Communicating at Work, Strategies for Success in Business and the Professions

 Course Policies

Here are the FAQs for NCTC's COVID-19 Policies. Please know, if you do not feel well, do not come to campus. Be sure to report your information as outlined below and contact your instructor immediately.  

COVID-19 Dashboard

COVID-19 and Your Mental Health

Coronavirus Procedures and Reporting

When students are quarantined, make sure they have the directives and deadlines (extensions as needed) to complete the coursework as necessary.  These contain the self-reporting process, general information, and contact information. The DOS office is monitoring questions, reporting, and general information regarding this situation. Details are in the links. 

Still in Effect: Masks are required in all common spaces on campus; face shields alone are not enough. They must be used with a mask. You cannot be in class without a mask and must remain masked during class at all times. Students who do not comply with this will be asked to leave the classroom.

Class Activities

 Method of Evaluation

No make-up work will be accepted. The ONLY exception will be made in the event of an official college-related absence or a COMPELLING personal difficulty or emergency. Such absences must be documented and made up immediately. (The only work that cannot be made up is an activity completed in class such as a group activity.) On those FEW occasions when late work is accepted, a grade penalty will be incurred. On speeches that are late, due to a MAJOR documented emergency, you will present your speech the next day and start with the loss of one letter grade. Any questions or concerns regarding any grades must be challenged in an acceptable and respectful manner. Please wait 24 hours to challenge any grade and do so in private with the instructor.

Rubrics are provided in CANVAS with all speeches. Please review them during all processes of the speech-making process.

Feedback will be provided in the Gradebook. Click into that particular assignment grade to see all feedback notes and videos that I will provide you for improvement, suggestions, or great jobs. :)

Grades are typically posted the following week after an assignment is due. 

Extra Credit POINTS: Class business helps build a strong sense of community in the class. At the beginning of each class, students can create a video upload of evidence of some business communication example from the news. Each article will be copied, a paragraph summary of how it relates to speech/ communications will be spoken on video, and the student will present it to the class as a discussion. For online courses, you may upload these as video discussions and have students comment/ you reply to their comments. You may do up to two (2) of these and will be worth 5 points each. Additional extra credit is located in the "Files" tab located in CANVAS on the left side of the screen. There is a folder in there labeled "Extra Credit." It is open all semester. Extra Credit will be added to the total number of points at the end of the semester. You will NOT be able to receive more than 10% of an increase to your grade in extra credit and cannot go over a total of 100% for your final grade. You also cannot replace a missed speech or exam/quiz grade or group project through extra credit. Remember that extra credit is a privilege.

Grading System

 Course Calendar

 Institutional Policies

Institutional Learning Goals. A quality general education curriculum in all associate degree programs.

• Quality freshman and sophomore level courses in arts and sciences which parallel the lower division offerings of four-year colleges and universities.
• Quality technical programs leading directly to careers in semi-skilled and skilled occupations, and quality technical education programs up to two years in length leading to certificates and associate degrees.
• Quality programs and services in support of adult literacy and basic skills development as a means of workforce enhancement and expanding access to higher education.

Program Purpose Statement. NCTC seeks to implement its goal of providing quality freshman and sophomore level courses in arts and sciences that parallel the lower division offerings of four-year colleges and universities by offering a coherent sequence of courses with appropriate breadth and depth to prepare a student for transfer to a university.

Departmental Purpose Statement. The Department of English, Speech, and Foreign Language provides quality instruction to students pursuing their academic and career goals.

STUDENT SUPPORT and SERVICES

Disability Accommodations: North Central Texas College does not discriminate on the basis of disability for admission or access to its programs. The College is committed to providing equal access to its students with disabilities by providing appropriate accommodations; a variety of services and resources are made available through the ACCESS Department. Students are responsible for notifying the ACCESS Department of their need for assistance. Students with documented disabilities, such as mobility impairment, hearing or visual impairment, learning, and psychological disorders are eligible for services. NCTC - OSD

The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides accommodations for students who have a documented disability. A disability is anything that can interfere with learning, such as a learning disability, psychological challenge, physical illness, or injury. Accommodations may include extra time on tests, tests in a distraction-reduced environment, volunteer note-taker in class, etc. NCTC - Office for Students with Disabilities

On the Corinth Campus, go to room 170 or call 940-498-6207. On the Gainesville Campus, go to room 110 in the Administration Building (100) or call 940-668-4209.  Students on the Bowie, Graham, Flower Mound and online campuses should call 940-668-4209 to arrange for an intake appointment with OSD.

North Central Texas College is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, ADA Amendments Act of 2009, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-112). http://www.nctc.edu/student-services/disability-services/index.html (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

EEOC Statement: North Central Texas College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, or disability in the employment or the provision of services.

Financial Aid, Scholarships, and Veterans Services: The Financial Aid Office is responsible for administering a variety of programs for students who need assistance in financing their education.  The first step for financial aid is to complete a FAFSA.  For more information, please visit your nearest Financial Aid Office: http://www.nctc.edu/financial-aid/index.html (Links to an external site.).

Scholastic Integrity – Plagiarism: Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but not be limited to cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion. See Student Handbook “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct [FLB- (LOCAL)]” #18.

Disciplinary Actions [Student Handbook, #5] http://www.nctc.edu/_documents/academics/student-handbook.pdf (Links to an external site.)  “When cheating, collusion, or plagiarism has occurred beyond any reasonable doubt, the instructor may give the student or students involved an “F” on a particular assignment or in the course. [See Scholastic Dishonesty FLB (Local)] The instructor shall make a written report of the incident and the planned action to his Department Chair. The Department Chair shall report the incident and action to the appropriate instructional dean who shall review the case, notify the student and, if necessary, take further action. This may involve either probation or suspension of the student or students in question. If such disciplinary action is deemed necessary, the Dean of Student Services shall be notified, and the action shall be taken through that office.”

Every member of the North Central College community is expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All work submitted for credit is expected to be the student’s own work. NCTC may initiate disciplinary proceedings against a student accused of scholastic dishonesty.  While specific examples are listed below, this is not an exhaustive list and scholastic dishonesty may encompass other conduct, including any misconduct through electronic or computerized means. Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but is not limited to, one or more of the following acts.  

1. Turning in someone else's ideas, opinions, theories, or work as your own;
2. Unintentionally or inadvertently turning in someone else's ideas, opinions, theories, or work as your own as the result of failing to document sources both internally and in the Works Cited;
3. Copying words, ideas, or images from someone without giving credit; Failing to put a quotation in quotations marks;
4. failing to verbally cite your sources during speeches and presentations;
5. Giving incorrect information about the source of information, quotations, or images;
6. Changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit;
7. Copying so many words, ideas, or images from a source that it makes up the majority of the student's work, whether or not the student gives credit.

General Scholastic Dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts, or omissions related to applications for enrollment, credit or class work, research, or the award of a degree; falsifying academic records; using annotated texts or teachers’ editions; using information about exams posted on the Internet or in any electronic medium; leaving a test site without authority; failing to secure test materials; and/or submitting work that is not one’s own. Students are expected to record honestly and accurately the results of all their research. Falsification of research results shall include misrepresentations, distortions, or omissions in data or reports on research. This can happen more frequently during persuasive situations in speech courses.

Plagiarism is the use of an author’s words or ideas as if they were one’s own without giving credit to the source, including, but not limited to, failure to acknowledge a direct quotation or patchwriting. In the preparation of all papers and other written work, students must distinguish their own ideas and knowledge from information derived from other sources. The term “sources” includes not only published primary and secondary materials, but also information and opinions gained directly from other people. Whenever ideas or facts are derived from a source, the source must be indicated by the student. 

Cheating is the giving or receiving of information in an unauthorized manner during an examination or to complete an assignment; collaborating with another student during an examination without authority; using, buying, selling, soliciting, stealing, or otherwise obtaining course assignments and/or examination questions in advance; unauthorized copying of computer or Internet files; using someone else’s work for an assignment as if it were one’s own; submitting or resubmitting an assignment in whole or in part (i.e., recycling an assignment) for more than one (1) class or institution without permission from each of the professors; or any other dishonest means of attempting to fulfill the requirements of a course. 

Collusion is intentionally or unintentionally aiding or attempting to aid another in an act of scholastic dishonesty, including, but not limited to, failing to secure academic work; providing a paper or project to another student; providing an inappropriate level of assistance or  unauthorized collaboration; communicating answers to a classmate about an examination or any other course assignment; removing tests or answer sheets from a test site; and allowing a classmate to copy answers. 

Please be aware that I take plagiarism very seriously.  You may not have another person write, type, edit, or revise any parts of your assignments.  You may not use someone else’s assignments or buy one from a “professional” source.  You may not use the material on the internet or in print sources without documenting it.  Failure to follow the proper guidelines for documentation constitutes plagiarism. 

In cases where an incident report has been filed for an alleged violation of scholastic dishonesty, the faculty member is requested to delay posting a grade for the academic work in question until the case is final. A student found responsible for a scholastic dishonesty offense(s) will receive an appropriate disciplinary penalty or penalties from the Dean of Students Office. The student may also receive an academic penalty in the course where the scholastic dishonesty took place. The faculty member will determine the appropriate academic penalty, which may range from a grade of zero (0) on the assignment to failing the course. 

Considering the severity of the issue, if you ever have any questions or concerns regarding plagiarism, please consider this an open invitation to visit with me about the issue. If I discover that a student has committed intentional plagiarism, the assignment that has plagiarized materials will receive a zero, and I will recommend to the English Department Head that the student fails the course.

Student Rights & Responsibilities: NCTC Board Policy FLB (Local) Student Rights and Responsibilities states that each student shall be charged with notice and knowledge of the contents and provisions of the rules and regulations concerning student conduct.  These rules and regulations are published in the Student Handbook published in conjunction with the College Catalog.  All students shall obey the law, show respect for properly constituted authority, and observe correct standards of conduct.

Student Success: The Student Success Center is designed to help all students at NCTC develop tools to achieve their academic goals.  This program also links students to FREE tutoring, including a Writing Center, a Math Lab, and free 24/7 online tutoring and helps new students acclimate to the college by providing computer lab services for prospective students.  All students are invited to visit the Student Success Center on the Corinth Campus, rooms 170, 182, or 188; on the Gainesville Campus, rooms 114 or 111; on the Flower Mound Campus, room 111; and on the Bowie Campus, room 124.

Tobacco-Free Campus. NCTC restricts the use of all tobacco products including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, electronic cigarettes, and smokeless tobacco on campus property. NCTC is aware that tobacco use influences underage students, which cumulates unsightly tobacco litter and interferes with assuring clean air for all who come to NCTC. NCTC recognizes the health hazards of tobacco use and of exposure to second-hand smoke. Information on a tobacco cessation program is available for students, faculty, staff who wish to stop using tobacco products. We would like to "thank you" for your help in making our campuses Tobacco-Free. For questions or concerns, please contact the Office of Vice President of Student Services at 940-668-4240.