial plan can support these. Second, it will stress thinking about
personal finance over the broad horizon of your entire life, not just, "What do I do for the next few years?" This
approach is often called 'life-cycle planning' or 'life-cycle investing'.
Expectations
Not everyone is suitable for an online class. This has nothing to do with intelligence. Rather, it is a result of
personal learning styles and general skills in technology use. You must be a motivated learner and someone who
can work independently. It is not the same experience as a face-to-face class where there are specific times, dates,
and places.
This class is taught entirely online so you will have the opportunity to express your ideas to a much greater extent
than in the traditional classroom setting, where numerous students are vying to speak in a limited time. The class
never meets in the traditional sense of scheduled weekly meetings. In addition, questions that arise from the
course, breaking news events, outside source materials, can be posted in the discussion section for response by all
of us. They may also be e-mailed to me. You will find that at almost any time of day or night fellow students or I
will be logged on or will have just posted something new or will respond to your postings or questions.
You must be prepared to:


Ensure technical access to the online classroom via an appropriate browser.
Invest a minimum of 6 hours each week in the course (and 12 hours each week for the
compressed summer section).
You select the times to do the readings, receive new assignments and participate in discussions. You should check
Blackboard at least once a day, and definitely every Monday morning for that week’s discussion topic and
assignments. You will have required work each week, and the assignments for each week are always due at the
end of that week, i.e., by Sunday at 11:59 PM (Eastern Standard Time).
4
Software
We will be using three software tools (all available within Blackboard):

Piazza: This will be used for our discussions.
o Go to the discussion section for the link.
o Piazza apps are available for iPhone/iPad and Android

Collaborate: This is web conferencing software that I will use for online office hours.
o Access Collaborate here, but remember that I will only be available during the office hours listed
by arrangement.
o Instructions for using Collaborate
o The first time you use Collaborate, you may need to download some software, update Java, etc.,
and you should check that your audio is working (instructions).
o You can use Collaborate for group discussions.
o Collaborate Help: E-mail, call 202-885-3904 (both are available 24/7) or stop by the Blackboard
office: Bender Library, Room 321, Monday to Friday 9:00 AM-5:30 PM.
o There is a Collaborate app for iPhone/iPad, but so far none for Android.
o Also, you may always see me during my on campus office hours (below).

Blackboard
o I will use the e-mail function in Blackboard to communicate with you, so make sure that you
receive e-mails sent to your address in Blackboard. If it is more convenient, you can have e-mails
to your university address forwarded to another e-mail account (instructions).
o AU Online Help: E-mail, call 202-885-2550 or check the webpage.
o Blackboard Help: E-mail, call 202-885-3904 (both are available 24/7) or stop by their office:
Bender Library, Room 321, Monday to Friday 9:00 AM-5:30 PM.
o For more information about online learning at AU, see their website.
Course Learning Objectives
These are the skills you should have by the time you have completed this course. You should be able to...
1.
2.
3.
4.
Plan and manage personal finances through budgeting and financial planning.
Understand and calculate problems in the time value of money.
Describe the function of banking for personal finance.
Understand the tax process and its implications for personal finance.
Textbook
Jeff Madura, Personal Finance. 4th or 5th edition. Addison Wesley.
You may use new, used, borrowed, international or online copies of the 4 th or 5th editions.
5.
6.
Online sellers may have even cheapest copies: Amazon.com, AddAll.com , eBay , Barnes & Noble or Booka-Million .
It's fine to get a used copy without the accompanying CD or other additional material (which you will not
need).
Schedule
WEEK 1
5
Topic 1-Informal Introduction
Topic 2-Introduction to Financial Planning (Chapter 1)
WEEK 2
Topic 3-The Time Value of Money (Chapter 3)
Topic 4-Banking and Interest Rates (Chapter 5)
WEEK 3
Topic 5-Budgeting (Chapter 2)
WEEK 4
Topic 6-Taxes (Chapter 4)
Topic 7-Annuities (Chapter 3)
Examination
Financial Calculator
You must have a financial calculator for the course. You may not use the 'Financial Tables' in Appendix C of the
textbook.
TI 83/84
HP 10bII



TI BA II Plus
A TI 83/84 Graphing Calculator is fine; alternatively you could use either the Texas Instruments
BA II Plus or the Hewlett-Packard 10bII, 10bII+.
There is no need nor advantage to buying a more expensive financial calculator.
While we will cover the use of a financial calculator in class, here is a short manual which I
developed for FIN 200.
You will need a calculator with financial functions for this class. If you already have a TI-83 or 84 graphing
calculator, you do not need to buy anything else. If not, you will need to get a financial calculator. (Unfortunately,
basic scientific calculators normally do not have financial functions. If in doubt, contact me.) Do not spend a lot of
money on a fancy model. A basic financial calculator should cost $30-$40 at many department stores (maybe
cheaper if you can get it online). A financial calculator has many financial functions (so you won't need to
memorize a lot of formulae for the exams), and we will go over the use of a financial calculator in the course. The
most common models are 'Texas Instruments BA II Plus' and 'Hewlett-Packard 10bII'. NOTE: I do not recommend
the HP 12c.
6
One Piece of Advice: Every semester, one or two students try to do the course without getting the calculator. It
never works! I can almost guarantee that you will drop at least one grade if you do not have or cannot use a
financial calculator, and if you compare the calculator cost with the cost of the course that is not a good financial
trade-off.
Grading
EVALUATION:
Exam
Assignments
Discussions
60%
20%
20%
GRADE SCALE:
Please note that grades/percentages will not be 'rounded up' (see below) and extra credit assignments are not
available.
Grade Scale
Letter Grade
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD
F
Percentage
≥ 93.3%
≥ 90.0%
≥ 86.6%
≥ 83.3%
≥ 80.0%
≥ 76.6%
≥ 73.3%
≥ 70.0%
≥ 60.0%
< 60.0%
Please note that I do not ‘round’ grades, see below.
Examination
You may never have taken an online exam, so I want to be very clear about how they will work and what you
should expect. Most important: although the exams are given online, unlike many online courses, they are not
computer graded. I grade all the exams just as I do in my traditional classroom courses. This means that I will be
able to give partial credit if an answer is not completely correct, but does show some knowledge. It also means I
don't need to rely on multiple choice questions.
MECHANICS


The exam is one hour and fifteen minutes in length.
You may only use a calculator, but not the textbook, notes, crib sheets, formulae sheets, etc. You
may not substitute a cell phone, PDA, computer, etc. for the calculator (except with an approved
app).
7


In a week in which an exam is scheduled, a link will open in the exams section.
You may do an exam at any time during open period, but as soon as you open the exam, it must
be completed within the time limit.
o You need to watch your time. The exam will not automatically close when the time limit
is up, but it will record how much time you used and put a special alert on any exam
that exceeds the time period. I will deduct one percent from the exam score for every
minute that you exceed the time allotted.
o Once you have submitted the exam, you may not go back and make any revisions or
change any part for the exam.

On calculations, you must show all your work to receive any credit. If the problem is one in which
you use a financial calculator, there will be a table for you to show what numbers you inputted to
get your answer.
IMPORTANT: You must use a financial calculator for the financial calculations on the exam; You
may not use the 'Financial Tables' in Appendix C of the textbook.

STRUCTURE



Short Answer Questions (50%)-There will be 10 short answer questions, and each is worth 5
points. Your answers should be no longer than five lines. You may be asked definitions of terms,
e.g., "What is a mortgage?" or other brief questions, e.g., How do you calculate the equity value
of a home?"
Calculation Problems (40%)-There will be 4 calculation problems, and each is worth 10 points.
They may either be questions which require you to use your financial calculator or questions
similar to those assigned for individual topics (which are listed on the pages for each individual
topic.)
Ethics Essay (10%)-There will be a short essay of about ½ page on an ethical issue similar to the
ethical dilemmas at the end of each chapter.
Discussions
IMPORTANT: The graded, weekly discussions (i.e., expect for the 'General Discussion' and the "Welcome
Discussion') will be done by groups. I will assignment groups shortly after the course begins. Except in unusual
circumstances, all members of a group will receive the same grade. Please include your group number in the title
of each post, so that I give proper credit for each posting.
Assignments
Assignments are opportunities for you to start managing your own personal finance. While everyone will being
following the same instructions, you will be using your own personal data. Please review the Privacy Policy (below)
before you begin any assignment.
In the assignments you will learn how to employ the tools available for managing personal finance using your own
personal data (or as close to it as possible). The assignments will start with setting your financial goals, deciding on
a career, a location to live, etc. Later assignments will extend to insurance, investments and the other topics of the
course.
Assignments will be graded on a credit/no credit (100/0) policy.
8
WEB SITE POLICY: In web assignments, I will ask you to use a range of resources.





It is your responsibility to make sure that your computer has prudent security measures, e.g.,
virus protection, firewalls, etc., consistent with the recommendations of AU's Information
Technology. See Information Technology Security .
I will never require that you pay a fee for any web resource. If a site requests a fee, contact me.
I will, whenever possible, use web sites that do not require registration.
If I do assign a web site requiring registration, you may always request an alternate assignment
not requiring registration and your grade will not be penalized for making that request.
I will only use web sites requiring registration that:
o Are secure based on a reasonable investigation, certificates, etc.,
o Allow you opt out of receiving e-mail and marketing materials, and
o At which I am myself registered.
Privacy Statement
ASSIGNMENTS AND DISCUSSIONS: In the assignments you will be using your own data, and in discussions you may refer
to your own experiences. You should never include any personal information that you consider too private or you
would find embarrassing or inappropriate or that you for any reason feel uncomfortable revealing. Instead, use
data that is reasonably close to your personal data, but does not reveal your exact circumstances. For example, if
your career aspiration is to be a school janitor, but you don't want that widely known, you might describe yourself
as seeking a career in education-but be sure to use a janitor's salary in your calculations.
THE INTERNET: Many financial sites on the internet want your personal information either because they have
criminal intentions or they just want to sell you something. Be very careful about what you reveal on web sitesalways err on the side of caution. I will never require you to use any web resource that demands personal
information (or a fee). If a web site you need to complete an assignment asks personal information, let me know
before you give it. We can always find an alternate way for you to complete the assignment.
ONLINE OFFICE HOURS: Be careful about mentioning confidential or sensitive information during virtual office hours.
More than one student may be present even if they are not contributing. If you need to speak about confidential
or sensitive matters, send me an e-mail. If necessary we can always talk by phone if you are not in the area or
cannot otherwise come to my campus office hours.
University and School Policies
Kogod Vision
Our vision for transforming the Kogod School of Business is built upon a commitment to the idea that profit and
purpose are not at odds. Pursuit of a profitable enterprise does not require that one abandon all other values, and
there are many opportunities to earn a reasonable return while serving broader objectives. We believe that a
business mindset provides critical thinking and problem solving skills needed across all industries and interests,
and that a rigorous framework of business education and research that focuses on traditional business
organizations is also relevant for organizations outside the business sector. We believe that businesses cannot
ignore their broader impact on individuals and society, and that tomorrow’s successful business
9
leaders need to be able to think constructively about the sustainability and impact of their company’s operations.
We will build our students’ education on strong business fundamentals, both quantitative and qualitative, and
enhance that education by:



Making experiential learning in real organizations our first priority.
Creating deeper understanding of the roles public, private and non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) play and their connectedness to one another.
Helping our students develop a global perspective through their coursework and our
relationships with international organizations and academic institutions.
These three pillars – experiential learning, understanding the connection between the public and private sectors,
and a global mindset – will provide the structure for infusing our larger vision, that profit and purpose are not at
odds, into all we do.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is paramount in higher education and essential to effective teaching and learning. As a
professional school, the Kogod School of Business is committed to preparing our students and graduates to value
the notion of integrity. In fact, no issue at American University is more serious or addressed with greater severity
than a breach of academic integrity.
Standards of academic conduct are governed by the University’s Academic Integrity Code. By enrolling in the
School and registering for this course, you acknowledge your familiarity with the Code and pledge to abide by
it. All suspected violations of the Code will be immediately referred to the Office of the Dean. Disciplinary action,
including failure for the course, suspension, or dismissal, may result. Additional information about the Code (i.e.
acceptable forms of collaboration, definitions of plagiarism, use of sources including the Internet, and the
adjudication process) can be found in a number of places including the University’s Academic Regulations, Student
Handbook (website). If you have any questions about academic integrity or standards of conduct in this course,
please discuss them with your instructor.
Plagiarism: Academic Regulations (80.00.00 Academic Integrity Code)
Plagiarism is the representation of someone else’s words, ideas, or work as one’s own without attribution.
Plagiarism may involve using someone else’s wording without using quotation marks—a distinctive name, a
phrase, a sentence, or an entire passage or essay. Misrepresenting sources is another form of plagiarism. The issue
of plagiarism applies to any type of work, including exams, papers, or other writing, computer programs, art,
music, photography, video, and other media. More Information
Academic Support Services
If you experience difficulty in this course for any reason, please don’t hesitate to consult with me. In addition to
the resources of the department, a wide range of services is available to support you in your efforts to meet the
course requirements.
10
Academic Support Center (x3360, MGC 243) offers study skills workshops, individual instruction, tutor referrals,
and services for students with learning disabilities. Writing support is available in the ASC Writing Lab or in the
Writing Center, Battelle 228.
Counseling Center (x3500, MGC 214) offers counseling and consultations regarding personal concerns, self-help
information, and connections to off-campus mental health resources.
Disability Support Services (x3315, MGC 206) offers technical and practical support and assistance with
accommodations for students with physical, medical, or psychological disabilities.
If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please notify me in a timely manner with a letter from
the Academic Support Center or Disability Support Services so that we can make arrangements to address your
needs.
Emergency Preparedness
In the event of an emergency, American University will implement a plan for meeting the needs of all members of
the university community. Should the university be required to close for a period of time, we are committed to
ensuring that all aspects of our educational programs will be delivered to our students. These may include altering
and extending the duration of the traditional term schedule to complete essential instruction in the traditional
format and/or use of distance instructional methods. Specific strategies will vary from class to class, depending on
the format of the course and the timing of the emergency. Faculty will communicate class-specific information to
students via AU e-mail and Blackboard, while students must inform their faculty immediately of any
absence. Students are responsible for checking their AU e-mail regularly and keeping themselves informed of
emergencies. In the event of an emergency, students should refer to the AU Student Portal, the AU Web site and
the AU information line at (202) 885-1100 for general university-wide information, as well as contact their faculty
and/or respective dean’s office for course and school/ college-specific information.
Kogod Center for Business Communications
To help improve your writing, public speaking, and team assignments for this class, contact the Kogod Center for
Business Communications. You can get advice for any type of business communication, including memos, reports,
individual and team presentations, and PowerPoint slides. Hours are flexible and include evenings and weekends.
You can call 202-885-1920, make an appointment, visit KSB 101, or e-mail.
INSTRUCTOR: Lawrence P. Schrenk, Assistant Professor of Finance
E-MAIL WEB PAGE
OFFICE LOCATION, OFFICE HOURS AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS: See my WEB PAGE.
NOTE: Even though this class is fully online, do not hesitate to come to my on-campus office hours.
11
New Course
Note: Proposals are not necessary for a selected topics or nonrecurring topics course or project
which is not a regular part of the curriculum of a department or school and is offered to a group
of students on a nonrecurring or experimental basis. In essence, a selected topics course enables
the faculty to offer the course on a first-time basis, or for experimentation with the curriculum.
It is distinguished from an independent study project in that it is available to a group of students
under the same conditions by which a they may register for a regular course. A course may be
offered as a nonrecurring selected topics course at most two times.






Academic Unit:
KSB
Teaching Unit:FIN
Course Titles: Financial Literacy: Debt, Insurance, and Savings
Course Numbers :
FIN-198
Credit Hours:
(1.0)
Proposed effective date:
Fall 2014

Prerequisites: FIN-197

Course description for University Catalog:
FIN-198: Financial Literacy: Debt, Insurance and Savings
This is the second course of a three course sequence for students to build their financial literacy.
This course will explain how the various forms of credit work as well as the advantages and
disadvantages of different types of credit. It will develop an understanding of the options for
personal, medical, automobile, and real estate insurance, and show how to develop a personal
saving plan. Prerequisite: FIN-197. Note: students may not receive credit toward a degree for both
FIN-200 and the FIN-197, FIN-198, and FIN-199 sequence.

Grade type: (underline one)
o A/F or Pass-Fail

Expected frequency of offering: (underline one)
o Every Fall
o Every Spring
o Every Summer

Underline all that apply:
o Online course (some sections)
12

Please explain the main purpose of the new course, including whether it will be a
requirement for an existing or proposed program or an elective, and how the new
course relates to the existing courses in the program and department. Note: if a
required course for an existing program, submit a corresponding Minor Change to
Program proposal.
This elective course will serve the dual purpose of teaching students the critical thinking
and quantitative skills of Financial Literacy, while also helping students understand the
investment decisions that they are making in their undergraduate education.

Will the course require that students pay a special fee associated with the course? If
so, please provide a justification for this additional cost to students.
N-A

Has the course previously been offered under a rotating topics course or an
experimental course number? If so:
o
o
o
o
o

Semesters/year offered:
N-A
Course number:
N-A
Instructor:
N-A
Enrollment: N-A
What observations and conclusions were derived from the previous offering(s)
that now lead to proposing this course as a permanent part of the curriculum?
Please indicate other units that offer courses or programs related to the proposed
course and provide documentation of consultations with those units.
N-A.

Estimated enrollment per semester: 25 in-person, 25 online.

Does your teaching unit’s classroom space allotment support the addition of this
course?
Yes

Are present university facilities (library, technology) adequate for the proposed
course?
Yes

Will the proposed course be taught by full-time or part-time faculty?
Full-time
13

Will offering the new course involve any substantial changes to the scheduling of
existing courses?
No

What are the learning outcomes including the competencies that students are
expected to demonstrate for the course and how are those outcomes assessed?
Students learn to:
1. Explain how the various forms of credit work and the advantages and disadvantages of
different types of credit.
2. Identify the options for personal, medical, automobile, and real estate insurance.
3. Develop a personal saving plan.
The outcomes for this course will be assessed through graded assignments, discussions, and
examinations.

Please attach a draft syllabus.
See attachment.
14
FIN 198: Financial Literacy: Debt, Insurance and Savings
Larry Schrenk, Instructor
Prerequisite: FIN-197: Financial Literacy: Financial Planning and the Time Value of Money
The goal of the course is for you to learn sophisticated, but sound and secure ways to reach your own financial
goals based upon your own resources.
This course will explain how the various forms of debt work as well as the advantages and disadvantages of
different types of credit. It will develop your understanding of the options for personal, medical, automobile, and
real estate insurance, and show how to develop a personal saving plan.
The course will emphasize two things: First, it will be a 'personal' course: it is about understanding your individual
needs, goals and aspirations and how a financial plan can support these. Second, it will stress thinking about
personal finance over the broad horizon of your entire life, not just, "What do I do for the next few years?" This
approach is often called 'life-cycle planning' or 'life-cycle investing'.
Expectations
Not everyone is suitable for an online class. This has nothing to do with intelligence. Rather, it is a result of
personal learning styles and general skills in technology use. You must be a motivated learner and someone who
can work independently. It is not the same experience as a face-to-face class where there are specific times, dates,
and places.
This class is taught entirely online so you will have the opportunity to express your ideas to a much greater extent
than in the traditional classroom setting, where numerous students are vying to speak in a limited time. The class
never meets in the traditional sense of scheduled weekly meetings. In addition, questions that arise from the
course, breaking news events, outside source materials, can be posted in the discussion section for response by all
of us. They may also be e-mailed to me. You will find that at almost any time of day or night fellow students or I
will be logged on or will have just posted something new or will respond to your postings or questions.
You must be prepared to:


Ensure technical access to the online classroom via an appropriate browser.
Invest a minimum of 6 hours each week in the course (and 12 hours each week for the
compressed summer section).
You select the times to do the readings, receive new assignments and participate in discussions. You should check
Blackboard at least once a day, and definitely every Monday morning for that week’s discussion topic and
assignments. You will have required work each week, and the assignments for each week are always due at the
end of that week, i.e., by Sunday at 11:59 PM (Eastern Standard Time).
15
Software
We will be using three software tools (all available within Blackboard):

Piazza: This will be used for our discussions.
o Go to the discussion section for the link.
o Piazza apps are available for iPhone/iPad and Android

Collaborate: This is web conferencing software that I will use for online office hours.
o Access Collaborate here, but remember that I will only be available during the office hours listed
by arrangement.
o Instructions for using Collaborate
o The first time you use Collaborate, you may need to download some software, update Java, etc.,
and you should check that your audio is working (instructions).
o You can use Collaborate for group discussions.
o Collaborate Help: E-mail, call 202-885-3904 (both are available 24/7) or stop by the Blackboard
office: Bender Library, Room 321, Monday to Friday 9:00 AM-5:30 PM.
o There is a Collaborate app for iPhone/iPad, but so far none for Android.
o Also, you may always see me during my on campus office hours (below).

Blackboard
o I will use the e-mail function in Blackboard to communicate with you, so make sure that you
receive e-mails sent to your address in Blackboard. If it is more convenient, you can have e-mails
to your university address forwarded to another e-mail account (instructions).
o AU Online Help: E-mail, call 202-885-2550 or check the webpage.
o Blackboard Help: E-mail, call 202-885-3904 (both are available 24/7) or stop by their office:
Bender Library, Room 321, Monday to Friday 9:00 AM-5:30 PM.
o For more information about online learning at AU, see their website.
Course Learning Objectives
These are the skills you should have by the time you have completed this course. You should be able to...
1. Explain how the various forms of debt work and the advantages and disadvantages of different types of
credit.
2. Identify the options for personal, medical, automobile, and real estate insurance.
3. Develop a personal saving plan.
Textbook
Jeff Madura, Personal Finance. 4th or 5th edition. Addison Wesley.
You may use new, used, borrowed, international or online copies of the 4 th or 5th editions.

Online sellers may have even cheapest copies: Amazon.com, AddAll.com , eBay , Barnes & Noble
or Book-a-Million.
It's fine to get a used copy without the accompanying CD or other additional material (which you will not need).
Schedule
16
WEEK 1
Topic 8-Credit I (Chapter 8)
Topic 9-Credit II (Chapter 8)
Topic 10-Personal Loans (Chapter 9)
WEEK 2
Topic 11-Housing and Mortgages (Chapter 10)
Topic 12-Auto and House Insurance (Chapter 11)
WEEK 3
Topic 13-Health and Disability Insurance (Chapter 12)
Topic 14-Life and Long-Term Care Insurance (Chapter 13)
WEEK 4
Topic 22- Personal Savings
Topic 23- Decisions Now that Affect your Future: Retirement and Estate Planning (Chapters 19 and
20)
Examination
Financial Calculator
You must have a financial calculator for the course. You may not use the 'Financial Tables' in Appendix C of the
textbook.
TI 83/84
HP 10bII



TI BA II Plus
A TI 83/84 Graphing Calculator is fine; alternatively you could use either the Texas Instruments
BA II Plus or the Hewlett-Packard 10bII, 10bII+.
There is no need nor advantage to buying a more expensive financial calculator.
While we will cover the use of a financial calculator in class, here is a short manual which I
developed for FIN 200.
You will need a calculator with financial functions for this class. If you already have a TI-83 or 84 graphing
calculator, you do not need to buy anything else. If not, you will need to get a financial calculator. (Unfortunately,
basic scientific calculators normally do not have financial functions. If in doubt, contact me.) Do not spend a lot of
money on a fancy model. A basic financial calculator should cost $30-$40 at many department stores (maybe
cheaper if you can get it online). A financial calculator has many financial functions (so you won't need to
memorize a lot of formulae for the exams), and we will go over the use of a financial calculator
17
in the course. The most common models are 'Texas Instruments BA II Plus' and 'Hewlett-Packard 10bII'. NOTE: I do
not recommend the HP 12c.
One Piece of Advice: Every semester, one or two students try to do the course without getting the calculator. It
never works! I can almost guarantee that you will drop at least one grade if you do not have or cannot use a
financial calculator, and if you compare the calculator cost with the cost of the course that is not a good financial
trade-off.
Grading
EVALUATION:
Exam
Assignments
Discussions
60%
20%
20%
GRADE SCALE:
Please note that grades/percentages will not be 'rounded up' (see below) and extra credit assignments are not
available.
Grade Scale
Letter Grade
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD
F
Percentage
≥ 93.3%
≥ 90.0%
≥ 86.6%
≥ 83.3%
≥ 80.0%
≥ 76.6%
≥ 73.3%
≥ 70.0%
≥ 60.0%
< 60.0%
Please note that I do not ‘round’ grades, see below.
Examination
You may never have taken an online exam, so I want to be very clear about how they will work and what you
should expect. Most important: although the exams are given online, unlike many online courses, they are not
computer graded. I grade all the exams just as I do in my traditional classroom courses. This means that I will be
able to give partial credit if an answer is not completely correct, but does show some knowledge. It also means I
don't need to rely on multiple choice questions.
MECHANICS



The exam is one hour and fifteen minutes in length.
You may only use a calculator, but not the textbook, notes, crib sheets, formulae sheets, etc. You
may not substitute a cell phone, PDA, computer, etc. for the calculator (except with an approved
app).
In a week in which an exam is scheduled, a link will open in the exams section.
18

You may do an exam at any time during open period, but as soon as you open the exam, it must
be completed within the time limit.
o You need to watch your time. The exam will not automatically close when the time limit
is up, but it will record how much time you used and put a special alert on any exam
that exceeds the time period. I will deduct one percent from the exam score for every
minute that you exceed the time allotted.
o Once you have submitted the exam, you may not go back and make any revisions or
change any part for the exam.

On calculations, you must show all your work to receive any credit. If the problem is one in which
you use a financial calculator, there will be a table for you to show what numbers you inputted to
get your answer.
IMPORTANT: You must use a financial calculator for the financial calculations on the exam; You
may not use the 'Financial Tables' in Appendix C of the textbook.

STRUCTURE



Short Answer Questions (50%)-There will be 10 short answer questions, and each is worth 5
points. Your answers should be no longer than five lines. You may be asked definitions of terms,
e.g., "What is a mortgage?" or other brief questions, e.g., How do you calculate the equity value
of a home?"
Calculation Problems (40%)-There will be 4 calculation problems, and each is worth 10 points.
They may either be questions which require you to use your financial calculator or questions
similar to those assigned for individual topics (which are listed on the pages for each individual
topic.)
Ethics Essay (10%)-There will be a short essay of about ½ page on an ethical issue similar to the
ethical dilemmas at the end of each chapter.
Discussions
IMPORTANT: The graded, weekly discussions (i.e., expect for the 'General Discussion' and the "Welcome
Discussion') will be done by groups. I will assign groups shortly after the course begins. Except in unusual
circumstances, all members of a group will receive the same grade. Please include your group number in the title
of each post, so that I give proper credit for each posting.
Assignments
Assignments are opportunities for you to start managing your own personal finance. While everyone will be
following the same instructions, you will be using your own personal data. Please review the Privacy Policy (below)
before you begin any assignment.
In the assignments you will learn how to employ the tools available for managing personal finance using your own
personal data (or as close to it as possible). The assignments will start with setting your financial goals, deciding on
a career, a location to live, etc. Later assignments will extend to insurance, investments and the other topics of the
course.
Assignments will be graded on a credit/no credit (100/0) policy.
19
WEB SITE POLICY: In web assignments, I will ask you to use a range of resources.





It is your responsibility to make sure that your computer has prudent security measures, e.g.,
virus protection, firewalls, etc., consistent with the recommendations of AU's Information
Technology. See Information Technology Security .
I will never require that you pay a fee for any web resource. If a site requests a fee, contact me.
I will, whenever possible, use web sites that do not require registration.
If I do assign a web site requiring registration, you may always request an alternate assignment
not requiring registration and your grade will not be penalized for making that request.
I will only use web sites requiring registration that:
o Are secure based on a reasonable investigation, certificates, etc.,
o Allow you opt out of receiving e-mail and marketing materials, and
o At which I am myself registered.
Privacy Statement
ASSIGNMENTS AND DISCUSSIONS: In the assignments you will be using your own data, and in discussions you may refer
to your own experiences. You should never include any personal information that you consider too private or you
would find embarrassing or inappropriate or that you for any reason feel uncomfortable revealing. Instead, use
data that is reasonably close to your personal data, but does not reveal your exact circumstances. For example, if
your career aspiration is to be a school janitor, but you don't want that widely known, you might describe yourself
as seeking a career in education-but be sure to use a janitor's salary in your calculations.
THE INTERNET: Many financial sites on the internet want your personal information either because they have
criminal intentions or they just want to sell you something. Be very careful about what you reveal on web sitesalways err on the side of caution. I will never require you to use any web resource that demands personal
information (or a fee). If a web site you need to complete an assignment asks personal information, let me know
before you give it. We can always find an alternate way for you to complete the assignment.
ONLINE OFFICE HOURS: Be careful about mentioning confidential or sensitive information during virtual office hours.
More than one student may be present even if they are not contributing. If you need to speak about confidential
or sensitive matters, send me an e-mail. If necessary we can always talk by phone if you are not in the area or
cannot otherwise come to my campus office hours.
University and School Policies
Kogod Vision
Our vision for transforming the Kogod School of Business is built upon a commitment to the idea that profit and
purpose are not at odds. Pursuit of a profitable enterprise does not require that one abandon all other values, and
there are many opportunities to earn a reasonable return while serving broader objectives. We believe that a
business mindset provides critical thinking and problem solving skills needed across all industries and interests,
and that a rigorous framework of business education and research that focuses on traditional business
organizations is also relevant for organizations outside the business sector. We believe that businesses cannot
20
ignore their broader impact on individuals and society, and that tomorrow’s successful business leaders need to be
able to think constructively about the sustainability and impact of their company’s operations.
We will build our students’ education on strong business fundamentals, both quantitative and qualitative, and
enhance that education by:



Making experiential learning in real organizations our first priority.
Creating deeper understanding of the roles public, private and non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) play and their connectedness to one another.
Helping our students develop a global perspective through their coursework and our
relationships with international organizations and academic institutions.
These three pillars – experiential learning, understanding the connection between the public and private sectors,
and a global mindset – will provide the structure for infusing our larger vision, that profit and purpose are not at
odds, into all we do.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is paramount in higher education and essential to effective teaching and learning. As a
professional school, the Kogod School of Business is committed to preparing our students and graduates to value
the notion of integrity. In fact, no issue at American University is more serious or addressed with greater severity
than a breach of academic integrity.
Standards of academic conduct are governed by the University’s Academic Integrity Code. By enrolling in the
School and registering for this course, you acknowledge your familiarity with the Code and pledge to abide by
it. All suspected violations of the Code will be immediately referred to the Office of the Dean. Disciplinary action,
including failure for the course, suspension, or dismissal, may result. Additional information about the Code (i.e.
acceptable forms of collaboration, definitions of plagiarism, use of sources including the Internet, and the
adjudication process) can be found in a number of places including the University’s Academic Regulations, Student
Handbook (website). If you have any questions about academic integrity or standards of conduct in this course,
please discuss them with your instructor.
Plagiarism: Academic Regulations (80.00.00 Academic Integrity Code)
Plagiarism is the representation of someone else’s words, ideas, or work as one’s own without attribution.
Plagiarism may involve using someone else’s wording without using quotation marks—a distinctive name, a
phrase, a sentence, or an entire passage or essay. Misrepresenting sources is another form of plagiarism. The issue
of plagiarism applies to any type of work, including exams, papers, or other writing, computer programs, art,
music, photography, video, and other media. More Information
Academic Support Services
If you experience difficulty in this course for any reason, please don’t hesitate to consult with me. In addition to
the resources of the department, a wide range of services is available to support you in your efforts to meet the
course requirements.
Academic Support Center (x3360, MGC 243) offers study skills workshops, individual instruction, tutor referrals,
and services for students with learning disabilities. Writing support is available in the ASC Writing Lab or in the
Writing Center, Battelle 228.
21
Counseling Center (x3500, MGC 214) offers counseling and consultations regarding personal concerns, self-help
information, and connections to off-campus mental health resources.
Disability Support Services (x3315, MGC 206) offers technical and practical support and assistance with
accommodations for students with physical, medical, or psychological disabilities.
If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please notify me in a timely manner with a letter from
the Academic Support Center or Disability Support Services so that we can make arrangements to address your
needs.
Emergency Preparedness
In the event of an emergency, American University will implement a plan for meeting the needs of all members of
the university community. Should the university be required to close for a period of time, we are committed to
ensuring that all aspects of our educational programs will be delivered to our students. These may include altering
and extending the duration of the traditional term schedule to complete essential instruction in the traditional
format and/or use of distance instructional methods. Specific strategies will vary from class to class, depending on
the format of the course and the timing of the emergency. Faculty will communicate class-specific information to
students via AU e-mail and Blackboard, while students must inform their faculty immediately of any
absence. Students are responsible for checking their AU e-mail regularly and keeping themselves informed of
emergencies. In the event of an emergency, students should refer to the AU Student Portal, the AU Web site and
the AU information line at (202) 885-1100 for general university-wide information, as well as contact their faculty
and/or respective dean’s office for course and school/ college-specific information.
Kogod Center for Business Communications
To help improve your writing, public speaking, and team assignments for this class, contact the Kogod Center for
Business Communications. You can get advice for any type of business communication, including memos, reports,
individual and team presentations, and PowerPoint slides. Hours are flexible and include evenings and weekends.
You can call 202-885-1920, make an appointment, visit KSB 101, or e-mail.
INSTRUCTOR: Lawrence P. Schrenk, Assistant Professor of Finance
E-MAIL WEB PAGE
OFFICE LOCATION, OFFICE HOURS AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS: See my WEB PAGE.
NOTE: Even though this class is fully online, do not hesitate to come to my on-campus office hours.
22
New Course
Note: Proposals are not necessary for a selected topics or nonrecurring topics course or project
which is not a regular part of the curriculum of a department or school and is offered to a group
of students on a nonrecurring or experimental basis. In essence, a selected topics course enables
the faculty to offer the course on a first-time basis, or for experimentation with the curriculum.
It is distinguished from an independent study project in that it is available to a group of students
under the same conditions by which a they may register for a regular course. A course may be
offered as a nonrecurring selected topics course at most two times.






Academic Unit:
KSB
Teaching Unit:FIN
Course Titles:
Financial Literacy: Personal Investing
Course Numbers :
FIN-199
Credit Hours:
(1.0)
Proposed effective date:
Fall 2014

Prerequisites: FIN-197

Course description for University Catalog:
FIN-199 Financial Literacy: Personal Investing
This is the third course of a three course sequence for students to build their financial
literacy. This course will explain modern investment theory, describe the variety of
investment instruments and apply fundamental investing strategies. Prerequisite: FIN-197
Note: students may not receive credit toward a degree for both FIN-200 and the FIN-197,
FIN-198, and FIN-199 sequence.

Grade type: (underline one)
o A/F or Pass-Fail

Expected frequency of offering: (underline one)
o Every Fall
o Every Spring
o Every Summer

Underline all that apply:
o Online course (some sections)

Please explain the main purpose of the new course, including whether it will be a
requirement for an existing or proposed program or an elective, and how the new
23

course relates to the existing courses in the program and department. Note: if a
required course for an existing program, submit a corresponding Minor Change to
Program proposal.
This elective course will serve the dual purpose of teaching students the critical thinking
and quantitative skills of Financial Literacy, while also helping students understand the
investment decisions that they are making in their undergraduate education.

Will the course require that students pay a special fee associated with the course? If
so, please provide a justification for this additional cost to students.
N-A

Has the course previously been offered under a rotating topics course or an
experimental course number? If so:
o
o
o
o
o

Semesters/year offered:
N-A
Course number:
N-A
Instructor:
N-A
Enrollment: N-A
What observations and conclusions were derived from the previous offering(s)
that now lead to proposing this course as a permanent part of the curriculum?
Please indicate other units that offer courses or programs related to the proposed
course and provide documentation of consultations with those units.
N-A.

Estimated enrollment per semester: 25 in-person, 25 online.

Does your teaching unit’s classroom space allotment support the addition of this
course?
Yes

Are present university facilities (library, technology) adequate for the proposed
course?
Yes

Will the proposed course be taught by full-time or part-time faculty?
Full-time

Will offering the new course involve any substantial changes to the scheduling of
existing courses?
24
No

What are the learning outcomes including the competencies that students are expected to
demonstrate for the course and how are those outcomes assessed?
Students learn to:
1. Explain modern investment theory,
2. Describe the variety of investment instruments, and
3. Apply fundamental investing strategies.
The outcomes for this course will be assessed through graded assignments, discussions, and
examinations.

Please attach a draft syllabus.
See attachment.
25
FIN-199: Financial Literacy: Personal Investing
Larry Schrenk, Instructor
Prerequisite: FIN-197: Financial Literacy: Financial Planning and the Time Value of Money
The goal of the course is for you to learn sophisticated, but sound and secure ways to reach your own financial
goals based upon your own resources.
This course will explain modern investment theory, describe the variety of investment instruments and apply
fundamental investing strategies.
The course will emphasize two things: First, it will be a 'personal' course: it is about understanding your individual
needs, goals and aspirations and how a financial plan can support these. Second, it will stress thinking about
personal finance over the broad horizon of your entire life, not just, "What do I do for the next few years?" This
approach is often called 'life-cycle planning' or 'life-cycle investing'.
Expectations
Not everyone is suitable for an online class. This has nothing to do with intelligence. Rather, it is a result of
personal learning styles and general skills in technology use. You must be a motivated learner and someone who
can work independently. It is not the same experience as a face-to-face class where there are specific times, dates,
and places.
This class is taught entirely online so you will have the opportunity to express your ideas to a much greater extent
than in the traditional classroom setting, where numerous students are vying to speak in a limited time. The class
never meets in the traditional sense of scheduled weekly meetings. In addition, questions that arise from the
course, breaking news events, outside source materials, can be posted in the discussion section for response by all
of us. They may also be e-mailed to me. You will find that at almost any time of day or night fellow students or I
will be logged on or will have just posted something new or will respond to your postings or questions.
You must be prepared to:


Ensure technical access to the online classroom via an appropriate browser.
Invest a minimum of 6 hours each week in the course (and 12 hours each week for the
compressed summer section).
You select the times to do the readings, receive new assignments and participate in discussions. You should check
Blackboard at least once a day, and definitely every Monday morning for that week’s discussion topic and
assignments. You will have required work each week, and the assignments for each week are always due at the
end of that week, i.e., by Sunday at 11:59 PM (Eastern Standard Time).
26
Software
We will be using three software tools (all available within Blackboard):

Piazza: This will be used for our discussions.
o Go to the discussion section for the link.
o Piazza apps are available for iPhone/iPad and Android

Collaborate: This is web conferencing software that I will use for online office hours.
o Access Collaborate here, but remember that I will only be available during the office hours listed
by arrangement.
o Instructions for using Collaborate
o The first time you use Collaborate, you may need to download some software, update Java, etc.,
and you should check that your audio is working (instructions).
o You can use Collaborate for group discussions.
o Collaborate Help: E-mail, call 202-885-3904 (both are available 24/7) or stop by the Blackboard
office: Bender Library, Room 321, Monday to Friday 9:00 AM-5:30 PM.
o There is a Collaborate app for iPhone/iPad, but so far none for Android.
o Also, you may always see me during my on campus office hours (below).

Blackboard
o I will use the e-mail function in Blackboard to communicate with you, so make sure that you
receive e-mails sent to your address in Blackboard. If it is more convenient, you can have e-mails
to your university address forwarded to another e-mail account (instructions).
o AU Online Help: E-mail, call 202-885-2550 or check the webpage.
o Blackboard Help: E-mail, call 202-885-3904 (both are available 24/7) or stop by their office:
Bender Library, Room 321, Monday to Friday 9:00 AM-5:30 PM.
o For more information about online learning at AU, see their website.
Course Learning Objectives
These are the skills you should have by the time you have completed this course. You should be able to...
1.
2.
3.
Explain the general theory of modern investment theory,
Describe the variety of investment instruments, and
Apply fundamental investing strategies
Textbook
Jeff Madura, Personal Finance. 4th or 5th edition. Addison Wesley.
You may use new, used, borrowed, international or online copies of the 4th or 5th editions.


Online sellers may have even cheapest copies: Amazon.com, AddAll.com , eBay , Barnes & Noble
or Book-a-Million .
It's fine to get a used copy without the accompanying CD or other additional material (which you
will not need).
Schedule
WEEK 1
Topic 15-Investment Fundamentals (Chapter 14)
27
Topic 16-Short-Term Investments (Chapter 6)
WEEK 2
Topic 17-Stock Analysis and Valuation (Chapter 15)
Topic 18-Stocks (Chapter 15)
WEEK 3
Topic 19-Bonds (Chapter 16)
Topic 20-Mutual Funds (Chapter 17)
WEEK 4
Topic 21-Diversification and Portfolio Theory (Chapter 18)
Examination
Financial Calculator
You must have a financial calculator for the course. You may not use the 'Financial Tables' in Appendix C of the
textbook.
TI 83/84
HP 10bII



TI BA II Plus
A TI 83/84 Graphing Calculator is fine; alternatively you could use either the Texas Instruments
BA II Plus or the Hewlett-Packard 10bII, 10bII+.
There is no need nor advantage to buying a more expensive financial calculator.
While we will cover the use of a financial calculator in class, here is a short manual which I
developed for FIN 200.
You will need a calculator with financial functions for this class. If you already have a TI-83 or 84 graphing
calculator, you do not need to buy anything else. If not, you will need to get a financial calculator. (Unfortunately,
basic scientific calculators normally do not have financial functions. If in doubt, contact me.) Do not spend a lot of
money on a fancy model. A basic financial calculator should cost $30-$40 at many department stores (maybe
cheaper if you can get it online). A financial calculator has many financial functions (so you won't need to
memorize a lot of formulae for the exams), and we will go over the use of a financial calculator in the course. The
most common models are 'Texas Instruments BA II Plus' and 'Hewlett-Packard 10bII'. NOTE: I do not recommend
the HP 12c.
28
One Piece of Advice: Every semester, one or two students try to do the course without getting the calculator. It
never works! I can almost guarantee that you will drop at least one grade if you do not have or cannot use a
financial calculator, and if you compare the calculator cost with the cost of the course that is not a good financial
trade-off.
Grading
EVALUATION:
Exam
Assignments
Discussions
60%
20%
20%
GRADE SCALE:
Please note that grades/percentages will not be 'rounded up' (see below) and extra credit assignments are not
available.
Grade Scale
Letter Grade
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD
F
Percentage
≥ 93.3%
≥ 90.0%
≥ 86.6%
≥ 83.3%
≥ 80.0%
≥ 76.6%
≥ 73.3%
≥ 70.0%
≥ 60.0%
< 60.0%
Please note that I do not ‘round’ grades, see below.
Examination
You may never have taken an online exam, so I want to be very clear about how they will work and what you
should expect. Most important: although the exams are given online, unlike many online courses, they are not
computer graded. I grade all the exams just as I do in my traditional classroom courses. This means that I will be
able to give partial credit if an answer is not completely correct, but does show some knowledge. It also means I
don't need to rely on multiple choice questions.
MECHANICS




The exam is one hour and fifteen minutes in length.
You may only use a calculator, but not the textbook, notes, crib sheets, formulae sheets, etc. You
may not substitute a cell phone, PDA, computer, etc. for the calculator (except with an approved
app).
In a week in which an exam is scheduled, a link will open in the exams section.
You may do an exam at any time during open period, but as soon as you open the exam, it must
be completed within the time limit.
o You need to watch your time. The exam will not automatically close when the time limit
is up, but it will record how much time you used and put a
29
o
o


special alert on any exam that exceeds the time period. I will deduct one percent from
the exam score for every minute that you exceed the time allotted.
Once you have submitted the exam, you may not go back and make any revisions or
change any part for the exam.
On calculations, you must show all your work to receive any credit. If the problem is one in which
you use a financial calculator, there will be a table for you to show what numbers you inputted to
get your answer.
IMPORTANT: You must use a financial calculator for the financial calculations on the exam; You
may not use the 'Financial Tables' in Appendix C of the textbook.
STRUCTURE



Short Answer Questions (50%)-There will be 10 short answer questions, and each is worth 5
points. Your answers should be no longer than five lines. You may be asked definitions of terms,
e.g., "What is a mortgage?" or other brief questions, e.g., How do you calculate the equity value
of a home?"
Calculation Problems (40%)-There will be 4 calculation problems, and each is worth 10 points.
They may either be questions which require you to use your financial calculator or questions
similar to those assigned for individual topics (which are listed on the pages for each individual
topic.)
Ethics Essay (10%)-There will be a short essay of about ½ page on an ethical issue similar to the
ethical dilemmas at the end of each chapter.
Discussions
IMPORTANT: The graded, weekly discussions (i.e., expect for the 'General Discussion' and the "Welcome
Discussion') will be done by groups. I will assignment groups shortly after the course begins. Except in unusual
circumstances, all members of a group will receive the same grade. Please include your group number in the title
of each post, so that I give proper credit for each posting.
Assignments
Assignments are opportunities for you to start managing your own personal finance. While everyone will being
following the same instructions, you will be using your own personal data. Please review the Privacy Policy (below)
before you begin any assignment.
In the assignments you will learn how to employ the tools available for managing personal finance using your own
personal data (or as close to it as possible). The assignments will start with setting your financial goals, deciding on
a career, a location to live, etc. Later assignments will extend to insurance, investments and the other topics of the
course.
Assignments will be graded on a credit/no credit (100/0) policy.
WEB SITE POLICY: In web assignments, I will ask you to use a range of resources.

It is your responsibility to make sure that your computer has prudent security measures, e.g.,
virus protection, firewalls, etc., consistent with the recommendations of AU's Information
Technology. See Information Technology Security .
30




I will never require that you pay a fee for any web resource. If a site requests a fee, contact me.
I will, whenever possible, use web sites that do not require registration.
If I do assign a web site requiring registration, you may always request an alternate assignment
not requiring registration and your grade will not be penalized for making that request.
I will only use web sites requiring registration that:
o Are secure based on a reasonable investigation, certificates, etc.,
o Allow you opt out of receiving e-mail and marketing materials, and
o At which I am myself registered.
Privacy Statement
ASSIGNMENTS AND DISCUSSIONS: In the assignments you will be using your own data, and in discussions you may refer
to your own experiences. You should never include any personal information that you consider too private or you
would find embarrassing or inappropriate or that you for any reason feel uncomfortable revealing. Instead, use
data that is reasonably close to your personal data, but does not reveal your exact circumstances. For example, if
your career aspiration is to be a school janitor, but you don't want that widely known, you might describe yourself
as seeking a career in education-but be sure to use a janitor's salary in your calculations.
THE INTERNET: Many financial sites on the internet want your personal information either because they have
criminal intentions or they just want to sell you something. Be very careful about what you reveal on web sitesalways err on the side of caution. I will never require you to use any web resource that demands personal
information (or a fee). If a web site you need to complete an assignment asks personal information, let me know
before you give it. We can always find an alternate way for you to complete the assignment.
ONLINE OFFICE HOURS: Be careful about mentioning confidential or sensitive information during virtual office hours.
More than one student may be present even if they are not contributing. If you need to speak about confidential
or sensitive matters, send me an e-mail. If necessary we can always talk by phone if you are not in the area or
cannot otherwise come to my campus office hours.
University and School Policies
Kogod Vision
Our vision for transforming the Kogod School of Business is built upon a commitment to the idea that profit and
purpose are not at odds. Pursuit of a profitable enterprise does not require that one abandon all other values, and
there are many opportunities to earn a reasonable return while serving broader objectives. We believe that a
business mindset provides critical thinking and problem solving skills needed across all industries and interests,
and that a rigorous framework of business education and research that focuses on traditional business
organizations is also relevant for organizations outside the business sector. We believe that businesses cannot
ignore their broader impact on individuals and society, and that tomorrow’s successful business leaders need to be
able to think constructively about the sustainability and impact of their company’s operations.
We will build our students’ education on strong business fundamentals, both quantitative and qualitative, and
enhance that education by:
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Making experiential learning in real organizations our first priority.
Creating deeper understanding of the roles public, private and non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) play and their connectedness to one another.
Helping our students develop a global perspective through their coursework and our
relationships with international organizations and academic institutions.
These three pillars – experiential learning, understanding the connection between the public and private sectors,
and a global mindset – will provide the structure for infusing our larger vision, that profit and purpose are not at
odds, into all we do.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is paramount in higher education and essential to effective teaching and learning. As a
professional school, the Kogod School of Business is committed to preparing our students and graduates to value
the notion of integrity. In fact, no issue at American University is more serious or addressed with greater severity
than a breach of academic integrity.
Standards of academic conduct are governed by the University’s Academic Integrity Code. By enrolling in the
School and registering for this course, you acknowledge your familiarity with the Code and pledge to abide by
it. All suspected violations of the Code will be immediately referred to the Office of the Dean. Disciplinary action,
including failure for the course, suspension, or dismissal, may result. Additional information about the Code (i.e.
acceptable forms of collaboration, definitions of plagiarism, use of sources including the Internet, and the
adjudication process) can be found in a number of places including the University’s Academic Regulations, Student
Handbook (website). If you have any questions about academic integrity or standards of conduct in this course,
please discuss them with your instructor.
Plagiarism: Academic Regulations (80.00.00 Academic Integrity Code)
Plagiarism is the representation of someone else’s words, ideas, or work as one’s own without attribution.
Plagiarism may involve using someone else’s wording without using quotation marks—a distinctive name, a
phrase, a sentence, or an entire passage or essay. Misrepresenting sources is another form of plagiarism. The issue
of plagiarism applies to any type of work, including exams, papers, or other writing, computer programs, art,
music, photography, video, and other media. More Information
Academic Support Services
If you experience difficulty in this course for any reason, please don’t hesitate to consult with me. In addition to
the resources of the department, a wide range of services is available to support you in your efforts to meet the
course requirements.
Academic Support Center (x3360, MGC 243) offers study skills workshops, individual instruction, tutor referrals,
and services for students with learning disabilities. Writing support is available in the ASC Writing Lab or in the
Writing Center, Battelle 228.
Counseling Center (x3500, MGC 214) offers counseling and consultations regarding personal concerns, self-help
information, and connections to off-campus mental health resources.
Disability Support Services (x3315, MGC 206) offers technical and practical support and assistance with
accommodations for students with physical, medical, or psychological disabilities.
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If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please notify me in a timely manner with a letter from
the Academic Support Center or Disability Support Services so that we can make arrangements to address your
needs.
Emergency Preparedness
In the event of an emergency, American University will implement a plan for meeting the needs of all members of
the university community. Should the university be required to close for a period of time, we are committed to
ensuring that all aspects of our educational programs will be delivered to our students. These may include altering
and extending the duration of the traditional term schedule to complete essential instruction in the traditional
format and/or use of distance instructional methods. Specific strategies will vary from class to class, depending on
the format of the course and the timing of the emergency. Faculty will communicate class-specific information to
students via AU e-mail and Blackboard, while students must inform their faculty immediately of any
absence. Students are responsible for checking their AU e-mail regularly and keeping themselves informed of
emergencies. In the event of an emergency, students should refer to the AU Student Portal, the AU Web site and
the AU information line at (202) 885-1100 for general university-wide information, as well as contact their faculty
and/or respective dean’s office for course and school/ college-specific information.
Kogod Center for Business Communications
To help improve your writing, public speaking, and team assignments for this class, contact the Kogod Center for
Business Communications. You can get advice for any type of business communication, including memos, reports,
individual and team presentations, and PowerPoint slides. Hours are flexible and include evenings and weekends.
You can call 202-885-1920, make an appointment, visit KSB 101, or e-mail.
INSTRUCTOR: Lawrence P. Schrenk, Assistant Professor of Finance
E-MAIL WEB PAGE
OFFICE LOCATION, OFFICE HOURS AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS: See my WEB PAGE.
NOTE: Even though this class is fully online, do not hesitate to come to my on-campus office hours.
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