225A Microeconomics Rivier syllabus SP 24 930am to 1045am-2.docx Link

Course Information 

Course Prefix & Number:                BUS225A

Course Title:                                      Microeconomics

Semester, Year:                                 Spring 2024

Credits:                                              3

Classroom:                                         ED 313

Classroom Meetings:                         Monday’s & Wednesday’s 9:30am to 10:45am

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Course Description: This course offers an understanding of key microeconomic principles for understanding economics at the aggregate level.

 Learning Objectives:

• Apply economic perspective and reason accurately and objectively to economic issues that impact domestic and foreign economies.  
• Collect, calculate, and interpret economic data that measures the Real Domestic Output and National Income for the U.S. economy.
• Describe the primary phases of the business cycle, and explain how unemployment and inflation are measured.
• Explain important concepts related to a country’s fiscal, monetary, and trade policies.
• Describe how Aggregate Demand & Aggregate Supply determine an economy’s equilibrium price level and level of Real Domestic Output.
• Analyze current global economic events.
• Apply economic models to analyze and forecast microeconomic trends in a selected economy.
• Demonstrate critical thinking skills to analyze and apply tobusiness situations.
• Summarize opportunities provided by technology for  
• Apply effective communication techniques through demonstration.
• Discuss situations that present legal, ethical, and social sustainability issues and develop solutions.   

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Course Content:

COURSE EXPECTATIONS

REQUIRED LECTURE NOTES:

Lecture Notes are posted on Canvas 24 hours prior to each class meeting. If the upcoming class notes are not visible on Canvas 24 hours prior to the class meeting, students should email the instructor.

Lecture Notes are partial notes and are guides to note taking while in class. Students are required to bring a printed copy and/or an electronic copy of the lecture notes to the corresponding class meeting.

The material covered during in-class lectures is based on the following two assumptions:

1) Each student attending class read the assigned chapters from the Required Textbook reading prior to class.

2) Each student has a printed and/or electronic copy of the corresponding Lecture Notes as a guide for additional note-taking during class.

IF A STUDENT MISSES A CLASS:

It is the responsibility of the student to obtain additional notes given in class from another student who attended class that day.

EXTRA HELP

The instructor is available to students for extra help by appointment. Only students who consistently attend class and are engaged and participate are eligible for extra help. Extra help is not a replacement for a missed class – students who miss class are required to get notes from a classmate to catch up on missed material.

ATTENDANCE AND PARTIPICATION

Though attendance and participation are not part of the course grade breakdown, consistent attendance and participation are imperative for a passing grade. Students will be unable to master the material if they do not attend class on a regular basis. Missed classes will result in lower quiz and exam grades and thus, a lower final grade.

EXAMS

Three exams will be given in class during the semester. They will all cover new material. Class examination questions are derived from the material covered in class in addition to material covered in the text. Complete and accurate class notes are important for proper exam preparation.

FINAL EXAM

The final exam will be held during finals week and will be cumulative.

EXAM MAKE-UP POLICY

It is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor prior to the exam date if the student is unable to attend a scheduled exam and the student requires a make-up exam. There is a limited time for make-up exams with a valid excuse. After the scheduled exam date, makeup exams will only be available within a two-day period following the exam and must be taken prior to the next scheduled class. Only one makeup exam is permitted for the course. Students will receive a zero if a makeup exam is not scheduled and taken within the above designated timeframe. NOTE: BEING UNPREPARED IS NOT A VALID EXCUSE FOR MISSING AN EXAM

GRADING:

Numerical Equivalency	Points	Grade	Numerical Equivalency	Points	Grade
93-100	4.0	A	73-76	2.0	C
90-92	3.67	A-	70-72	1.67	C-
87-89	3.33	B+	67-69	1.33	D+
83-86	3.0	B	63-66	1.0	D
80-82	2.67	B-	62 and below	0	F
77-79	2.33	C+

 

Assignment	Total in Course	Total Points	% of Total Grade
On-line discussion boards (15)	15	150	15%
Participation	-	100	10%
Exams (2)	2	300	20%
Final Project & Presentation	1	350	35%
Final Exam (1)	1	200	20%
Total		1000	100%

 

Participation-10%

• Actively participate by completing all assigned readings and contribute to in-class discussions. Missing class meetings, as well as not notifying the instructor of absences, will negatively impact this portion of a student’s grade.

On-line Discussion Board-15%

• After each week, students will complete a homework assignment due by end of that week (1 discussion per week for first 15 weeks). These should be completed after reading the chapters. There will be 15 discussion boards located on Canvas.  10 points possible per discussion (5 points for initial on-time response and 2.5 points each for response of two other class-mates’ responses).

Exams-20%

• Students will record 2 exam scores during the term, each covering 6 chapters (20 questions per exam worth 5 points each for total of 100 points per exam and 200 points combined).
• Exams will be based on the text, assigned supplemental materials, and are designed to measure understanding of the course material.

Final Exam-20%

• Students will record a final exam during finals week (TBD), covering all chapters 20 questions worth 10 points each for total of 200 points.
• Exam will be based on the text, assigned supplemental materials, and are designed to measure understanding of the course material.

Final Project & Presentation-35%

• You’re the new King/Queen of a newly formed country and you call an emergency meeting. It is January, 2024.  You outline inflation is currently too (high), unemployment is out of control, the currency has collapsed, and the United States is pushing heavily to use your country as a military base due to your location which is between China and the Soviet Union which includes a port to the Ocean.
• You, your General, Chief of State, Head of Church, and your Chief Economic Advisor must come up with a plan (Microeconomic Analysis) to save the collapse. This plan must be finished in 14 weeks and be presented to the United Nations (U.N. controlled by the United States which China & Soviet Union not a part of). 
• Students (groups) will submit (TBD) a Microeconomic Report. The final will be worked on outside of class.  Presentations of projects will be conducted last two classes (TBD), but final project (hard copy) due at the end of last class (TBD).  The group will consist of (5), or less.  Each team member will be responsible for the section associated with their job assigned by the King/Queen who will be voted on by the group. 

The outline follows:

• • King/Queen
    • Goals for the Country
      • Name of country
      • Flag
      • Taxes
      • Economic
        • Currency will be used and name of it
        • Currency standard
      • World (foreign affairs)
      • Speech for the People
    • General
      • Military
        • Breakdown
        • Budget
        • United States base (let happen)
          • Speech on why, or why not
        • Head of Church
          • Sermon presentation (philosophy outlook)
            • Bringing people together
            • Peace
            • Love
            • Overview of life
            • Why is this happening
          • Chief of State-
            • Import Export
            • GDP breakdown
          • Economic Advisor-
            • Supply and Demand analysis
              • Inflation Rate analysis
              • Unemployment Rate analysis
            • Opportunity Costs
            • Utility maximization
          • Format
            • Cover sheet with who in what role
            • Reference page
            • 12-point font
            • APA Format
            • report format such as PowerPoint
            • Submit on Canvas

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Important Notes:

 

COURSE SYLLABUS CHANGES:

The instructor reserves the right to make adjustments to this course syllabus as needed.

Attendance/Participation Expectations 

Include participation expectations and include penalties for non-participation. 

Technical Requirements 

Computer: Either a PC or Macintosh 

• Operating System:
• PC: Windows 10 or later
• Mac: OS X 10.6 or later
• Storage HD space: Enough storage space for your files (this could be on your C: drive, flash drive, online storage, etc.)
• Drivers: All audio and video drivers must be current
• Webcam and headset with microphone are required for Nurse Practitioner students and may be required for other courses. Check with your instructor.

Software 

• Microsoft Office (or software that can save in Office formats)
• Web Browser: Latest version of web browser, as updated here.
• Updated Flash player
• Windows Media Player or QuickTime player

Internet (upload) Speed 

Upload speed should be 2 Mbps (Megabits per second) or faster. Please check with your ISP to determine your upload speed, or check online. 

Email, Canvas, and Technical Issues Information: 

• Please take time to become familiar with Canvas prior to class. While it may be only a few months since you have worked with Canvas, there are continuing updates. Become familiar with all of the opportunities provided by Regina Library for your academic success. The librarians will be more than willing to assist you. All email communication must be on Rivier University email. You may also use the message function in Canvas.
• If you need assistance on any IT related issues, below are some helpful methods of gaining assistance:
• Rivier IT Support: (603) 897-8469 and itsupport@rivier.edu
• Canvas Tech Support: (877) 469-0137
• Canvas Student Guide
• Canvas Help Guides
• If you are experiencing difficulty accessing a Rivier web portal, please contact itsupport@rivier.edu.
• If you wish to file a complaint about your online learning experience please use this form.
• Rivier University is authorized by the New England Commission of Higher Education, Inc. (NECHE) and the New Hampshire Higher Education Commission to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). NC-SARA is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of postsecondary distance education. In addition to the University’s student complaint procedure, students may contact the New Hampshire Higher Education Commission at NH Higher Education. 

University Policies 

Early Alert 

Rivier University uses an early alert communication system to support student success.  Faculty who are concerned that a student might need additional support use this system to create alerts that bring the appropriate student to the attention of advisors and other support networks. 

Academic Integrity Policy 

Academic integrity involves the thorough, accurate, and systematic discussion, presentation, reporting and publication of information. Academic integrity is a cornerstone of the teaching and learning in which all members of our community are engaged.  

When considering student work, academic integrity assumes and expects that academic work is solely the product of the student. Plagiarism and cheating are breaches of academic integrity. In general, plagiarism is defined as the presentation of someone else’s work as the student’s own without complete acknowledgement of the source of the material. Quoting or using another person’s argument from another source without acknowledgement of the source or its relationship to other sources constitutes plagiarism. Cheating is defined as the giving or receiving or attempting to give or receive unauthorized information or assistance during an examination, study, or project. Submission of a single work for two separate courses without the permission of both instructors prior to submission is also a form of cheating. 

Instructors will communicate clear expectations regarding assignments, including group work and group projects. If students are unsure whether a specific course of action would constitute academic dishonesty, they should consult with the relevant instructor before proceeding.  

When academic integrity is violated, by plagiarism, cheating or other unethical conduct, sanctions may be applied. The nature of the sanctions varies with the type, degree or repetition of an act of academic dishonesty in the judgement of the instructor and the institution. Depending on the nature of academic dishonesty sanctions may take the form of one or more of the following: 

• student discussion with the instructor about the nature of the offense that results in reassurance and commitment to improvement;
• individualized action plan with identified steps and timeline to achieve the appropriate outcomes;
• rewriting and submission of the academic work in question with or without grade penalty;
• a grade penalty up to and including a grade of “F” or zero for the work in question;
• notification of the divisional dean of the infraction and reason for recommending a review;
• review by the dean and meeting with student and instructor to determine facts related to allegations and to impose other sanctions as appropriate;
• other academic sanctions up to and including dismissal from the university.

All efforts should be made to conduct ourselves with dignity, integrity and a just consideration for those with whom we interact. Often, disagreement can best be resolved by the individuals directly involved. However, there may be instances when this does not occur. 

Procedure 

When academic integrity is violated, the instructor will notify student(s) promptly. Instructors should seek to resolve the matter informally with the student(s), with the understanding that resolutions may involve sanctions. As noted below, informal resolutions that involve grade penalties should be reported by the instructor to the office of the VPAA for the purpose of limiting the number of times students have access to informal resolution processes. 

If this informal attempt does not resolve the matter, or if the student has sufficient reason to believe that she/he will not be fairly heard by the faculty member, the student may contact the divisional dean. For the purposes of academic integrity matters, the relevant dean is the dean of the division where the instructor and class are located. This contact must occur within ten working days following the time when the student was notified of the academic integrity violation. The dean will attempt to resolve the matter in a timely manner and to the satisfaction of both student and instructor. Written statements may be requested of both parties by the dean. The decision of the dean will be forwarded in writing to all individuals involved. 

If the matter is not resolved by the informal process described above, the student may file a formal grievance within ten working days of the informal decision of the divisional dean. This grievance, with all relevant data attached, is submitted in the form of a written letter addressed to the dean, who will appoint and chair a review committee, consisting of the dean and two faculty or staff from outside the programs and divisions of both student(s) and instructor(s).  A meeting of the formal grievance committee will be scheduled within ten days of the date of the grievance, and the committee will promptly arrive at a decision. The decision, including any associated sanctions, will be communicated in writing to the parties involved within three days of the formal meeting. The meeting is academic in nature, so the student represents themselves at this meeting. Formal representation by legal counsel is not permitted. 

Within ten days of receiving the results of the formal review, the student has the right to a one-time final appeal in writing to the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA). The VPAA will review all the pertinent information and may choose to meet with the student(s) instructor(s), program director(s) or dean(s) to ascertain the facts. The VPAA will make the final decision on the matter. Records related to review committee work and any related appeals will be kept in the office of the VPAA. 

Limits to Informal Processes 

Students may use the informal resolution process one time. Subsequent violations of academic integrity must be formally reported by the instructor to the divisional dean who will bring the matter to a review committee.  In order to enforce the one-time limit on informal resolution, instructors should contact the office of the VPAA before moving forward with informal resolution of serious violations of academic integrity. In cases where informal resolutions are undertaken and a grade penalty is imposed, instructors should notify the office of the VPAA that an informal resolution has occurred, identifying the student involved as well as the course, the date, the nature of the violation and the sanction imposed.  

Attendance Policy 

The classroom, whether face-to-face online, is the heart of the educational experience at Rivier University because it provides a formal setting for the important exchanges among faculty and students. Regular and punctual attendance at all classes, essential for maximum academic achievement, is a major responsibility of Rivier University students. Failure to attend and contribute to the classroom environment significantly and demonstrably reduces the quality of the educational experience for everyone in the classroom. As a result, absences almost always impact the quality of performance. 

As part of its commitment to a quality educational experience for all members of the Rivier community, the University formally requires specific attendance policies to be developed by its professors and reviewed by the dean of the division. Any attendance policy used by an individual professor as a criterion for evaluation must be specified in the course syllabus and presented to students during the first week of classes. These policies can be found in respective course syllabi, and may include reasonable penalties and sanctions for excessive absences. 

Students are expected to attend all class sessions. In the event of prolonged illness, accident, or similar emergency, it is the responsibility of the student to notify, in writing, both the professor and, for undergraduates, their academic and career advisor or success coach. For graduates, include the program director/coordinator(s) or dean(s) of the division. Students must remember that it is always their responsibility to make up the work they may have missed during an absence from class. Students are directed to confer with their professors when their absences jeopardize satisfactory progress. Whenever a professor is absent without notification, students are expected to wait fifteen minutes before leaving and to sign an Attendance List, which a class member delivers to the Office of the Registrar. 

Professors are strongly encouraged to record attendance and alert the Office of the Registrar when a student fails to attend the equivalent of two weeks of courses (two absences for a course meeting once a week, four absences for a course meeting twice a week, six absences for a course meeting three times a week). The student will then be alerted that he/she is in danger of falling under the ‘habitual nonattendance policy” (see below). 

For graduate students taking online or 7-week courses absence from three or more classes may jeopardize their ability to succeed; therefore, the student’s continuation in the course will be determined by the instructor and the dean of the division. If a student is absent from the first two classes of the course, the student cannot continue in the course without approval of the program director and/or dean. 

Habitual Non-Attendance 

Habitual nonattendance is defined as an absence in any course (for any reason whatsoever) equating to three full weeks of missed class sessions (three absences for a course meeting once a week, 6 absences for a course meeting twice a week, 9 absences for a course meeting three times a week, and two or more absences within a14-day period in an online course. 

Faculty members will notify the Office of Academic & Career Advising or Success Coach when a student has reached the habitual nonattendance criteria for their course(s). The academic and career advisor or success coach, will then attempt to resolve the issue of habitual nonattendance with the student. It is the responsibility of the student to notify the Office of Academic Advising of any intention to withdraw from a course or to withdraw from the University. If the student, however, has not officially withdrawn from the course(s) by the University’s published last date to withdraw from a course, the faculty member will assign a grade of F. 

Resident students who have documented habitual nonattendance in one or more classes may also be in jeopardy of violating the Resident Attendance Policy (see Student Handbook). 

Students who have attended no class sessions of a course or courses from which they are registered by the end of the drop/add period may be dropped from each course not attended. If a student never attended any courses during the drop/add period, the student may be withdrawn from his/her full schedule of courses of study of 12 credits should consult with their academic advisor. 

Culture of Respect: Sexual Misconduct, Harassment and Gender-Based Violence Policies 

Link to policy: Sexual Misconduct Policy 

Netiquette 

Email Netiquette 

• Always use your Rivier email account for official or course-related business.  
• Always provide the purpose of the email in the subject line. 
• Use an appropriate salutation or greeting to begin an email. “Hey, Dude!” may be an appropriate greeting for a friend, but it is not the type of respectful salutation that you should use when emailing a professor. Professors and staff should be addressed with appropriate title: Dr., Professor, Mr./Mrs./Ms., President, Vice President, etc. Conclude your message with complete identification and contact information at the bottom of the email. 
• Be brief. Separate ideas into clear, concise paragraphs with spaces in between; do not write one long paragraph containing diverse points and information. 
• Do not address several issues in one email; limit emails to one, two, or three related points on the topic in your subject line. 
• Use distribution lists sparingly, preferring the Notice Board when there is a mass email to the entire campus community. 
• Double check the “To” line in your replies to make sure that the email goes to the right party. 
• Avoid “Replying to All” when you do not mean to. When appropriate, use the “Options” icon in Outlook to mark messages as personal, private, or urgent or to request that the message has been received or read. 
• When you receive an email, reply within 48 hours, excluding weekends or holidays. Set auto response in “Option” to “Out of Office” if away for an extended time period. 

Discussion Board & Forum  

When using the Discussion Board for Academic Purposes:  

• Pay attention to the discussion question posed by the instructor and answer the question in your posting. Post your initial posting by Wednesday, 11:59 PM (ET).
• Respond to at least two other student postings; after all, this is a discussion that is occurring in an online format. To engage in the discussion, read other postings and respond to them directly. At least two of your responses should be made in two separate days.
• If other students reply to your posting, respond to their questions or comments.
• As you would in a face-to-face conversation, acknowledge the person speaking to you.
• If you don’t have anything substantial or constructive to say for your reply, please do not reply.
• Responses like “that’s nice” do not keep the discussion going.
• For long responses, attach a document and type a message in the discussion box indicating what is in the attachment.
• Please refer to your instructors’ specific instructions for Discussion Board assignments.

Emergency/Inclement Weather Closing Policy 

Rivier University communicates weather-related closure/delay information on local radio, TV, the Rivier University homepage, the University phone system, and the Everbridge emergency notification system. It’s a good idea to create an Everbridge account in order to be alerted of Emergency closings. To check on an account, go to: https://member.everbridge.net/index/3091830992273716#/login. 

The University cannot make a decision that takes into account everyone’s commuter location and travel direction. As always, we ask each person to be safe. If conditions in a student’s area are not safe, we ask that the student not put themselves in danger. Communicate with faculty, supervisors, or advisors if weather prohibits or delays travel. 

Per policy/protocol, the University makes every attempt to announce a closure or morning delay no later than 6 am on the day of the closure. If the University closes campus in the afternoon, an attempt is made to announce an early closure by 2 pm on the day of the closure. 

In the event of campus closure, faculty will work to maintain the engaged academic time required to meet the learning outcomes for every course. Canvas tools for this purpose include Discussions, Assignments, Quizzes, VoiceThread, or other uploaded consumable content (files, videos, hyperlinks). Real-time activities in Canvas (Conferences, Collaboration) are also an option. Through these and other means, faculty continue to engage students with course content and evaluate student learning during and after unanticipated closures. 

If Rivier is closed for unforeseen reasons (e.g., weather), scheduled events, functions, and programs will be canceled or rescheduled, unless the University determines that campus conditions are safe enough to hold the event. Any time that weather presents a concern for a campus event being held, it is expected that event sponsors and contacts will confer with the University’s Public Safety Office (to determine campus conditions and safety of travel) and Sodexo (external sponsor event management). 

Statement on Reasonable reccommodations 

Rivier University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilities. The syllabus is available in alternate formats upon request. If you need course adaptations or accommodations due to disability, or if you need to make special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with the Office of Disability Services as soon as possible. Students that receive accommodation letters, please meet with me to discuss the provision of those accommodations as soon as possible. The Office of Disability Services (ODS) is the designated department responsible for approving and coordinating reasonable accommodations and services for students with disabilities. ODS will help you understand your rights and responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act and provide you further assistance with requesting and arranging accommodations.  

Office of Disability Services 
Learning Commons, room 115 

Student Handbook 

Students should review all polices outlined in Rivier’s Online Student Handbook.