Business and Professional Speaking Syllabus for 2023-2024
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Instructor Information

Course Information

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Recording Policy

Disability Statement

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Disability Services facilitates access to all programs and services according to the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as other federal and state laws.

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If you find you are unable to access material in an accessible format please contact the Disability Services Office at (806) 345-5639 . This office will work in conjunction with other campus resources to address and accommodate your issue in a timely manner.

Statement for Mental Health and Advocacy & Resource Center:

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

Tutoring for Success applies to any student whose overall performance in the course falls below 75%. The instructor will create the task in the Student Engagement Portal (Watermark) to direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty- or SI-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. The tutoring service assigned, the due date for when the tutoring must be completed, and the amount of tutoring required are at the discretion of the instructor. Additionally, the task will alert the student’s success team. Students who do not fulfill the assigned tutoring task may be subject to program- and course-specific penalties that could result in a grade reduction and/or in not being allowed to progress in the course until the tutoring requirement has been satisfied.

Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

Student Withdrawal Procedures

Students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.

NOTE: Students who are attending Texas institutions of higher education, for the first time fall 2007 and later, may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.

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The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students.  If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email to humanresources@actx.edu .

Course

SPCH-1321-040 Business and Professional Speaking

Prerequisites

Course Description

Study and application of communication within the business and professional context. Special emphasis will be given to communication competencies in presentations, dyads, teams and technologically mediated formats.

Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)

Class Type

On Campus Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Dan O'Hair, Rob Stewart & Hannah Rubenstein. (2018}. A Speaker's Guidebook: Text & Reference. Seventh Edition:Boston/New York

Supplies

Textbook, USB, notebook, pens, pencils. Access to AC Connect and Blackboard ( if you are using a Mac laptop, make sure your the extension to saving your work is compatible to Blackboard) in order to complete assignments, discussions and participation. Computer, is mandatory to complete content requirements for successful completion of this course.

Student Performance

This course is an exploration of the purposes and processes in the visual and performing arts (such as music, painting, architecture, drama, and dance) and the ways in which they express the values of cultures and human experience.

Learning Objectives: Upon completion of this course, students will:

   1. Employ formal elements and principles to critically analyze various works of the visual and performing arts.

   2. Articulate the creative process of artistic works as expressions of human experience and cultural values.

   3. Demonstrate an understanding of the esthetic principles that guide the creation of, and response to, the arts.

   4. Describe the relationship of the arts to everyday life.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

Academic Honesty:All matters of academic dishonesty including plagiarism, collusion, fabrication, cheating etc. will result in a failing grade for the assignment in question. All violations will be forwarded to the proper college authorities for review. Any form of disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Any material copied and pasted from a web source into assignments, analyses, and essays without proper citation or documentation will be considered plagiarism or stealing and will receive a failing grade.

Online Student Behavior: All students are expected to be polite and considerate when posting opinions and thoughts in the Discussion Forum. The Online class is not a location where students may post aggressive, insulting, or inappropriate use of language. Any student who violates the required Student Behavior (as stated and in the AC Student Handbook) will result in a failing grade for the course.

For the consideration of the other students and  instructor, all phones, smart or stupid, are not to be seen or heard. Turn off or silence. Please disconnect from texting, talking or playing with phone. If you need to research something wait until class is over (unless it is for group projects).

Grading Criteria

Grading Criteria: It is the student’s responsibility to complete all assigned tasks, located in the WEEKLY CONTENT, by the specified DUE DATE.  Individual assignments are evaluated by the instructor. Students are expected to complete all requirements with no less than 75% accuracy.

• Incomplete assignments, will be reported to specific department chairs, division chairs, and Associate Vice President of Instruction.
• The grade you will receive will be determined by your completion of SPEECHES, SPEECH CRITIQUES, VOCABULARY EXAMS & DISCUSSIONS.

SPEECHES	40%
SPEECH CRITIQUES	30%
VOCABULARY	20%
DISCUSSIONS	10%
	100%

Grade	Points
A	90-100
B	80-89
C	70-79
D	60-69
F	59 and below

Letter grades will be assigned on the following basis:

Attendance

• STUDENTS ARE HELD RESPONSIBLE for completing Content Folder for each week,  located in Blackboard. Speeches, Speech Critiques, Vocabulary Exams and Discussions.
• ONLINE ATTENDANCE  is CRITICAL to your success in this course.
• Please note, normally, Amarillo College allows only 1 absences for any reason, with the consequences of missing additional classes to be determined at the discretion of the instructor.
• If a student is not present by or logged into Blackboard course by Census date: 08/28/2023 they will be purged from the course roster.
• Final Date to Withdraw from Course without a Failing Grade: 10/03/2023

Calendar

Additional Information

Accessing AC Connect: It is the responsibility of the student to check email messages, announcements and the course using AC Connect. Students will submit all assignments and analyses using AC Connect unless noted on the assignment or by the instructor.

The Online course will be in AC Connect (Blackboard) There is a tutorial and information to help you navigate the new Blackboard system on the AC Connect Homepage. Students are strongly encouraged to utilize the information in order to adapt to the new system for completing assignments and discussions. There are new terms for posting work; for example to post a discussion you will have to create a "thread".

Please contact the AC Tech Help Desk for all problems you may have using the new system.