Instructor Policies

ACC 423 Intermediate Financial Accounting III

Facilitator Information
Scott Ronk scott.ronk@email.phoenix.edu (University of Phoenix) swronk@aol.com (Personal) 281-312-0024 (CST) Facilitator Availability I am available from 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Central Time on most days, but I attempt to reserve Sunday for my family. During the week, I am online most of the time during the 6 p.m.-10 p.m. time frame. I check both of these e-mail addresses as well as our classroom on a regular basis. It is best to communicate with me through your individual forum so that our communication is archived. Be sure to first attempt to communicate with me through your individual forum. If that is not available, then second you should use the UOP e-mail address. My personal e-mail should be used only when you cannot access your individual forum and UOP e-mail is unavailable.

I want you to know that, should you need to contact me outside these time frames, you should not hesitate to do so.

For emergencies, when you are not able to gain access to messages on the Online Learning System (OLS), please send a message to my personal email address. In the event a third party needs to contact me, please direct them to my contact information listed under "facilitator information." No third party should use your login credentials to gain access to the classroom.

Grading Scale
Grade Percentage A AB+ B BC+ C CD+ D DF 95+ 90-94 87-89 84-86 80-83 77-79 74-76 70-73 67-69 64-66 60-63 <60

Where to Go to Class
Main: This is the main forum for the class and is where discussion is conducted. It has read-and-write access for everyone. Chat-Room: This is a read-and-write access forum. It is designed as a place to discuss issues not related to the course content. This is the forum to which we will send our bios. Course-Materials: This is a read-only forum, which means you can read messages here but cannot send any. This is where I will post the course syllabus and materials. Learning-Team-A, B, C, D, E and F: These six Learning Team forums will be used as workrooms for the learning teams. You will be assigned to one of these learning teams.

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Individual Forum: You will see one forum with your name on it. This is a private forum, shared only by you and me, the facilitator. Your classmates will not have access to this forum. This is where I will post your feedback. You can also ask questions here. However, if you have general questions about instructions of assignments, please post those in the Main forum, since other students may benefit by that exchange as well. Assignment Link: The Assignment Link is located under the Classroom tab on the eCampus navigational bar. This is where you will submit all learning team assignments as an attachment in either a Microsoft Word or Excel format. You may submit screen prints of your scores for the individual assignment from Wiley Plus as well but this is not required. I will pull a download of everyones grades from Wiley Plus that will be the source document for entering grades for the individual assignment into the gradebook. In addition, once you complete the automated web-based final exam you will submit a screen shot of your score to the Assignment Link signifying your completion of the exam. Wiley Plus: Wiley Plus is located under the Materials link that is located under the Classroom tab on the eCampus navigational bar. This is where you will go to perform the required reading and individual assignments detailed in the class syllabus.

Policies
For class policies, please see the Policies link on the left side of the Materials page for the course on eCampus. Faculty and students/learners will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within that link. University policies are subject to change so please be sure to read them at the beginning of each class as it may have changed since your last class. Policies may be slightly different depending on the modality in which you attend class. If you have recently changed modalities it is important you read the policies governing your current class modality.

Participation Clarification
The universitys policies are discussed in the policies document accessible through the link mentioned above. This section provides additional clarification concerning how participation is graded in this course. Stated university policies always apply you are responsible for knowing and complying all provisions included in the university policies document. Participation scores are based on three components: discussion posts worth 2.0 points each week, discussion questions worth 1.5 points each week, and a weekly summary worth 0.5 point each week. Discussion posts are graded subject to the criteria discussed at the policies link. To be counted as substantive, a post must be related to course topics and must move the discussion forward (you dont earn discussion credit for posts that merely repeat information already covered in the discussion or in course materials). Each day you meet the two message requirement, you earn 0.5 of the 2 participation points. If you do not meet the requirement four days, you earn 0.25 point for each day you post one substantive discussion message. However, you can earn participation credit for no more than four days during the week. For example, if you post two or more substantive messages on three days during the week but only one substantive message on each of the remaining four days, you would not earn full credit. You would earn 1.75 points, because you earn 0.5 point for each day you meet the two message requirement and 0.25 point for a fourth day (this means you cannot make up for not meeting the two message requirement by posting more than four days during the week). A couple of words of advice: Aim for quality participation on a regular basis. Students who try to post exactly two messages on exactly four days during the week run the risk that one or more messages won't be counted as substantive. By posting course material related messages that add to the discussion on a

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regular basis throughout the week you won't have any trouble meeting the requirements to earn full credit - AND, you will learn more (and that's what's important). Also, it is really unwise to wait until Friday to begin your weekly participation. While you can meet the requirements by doing that, you do run the risk of being unable to participate on each of the remaining days during the week.

Discussion question responses do not count toward the minimum number of discussion posts (in other words, are not part of the minimum two substantive posts on each of a minimum of four days during the week). Discussion question responses should be at least 50-200 words. Please post responses to the threads provided. To respond, highlight the appropriate thread, click on Reply, type your response, and send. Please do not start a new thread for the weekly discussion questions in the Main forum. Unlike your formal written assignments, I do not require that your discussion question responses adhere to specific formatting requirements. However, please make sure to proofread carefully. Grammar and spelling errors may impact the grading. I expect your discussion question responses to reflect critical thought. Whenever possible, please try to relate the course content to real-world applications from your work experience. Discussion questions are due Friday of each week; late responses are penalized. Weekly summaries do not count toward the minimum number of discussion posts. To earn credit, your summary must be substantive (must focus on what you have learned and how you intend to apply that knowledge). Your summary should be like a road map, focusing on where you are and how you need to get to where you need to be. Summaries are due Monday of each week; late summaries are penalized. Discussion posts, discussion question responses and a summary will be required during the final week of the course.

Late Assignments
Late assignments are penalized with a 10% deduction for each day they are late. An assignment is late if it is not posted by 11:59 p.m. M.S.T. on the day the assignment is due. Assignments more than 4 days late will not be accepted. Technological issues are not considered valid grounds for late assignment submission. In the event of a University of Phoenix server outage, students should submit assignments through email to the instructor and post to the individual forum when systems are restored. Unless an Incomplete grade has been granted, assignments submitted after the last day of class will not be accepted.

Academic Honesty Clarification

The universitys policies are discussed in the policies document accessible through the link mentioned above. This section provides additional clarification concerning academic honesty expectations in this course. Stated university policies always apply you are responsible for knowing and complying with all provisions included in the university policies document. The Student Code of Academic Integrity states that any use of unauthorized assistance in a course is academic dishonesty. The remainder of this section is meant to clarify the difference between authorized and unauthorized assistance. Nothing in this section is meant to deter any student from use of the Online accounting lab provided to UOP students.

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Individual assignments are to be completed by individual students. Prior to submission, you are not to discuss these assignments with any other person. They are an assessment of your learning. In the same vein, learning team assignments are to be completed by the learning team, without help from outsiders. You are not to discuss your learning team assignment with any individual outside your learning team. The individual solutions you post to the learning team newsgroup for discussion purposes are to be your own work. You should not consult the work of other students before posting your own solution. If you or your team has a question about an assignment prior to its submission, you may post a note to your Individual forum seeking clarification. I will provide any assistance I believe appropriate (realizing that the assignments are meant to be assessments of your learning, any assistance provided to you will reflect that). Prior to their submission, it is not appropriate to post questions about assignments to the Main forum. Solutions to assignments you submit for grading are to be prepared solely by you and are to reflect your own thoughts and processes. You are not to view or consult any solution prepared by any person other than you prior to submitting an assignment (you are not even allowed to use any such solution to check your work). It is strictly prohibited for students in this course to access materials not expressly authorized by me. Materials provided to instructors on the password-protected instructor resource site for our text are strictly forbidden. This includes but is not limited to the published solutions for text assignments. I will make these solutions available to you after you submit your assignments. Access prior to my providing these materials to you will be treated as an act of academic dishonesty.

Learning Teams
University of Phoenix students are expected to work effectively in diverse groups and teams to achieve tasks. They must collaborate and function well in team settings as both leaders and followers. They should respect human diversity and behave in a tolerant manner toward colleagues and peers. Several of the assignments in this class will be completed in Learning Teams of three to five students. I will set up these teams midway through Week 1. I do not honor requests for specific teammates. Learning team member assignments are based on time zones to the extent possible. It is expected that you will actively participate with your learning team and contribute to the team discussions by a) contributing original work that is accepted and used by the team with proof of originality b) participating in the project from assignment organizing through meaningful final review of the team project for submission, and c) ensuring to your team that your contributions are your original work and properly quoted, cited, and referenced. If you experience difficulties working with your team, you are expected to resolve them within the team if possible. However, please feel free to contact me for guidance if you have concerns in this area. In order to create structure for your Learning Team, you will complete a Learning Team Charter at the end of Week 1. The form for this charter is provided in the Learning Team Toolkit.

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At the end of the course, you will be asked to complete a Peer Evaluation to assess the contributions of each member of your Learning Team (including yourself). I will take these Peer Evaluations into account when assessing individual contributions to the Learning Team projects. The Peer Evaluation form and instructions for posting are included in the Learning Team Toolkit. Because Learning Team projects are outcome-based, all members of your Learning Team will generally earn the same grade for Learning Team projects. However, I reserve the right to report different grades for different Learning Team members if I see a substantial imbalance in individual contribution. For the weekly assignments, each individual team member must post his/her own solution for each problem or other assignment to the Learning Team forum. Individual responses are discussed and synthesized to derive a team response that is submitted for grading. If a given Learning Team member does not submit problem solutions or other assignments in a timely fashion such that his/her contribution can be included in the team's submission, that Learning Team member is assumed not to have participated in, and will be assigned a score of zero on, that particular Learning Team assignment (or appropriate portion thereof). All Learning Team members are expected to fully participate in the discussion of the teams assignment each week. Failure to participate fully will result in a reduction of your individual learning team assignment score. Learning Teams should provide a brief summary of any communication held outside the forum. Therefore, if you hold conference calls, work in a real-time chat room, or get together outside the OLS (Online Learning System) environment in another way, please post a log, transcript, or summary in the Learning Team forum. Further, do not use any of these supplementary communication tools unless everyone on your Learning Team agrees to the method and to the schedule. If you have any questions, please contact me. Your Learning Teams forum should be considered private, with entrance only by your team members and me. Along the same lines, you are not to access or view messages or attachments posted in forums for other learning teams. Violation of this requirement will be treated as an act of academic dishonesty.

Technical Support
Technical Support is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call 1-877-832-4867, or use the e-mail support form. Answers to the most common issues are found in the Knowledge Base by clicking Help, found at the top of every student Web site.

Feedback
Each week, I will provide grades or scores and comments on assignments within 6 days of when they were submitted. I will send feedback to your Individual forum. After I send feedback each week, I will post a notification in the Main forum.

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