WESTERN
Illinois
University
ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT: Knoblauch Hall
COLLEGE of BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY
CMST 232 CONSTRUCTION SYSTEMS:
Sect. 001: MWF 0900-0950. Room 330;
Sect. 002: MWF 1000-1050, Room 330
William F. Suter; MBA, PMP (309) 298-1091 email: wf-suter@wiu.edu
OFFICE HOURS: (Office location KNBL 102) M T W Th 12 noon-1:00pm. Other times
available by appointment; call or email to set up a day and time.
CATALOG DESCRIPTION: 232 Construction Systems. (3) Introduction to construction
systems including the interrelationships between the elements of construction, basic graphical
construction, and related fields.
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Fundamentals of Building Construction: Materials and Methods, 5th ed. by Edward
Allen and Joseph Iano; ISBN#: 978-0-470-07468-8
ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT: Goals for Student Learning
Technology (Engineering Technology, Graphic Communication, and Construction
Management) is a field of study designed to prepare technical, technical management,
and technical entrepreneurial professionals for employment in business, industry,
education, and government.
By graduation, technology students should be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Think critically, and creatively;
Understand the theoretical principles of the profession;
Understand and apply relevant technology in the solution of technical problems;
Develop an appreciation for ethical and professional practices;
Develop and refine oral, written, and visual communication skills; and
Demonstrate an overall competency in the program objectives
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to identify and explain
construction materials and methods appropriate for applications in construction for
earth work, concrete, masonry, and wood processes.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
 Each student is expected to read all assignments and complete and submit homework
assignments. Grades will be assigned based upon completeness of work and writing
skills. Errors in grammar, spelling, sentence structure, syntax etc., will be noted
and points will be deducted. It is expected that the student improve his/her
writing skills as the semester progresses.
 Each student is expected to attend class lectures, sessions with speakers, and exams
when scheduled.
 FINAL EXAMINATION: See below.
 All students are expected to participate in any lab activity. Safety glasses (at all times)
and ear plugs when appropriate are required in the lab.
 The student will complete all assigned individual activities and turn them in on the due
date. Late work will not be accepted for grading unless the student has an excused
absence. See below for details.

It is the instructor’s responsibility to provide an atmosphere conducive to learning.
This means that no cell phones or iPODs (any MP3 players) are to be used during classif these instruments are seen or heard, they will be confiscated for the duration of the
class. There will be no eating or reading of papers, or side discussions with other
students. Late students may not be admitted to the classroom. It is expected that
everyone act professionally. Therefore, swearing or profanity, rude or disparaging jokes
or misbehavior in class will not be permitted. You will get one warning, and after that
if you do not correct your speech or behavior you will be asked to leave the classroom.
GRADING:
4 Exams
Homework
Laboratory exercise
Attendance/Participation
400 points
375 points
36
_ 43 points
854 total points available
Points accrued by the student will be converted to a percentage of the total points
available, which in turn will correspond to a letter grade as shown below.
Final grade scale is below. No rounding up of percentages will occur.
GRADES BREAKDOWN:
*A+
A
AB+
B
B-
(97.0% - 100%)
(93.0% - 96.9%)
(90.0% - 92.9%)
(87.0% - 89.9%)
(83.0% - 86.9%)
(80.0% - 82.9%)
C+
C
CD+
D
D-
(77.0% - 79.9%)
(73.0% - 76.9%)
(70.0% - 72.9%)
(67.0% - 69.9%)
(63.0% - 66.9%)
(60.0 – 62.9%)
NOTE: WIU does not count A+. Any grade above 93% will be reported as an A. 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
Fabrication and Falsification
Cheating
Complicity in Academic Dishonesty
Abuse of Academic Materials
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.
STUDENT ACCESS & DISABILITY SERVICES:
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 Resource Center 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 the Disability Resource Center 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
Resource Center (DRC) at 298-2512.
COURSE ADMINISTRATION DETAILS:
1. Note: This syllabus may be revised, especially the class schedule, at the instructor’s
preference or due to class progress.
2. Important date: Last day to drop a class is October 28, 2012.
3. Homework and class assignments:
a. See attached class schedule for reading assignments and homework assignments.
b. Homework is due at the beginning of the class per the due date on the attached
schedule.
c. Late Homework Policy:
1) Writing assignments are worth 15 (fifteen) points, or as noted. The
assignments will be graded on content and writing skills. The assignments are
due on the date shown on the class schedule.
2) Homework due on an excused absence (see below for the definition of an
excused absence) will be accepted and graded at full point allotment. The due
date will be the next attended class session. Assignments due during an
extended excused absence will be executed and submitted upon agreement
between the student and the lecturer.
3) Late homework will be accepted one class session after the assignment and
graded at 10 (ten) points. No homework will be accepted after that class.
4. Attendance Policy:
a. Students will be issued one (1) point for each class session attended. To obtain the
point the student will be on time and prepared to participate in the class session.
b. A student that is not on time to class (that is arriving in the class room after the
appointed hour) will be issued a half (1/2) for the attended class.
c. An excused absence from class is defined as an email directed to the instructor at
least fifteen (15) minutes prior to the start of the class stating that the student is unable
to attend class. The receipt of a timely email from the student, regarding an excused
absence, will result in the student receiving the lecture notes for the unattended class
and a full attendance point for the day.
b. A non-excused absence will result in the student losing one (1) attendance point.
You will note that attendance in class, and gaining the resultant points, will
significantly impact the final grade received in the class.
5. Examination:
There are a total of four (4) examinations for this class. Each examination is worth one
hundred (100) points. The dates for the examinations are shown on the class schedule.
Make up examinations will be given based on an excused absence. The time and place
will be determined by the lecturer.
6. Final Examinations:
Section 1 – Wednesday - December 12, 2012 @ 0800 hours
Section 2 – Monday – December 10, 2012 @ 1000 hours
DISPUTE RESOLUTION:
Should a problem occur, students should first speak to their instructor. 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