Course Syllabus

ENTP 6370.0G1
School of Management
The University of Texas at Dallas

| Course Info | Tech Requirements | Access & Navigation | Communications | Resources |

Assessments | Academic Calendar | Scholastic Honesty | Course Evaluation | UTD Policies |

Course Information

Course Number/Section ENTP 6370.0G1

Course Title Entrepreneurship
Term and Dates Spring 2009 (1/12/2009 to 5/13/2009)

Professor Contact Information

Professor Professor John Fowler MBA

Office Phone 972-883-4697
Email Address John.Fowler@utdallas.edu
Office Location SOM 1.915
Online Office Hours 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM (CST – Dallas Time) Friday

About the Instructors

Professor John Fowler is a senior lecturer at The School of Management at the University of Texas at
Dallas. He is also Director of New Initiatives at the School’s Executive Education Center. He currently
teaches business courses for the Universities Arts and Technology Program. Prior to joining The School
of Management he has started two companies, spent 22 years in the video game industry holding senior
level marketing positions at two of the leading American video game publishers. The balance of his
career has been in sales and marketing positions for hardware and software producers of business
systems.

Professor Fowler will be the course professor of record. In this role he will lead and guide the course. Dr
David Deeds has an incredible level of experience and insight in this area. He will be the course lecturer.
His introduction is below.

Dr. Deeds is an associate professor at The School of Management at The University of Texas at Dallas.
Prior to coming to The University of Texas at Dallas he held faculty positions at The Weatherhead School
of Management at Case Western Reserve University and The Fox School of Business at Temple
University. He received a Ph.D. from the University of Washington in Seattle in 1994. His articles have
appeared in Inc. Magazine, The Journal of Business Venturing, Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice,
The Journal of Management Studies, The Strategic Management Journal, Research Policy, The Journal of
Engineering & Technology Management and The Journal of Product Innovation Management. He
received the Mescon Award for best empirical research in Entrepreneurship at The National Academy of
Management meetings in 1996, was awarded the NASDAQ Fellowship in Capital Formation in 1997 and
received The Fast Company Award for best paper on high growth firms at The National Academy of
Management meetings in 2000. His current research interests include the management of strategic
alliances, entrepreneurial finance, and the management of high technology ventures. Prior to pursuing a
career as an academic, Dr. Deeds was co-founder and president of LightSpeed Corporation, a computer
hardware and software developer specializing in custom CAD/CAM computer systems, from 1983-1989.

Course Description

This course has been designed to provide an overview of the entrepreneurship process by focusing on new
venture creation from idea generation and opportunity recognition to feasibility analysis and business
formation. The course will require you to integrate your current knowledge of business functions and
apply techniques of business analysis from other courses to the analysis of venture opportunities.
The readings will provide a framework for understanding the entrepreneurial process and evaluating new
venture opportunities, exploring the sources and processes of innovation, and developing an
understanding of the various methods and techniques available for evaluating new business opportunities.
Case studies will be used to explore the various steps involved in evaluating, creating and launching a
new business venture, including assessing and acquiring the required resources, structuring the business,
arranging financing, and managing the growing enterprise. We will also explore the identification,
evaluation and acquisition of existing businesses, and the important activity of harvesting the value
created by the entrepreneurial venture.
The two most important economic issues to be addressed with respect to a new venture idea are: (a) what
is it worth (today and at some future point in time)?; (b) how much cash will it take to get to that future
point? The ability to analyze historical financial information, develop multi-year financial projections in
MS Excel, and conduct various valuation analyses is essential to the case analysis process.
Both group and individual assignments will be required, with individual assignments and class
participation comprising approximately half of the final grade, and group activities accounting for the
remainder. A group project focused on the identification and evaluation of a new business opportunity
will comprise a major part of the course.

Required Textbooks and Materials

• Drucker, P.F. 1993. Innovation and Entrepreneurship. HarperBusiness, New York. ISBN 0-887-306-
187. (paperback)
• Case pack available from University Bookstore, Off-Campus Books and Study.net
• Readings available in .pdf format from The University of Texas at Dallas Library

Textbooks and some other bookstore materials can be ordered online through MBS Direct Virtual
Bookstore or Off-Campus Books online ordering site. They are also available in stock at the UTD
Bookstore and Off-Campus Books.

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Course Policies

Make-up exams
By request and with supported documentation.

Extra Credit
N/A

Late Work
N/A

Special Assignments
N/A

Class Participation
Students are required to login regularly to the online class site. The instructor will use the tracking feature
in WebCT to monitor student activity. Students are also required to participate in all class activities such
as discussion board activities, chat or conference sessions and group projects.

Virtual Classroom Citizenship

The same guidelines that apply to traditional classes should be observed in the virtual classroom
environment. Please use proper netiquette when interacting with class members and the professor.

Policy on Server Unavailability or Other Technical Difficulties

The university is committed to providing a reliable online course system to all users. However,
in the event of any unexpected server outage or any unusual technical difficulty which prevents
students from completing a time sensitive assessment activity, the instructor will extend the time
windows and provide an appropriate accommodation based on the situation. Students should
immediately report any problems to the instructor and also contact the UTD eLearning Help
Desk: http://www.utdallas.edu/elearninghelp, 1-866-588-3192. The instructor and the UTD
eLearning Help Desk will work with the student to resolve any issues at the earliest possible
time.

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Technical Requirements

In addition to a confident level of computer and Internet literacy, certain minimum technical requirement
must be met to enable a successful learning experience. Please review the important technical
requirements and the web browser configuration information.

It is expected that students will have a reasonable understanding of financial accounting and financial
analysis, and a working knowledge of Microsoft Excel. Many of the case analyses will require the
analysis of financial statements, the development of financial projections (including income statements,
balance sheets and statements of cash flow) and the preparation of valuation analyses using MS Excel.
Session 2 and the first written assignment will focus on developing or enhancing your skills in this area.
Course Access and Navigation

This course was developed using a web course tool called WebCT. It is to be delivered entirely
online. Students will use their UTD NetID account to login to the course at: UTD Galaxy:
http://galaxy.utdallas.edu or at http://webct6.utdallas.edu. Please see more details on course
access and navigation information.

To get started with a WebCT course, please see the Getting Started: Student WebCT Orientation.

UTD provides eLearning technical support 24 hours a day/7 days a week. The services include a
toll free telephone number for immediate assistance (1-866-588-3192), email request service,
and an online chat service. The UTD user community can also access the support resources such
as self-help resources and a Knowledge Base. Please use this link to access the UTD eLearning
Support Center: http://www.utdallas.edu/elearninghelp.
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Communications

This WebCT course has built-in communication tools which will be used for interaction and
communication. Some external communication tools such as regular email and a web conferencing tool
may also be used during the semester. Please see more details about communication tool information.

Interaction with Instructor: I will communicate with students mainly through the discussion boards.
Students may send personal concerns or questions to me using the course Email tool. I will reply to
student emails or discussion board messages within 3 working days under normal circumstances. Students
may also contact me via phone at my office (972)883-5904.

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Student Resources

Access to many University resources are available to students. Some sources of interest include:

UTD Distance Learning: http://www.utdallas.edu/oee/distance/students/

McDermott Library: Distance Learners (UTD students who live outside the boundaries of Collin,
Dallas, Denton, Rockwall, or Tarrant counties) will need a UTD-ID number to access all of the library’s
electronic resources (reserves, journal articles, ebooks, interlibrary loan) from off campus. For UTD
students living within those counties who are taking online courses, a Comet Card is required to check out
materials at the McDermott Library. For more information on library resources go to
http://www.utdallas.edu/distancelearning/students/libraries.html

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STUDENT EVALUATION: COURSE REQUIREMENTS & GRADING:

The course requirements are summarized in the Course Outline section. Supplemental materials may be
provided or posted electronically. The course has been designed to allow flexible management of your
time. There will be no quizzes or exams. Your grade will be based on group and individual written
assignments, your contributions to the discussion boards, and a major group project.

Discussion boards will be scheduled throughout the semester to provide for an interactive dialogue
simulating class discussions. Discussion questions will be posted on Web CT by the Instructor at the
beginning of each discussion period. Responses are due as indicated below. Student responses will be
posted on WebCT and available for viewing by the entire class. Participation will be monitored and
reflected in the Class Participation grade. Students are encouraged to pose additional questions for
discussion as part of the weekly dialogue.

The assignments, their due dates and page limits, and their relative weights in determining your final
grade are summarized in the table below. The evaluation forms that will be used for each assignment are
posted on WebCT.

Peer Evaluation Process

A peer evaluation process will be utilized to adjust individual grades on all group assignments. The peer
evaluation form (form provided on WebCT course site under the Peer Evaluation assignment link and
also linked at the end of this syllabus) will be completed individually and turned in as WA#5 on May 2,
2008

Length
Assignment Date Type (pages) Weight
Discussion Board #1 – Self 1/12/09 – Web CT Class
Introduction (see template on WebCT) 1/16/09 Discussion Participation
Post
Discussion Board #2 1/19/09 – Web CT Class
Basics of Financial Analysis 1/23/09 Discussion Participation
Post
Discussion Board #3: The DAG Group 1/26/09 – Web CT Class
case 1/30/09 Discussion Participation
Post
Written Assignment # 1 – 2/1/09 Individual 4-5 10%
Opportunities for Innovation (essay form)
Discussion Board # 4 – Case 2/02/09 – Web CT N/A Class
Analysis: Ice Delights 2/06/09 Discussion Participation
Post
Discussion Board #5 – Case Analysis: 2/09/09 – Web CT N/A Class
Commercial Fixtures, Inc. 2/13/09 Discussion Participation
Post
Written Assignment #2 – Business 2/22/09 Group Project 7-10 10%
Opportunity Evaluation (essay form)
Discussion Board #6: Heather Evans 2/23/09 – Web CT N/A Class
case 2/27/09 Discussion Participation
Post
Written Assignment # 3 – Case 3/08/09 Individual 5-7 10%
Analysis: Onset Ventures (Essay)
Discussion Board #7: ArthroCare case 3/02/09 – Web CT N/A Class
3/06/09 Discussion Participation
Post
 Discussion Board # 8 – Case Analysis: 3/09/09 – Web CT N/A Class
Allen Lane 3/13/09 Discussion Participation
Post
Discussion Board #9 3/23/09 – Web CT N/A Class
Gordon Biersch Brewing Company 3/27/09 Discussion Participation
Post
Team Conferences on Business Plan & 3/30/09 – Group Project 25-30 Included in
Rough Draft of Business Plan due on 4/04/09 (essay form) WA#4
4/05/09 plus Team
conference
Discussion Board #10: Grand Junction 4/06/09 – Web CT N/A Class
case 4/10/09 Discussion Participation
Post
Written Assignment #4 – New Venture 4/25/09 Group Project 25-30 40%
Business Plan - Final Submission (essay form)
Webconference #1 - New Venture TBD Webconference N/A Included in
Business Plan Presentation Week of WA#4
4/27/09
Written Assignment #5 - Peer 5/02/09 Individual 1 Class
Evaluation Form – Submit using the Participation
WebCT assignment tool.
Class Participation (Discussion Boards Individual 30%
& Teleconferences)
Overall Course Grade 100%

Group Projects: The instructor will use a group sign-up sheet to form groups for group assignments or
projects. A private discussion area will be set up on the discussion board for internal group
communications. A group chat room can also be created for each group to use. A web conference system,
Elluminate Live, is available for use. Teams can schedule a live web conference for team work. Please see
communication tool information for instructions on making a reservation and other web conference
information.

Assignment submission instructions: You will submit your assignments (in the required file format with
a file name that includes your last name and the assignment number) by using the Assignment Dropbox
tool on the course site. Please see the Assignments icon on the designated page. You can click each
assignment name link and follow the on-screen instructions to upload and submit your file(s). Please refer
to the Help menu or the WebCT Student Guide for more information on using this tool. Please note: each
assignment link can only be used once and will be deactivated after the assignment due time. After your
submission is graded, you may click each assignment’s “Graded” link to check the results and feedback.

For the team project assignment, one group member will submit the assignment for the group and all
group members will be able to view the results and feedback once it’s been graded.

Participations/Discussions

Thirty percent (30%) of your grade will be based on the quality of your participation in discussion
forums. There are a total of 10 graded class participation events in the course (see table below). Grades
will be assigned on the following basis:
No participation = 0 points
 Minimal participation = 1 point
Meets expectations = 3 points
Exceeds expectations = 4 points
Superior participation = 5 points
The “normal” grade on a class participation assignment will be 3 points, up to 5 points can be earned for
exceptional performance and/or contributions on a class participation assignment.

Discussion boards will open with a series of questions in separate threads on Saturday at 12:00 AM
Dallas time. The boards will remain open for discussion until the following Friday at 11:59 PM. Threads
may be added during the week and discussions expanded. You are expected to check the boards regularly
and contribute throughout the week. Swamping the boards at 11:58 PM on Friday with comments will not
be viewed well. The goal is to spur actual discussion and exchange of ideas over the week, not simply put
out as much quantity as possible.
Because later submissions will have the advantage of having read the inputs and comments provided in
earlier submissions, the “bar” will raise progressively. I expect each input to add some substantive value
to the discussion, rather than just reiterate what has been said by others (there may be some “first mover”
advantage built into this process).
I will check these boards and contribute to them through out the week, but I will try to avoid directly
answering questions. I will also add additional questions or threads to the discussion at my discretion. The
goal of the boards is to create a cooperative learning environment in which you learn from each other and
exercise your problem solving skills.
Webconference #1 (Business Plan Presentation) is mandatory. In addition to receiving a 0 for class
participation a five point penalty will be assessed against the Individual’s project grade for failure to
participate in this Teleconference. Attendance will be taken approximately 5 minutes into the
teleconference.

GROUP PROJECT: Business Opportunity Evaluation and Analysis

A group project focused on the evaluation and analysis of a new business opportunity will comprise a
major part of the course. This project will have four major deliverables: (a) a preliminary report (WA#3);
(b) a rough draft of the business plan and team web conference (week of April 5th ); (c) a final report
(WA#4) providing a thorough analysis; and (d) a 15 minute presentation including power point slides,
during a webconference (Week of April 27th) highlighting the key points of the business opportunity.

This project is designed to challenge you:

• To explore where business ideas come from and learn how to determine when a “good idea”
is also a bona fide business opportunity
• To investigate how business analysis techniques can supplement the creative process in
contributing to opportunity recognition and identification
• To research an industry, using information about industry trends and innovations to identify
opportunities that exist in the industry and to evaluate the industry-level forces that drive the
new business development process
• To research industry competitors to understand how their strategic position and competitive
actions might influence the success of a specific product or service idea or concept
 • To design and conduct market analysis to evaluate the business potential of your product or
service idea or concept, including investigating how market conditions and customer
preferences influence opportunity analysis
• To use financial analysis to investigate the business potential of your product or service idea
or concept, including exploring methods of financing new ventures and examining how the
issues of cost, pricing and profit margins impact on opportunity analysis
• To consider other potentially important information such as location, seasonality, human
resource requirements, knowledge and organizational management issues, and hidden costs
that may affect the evaluation of your entrepreneurial product or service idea or concept.
Preliminary Report: Business Opportunity Identification (Written Assignment #3 due 3/08/09)
• Select an industry and identify a specific business idea or opportunity to research.
• Conduct a preliminary evaluation of the business opportunity following the Checklist for
Opportunity Evaluation (download from WebCT). Address items 1-8 in your preliminary
report.
• Summarize your business opportunity in the context of the market and competitive
environment in a 5-7 page paper

New Venture Business Plan (Rough draft due 4/05/09 and Final Draft of Written Assignment #4 due
4/25/09)
• Prepare a Business Plan for a new venture based on the Business Opportunity you identified
in your preliminary report, following the guidelines provided in Stevenson et al. (Chapters 4
and 11 and Exhibit 11-1).
• Thoroughly evaluate the feasibility and attractiveness of the business idea or concept using
the Checklist for Opportunity Evaluation (all items) and the concepts and frameworks
provided in the text and lectures. Primary market research (talking to prospective customers)
may be an important part of this process. Particular emphasis should be placed on the sources
and sustainability of competitive advantage for your new venture.
• Use analytical techniques from other disciplines (marketing, finance, technology) to evaluate
the strength of the business idea or concept. Market analysis and financial analysis techniques
can be used to uncover weaknesses and identify the strengths of your specific idea or concept.
• Identify the critical competencies that must be mastered in order to ensure the success of the
proposed venture and explain how these will be acquired or developed.
• Prepare pro forma financial projections for the venture (monthly for first year; quarterly for
years 2-3; annual for years 4-5) including a statement of assumptions, income statements,
balance sheets and cash flow projections.
• Prepare a Business Plan for your venture, following the outline provided in Exhibit 11-
1. (Written Assignment #4 due on or before 11:59 PM on April 25). The Business Plan
should not exceed 25-30 pages, not including exhibits or appendices. Thoroughly document
your assumptions and analyses in exhibits or appendices and provide a list of the references
and information sources utilized in your research.
• Present your business opportunity and findings in a 15 minute presentation to the class
during a webconference during the week of April 27, 2009

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 QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS
The following discussion questions are provided to help you complete a structured analysis focusing on
the key issues in each case. It is important, in written assignments, to address each of these points. An MS
Excel Template and a Teaching Note is provided on WebCT for each assignment (except WA#1) to assist
you in your analysis. Case solutions will be posted after the due date for submission of assignments (one
day after for Discussion Boards; two weeks after for Written Assignments).

Written Assignment #1: Opportunities for Innovation (Session 04)

1. Select an industry that you would like to explore for entrepreneurial opportunities. Briefly
describe the industry and competitive environment.
2. Systematically analyze the industry to identify opportunities for innovation (purposeful
innovation) following the approach outlined in Drucker’s Chapter 2 and detailed in
Chapters 3-10. Identify and describe three unique and different opportunities for potential
innovation in the industry.
3. Support your findings with reference to Drucker’s “seven sources” and appropriate
research and analysis.
Written Assignment # 2 Business Opportunity Identification (Session 07) See Group Project
instructions above.
Written Assignment #3: Onset Ventures (Stevenson: 281-310) (Session 09)
1. Focus on the TallyUp decision from the perspective of ONSET Ventures: (a) should ONSET
invest an additional $1 million to develop a beta product, or go to the market now to raise $3-4
million and use the money for both product development and marketing; (b) should the “step-
up” assumptions be the same under each scenario?; and (c) if they decide to go to the market,
what is an appropriate valuation for TallyUp?
2. Develop a spreadsheet analysis that reflects the ONSET business model and use it to evaluate
the various alternatives. The model should reflect the pre-and post-money valuations of Tally-
up, and the investments and percentage ownership held by ONSET, its venture capital
partners, and Tally-up’s management team as they progress through the various funding stages
projected out through the seed and first two rounds of venture capital financing. Assume a
terminal value equal to the post-money evaluation at the end of the second round. Calculate
the cash flows and IRR for ONSET and its VC partners under each scenario
3. Given the financial return expectations of ONSET and the prospective venture capital
partners, plus the desire of the company to set aside some shares for stock options, how would
the ownership be distributed (post funding) under each alternative?
4. Is this a purely economic decision, or do other factors (risk, consistency with ONSET’s
operating philosophy, etc.) come into play? What risks are involved? How do these other
considerations impact the decision?
5. Focus on the decision from the perspective of TallyUp’s management team: (a) would you
prefer to have ONSET increase its commitment now to develop the beta product, or (b) would
you prefer to go to the market now to raise $3-4 million? How much ownership would you be
willing to give up under each scenario? How would this impact your anticipated return?
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 COURSE OUTLINE

Module Readings/Preparation Assignments

M01 What is Entrepreneurship? Discussion Board #1:
1/12/09- Readings: Stevenson & Gumpert “The Heart of Entrepreneurship” Self Introduction (see
1/16/09 March/April 1985 Harvard Business Review (UTD Library) template on WebCT) &
Lecture: Introduction to Entrepreneurship Discussion of the role of
entrepreneurship in the
economy.

M02 Basics of Financial Analysis

1/19/09 - Readings: Teaching Note on Financial Analysis and Projections Discussion Board #2
1/23/09 (WebCT) We will use the ABC Electronics example to illustrate
the kinds of financial analyses required to analyze the cases
assigned. Download ABC Electronics and SplatterMatter
Paintguns, Inc. cases from WebCT.
Lecture: Basics of Financial Analysis

M03 Finding the Opportunity Discussion Board #3:

1/26/09 - Readings: “How Entrepreneurs Craft Strategies That Work” The DAG Group
1/30/09 Bhide Mar/Apr 1994 Harvard Business Review (UTD Library);
Drucker: 1-36 (innovation)
Lecture: Finding the Opportunity
Case: The DAG Group (Stevenson: 143-155)
M04 Finding the Opportunity: Sources of Innovation Written Assignment #1
2/02/09 - Readings: Drucker: 37-140 (sources of innovation); download A Opportunities for
2/06/09 Checklist for Opportunity Evaluation from WebCT. Innovation (Individual)
Lecture: Sources of Innovation 2/01/09
M05 Developing Startup Strategies Discussion Board #4
2/02/ 09- Readings: “The Road Well Traveled” Bhide (Case Pack); Icedelights (Stevenson:
2/06/09 Drucker: 209-252 (generic strategies) 78-103)
Lecture: Startup Strategies
Case: Icedelights (Stevenson: 78-103)
M06 Evaluating the Opportunity Discussion Board #5:
2/09/09 – Readings: “Valuation Techniques” Stevenson (Case Pack); “A Commercial Fixtures
2/13/09 note on Attracting Stakeholders” Bhide & Stevenson (Stevenson: 104-122)
(Case Pack); “The Questions Every Entrepreneur Must
Answer” Bhide Nov/Dec 1996 Harvard Business Review
(UTD Library)
Lecture: Opportunity Evaluation
Case: Commercial Fixtures (Stevenson: 104-122) (valuation
analysis)
 M07 Group Project: Identification of Business Opportunity Written Assignment #2
2/09/09 – Each group will post their Business Opportunity Analysis on the Business Opportunity
2/22/09 Discussion Board for review by the class. (Group)
02/22/09
M08 Business Plans for Entrepreneurial Ventures Discussion Board #6:
2/23/09 – Readings: “How to write a winning business plan” Rich & Heather Evans
2/27/09 Gumpert; May/June 1985 Harvard Business Review (UTD Library)
Take a look at www.bplans.com and www.startupbiz.com.
Lecture: Developing a Business Plan
Case: Heather Evans
M09 Attracting Stakeholders: Financing the Venture Written Assignment #3
2/23/09 - Readings: “Everything you (Don’t) want to know about Onset Ventures
3/08/08 raising capital” Timmons & Sanders Nov/Dec 1989 Harvard (Individual)
Business Review (UTD Library) 3/08/09
“How Venture Capital Works” Zider Nov/Dec 1998 Harvard
Business Review (UTD Library)
“The Art of Bootstrapping” Bhide Nov/Dec 1992 Harvard
Business Review (UTD Library)
Lecture: Financing the Venture
Case: Onset Ventures
M10 SEC & Legal Issues Discussion Board #7:
3/02/09 – Readings: “The Legal Aspects of Entrepreneurship: A Conceptual ArthroCare
3/06/09 Framework” Bagley (Case Pack)
Lecture: SEC & Legal Issues
Case Discussion: ArthroCare
M11 Acquiring an Existing Business Discussion Board #8
3/09/09 – Readings: “Purchasing a business: The Search Process” Roberts & Allen Lane (Stevenson:
3/13/09 Walton (Case Pack) 417-440)
Lecture: Acquiring a Business
Case: Allen Lane
M12 Managing the Growing Business Discussion Board #9
3/23/09 – Readings: “Three Strategies for Managing Fast Growth” von Krogh Gordon Biersch Brewing
3/27/09 & Cusumano, Spring 2002 Sloan Management Review Company (Stevenson:
Lecture: Managing the Growing Business 511-532)
Case: Gordon Biersch Brewing Company
M13 Team Web Conference & Rough Draft
3/30/09 –
4/04/09

M14 Exit Strategies: Harvesting the Venture Discussion Board #10:

4/06/09 – Readings: “Harvest Time: Reaping What You’ve Sown” (Case Grand Junction
4/10/09 Pack);
Lecture: Exit Strategies: Harvesting the Venture
Case Discussion Grand Junction
 M15 Entrepreneurial Leadership Written Assignment #
4/13/09 – Lecture: Entrepreneurial Leadership 4 New Venture Business
4/25/09 Written Assignment # 8: New Venture Business Plans Plans (Group)
ƒ Submit electronic copy of Business Plan and Presentation
Slides in assignment drop box by 4/25/08
ƒ Post copy of Presentation Slides on Discussion Board on
WebCT on 4/25/08
M16 Presentation of New Venture Business Plans Teleconference: TBA
4/27/09 – New Venture Business
5/02/09 Plan Presentations

Written Assignment #5
Peer Evaluation
Due: Day After Web
Conference

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Scholastic Honesty

The University has policies and discipline procedures regarding scholastic dishonesty. Detailed
information is available on the Scholastic Dishonesty web page. All students are expected to maintain a
high level of responsibility with respect to academic honesty. Students who violate University rules on
scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course
and/or dismissal from the University. Since such dishonesty harms the individual, all students and the
integrity of the University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced.

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Course Evaluation

As required by UTD academic regulations, every student must complete an evaluation for each enrolled
course at the end of the semester. An online instructional assessment form will be made available for your
confidential use. Please look for the course evaluation link on the course Homepage towards the end of
the course.

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University Policies

Student Conduct & Discipline

The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and regulations for the
orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It is the responsibility of each student and each student
organization to be knowledgeable about the rules and regulations which govern student conduct and
activities. General information on student conduct and discipline is contained in the UTD publication, A
to Z Guide, which is provided to all registered students each academic year.
The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of recognized and
established due process. Procedures are defined and described in the Rules and Regulations, Board of
Regents, The University of Texas System, Part 1, Chapter VI, Section 3, and in Title V, Rules on Student
Services and Activities of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures. Copies of these rules and
regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of Students, where staff members are
available to assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-6391).

A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of citizenship. He or
she is expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the Regents’ Rules, university regulations,
and administrative rules. Students are subject to discipline for violating the standards of conduct whether
such conduct takes place on or off campus, or whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for
such conduct.

Academic Integrity

The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty. Because the
value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work done by the student for that
degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high standard of individual honor in his or her
scholastic work.

Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions related to applications
for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s own work or material that is not
one’s own. As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one of the following acts: cheating,
plagiarism, collusion and/or falsifying academic records. Students suspected of academic dishonesty are
subject to disciplinary proceedings.

Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from any other source
is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on plagiarism (see general catalog for
details). This course will use the resources of turnitin.com, which searches the web for possible
plagiarism and is over 90% effective.

Email Use

The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication between
faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the same time, email raises some issues concerning
security and the identity of each individual in an email exchange. The university encourages all official
student email correspondence be sent only to a student’s U.T. Dallas email address and that faculty and
staff consider email from students official only if it originates from a UTD student account. This allows
the university to maintain a high degree of confidence in the identity of all individual corresponding and
the security of the transmitted information. UTD furnishes each student with a free email account that is
to be used in all communication with university personnel. The Department of Information Resources at
U.T. Dallas provides a method for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to other accounts.

Withdrawal from Class

The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-level courses. These
dates and times are published in that semester's course catalog. Administration procedures must be
followed. It is the student's responsibility to handle withdrawal requirements from any class. In other
words, I cannot drop or withdraw any student. You must do the proper paperwork to ensure that you will
not receive a final grade of "F" in a course if you choose not to attend the class once you are enrolled.
Student Grievance Procedures

Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities, of the
university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures.

In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other fulfillments of
academic responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make a serious effort to resolve the
matter with the instructor, supervisor, administrator, or committee with whom the grievance originates
(hereafter called “the respondent”). Individual faculty members retain primary responsibility for
assigning grades and evaluations. If the matter cannot be resolved at that level, the grievance must be
submitted in writing to the respondent with a copy of the respondent’s School Dean. If the matter is not
resolved by the written response provided by the respondent, the student may submit a written appeal to
the School Dean. If the grievance is not resolved by the School Dean’s decision, the student may make a
written appeal to the Dean of Graduate or Undergraduate Education, and the deal will appoint and
convene an Academic Appeals Panel. The decision of the Academic Appeals Panel is final. The results
of the academic appeals process will be distributed to all involved parties.

Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of Students,
where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations.

Incomplete Grade Policy

As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably missed at the
semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An incomplete grade must be
resolved within eight (8) weeks from the first day of the subsequent long semester. If the required work
to complete the course and to remove the incomplete grade is not submitted by the specified deadline, the
incomplete grade is changed automatically to a grade of F.

Disability Services

The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational opportunities equal to
those of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in room 1.610 in the Student Union.
Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to
7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is:

The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22
PO Box 830688
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688
(972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)

Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable adjustments necessary
to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For example, it may be necessary to remove
classroom prohibitions against tape recorders or animals (in the case of dog guides) for students who are
blind. Occasionally an assignment requirement may be substituted (for example, a research paper versus
an oral presentation for a student who is hearing impaired). Classes enrolled students with mobility
impairments may have to be rescheduled in accessible facilities. The college or university may need to
provide special services such as registration, note-taking, or mobility assistance.
It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an accommodation.
Disability Services provides students with letters to present to faculty members to verify that the student
has a disability and needs accommodations. Individuals requiring special accommodation should contact
the professor after class or during office hours.

Religious Holy Days

The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required activities for the
travel to and observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose places of worship are exempt from
property tax under Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas Code Annotated.

The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible regarding the
absence, preferably in advance of the assignment. The student, so excused, will be allowed to take the
exam or complete the assignment within a reasonable time after the absence: a period equal to the length
of the absence, up to a maximum of one week. A student who notifies the instructor and completes any
missed exam or assignment may not be penalized for the absence. A student who fails to complete the
exam or assignment within the prescribed period may receive a failing grade for that exam or assignment.

If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the purpose of observing a
religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about whether the student has been given a
reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or examinations, either the student or the instructor
may request a ruling from the chief executive officer of the institution, or his or her designee. The chief
executive officer or designee must take into account the legislative intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the
student and instructor will abide by the decision of the chief executive officer or designee.

Off-Campus Instruction and Course Activities

Off-campus, out-of-state, and foreign instruction and activities are subject to state law and University
policies and procedures regarding travel and risk-related activities. Information regarding these rules and
regulations may be found at the website address given below. Additional information is available from the
office of the school dean. (http://www.utdallas.edu/BusinessAffairs/Travel_Risk_Activities.htm)

These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.

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