Home • BUSA 200 Course Web • Course Syllabi: General Information • Meteorology Links • Site Map

[Course Descriptions & Prerequisites] [Texts and Materials] [Course Objectives] [Grading & Evaluation] [Assignments: General Information]

Contact me & office hours ~ Special needs ~ Educational philosophy
Classroom Expectations ~ Academic honesty ~ SBA Portfolio requirement
Upper division prerequisites ~ University deadlines ~ Guidelines for success ~ FAQs

This page is the gateway to a all the information you need if you are enrolled in any of my courses. Some information (my office hours, grading standards, expectations regarding academic honesty, etc.) are the same across all courses. All such matters are addressed on this page. Use the navigation bar above to access the specific information you need. During the Fall 2008 semester, I am teaching the following classes: BUSA 200 [Documenting Professional Development, BUSA 203-01 and 203-02 [Managerial Accounting, and BUSA 320 [Accounting Information Systems]. For course-specific information, use the hyperlinks in the table below to access the relevant pages:

Access the PowerPoint syllabus summary from the first day of class here: BUSA 203 [Fall '08] ~~  BUSA 320 [Fall '08] ~~ BUSA 323 [for most recent offering, spring 2008]

One page handout of course syllabus hyperlinks, etc. syllabus links

Contact me; office hours

Where to find me: 326 Morken Center [or in the Kelley Cafe!].

Office phone: 253-535-7304; FAX 253-535-8723; email: myersgm@plu.edu

Website: http://www.plu.edu/~myersgm

Management Accounting Web: Tutorials and exercises for managerial accounting [BUSA 203]: http://www.plu.edu/~mgtacctg

Return to top of page

Special needs

Students with medically recognized and documented disabilities and who are in need of special accommodation have an obligation to notify the University of their needs. Students in need of accommodation should contact the Office of Disability Support Services (x7206). If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible.

Educational philosophy [a.k.a. why I teach the way I and not the way Professor X does]

My educational philosophy is a natural outgrowth of my own experience as a student and teacher. Knowing facts can be useful, but knowing how to use or apply one's knowledge is even more important. After many years in the classroom as both student and teacher, I am convinced that we learn best by doing. For example, I can provide seemingly endless demonstrations of cost allocation procedures, but until you actually sit down and try to DO cost allocations yourselves, you will have learned little and have real difficulty applying your "knowledge" in a practical setting.

My courses are NOT structured in a traditional "work the homework problems at the end of the chapter, then regurgitate it all on the exam" format. My courses are heavily conceptual. That is, we'll rely on the development of a solid conceptual foundation which will enable you to understand why we do what we do the way we do it. Perhaps the most common criticism on my course evaluations is something along the lines of "...assignments were too broad...we didn't know what he wanted." I expect students to think, to understand how what they have learned relates to the situation under consideration, to apply what they have learned to develop an appropriate analysis. In my courses, rote memorization is totally useless. However, remembering because you can understand and can use concepts is critical.

I do not summarize or paraphrase the text. You can read the text yourself, and I will not insult your intelligence by parroting what the text says. However, that means that it is imperative that you ask questions if you encounter material in the text that you do not understand. And that also requires that you read the text closely enough to ferret out those issues which are unclear. The text contains many examples. Work through them step by step. If you can't figure out how the authors come up with the results that they do, please ASK ME!

Students in quantitative courses often have a tendency to memorize formulas, assuming that as long as the formula is committed to memory, they can always "plug and chug." However, the formulas are invariably a representation of some economic phenomena, and real world economic phenomena seldom, if ever, come neatly packaged in shrinkwrap with all the parts labeled and a blueprint with directions for correct assembly. For better or worse, business problems cannot be reduced to a Lego® set of interchangeable parts that can be assembled to meet the configuration of the moment.  Understanding the relevant concepts will enable you to apply your knowledge whether you have actually memorized anything or not. Understanding the concepts involves being able to answer questions like: Why are we doing this? Where do we start? Where should we end up? Having gotten a "solution," does my answer make sense? For example, are the numbers of the appropriate order of magnitude?

In all my classes homework assignments will include a variety of problems cases which demonstrate basic concepts, tools and principles. While I do not collect daily assignments, thatdoes not mean that they are less important than "graded work," or that you can simply kiss them off as irrelevant "because Professor Myers doesn't collect them anyway." They ARE the foundation for the cases that I WILL collect, those that are designed to assess how much you have learned and whether you can really DO the work that is required. 

I often hear students say that they have not attempted the assigned work because they didn't want to make mistakes or learn bad habits. Unfortunately, some of our most profitable learning experiences arise when we make mistakes--even biggies. There is far more to be gained by struggling and going down dead ends than there is by sitting back and waiting for the mental sponge to finally absorb sufficient material to get the task done. After the sponge is fully saturated, you still have to struggle through the material and figure out how to do the work. I fully understand that it is often tempting to skim a homework assignment and decide to "wing it." There are more than enough other things to fill the time. (Been there. Done that.) However, I can guarantee that your time on the material which is assigned "for credit" will be shorter, less frustrating, and more satisfying if you have done the preparation on all the other assignments which lead up to them. 

Gentleperson's "C:" At some elite institutions, particularly those which were historically men's colleges, some students have been content to get what became known as a "Gentleman's C." In other words, they were willing to do enough work to get by with a C grade [and avoid the embarrassment of a lower grade] while not putting forth the effort needed to get a B or an A, even though they were perfectly capable of better work. I realize that some of you are in this class only because it is required, and as such, may be content with a "gentleperson's C." If that is your situation, I have no problem with that, as long as you are honest about it. However, it is not acceptable for you to contaminate the atmosphere for the rest of us with a poor attitude. Real learning requires effort and commitment.

Those who lack interest in the material may be unwilling to put forth the effort required to attain a grade higher than a C. I will not "like you" any more or less because of the effort that you put into the class. Low grades don't mean that I dislike you, any more than good grades mean that I like you. The grade that you earn in the course is the representation of my professional judgment about what you have learned in the course--nothing more--nothing less.. For individual courses, my grading philosophy is reflected in the following ways: 

Return to top of page

Classroom expectations

This section on "classroom expectations" covers class participation, classroom professionalism, and attendance.

Participation

My teaching style assumes a level of active interest and participation by everyone in the class. Like my [now retired] colleague, history professor Phil Nordquist, I believe that education is NOT a series of interminable professorial monologues, each followed by a long bleak period of student silence. I adhere to what I call the "swimming" theory of education. Just as you cannot learn to swim without getting wet (and without getting water up your nose), you cannot learn accounting without engaging your brain, diving into the material, flailing around and making mistakes. Like the water up your nose, the mistakes are only briefly uncomfortable, even less so if you learn from them.

In my courses, a significant portion of your grade is allocated to class participation. "Participation" is defined as your involvement in all aspects of classroom activities. Your participation grade will reflect my assessment of your level of daily preparation, your ability to add to the discussion, and your overall level of professionalism.

As prospective professionals, it is imperative that each of you develop interpersonal and discussion skills. Participation in class discussions is an integral part of the learning experience for you and your fellow students. The success of the course is largely determined by the quality of the interactions which take place during our class sessions; you (individually and collectively) are responsible for doing your part to initiate and sustain our discussions.

Students are expected to be ready to discuss their thoughts on all assigned readings and cases at the scheduled class period. Your preparation should include written notes that identify key issues, unresolved questions, and implications for action. If you are inadequately prepared to participate on a given day, you have three alternatives (listed in order of increasing negative evaluation): (1) ask before class not to be called on; (2) pass when you are called on; or (3) "wing it." 

I do understand that many of you come from cultures where asking questions (and especially challenging the accuracy or correctness of a teacher's statements) is considered impolite. Language difficulties, speech problems or just plain shyness may be challenges for some people. However, I much prefer an environment where everyone is encouraged to get involved. There are NO "stupid" questions. If there is something you don't understand, let's tackle it right away. In an extreme situation, I may suggest that we meet during office hours, simply to avoid derailing the class when the vast majority are on track. However, those occurrences are rare indeed. When one person doesn't understand something, the chances are there are several others who are equally confused.

I will evaluate your classroom participation according to the following categories:

Class participation is necessarily dependent on a variety of factors, including attendance in class, listening skills, and preparation. The following grid provides a more detailed perspective on class participation.

Return to top of page

Classroom professionalism

I think most of you will find that I am relatively informal. However, I do insist that your treat me and your fellow students with professional respect. Most of what follows used to be regarded as "common courtesy." However, as the temptations of the electronic age become more pervasive (and invasive) I find it necessary to make special note of the items below. Consistent demonstration of a lack of respect and professionalism in the classroom will have an immediate and significant impact on a student's participation grade.

Attendance

I consider class attendance particularly important. Other considerations aside, class participation is a significant portion of your grade. You obviously cannot participate if you are not present in the room. However, on a deeper level, enrollment in the class signifies a commitment to your own intellectual progress and to that of your fellow students. Each of you has the potential to ask important questions and raise issues which may turn out to be as important to others as they are to you. As in any situation involving group dynamics, everyone is shortchanged when the absence of some members of the group necessitates rehashing material from a previous session for the benefit of one or two who missed a prior session. Enrollment in a class involves a collaborative responsibility to attend every class meeting unless there are overwhelming reasons for an absence.

Having said all that, I do understand that folks get sick, have children that need to be taken to day care and so on. We are all subject to family emergencies at one time or another. However, everyone is better off if those situations can be kept to an absolute minimum. If and when attendance does become a serious problem for an individual in the class, there is an automatic impact on the student's final grade using the following scale:

After many years of trying to sort out the validity of "excuses," I have given up trying to separate "excused" and "unexcused" absences. There are simply too many different circumstances to try to identify valid criteria which are consistent and fair. 

Return to top of page

Academic honesty

Both the value and the success of any academic activity, as well as the entire academic enterprise, have depended for centuries on the fundamental principle of absolute honesty. The University expects all its faculty and students to honor this principle scrupulously. Since academic dishonesty is a serious breach of the universally recognized code of academic ethics, it is every faculty member’s obligation to impose appropriate sanctions for any demonstrable instance of such misconduct on the part of a student. I enforce the university policies on academic honesty vigorously. The university’s policy on academic integrity and its procedures for dealing with academic misconduct are detailed in the Student Handbook. (As an exercise in understanding the seriousness of academic dishonesty, think about the prospects of having your open heart surgery done by a surgeon who cheated his/her way through med school or having your taxes done by an accountant who cheated in an income tax class.)

The minimum penalty I will assess for academic dishonesty in any form (including but not restricted to outright cheating and plagiarism), is a failing grade on the assignment in question. More severe penalties (e.g., failing the course) may be levied depending on the apparent seriousness of the infraction. All [yes, ALL] suspected violations of academic honesty will be reported through the official channels to the Campus Life Committee. Violations of academic honesty include but are not restricted to the following:

1. submission of another person's work as your own
2. unauthorized use of a solutions manual or instructor's solution to a case or problem
3. buying a solution "off the Web" and submitting it as your own work
4. copying another student's solution [from this semester or any other semester, at PLU or at any other institution]
5. quoting material from another source without appropriate attribution

It is no secret that there are a lot of materials available on the Web to enable students to avoid doing any more work than absolutely necessary. However, those materials are also available to everyone else (like your professors). Furthermore, I have resources I can use to compare your work to thousands of documents on the Web. I regard illegitimate use of Web materials (term papers for sale, plagiarizing other people's work, etc.) as a very serious violation of academic honesty, and will deal with such situations accordingly. Restrictions on the use of the work of other people extends to anything you may find in hard copy or digital form anywhere, including but not restricted to case analyses, term papers, PowerPoint files, Excel worksheets, database designs and Web pages If you found someone else's work in a wastebasket in the library, it is still someone else's work, not yours, and to submit it as your own is patently dishonest.

In all of my classes, there is a mix of group and individual work. Individual work is just that--work you have done yourself. I have no objection group effort on individual assignments. By all mans, learn from each other, but give me work that you have done yourself. Where group assignments are involved, turn in a single document with all the students' names on it.

While some of the cases or assignments in this course are new each semester, others are used with varying degrees of repetition. To guarantee yourself and others the full opportunity for maximum learning from the cases, the following ground rules apply:

1. You are free to discuss any of the assignments among yourselves. However, what you submit for credit must submit your own work. I will not accept work which appears to be the result of obvious collaboration (e.g., identical or nearly identical essay or spreadsheet answers).

2. All assignments are to be completed without access to the notes or analyses (written or oral) of students who have previously enrolled in the course.

3. After completing a course, you will not discuss the details of the case analyses with students subsequently enrolled in the course.

Save yourself the embarrassment  and the negative impact on your grade by observing the university policies on academic honesty with appropriate care. 

Return to top of page

SBA Portfolio requirement

Beginning with the class of 2005, all PLU BBA graduates will be required to complete a portfolio of their work, demonstrating that they have achieved the competency and knowledge outcomes identified by the School of Business Faculty. The main focus of the portfolio is the common learning outcomes adopted by the School of Business Faculty.

What is a portfolio? 

A portfolio is a collection of selected student work packaged and organized for easy review and evaluation. It is designed to be used for tracking, assessing and integrating academic development. A portfolio has several advantages over a traditional academic transcript. A transcript is nothing more than an official record of courses taken and grades earned. A portfolio provides a physical place to keep all sorts of academic work: term papers, projects, presentations, records of internships,  honors projects and other evidence of learning which is not reflected directly on a transcript. A portfolio also provides a place to document other sorts of achievements including extracurricular activities, participation in student government and other campus leadership roles, study abroad experiences, awards and any other activities that you may think enhance your professional growth and development. While a portfolio may be in either hard copy or digital format, we believe that the digital format is preferable because it is more easily organized and accessed, highly portable, and easily communicated to others. If your portfolio is Web based, you have the capability to link your own accomplishment directly with the standards and achievement criteria established by the School of Business.

A portfolio is not merely a repository for all of a student’s work. It does provide a framework for organizing and presenting evidence that each student has developed the abilities that we in the School of Business seek to deliver in all of our graduates. A portfolio provides a way of documenting both progress in the achievement of those abilities. The process of accumulating the evidence over the course of completing the business major is intended to keep the student’s focus on the task at hand. The portfolio should be sufficiently terse to allow quick access review and review of evidence. Students may wish to obtain video or audio examples of student performance, video or audio testimonials from faculty or other parties. However, inclusion of such content is at the discretion of the student and relevant faculty or outside individuals.

It is also important to note that a portfolio should not limited to exemplary work. As discussed further in a subsequent section of this document, a major purpose of portfolios should be to document progress and the evolution of one’s ability in a discipline. If the only exemplary work is included, there can obviously be no documentation of progress.

Specific Competency and Knowledge Outcomes

The School of Business Faculty has identified several general outcomes appropriate to our graduates. These are divided into knowledge outcomes and competencies. The outcomes and competencies are supported by a set of core values:

1. Knowledge is defined as learning, understanding, and internalization of business curriculum content, including global awareness, effective use of technology, ethical decision making and business specific disciplinary content.

2. Competencies represent the ability to apply knowledge and awareness, to draw conclusions, and to promote action. Competencies include written and oral communication, critical thinking, and interpersonal relationships. 

3. Core values are the enduring beliefs that guide behavior. Our core values are professionalism and ethical values. 

The disciplinary courses (e.g., accounting, finance, HR, etc.) provide the context in which your attainment of the competency and knowledge outcomes is demonstrated. The general outcomes  are defined in more detail in the table below. Click on the hyperlinks to obtain more information about the various attributes of these outcomes. 

Return to top of page

Upper division prerequisites

All upper division business courses have the following prerequisites: BUSA 201, 202, and 203, CSCE 120, ECON 151 and 152, and MATH 128. BUSA 203 [and BUSA 323 to en even greater extent] require extensive use of Excel spreadsheets. Those who lack experience with Excel should acquire that capability BEFORE enrolling in those courses.

University Deadlines

The Registrar's Offices has established the following deadlines for this semester:

Return to top of page

Guidelines for success

Contrary to some rumors you may have heard, it is possible to do very well in any of my classes, provided you do some pretty simple things on a consistent basis. 

1. Read the background assignments and the cases. When materials are available on line, print them out; don't try to read on the screen. You can't mark them up when they are on the screen. 
    

2. Don't get behind. At the first indication of trouble, come to see me. I will do my best to help you get on track. For 200-level courses, help is also available at the Academic Assistance Center. Take advantage of these resources at the first hint of difficulty.
    

3. Come to class regularly. I take attendance. I know who is here and who is not. Frequent absences will guarantee a poor grade in participation and a weaker understanding of course content.
    

4. Bring your cases, notes, and other materials every day. Pay attention in class. Don't do your philosophy homework or surf the Web. Don't chat with your neighbor. Save those activities for later.
    

5. Participate in class on a regular basis. Students often start to worry about their participation grade about half way through the class -- long after habits have been formed and impressions created. Start participating on day 1.
    

6. I use a "cold call" strategy. This means that I often call on someone who does NOT have their hand up. If you are unprepared, I have two choices: assign a zero for participation for the day, or insist that you work through the question with me, step by step. I will never purposely embarrass you in front of your peers (or anywhere else, for that matter). However, you can embarrass yourself through lack of preparation. Spare yourself the agony.
    

7. Familiarize yourself with the expectations for the course. Read them after the first class session and before the assignments are due. Then do the simple stuff. Spell check your written analyses; papers with spelling errors earn zero (yes, zero) credit. Write carefully and proofread your work; poorly written papers earn zero (yes, zero) credit. Use words carefully and thoughtfully. Papers with significant usage errors earn zero (yes, zero) credit. Use the writing helps that are available. Double space your written work. Get papers in on time. Professor Berniker has a DIO (do it over) policy. My policy is DIRTFT--do it right the first time. 
    

8. To the extent that is is possible, all materials for my courses are available on the Web. This is convenient for you and for me. Materials are available to you 24/7, and I don't have to remember to bring extra copies of handouts and other materials to class. Get accustomed to using the Web as a work tool (if you aren't accustomed to doing so already). If there are corporate Web sites relevant to an assignment, check them out. Don't wait until class to do it. 
    

9. Check your email at least once a day. I frequently send out messages regarding assignments as questions arise. By checking your email, you can potentially save yourself a lot of work and grief. 

Sounds like quite a list, doesn't it? But, upon reflection, it's all pretty basic stuff, sort of along the same lines as "brush your teeth, take your vitamins," etc. If you do the easy stuff (above) the harder stuff (course content) will be easier. 

Return to top of page

FAQs

Return to top of page

All of my courses are organized to support the Integrative Learning Objectives of Pacific Lutheran University.

Integrative Learning Objectives

Critical Reflection 

1. consider issues from multiple perspectives 
2. evaluate assumptions and consequences of different perspectives in assessing possible solutions to problems
3. select sources of information using appropriate research methods
4. understand and explain divergent viewpoints on complex issues, critically assess the support available for each
5. defend one's own judgments. 

Expression

1. communicate clearly and effectively in both oral and written forms
2. create symbols of meaning in a variety of expressive media, both verbal and nonverbal
3. adapt messages to various audiences 

Interaction with Others

1. work creatively to identify and clarify the issues of concern 
2. develop and promote effective strategies and interpersonal relationships 
3. acknowledge and respond to conflicting ideas and priciples, and identify common interests 

Valuing

1. articulate and assess one's own values, with an awareness of the communities and traditions that have helped to shape them 
2. recognize how others have arrived at values different from one's own 
3. develop a habit of caring for oneself, for others, and for the environment 
4. approach moral, spiritual, and intellectual development as a life-long process 

Multiple Frameworks

1. recognize and understand how cultures profoundly shape different assumptions and behaviors 
2. identify issues and problems facing people in every culture 
3. cultivate respect for diverse cultures, practices, and traditions 

Return to top of page

Copyright © 2008 Gerald M. Myers
Last modified:08/27/2008 03:30:47 PM