DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT
VALDOSTA STATE UNIVERSITY
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 3110
BUSINESS LAW
HOMEPAGE is http://www.valdosta.edu/~sostapsk/
e-mail:sostapsk@valdosta.edu
Spring Semester 2010
Section A
Room: Pound 307
TU: 6:30 p.m. - 9:15 p.m.
Prof. A. Ostapski
Thaxton 317
249-2622, 245-2233
Office Hours:
TU/TH: 10:00 - 11:00
TU/TH: 1:45 - 3:30
TU: 6:00 - 6:30
or by appointment.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
BUSA 3110 is an introductory course which focuses on
primarily the legal but also the ethical implications of business.
It is
designed to provide students with an overview of the laws surrounding business
transactions, particularly in the areas of contracts, sales, commercial paper
and secured transactions through study of case law, the Uniform Commercial
Code, and the Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods.
Additional topics include agency, sole proprietorship, partnership, noncorporate business entities, and corporate law.
The last component of this
course is a limited inquiry into the impact of governmental regulation on the
business person through the study of securities law and property law.
The
Management Department believes that the presence and the participation of the
student are essential elements in achieving maximum learning. The course is a
problem solving experience which attempts to develop the analytical, decisionmaking capacity of the student.
Communication is especially important for
learning to reach its educational objectives.
Outside of class, the course
instructor may be reached by e-mail at sostapsk@valdosta.edu and at the office
numbers listed above.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: (1) Responsibility of Business in Society. Students will
demonstrate an awareness of the multiple roles of business in society. VSU
General Education Outcome 1; LCOBA Objectives 1 & 3 (Tests 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5).
(2) Corporate Compliance. Students will demonstrate knowledge of corporate
compliance issues and actors. LCOBA Objectives 1 & 3 (Test 5). (3) Awareness of
Ethical Problems: Students will demonstrate an ability to recognize an ethical
problem. VSU General Education Outcome 8; LCOBA Objective 3 (Tests 1, 2, 3, 4,
and 5). (4) Knowledge of the Legal and Ethical Environment in Business.
Students will be introduced to the subject matter listed in the COURSE
OBJECTIVES section above. VSU General Education Outcomes 1, 3, 4, and 8; LCOBA
Objectives 1, 2, and 3. (Tests 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5).
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Short (thirty minute) tests will be administered on the
recent assignment.
Approximately 5-8 such tests will be given over the
semester.
All evaluations will be counted toward the final grade; no grade
will be dropped. Essay, hypothetical and objective type questions may be used.
Students must complete all scheduled tests in order to receive a final grade.
The final exam for this course is scheduled for Tuesday, May 6, 2010 from 9:30
p.m. to 11:30 p.m. By playing "The Puzzle Game" throughout the term, students
will be given extra credit opportunities, which may increase their final grade.
POLICY CONCERNING MAKE-UP TESTS:
Make-up tests will be given only for very
good reasons such as documented student illness or death in the family.
A
student is expected to give notice to the instructor PRIOR to the time of the
test if he or she must be absent on test day. Make-up tests will be given on
Monday, May 3, 2010.
ATTENDANCE/PREPARATION/CHEATING/TEXTING POLICIES:
Class attendance, when
required,
and preparedness are essential to the learning process.
Students
are expected to be present each class period except when special circumstances
make attendance difficult, as in the case of illness. Students must provide a
note of explanation for each missed class. I reserve the right to lower the
course grade to the next lower grade if an explanatory note for an absence is
not provided or if absences exceed 2 meetings. More than 3 absences may result
in an automatic F.
For more information on this matter, see page 90 of the
2009-2010 VSU Undergraduate Catalog.
Any student cheating on a graded
assignment or extra credit opportunity will earn a failing grade for the
course.
Phone texting or other cell phone activity during class is not
permitted. Violators will be asked to either temporarily surrender their phone
or leave the room
AMERICAN DISABILITIES ACT (ADA):
Students requiring classroom accommodations
or modifications due to a documented disability must contact the Access Office
for Students with Disabilities located in Farber Hall. The phone numbers are
229-245-2498 (V/VP) and 229-219-1348 (TTY).
Texts:
Barnes, Dworkin, and Richards, Law for Business, McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 10th ed.,
2009.
Ostapski, Law for Business - The Puzzle Game, McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2003.
SCHEDULE OF ASSIGNMENTS FOR BUSA 3110
January 12
Orientation, Sources of the Law,
Judicial System and Litigation
Ch. 1, 2
January 19, 26
Nature of Contract, Contract
Formation and Consideration
Ch. 9, 10, 11, 12
January 26, February 2 & 9
Contract Defenses
Ch. 13, 14, 15, 16
February 9
Assignment, Performance and Remedies
Ch. 17, 18
February 16, 23
Sales Law
Ch. 19, 20 (pp. 336-350), 21, 22
March 2 & 9
Negotiable Instruments and
Secured Transactions
Ch. 38, 39, 43
March 23
Agency
Ch. 23, 24
March 30
Sole Proprietorships, Partnerships and Non-corporate Business
Entities
Ch. 26, 27
April 6
Corporate Law
Ch. 28, 29, 30
April 13
Securities Regulation
Ch. 31
April 20
Property Law and Bailments
Ch. 33
April 27
Review and Test #5
May 6
Final Experience