ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT
College of Business & Technology
Western Illinois University
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
Knoblauch Hall 135
1 University Circle
Macomb, Il 61455-1390
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
GCOM 414
Imposition and Image Transfer
(3 semester hours)
Fall 2009
Monday/Wednesday 3:00 to 4:50 p.m.
Wednesday 5:00 to 8:40 p.m.
Dr. Charles T. Weiss
e-mail: CT-Weiss@wiu.edu
office phone: 309.298.1488
Overview:
This course will be a study of the operations of offset printing presses, screen-printing, multi-page
layout, and other practical graphic art techniques. Time will also be spent on learning about paper,
ink, and some color theory. Emphasis will be placed upon supervised "hands-on" experience in a
technical graphic arts laboratory. All students enrolled in this course should have taken GCOM 211
prior to enrolling in GCOM 414. If you have not taken that class, you will not be able to take this
class 
Teaching Philosophy
I am here to teach you as much as I can in one semester about imposition, page layout, production
techniques, image transfer, and various production techniques. It is your responsibility to be here, to
learn, to do the assignments, to be present. I am not your parent and you are all college adults.
Please know I teach because I love to teach, but I can only teach you something if you are an active
participant in every aspect of the course. If you do not want to learn about production and
imposition, you should not be enrolled in this course. If you do not plan on being here on a regular
basis, this course may not be for you. If you do not plan on being an active participant, this course
may not be for you. If you plan to be here, and plan to be an active learner, I guarantee you will get
a plethora (probably too much) of useful information that could be used in not only graphic
communication courses, but also other courses here at Western, and future or current jobs you might
have. This is your chance to really understand print production so take advantage of it.
Objectives:
This course is designed to help the student understand the principles involved in creating multi-page
layouts, varied techniques, and presswork. A 4-unit screen printing press will be used in addition to
the single color offset duplicator. The laser printers will also be utilized to help understand the
principles being taught. The basic steps will be covered in each phase, but emphasis will be placed
upon the student to solve layout problems on their own.
In addition this class will explore other areas of graphic arts. These may include photography,
imaging, padding, trimming, paper-making, and others.
As a result of the course, the student will be able to:
1. Perform simple and complex layout operations;
2. Understand using color separations, both on-screen and on paper; Students will also be
able to make separations;
3. Understand the various types of printing being used, and be able to distinguish between
the various processes;
4. Run a printing press to reproduce a specific project (or projects) according to
specifications given by the instructor. This will include set-up, running, and clean-up of
the press;
5. Utilize the screen printing press to create single and multi color designs;
6. (Possible) Utilize and create a pinhole camera that is able to reproduce images using film
and no digital technologies;
7. (Possible) Learn the basics of paper making by making some paper;
8. Understand the principles behind all of the steps;
9. Understand the reasons behind picking various types of paper and ink;
Laboratory Guidelines:
1. Students are only allowed to work in the printing laboratory during the assigned class
times, unless the instructor has given permission to do so outside of regular class time.
Students are allowed to work in the computer lab without the instructor present, and the
times for computer lab open sessions will be posted;
2. No smoking, food or drink in the laboratories; if you want to use a water or drink
container that can be sealed you are welcome to keep it under your computer desk or in
your backpack; do not set these bottles next to your keyboard, and do not munch on
greasy food right before using a keyboard ;
3. Students are responsible for cleaning up their work area. Clean up should be done during
class and at the end of class. This ensures a clean environment for other students and
other classes. Failure to clean up work areas will result in loss of participation points,
and a dirty laboratory in which to complete our projects;
4. Computers in the lab are for work in this class only. Students may save appropriate files
to the computers and the server, as long as the files are related to this class;
5. Printing from computers is for the sole purpose of completing class assignments. Do not
use the laser printers in either of the GCOM lab’s to print out work for other classes;
6. IMPORTANT NOTE: Cell phones are prohibited from ringing in the classroom
and the laboratory. The first time it goes off in class you will automatically lose 5
points from your final exam grade, the second time you will lose an additional 10 points
(15 points
total), the third time you might as well not take the final…Make sure they
are turned off, or at least have them on vibrate. Also, if you are working during lab
hours, do not just chat away on your cell phone in the lab, take your phone call into the
hallway so that the other students around you can focus on their work and not listen to
your conversation about what might be going on at the Café that night;
7. Headphones/Music: I love music and often will play music during the lab times. I know
some of you feel the same way. So, feel free to bring in your
Ipod and your headphones. During normal lab times you are welcome to listen to it at a
reasonable volume level. If the student next to you can hear that you are listening to the
Grateful Dead, the volume is too high. Respect the students around you. You will not be
allowed to wear headphones during any type of examination.
8. Internet/E-mail: you are welcome to surf and check your e-mail before or after class, or
during lab time when you are not expected to be working on a specific project. I do not
want your surfing, chatting, or e-mailing as I am lecturing or during times which you are
supposed to be doing something class related. If you insist on surfing while I lecture, I
will deduct points from your participation grade. If you are caught downloading illegal
software or viewing inappropriate sites, you will automatically be banned from the
computer lab during open lab hours, and have all of your participation points removed
from your final grade.
Safety
Safety is an important and crucial factor in the Graphic Communication Industry. It is equally, or
more, important within the setting of this class and the laboratory. All students should abide by the
following procedures:
1. All students are required to wear safety glasses in critical eye-safety areas, such as the
press area;
2. No student will operate any piece of equipment before the instructor has demonstrated
the correct manner to use the equipment;
3. Students with long hair are required to tie hair back or wear a net when operating
equipment;
4. Neckties and other loose clothing should not be worn around operating equipment;
5. Long sleeve shirts should have their sleeves secured or rolled up;
6. Necklaces and other jewelry must be secured or removed before operating equipment;
7. Chemistry must be handled with extreme caution;
8. While operating equipment students must always be focused on the task at hand!
Students who are not focused have a much better chance of having an accident.
Therefore, only students operating a particular piece of equipment will be allowed to be
around that said piece of equipment;
9. Any accidents should be reported to the instructor immediately.
Any student violating any of these procedures will immediately have lab privileges suspended for a
period of time specified by the instructor.
Textbook:
Pocket Pal: the handy little book of graphic arts production
20th Edition – 2007 (or most recent)
Published by International Paper
Important Hyperlink:
http://teched.vt.edu/GCC/ (please note, this link will be changing as GRAPHIC COMM
CENTRAL moves to a new permanent location)
Class Web site:
Every student enrolled in this class will be required to log in and use the university WesternOnline
system. Quizzes and tests will be administered through this online course delivery system, and the
site will also be the location for course materials, handouts, and links to helpful information.
Students will also be required to log in to check for announcements. The Web site can be accessed
through the following link. Log in using your “ecom” information and password. Please note this is
the same as your e-mail log in and password. I will assist you in logging in if you have problems. I
cannot assign you an “ecom” account, and I do not have access to your info or passwords. You will
have to contact CAIT directly if you are having problems logging into the WesternOnline system.
For questions concerning access to WesternOnline, you will have to contact UCSS directly if you
are having problems logging into the WesternOnline system. For questions concerning access to
Westernonline you can call 298-2704.
https://westernonline.wiu.edu/
If you miss a class for some reason, check the WesternOnline site to find out what you may have
missed. Often times I will post assignments directly on the course Web site. I will also try to update
the weekly announcements so that you will know of upcoming deadlines.
Supplies:
The majority of supplies are furnished by the university. The student is responsible for the purchase
of a stripping knife (X-acto or equivalent), a memory device (such as a USB thumbdrive) and
a notebook/folder with which you will keep all your completed assignments in portfolio form.
You will also be responsible for buying your textbook. Safety glasses are also highly recommended,
as we will be working with various chemicals and production methods. Latex gloves are also a
cheap and easy way to keep your hands clean of ink and such.
Special Course Costs:
All students will be required to utilize laboratory materials to create projects in this course. The
course costs (film, developer, chemistry, printing plates, computer programs, ink, etc.) and
laboratory maintenance costs are approximately $25.00 per student. These costs will not exceed the
actual cost of replacement materials. All funds collected will be placed in a university account
maintained by the department to be used to purchase replacement supplies and maintain equipment.
Every student should pay their special course costs to the Engineering Technology Department
secretary located in Knoblauch 135. Course costs must be paid by October 1st to prevent any
possible negative ramifications. This is different from years past as faculty will not be collecting
course costs. It is YOUR responsibility to pay your course costs to the Engineering Technology
Department office. Please note this course cost is for each of your GCOM courses.
Attendance Policy:
In a laboratory class, the only way to learn as a student is to be present. Therefore, students are
required to attend class. At the same time, I am not your parent, and it will be your responsibility to
attend class on a regular basis. This is a 400 level class and it is expected you will be in class but I
will not be taking attendance. If you are not in class, you will not pass the class, it is that simple.
Failure to attend class on a regular basis will also result in a lost of participation points. Please not I
also do not take late assignments, nor do I offer make-ups if you miss an in-class project. If you are
not in class, you will not be learning with the other students, and you WILL fall behind. In the case
of unexcused absences, I am under no obligation to aid you, the student, in making up missed
assignments or missed lectures. In the case of excused absences, I will work with you but it is your
responsibility to tell me about your absence before it happens, or e-mail me ASAP in the case of an
emergency.
With the current range of sicknesses on college campuses, make sure you are staying healthy. If you
feel sick go to the health center. If you are too sick to miss a class, then you are too sick to be going
out with your friends. Keep me in the loop about any sickness that might prevent you from coming
to class. A little cough is a whole different sickness from swine flu.
Excused absences are those that you tell me about before hand, or those that happen under
unexpected consequences such as a death or illness. Unexpected consequences do not include
hangovers, naps, or sunny afternoons at Argyle State Park. In all cases of absences, it is your
responsibility to get the lecture material you missed, or find out what projects we may have started
or finished. In addition, arriving late and leaving early will be not be acceptable, unless you have a
good reason to do so. Each student is expected to stay to the end of the scheduled class period and
aid classmates with learning opportunities and lab cleanup. Absences, late arrivals, and early
departures will have a direct effect on your grade. If you decide to take a week or two off, I can
guarantee that your grade will be directly affected and you will have a hard time passing the course.
Someone is paying for you to be in this class, so take advantage of my knowledge and desire to
teach, and be in class on a regular basis.
Additionally, I will be giving unannounced quizzes throughout the semester. These quizzes will aid
those students who attend class and will give you an opportunity to get extra credit points added to
your final exam grade. For example, each quiz will be worth between 1 and 3 points. If you take the
quiz and get a 100, you will be able to add the one, two, or three points from that quiz to your final
exam grade. This will give you incentive to be in class, do your homework, and complete readings
on schedule. These quizzes will only be given once and there will be no make-ups given, even if
you have an excused absence for that day.
In addition, if you miss a test or an announced quiz, you will not be able to make that grade up, and
your grade will be a zero.
Also, if you show up late for an exam or quiz, you will not be able to take the examination and will
receive a zero with no chance to make it up. If a test is scheduled to start at 3, show up before 3, as
you will not be allowed to take the test after it begins.
Nature of the Class:
It is important that every student enrolled in the class be an active participant in the class. The class
size and the nature of the projects will make it very difficult for the instructor to be everywhere at
once. Please be patient, and assist other students if you re able.
This class will consist of lecture and lab time. It is your responsibility to be ready when entering the
class. I realize that a lecture is not always the most exciting way to learn, but alas, that is the only
manner in which I can transfer knowledge of certain aspects of the course to a class of this size. The
material from the lectures is very important. I do not make up the slide shows and lectures for my
own benefit. Microsoft Word versions of the PowerPoint slides will be available on the
WesternOnline site, but these will not include images. It is in your best interest to pay attention and
take notes when I give a lecture 
Expect to be in class every day. Do not expect me to make an assignment and then see you in three
weeks. If this happens I guarantee your grade will negatively be affected. The majority of lab work
will need to take place in our lab, so you will need to be here to complete it.
Assignments: (subject to change with student notice and input)
GCOM 414 is a three-credit course that will cover various aspects of graphic arts production
techniques. Each student will be required to participate in all phases of the course. In each
assignment, a complete record of your order of procedure should be kept along with progressive
steps of the projects being printed. These should be kept clean and neat and presented in a
professional-level fashion. Your name should appear on each assignment. In addition all of your
electronic files that you submit to the Server should be named using your last name and title of
assignment. For instance, assignment number one might be entitled weissbooklet1. If you use
generic names, it will be impossible for me to identify your work, and I will not be able to grade the
electronic versions of your assignments.
Assignment Definitions
From time to time, unannounced quizzes will be administered. These quizzes will be based upon
readings and/or material presented in class. The best way to prepare for these is to come to class
prepared, and on time. Missing a quiz will result in a zero, and there will be no make-ups. These
quizzes are meant to help those students who attend class and come prepared.
Class readings will be assigned, and I may ask you to answer some take home questions. I will only
ask for you to do this “homework” if I feel students are not reading the assigned pages. I will also
assign readings utilizing the WesternOnline site.
Two written abstracts will also be assigned during the semester that will require outside research to
be done. The abstracts must be prepared according to the guidelines provided by the instructor. The
abstract will be a topic of the student's choice, with permission of the instructor, taken from a list of
possible topics.
Various projects will also be assigned. These may be administered during class or as homework.
The number and nature will vary depending on the flow of the class. Please, note, most assignments
will require an electronic version of the assignment in addition to the hard copy print-out. Upload
your electronic files to the proper location on the G4 server.
Two major exams will be administered during the course of the semester: one exam approximately
midway through the semester and the final exam given during finals week. The first exam will
cover material from the beginning of the semester. The final will be cumulative. A review of course
material covered and types of questions on the examinations will be discussed prior to the exam
date. Students must plan on taking the test on the day it is given, no make-ups will be given without
prior permission by the instructor. The final exam will only be given once.
Announced quizzes may also be administered.
Late assignments: This class will be run as if it were a company, and you were an employee.
Therefore, no late assignments will be accepted (*). When you get a job out of college, you will
have assignments/projects/jobs that are due to a customer at a certain time or date. Failure to deliver
the goods will result in lost business. That is to say, points cannot be deducted in the workplace,
only dollars. Adequate lab time will be given to work on assigned projects. In fact, if several
students are having similar problems I will happily extend the due date. Once the due date has been
finalized, that is when your assignment is due. Of course, there may be extenuating circumstances
beyond your control like a freak blizzard that closes school down for a week. (*) Therefore each
student will be allowed to turn in ONE project up to one week late without penalty. You must also
tell me directly that you are turning in the project late, so that I can make note of it. This does not
include the final project or exams. I will give you plenty of time in and during class to complete
your projects. But, you will need to work outside of class to complete homework and take-home
projects. Students are encouraged to complete some stages of the assignments outside of class and
to utilize open computer lab times. Students are allowed to turn work in early, if their schedule
permits. Again, I will not accept late projects, so turn your work in on time!
Spelling/Grammar/Proofing
Last time I checked we were in a university setting. Therefore it is your responsibility to proof your
work before you turn it in for a grade. Recently I have noticed a steady decline in student’s proofing
efforts, so this semester I am going to be very strict when it comes to spelling and grammar
mistakes. The best way to avoid this is to read your work over before you submit it, use the spell
check tools in your programs, and double check words you are unsure of. Take this time up front
and you will not lose points.
*If I find misspelled words or poor grammar I will deduct the following points:
4 points for every misspelled word
4 points for each case of poor grammar
Another good way to avoid losing points for spelling or grammar is to have someone else read it. If
you are getting into the design world you need to understand the value of others reading your work
and giving you suggestions and comments.
Portfolio:
For successful completion of this course, students must submit a completed college level portfolio.
This portfolio will consist of a notebook including the course syllabus, handouts, abstracts, and
completed projects, as well as digital versions of all completed assignments on a Zip disk or similar
media. Projects will include a complete record of the procedure taken to complete the assignment.
As an example, this might include thumbnails, roughs, comprehensives, and final product design as
well as electronic versions of all of these. (On your Zip disk) In addition, the laboratory assignment
sheet, supplied by the instructor, must be included for each assignment. Students should also submit
anything else that is pertinent to completion of this class. Detailed instruction will be given on the
electronic portfolio.
Each student will prepare a college-level portfolio to include (content depends upon what is covered
during the course):
1. Syllabus/Laboratory handouts.
2. Written abstracts (2).
3. Answers to the assigned study questions/notes.
4. Completed examples for all assignments (to include all related materials) and all required
design work.
5. All assignments directions.
6. Student projects/jobs/examples.
7. Electronic versions of your projects either in Web or similar format saved to a cd or other
memory device.
Please note, when I say college level portfolio, I mean college level quality. If you turn in a folder
filled/stuffed with your assignments your grade will reflect this and you will not receive a passing
grade for this assignment.
Grading: (tentative)
Unannounced quizzes
Midterm Exam
Final Exam
Class Projects
Abstracts (2)
Class participation, Attendance, Clean-Up
Final Portfolio
Extra Credit for Final Exam
10%
15%
35%
10%
20%
10%
Code of Conduct:
All students enrolled in GCOM 414 should complete assignments individually unless they have
been assigned to a group. Students are expected to use their work, and only their work for
assignments. No instances of plagiarism will be tolerated. If I find you have violated this policy I
will not hesitate to turn your name in, no matter the circumstances, even if it means you may be
asked to leave Western.
If you have any questions about plagiarism, please ask. We will be doing multiple projects this
semester that will be very tempting for you to copy and paste text from a Web site, do not do it!
Copying anything word for word is plagiarism. If I ask you to create a multi-page document, make
sure the content is yours, not someone else’s.
Community Conduct:
Please note you are a part of this community and it is very important your actions outside of this
class reflect your participation in the local community. Excessive drinking, fighting, appearing on
MTV’s Busted, and idiotic happenings have all become a part of the WIU community, and this does
not help your degree or your university in any way shape or form. Poor decisions and ill behavior
do not only result in tickets, and free rides in police cars, they can also result in a blemish on your
permanent record, or even expulsion from WIU. Think about what you do before you do it and
regret it. Most importantly respect those around you and be ready to accept responsibility for you’re
your OWN actions. Again, I am not your parent, but it seems many WIU students have forgotten
they are here to learn first and foremost and there is a continued feeling of angst between
community members and WIU students, which I do not think is healthy for anyone.
Grading Philosophy: You will be graded on the effort you put into a assignment. If I assign you a
24-page booklet and you turn in the bare basics, the highest grade you can receive will be a C,
because you basically did the average amount of work. If I assign you a 24-page booklet and you
turn in 24 great pages, your grade will reflect that. In the same vein, if I assign you a poster and you
do the bare minimum to get it done, your grade will reflect it, and will receive a C. If you put in
extra time and make sure you do all you can to make the poster look awesome, your grade will
reflect it. If you plan on being a graphic designer or working in the graphic communication industry
you cannot succeed by doing the bare minimum. There are many other people vying for the same
jobs, and the only way you can guarantee success, is by putting in the time to do great work every
time! For that reason, my grading will reflect your effort above and beyond the basics. If you want
an A, work for it, do not expect it. I do not just give out grades for the fun of it, and I would rather
give an A than a D, but that is up to you.
Clean Up Note:
This is a production class and it is essential that you clean up after yourself. Do not take it for
granted that I will clean up after you. Do not expect your classmates to clean up after you either. If I
can identify who left a mess I will ask that person to clean it up, or I will deduct points from that
person’s grade if the clean up needs to happen right away. I am not afraid of giving you a zero on a
project if you fail to clean up after yourself. This is especially important when it comes to inks,
screens, and other material that needs to be cleaned up immediately.
Once again I am not your parent and it is your responsibility to clean up. Everyone makes a mess in
this class, just be prepared to clean it up and we will not have any issues revolving around the
cleanliness of the lab. I purposely allow you to work in the production lab outside of class time so
you have more time to complete your projects. Failure to keep the production lab clean will result in
a loss of this opportunity for individuals and potentially the entire class. Please, just clean up.
On a similar note this is a production class and things happen. If you break something on accident,
do not be afraid to tell me. If you make a mess and are unsure of how to clean it up, ask. If you are
in the lab after class time and you notice something not working properly (i.e a smoking pressure
washer), stop, leave a note, and slowly leave the lab 
Screens and frames: I will be assigning screens for you to use for our screen-printing projects. You
should return the screen to me in the same condition your received it. If you fail to clean a screen
properly and I have to replace the screen material because of your failure to clean it, you will be
charged $10. You can also lose class participation points as a result of not cleaning items up.
Suggest Course Outline (subject to change with notice)
Weeks 1-3 – Basic imposition moving into more complicated layouts
Weeks 4-6 – Screen printing, continued work on imposition
Weeks 6-9 – Offset lithography, screen printing, imposition
Weeks 10-12 – Production techniques, binding, special projects
Weeks 13-16 – Finalization of projects, portfolio, printing tour field trip
Course outline will change as students move through the various assignments and projects. I will
adjust timeline based upon student work and progress.
Last Day to Drop Class: November 1st
Office hour note:
Occasionally I get notes from student evaluations talking about how I covered some material too
fast, or I was not clear in my directions. I want to make it perfectly clear that if you do not
understand something and I do not know about your misunderstanding, I cannot do anything about
it. I hold office hours to give you extra time in a one on one setting. I am also always checking email and try to respond as soon as I can. You can also use the old fashioned method of calling my
office phone and leaving a message. Ask a question if you do not understand something!!!
Rules for Giving an Incomplete
Western Illinois University policy – A temporary symbol of I (Incomplete) for a course may be
given only when a student, due to circumstances beyond his or her control, has been unable to
complete the course requirements within the official limits of the term. The circumstances must be
documented to the instructor’s satisfaction.
Academic Integrity:
Preamble
Western Illinois University, like all communities, functions best when its members treat one another
with honesty, fairness, respect, and trust. Students have rights and responsibilities
(http://www.wiu.edu/provost/students/) and students should realize that deception for individual
gain is an offense against the members of the entire community, and it is the student's responsibility
to be informed and to abide by all University regulations and policies on Academic Integrity.
Plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty constitute a serious violation of
University conduct regulations. Students who engage in dishonesty in any form shall be charged
with academic dishonesty.
It is a duty of faculty members to take measures to preserve and transmit the values of the
academic community in the learning environment that they create for their students and in their
own academic pursuits. To this end, they are expected to instill in their students a respect for
integrity and a desire to behave honestly. They are also expected to take measures to discourage
student academic dishonesty, to adjust grades appropriately if academic dishonesty is encountered,
and, when warranted, to recommend that additional administrative sanctions be considered.
Grading policies are the exclusive prerogative of the faculty; administrative sanctions are under the
authority of the Director of Student Judicial Programs. This document provides policies and
procedures to be followed when academic dishonesty is encountered.
Definitions of Academic Dishonesty
The following definitions and examples are not meant to be exhaustive. The University reserves the
right to determine, in a given instance, what action constitutes a violation of academic integrity.
(See www.wiu.edu/policies/acintegrity.php for complete descriptions of the following topics:
1.
Plagiarism
2.
Fabrication and Falsification
3.
Cheating
4.
Complicity in Academic Dishonesty
5.
Abuse of Academic Materials
6.
Multiple Submissions
Reporting Academic Dishonesty
All members of the University community share the responsibility and authority to challenge and
make known acts of apparent academic dishonesty. Any student, faculty member, or staff person
who has witnessed an apparent act of student academic dishonesty, or has information that
reasonably leads to the conclusion that such an act has occurred or has been attempted, has an
ethical responsibility for reporting said act(s). Confronting and reporting academic dishonesty can
be done in a variety of ways, and people should choose the manner most appropriate for the
circumstances. Acts of apparent academic dishonesty that occur in the classroom should be reported
directly to the course instructor, and/or the course instructor's Department Chair, and/or the
instructor's College Dean. The Council on Admission, Graduation, and Academic Standards
(CAGAS) or the Graduate Council will not accept or act upon anonymous reports, but will hold in
strict confidence the identity of any person reporting a suspected instance of academic dishonesty,
unless that person consents to having his/her identity revealed.
Access & Disabilities
In accordance with University policy and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), academic
accommodations may be made for any student who notifies the instructor of the need for an
accommodation. For the instructor to provide the proper accommodation(s), you must obtain
documentation of the need for an accommodation through Disability Support Services and provide
it to the instructor. It is imperative that you take the initiative to bring such needs to the instructor's
attention, as he/she is not legally permitted to inquire about such particular needs of students.
Students who may require special assistance in emergency evacuations (i.e. fire, tornado, etc.)
should contact the instructor as to the most appropriate procedures to follow in such an emergency.
Contact Disability Support Services at 298-2512 for additional services.
If you have emergency medical information to share with me, if you need special arrangements in
case the building must be evacuated, or if you need accommodations in this course because of a
disability, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible. My office location and hours
are at the top of this syllabus. If you plan to request disability accommodations, you are expected to
register with the Disability Support Services (DSS) at 298-2512.
Resolution of Problems
Should a problem occur, students should speak to their instructor first. If the problem is not
resolved, meet with the chair of the department. If the problem continues to be unresolved, go to the
College of Business and Technology’s Dean.
Students should observe the following sequence for the resolution of problems:
Student --- Instructor --- Chairperson --- Dean
Instructor note:
This class is a work in progress. From time to time, changes may be needed. All changes will be
made with student input, and no surprises will be sprung at the last minute!
OFFICE HOURS – FALL 2009
Tuesday: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Thursday: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
I keep these office hours so that you, the student, may visit, ask questions, get assistance, etc. Please
use them. If you have missed a class, or feel like you missed something during a lecture or a demo,
my office hours are a perfect time for you to interact with me, so that you do not feel lost or behind!
If you cannot make these office hours, we can arrange an alternate time to meet.
E-mail: CT-Weiss@wiu.edu
Office phone: 309.298.1488
GCOM 414 – FALL 2009
Upon reading your syllabus, please sign the following form. This form will act as a contract
between you (the student) and me (the professor). By signing the form you acknowledge reading the
syllabus and understanding such things as; what might happen if you break the honor code (you fail
the project, fail the course, and are reported to the University honor code office), what might happen
if you do not turn in a project on time (you get a zero), what might happen if you fail to clean a
screen and ruin it ($10 charge, as well as possible lost project points), and what might happen if you
do not come to class on a regular basis (you will not pass the class). This “contract” allows me to
know you have read the syllabus and understand the consequences. On a different note, by reading
the syllabus and signing this form, you also understand how it is easy to pass this course, and get a
good grade; show up to class everyday, complete your projects on time, do a little more than the
assignment asks for, and clean up after yourself.
Please print your name and sign the line below, then I will tear this sheet off when I take up the
syllabus at the end of class.
Thanks!
Print your name here: ________________________________________________
Sign your name here: ________________________________________________