BUL 3320 LAW & BUSINESS I

Syllabus SPRING 2014

Section 602 (TUESDAY, 2:00 p.m.)
Instructor:
Office:
Office
Phone:
Email:

Nicole F. Stowell, J.D.,

M.B.A.
DAV 108H
727-873-4543

Office Hours:
Monday:
Tuesday:

9:00 a.m. 11:45 a.m.

9:00 a.m. 1:30 p.m.

nstowell@mail.usf.edu

By
Appointment:

Please contact me at
nstowell@mail.usf.edu for
an appointment

Course Description:
This course covers the nature of legal and societal institutions and environments and major aspects
of public, private, and related business law.
Course Goals and Objectives:
Students completing BUL 3320, Law and Business I, should have the ability to:
1. Differentiate between the federal court system and the state court system.
2. Describe the litigation process.
o Pre-trial
o Trial
o Post-trial
3. Differentiate between a tort and a crime.
4. Describe torts.
o Assault
o Battery
o Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress
o Conversion
o Defamation
5. Describe crimes.
o Arson
o Robbery
o Corporate criminal liability
o White-collar crime
6. Define a valid contract.
7. Evaluate contract formation.
8. Distinguish between the different business entities.
o Sole proprietorships
o Franchises
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o Partnerships
o Limited Liability Companies
o Corporations
9. Describe the documentation needed to form a business entity.
10. Describe the liability of an owner of each business entity.
11. Distinguish between personal property and real property.
12. Develop an understanding of a landlords duties and obligations.
13. Develop an understanding of a tenants duties and obligations.
14. Define the requirements for a valid will.
Grade Requirements:
A C- or better is required in this College of Business core course.
Legal Advice:
Please know that neither this course nor the instructor intends to give any particular legal advice. If
you feel you need the assistance of an attorney, please contact me for a referral.
Homework Assignments:
Assignments will be completed online in Canvas and will require reliable (high-speed) internet
access. I encourage you to use the on-campus computer labs or another source with high-speed internet
connection. Computer problems are not an excuse for missing assignments.

You will have three (3) attempts for each assignment. Canvas will take your highest score
of the three (3) attempts.
The assignments are available up and until the due date and time.
No late assignments will be accepted. Due dates for all assignments are posted on Canvas
in advance. Do your assignments early to keep last-minute emergencies from getting in
your way.
I will not override the deadlines.
I understand that there will invariably be technical glitches and personal conflicts that may
cause you to miss a due date. Therefore, I will drop your lowest two (2) assignment grades
of eight (8) assignments given throughout the semester. Please take the assignments very
seriously and keep up with the assignments.
I will not answer the questions for you in advance the assignments are for you to work
through and answer. Therefore, please do not email me asking for the answers before the
deadline. The questions should be answered during the lectures; if not, the answer is
available through the textbook.
You are allowed to work with a student currently enrolled in BUL 3320. You are not
permitted to ask friends/relatives/students not enrolled in BUL 3320 to help you with the
homework assignments as this is considered cheating.

Textbook:
Wests Business Law, Text and Cases, Twelfth Edition, Clarkson, Miller, Cross
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Textbook:
ISBN 9780538470827
Optional Study Guide:
ISBN 9780538472777
The study guide is not required for this course; however, it is recommended for additional practice
questions. The St. Pete Barnes & Noble bookstore should have copies of the study guide available for
purchase. I have placed a copy of the textbook and study guide at the Reserve Desk at the Nelson Poynter
Library.
Exams:
Three exams will be given, as indicated below. The exams will cover material in your chapter
readings and material covered during lectures. Each exam will consist of 80 multiple-choice questions and
true/false questions. No exam will be comprehensive in scope.
Exams will start promptly at the beginning of the scheduled time and will end one hour and thirty
minutes (1:30) later. If you show up late, then you will have less time to take the exam. Once a student
has handed in the exam, no further exams will be distributed.
A missed exam will result in a grade of zero unless there are exceptional circumstances which have
been discussed with the instructor prior to the exam; otherwise, no makeup exams are given. In general, I
only make accommodations in the case of extreme emergencies. What constitutes exceptional
circumstances and extreme emergencies are in the instructors sole and absolute discretion.
Arrangements require two-way, in-person contact with documentation on the exceptional circumstance
and/or extreme emergency. Documentation must be presented before the makeup exam is given. At the
instructors option, any makeup examination may be in essay format.
If your work or personal affairs will interfere with a scheduled exam, you should take this course at
a different time.
No notes, books, dictionaries, electronic devices, or other aids may be referred to or otherwise
utilized during testing. All cell phones are to be turned off and put away during the exams. Students who
leave during an examination must turn in their examination prior to leaving the examination room.
Examinations must be delivered to me before leaving the classroom; any student failing to do so will be
given a failing grade for the course and reported for further proceedings to University of South Florida St. Petersburg. Likewise, any student caught cheating on an exam will be given a failing grade for the
course and reported for further proceedings to University of South Florida St. Petersburg.
I will provide the scantron answer sheet for the exams. You must arrive at the exam on time and
with a few #2 pencils and an eraser. Questions not answered within the time limit will be counted as
incorrect.
Examination Review:
Class time is reserved for covering new material. Examinations will not be reviewed during regular
class time. This policy is adopted to facilitate a learning process. Students may make an appointment to
review an examination, which appointment request must be made within one (1) week (which includes
holidays) after the administration of the examination. Please send me an e-mail within one (1) week after
the examination requesting a review of your examination. In addition, if you have a concern about a
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particular question on an exam, please request clarification during the examination. After the examination
has been graded is not the time to raise the concern.
Class Participation:
Although no specific attendance will be taken, in-class group assignments will be given throughout
the semester. By the end of the semester, each student will have an opportunity to receive a total of twenty
(20) points. If you miss the class in which an in-class assignment is given, you do not have the opportunity
to make-up the assignment; this is only available to those students who attend the particular class in which
the assignment is given. Likewise, if you leave class early, the assignment cannot be made up or turned in
at a later time. In summary, you must be present to participate. Please do not ask or e-mail me requesting
the class in which an in-class group assignment will take place; I may not always know when there will be
an in-class assignment.
The class participation points will be posted on Canvas within five (5) days of the assignment, so
please refer to Canvas to: (1) see if you missed an in-class assignment and (2) to verify your points
throughout the semester. If you participated in an assignment but the points are not posted on Canvas,
please e-mail me within one week of the assignment to let me know you participated in the assignment and
I will check the assignment papers again. It is your responsibility to check your points on Canvas and to
make sure that you have signed your name to the assignment papers.
Grading Policy:
The final grade for the course will be based on the following:
First exam:
Second exam:
Third exam:
Homework assignments:
Class participation:

77-80 points
77-80 points
77-80 points
Possibility of 60 points (6 counted assignments x 10 points each)
Possibility of 20 points (4 assignments x 5 points each)

For example, if at the end of the semester, each exam is worth 80 points, the total for all three (3)
exams would be 240 points. To the 240 points, the homework assignments worth 60 points and the 20
points for class participation will be added, which would be a total of 320 points for the semester. If a
student scores 70 on the first exam, 75 on the second exam, and 70 on the third exam, and receives 50
points on the homework assignments, and the full 20 points for class participation, the students total
points for the semester would be 285, which is a final grade of 89% (285/320). Please refer to this formula
throughout the semester and at the end of the semester to calculate your grade. Due the short deadline for
delivering final grades to the Registrars Office, I will not give out final grades via e-mail or telephone.
Final course grades will be calculated using Excel. At the end of the semester, you can enter all of your
scores into Excel to determine your final grade. If Excel rounds up to the whole percentage (i.e., 92%,
88%, 75%, etc.), then so will your grade; if Excel does not round up, then your grade will not.
Grades will not be arbitrarily changed nor will there be special projects, research reports, or
extra
credit of any kind given to individuals (or the class) at the end of the semester under any circumstances
because this would not be fair to the rest of the class.
Final course grades are not negotiable. Grades will only be changed if a grade resulted in a
mathematical error. If you need a specific grade to graduate, avoid probation, or keep a scholarship, you
are responsible for earning that grade.
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The final course grades will be allocated as follows:

A+
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD
F

=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=

96 - 100%
92 - 95%
90 - 91%
88 - 89%
82 - 87%
80 - 81%
78 - 79%
72 - 77%
70 - 71%
65 - 69%
Below 64%

The Academic Success Center (ASC):

The ASC provides academic support through individual and small group tutoring sessions,
workshops, seminars, credit courses and academic coaching. The subject areas covered include accounting,
marketing, finance, GRE, GMAT, math, statistics, writing, chemistry, biology, Spanish, French, etc. The
ASC consultants will help you solve problems, better understand assignments, brainstorm ideas, develop
study skills and learning strategies, prepare for exams and tests, and much more. To schedule an
appointment, please visit http://www.stpt.usf.edu/success or call 727-873-4632.
PowerPoint Slides:
PowerPoint slides for each chapter are posted on Canvas. Each student is responsible for printing
out the slides. You may also purchase a printed PowerPoint slide packet produced by Pro-Copy at ProCopy in Tampa (813-988-5900) or the St. Pete Barnes & Noble bookstore.
The slides are the personal property of the instructor and may not be sold, copied (except for a
classmate currently registered in BUL 3320), or posted on the Internet. Anyone doing so will receive a
failing grade for the course and/or reported for further proceedings with University of South Florida St.
Petersburg.
Grades, Canvas, and Email:
The instructor utilizes Canvas for posting grades. Grades are generally posted seven (7) days (or
less) after exam dates. Canvas is required to access grades and other, pertinent course information.
It is your responsibility to learn how to use Canvas. You must access your USF e-mail account
regularly. I will post announcements and send e-mail to all students registered in the course, but only
through USF e-mail accounts. I cannot access your personal e-mail account through Canvas. It is your
responsibility to ensure that e-mail sent to your USF e-mail account is being forwarded to your preferred email account. If you send me an e-mail from an account other than your USF e-mail account and I do not
respond within 48-hours, please take that as an indication that I did not receive the e-mail and send the email from your USF e-mail account (I have had problems in the past with Hotmail). When sending me an
e-mail, please include your first and last name and either your section number or the day and time of the
class.
Course Policies:
Successful completion of this course will require that you attend class and prepare for class.
Students will be in class, seated, and ready to participate at the beginning of the class period. Please take
care of your needs for the restroom, drinks, returning phone calls, etc., before class begins so you can stay
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and pay attention for the entire class period.

Please turn off or silence all pagers, cell phones, watches, audio-video devices, and PDAs before
entering the classroom. Classroom interruptions such as excessive talking, whispering, note-passing,
gesturing, reading newspapers, surfing the internet, texting, and sleeping are not permitted. If such
behavior occurs, the instructor will send an email warning to the student or students. If the behavior
continues after the first email warning, the instructor will deduct two (2) points from the students final
grade at the end of the semester for each interruption. The student will be notified of the deduction via
email immediately following class. In addition, any student who violates the course policies may be
subjected to a verbal warning, ejectment from the classroom with an unexcused absence, and/or expulsion
as warranted. Each student is expected to keep an open mind and treat members of the class and professor
with respect.
Remember, all course rules and policies, exam dates, and grading scales applies to all students
equally. Please do not ask for special treatment. By being enrolled in this class, you are agreeing to follow
and abide by the course policies set forth in this syllabus.
English as a second language:
Please note that if you do not speak fluent English, you are not permitted to use dictionaries or
other aids on examinations. You are advised to take this course after completing your English competency
examinations and other courses as the course is difficult without a proficient understanding of the English
language.
Syllabus controls:
This syllabus controls all matters related to the class. In no event will student requests for
exceptions be granted. Requests for separate or special treatment will be considered to be a disruption of
the academic process in accordance with the USF Graduate Catalog 2001-2004, or later, and will be dealt
with in accordance with the procedures therein depending on the nature and seriousness of the offense. In
the event of policy, catalog, or other differences between the USF catalog and a St. Petersburg campus
policy, the St. Petersburg campus policy will control.
This syllabus may be revised during the semester to correct errors, provide clarification or to
articulate university and/or college policies. In addition, the instructor reserves the right to make changes
as she deems necessary for the administration of the course. Emergencies, including extreme weather
conditions, security issues and other matters may also result in changes to the course format, this syllabus
and scheduled classes, lectures, etc.
Classmates:
You are expected to be responsible for keeping up with covered materials, knowing the dates of
examinations, knowing the materials covered, etc. If you miss a class or lose track of this information, you
will be expected to contact a classmate for that information. Please exchange your name with a classmate
or two along with email or telephone numbers. If a student misses a class, the instructor will not e-mail or
copy her notes for that student. If you miss a class, please either send a broadcast e-mail to your
classmates via Canvas or get the notes from a classmate.
Religious Holidays:
Students should notify the instructor of religious holidays that a student intends to observe by the
second week of class. If a religious holiday/observance conflicts with a scheduled exam, arrangements to
take the exam at an earlier date must be made no less than fourteen (14) days prior to the scheduled exam
date.
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Drop Deadline:
Students are responsible for the deadline(s) for dropping a class. This information can be found at
the following website: http://www.stpt.usf.edu/admissions/calendar.htm.
Copyrights:
Tape recording of lectures is not permitted without prior consent of the instructor. The sale of class
notes is prohibited.
Academic Dishonesty:
See USF Policy on Academic Dishonesty and Disruption of Academic Process at
www.ugs.usf.edu/catalogs/0304/adadap.htm. Because of the Universitys commitment to academic
integrity, plagiarism or cheating on course work or on examinations will result in penalties that may include
a grade of F for the specific exam or course work and a grade of F or FF for the course. Any
incident of academic dishonesty will be reported to the dean of the college. Definitions and punishment
guidelines for Plagiarism, Cheating, and Student Disruption of the Academic Process may be found at the
web address listed above.
Students with Disabilities:
Please notify your instructor by the second day of class if you have a learning disability or require
special assistance with this course. Confidential personal and learning assistance counseling are made
available to students through the Division of Student Affairs. Students who need extended time on exams
need to inform the Disabilities Office at least seven (7) school days (Monday Friday) in advance of the
scheduled exam, so that the Disabilities Office has adequate time to inform me.

Tentative Course Schedule:

January 7, 2013

Introduction
Syllabus review
Chapter 1, Introduction to Law and Legal Reasoning

January 14, 2013

Chapter 2, Courts and Alternative Dispute Resolution

Begin Chapter 3, Court Procedures

January 21, 2013

Finish Chapter 3, Court Procedures

Begin Chapter 6, Intentional Torts

January 28, 2013

Finish Chapter 6, Intentional Torts

Chapter 7, Negligence (excluding Strict Liability)

February 4, 2013

Chapter 9, Criminal Law

February 11, 2013

Exam Number 1
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February 18, 2013

Chapter 10, Nature and Terminology

Chapter 11, Agreement
Chapter 12, Consideration

February 25, 2013

Chapter 13, Capacity and Legality

Chapter 15, Statute of Frauds

March 4, 2013

Chapter 49, Personal Property (excluding Bailments)

Chapter 50, Real Property

March 11, 2013

Spring Break

March 18, 2013

Chapter 50 and Lecture, Landlord-Tenant Relationships

March 25, 2013

Exam Number 2

April 1, 2013

Chapter 36, Sole Proprietorships and Franchises

Chapter 37, Limited Partnerships and Limited Liability Partnerships

April 8, 2013

Chapter 38, Limited Liability Companies and Special Business Forms

Begin Chapter 39, Corporations Formation and Financing

April 15, 2013

Finish Chapter 39, Corporations Formation and Financing

Chapter 40, Corporations Directors, Officers, and Shareholders

April 22, 2013

Chapter 52, Wills, Trusts, and Elder Law

April 29, 2013

Exam Number 3

All chapter references are to the assigned textbook. Please note that this is a tentative schedule, subject to
change.
Key Leadership Skills and Perspectives Addressed in This Course:
Interpersonal
and
Communication
Skills
4

Analytical and
Critical
Thinking Skills

Information
Technology
Skills

Reflective
Thinking and
Experiential
Learning
4

Ethical and
Social
Consciousness

Multicultural
Competence

Interpersonal and Communication Skills class discussions throughout the semester regarding legal
topics, cases, and statutes.
Analytical and Critical Thinking Skills reading and analyzing court opinions, statutes, and rules,
and thinking about issues and legal problems that occur in society and in business.
Information Technology Skills use of Canvas for the online homework assignments.
Reflective Thinking and Experiential Learning understanding that the law is a set of general rules
and then applying the general rules to actual situations and/or hypothetical situations.
8

Ethical and Social Consciousness discussion of the duty of loyalty, the duty of care, and fiduciary
duties for officers and board of directors of corporation, partners in a partnership, and
members/managers in a limited liability company.
Multicultural Competence lecture on alternative dispute resolution.

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS FOR SPRING 2014

Due Date (all assignments
are due at 10:00 p.m.)
Tuesday, January 21st
Tuesday, February 4th
Sunday, February 9th
Tuesday, March 4th
Sunday, March 23rd
Tuesday, April 8th
Tuesday, April 22nd
Sunday, April 27th

Assignment
Numbers/Chapters
Assignment #1/Chapters 1
and 2
Assignment #2/Chapters 3
and 6
Assignment #3/Chapters 7
and 9
Assignment #4/Chapters 10,
11, 12, 13, and 15
Assignment #5/Chapters 49
and 50
Assignment #6/Chapters 36
and 37
Assignment #7/Chapters 38
and 39
Assignment #8/Chapters 40
and 52

10

Points
10 points
10 points
10 points
10 points
10 points
10 points
10 points
10 points