MBA685 Syllabus Summer 2009

Official Course Description: Explores social, philosophical, ethical, and policy implications of information security by covering issues that will be faced both as members of a technological society as well as business professionals. Select course topics may include: privacy and personal information, freedom of speech, encryption and interception of communications, intellectual property, computer crime, broader issues on the impact and control of computers, and professional ethics and responsibilities for information security professionals.

Textbook: Quinn, Michael J. (2009), Ethics for the Information Age, 3rd edition, New York: Pearson Addison Wesley, ISBN 0321536851.

Course Calendar: To facilitate class structure and organization and to simplify note-taking a selection of PowerPoint slides are attached to the Course Calendar. These slides are designed to assist note taking and are not a substitution for participating in class.

Assignments, case , and other class related information will be posted to the course calendar. If you do not have Microsoft Office 2007 on your computer, please download the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack to ensure that you can open files (e.g., .docx, .xlsx, .pptx, etc.).

Course Objectives: Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:

1. understand the main ethical and policy issues associated with information technology and security,

2. demonstrate the ability to rationally resolve ethical dilemmas in order to make sound business decisions,

3. identify ethical procedures and behaviors in the organization related to information security, and

4. apply appropriate knowledge of ethical and policy issues to case study situations in the context of organizational use of technology and information security.

Attendance: This is a team-based course and consistent class attendance is expected. If you do miss a class, you are responsible for all materials and information covered in class. Experience shows that regular attendance has a positive effect on your course grade.

Appropriate Behavior: A college class, similar to a business meeting, should be treated as a professional interaction between the participants. With this in mind, electronic device should not interfere or interrupt this interaction. During class time no class member should initiate contact with people outside of our class (email, cell phone, text message, instant message, etc.). All contact should be for class purposes only.

Course Communication: The primary driver for this class is my web site (cob.jmu.edu/Dillon) It is best view through Internet Explorer. The entire course web site, but particularly Course Calendar page, will be my primary mode of communication with you.

Elluminate: Class will be held online through Elluminate for the majority of scheduled sessions.

E-mail: E-mail (dillontw@jmu.edu) is the best way to reach me. I will use your JMU e-mail account for all correspondence to the class. Please check your e-mail at least 24 hours before each class meeting. To ensure that my e-mail address is not tagged as spam, please add dillontw@jmu.edu to your address book(s). Also, verify that your JMU e-mail account is not "over quota" or that you have the JMU Automatic E-mail Forwarding to another non-JMU account set up correctly. Contact the Help Desk if you experience problems with your JMU e-mail account.

Blackboard: Blackboard will be used for three primary purposes: posting of student grades, submission of student assignments, and optional group work space. Student grades can be accessed by logging into the "Grades" area. Case Write-ups, Research Projects, and all other assignments must be submitted via email with the prefix MBA685 in the subject heading. I will establish private group space in Blackboard for sharing files for group case analyses.

Grading: Your course grade will be based upon the following:

A = 94% - 100%

A- = 90% - 93.9%

B+ = 87% - 89.9%

B = 84% - 86.9%

B- = 80% - 83.9%

C = 70% - 79.9%

F = Less than 70%

I = Incomplete

Course Evaluation: The table below outlines the evaluation components and corresponding weights used to evaluate your performance. For due dates of each component, please see the Course Calendar.

Course Component

Percentage

Individual or Group Grade

CASE ANALYSES

Group Case Analysis Write-up
Group Case Presentation
Individual Case Analysis Write-up

10%
10%
15%

Group
Group
Individual

RESEARCH

Written Research Paper
Research Paper Presentation

25%
10%

Individual
Individual

OTHER

Final Test
Course Participation/In-class Activities

25%

Individual
Individual

In-class Activities: In-class learning activities happen almost every class session and most are submitted for a grade. There are no excused or make-up in-class activities, so your consistent attendance is important.

Class Participation: Class discussions are often based on the assigned reading/case. Be sure to complete the reading assignments before attending the class, so that you can contribute meaningfully to discussions.

Late Penalties: Unless otherwise specified, major assignments (e.g., cases, projects, presentations, etc.) will not be accepted late. No credit will be given for late assignments unless prior notification is given by the instructor. "Late" is defined as one minute after the day and time that an assignment is due as noted on the Course Calendar or other relevant web page.

Peer Ratings: Group members will be asked to rate each other based on their contribution to the group's success. A low peer rating may result in a letter grade reduction for the deliverable or being fired from the group.

Exams: There is NO MAKEUP EXAM unless prior arrangements have been made or documented medical emergencies occur. If in doubt, attend per the Class Calendar.

Exams/Tests: There is one test that covers all materials assigned and discussed. It is open note and open book, but you are not allowed to collaborate or communicate with others during the test. The test will consist of multiple choice questions, short answer questions, and short essay questions.

Disability Services: If you are a student with a documented disability who will be requesting accommodations in my class, please make sure you are registered with the Office of Disability Services, Wilson Hall, Room 107, 568-6705 and provide me with an Access Plan letter outlining your accommodations. I will be glad to meet with you privately during my office hours to discuss your special needs

Honor Code: The JMU Honor Code is strictly enforced in this class.

Policy on Adding Courses: Students are responsible for registering for classes and for verifying their class schedules on e-campus.

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