ACCT 6314.720
Applied Accounting
Research
Whole Summer
Syllabus Content
1. Instructor Contact Information
2. Course Description
3. Materials
4. Important Dates
5. Course Activities
6. Course Assessment
7. Student E-mail
8. Policies & Procedures
9. Hardware / Software Requirements
10. Preparation for Computer Emergencies
11. Student Support Services
12. End of Course Evaluation
13. Disclaimer & Rights
14. Schedule
Instructor Contact Information
Professor:
Dr. Daniel Haskin
Office:
Mesa Building 2248
E-Mail:
haskin_d@utpb.edu
Office Hours:
24/7 online
Phone:
432-552-2178
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Course Description
Course Prerequisites: 6 credits of Intermediate Accounting and 3 credits of Tax Accounting
and admission to the Master of Professional Accountancy program or permission of instructor
Course Catalog Description:
Applied Research for solving complex accounting and reporting issues including both financial
and tax accounting cases. Presentations and papers showing results of research are required.
Overview of the Course:
Purpose: This course provides students with professional skills in financial reporting and tax
research. This class fulfills the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy requirement for a
course in accounting research.
Objectives/outcomes: Students will be able to identify research problems, review findings in
professional literature, investigate using the Financial Accounting Standards Board Codification,
International Financial Reporting Standards, and tax law, regulations, and court cases,
General Topics: This course covers the methods of business research design, familiarity with
the specific research resources for tax and accounting standards, company and industry
information, and professional literature. Findings and recommendations must be communicated
in presentations and reports.
Target Audience: Most students in this class are preparing for a career in professional
accountancy in public, corporate, not-for-profit, or governmental settings.
Required for any specific major/minor: This class is required in the Master of Professional
Accountancy program and can be an elective in the Master of Business Administration program.
Method of instruction: This course uses Internet-enabled lectures, discussion boards and
Wimba or Collaboration consultations, demonstrations of research in government filings and
regulations, library databases, Codification, IFRS, and tax databases. Students will work both
individually and in groups and produce individual and group reports and presentations.
Course Credits: 3 credits
Location: This course is a full Web course and is conducted in Blackboard
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Materials
Texts
WRITING HANDBOOK
Gerald J. Alred, Charles T. Brusaw, Walter E. Oliu, The Business Writer's Handbook, 10th ed.
New York: St. Martin’s, 2009, Spiral Bound ($47): ISBN-10: 0-312-47709-0, ISBN-13: 978-0312-47709-7; e-Book ($36): ISBN-10: 0-312-59021-0, ISBN-13:978-0-312-59021-5
http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/catalog/newcatalog.aspx?isbn=0312477090
FINANCIAL RESEARCH TEXT
Financial Accounting Standards Board, Learning Guide, download after signing into the
Codification at http://aaahq.org/FASB/Access.cfm using the username and password below.
TAX RESEARCH TEXT
William A. Raabe, Gerald E. Whittenburg, Debra L. Sanders, Roby B. Sawyers, Federal Tax
Research, 9th ed. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning, 2012, Hardback ($244.49):
ISBN-10: 1-111-22164-2, ISBN-13: 978-1-111-22164-5; also available for rent at reduced
prices; e-Book ($131.49) http://www.cengagebrain.com/shop/isbn/9781111221645
Readings
(available at UTPB Library or through links in this course)
Financial Reporting Module 1
Zeff, Stephen. 2003. How the U.S. accounting profession got where it is today: Part
I. Accounting Horizons 17. 3 (September): 189-205.
Zeff, Stephen. 2003. How the U.S. Accounting Profession Got Where It Is Today: Part
II. Accounting Horizons 17. 4 (December): 267-281
Zeff, Stephen. 2005. The Evolution of U.S. GAAP: Certified Public Accountant. The CPA
Journal. 75. 1 (January): 18-27.
Zeff, Stephen. 2005. The Evolution of U.S. GAAP: The Political Forces Behind Professional
Standards. The CPA Journal 75. 2 (February): 18-29.
Financial Reporting Module 2
Gujarathi, Mahendra R 1991. Bridging the Gap in GAAP: A Case Study of Accounting for
Frequent Flyer Plans. Accounting Horizons. 5, 3 (September): 57-68
Financial Reporting Module 3
Biondi, Yuri, R. J. Bloomfield, J. C. Glover, K. Jamal, J. A. Ohlson, S. H. Penman, E.
Tsujiyama, and T. J. Wilks. 2011. Perspective on the Joint IASB/FASB Exposure Draft on
Accounting for Leases. Accounting Horizons. 25, 4: 861–871
Financial Reporting Module 4 (each student will be assigned one of the following)
Bauman, M. P., & Francis, R. N. (2011). Issues in lessor accounting: The forgotten half of lease
accounting. Accounting Horizons, 25(2), 247-266.
Palmon, D., M. Peytcheva and A. Yezegel. 2011, The Accounting Standards Setting Process in
the U.S. Examination of the SEC–FASB Relationship. Group Decision and Negotiation 20. 2
(March): 165-183.
Wilson, M. and G. Shailer. 2007. Accounting manipulations and political costs: Tooth & Co Ltd,
1910–1965. Accounting and Business Research, 37, 4: 247-266
Nobes, Christopher W 2005. Rules-Based Standards and the Lack of Principles in
Accounting Accounting Horizons; Mar 2005; 19, 1: 25-34
Durocher, Sylvain; Fortin, Anne. 2009. Proposed Changes in Lease Accounting and Private
Business Bankers' Credit Decisions. Accounting Perspectives 8. 1 : 9- 42.
Recommended Materials
Wall Street Journal. Access available through UTPB Library (ABI-Inform/Global) and student
subscriptions available at http://info.wsj.com/professor/program_tools/online_forms.html. Please
specify “Dr. Scofield” as your recommending professor unless you are subscribing for another
course as well. (FULL DISCLOSURE: The WSJ provides a free subscription to instructors with
sufficient associated student subscriptions.)
Websites / Links
Students will conduct research using the following sites:
Title: FASB Codification
Author: Financial Accounting Standards Board
Description: The source document of US GAAP.
Website: http://aaahq.org/ascLogin.cfm, using Username: AAA51294 and Password: To be
distributed
Title: IFRS
Author: International Accounting Standards Board
Description: The source document of IFRS.
Website: http://www.ifrs.org/Home.htm (Tab: IFRS; then Standards and Interpretations)
You must register in order to use the materials, but registration is free.
Title: Checkpoint
Author: RIA
Description: A tax research database
Website: http://checkpoint.riag.com (You will receive an individual User Name and Password).
NOTE: Students will also use the UTPB library electronic databases for access to company and
industry information and professional and academic journals.
OTHER MATERIALS:
Students will need to access Blackboard and participate in live sessions using a microphone
connected to their computer. Students should initiate COLLABORATE in Blackboard and test
their equipment.
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Important Dates
UTPB Academic Calendar
Summer 2014
Registration Begins
Tuition and Fee Payments Due
Classes Begin
Last day to add a course
Last day to drop without creating an academic record
Last day to drop a course with a refund
Last Day to Drop or Withdraw
Final Exams
Semester Ends
Commencement
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Course Activities
This course is organized to cover tax research in the first 5 weeks and financial reporting
research in the last 5 weeks.
Unit 1: Tax Research
400 points (40% of your grade in this course)
Readings: You will read assigned pages from the tax research textbook and assigned readings
from Internal Revenue Service (IRS) sources and American Institute of Certified Public
Accounting (AICPA) sources. These readings will serve as a basis for your assignments and
exams.
End-of-chapter exercises: You will be preparing assigned exercises from the textbook. These
exercises will reflect the assigned readings and will use the research tools available through the
tax research database. This represents 20% (200 points) of your grade in the course.
Group Research Exercises: Your small group will be providing research memos and letters to
clients resulting from research of assigned exercises using the tax research database provided by
RIA checkpoint. This represents 8% (80 points) of your grade in the course.
Midterm Exam: You will complete a Blackboard exam on the materials in Unit 1. This exam
will cover your understanding of the tax research process, research sources, research design, and
effective written communication skills as well as demonstrating your research skills using the
RIA Checkpoint database. This exam represents 10% (100 points) of your grade in this class.
Unit 2: Financial Reporting Research
400 points (40% of your grade in this course)
Readings: You will read articles from the professional accounting literature and FASB and
IASB websites that are listed above. These readings will serve as a basis for your assignments,
discussions, reports, reflections, and exams.
Financial Reporting Analysis and Reports: You will be preparing four papers presenting the
results of applied accounting research on a financial reporting issue and one group report that is
developed from your fourth individual paper. This represents 12% (120 points) of your grade in
the course.
Practice Using Research Sources: You will be providing results of using library resources,
company financial statement information, secondary resources in company information and
industry information. This represents 4% (40 points) of your grade in the course.
Reflection Papers: You will be preparing short (1 to 2 page) responses to issues in research
design. The prompts for these reflection papers are provided separately. These papers represent
8% (80 points) of your grade in the course.
Discussion Topics: You will participate in two synchronous Collaborate sessions with your
group and/or weekly discussion board discussions that are graded. You will receive full credit
for these discussions if you are prepared for the discussion by posting any related assignments
for the group to read and you provide insightful postings that contribute to the progress in
understanding financial reporting research. These represent 6% (60 points) of your grade in this
course.
Exam: You will complete a Blackboard exam on the materials in Financial Reporting Research.
This exam will include your short essays that demonstrate your understanding of applied
financial reporting research process, research sources, research design, and effective written
communication skills as well as demonstrating your research skills using the Codification, IFRS,
SEC regulations, company annual reports and SEC filings, secondary company and industry
information, and bibliographic research. This exam represents 10% (100 points) of your grade in
this class.
Communication Skills Activities
50 points (5% of your grade in this class)
Research Project and Communication Skills
150 points (15% of your grade in this course)
Writing project: You will write a paper discussing your research of a tax issue using the
communication skills presented in the first part of the course and the research tools presented in
the second part of the course. This represents 8% (80 points) of your grade in the course.
Presentation on Collaborate: You will prepare a presentation on the tax issue used in your
writing project and present it orally to your group through Collaborate. The presentation will
represent 5% (50 points) of your grade in the course.
Project critiques: You will critique two of the research presentations from your group using a
rubric provided. This represents 2% (20 points) of your grade in the course.You will critique the
presentation of your peers. The critique represent 2% (20 points) of your grade in the course.
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Course Assessment
Course Activity
ALL CLASS Discussion Board -- Introduction
TAX RESEARCH
Unit 1 Module 1
Points
20
Chapter 1 exercises
Chapter 3 exercises
Unit 1 Module 2
Chapter 4 exercises
Chapter 5 exercises
Unit 1 Module 3
Chapter 7 exercises
Chapter 11 exercises
Group research project # 1
Unit 1 Module 4
Chapter 12 exercises
Chapter 13 exercises
Group research project # 2
Unit 1 Midterm Exam
Unit 1 (Total)
30
30
30
30
25
25
40
15
15
40
100
400
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING RESEARCH
Unit 2 Financial Reporting Research Module 1
GROUP Discussion Board #1 /
15
COLLABORATE
Financial Reporting Analysis and Report #1
20
Practice Using Codification #1
10
Reflection Paper #1
20
Unit 2 Module 2
GROUP Discussion Board #2
15
Financial Reporting Analysis and Report #2
25
Practice Using Primary Information #2
10
Reflection Paper #2
20
Unit 2 Module 3
GROUP Discussion Board #3
15
Financial Reporting Analysis and Report #3
50
Practice Using Company Sources #3
10
Reflection Paper #3
20
Unit 1 Module 4
GROUP Discussion Board #4 /
15
COLLABORATE
Financial Reporting Analysis and Report #4
25
Practice Using Industry Sources #4
10
Reflection Paper #4
20
Part II Final Exam
100
COMMUNICATION & RESEARCH PROJECT
Unit 2 (Total)
400
Communication Skill Quizzes ( 5 @ 10 each)
Research Project
Written portion of project
Presentation and critique of project
Communication and Research Project (Total)
ACCT. 6314
50
80
50 + 20 = 70
200
1000
Grading Scale:
Percentage of Points
90 and above
80 to 89
70 to 79
60 to 69
Less than 59
Grade
A
B
C
D
F
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Student E-Mail
All UTPB students may be provided with email accounts through the university server upon
request. Your instructor will use the email account you have designated in your Campus Connect
account. Check in Campus Connect under Demographic Data to be sure that the account you
designated is the one that you will be checking most frequently so that you do not miss course
information and feedback.
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Policies & Procedures
1. Course Content Structure:
The course is divided into two units: Tax Research and Financial Reporting Research.
SUMMARY OF TAX RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
The first UNIT includes 4 modules with the following activities




four sets of lectures and demonstrations by your instructor
four sets of end-of-chapter exercises to practice the research tools and
communicate the results using appropriate methods
two group research exercises using Collaborate and Small Group Discussion
one online Midterm Exam
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL REPORTING RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
The second UNIT includes 4 modules with the following activities





four sets of lectures and demonstrations by your instructor
four reflection papers that serve as the basis for four GROUP DISCUSSION
BOARD sessions
four reports
four research practice assignments
one online Final Exam
SUMMARY OF COMMUNICATION AND RESEARCH PROJECT
These areas will be interspersed throughout the course with due dates on the schedule during
Unit 1 and Unit 2.



five quizzes over communication skills
a written research project which will be presented orally to a small group on
Collaborate
critiques of two presentation in the small group
HOW TO NAVIGATE THROUGH TAX RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
To begin the course,


READ THE SYLLABUS, and
PROVIDE AN INTRODUCTION in the ALL CLASS DISCUSSION BOARD.
HOW TO NAVIGATE THROUGH TAX RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
In general, for each module in UNIT 1:
STEP 1: READ the assigned textbook pages or other assigned reading.
STEP 2: PARTICIPATE in the lecture/demonstrations for the module. This will present you
with the new topic and concepts you will be studying during the module.
STEP 3: PRACTICE your research skills learned by completing the END-OF-CHAPTER
EXERCISES activities. Upload your document through the appropriate assignment link.
MODULES 3 AND 4 will include research exercises to be completed as SMALL GROUP
DISCUSSIONS and uploaded to the appropriate assignment link. We will practice using
COLLABORATE by meeting synchronously with your small group at an assigned time chosen
from your input during the first week discussions.
DURING UNIT 1 of the course, you will be presented with a choice of tax issues through
selected articles in practitioner journals. You will read the article and research the ISSUE using
the RIA Checkpoint database. DURING UNIT 2, you will perform an oral presentation to your
small group on COLLABORATE and write a paper and . You will also critique two of your
peer’s presentations.
In general, for each module in FINANCIAL REPORTING RESEARCH Activities
STEP 1: PARTICIPATE in the lecture/demonstrations for the module. This will present you
with the new topic and concepts you will be studying during the module.
STEP 2: PRACTICE your research skills learned by completing the PRACTICE USING
RESEARCH RESOURCES activities. Upload your document through the appropriate
assignment link.
STEP 3: READ the assigned reading, keeping in mind the REFLECTION PAPER assignment
prompts. These readings are core material in this course, taken directly from professional and
academic accounting literature.
STEP 4: WRITE your reflection paper based on the assigned reading. You will need to submit
through the appropriate assignment link. You may be asked to share these papers with your
assigned group. These reflection papers will be a basis for your GROUP DISCUSSION during
the next module in the course.
STEP 5: LEARN BY SHARING the concepts in this module through your GROUP
DISCUSSION. You are required to provide insightful, substantive response to the group
discussion questions and/or other participants posts covering at least TWO issues.
STEP 7: REPORT in the FINANCIAL ANALYSIS RESEARCH and REPORT. In this activity
you will complete a formal financial reporting research investigation with a summary,
documentation, or recommendation. You will be using the research and written communication
skills emphasized in this module. These will be submitted to the appropriate assignment link and
may be shared with your group as a basis for GROUP DISCUSSIONS in the next module.
Throughout the course, you will be working on your written communication skills and preparing
for your research project as directed.
2. Grading and Feedback:
All the course activities will be graded within one week after the set due date based on the
rubrics provided. You can check your grades by going to GradeBook. Individual feedback or a
general feedback in the performance of the course activity will be provided. Individual feedback
will be available through the COMMENT section at the Gradebook; sometimes you will receive
feedback through email or through attachment of commented documents. If there is any
discrepancy in the grade, you must contact the instructor immediately.
3. Cheating/Plagiarism/Academic Dishonesty:
Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, falsifying
academic records, misrepresenting facts, the submission for credit of any work or materials that
are attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another person,
any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student such as, but not limited to, submission of
essentially the same written assignment for two courses without the prior permission of the
instructor) or the attempt to commit such acts.
“Plagiarism” includes, but is not limited to the appropriation of, buying, receiving as a gift, or
obtaining by any means material that is attributable in whole or in part to another source,
including words, ideas, illustrations, structure, computer code, other expression and media, and
presenting that material as one’s own academic work being offered for credit.
NOTE: Students found plagiarizing or cheating will receive a zero on the course activity which
could cause failure in the class and/or suspension or dismissal from the college.
4. Discussion Board Participation:
Discussion Board will primarily be used for discussing course content related topics and issues.
At the beginning of the course you will provide an introduction in an ALL CLASS
DISCUSSION BOARD.
Then, based on compatible availability, you will be assigned to a GROUP that will be used for
the rest of the GROUP DISCUSSION BOARD activities. The discussion board activities in
Financial Reporting Research account for a total of 50 points of your grade.
In addition to the course content related topics in discussion tool there will be few general
topics:


FAQs for questions about the course and content that are posted
individually and may provide help to the whole class and
WATER COOLER for questions and comments of interest to the
participants, but not part of the class material
The posts under these topics will not be graded.
For each graded discussion question, first, you must respond to at least one of the questions
directly and secondly, you must read the other students posts and reply to at least one other
students’ responses or to one additional question. You must ensure that the responses to the
questions are meaningful and supported by your course readings, lectures and your research.
Avoid postings that are limited to 'I agree' or 'great idea', etc. If you agree (or disagree) with a
posting then say why you agree by supporting your statement with concepts from the readings or
by bringing in a related example.
You are expected to read all messages. You are responsible for reading all of the messages that
are posted in the online discussion. Not reading messages is the equivalent of sleeping in class.
Use a person's name in the body of your message when you reply to their message. It helps to
keep all of us oriented. It helps us maintain a clearer sense of who is speaking and who is being
spoken to. As we begin to associate names with tone and ideas, we come to know each other
better.
Change the subject line when you introduce a new topic. The value of this tip will become
apparent as the number of messages grows.
5. Submission of Course Assessment Activities:
All the course assessment activities will be submitted via Assignment Tool. Keep in mind the
following standards/practices for submission of assignments:
1. All course assessment activity files that will be submitted to the instructor
should be in WORD (or RTF), EXCEL, or PowerPoint as appropriate.
2. Be sure to put your name at the top of each page header
3. Always keep a copy of all the work you submit so that you won’t need to
re-do it if it should get lost in cyberspace.
6. Make-Up/Late Submission Policy:
All course activities must be submitted before or on set due dates and times. If the student is
unable to abide by the due dates and times, it is her/his responsibility to contact the instructor
immediately. There will be a 10% deduction for each day of late submission of the assignment.
NOTE: The due dates and times for the activities will adhere to the Central Time Zone.
7. Accommodation for Students with Disabilities:
Americans with Disabilities Act: Students with disabilities that are admitted to The University
of Texas of the Permian Basin may request reasonable accommodations and classroom
modifications as addressed under Section 504/ADA regulations. Students needing assistance
because of a disability must contact the Director, Programs Assisting Student Study (PASS)
Office, 552-2630, no later than 30 days prior to the start of the semester.
The definition of a disability for purposes of ADA is that she or he (1) has a physical or mental
impairment that substantively limits a major life activity, (2) has a record of such an impairment
or, (3) is regarded as having such an impairment.
Students who have provided all documentation and are eligible for services will be advised of
their rights regarding academic accommodations and responsibilities. The University is not
obligated to pay for diagnosis or evaluations nor is it obligated to pay for personal services or
auxiliary aids.
If you need accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information
to share with the instructor, or if you need special arrangements in the case the building must be
evacuated, please inform the instructor immediately. It is best to contact the instructor after class
or during his/her office hours.
8. Course Incomplete/Withdrawal/Grade Appeal:
All students are required to complete the course within the semester they are signed up.
Incomplete grades for the course are rarely given and will only be granted if the student has
complete at least 75% of the course with a grade of ‘C’ or better and provides a valid,
documented excuse for not being able to complete the course on time and has contacted prior to
the scheduled last class to request an extension. The student will sign a contract that includes the
incomplete course activities and the new due dates.
For grade appeal process go to http://ss.utpb.edu/dean-of-students/student-grievances/
9. Netiquette:
Anything you type in the discussion area is public – which means that every student in this class
(including your instructor) will see what you write. Please pay attention to the language you use
and adhere to the following guidelines:
1. Do not post anything too personal;
2. Do not use language that is inappropriate for a classroom setting or
prejudicial in regard to gender, race, or ethnicity;
3. Do not use all caps in the message box unless you are emphasizing (it is
considered shouting)
4. Be courteous and respectful to other people on the list
5. Do not overuse acronyms like you would use in text messaging. Some of
the list participants may not be familiar with acronyms.
6. If the posting is going to be long, use line breaks and paragraphs
7. Fill in a meaningful Subject Line
8. Write your full name at the end of the posting
9. Be careful with sarcasm and subtle humor; one person’s joke is another
person’s insult.
NOTE: If you do not adhere to the guidelines for any posting, you will lose the points that would
have been granted, and the instructor reserves the right to remove your posting and to deny you
any further posting privileges.
Refer to the following links for additional help on netiquette:
http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html
10. Attendance and Class Participation:
Regular and active participation is an essential, unmistakably important aspect of this online
course. The expectation of the instructor is that students will log on a every day. It is critical that
you read all of the lecture and assignment materials as well as all of the public discussion
materials. Your full participation ON A WEEKLY BASIS is not only a requirement; it is also an
essential aspect of the online course process. All students are expected to do the work assigned,
notify the instructor when emergencies arise, and make up assignments no later than the due
dates. This class is a hands-on class and requires a minimum of reading and lectures and lots of
practice and discussion. Your participation is an essential element of the learning by other
students.
11. Tracking:
Blackboard course platforms have a tracking feature. This feature quantifies how often and when
students are active in the course and also provides information if the student has accessed
different pages of the course.
12. Absenteeism:
All the course activities have set dates to be completed and submitted. After the due dates the
activities will not be available for the students. Thus, if you are ill for a prolonged time and
cannot complete the activities, you must contact me and update the situation. You are expected
to log into the course daily.
If I am going to be out because of ill health, attending a conference, etc you will be notified
through email.
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Hardware / Software Requirements
Students must be proficient with E-mail, Internet, PowerPoint, Blackboard, Word 2007, video
and audio hardware/software.
This course is designed as a web-based class, which necessitates specific computer expertise on
the part of the student, specific computer equipment or programs, and a commitment on the part
of the student beyond that of most other courses. Ensuring you have the proper hardware and
software is vital to your success in an online learning environment.
Blackboard, the Learning Management System (LMS), conducts extensive testing of the
operating systems and browser configurations supported by their system.
Computer Setup
Hardware requirements and supported operating systems and browsers.
UTPB's online courses make extensive use of Java, JavaScript, browser plug-ins, helper
applications and cookies. It is essential that you have these elements installed, enabled, and
configured properly in your web browser for optimal viewing and functionality of the content of
your online course.
PC Configuration - A CPU with 1 GHz processor, 256 MB RAM and Windows XP operating
system
Mac Configuration - A CPU with 300 MHZ (G3), 256 MB RAM and Mac OS X 10.2 or newer
operating system
Anti-virus software
Anti-virus software is highly recommended for students and instructors. Online courses
involve much file sharing, which increases your risk of computer virus infection. Antivirus software will help protect your computer in case of exposure to a computer virus.
Other software:
There may be audio/video files in the course for which you will need Windows Media
Player or QuickTime or Real Player .
Internet connection :
Recommended - Cable modem, DSL, or intranet (T-1); or 128 KBPS modem Note:
Corporate or academic security firewalls may block some course content, such as chat
or streaming media. Accommodations for access can usually be arranged if you contact
your network administrator, though local security policies ultimately dictate what is
allowed. 56 K modem or better
Technical Information:
24/7 Technical Help
Browser Test
Browser Configuration
Download Plug-ins
Supported Browser:
Firefox 3.5 or higher for PC; and Safari 3.X - 4.0 for Mac
Download Firefox
Download Safari
Unsupported Browsers:
America Online (AOL), Prodigy, Juno, MSN, Yahoo and other Internet Service
Providers (ISPs), provide their own internal and proprietary web browsers. These
browsers may not be compatible with online courses.
Course Email
As an enrolled student of UT Permian Basin, you now have an e-mail account set up through the
university. This e-mail account is the one that is associated with your Blackboard login. To learn
more about your student e-mail account issued through UTPB, you can visit the following
website: Information on E-mail.
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Preparation for Computer Emergencies
Computer Crash
Not having a working computer or a crashed computer during the semester will NOT be
considered as an acceptable reason for not completing course activities at a scheduled time.
NOTE: Identify a second computer before the semester begins, that you can use when/if your
personal computer crashes. Note that you can store computer files in your GROUP
DISCUSSION space, so that your materials will be preserved even if you have a problem with
your personal computer.
Server Problems
When the Blackboard server needs downtime for maintenance, the Blackboard administrator will
post an announcement in your course informing the time and the date. If the server experiences
unforeseen problems your course instructor will send an email.
Complete Loss of Contact
If you lose contact with me completely (i.e. you cannot contact me via Blackboard or email), you
need to call me at my office 432-552-2170, and explain the reason you cannot contact me and
leave me a way to contact you.
Lost/Corrupt/Disappeared Files
You must keep/save a copy of every project/assignment on an external disk or personal
computer. In the event of any kind of failure (e.g., Blackboard server crash or virus infection,
students own computer crashes, loss of files in cyberspace, etc) or any contradictions/problems, I
may/will request you to resubmit the files. In other words, if you submit a document to me, and I
either do not receive it (lost in cyberspace) or it is corrupted when I open it, it is incumbent upon
you to resend it to me, corrected, with little or no “downtime” in regard to the timeline for
submission.
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Student Support Services
ADA Accommodation/Support
Programs Assisting Student Study (PASS)
432-552-2630
Admissions & Registration & Transcripts
(432)552-2605
Blackboard Technical Support
1-877-633-9152 (toll-free)
Bookstore
432-552-0220
Counseling/Advising
552-2661
Financial Aid and Scholarship
(432)552-2620
UTPB Library
(432) 552-2370
http://library.utpb.edu
Student Services
http://cas.utpb.edu/academic-advising-center/e-advisor/
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End-of-Course Evaluation & Instructor Evaluation
Every student must complete an end-of-course evaluation/survey provided by UTPB.
During the last few weeks of class, you will receive an announcement through email
notifying you that the Course/Instructor Survey is available. There are three options to
access the survey.
1. You may follow the link in the email to complete the survey using the same
credentials to access your courses here.
2. When entering Blackboard you will see a list of surveys for you to complete
3. A button on the right hand menu bar will lead you to the survey from inside your
course.
The survey is anonymous and you responses are confidential. Your feedback is critical to
us and to your instructor as we strive to improve our offerings, and our support of you, the
students.
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Disclaimer & Rights
Information contained in this syllabus was to the best knowledge of the instructor considered
correct and complete when distributed for use in the beginning of the semester. However, the
instructor reserves the right, acting within the policies and procedures of UTPB to make changes
in the course content or instructional techniques without notice or obligation. The students will
be informed about the changes, if any.
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Schedule
The schedule is provided as a separate document, posted in the Start Here tab.
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