BUL 4310: THE LEGAL ENVIRONMENT OF BUSINESS

Days: Wednesday, 11:00 AM 1:45 PM

MANGO 222, MMC
Fall Semester, 2016
Dates: August 24, 2016 December 7, 2016
GENERAL INFORMATION
PROFESSOR INFORMATION

Instructor:
Prof. Thomas Tarangelo
Phone:
(305) 348-0188
Office:
Mango, Rm. 373 (MMC)
Fax:
(305) 348-2914
Office Hours:
Tuesday, 5-6 PM;
Wednesday, 2-3 PM
Thursdays (Brickell), 5-6 PM;
Saturday, 12:30-1:30 PM; and by appointment.
E-mail: tarangel@fiu.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION
One cannot be an effective business professional without understanding the various constraints within
which the decision making process operates. A significant and continually increasing number of
constraints facing the business manager are legal in nature. This course has been designed to introduce
students to our legal system by exploring the nature of legal relationships in business with a focus on the
government regulation of business. Current legal and regulatory issues will be stressed.
COURSE LEVEL STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After completing this course students will be able to:

Identify the legal constraints and the options available to the business manager in responding to
and resolving legal issues. (LO1)

Recognize the laws and governmental regulations that affect contemporary business. (LO2)

Evaluate ethical problems that are integrally connected to legal issues. (LO3)

Identify the concepts of ethics and the law with financial reality in implementing business
decisions. (LO4)

CURRICULUM STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES TARGETED

Areas of study shall include:

Sources of Law and the Common Law System

Jurisdiction issues and Federal and State court systems

Alternate Dispute Resolution Techniques
Constitutional Law
Torts
Criminal Law
Common Law of Contracts
Intellectual Property and Real Property
Business Organizations
Securities Regulation
Employment Discrimination
Business Ethics
TEXTBOOK
The Legal Environment of Business: Text and Cases
Frank Cross, Roger Miller

Cengage Learning, 2014, 9th edition

ISBN-10: 1285428943
ISBN-13: 9781285428949
You may purchase your textbook online at the FIU Bookstore.
You can buy or rent your textbook directly from the publisher, or you can purchase individual e-chapters.
http://www.cengagebrain.com/isbn/9781111661083?cid=rdl
The Wall Street Journal: Ethical, legal and regulatory issues in the Journal are required reading.
You must subscribe to the WSJ, as there will be online quizzes, based on current articles that
appear in the WSJ related to Ethics and Business Law. Without a subscription, you will not be able
to take the quizzes. Please subscribe (15 week subscription for $15.00) via their website:
http://WSJ.com/studentoffer
The WSJ subscription includes both online and print access (delivered to your residence). If you are
creating a new account, please use your official FIU email address. Please subscribe no earlier than the
first week of class; the subscription is for 15 weeks only, and the last quiz runs through November 30th.
(The first WSJ quiz will be assigned during the second week of class.)
After you receive your subscription, sign up for the WSJ Assessment Tool via the following link; if
you are not enrolled in the Assessment Tool, you will not be able to access the online quizzes:
http://wsjassessment.com/e/i/MTExMS84ODkvMjUyNg==
(Please include the two equal signs in the link if you cut and paste this link.)
Please feel free to post any articles of interest you may read in the WSJ, or any other periodical,
in the Debate Forum section of the Discussion Forum if you would like to open a discussion
with your fellow students (you must post the actual article, not a link to the article); activity in
this forum will be monitored in calculating your Participation Grade component.
Articles, cases, and other pertinent material, will be periodically assigned by the Instructor as additional
Supplemental Reading in the Discussion Forum for select chapters, and will be required reading.
TEACHING METHODOLOGY
This class is a traditional lecture class; however, the class will be web-assisted, meaning that a course
shell for the class will be set up online at www.online.fiu.edu. Every student will have access to the
online Blackboard platform.
The platform can be used as a means of communication between the students and the instructor, and
between the students, themselves. The platform shall be used to upload your assignments as document
attachments for grading purposes, and as a convenient means to keep track of your grades for all course
components. Also, the platform shall be used to post articles of interest by both the instructor and the
students.
UNDERGRADUATE COURSE PREREQUISITES
Prerequisites: (ACG2021, ACG3301, CGS2100, ECO2013, ECO2023 or equivalents with a 'C' or higher),
(STA2023 and MAC2233 or equivalents with a 'B' or higher in one and 'C' in the other), 60 credits earned,
3.00 GPA or higher, Business students only.

COMMUNICATING WITH THE INSTRUCTOR

Please use the Blackboard platform to communicate with the instructor; the e-mail forum allows for private
communication between the Instructor and the student. There is an open, general discussion forum in
Blackboard, which allows the students to communicate with each other regarding the class; although the
instructor will monitor this open forum, do not expect a response for general questions from the instructor
in this forum. PLEASE REFRAIN FROM SENDING E-MAIL TO MY FIU E-MAIL ACCOUNT. ALL
COMMUNICATIONS SHOULD BE THROUGH BLACKBOARD.
I will respond to e-mails that address any questions which you may have relating to the course,
including course materials, exams, or assignments. If I do not respond in a timely manner
(usually within 48 hours), please send me a reminder. All e-mails should be written using an
appropriate professional decorum and using complete sentences and proper grammar. Should
you need to meet with me in person, I will be available by appointment made in advance at a
mutually agreeable time.
DISABILITY NOTICE
If you have a disability and need assistance, please contact the Disability Resource Center
(University Park: GC190; 305-348-3532) (North Campus: WUC139, 305-919-5345). Upon
contact, the Disability Resource Center will review your request and contact your professors or
other personnel to make arrangements for appropriate modification and/or assistance.
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING ACTIVITIES
There will be three (3) exams scheduled for the semester. The format of the exams may be a
combination of multiple choice and/or short answer essay questions, at the Instructors discretion.
Material from class lectures and Supplemental Readings (posted in Blackboard) will be covered in the
exams, in addition to material from the textbook.
Additional reading material for the class will be posted online in the Discussion Forum under the heading
of Supplemental Readings; you may need your Panther Identification Number to access some of the
articles through the FIU Library System.
There will be ten (10) short quizzes throughout the semester, administered online through the WSJ
website, based on articles that appear in the WSJ archives and assigned for you to read. The articles are
chosen to assess your comprehension of course concepts and awareness of current events, as they
relate to the legal, regulatory and ethical environment of business. You will be automatically contacted by
the WSJ when a new quiz is available; quizzes will generally remain open for one (1) week to give you the
opportunity to read the assigned articles and to take the short quiz at your convenience. If you fail to take
the quiz during the assigned week, the quiz will not be re-set for you; sorry, no exceptions granted.
Further details will be given in the first class session.
There will be an ethics essay assessment administered during class in Week #15, followed by an in-class
discussion of the ethics hypothetical that is the basis of the essay. A grading rubric will be available online
in Blackboard to assist in your composition of the essay, in addition to articles in the Supplemental
Reading section (see Syllabus). Further details will be given in the first class session.
Participation in classroom discussion is an important aspect of this course. Students' responses to
random questions about the required text assignments, case briefs, assigned supplemental readings, and
discussions about current legal issues will be duly noted by the instructor in calculating the extra-credit
Participation Grade component. Also, students activity in the Debate Forum in Blackboard, both posting

articles of interest and a participation in a virtual debate on the topics covered therein, are heavily
factored in the extra-credit participation grade.
There will be one optional, extra-credit research opportunity in the class, which will be an individual writing
assignment. Students will create a company and business model, which will enter into a cross-sector
partnership between their for-profit enterprise and a non-profit or NGO, in order to promote the goals
of sustainability and corporate social responsibility. The assignment will primarily address issues of a
legal nature inherent in such a cross-sector partnership. Further details will be given in class.
RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS
The University's policy on religious holidays as stated in the University Catalog and Student
Handbook will be followed in this class. Any student may request to be excused from class to
observe a religious holy day of his or her faith.
ASSURANCE OF LEARNING
The College of Business cares about the quality of your education. More on the College's
commitment to Assurance of Learning can be found at the following link:
http://businessonline.fiu.edu/course_addons/Learning_Commitment.pdf
RULES, POLICIES, AND ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
Please see the School of Accounting Policies, located at the following website:
http://business.fiu.edu/soa/soa-policies.cfm

Absolutely no audio or video recording of class sessions is allowed without prior written
permission from the instructor. Failure to adhere to this policy will result in either an
administrative drop from the class, a grade of F with no forgiveness policy available,
or a grade penalty for the course, at the instructors discretion.
Students must attend class on a regular basis; attendance will be taken and enforced. A failure to attend
class will not relieve a student from responsibility for material given in lectures nor information announced
in class. It is mandatory that students be prepared for class discussion by doing the assigned readings.
Any student that misses more than three (3) classes in the semester without prior permission from the
instructor is subject to an administratively drop from the course, or a reduction in grade for each absence
over three absences. Excused absences will be granted only in exigent, verifiable circumstances. Please
see the instructor if you have any problem with regular class attendance. Attendance will be factored into
the extra-credit Participation Grade, as well as whether the student qualifies for any final grade curve,
given at the instructors discretion.
All requirements must be met in order to pass this course. A failure to take an exam or the ethics essay, or
a failure to complete at least 7 (out of 10) of the WSJ quizzes, may result in a grade of F for the course
as a whole, or other grade penalty, at the instructors discretion, even if the total credit otherwise earned
would result in a passing grade.
The instructor retains the right to curve any grade component.
Students are responsible for any changes to the syllabus which are posted online or announced in class.
The instructor reserves the right to make slight deviations in the syllabus at his discretion.

Exam questions will cover material from the textbook, and corresponding current legal issues that are
discussed in class lectures and in supplemental readings. Students are advised to keep current with their
readings.
Students are responsible for monitoring the online Discussion Forum on a regular basis for class
announcements and posting of Supplemental Reading selections.
Incomplete or make-ups will be allowed only in exigent and verifiable circumstances.
No laptop computers will be allowed in the classroom without permission. If your only means of taking
class notes is by computer, you must make arrangements with the instructor prior to the each class. If
there is an issue with suspected internet usage during class, you will be asked to leave the classroom.
Please keep all cell phones in your pockets, purse, or backpack---in other words, out-of-sight, and not on
your desk. Failure to adhere to this policy will result in confiscation of your cell phone. Furthermore, as
a courtesy to your classmates and to the instructor, please remember to place your cell phones on silent
or vibrate mode. Should your cell phone ring during class, you will be asked to remove yourself (with
your phone!) from the classroom for the remainder of class period.
Assignments from the text and other resources are listed below for each class session.
Students are expected to pace their learning according to the posted course assignments.
It is expected that interactive learning and teaching will enrich the learning experience of all
students, and that each student will work in partnership with the professor to create a positive
learning experience for all. Student engagement is a necessary condition for an effective learning
experience, and includes contributions to debate and discussion (if any), positive interactive
learning with others, and an enthusiastic attitude towards inquiry. Everyone is expected to be a
positive contributor to the class learning community, and students are expected to share the
responsibility of teaching each other.
Statement of Understanding between Professor and Student

Every student must respect the right of all to have an equitable opportunity to learn and honestly
demonstrate the quality of their learning. Therefore, all students must adhere to a standard of
academic conduct, demonstrating respect for themselves, their fellow students, and the
educational mission of the University. As a student in the College of Business taking this class:
I will not represent someone else's work as my own
I will not cheat, nor will I aid in another's cheating
I will be honest in my academic endeavors
I understand that if I am found responsible for academic misconduct, I will be subject to the
academic misconduct procedures and sanctions as outlined in the Student Handbook
Failure to adhere to the guidelines stated above may result in one of the following:
Expulsion: Permanent separation of the student from the University, preventing readmission to
the institution. This sanction shall be recorded on the student's transcript.
Suspension: Temporary separation of the student from the University for a specific period of
time.
By taking this course I promise to adhere to FIU's Student Code of Academic Integrity. For details
on the policy and procedure, please click here.
All students must read, print and sign the Academic Misconduct Form attached to this
syllabus as Appendix A, and return same to professor no later than second week of
class. Failure to do so may result in an administrative drop from the class and/or
withholding of grades.

NOTE: Intensive Auditing of the course will be conducted to prevent academic misconduct.
GRADING POLICY
Letter Grade
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
D
F

Range
95 100
90 94
87 89
84 86
80 83
75-79
70-74
60-69
BELOW 60

All grades will be

posted on Blackboard in a timely basis. Students must monitor their grades
regularly and notify the instructor of any errors or omissions. Any corrections/review of grades must be
requested and addressed no later than two weeks following the posting date. NO FURTHER CHANGES
WILL BE MADE TO POSTED GRADES AFTER THAT DEADLINE.
ASSIGNMENT WEIGHTS
Course Requirements
EXAM #1
EXAM #2
EXAM #3
WALL STREET JOURNAL QUIZZES (10)
ETHICS ASSESSMENT
EXTRA CREDIT: PARTICIPATION
EXTRA-CREDIT: WRITING ASSIGNMENT
TOTAL

Weighting
25%
25%
25%
15%
10%
+0-5 PTS.
+0-5 PTS.
100%
+ 0-10 PTS.

STUDENT PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

This syllabus is a contract of understanding between the Instructor and the Student. If the assignments,
examinations, attendance and grading system are unacceptable, then the student needs to negotiate a
change by the end of the first week of classes or accept the rules as written.

COURSE CALENDAR
Assigned readings will be discussed in each class, and the lectures will attempt to relate specifically to
assigned readings in the text. Please be certain to obtain complete class notes from another student if
you are absent. Legal cases, statutes, and problems are outlined and discussed with each chapter, and
are an important element of this course; it is therefore most important that students be prepared for each
class.

Date

WEEK 1

Supports Learning
Objectives (refer to
syllabus student
learning outcomes)

Topic

Review syllabus and course calendar.

Familiarize yourself with the textbook and the course
content.
Create a student homepage (with photograph) and
introduce yourself to your classmates.
CH. 1: LAW AND LEGAL REASONING

LO 1,3

CH. 4: BUSINESS ETHICS

WEEK 2

CH 2: THE COURT SYSTEM

LO 1
CH 3: ALTERNATE AND ONLINE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

WEEK 3

CH 5: BUSINESS AND THE CONSTITUTION

LO 2
CH 6: ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCIES

WEEK 4

CH 7: CRIMINAL LAW AND CYBER CRIME

LO 2
CH 12: TORTS

WEEK 5

WEEK 6

WEEK 7

EXAM #1

CH 20: AGENCY

LO 1

CH 22: EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION

LO 1

CH 14: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

WEEK 8
CH 15: INTERNET LAW, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND PRIVACY

WEEK 9

CH 26: REAL PROPERTY AND LAND-USE CONTROL

CH 9: FORMATION OF TRADITIONAL AND E-CONTRACTS

LO 2

LO 2

APPENDIX A

THIS DOCUMENT WILL BE SIGNED BY EVERY STUDENT IN EACH CLASS DURING THE TWO WEEK OF
THE CLASSES IN EACH SEMESTER. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN AN ADMINISTRATIVE DROP
FROM THE CLASS, AND/OR A WITHHOLDING OF GRADES.
Academic Honesty Policies
Values are a critical component of culture. Ethics is the way those values are carried out in our behaviors, and are
embodied as principles in our Student Code of Standards, and our Student Code of Academic Integrity.
The Florida International University
Student Code of Standards
A University is a learning community that follows a tradition of more than 1000 years. Florida International
University is such a community dedicated to generating and transmitting knowledge through excellent teaching
and research, the rigorous and respectful exchange of ideas, and community service. As a member of this
community:

I will respect the tradition of academic inquiry, the Universitys rules of conduct, and its mission

I will respect the opinions and differences of all members of the FIU community

I will practice civility and avoid behavior that undermines the normal functioning of the University

I will respect the rights and property of the University and its members

I will be diligent and honest in my personal and academic endeavors

Statement of Understanding between Professor and Student
Student Code of Academic Integrity

Every student must respect the right of all to have an equitable opportunity to learn and honestly demonstrate
the quality of their learning. Therefore, all students must adhere to a standard of academic conduct,
demonstrating respect for themselves, their fellow students, and the educational mission of the University. As
a student in the College of Business class BUL 4310:

I will not represent someones elses work as my own

I will not cheat, nor will I aid in anothers cheating

I will be honest in my academic endeavors

I understand that if I am found responsible for academic misconduct, I will be subject to the academic
misconduct procedures and sanctions as outlined in the Student Handbook

My Signature below indicates that I have read this document and accept its content:
SIGNATURE_________________________________________________

NAME (PLEASE PRINT) _______________________________________

PID__________________________________________________________