Family Economic Issues
FCS 3450-001
Spring 2015
JTB 140 - Tuesday Evening 6:00-9:00 pm
INSTRUCTOR'S NAME:Jerry L. Basford Ph.D
OFFICE HOURS:By Appointment
OFFICE NUMBER:Park 206
OFFICE TELEPHONE:801-581-3435
Course Webpage
The class webpage can be found atwww.sa.utah.edu/familyfinance
Course Description
This course is an introduction of the economic approach to family-decision making across the life course. Topics include consumption, saving, time allocation, human capital investment, housing, marriage, divorce, fertility, and retirement.In the course, we will examine how economic decisions that are made at the household level affect the larger society. My personal goal is to give you the tools necessary to have a positive impact on our local, state, and national economies by making sound economic decisions, including becoming a millionaire by retirement
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course you should be able to:
1.Understand basic economic and financial planning principles.
2.Apply the concepts from the course to enhance personal financial responsibility.
3.Compare and contrast differing financial opportunities.
4.Understand the cost of risk inherent in all financial decisions.
5.Use critical thinking skills to analyze data and present it in a written format.
Text
The required text is a reading packet made for this course. The packet is available on the website.The packet includes the readings and assignment instructions. Do your assigned reading before class.In addition, Personal Finance by Kapoor, Dlabay and Hughes, although not required is highly recommended. Most of the lecture material and many test questions will be taken directly from this text.Please bring your packet to every class period.
Grading Policy
Your final grade for this class is determined as follows:
Various assignments will be given throughout the semester, including quizzes.
Each assignment/quiz will be graded according to accurateness, neatness, and content.
Assignments and examinations that are not readable by the instructor will be given no credit.
Credit for assignments not turned in on the day due will be reduced by one half per class (example: 1 class late = 50% credit, 2 classes late = 25% credit) Anything more than two classes late will receive NO credit.
All assignments are required to be typed or computer printed.Handwritten homework assignments will receive no more than 1/2 of the credit possible at the time it is turned in.
Your course grade will be determined by the following scale:
A = 94-100% / B+ = 86-89% / C+ = 76-79% / D+ = 66-69% / E = Below 60%A- = 90-93% / B = 83-85% / C = 73-75% / D = 63-65%
B- = 80-82% / C- = 70-72% / D- = 60-62%
Class Projects
Four project options are available; you will choose and complete 1 project. You may not complete all projects for extra credit; extra credit projects are not offered.Detailed instructions are available in the reading packet.
The project must be typed and paper copies are due at my midnight of the day they are due.
Reaction Papers
Each paper is worth 10 points. You only need to complete 4 of the 5 Reaction Papers.Each Reaction Paper must be from a different section in the book. There is no extra credit for completing all 5 papers.If you do complete all 5 papers, the first four turned will be the only ones graded.
Homework Assignments
Feel free to use your notes and the example problems in your packet to help you solve the problems.You may collaborate with one other person.
Students with Special Needs
The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services, and activities for people with disabilities.If you will need accommodations in this class, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the Center for Disability Services, 162 Olpin Union Building, 581-5020 (V/TDD).CDS will work with you and the instructor to make arrangements for accommodations.All written information in this course can be made available in an alternative format with prior notification to the Center for Disability Services.
Academic Honesty
All honesty and plagiarism policies established by the University of Utah will be upheld in this class.Academic misconduct in any form in this class will not be tolerated.This includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarizing, misrepresenting one’s work, inappropriately collaborating, and/or submitting the same work for more than one course without the permission of both instructors.
If you include information from outside the class or quotes in your written assignments, you must provide citations and a reference list.Avoid the urge to over-rely on quotes; a written assignment that is substantially made up of quoted material will not be considered to be your own work, even if you have used correct citations.
If it is discovered that you have engaged in academic misconduct of any type in this course, the Family & Consumer Studies departmental policy states that you will be given a failing grade in the course, and will be reported to the Dean and the VP for Academic Affairs, who will keep your name on record.Should you be reported more than once, you may face expulsion from the University.
This is a very serious issue and I will not tolerate it in my classroom.If you are aware of any misconduct, please inform me immediately.
For further information about the University of Utah’s policies regarding academic misconduct, please see the student handbook at www.admin.utah.edu/ppmanual/8/8-10.html .
University Drop and Withdrawal Policies
You may drop the course without penalty or permission until September 3. You may withdraw from the course without permission until September 19, but a “W” will be recorded on your academic record, and applicable tuition and fees will be assessed.After September 19, you will not be allowed to withdraw from this course.If you have any questions regarding this policy, please contact the Office of Admissions and Registrar at (801)581-5808.
Also, remember to pay your tuition by the deadline, or your classes will be deleted and they cannot be reinstated.
Incompletes
In order to qualify for an “Incomplete” in any University of Utah course, you must complete at least 80% of the course work and be in good standing (i.e., have earned at least a C on all completed work) and receive permission from the instructor (if you can justify to the instructor that you cannot finish the course because of circumstances beyond your control).The FCS departmental policy is that students who do not complete the work within 1 year after the granting of an ‘I’ will automatically receive a failing grade.No exceptions will be made to this policy.
Instructor Responsibilities
I will:
Be prepared for class and arrive early enough to have all of my equipment set up before class begins.
Use a variety of teaching methods, including lecture, in-class group work, discussion, video clips, etc. in an effort to create a stimulating learning environment and accommodate different learning styles.
Provide feedback on assignments in a timely manner.
Be available for individual consultation during office hours or by appointment.
Reply to email within 48 hours (not including weekends or holidays).
Follow all University of Utah policies regarding conduct within the classroom, incompletes, and accommodations.No exceptions will be made to these policies.
Comply with the Final Exam schedule determined by the University.The Final Exam will be offered during the appointed time.
Treat students equitably and with respect.This includes enforcing responsible classroom behavior.
Student Responsibilities
You are expected to:
Complete required reading assignments in a timely manner.
Complete class projects, reaction papers, and homework assignments on time.
Attend class and participate in class activities and discussion.
Arrive on time for class and stay the entire class period – arriving late and/or leaving early is disruptive.
Treat one another, the instructor, and the classroom with respect.
Seek help from the instructor (and other resources such as the Center for Disability Services or the Writing Center) whenever necessary, and before minor problems become major barriers to learning.
Refer to the syllabus and the class webpage for important information pertaining to the exam, written assignments, and class policies.
Scheduling Accommodations
Students should register for courses for which they have no scheduling conflicts.University policy allows you to make up assignments and exams if you are participating in officially sanctioned University activities, such as intercollegiate athletics.If you miss an exam or assignment deadline due to illness or a medical emergency, medical documentation (i.e., a doctor’s note) must be provided in order to make up missed work.
Things to Note
The syllabus is not a legal, binding contract.It may be modified by the instructor when the student is given reasonable notice of the modification.
Although I will not take attendance, it is expected that you be in class every period.There are some things that you will get only in the lecture that are not in the notes.If you do need to miss a class, it is YOUR responsibility to find out what material was covered and to get the notes from a fellow student.
I do not offer extra credit.So, do not ask.Extra credit projects are unfair unless all students are permitted to do them, and then extra credit projects simply become one more requirement for all students to complete.
Student homework assignments will be kept for one week before being destroyed.Student papers (Reaction Papers and Projects) will be kept for one month after the end of the semester. After that time, they will be destroyed.
Please bring a calculator to class every day.
Please show respect for me and the other students by arriving on time to class and by not leaving early.If you must do one of these things, please be discreet.Turn off your cell phones.Texting and surfing are inappropriate during class.Please refrain from these activities so that you do not distract the students around you.
Keep your e-mail address current within the University system.I send out e-mail updates and announcements on a regular basis, and you are responsible for the information sent.
ASSIGNMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
Grammar Pitfalls
This is a 3000- level course at the best University in the country. As such, you are expected to be able to express your ideas clearly in writing, utilizing proper punctuation and grammar.
In order to get full grammar points on your Reaction Papers and Class Projects, do not make any of the following common mistakes.
· Do not use slang, profanity, or contractions.
o Do not use: any contractions, including (but not limited to): couldn’t; I’ve; don’t; can’t; won’t; didn’t
o Do use: could not; I have; do not; cannot; will not; did not
o Do not use: All of the sudden; should of; could of; greatful; take for granite; suppose to
o Do use: All of a sudden; should have; could have; grateful; take for granted; supposed to
o Do not use: Texting abbreviations such as cuz or pls
· Correct use of affect/effect:
o Economics will affect your life and the effect is that you will be a better consumer.
· Are/our:
o We are in our class.
· Allot/a lot:
o I allotted a lot of money to eating out.
· College/collage:
o In my college economics course, I will not be making a collage of pictures.
· Defiantly/definitely:
o The student defiantly told the instructor he was definitely in love with her.
o Please note: if you spell definitely “definately” then your spell check may change it to “defiantly”
· Debts/depts.:
o Each of the University depts. is in debt.
· Fill/feel/fell:
o I have had my fill of economics and feel like I fell off the budgeting bandwagon.
· Lose/loose:
o I want to lose weight so I do not have to loosen my belt.
· Outweigh
o Correct: The advantages outweigh the disadvantages
o Incorrect: The advantages outway the disadvantages
· Principal/principle:
o Economic principles teach me that paying extra principal on a loan will save me a lot of money in interest.
· Their/there/they’re:
o They’re going to go take their tests over there.
· Then/than:
o I took economics and then I took another class but I liked economics more than the other.
· Vary/very:
o The interest rates you earn will vary very much.
Reaction Papers
Each paper is worth 10 points.
You only need to complete 4 of the 5 Reaction Papers, you can select which articles to write about, but you need one from four different sections. There is no extra credit for completing all 5 papers.
Feel free to complete your Reaction Papers early in the semester, and get them out of the way.
Write a 2-3 page paper (500-650 words, typed) in response to either:
A) An article that you have selected. This article must be about the topic(s) we have been discussing in this section of class. If you choose this option you need to attach the article to your paper. Do NOT attach a URL, you must print off the article.
B) An article from the Handouts tab of my website. You can only use an article that has a section number behind the article’s title. For instance, if you are doing an article in section 1 it must say (Section 1) behind the article. If you are doing an article in section 2 it must say (Section 2) behind the article, etc. If you select this option you do NOT need to attach the article.
You will write one Reaction Paper for each section in the packet. For example, you will write Reaction Paper 1 on a reading from Section 1 in the packet, Reaction Paper 2 on a reading from Section 2, etc. You may pick any reading in the section to write about or select a reading from my website for the section you are writing on. You do not need to react to more than one article per paper.
In your paper, do not summarize the article – I have already read it. Instead, write a reaction/response type paper. What did you find interesting about the topic? What did you wish had been talked more/less about? What questions did it raise in your mind? Is this topic relevant to this course – to your life? If so, how? If not, why not? How does this reading tie in to other knowledge you already possess? etc. You do not need to answer any or all of these questions specifically, but I want to see that you have thought about the information and can write an intelligent response to the article.
Make sure you have a minimum of 500 words or you will be docked points. To get your word count (in Word) just click “Tools” and “Word Count.” Make sure you note your word count in the header of your paper. You probably need 510 words or so to be safe (since your header will be counted as well).