Course PA 6342-001 Economic Development

Professor Jeremy L. Hall, Ph.D.

Term Fall Semester, 2009
Wednesdays, 4:00-6:45 pm, Plano City Hall, Building
Meetings
Inspections Training Room

Professor Contact Information

Office Phone 972-883-5347
Email Address Jeremy.Hall@utdallas.edu
Office Location WT 1.222
Office Hours By appointment.
Other Information To ensure a timely response, please correspond with me via
email at the address above. Per UTD policy, I can only
consider email from your UTD account to be official.

Course Pre-requisites, Co-requisites, and/or Other Restrictions

There are no special prerequisites for this course. This course is offered as part of the
MPA in City Hall Program, but will also include a limited number of additional Public
Affairs MPA and doctoral students.

Course Description

This specialization course will introduce students to the field of economic development
from the public administration perspective. While urban and community development
are important parts of economic development at the local, regional, state, and national
levels, this course avoids those topics as they are specializations in their own right.
Students interested in those topics would be well advised to seek additional coursework
in urban policy and administration and/or strategic planning.

We will address four conceptual areas of study during the course of this semester: 1)
Economic Development Theory, 2) Economic Development Strategies, 3) Practical and
Transformative issues confronting economic development practice, and 4) Application of
this knowledge to devise economic development strategies for specific places.
Understanding economic theory is necessary to develop strategies that are appropriate,
effective, efficient, and consistent with local values. Strategies, based on sound theory,
provide a toolkit of options to implement or to adapt to local conditions. Understanding
the changes taking place in our world today enables practitioners to anticipate needs and
alter strategies in a timely manner. Practical considerations examine the locus of
economic development policymaking and practice, and provide practitioners with an
understanding of relevant institutions and actors, as well as constraints. Application will
consist of students selecting locations, creating economic development assessments, and
devising appropriate strategies to combat or alleviate economic distress and foster
development.

Course Syllabus: PA 6342, Fall, 2009 Page 1

Students that successfully complete this course will have the necessary depth of
knowledge and breadth of skills to manage economic development activities or
organizations that conduct them.

This course will not be limited to lecture and note-taking. Active engagement of material
leads to learning, so I want us to have lively class sessions where ideas are exchanged
freely. To do this, I will structure the course with questions and problems to which you
will have the opportunity to react. Every student should become engaged in these
discussions, raising questions and offering suggestions and ideas whenever appropriate.
In order for this to be effective, each student needs to first prepare for class by reading the
assigned materials and giving them considerable thought.

Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes

Our learning objectives for this course are to:

1. Be able to differentiate economic development from economic growth.

2. Learn, understand, and apply key economic development theories.
3. Understand various economic development strategies used in practice.
4. Be able to explain, using theory, why a practice works or does not work.
5. Learn which practical and transformative issues at play in the national and global
context affect economic development practice, how they do so, and why.
6. Learn the causes of economic distress for distressed regions.
7. To learn how local characteristics aid or impede economic development and
growth.
8. Be able to explain the utility in public-private partnerships.
9. Be able to measure economic need, economic development capacity, and
economic development.

Required Textbooks and Materials

You are not required to purchase any books for this course. Readings for this class will
come exclusively from journal articles and book chapters that are available through the
UTD library or via electronic course reserves. Any supplemental materials will be
distributed in class.

Nature of Class Sessions: Three hour class sessions in the afternoon are always a
challenge. Each class meeting will be divided between lecture, discussion, and
application of specific tools and techniques.

Assignments & Academic Calendar

Course Requirements: Each student will be assessed in 5 areas as described below.

Some of the assignments will be completed individually and others will be completed in
groups.

Course Syllabus: PA 6342, Fall, 2009 Page 2

Written Assignments and Projects:

To prevent free-riding, I always ask groups to evaluate their members’ participation upon
completion of each assignment; these scores will be used to weight individual grades.

I. Economic Development Assessment

This assignment requires you to select a jurisdiction in the U.S. (county, city, or state)
and perform an assessment of its need/problems and existing economic development
efforts. You must:
1. Select a jurisdiction. Jurisdictions must be approved in advance, and I will not
permit any duplication in the class. So, first come, first served.
2. Perform an assessment of NEED, existing RESOURCES, and existing
BARRIERS to development.
3. Assess existing economic development efforts and STRATEGIES in place in the
jurisdiction of interest. These include both policies and institutions. In other
words, what are they trying to do? How are they going about it? And who’s
actually doing it? Keep in mind that some jurisdictional levels will incorporate
multiple actors and smaller jurisdictions that should be taken into account.
4. Determine whether or not their strategies are successful and explain why they are
or are not.
5. Develop a written report to summarize your findings. The report should include a
cover/title page, an executive summary, and a bibliography in addition to the body
of text. Your target is 10 pages for this assignment, and you should not exceed
this limit by more than one page. I suggest that you work on the pieces first,
collect as much information as possible, and then condense it into a rich, dense
summary of your findings.
This assignment is to be turned in via turnitin.com on September 30, 2009.

II. Movie Reflection

This is a semi-structured assignment. I will select a film to be viewed in class on

September 30, 2009. Students will then be asked to write a 4-5 page reflection paper
drawing on economic development theory and practical issues discussed in class. A more
detailed explanation of assignment expectations will be handed out in class. The
reflection paper is due electronically via turnitin.com on October 7, 2009.

III. Midterm

A written examination will assess student understanding of key theories, issues and
concepts introduced prior to the exam session on October 14, 2009.

IV. Final Project (in lieu of final exam)

The class will be divided into teams of five students for the purpose of carrying out this
assignment. Each team will prepare a presentation for the class. This entails 1)

Course Syllabus: PA 6342, Fall, 2009 Page 3

developing and delivering a presentation to help the class understand the proposal, and 2)
leading a class discussion of the proposal.

This assignment mirrors the first, but is more elaborate in its requirements, thus I have
chosen to use the group format. In this assignment, you will select a distressed region of
the U.S. for analysis. You may select from: Appalachia, Missouri Ozarks, Oregon’s
Flannel Shirt Region, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the Black Belt, the Mississippi Delta,
or Northern New England). The purpose of the assignment goes beyond assessment into
policy and strategy recommendations. You must:
1. Select a distressed rural region of the U.S from the list above.
2. Assess NEED, existing RESOURCES, existing BARRIERS to development.
This section should be certain to include empirical assessment.
3. Assess existing economic development efforts, including policy, strategies, and
institutional actors.
4. Assess the effectiveness of existing policies. Are they working? Why or why
not? (Items 2-4 should be presented in a very concise fashion.)
5. Propose an overarching economic development plan for the region. Recommend
policies, strategies, and specific actions that should be taken in the short term and
long term. Link each recommendation to theory and to specific local
characteristics (need, resources, etc.) to explain why it will improve economic
conditions and bring the region out of distress.
6. Write a report that summarizes your findings concisely and clearly. For the
recommendations, use clear organization in the paper to make your report easy to
read and comprehend. The recommendations are to be the emphasis of the report,
but as they build on the need/resource assessment, you must be sure to cover that
material clearly and thoroughly. You should include a title/cover page, an
executive summary of one page, and a bibliography in addition to the body text. I
encourage and recommend the inclusion of graphics, including tables, maps, and
charts, to add substance to your arguments. Such items should be related to the
material, and clearly discussed in the text. Graphics without incorporation are just
clutter. Your target for this assignment is 20-25 pages.
7. Because this is a group assignment, I will assess group participation by allowing
groups to self-evaluate. I want this to be a learning experience for each group
member, so I highly recommend a division of labor that allows participation by
everyone in each step of the process—assessment, analysis, recommendation,
writing, presenting. Division of labor where one person researches, one person
recommends, one person writes, and one person presents are ineffective and
highly discouraged.
Presentations/discussions will occur on December 2, 2009 in class (see below). Each
group will present and lead discussion for approximately one half hour. The final written
report will be due electronically via turnitin.com on December 16, 2009 by 7:00 pm local
time.

Course Syllabus: PA 6342, Fall, 2009 Page 4

 V. Student Group Presentations

As indicated above, student groups will present their regional needs and strategies
pertaining to the final project assignment in class for discussion on December 2, 2009.
Presentations should be limited to 20 minutes, and additional time will be allocated for
discussion with the class. Presentations should include visual and graphical aids in the
form of handouts and/or PowerPoint presentations or other creative methods. Students
will be asked to defend their proposal.

VI. Participation

Students must participate fully by asking and responding to questions and contributing to
class discussions to earn participation points. Attendance is expected at each class
meeting and is necessary to enjoy the full benefits of participation.

Grading Policy

Grading for this course shall be on a standard scale as follows: 90-100=A, 80-89=B, 70-
79=C, Below 70=F. If appropriate, these grades will be determined through scaling.

Points shall be awarded as follows in determining the final grade for this course:
I. Examination (15%)
II. Economic Development Assessment (15%)
III. Final Project (in lieu of final exam; 30%)
IV. Student Group Presentations (15%)
V. Movie Reflection (15%)
VI. Participation (10%)

Course Schedule*:
* Readings and assignments are to be completed in advance of the dates indicated. The
reading requirements and timelines are tentative and subject to change at the Professor’s
discretion.

8/26 Introduction

Course Introduction
Introductions, Syllabus review, etc.

Course Syllabus: PA 6342, Fall, 2009 Page 5

I. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THEORY

9/02
Introduction to Economic Development and the Profession
• Blakely Ch. 14.
• Reese, Laura A. and Raymond A. Rosenfeld. Yes, But…: Questioning the
Conventional Wisdom about Economic Development. Economic Development
Quarterly, Nov. 2001; vol. 15: pp. 299-312.
Location and Space Theories
• Bingham & Mier Chapter 1
• Bingham & Mier Chapter 2
• Barkley, David. 1995. “The Economics of Change in Rural America.” American
Journal of Agricultural Economics 77: 1252-1258.

9/09
Politics
• Rubin, H. 1988. Shoot anything that Flies, Claim Anything that Falls:
Conversations with Economic Development Practitioners. Economic
Development Quarterly 2(3).
• Wolman, H., 1996. The Politics of Local Economic Development. Economic
Development Quarterly 10(2).
• Basolo, Victoria and Chihyen Juang. Cities and Economic Development: Does
The City Limits Story Still Apply? Economic Development Quarterly, Nov. 2001;
vol. 15: pp. 327-339.
• Paul, G. Retail Politics: Local Sales Taxes and the Fiscalization of Land Use.
Economic Development Quarterly, Feb. 2001; vol. 15: pp. 21-35.
Economic Theories of Development
• Bingham & Mier Chapter 11

II. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

9/16
Indigenous vs. Exogenous
• Doeringer, P. B. and D. G. Terkla. 1995. Business Strategy and Cross-Industry
Clusters. Economic Development Quarterly 9(3).
• Ledebur, L. C. and D. P. Woodward. 1990. Adding a Stick to the Carrot:
Location Incentives with Clawbacks, Rescissions and Recalibrations. Economic
Development Quarterly 4(3).
• Saenz, R. and M. Ballejos. Industrial Development and Persistent Poverty in the
Lower Rio Grande Valley. In T. A. Lyson & W. A. Falk. 1993. Forgotten
Places, University Press of Kansas: Lawrence, Kansas.

Course Syllabus: PA 6342, Fall, 2009 Page 6

9/23
Resource-Based: Existence vs. Extraction (The tourism problem)
• Galston & Baehler Chapter 5;
• Galston & Baehler Chapter 8;
• Johnson, Thomas G. & Judith I. Stallman. 1994. “Human Capital Investment in
Resources Dominated Economies” Society and Natural Resources 2:221-233.;
• Weber (in Castle): Extractive Industries
• Jaeger, William K. “Is Sustainability Optimal? Examining the Differences
Between Economists and Environmentalists.” Ecological Economics. 1995:
Volume 15; 43-57.

9/30
<Economic Development Assessment Due>
Watch film in class.
To be selected from: Matewan, Open Range, Harlan County War, Fried Green Tomatoes.

10/07
<Movie Reflection Paper Due>
High-Tech Development
• Shepard, Stephen. 1997. The New Economy: What it Really Means. Business
Week. Issue 3553: 38-40.
• Plosila, Walter H. “State Science- and Technology-Based Economic
Development Policy: History, Trends and Developments, and Future Directions.”
Economic Development Quarterly. 18:2, pp. 113-126. 2004.
• Pohjola, Matti. 2002. The New Economy: Facts, Impacts, and Policies.
Information Economics and Policy. 14(2): 133-144.
Entrepreneurship
• Bingham & Mier Chapter 12;
• Feldman, Maryann. “The Entrepreneurial Event Revisited: Firm Formation in a
Regional Context.” Industrial and Corporate Change. 10:4, pp. 861-891, 2001.

10/14
Examination

Course Syllabus: PA 6342, Fall, 2009 Page 7

III. PRACTICAL AND TRANSFORMATIVE ISSUES IN ECON. DEV.

10/21
Politics and Local Economic Development Policy
• Bartik, T. 1990. The Market Failure Approach to Regional Economic
Development Policy. Economic Development Quarterly 4(4).
• Blair, J. P., & Kumar, R. (1997). Is local economic development a zero-sum
game? In R. D. Bingham & R. Mier (Eds.), Dilemmas of urban economic
development: Issues in theory and practice (pp. 1-20). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• Bingham & Mier Chapter 14
• Saiz, Martin. 2001. Politics and Economic Development: Why Governments
Adopt Different Strategies to Induce Economic Growth. Policy Studies Journal
29(2): 203-214.

10/28
Evaluation and Performance Assessment
• Marvel M.K. & W.J. Shkurti. 1993. The Economic Impact of Development.
Economic Development Quarterly 7(1).
• Reese, Laura and D. Fasenfest. 1997. What Works Best? Values and the
Evaluation of Local Economic Development Policy. Economic Development
Quarterly 11(3).
• Cortright, Joseph. The Economic Importance of Being Different: Regional
Variations in Tastes, Increasing Returns, and the Dynamics of Development.
Economic Development Quarterly, Feb. 2002; vol. 16: pp. 3-16.
• Hall, Jeremy L. 2007. “Developing Historical Fifty-State Indices of Innovation
Capacity and Commercialization Capacity” Economic Development Quarterly
21(2): 107-123.
• Hall, Jeremy L. 2009. “Measurement with Meaning: Evaluating Trends and
Differences in Innovation Capacity among the States.” Economic Development
Quarterly 23(1): 3-12 (Lead Article).

11/4
Finance: How Do We Pay For It?
• White, Bingham, & Hill, Chapter 3.
• Ihlanfeldt, K. 1995. Ten Principles for State Tax Incentives. Economic
Development Quarterly 9(4).
• Buss, Terry F. The Effect of State Tax Incentives on Economic Growth and Firm
Location Decisions: An Overview of the Literature. Economic Development
Quarterly, Feb. 2001; vol. 15: pp. 90-105.
• Wassmer, Robert W. and John E. Anderson. Bidding for Business: New Evidence
on the Effect of Locally Offered Economic Development Incentives in a
Metropolitan Area. Economic Development Quarterly, May 2001; vol. 15: pp.
132-148.
• Sands, Gary, Laura A. Reese, and Heather L. Khan. Implementing Tax
Abatements in Michigan: A Study of Best Practices. Economic Development
Quarterly, Feb. 2006; vol. 20: pp. 44-58.

Course Syllabus: PA 6342, Fall, 2009 Page 8

11/11
Collaboration in Economic Development Ventures
• Hobbs: Social Organization in the Countryside (in Castle).
• Stabler: A Perspective on Multi-Community Collaboration for Economic
Development.
• Bradshaw, Ted K. and Edward J. Blakely. 1. What are “Third-Wave” State
Economic Development Efforts? From Incentives to Industrial Policy. Economic
Development Quarterly, Aug. 1999; vol. 13: pp. 229-244.

11/18
Regionalism and Clustering
• Fesser, Edward, Henry Renski, and Harvey Goldstein. Clusters and Economic
Development Outcomes: An Analysis of the Link Between Clustering and
Industry Growth. Economic Development Quarterly, Nov. 2008; vol. 22: pp. 324-
344.
• Shapira, Philip and Jan Youtie. Emergence of Nanodistricts in the United States.
Economic Development Quarterly, Aug. 2008; vol. 22: pp. 187-199.
• Montana, Jennifer Page and Boris Nenide. The Evolution of Regional Industry
Clusters and Their Implications for Sustainable Economic Development: Two
Case Illustrations. Economic Development Quarterly, Nov. 2008; vol. 22: pp.
290-302.
Globalization
• Clark, Cal and Robert Montjoy 2001. Globalization's Impact on State-Local
Economic Development Policy: Introduction to the Symposium. Policy Studies
Review 18(3): 5-12.

11/25 Thanksgiving week

• Students are to work independently with their groups on their projects due on
December 2, 2009.

IV. APPLICATION

12/2
Regional problems and Solutions
• Student Presentations

12/9 NO CLASS—OFFICIAL READING DAY

12/16 Final Project in lieu of final exam due via turnitin.com.

Course Syllabus: PA 6342, Fall, 2009 Page 9

Course Policies
Late Work

Barring significant intervening circumstances, I generally do not accept late

assignments. You are responsible for completing assignments by their deadlines.
I will subtract no less than 10% of the total available points for late assignments
in each 24-hour period subsequent to the deadline.

Class Attendance

All students are expected to attend each class session and participate fully; this
implies that all assigned readings should be completed in advance.

Classroom Citizenship

Students are to treat each other with respect at all times. Arriving at class without
being adequately prepared to discuss the assigned readings is disrespectful and
discourteous to your fellow students.

Laptop Policy in the Classroom

I do not allow students to take notes with laptops in class because these technologies
supply distractions that simple hand written note taking does not. Experience has
taught me that even the best-intentioned students succumb to these distractions
sooner or later if given the opportunity.

Policy Regarding Cellular Phones, and Other Small Electronic Devices in the
Classroom

Cellular telephones, pagers, and other similar electronic devices are not permitted on
aircraft because they may cause interference in planes’ in-flight control systems.
Because such devices also provide distractions that interfere with the teaching and
learning process, they are not permitted in this class. Unless you are a law
enforcement or other emergency personnel officer, please turn all such devices to the
OFF position prior to entering the classroom. You may use them during breaks and
after class if you wish.

Preferred Style for Citations and Bibliography

The University now requires that all Ph.D. dissertations use the Turabian style for
citations and bibliographies. The public affairs faculty now requires that all public
affairs students use this style in all of their papers. It is simply good practice to begin
using a style that is required for your dissertation. Please obtain a copy of Kate L.
Turabian. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses and Dissertations 7th
ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007.

Course Syllabus: PA 6342, Fall, 2009 Page 10

Writing Etiquette

I only accept assignments that have been carefully formatted and proofread. You
must ensure that pages are numbered, text is double-spaced, paragraphs are indented,
all four margins must be at least one inch, text must be in a standard font such as
Calibri or Times New Roman (You will notice that I prefer Times New Roman).
Font size must be 12-point. Spelling should be checked. Grammar should be
correct, so agreement, possessives, etc., should all be accurate. Sentences should be
clear and understandable. You should include a title page, and it should include
your name, the paper title, and other necessary identifying information.

Research Etiquette

I wish to judge you on the basis of your knowledge and understanding, not someone
else’s. That being said, I strongly object to the use of encyclopedias as
documentation for research papers. In particular, online encyclopedias are generally
not acceptable sources for work in this course. Appropriate sources can usually be
found in print, and the library is full of them. I appreciate research that refers to a
variety of books, academic journals, periodicals, and research and policy reports.
Many useful items can be obtained through the internet, but I urge you to exercise
caution in selecting sources that are reputable and sound. If you have any questions,
please ask in advance.

Attendance and Preparation

This is a graduate class. As graduate students, I expect each of you to be fully

prepared for and participate in each class. I also expect each student to be an active
participant in class discussions and exercises.

Technical Support
If you experience any problems with your UTD account you may send an email
to: assist@utdallas.edu or call the UTD Computer Helpdesk at 972-883-2911.
Field Trip Policies / 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
http://www.utdallas.edu/BusinessAffairs/Travel_Risk_Activities.htm. Additional
information is available from the office of the school dean. Below is a description
of any travel and/or risk-related activity associated with this course. (Not
Applicable)

Course Syllabus: PA 6342, Fall, 2009 Page 11

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
printed 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, Series 50000, Board of Regents, The
University of Texas System, 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) and online at
http://www.utdallas.edu/judicialaffairs/UTDJudicialAffairs-HOPV.html

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, any student who commits an act of scholastic dishonesty is

subject to discipline. Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating,
plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or materials that are
attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for
another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the
attempt to commit such acts.

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

Course Syllabus: PA 6342, Fall, 2009 Page 12

 will use the resources of turnitin.com, which searches the web for possible
plagiarism and is over 90% effective.

Copyright Notice

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the
making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted materials, including
music and software. Copying, displaying, reproducing, or distributing copyrighted
works may infringe the copyright owner’s rights and such infringement is subject
to appropriate disciplinary action as well as criminal penalties provided by federal
law. Usage of such material is only appropriate when that usage constitutes “fair
use” under the Copyright Act. As a UT Dallas student, you are required to follow
the institution’s copyright policy (Policy Memorandum 84-I.3-46). For more
information about the fair use exemption, see
http://www.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualproperty/copypol2.htm

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.

Course Syllabus: PA 6342, Fall, 2009 Page 13

 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)
disabilityservice@utdallas.edu

If you anticipate issues related to the format or requirements of this course, please
meet with the Coordinator of Disability Services. The Coordinator is available to
discuss ways to ensure your full participation in the course. If you determine that

Course Syllabus: PA 6342, Fall, 2009 Page 14

 formal, disability-related accommodations are necessary, it is very important that
you be registered with Disability Services to notify them of your eligibility for
reasonable accommodations. Disability Services can then plan how best to
coordinate your accommodations.

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.
These descriptions, schedules and timelines are subject to change at the Professor’s
discretion.

Course Syllabus: PA 6342, Fall, 2009 Page 15