Thomas J. Arminio
Adjunct Faculty, Penn State Harrisburg, School of Public Affairs Office Phone: 717-948-6154 Mobile Phone: 717-448-5377 E-mail:tja12@psu.edu Office Hours: via e-mail or call for an appointment
Welcome to Strategic Planning and Organizational Imperatives in Homeland Security and Defense (HLS/D)1. I trust you will find this course stimulating, interesting, rewarding – both personally and professionally. I hope the course meets your expectations; my goal is to exceed them. The HLS/D environment is volatile, uncertain, complex, and often ambiguous. Together we will explore, analyze, discuss, and debate issues that surround this operating environment that affects the everyday lives of all Americans. Again, welcome to the course.
This course will build on P ADM 401, Introduction to Homeland Security, and complements P ADM 802, Multi-disciplinary Approaches to Homeland Security. This course also introduces the essential planning concepts for response in an all-hazards environment, and focuses on several major areas in homeland defense/security (HLS/D), including, but not limited to, planning, critical infrastructure and key resource (CI/KR) protection, Department of Defense’s role in homeland security, terrorism, and the future of HLS/D. The course provides an overview of the concepts that can help homeland security and emergency management professionals think and act more strategically.
As discussed in P ADM 401, the “ends-ways-means” paradigm plays an important role in homeland defense and security planning. With that being said, the conceptual framework of, preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation provides broadly established ends. Achieving these ends depends upon adaptable, flexible, and scalable planning efforts to integrate all levels of government, as well as the private sector to implement viable response actions. A series of Homeland Security Presidential Directives (HSPDs) and federal planning documents, including, but not limited to, the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the National Response Framework (NRF) are efforts to standardize that response. Although notable progress has been made in recent years towards meeting the planning and organizational requirements of HLS/D, numerous challenges and opportunities remain.
1The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has selected the Naval Postgraduate School's (NPS) Center for Homeland Defense and Security Master's Degree Program as a model for post-baccalaureate academic studies in homeland security. Penn State continues to be an active member of the DHS/NPS sponsored University-Agency Partnership, which seeks to promote and develop standards for homeland security education nationally. With this in mind, the faculty team at Penn State Harrisburg acknowledges Dr. Stanley Supinski and NPS for their work in this field.
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
Identify the organizations involved in HLS/D and describe their roles and responsibilities, paying particular attention to planning. This includes organizations such as: the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Department of Defense (DOD), including the National Guard Bureau, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), etc., as well as certain organizations at the state (PA) level.
Identify, analyze, and evaluate homeland security issues and challenges and identify planning opportunities to resolve those challenges.
Identify and describe the purpose of the broad range of federal and state (PA) policies established since September 11, 2001, to include the NRF and NIMS.
Describe DOD’s role in homeland security, plans, and policies, with a particular focus on border security. This includes the roles and responsibilities of the National Guard and NORTHCOM.
Identify national and state (PA) CI/KR and evaluate policies enacted for its protection.
Identify future challenges in HLS/D.
Articulate and present original viewpoints related to current events in HLS/D.
Demonstrate the ability to interpret, analyze, and evaluate a topic in HLS/D that will help Pennsylvania or the federal government address a strategic issue of particular importance.
The following materials are required and can be purchased from MBS Direct:
Cooper, Christopher & Block, Robert (2007). Disaster: Hurricane Katrina and the Failure of Homeland Security, New York, N.Y.: Henry Holt and Company, LLC. ISBN: 978-0805086508
For pricing and ordering information, please see the MBS Direct Web site, located at
http://bookstore.mbsdirect.net/psude.htm.
MBS Direct can also be contacted at 1-800-325-3252.
Materials will be available at MBS Direct approximately three weeks before the course begins.
It is very important that you purchase the correct materials. If your course requires one or more
textbooks, you must have exactly the correct text required (edition and year).
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!
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.
NOTE: All assignments, including weekly discussion forum posting, will be due no later than 11:59 pm EST/EDT, Sunday evenings unless otherwise specifically stated.
Module 1 - Planning
Week
Activity
1
Visit the "Welcome! Start here!" folder under the Lessons tab:
View the Course Introduction and complete the activies outlined therein:
Document Practice
Class Introductions
Student Questionnaire Form
Academic Integrity Form
Electronic Reserves Registration.
View the Technical Introduction
View the Instructor Information
Module 1 - Planning, Lesson 01
Read:
The course syllabus completely
Lesson 01 Content. The content will link you to the following documents to read:
CRS Report to Congress pages 1-36
Cooper, C & Block, R. (2006). Disaster: Hurricane Katrina and the Failure of Homeland Security, Chapter 1
Watch:
The Lesson 01 content will link you to the following presentations to watch:
"2008-2009 Presidential Transition: National Security Considerations and Options" podcast
Joint Planning presentation
NIMS presentation
Assignments:
Complete activities in the Welcome! Start here! folder
Participate in the Weekly Discussion Forum
Answer a minimum of two discussion items/questions and respond to at least two other student postings.
2
Module 1 - Planning, Lesson 02
Read:
Lesson 02 Content. The content will link you to the following documents to read:
HSPD – 5: Management of Domestic Incidents
HSPD – 8: National Preparedness and HSPD-8 Annex 1 – National Planning
Department of Homeland Security – Strategic Plan 2008-2013
Cooper, C & Block, R. (2006). Disaster: Hurricane Katrina and the Failure of Homeland Security, Chapter 2
Watch:
The Lesson 02 content will link you to the following presentation to watch:
Joint Planning (Part 2) - presentation
Scan:
National Incident Management System (NIMS) – December 2008 pages 3-22
NIMS 2008 – “What’s New”
Assignments:
Participate in the Weekly Discussion Forum
Answer a minimum of two discussion items/questions and respond to at least two other student postings.
3
Module 1 - Planning, Lesson 03
Read:
Lesson 03 Content. The content will link you to the following documents to read:
The Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Counterterrorism Planning, Preparedness, and Response Act (“Act 227”)
An Act: Amending title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania.
PA NIMS Proclamation
"Leveraging Collaborative Networks in Infrequent Emergency Situations," Donald P. Moynihan , The IBM Center for the Business of Government, 2005
Cooper, C & Block, R. (2006). Disaster: Hurricane Katrina and the Failure of Homeland Security, Chapter 3
Watch:
The Lesson 03 content will link you to the following presentations to watch:
"The State and Local Mission for Homeland Security - where we started, where we are headed" podcast
Scan:
National Incident Management System (NIMS) – December 2008 pages 23-44
Reminder: Topics for your strategic research/policy paper are due next week. Be sure to include a thesis statement with your topic proposal.
Reminder: If you are writing your first topic paper on a planning issue, it is also due next week.
Participate in the Weekly Discussion Forum:
Answer a minimum of two discussion items/questions and respond to at least two other student postings.
4
Module 1 - Planning, Lesson 04
Read:
Lesson 04 Content. The content will link you to the following documents to read:
DHS Core Competency Map (Draft)
"The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned" by Frances Townsend, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, February 2006.
Forward, Chapters 5 and 6, Appendix A
"Lessons We Don’t Learn: A Study of the Lessons of Disasters, Why We Repeat Them, and How We Can Learn Them," Amy Donahue and Robert Tuohy, Homeland Security Affairs, Vol. 2, No. 2, July 2006.
Cooper, C & Block, R. (2006). Disaster: Hurricane Katrina and the Failure of Homeland Security, Chapter 4.
Watch:
The Lesson 4 content will link you to the following presentation to watch:
"Translating the Incident Command System to State and Local Governments" presentation
Scan:
National Incident Management System (NIMS) – December 2008, pages 44-63
DUE: Topics for your strategic research/policy paper are due this week. Be sure to include a thesis statement with your topic proposal. Upload your topic proposal to the Strategic Research/Policy Paper Topics Dropbox.
DUE: If you are writing your first topic paper on a planning issue, it is also due this week. Upload your topic paper to the Planning Topic Paper Dropbox
Participate in the Weekly Discussion Forum:
Answer a minimum of two discussion items/questions and respond to at least two other student postings.
Lesson 05 Content. The content will link you to the following documents to read:
HSPD – 7: Critical Infrastructure Identification, Prioritization, and Protection
HSPD – 13 Maritime Security Policy
HSPD – 16: Aviation Strategy/National Strategy for Aviation Security
Sullivan, John P. Knowledge Management for Sustaining Critical Infrastructure in Metropolitan Regions. February 16, 2009
Cooper, C & Block, R. (2006). Disaster: Hurricane Katrina and the Failure of Homeland Security, Chapter 5
Watch:
The Lesson 5 content will link you to the following presentations to watch:
Strategy for Critical Infrastructure: Vulnerability Analysis and Protection, Part 1 of 2
Dr. Ted Lewis Center for Homeland Defense and Security, Naval Postgraduate School
CIP Overview (Part 1 of 4) presentation by Greg Moser from Graduate School of International Studies, University of Denver.
Critical Infrastructure Protection podcast with Robert Stephan, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, September 2006.
Assignments:
DUE: Your first Journal Article Review is due this week. Upload yours to the First Journal Article Review Dropbox in the Module 2 Folder. Include the title of the assignment and your name in the title of your document. For example, "JournalReview1_JoeStudent.doc"
Participate in the Weekly Discussion Forum:
Answer a minimum of two discussion items/questions and respond to at least two other student postings.
Lesson 06 Content. The content will link you to the following documents to read:
HSPD – 20: National Continuity Policy and HSPD-20 Annex A
Continuity of Government: Current Federal Arrangements and the Future by Harold C. Relyea
Congressional Research Office, January 7, 2005
Planning for Government Continuity, National Governors Association, 2003
Cooper, C & Block, R. (2006). Disaster: Hurricane Katrina and the Failure of Homeland Security, Chapter 6
Watch:
The Lesson 06 content will link you to the following presentations to watch:
Strategy for Critical Infrastructure: Vulnerability Analysis and Protection, Part 2 of 2, by Dr. Ted Lewis at the Center for Homeland Defense and Security, Naval Postgraduate School
CIP Overview (Part 2 of 4) presentation by Greg Moser from Graduate School of International Studies, University of Denver.
Scan:
National Incident Management System (NIMS) – December 2008, pages 64-74
Assignments:
Participate in the Weekly Discussion Forum:
Answer a minimum of two discussion items/questions and respond to at least two other student postings.
Lesson 08 Content. The content will link you to the following documents to read:
The General Assembly of Pennsylvania, House Resolution 361 (PA HR 361), As Amended, December 3, 2001.
Protecting Critical Infrastructure: Keeping Pennsylvanians Safe. Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, September 23, 2002. Read the Executive Summary and the section on Recommendations for Legislative Action.
The General Assembly of Pennsylvania. PA Title 52, 52 § 101.1, Public Utility Preparedness Through Self-Certification. June 10, 2005.
Commonwealth Critical Infrastructure Protection Program, FY 2008-2010, Pennsylvania Office of Homeland Security, December 8, 2008. Pages 1-39.
Independent Report on the Mid-February 2007 Winter Storm Response for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, March 27, 2007, James Lee Witt Associates. Read pages 1-34
Cooper, C & Block, R. (2006). Disaster: Hurricane Katrina and the Failure of Homeland Security, Chapter 8
Watch:
The Lesson 08 content will link you to the following presentations to watch:
CIP Overview (Part 4 of 4) presentation by Greg Moser from Graduate School of International Studies, University of Denver.
CCIPP SPP Initiative presentation by the Pennsylvania Office of Homeland Security, 2009.
Assignments:
Participate in the Weekly Discussion Forum:
Answer a minimum of two discussion items/questions and respond to at least two other student postings.
Lesson 09 Content. The content will link you to the following documents to read:
Virginia Tech Shootings After Action Report, Summary of Findings, Chapters I-III, VI, and IX; Appendices E & F
Mass Shootings at Virginia Tech,
Cooper, C & Block, R. (2006). Disaster: Hurricane Katrina and the Failure of Homeland Security, Chapter 9
Scan:
National Incident Management System (NIMS) – December 2008, pages 75-81
Assignments:
Participate in the Weekly Discussion Forum:
Answer a minimum of two discussion items/questions and respond to at least two other student postings.
DUE: If you are writing your first topic paper on a CIP issue, it is due this week.
Reminder: Your second Homeland Security AffairsJournal article review is due next week.
Module 3 - DOD's Role in Homeland Defense
11
Module 3 - DOD's Role in Homeland Defense- Leson 10
Read:
Lesson 10 Content. The content will link you to the following documents to read:
Luke, Ivan. Homeland Security - Civil Support. How DoD plugs into the Interagency C2 Structure, October 2005
Army Forces for Homeland Security - Rand, 2004
Cooper, C & Block, R. (2006). Disaster: Hurricane Katrina and the Failure of Homeland Security, Chapter 10
Watch:
The Lesson 10 content will link you to the following presentations to watch:
"Guard 101" Video
Homeland Defense and Security Strategies, Part 3 of 3; as found in, Multi-Discipline Approaches to Homeland Security, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA.
Scan:
Department of Defense, National Strategy for Homeland Defense and Civil Support, June 2005
Assignments:
DUE: Your second Journal Article Review is due this week. Upload yours to the Second Journal Article Review Dropbox in the Module 3 Folder. Include the title of the assignment and your name in the title of your document. For example, "JournalReview2_JoeStudent.doc"
Participate in the Weekly Discussion Forum:
Answer a minimum of two discussion items/questions and respond to at least two other student postings.
12
Module 3 - DOD's Role in Homeland Defense- Leson 11
Read:
Lesson 11 Content. The content will link you to the following documents to read:
"New Requirements for a New Challenge: The Military’s Role in Border Security," by Bert B. Tussing. Homeland Security Affairs, Volume IV, No 3.
"Border Security and Military Support: Legal Authorizations and Restrictions" by Stephen Vina, Congressional Research Service, May 23, 2006.
"Transforming Border Security: Prevention First," by Robert Bach. Homeland Security Affairs Journal Volume 1, Issue 1, Summer 2005.
Cooper, C & Block, R. (2006). Disaster: Hurricane Katrina and the Failure of Homeland Security, Chapter 11
Watch:
The Lesson 11 content will link you to the following presentations to watch:
"New Mexico's Approach to Border Security" Viewpoints Podcast by Tim Manning, New Mexico Department of Homeland Security, 17 December 2007.
Scan:
U.S Customs and Border Protection, DHS, Border Patrol Strategy, September 2004
National Incident Management System (NIMS) – December 2008
Appendix B, pages 89-114
Assignments:
Participate in the Weekly Discussion Forum:
Answer a minimum of two discussion items/questions and respond to at least two other student postings.
13
Module 3 - DOD's Role in Homeland Defense- Leson 12
Read:
Lesson 12 Content. The content will link you to the following documents to read:
Homeland Security: Roles and Missions for United States Northern Command CRS, January 28, 2008
Defense Science Board, Unconventional Operational Concepts and the Homeland, March 2009
(Read: Chapters 1-4)
Kapp & Jansen. (2009). The Role of the Department of Defense During a Flu Pandemic. Washington: CRS Report for Congress
Cooper, C & Block, R. (2006). Disaster: Hurricane Katrina and the Failure of Homeland Security, Chapter 12
Watch:
The Lesson 12 content will link you to the following presentations to watch:
"U.S. NORTHCOM Support for Homeland Security" Viewpoints podcast by Gene Pino, NORAD and U.S. NORTHCOM, December 2006.
Assignments:
DUE: Your Homeland Security AffairsJournal article review is due this week.
Reminder: If you are writing a topic paper on a DOD Role in Homeland Defense and Securityissue, it is due next week.
Participate in the Weekly Discussion Forum:
Answer a minimum of two discussion items/questions and respond to at least two other student postings.
14
Module 3 - DOD's Role in Homeland Defense- Leson 13
Read:
Lesson 13 Content. The content will link you to the following documents to read:
Reserve Forces: Army National Guard and Army Reserve Readiness for 21st Century Challenges
Statement of Janet A. St. Laurent - GAO, September 21, 2006
Joint Pub 3-27, Homeland Defense - Department of Defense, 12 July 2007
Executive Summary, Chapters I, II, IV,V, and VII
Cooper, C & Block, R. (2006). Disaster: Hurricane Katrina and the Failure of Homeland Security, Chapter 13
Scan:
Joint Pub 3-28, Civil Support
Department of Defense, 14 September 2007
Executive Summary, Chapters I-IV
Assignments:
DUE: If you are writing a topic paper on a DOD Role in Homeland Defense and Securityissue, it is due this week.
Reminder: Prepare the Executive Summary of your research/policy paper by next week. You will be sharing your Executive Summary with everyone as part of next week’s assignment.
Participate in the Weekly Discussion Forum:
Answer a minimum of two discussion items/questions and respond to at least two other student postings.
Module 4 - The Future of Homeland Security and Defense
15
Module 4 – The future of HLS/D – Lesson 14
Read:
Lesson 14 Content. The content will link you to the following documents to read:
FEMA: In or Out? - Department of Homeland Security Office of the IG, 2009
Applying 21st Century Government to the Challenge of Homeland Security by Elaine Kamarck of the JFK School of Government, Harvard University, June 2002
Global Trends 2025: A Transformed World
Read the Executive Summary, the Introduction, and then one chapter (1-7) of your choice
Watch:
The Lesson 14 content will link you to the following presentations to watch:
"CHDS Thesis Series Spring 2008: Introducing the Future Now: Using Memetics and Popular Culture to Identify the Post 9/11 Homeland Security Zeitgeist" Viewpoints podcast byJudity Boyd from the Department of Homeland Security. May 15, 2008.
Scan:
National Incident Management System (NIMS) – December 2008
Appendix B, pages 115-128
Assignments:
DUE: The Executive Summary of your policy/research paper is due. Share the Executive Summary of your policy/research paper with the class by uploading it to the Executive Summary Dropbox on the Lessons tab.
Reminder: If you are writing a topic paper on a Future of Homeland Defense and Security issue, it is due next week.
Reminder: Your policy/research paper is due in two weeks.
Participate in the Weekly Discussion Forum:
Answer a minimum of two discussion items/questions and respond to at least two other student postings.
16
Module 4 – The future of HLS/D – Lesson 15
Read:
Lesson 15 Content. The content will link you to the following documents to read:
Chapter 13 – How To Do It? A Different Way of Organizing the Governmentof The 9/11 Commission Report: Final Report of The National Commission On Terrorist Attacks Upon The United States, 2004.
World at Risk: The Report of the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism by Graham, Bob et al, 2008
Read the Executive Summary, and then one of the following: Biological and Nuclear Risks or one of the sections from Part Two – Findings and Recommendations: Biological Proliferation and Terrorism, Nuclear Proliferation and Terrorism, Pakistan: The Intersection of Nuclear Weapons and Terrorism, Russia and the United States, Government Organization and Culture, or The Role of the Citizen
The Future of Homeland Security and Emergency Management by Waugh, William L. 2006
Assignments:
DUE: Please complete the end of course survey.
DUE: Your policy/research paper is due next week.
DUE: If you are writing a topic paper on a Future of Homeland Defense and Security issue, it is due this week.
Participate in the Weekly Discussion Forum:
Answer a minimum of two discussion items/questions and respond to at least two other student postings.
17
DUE: Strategic Level Research/Policy Paper is due this week.
Course Access
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).
NOTE: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please see "Graduation" on the World Campus Student Policies Web site.
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
If you are prevented from completing this course for reasons beyond your control, you have the option of requesting a deferred grade from your instructor. For more information, please see "Deferred Grades" on the World Campus Student Policies Web site.
Writing Assignments2
Assignment
% Total Grade
Weekly Discussion Forum Participation
20%
Topic Papers
30%
Strategic Level Research/Policy Paper
30%
Homeland Security AffairsJournal article reviews
20%
Total
100%
2Two FEMA Independent Study Courses are also required. A detailed explanation of this requirement can be found below.
Grading Rubrics
More detailed information on grading criteria for written assignments can be found in the Grading Rubrics folder located under the Lessons Tab.
Citations and Writing Style Requirements for Written Assignments
Penn State Harrisburg and World Campus use the American Psychological Association (APA) writing style (Fifth Edition). This certificate program does not require a particular writing or citation style for the weekly online discussion forums. However, we do expect you to use the APA style for all other writing assignments. Click here to link to the PSU Libraries APA Citation Guide.
Writing assignments will:
use 1.5 line spacing;
one inch margins;
Arial 11 font;
be uploaded electronically to the appropriate assignment dropbox in ANGEL in MS Word 2003 format (.doc).
Include the title of the assignment and your name in the title of your document. For example, "PlanningTopicPaper_JoeStudent.doc"
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.
Penn State encourages qualified persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities.
If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation
or have questions about the physical access provided, please see more information on the
World Campus Web site.
Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce.
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.
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.