<Homeland Security Administration - Policies and Programs>

HLS 801

Course Syllabus

Homeland Security (HLS) 801 - Homeland Security Administration - Policies and Programs: Foundation for understanding homeland security history, the development of homeland security policies and organizations, and current management approaches.

Overview

This course provides students with a graduate level, comprehensive overview of the current state of homeland security. This course considers the impact of executive policies, legislation, and court decisions, primarily at the federal level, with emphasis on actions since 2001. Homeland Security is analyzed from the perspective of an all-hazards threat, including policies relevant to prevention, preparation, response, and recovery from natural and man-caused catastrophic events. Although frequent reference is made to counter-terrorism policies, the course focuses on broad concepts of statecraft, policy, capabilities, and responses.

Homeland security is also viewed in a global context, with illustrations drawn from national experiences, as well as those of individual students, in specialized areas such as border security, immigration controls, identity protection, and incident management. Through lectures, discussions, case studies, exercises, sharing of personal observations, and essays, students will be exposed to the range of disciplines that public policy and management of homeland security draw upon for development. Research and writing on the evolution of homeland security policies and programs in a specific area will be required.

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Course Objectives

This is a graduate course designed to encourage the student to:

Describe the realm of homeland security.
Describe the evolution of homeland security.
Explain the relationship and interaction of legislative, executive and judicial actions in addressing homeland security concerns.
Describe the organization of homeland security at the federal level.
Explain the current statutory and policy initiatives that pertain to all-hazards.
Develop strategies for the future.

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Required Course Materials

The following materials are required and can be purchased from a vendor of your choice:

Our Own Worst Enemy, Asking the Right Questions About Security to Protect You, Your Family, and America, Larsen, Grand Central Publishing, NY, 2007. ISBN-10: 0446580430

Here is the publisher's website that shows specifically where you can get this book.

http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/books_9780446580434_WhereToBuy.htm

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Library Resources

Many of Penn State's library resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Library Resources and Services for Off-Campus Users Web site, you can...

access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases
borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep...or even your desktop
ask a librarian for research help via e-mail, chat, or phone using the ASK! service

...and much more!

NOTE: You must have an active Penn State Access Account and be registered with the University Libraries in order to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and services. Registration and services are free!

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Technical Specifications

World Campus Technical Requirements
Operating System	Windows 2000/XP, Vista, or Windows 7; Mac OS X 10.3 or higher (10.4 or higher recommended)
Processor	1 GHz or higher
Memory	256 MB of RAM
Hard Drive Space	500 MB free disk space
Browser	Mac OS X: Firefox (current version) Windows: Firefox (current version) Note: Cookies, Java, and JavaScript must be enabled. Pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State web sites. Due to nonstandard handling of CSS, JavaScript and caching, older versions of Internet Explorer (such as IE 6 or earlier) do not work with our courses.
Plug-ins	Adobe Reader [Download from Adobe] Flash Player (v7.0 or later) [Download from Adobe]
Additional Software	Microsoft Office (2003 or later) iTunes/Quicktime
Internet Connection	Broadband (cable or DSL) connection required
Printer	Access to graphics-capable printer
DVD-ROM	Required
Sound Card, Microphone, and Speakers	Required
Monitor	Monitor (Capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution)

If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Outreach Helpdesk.

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Sample Course Schedule

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Course Schedule

HLS 801 - Homeland Security Administration - Policies and Programs

Getting Started
Time frame:	Week 1
Readings:	Getting Started Lesson content Instructor Welcome Message
*Assignments:*	Perform the activities in the Getting Started Lesson Submit the Student Questionnaire Form Introduce yourself in the Course Introductions discussion forum Submit the Academic Integrity Statement Download and install Sun Microsystems Java Web Start client for use with Elluminate Live! Review the E-Live! training resources that are provided on their Web site: Participant Training and Documentation

Lesson 1: Overview and Context of Homeland Security
Time frame:	Week 2
*Live Session:*	Wednesday at 8pm, Eastern Time
Readings:	Our Own Worst Enemy, pp. 1-36 You will be linked to the following readings within the lesson content: Statement of the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security on goals for 2010, p.iii of the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review (QHSR) Declaration of Independence, focusing on basic rights, and abuses US Constitution, Preamble, Art I sec. 8 and Art II Federalist Papers, Numbers: 3, 23, 41, 43, 45 and 78. National Security Act of 1947, Title I.
*Assignments:*	Request an HSDL login account for research and for receipt of biweekly Critical Releases in Homeland Security at http://www.hsdl.org/?access Participate in the Questions for Consideration discussion Respond to at least one Question for Consideration Reply to two fellow students

Lesson 2: Thinking Strategically about Homeland Security
Time frame:	Week 3
*Live Session:*	Wednesday at 8pm, Eastern Time
Readings:	Our Own Worst Enemy, pp. 78-91 You will be linked to the following readings within the lesson content: Strategic Thinking by Rex Mitchell, Ph.D. Federalist Papers, Number 10
*Assignments:*	Participate in the Questions for Consideration discussion Respond to at least one Question for Consideration Reply to two fellow students Submit your Policy-making Framework to the Dropbox

Lesson 3: Nature of the Threat: The Challenge of Terrorism
Time frame:	Week 4
*Live Session:*	Wednesday at 8pm, Eastern Time
Readings:	Our Own Worst Enemy, pp. 37-77 You will be linked to the following readings within the lesson content: "Homeland Security Spending for the Long War" by Dr. James Carafano The Terrorist Threat to the U.S. Homeland, National Intelligence Council, July 2007 National Security Strategy of the United States of America, the White House, March 16, 2006 National Strategy for Combating Terrorism, the White House, February 2003
*Assignments:*	Participate in the Questions for Consideration discussion Respond to at least one Question for Consideration Reply to two fellow students Submit your NCTC Paper to the Dropbox

Lesson 4: Nature of the Threat: Terrorism and Weapons of Mass Destruction
Time frame:	Week 5
*Live Session:*	Wednesday at 8pm, Eastern Time
Readings:	Our Own Worst Enemy, pp. 92-135 You will be linked to the following readings within the lesson content: Report Card: Government Failing to Protect America from Grave Threats of WMD Proliferation and Terrorism, World at Risk Report by the Bipartisan Commission on the Prevention of WMD Proliferation and Terrorism National Strategy for Homeland Security, Homeland Security Council, the White House, October 2007. Review the following sections: Today’s Threat Environment (pp. 9-13) Our Vision, Strategy for Homeland Security (pp. 13-15) Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) Documents - The list of HSPDs can be found on the Department of Homeland Security website. HSPD-4: National Strategy to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction HSPD-9: Defense of United States Agriculture and Food HSPD-10: BioDefense for the 21st Century HSPD-14: Domestic Nuclear Detection HSPD-18: Medical Countermeasures Against Weapons of Mass Destruction National Strategy to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction, Office of the President, the White House, December 2002, pp. 1-6. The Reality of Dirty Bombs, MSNBC animation by Michael Levi, Federation of American Scientists Dirty Bombs,The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, July 2002, pp. 1-2. What if Terrorists Go Nuclear,Dr. Bruce G. Blair, President, Center for Defense Information, 1 October 2001, 6 pages. Testimony, Dr. Kenneth Alibek, President Advanced Biosystems, Inc., before the Committee on International Relations, 5 December, 2001, pp. 1-5.
*Assignments:*	Participate in the Questions for Consideration discussion Respond to at least one Question for Consideration Reply to two fellow students Submit your WMD Paper to the Dropbox

Lesson 5: The Executive Branch Organization and Homeland Security
Time frame:	Week 6
*Live Session:*	Wednesday at 8pm, Eastern Time
Readings:	You will be linked to the following readings within the lesson content: Executive Order 13228 Homeland Security Act of 2002 Presidential Policy Directive – 1, dated February 13, 2009 Presidential Study Directive – 1, dated February 23, 2009 National Strategy for Homeland Security, Homeland Security Council, the White House, October 2007, Respond To and Recover From Incidents, pp. 31-39. The Department of Homeland Security, President George W. Bush, June 2002, pp. 1-18. Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) Documents - The list of HSPDs can be found on the Department of Homeland Security website. HSPD-8: National Preparedness HSPD-20: National Continuity Policy The Homeland Security Act of 2002, A Bill to establish a Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes, June 2002, pp. 1-35 Quadrennial Homeland Security Review Report, pp. 65-75.
*Assignments:*	Participate in the Questions for Consideration discussion Respond to at least one Question for Consideration Reply to two fellow students Submit your PSD Paper to the Dropbox

Lesson 6:
Time frame:	Week 7
*Live Session:*	Wednesday at 8pm, Eastern Time
Readings:	You will be linked to the following readings within the lesson content: The Supreme Court Decision in Hamdi v. Rumsfeld The Supreme Court Decision in Hamden v. Rumsfeld U.S. Constitution, Amendments IV, V, and VI "The USA Patriot Act: A Sketch," CRS Report for Congress, April 18, 2002 (pp.1-5) "How the USA Patriot Act enables Law Enforcement to use Intelligence Authorities to Circumvent the Privacy Protections Afforded in Criminal Cases," American Civil Liberties Union, 23 October 2001, (pp. 1-4) USA Patriot Act of 2001. (Officially known as “Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism”) June 2002. Presidential Decision Directive-39: U.S Policy on Counter Terrorism, The White House, 21 June 1995, 5 pages equivalent. "Intelligence and Law Enforcement: Countering Transnational Threats to the U.S." Richard A. Best, Jr., Congressional Research Service, The Library of Congress, 3 December 2001,(pp. 1-32 Fact Sheet: Strengthening Intelligence to Better Protect America Presidential Action, the White House, 28 January 2003, (pp. 1-3) Quadrennial Homeland Security Review Report, (pp. 29-30)
*Assignments:*	Participate in the Questions for Consideration discussion Respond to at least one Question for Consideration Reply to two fellow students Submit your Op Ed to the Dropbox

Lesson 7: Congress and Homeland Security
Time frame:	Week 8
*Live Session:*	Wednesday at 8pm, Eastern Time
Readings:	You will be linked to the following readings within the lesson content: USA PATRIOT Act Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010 CRS Report on Federal Assistance to States and Locals in 2011 Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 “Untangling the Web: Congressional Oversight and the Department of Homeland Security,” CSIS, December 10, 2004, 6 pages. CRS Report for Congress, “Homeland Security: Compendium of Recommendations Relevant to House Committee Organization and Analysis of Considerations for the House, and 109th and 110th Congresses Epilogue," CRS, updated March 2, 2007, 61 pages (scan remainder). Daniel Pulliam, “Former White House Chief Urges Overhaul of Congressional Panels,” GovExec.com, June 12, 2007. Chris Strohm, “Further Streamlining of Homeland Security Oversight Unlikely,” GovExec.com, September 11, 2006. Jonathan Weisman, “Democrats Reject Key 9/11 Panel Suggestion. Neither Party has an Appetite for Overhauling Congressional Oversight of Intelligence,” Washington Post, November 30, 2006.
*Assignments:*	Review the Questions for Consideration discussion You are not required to respond, but the questions may be used in the weekly Live session Submit your Authorizing Committees paper to the Dropbox Submit your Appropriating Committees paper to the Dropbox

Lesson 8: The Role of the Department of Defense in Homeland Security
Time frame:	Week 9
*Live Session:*	Wednesday at 8pm, Eastern Time
Readings:	You will be linked to the following readings within the lesson content: Homeland Defense, Joint Pub 3-27, 12 July 2007. Quadrennial Defense Review Report 2006, Department of Defense, 6 February 2010, pp. 15-16 and 24-27 National Strategy for Homeland Security, Homeland Security Council, the White House, October 2007 Leveraging Instruments of National Power and Influence, pp. 49-51. Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) Documents HSPD-5: Management of Domestic Incidents HSPD-8: National Preparedness HSPD-20: National Continuity Policy Federalist Paper Number 8 Domestic Operational Law Handbook
*Assignments:*	Review the Questions for Consideration discussion You are not required to respond, but the questions may be used in the weekly Live session Submit your Assistant SECDEF Role Paper to the Dropbox

Lesson 9: The Global Context of Homeland Security
Time frame:	Week 10
*Live Session:*	Wednesday at 8pm, Eastern Time
Readings:	You will be linked to the following readings within the lesson content: National Strategy for Combating Terrorism, The White House, February 2003 Strategic Intent (pp. 11-14) Goals and Objectives (pp. 15-28) National Strategy for Homeland Security, Homeland Security Council, the White House, October 2007 Today's Realities in Homeland Security pp. 3-7 HSPD-2: Combating Terrorism Through Immigration Policies Presidential Decision Directive 39: U.S. Policy on Counterterrorism,The White House, 21 June 1995, 12 pages. Global Trade: America’s Achilles Heel, James M. Loy and Robert E. Ross, Defense Horizons, National Defense University, February 2002, 8 pages. Strategic Air Planning and Berlin (Kaysen Study), Memorandum for General Maxwell Taylor, Military Representative to the President, 5 September 1961, 36 pages. Legal Bases for Military Operations, Operational Law Handbook, Chapter 4, The Judge Advocate General’s School, United States Army, Charlottesville, Virginia, JA 422, 1997, 7 pages.
*Assignments:*	Review the Questions for Consideration discussion You are not required to respond, but the questions may be used in the weekly Live session Submit your Israeli Homeland Security Paper to the Dropbox

Lesson 10: Management of Homeland Security
Time frame:	Week 11
*Live Session:*	Wednesday at 8pm, Eastern Time
Readings:	Our Own Worst Enemy, pp. 136-188. You will be linked to the following readings within the lesson content: PA Participation in the NIPP National Strategy for Homeland Security, Homeland Security Council, 2007, Protect the American People, Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources, pp. 25-30. National Strategy for the Physical Protection of Critical Infrastructures and Key Assets: Executive Summary, February 2003, 5 pages. National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace, February 2003, Executive Summary, pp. vii-xiv. The National Strategy for the Protection of Critical Infrastructure and Key Assets, February 2003. ExecutiveOrder: Critical Infrastructure Protection in the Information Age, 16 October 2001, 13 pages. Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) Document - The list of HSPDs can be found on the Department of Homeland Security website. HSPD-7: Critical Infrastructure Identification, Prioritization, and Protection HSPD-5: Management of Domestic Incidents Comprehensive National Cyber security Initiative
*Assignments:*	Review the Questions for Consideration discussion You are not required to respond, but the questions may be used in the weekly Live session Upload your HSPD-8 paper to the dropbox Upload your Immigration Enforcement PPD paper dro the dropbox

Lesson 11: Incident Management: The Federal Response Structure
Time frame:	Week 12
*Live Session:*	Wednesday at 8pm, Eastern Time
Readings:	Our Own Worst Enemy, pp. 189-268. You will be linked to the following documents to review within the lesson content: The National Incident Management System Resource Center The National Response Framework Resource Center
*Assignments:*	Review the Questions for Consideration discussion You are not required to respond, but the questions may be used in the weekly Live session Write operative language for a new National/Homeland Security Act. Review the NIMS and NRF and incorporate them into the your Act. Your first draft is due on November 21, at the end of your research week. The final version will be due on the last day of the course.

Research Week
Time frame:	Week 13
*Assignments:*	Use this week to work on your New National Security Act Upload your draft into the New National/Homeland Security Act Dropbox in the Lesson 11 folder by midnight eastern time on Sunday.

Lesson 12: Trends in Homeland Security: The Task Ahead
Time frame:	Week 14
*Live Session:*	Wednesday at 8pm, Eastern Time
Readings:	Our Own Worst Enemy, pp. 269-279 You will be linked to the following readings within the lesson content: DHS Report Card: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly Executive Summary of the Project for National Security Reform Quadrennial Homeland Security Review Report, pp. 77-78, and A-1 National Strategy for Homeland Security, Homeland Security Council, the White House, October 2007. National Security Strategy of the United States of America, the White House, March 16, 2006. National Strategy for Combating Terrorism, the White House, February 2003. The National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace, the White House, February 2003. The National Strategy for the Protection of Critical Infrastructure and Key Assets, the White House, February 2003. The National Strategy for Maritime Security, the White House, September 2005. New World Coming: American Security in the 21st Century, Major Themes and Implications, 15 September 1999, by U.S. Commission on National Security, Hart-Rudman Commission, 8 pages.
*Assignments:*	Review the Questions for Consideration discussion You are not required to respond, but the questions may be used in the weekly Live session Your final New National/Homeland Security Act is due at the end of next week.

Research Week
Time frame:	Week 15
*Assignments:*	Use this week to work on your New National Security Act Upload your final paper into the Final New National Security Act Dropbox in the Lesson 12 folder by midnight eastern time on the last day of the lesson.

Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account userid and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year from the day the course began (with the exception of library reserves).

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Grading

The World Campus follows the same grading system as the Penn State resident program. The grades of A, B, C, D, and F indicate the following qualities of academic performance:

A = (Excellent) Indicates exceptional achievement
B = (Good) Indicates extensive achievement
C = (Satisfactory) Indicates acceptable achievement
D = (Poor) Indicates only minimal achievement
F = (Failure) Indicates inadequate achievement necessitating a repetition of the course in order to secure credit

Grading Items		Total Points	% of Final Grade
Questions for Consideration	6 @ 10 points each	60	10%
Short Writing Assignments	6 @ 20 points each	120	20%
Analysis Writing Assignments	5 @ 60 points each	300	50%
National/Homeland Security Act	2 @ 60 points each	120	20%
Total		600	100%

Assignments

Questions for Consideration

Throughout the course, several Questions for Consideration will be posed in each lesson. During Lessons 1-6, you are required to post a one-page (150-word) response to at least one of the lesson's Questions for Consideration. You must then reply to two fellow students regarding his or her answer to the Questions for Consideration. Your replies should be approximately one paragraph (8-12 sentences) each. In Lessons 7-12, the questions will be posted as "food for thought" and do not require a response. The objective of the weekly discussion forums is to develop a discussion thread that stimulates critical thinking and in-depth dialogue. Professionalism and common courtesy are expected during the weekly dialogues. Each week students are expected to post two original comments and reply to/comment on at least two other student postings. Participation in these forums constitutes 10% of the total course final grade.

Short Writing Assignments

There are six short writing assignments. These include the following:

Lesson 2 - Policy-making framework Assignment
- Draft a framework which makes sense to you, using at least a means ways ends calculation. The goal here is to develop your own functional framework which you can use in thinking about homeland security issues. Develop a series of questions such as: what is the context of the issue; what assumptions about the situation and the international/domestic environment can be made; how does this issue fit within the greater homeland security strategy; what are the priorities; who can/should do something about this issue; and how should they proceed?
Lesson 3 - Role of the National Counter Terrorism Center Assignment
- Familiarize yourself with the NCTC, its mission and operations. Then determine the role of support to or use of the Center for the mission of your specific agency. Suggest ways your agency would engage or associate with the Center and improve its product or benefit from it.
Lesson 4 - WMD Statement Assignment
- Look at your agency’s mission and then consider how it might assist in preventing access to bio or nuclear weapons, or how it would participate in a response effort. Suggest ways to make the agency’s mission more effective.
Lesson 7 - Authorizing & Appropriating Committees Assignment
- Locate and analyze the schedules of the Senate and House Homeland Security Committees. Do likewise for the Appropriating Committees and Sub-Committees, providing the exact disposition of the Department of Homeland Security budget request currently under review.
Lesson 10 - HSPD-8 Assignment
- For HSPD-8, choose one of the scenarios from the annex and briefly analyze it in one or two pages.

The instructions for each assignment is located in the lesson content.

Analysis Writing Assignments

There are 5 Analysis Writing Assignments. These assignments require a higher level of synthesis and research to complete. These assignments include:

Lesson 5 - Presidential Study Directive Assignment
- For the PSD writing assignment, use PSD-1 as a template, with similar captions. Assign a new number to it and fill in those operative paragraphs which call for you to think about how your agency should be involved in immigration. This is both a substantive and a procedural exercise so creative thinking is encouraged.
Lesson 6 - Op Ed Assignment
- State your position on secrecy versus privacy as a thesis. Then provide the context of how the argument applies to the U.S. culture and society. Discuss various perspectives, offering pros and cons. Finally, advocate your position and finish with a call to action. Be accurate with any data, yet also passionate and convincing!
Lesson 8 - Assistant SECDEF Assignment
- Review the role of the Assistant Secretary within the interagency community, and determine how that position relates to your agency. Review the chain of command for the use of military forces to assist civil authorities.
Lesson 9 - HLS Strategy Assignment
- Review the Homeland Security Strategy of Israel, using the NPS material contained within the HSDL. Contrast and compare it to that of the U.S.
Lesson 10 - Presidential Policy Directive Assignment
- For the PPD writing assignment, use PPD-1 as a template, with similar captions, except for a new number. Then tailor the operative numbered paragraphs to the agency which you chose to represent, incorporating recommendations from the PSD into the PPD, with particular attention to the NIPP. This is a procedural as well as a substance assignment so creative thinking is expected.

New National/Homeland Security Act

This is the capstone writing and thinking event of the course. The is where students propose the content for the next comprehensive legislation to update the National Security Act of 1947 and codify all those areas of national and homeland security that have been addressed in various ways since 1947. Just as President Obama recently combined the Executive Office of the President’s National Security Council and Homeland Security Council into one entity, it is now the turn of Congress, with considerable input from the Executive Branch to enact a modern National/Homeland Security Act. In PSD-1, the President stated that “My highest priority is to keep the American people safe. I believe that Homeland Security is indistinguishable from National Security – conceptually and functionally, they should be thought of together rather than separately. Instead of separating these issues, we must create an integrated, effective, and efficient approach to enhance the national security of the United States.” The President stressed that the White House must be reorganized. In light of that approach, how would you now make those proposals statutory in order to bring about permanent change? Using the boiler plate language of the NSA of 1947, where appropriate, add operative titles to create a state of the field National/Homeland Security Act able to address the current challenges.

Find a new, comprehensive, title
State the mission and the specific roles of the principle players
Codify the membership, including possible state and or local members!
Determine a chain of command or hierarchy for decision making
Propose whether there should be a national security advisor or a homeland security advisor in charge
Determine whether that individual should be in a statutory position
Suggest the size and role of a staff
Propose the role of the DNI and the CJCS and other advisors
Consider whether policy making committees such as those in PPD-1 should be incorporated into the Act

Paragraphs addressing the titles you recommend together with the shell similar to the NSA of 1947 should fill 4 or 5 pages.

Live Session Participation

You will have the opportunity to meet with your instructor and your classmates live to talk about Lesson topics, current events, and upcoming course activities through a program called Elluminate Live!

You may wish to review the E-Live! training resources that are provided on their Web site:

Participant Training and Documentation (Participants are the attendees.)

Before you can use E-Live! you will need to download and install Sun Microsystems Java Web Start client. It is upon this client that E-Live! runs. To download this client, go to http://www.elluminate.com/support and follow the instructions for first time users in downloading and installing the client.

You should also complete the online orientation session. On the E-Live! Web site, click on "Online Orientation" in Step 3 and follow the directions from there. It will take approximately 5 - 10 minutes to complete the orientation.

If you can not attend the Live session at the designated time, each meeting will be recorded so you can view the session at your convenience.

Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.

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Academic Integrity

The World Campus is committed to maintaining academic integrity in this and all other courses it offers. The World Campus, the academic unit that is the home of each course, the course instructor, and exam proctors take academic integrity matters seriously.

Academic integrity—scholarship free of fraud and deception—is an important educational objective of Penn State. Academic dishonesty can lead to a failing grade or referral to the Office of Judicial Affairs

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:

cheating
plagiarism
fabrication of information or citations
facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others
unauthorized prior possession of examinations
submitting the work of another person or work previously used without informing the instructor and securing written approval
tampering with the academic work of other students

In cases where academic integrity is questioned, Penn State's policy on academic integrity requires that the instructor give the student notice of the charge as well as the recommended sanction. Procedures allow the student to accept or contest the charge through discussions with the instructor. If a student accepts the charge and the recommended sanction, the respective College files the case with the Office of Judicial Affairs. If a student chooses to contest, the case will then be managed by the respective College or Campus Academic Integrity Committee. If a disciplinary sanction also is recommended, the case will be referred to the Office of Judicial Affairs.

All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information students receive upon enrolling in a course. For that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us.

Additionally, students enrolled at Penn State via the World Campus are expected to act with civility and personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment of academic integrity is requisite to respect for self and others, and a civil community.

For more information on academic integrity at Penn State, please see the Academic Integrity Chart for specific college contact information or visit one of the following URLs:
www.psu.edu/dept/oue/aappm/G-9.html
http://www.sa.psu.edu/ja/

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Accommodating Disabilities

Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. If you have a disability-related need for reasonable academic adjustments in this course, contact the Office for Disability Services (ODS) at 814-863-1807 (V/TTY). For further information regarding ODS, please visit the Office for Disability Services Web site.

In order to receive consideration for course accommodations, you must contact ODS and provide documentation (see the documentation guidelines). ODS will provide a letter identifying appropriate academic adjustments. Please share this letter and discuss the adjustments with your instructor as early in the course as possible. You must contact ODS and request academic adjustment letters at the beginning of each semester.

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Additional Policies

For information about additional policies regarding items such as Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals please see the World Campus Student Policies Web site.

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Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.