Accountancy II – Spring 2014
Department of Accountancy
University of Notre Dame
I.
Instructor Information
Instructor:
Instructor's Office Location:
Instructor's Office Hours:
Instructor’s Residence:
Instructor's Phone #s:
Instructor's E-mail Address:
Instructor’s Blog:
Also Available on:
II.
Edward F. Hums
313 Mendoza College of Business
Mondays: 3:00 to 4:30 pm and 6:15 to 7:15 pm
Wednesdays: 3:00 to 4:30 pm
140 Lyons Hall Annex
631-4644 (Office) 631-6462 (Residence)
Hums.2@nd.edu
blogs.nd.edu/profhums
and
Required Course Materials
Supplement
Selected pages from various authors covering topics in Income Taxation, Audit
and Assurance, and Budgeting. The supplement is only available at the ND
Bookstore.
Text
Garrison, R., Noreen, E., and Brewer, P., Managerial Accounting, 14th edition
(Irwin McGraw-Hill), 2012.
Calculator
Calculators should be brought to class and to exams. Programmable calculators
are not allowed for exams. Cell phones and ipods are not allowed for exams.
Simple 4 function calculators or non-programmable scientific calculators are
recommended.
You must register at the course website at www.acct20200.com. The answer to the security question is: ryan
III.
Course Goals and Objectives
The primary objective of Accounting is to provide useful information for decision-makers. The overall goal for the
two-semester Accountancy sequence is to develop the ability of students to use accounting information in various
economic decision-making contexts, as well as to understand the scope of services provided by accounting
professionals.
ACCT 20200 provides the student with the accounting tools and skills useful for planning, decision-making and
management control within an organization. The first third of the course focuses on an understanding of the
accounting environment in which business units operate. The remainder of the course deals with the use of internal
accounting information to aid management in its decision-making. In addition, there will be problems or cases
representing business situations designed to reinforce the course materials and to develop an appreciation for the
integrity and ethical conduct required of accountants while performing services in their professional careers.
Upon completion of this course and its prerequisite, ACCT 20100, the student should have a broad understanding of
the decision usefulness of accounting information both as it relates to decision-making by users of financial
statements and decision-making by management.
Upon completion of Accountancy I and II, students will understand:
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Business entities and the activities they undertake:
Readings provide broad exposure to the forces acting on businesses; the assignments and the use of
cases will require the student to simulate business activities.
Accounting as a broad information discipline:
The information perspective of accounting is emphasized throughout the sequence. Most major
functional areas of accounting are covered.
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The decision-usefulness of accounting information:
The primary objective of accounting is to provide useful information for decision-making.
Accounting information usefulness is examined for operating, investing, and financing decisions.
The nature of contractual relations among business parties as a means for determining accounting
information requirements:
Accounting information is frequently used to ensure that parties are keeping their business
promises.
The integrity required of accountants:
The ethical components of contract performance and the accountant=s role in contract enforcement
will be considered in cases and assignments. Accountants must not only be ethical, but often must
attest that others are as well.
In the process of learning to use accounting information in decision-making, students will:
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Improve oral and written communication skills through daily participation and several assignments that
require analysis and written feedback.
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Improve group interaction and team-building skills by completing the assigned group projects.
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Enhance critical thinking skills in the learning process by actively participating in group and classroom
activities.
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Apply major concepts, ideas and tools to problem solving situations.
IV.
Grading
Students’ grades will be determined based on the total points earned on the following items:
Group Projects1 (2)
Group Oral Presentation
Excel Assignments (5)
Assessment Pre-test
Instructor Points (See Part VI)
Exam 1
Exam 2
Final Exam
Total:
55 pts.
10 pts.
25 pts.
5 pts.
80 pts.
80 pts.
125 pts.
150 pts.
530 pts.
The course instructors collaborate to assure consistency in grading across sections. However, each instructor will
determine the grades for his or her sections. Note the Mendoza College of Business requires that each instructor’s
combined sections have an average GPA of 3.1-3.2. Final grades will be set to achieve this required GPA.
V.
Course Organization & Administration
Group Assignments: Groups of students will be organized by the instructor early in the semester. Each group is
responsible for the completion of three written group projects and one oral presentation as well as any in-class
assignments assigned by the individual instructor. Projects and presentation requirements will be distributed in class
at least one week prior to the due date; due dates are listed on the Syllabus. Each group is to work independently of
all other groups.
Excel Assignments: Five Excel assignments have been assigned throughout the semester. Assignments MUST be
completed in Microsoft Excel, NOT ANY OTHER SPREADSHEET PROGRAM. Excel assignments and related
templates can be downloaded from the ACCT 20200 website (www.acct20200.com). Each template is
individualized with an ID code for each student. It will be assumed a violation of the Honor Code if you use a
template with some else’s ID code. All Excel assignments are self-grading. Your instructor will provide you with
details of how they wish to collect these assignments. You must follow your instructor’s instructions to receive
credit. Failure to follow the instructions on each assignment will result in a zero grade for the assignment.
Late Work: Work submitted to the instructor after the day and time indicated by the instructor without official
Notre Dame Approval will NOT BE ACCEPTED. Computer problems are not an excuse for late work. Expect
technology to fail and prepare for that possibility.
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Group Project 1 is worth 30 points. Group Project 2 is worth 25 points.
Instructor Points: The course is organized around three 50-minute sessions per week. The instructors encourage
active student involvement in the learning process. Regular attendance and class participation are expected and
included in the final grade at the discretion of each instructor. In addition to attendance and participation,
individual instructors will announce the activities they will use to determine the awarding of instructor points for
their sections. Repetitive unexcused absences will result in a dramatic reduction in final grade.
Peer Evaluations: The instructors will announce their policy regarding peer evaluations of group work.
Exams: Common exams will be given, but the individual instructors will grade their own exams and determine
final grades for their students. It is course policy that students must document sufficient official Notre Dame
Approval before taking an exam at an alternative time for full credit. If a student arrives late to an exam and is
unable to finish by the exam’s conclusion, the student may be allowed additional time at the instructor’s discretion.
Work completed after the exam’s conclusion will be assessed a 20% penalty. If a student misses an entire exam
without the aforementioned approval, the instructor will use his or her discretion to decide whether or not to give the
exam at a later time on the exam date. In this case, there will be an automatic penalty of 20% of total exam points.
Assessment Pre-test: Total of 5 points available
You will be required to take an on-line assessment during the first week of class. To receive the 5 points, you must
complete the pre-test by the due date listed on the course calendar. A link to the pre-test can be found on the ACCT
20200 website (www.acct20200.com).
Grade Appeals on Exams: Any protests on the scores for exams must be submitted in writing and you must
follow your instructor’s policy regarding grade appeals. Oral protests of exams will not be considered.
VI. Instructor Points
To be completed by instructor. A total of 80 points are available of which attendance must be included as part of the
grade as per the faculty manual and the undergraduate curriculum committee. Assignment of instructor points for
Professor Hums’ class is as follows: Attendance (30 points), Class Presence (30 points), Homework (20 points)
VII. The Academic Code of Honor:
“As a member of the Notre Dame community,
I will not participate in or tolerate academic dishonesty”.
Expectations with regard to Academic Integrity follow:
Students will not give or receive aid on exams. This includes, but is not limited to, viewing the exams of others,
sharing answers with others, and using books or notes while taking the exam. It also includes discussing the exam
in order to help those who are taking it later.
For case assignments involving groups, groups must work completely independently of other individuals, or
groups. Each member of a group has an obligation to ensure that the workload is shared by all members for each
assignment. Students are expected to avoid plagiarism, including the use of material from previous semesters.
See http://www.nd.edu/~writing/resources/AvoidingPlagarism.html for rules on appropriate citations. Notre
Dame’s Writing Center is an excellent resource for researching and structuring written assignments.
The honor code requires that a student, with knowledge of the above violations, report such occurrences. If a
perceived honor code violation occurs, the procedures outlined in the Student Guide to the Academic Codes
of Honor, www.nd.edu/~hnrcode, will be followed.
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To the extent possible, the instructors will follow the daily class schedule of assignments. The schedule may be altered (add,
delete, change timing, etc.) in order to enhance student learning opportunity or for other reasons.
VIII.
Specific to Sections of Professor Hums’ Classes
In addition to the class parameters described on the syllabus that all students in Accountancy 20200 receive, here are some
expectations specifically for sections of Professor Hums’ classes.
Cellular Devices: Cell phones must be set at “off” and secured out of sight during exams. Cellular devices at the discretion
of the professor may be placed on the desk during class periods. Use of laptops during class or exams is not permitted.
Exams: All exams must be taken. Not taking an exam may result in failure of the course.
Final Grades: Students will be ranked based upon total points earned during the semester. Lax attendance will result in a grade
reduction or failure of the course.
Homework: Certain problems will be identified in class for completion and submission. Poor efforts (especially sloppy work)
on non-submission of homework will result in a reduction of points earned.
Attendance: Attendance will be taken daily by using a class roster that students will initial. DO NOT INITIAL FOR
ANOTHER STUDENT. This is considered an honor code violation. This is a typical protocol in professional meetings that
you will attend in your future business career. Regular attendance is expected, and lax attendance will result in a reduction
of final grade and possibly failing the class. It is a professional courtesy to inform the instructor in advance of missing any
class session. Do not believe the “campus legend” that you allowed any “class cuts”.
Professional Development: This class will begin to develop a sense of business professionalism. You should begin to
comprehend that you will be evaluated for “what” you develop in concert with “how” you present yourself. This presentation
includes dress, speech, timeliness, attention, and courtesy.
Class Presence: Encouraged at all times. Individual ideas and views on concepts and problems only enhance the learning
environment. Class participation is not limited to time in the classroom. In previous semesters, I have always scored this portion
of the class rather severely, and I will continue that approach. This e-mail that several students received last year may help
clarify my expectations.
Thank you for your inquiry as to the class presence points that you received. I have over the years made an attempt to grade the effort
that students display in the classroom with regards to questions, observations, and other contributions to the course. I have tried my
best to only include sincere efforts by students, and I have attempted to give minimal value to condescending comments with little
course value. I believe that it is better to grade this area rather severely, and challenge students to go beyond just attending classes
and submitting homework. It would be easy to just give everyone all the points possible and have a bunch of smiling students.
However, I feel that it is my responsibility to set standards high.
If you review the scores for presence, you will find 56 percent of students received 5 points, and only 30 percent of students received
10 points. Of my two sections of Accountancy 231, only 4 students received 20 points for presence.
If there is one hope that I bring to grading, it is that I am consistent. I feel that I have been in this area. You may disagree, and I
understand that position, and I do respect that difference of opinion.
If there is a lesson to be learned, it is to be an active participant in class. Ask questions, make observations, visit your professor, bring
other material to class, or perhaps -- and I may be very surprised if this ever happens -- ask your professor early in the semester
where you stand, and what specific actions you can take to contribute to the learning environment of the class as a whole.
As you advance at the University, especially in the Mendoza College of Business, your classroom experiences will expect higher and
wider levels of participation. Of that you can be sure.
Performance Measurement: Throughout the semester the question of forecasted grade is always asked.
encouraged to meet with me to review their progress in class.
Students are
This is the responsibility of the student to make the contact and schedule a review with the instructor.
Be aware that in most cases it is difficult, if not impossible, to predict an exact final grade that a student will receive for the class.
However, suggestions for ways to improve class or exam preparation, quality of assignments submitted, presentation skills, or
class presence will be available.
During the semester we will on occasion monitor the North American Class 1 railways.
BNSF – Burlington Northern Santa Fe – www.bnsf.com
CN – Canadian National – www.cn.ca
CP – Canadian Pacific – www.cpr.ca
CSXT – CSX Transportation – www.csxt.com
KCS – Kansas City Southern – www.kcsi.com
NS – Norfolk Southern – www.nscorp.com
UP – Union Pacific – www.uprr.com
In addition, we will monitor the following seven individual firms. The ticker symbol and home page for each firm is also
given.
Boeing
(BA)
www.boeing.com
Caterpillar
(CAT)
www.cat.com
Chevron
(CVX)
www.chevron.com
General Electric
(GE)
www.ge.com
John Deere
(DE)
www.deere.com
L Brands
(LTD)
www.limited.com
McDonald’s
(MCD)
www.mcdonalds.com
Monsanto
(MON)
www.monsanto.com
United Technologies
(UTX)
www.utc.com
Wal-Mart
(WMT)
www.walmart.com
Information on these and other firms is available from many sources. Sources that you could use include the following
providers. Their home pages are also listed.
Dow Jones
www.djaverages.com
Google Finance
www.google.com/finance
Yahoo Finance www.yahoo.com/finance
MSN Money
www.msn.com/money
Reuters
www.reuters.com/finance
Bloomberg
www.bloomberg.com
CNBC
www.cnbc.com
The Street
www.thestreet.com
Wall Street Journal
www.wsj.com
Fox Business www.foxbusiness.com
Information on the required filings by these firms is also available from the Securities and Exchange Commission. The home
page for the Commission is www.sec.gov .