"As
civilized human beings, we are the inheritors, neither of an inquiry
about ourselves and the world, nor of an accumulating body of
information, but of a conversation, begun in the primeval forests
and extended and made more articulate in the course of centuries. . . .
Education, properly speaking, is an initiation . . . in which we
acquire the intellectual and moral habits appropriate to conversation."
Michael Oakeshott, The Voice of Poetry in the Conversation of Mankind: An Essay (1959)
"The true task of
economics...is to make the logic of things heard in the midst of the passions
and interests of public life, to bring to light inconvenient facts and
relationships, to weigh everything and assign it its due place, to prick
bubbles and expose illusions and confusions, and to counter political
enthusiasm and its possible aberrations with economic reason and demagoguery
with truth."
Wilhelm Röpke, A
Humane Economy (1960)
ECON 3500: Moral and Ethical Aspects of a Market Economy Fall 2021 - CRN 17071
Office: 309A The Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business
Office Hours: Zoom by appointment
A course syllabus is your primary reference for any course. It
tells you what the professor expects from you and from himself or herself. If
you have a question concerning the workings of the course, turn to this
reference first. It represents the "rules of the game" so to speak. If
you want clarification or have a question which you feel is not adequately
addressed - by all means ask now! By virtue of remaining in this course you have
provided implicit agreement with the policies and procedures laid out in this
syllabus.
Clemson University Course Description: ECON 3500 - Moral and Ethical Aspects of a Market Economy - 3 credits
Can a market system produce results that are fundamentally just? Is
justice possible without voluntary exchange? Applies both economic and
philosophical analyses to these questions. Emphasizes the causes,
consequences, and morality of the distribution
of wealth and income in a free-market system. Prerequisite(s): ECON 314 or consent of the instructor.
REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS: You'll need to bring your book to class when we are
covering it. We will refer to the text directly in class
meetings and you may be called upon to read passages. There are
numerous articles linked in the syllabus. Please bring these to class
on the day we discuss them. You can use a tablet or laptop in this
course unless you abuse this privilege by using it for anything other than this
course.
NOTE: Buy these specific editions or your pagination will be wrong. You are welcome to buy used copies of the correct edition.
Book costs in this course are low. Please purchase the correct books.
1)
Kendall, David L. Morality and Capitalism CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; First Edition, 2014.
ISBN-10: 1503233243 ISBN-13: 978-1503233249
5) Cohen, G.A. Why Not Socialism?
Princeton University Press, 2009. ISBN-10: 0691143617 ISBN-13: 978-0691143613
6) Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged. 50th Anniversary Edition. Signet, Penguin Group (USA). 1996.
ISBN-10: 0451191145 ISBN-13: 978-0451191144
(BUY USED on Amazon or
there are plenty of copies floating around.)
Classes, examinations, and other events will all be listed below in the Course Syllabus and in the Calendar on Canvas.
This section is SUSPENDED UNDER COVID
RESTRICTIONS There MAY also be "Special Events" that can earn you points
that count toward your final grade. I have a deep aversion to "extra
credit" but being engaged in the academic life of the university is
important. Events like these define the academic milieu of a
university. For instance, one regular event is the John W. Pope Lecture
Series conducted by the Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism.
I will add any relevant speakers as they are scheduled. There will only
be a couple of these events each semester and they are listed as I
become aware of them.
Special Events
being engaged with the academic life of a fine and honest university
Indicates work of a very high character, the highest grade given.
A range is 100.0% to 90.0%
B--Good
Indicates work that is definitely above average, though not of the highest quality.
Brange is 89.9% to 80.0%
C--Fair
Indicates work of average or medium character.
Crange is 79.9% to 70.0%
D--Pass
Indicates work below average and unsatisfactory, the lowest passing grade.
Drange is 69.9% to 60.0%
F--Failed
Indicates that the student knows so little of the subject that it must be repeated in order that credit may be received.
Brange is anything below 59.9%
I--IncompleteIndicates that a relatively small part of the semester's work remains undone. Grade I is not given a student who made a grade F on
his/her daily work. Students are allowed thirty days after the
beginning of the next scheduled session, excluding summers and
regardless of the student's enrollment status, to remove the incomplete
grade. Normally, only one extension for each I may
be granted, and this under unusual circumstances. The extension must be
approved in writing by the instructor of the course and the chair of
the department in which the course was taken. The extension will
indicate the nature and amount of work to be completed and the time
limit. (Students under this policy are prohibited from removing the I by repeating the course.) A letter grade of I converts to F unless the incomplete is removed within the time specified
W--Withdrew Indicates
that the student withdrew from the course or was withdrawn by the
instructor after the first two weeks of class work and prior to the
last seven weeks of classes, not including the examination period.
Proportionate time periods apply during summer and other shortened
sessions. Each undergraduate student is allowed to withdraw or be
withdrawn with a grade of W from no more than 17
hours of course work during the entire academic career at Clemson
University. Transfer students may withdraw from no more than 12 percent
of the total work remaining to be done in the chosen undergraduate
curriculum at the time of transfer to Clemson University up to a total
of 17 hours of course work, whichever is fewer. Partial credit for
courses cannot be dropped. A student who exceeds these limits of hours
or who is enrolled during any part of the last seven weeks of classes
shall have final grades recorded. Astudent may
withdraw from the University subject to the restrictions above.
Additionally, pending approval from the provost or the provost's
designee, students may withdraw from Clemson University one time only
during their academic careers prior to the final seven weeks of classes
(proportionate time periods apply during summer and other shortened
sessions), without reduction from their allotted W hours.
Any variance from these restrictions must be approved by the provost or
the provost's designee and must be requested within 90 calendar days
(exclusive of summer vacation) of the date of the last exam for the
term. The student must document the circumstances supporting the
request. For financial aid purposes, enrollment is defined and
satisfactory academic progress levels are established as of the last
day to register or add classes. Withdrawal can negatively impact
financial aid eligibility if a student does not complete a sufficient
number of hours. Details are available in the publication Financing Your Clemson University Education.
Course Schedule (15 Weeks) :
Week
How to prepare each week's assignments
After Week 1, I expect that you complete the week's
assignments prior to the first class meeting with the exception of Atlas
Shrugged. Our standard practice will be to discuss the reading assignments
in class meetings. Atlas Shruggedwill be discussed in the last 15 minutes of the last class
meeting of each week.
To prepare for each class you will be required,
at the beginning of class, to submit a hard copy of a typed-page with
two questions (for M,W,F classes); three questions (for T,Th or M,W classes);
or five questions across all assigned readings for the week if the
class meets once a week. Questions are not required for pod casts,
videos, or Atlas Shrugged - only the readings. These questions can be
about clarification, about content, about connections to other
readings, a question that further probes the author's ideas, among
others.
Your question sets will: (1) be used for class discussion, (2) document your daily attendance, and (3) contribute to your
class participation grade. Question sets may be given over to a student
at any time to have them conduct the discussion of the readings.At
the top of each page include this information: Your Name, class date,
the reading(s) covered. If we cover more than one reading in a day
indicate at the question level which reading your question pertains to. Maintain all questions in a cumulative Word file.Indicate the reading
covered and the date at the start of each page. This cumulative file of all of
your questions is
due at the end of the semester.
The assigned readings below are by class meeting and indicate the day's question set.
Note - All readings are subject to revision by prerogative
of the instructor.
Read and sign if you agree to the conditions of the contract. Upload the signed contract to Canvas.
General Course Preparation
The Socratic Seminar
If
you have never taken a Socratic Seminar or have any questions about
your responsibilities in a Socratic Seminar, take the time to watch the
videos to the right, by Michael Strong.
In the vein of this
Socratic approach go ahead and prepare for Week 1 (below.) We will
start into Week 1 materials on the first day of the course.
Discuss:
(1)
Kendall, David L. Morality and Capitalism CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; First Edition, 2014 Chapters 5 - end of the book.
Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged, Part I, Chapters 7
- 8
CM 5
Monday
Jan 25
Theme:Historical Foundations Readings:
(1) Hobbes,
Thomas. The Leviathan, 1660.
Chapter XI - Of the Difference of Manners
Chapter XIII - Of the Natural Condition of Mankind as Concerning their
Felicity and Misery
(1) Bastiat, Frédéric. Economic Sophisms.
First Series, Chapter 7. A
Petition The Foundation for Economic Education, Inc. 1996. Trans.
and Ed. Arthur Goddard. Library of Economics and Liberty. 1 August 2007.
(2) Bastiat, Frédéric. Economic Sophisms.
First Series, Chapter 17, A
Negative Railroad The Foundation for Economic Education, Inc. 1996.
Trans. and Ed. Arthur Goddard. Library of Economics and Liberty. 1 August
2007.
(3 ) Bastiat, Frédéric. Selected Essays on Political
Economy.
What
is Seen and What is Not Seen The Foundation for Economic
Education, Inc. 1995. Trans. Seymour Cain. Ed. George B. de Huszar.
Library of Economics and Liberty. 1 August 2007.
(1) Author: Hayek, F. A., 1899-1992.
Title: "The
Use of Knowledge in Society"
Hayek, F. A., "The Use of Knowledge in Society". American Economic Review
. XXXV, No. 4; pp. 519-30. September, 1945. Library of Economics and
Liberty. 1 August 2007. <http://www.econlib.org/library/Essays/hykKnw1.html>. *
Here is a Study Guide for this reading.
CM 14
Wednesday
Feb 24
Midterm Examination
Covering all assigned materials thus far
including Atlas Shrugged
"He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of
that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if
he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring
either opinion...."
Theme: Smoke or Mirrors? Our Leaders and Ourselves
"The
American people will never knowingly adopt socialism, but under the
name of liberalism they will adopt every fragment of the socialist
program until one day America will be a socialist nation without ever
knowing how it happened."
Norman Thomas. Six-time Socialist Party presidential candidate and one of the founders of the ACLU.
Watch: (Note: This interview is 1.5 hours long but is
far-reaching and complete.) Postmodernism:
History and
Diagnosis Jordan Peterson interviewing Stephen Hicks
CM 24
Wednesday
April 7
Read: Hayek, F.A. The Fatal
Conceit: The Errors of Socialism Introduction and Chapters 1 and 2
Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged, Part III, Chapters 5-6
CM 25
Monday
April 12
NO CLASS MEETING TODAY
Dr. Hobbs is out of town for a clown conference.
Stage II - Term Paper due
April 12
(1) Hard-copy turned by class.
(2) Submitted to Turnitin by 11:55 p.m.
Your assignment is to Watch the following two
films.
Read: Hayek, F.A. The Fatal Conceit: The Errors of Socialism Chapters 3, 4 and
5
Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged, Part III, Chapters 7-8
CM 27
Monday
April 19
Read: Hayek, F.A. The Fatal Conceit: The Errors of Socialism Chapters 6, 7 8
and 9
CM 28
Wednesday
April 21
Last Day of Class
Theme: Smoke or Mirrors? Our Leaders and Ourselves
"And
we alone shall feed them in Thy name, declaring falsely that it is in
Thy name. Oh, never, never can they feed themselves without us! No
science will give them bread so long as they remain free. In the end
they will lay their freedom at our feet, and say to us, "Make us your
slaves, but feed us." They will understand themselves, at last, that
freedom and bread enough for all are inconceivable together, for never,
never will they be able to share between them!"
Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged, Part III, Chapters 9-10
Graded Assignments
Percent of Final Grade
Coverage
Date Due
Class Participation: This course is a seminar course where you have a deep responsibility
to engage in informed discussion. You can only do this by reading and coming to class prepared to discuss
the materials that are assigned. Each class meeting be prepared to pose your questions to the seminar participants.
1. CLASS PARTICIPATION I:
Attendance and
Submissions of Class Meeting
Discussion Question Sets
10.0%
2. CLASS PARTICIPATION II:
In-class Contributions to the Discussion
Subjective grade by Dr. Hobbs
5.0%
15%
1. CLASS PARTICIPATION:
Attendance and Submissions of Class Meeting
Discussion Question Sets
To prepare for each class discussion you will be required to submit three (3) questions to propose to the
group from the day's reading(s), The
questions can be about clarification, about content, about connections
to other readings, a question that further probes the author's ideas,
among others. Be prepared to pose your questions to the group and to
conduct the discussion of your question.
Questions
sets must be posted to Canvas by 11:59 p.m. the night prior to the
class meeting. Canvas submissions are organized by Class Meeting (CM). If
we cover more than one reading in a day indicate at the question level
to which reading the question pertains. I will randomly grade a few of these to
give you some quick feedback and also to form your
CLASS PARTICIPATION I grade.
Formatting Guidelines At the top of each page format as follows:
Roster number: First Name Last Name
Date Reading(s)
ECON 3500 – Semester YEAR – CRN XXXXX
Example:
5, John Doe
January 19, 2020 Bastiat – A Petition, The Negative Railroad, What is Seen and What is Not Seen
ECON 3500 – Spring 2017 – CRN 19775
2. CLASS PARTICIPATION:
In-class Contributions
I will assign a subjective class participation grade based upon your
individual contributions to the discussions in this course. This is a
seminar or seminar-like course (depending upon number of students) and your engagement is crucial to its success.
To engage you must be present physically and mentally.
Maintain all questions in a cumulative Word file
for your records. This cumulative file njeeds to be handed in at the end of
the semester.
Random In-Class Reading Quizzes may be given
periodically at the beginning of class. They will consist of one to
three questions. They will factor into your Class Participation grade.
Over the entire course
Celebration of Learning #1 (Midterm Examination)
25%
In class covering all course materials assigned thus far.
See Term Paper Assignment below for important details.
(1) Stage I - Thesis Statement and Bibliography
is worth 5% of your final grade.
(2) Stage II - Term Paper is worth 25% of your final grade.
Late assignments are penalized as outlined below.
Stage I:
Thesis Statement and Bibliography due Monday, March 22
Stage II: Term Paper due Monday, April 12
Celebration of Learning #2
( Final Examination)
Your Final Examination
has two components: (1) Take-Home Component (20%), and (2) an In-class
Component given during our scheduled final examination period during finals week
(10%).
NOTE: Under COVID the entire examination is takehome and counts
30%.
30%
Late Take Home Component loses 10% or one letter grade each day
Final Examination: Take Home Component due
Class Meeting 28 Wednesday, April 21
Final Examination: In Class Component
In
Class Component
is SUSPENDED UNDER COVID RESTRICTIONS
Term Paper Assignment The Term Paper is developed in a two-stage process. You
need to: (1) hand in a hard copy during the class meeting, and (2)
submit each stage in Canvas.
The Term Paper - 25%
Here is the rubric I use for grading Stage II: Term Paper Rubric. Late
papers are penalized 10% or one letter grade per day.
CRUCIAL DETAILS on the Term Paper
THE TOPIC MUST BE DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THE MORALITY OF CAPITALISM.
DRAWING UPON SOME TOPIC WE COVERED IN CLASS THAT PIQUED YOUR INTEREST IS THE
BEST ROAD TO TRAVEL. It need not support any particular issue we
discussed, but it must deal with that contention in an academic way. It must
reference at least some portion of the course readings. It needs to be an original paper of your choosing with the topic approved by your professor
in the Thesis Statement and Bibliography. Work that has been turned in for credit for a previous course is unacceptable.
There
is an annual Atlas Shrugged Essay Contestsponsored by The Ayn Rand
Institute and if you wish to use that contest submission for your paper,
you may. Follow the Atlas Shrugged Essay
Contest paper length guidelines if you choose that option and send me
the email acknowledging your submission to the contest.
The crucial part of writing
is to be clear and concise. Unless you are a Noble prize winner in
economics, the strict word count limit for the paper is 1600 words excluding
the Title Page and Bibliography. I will stop reading at end of the 7th page of
text, regardless (once again, this excludes the title page and bibliography.)
If you choose to write past the word count I will not read the additional
materials but I will assign a grade reflecting the incomplete nature of your
paper.
All papers must be typed, and double-spaced with the
pages numbered. The paper must follow APA Style. There are excellent web
sources the APA style. If you have grammatical questions I suggest Grammar Girl or this web site or No Red Ink
as good on-line sources. I am stunned that some students do not proof
read what they hand in to me. That is just a sign of intellectual
laziness and it will be a costly mistake for you.
All
papers must be run through Turnitin.com a site that checks your work
against all work on the web and all papers in their data base for
plagiarism. When asked to "Submit Title" label the paper thus: "Last
Name, First Name - Title of your Paper". For example, if I wrote a
paper titled "Libertarian Themes in South Park" my paper would be
submitted as "Hobbs, Brad - Libertarian Themes in South Park".
Log into Canvas and click on Assignments in the left-hand column.
Scroll down to the "Thesis Statement, Outline, and Bibliography"
and click on it. Turnitin should open up. Please use your name in
the title "Your Name - Thesis Statement Outline and Bibliography" In the unlikely event that you are asked for an Enrollment Password use the CRN number for this course.
Students agree that by taking this course all required papers
may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin for
the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers will be included as source
documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely for the purpose of detecting
plagiarism of such papers. Use of the Turnitin.com service is subject to the
Terms and Conditions of Use posted on the Turnitin.com site.
Thesis Statement, Outline, and Bibliography - You are to have a concise
thesis and a bibliography that is sufficient to support the topic you
are choosing. In your subsequent work I might expect to see some
changes to the bibliography but no substantive changes in your thesis
statement. If you want examples and suggestions concerning a proper
thesis statement look here or here.
I grade it using the Thesis Statement, Outline, and Bibliography Grading Rubric
. You are not allowed to hand in a paper that has not fulfilled the necessary
requirement of an approved Thesis Statement, Oultine, and Bibliography. Any
paper without an approved Thesis Statement and Bibliography (i.e. a grade)
earns a score of 0/250 for the paper in addition to the 0/50 grade earned for
not conmpleting the Thesis Statement and Bibliography. This is 30% of
your grade.
Finally, top original papers should be targeted for publishing in an undergraduate
research journal. Here is an example of an excellent paper that earned a high "A".
Missed Examinations or Assignments: Upper-level Courses:
A student must complete the exams at the scheduled
times on the scheduled dates or provide written documentation of an Authorized
Absence or Excused Absence (Per the Clemson Clog p.39). An Authorized Absence is due to participation
in a sponsored activity that has been approved in advance by the program director
and the appropriate student affairs officer. An Excused Absence is due to other
causes, such as illness, family emergency, death in the family, or religious
holiday. A student seeking an Excused Absence must obtain documentation such
as a physician's statement, accident report, or obituary.
If you miss an examination due to an Anticipated Absence
(as defined in Undergraduate Announcements "no later than one week
before the date of any assignment or exam") the points for the missed
examination will be calculated as the average of your other examination
scores. In the case of an Unanticipated Absence (as defined in Undergraduate Announcements on page 28) I will follow the protocols of the university. In the case of an Unanticipated Absence I must have a email or phone call
before or during the assessment event: Simply not showing up earns a grade
of "0" on on any examination or assignment. My email is hobbs4@clemson.edu
and my phone number is (864) 656-1115 where voice messaging is
available at all times. Where I have been notified as explained above,
the points for the missed examination will be calculated as the average
of your other examination scores.
A missed Final Examination will: (1) lead to an assigned grade of "incomplete" so long as I am
contacted prior to the examination as noted above and, (2) require you to take
a makeup examination and complete the examination prior to the university's
deadline for making up an incomplete. It is your responsibility to contact me
and coordinate the process of the makeup examination and the grade change. All
incomplete examinations not completed by the university's deadline automatically become an "F".
NOTE: Quoting from the Provost's Office: "Final Examinations: At
their own discretion, instructors may excuse from the final examination, all
students having the grade A on the coursework prior to the final examination.
For all other students, examinations are required in all subjects at the end of
each semester, except in courses in which final examinations are not deemed
necessary as approved by the department faculty.
Final examinations must
be given (or due) on the dates and at the times designated in the final
examination schedule, except in laboratory and one-credit-hour courses where the
final exam will be given at the last class meeting. All courses that do not
specify a standard day of the week and meeting time are not assigned a final
exam date and time, and the final exam must be given during the examination week
at a date and time announced by the instructor. This time must be stipulated in
the syllabus at the beginning of the term.
Circumventing the designated
date/time for a final examination via consenting signatures from students for a
different date/time, though freely agreed to, is a violation of the final
examination policy."
If I need to further interpret this for youL You must take your final
examination at the assigned time and final examinations are required by the
university.
Assignments other than in-class examinations (e.g., take-home examinations, papers, and presentations)
lose 10% or one letter grade per day. If a group presentation is
required your failure to participate in the group presentation earns
you an automatic "0" for the presentation portion of that assignment.
Late quizzes or homeworks (e.g., in-class quizzes or any homework assignment such as LaunchPad, Sapling or Aplia) earn a score of
"0".
Examination Grade Challenge Policy: When an exam is handed back we will go over it in class and you will
hand it back in during class. Once the examination is handed back to you there
is a one-week cooling-off period. Then you can make an appointment
with me to come by during office hours and challenge my grading but be
prepared. At two weeks after the examination is returned to you, grades
on all examinations and assignments are finalized.
Electronics in the Classroom: One must
focus to do university-level work in this field of study. You may use a
tablet or laptop unless I catch you using it for anything else but the
class work. Then you will lose the privilege. USING ANY OTHER
ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING PHONES IS PROHIBITED DURING CLASS MEETINGS.
Failure to comply with this rule has the following consequence: any
infraction will lead to you being identified as the person responsible
for the Pop Quiz that the entire class will take as a result of your
action. These quizzes will be included in your homework grade.
IMPORTANT COURSE ISSUES: Class
Cheating: "As
members of the Clemson University community, we have inherited Thomas
Green Clemson's vision of this institution as a high seminary of
learning. Fundamental to this vision is a mutual commitment to
truthfulness, honor, and responsibility, without which we cannot earn
the trust and respect of others. Furthermore, we recognize that
academic dishonesty detracts from the value of a Clemson degree.
Therefore, we shall not tolerate lying, cheating, or stealing in any
form."
Academic Honesty is your moral duty yet cheating is
a rampant problem on college and university campuses today. As a social scientist,
I think it says something quite interesting about our current culture -- or
perhaps Glaucon, Adeimantus and Thrasymachus were right (see The Republic
of Plato, Part II "Justice in the State and in the Individual", Chapter
V, "The Problem Stated".)
My attitude concerning academic dishonesty is simple: Cheating is not worth
the potential consequences of getting caught nor the self-degradation which
it involves whether you are caught or not.
If you are
caught in an act of academic dishonesty I am charged - by the
university - to "make a formal written charge of academic dishonesty...
and report this to the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies." If I
were you, I'd plan for Dr. Hobbs to defend his career-long practice
which has been to assign an "F" for the entire course.
These guidelines pertain to all work
done in this class including take-home assignments and graded homework. (You
do have explicit permission to engage in group homework under the conditions outlined
above.)
"The discipline of colleges and universities is in general contrived,
not for the benefit of the students, but for the interest, or more properly
speaking, for the ease of the masters. Its object is, in all cases, to maintain
the authority of the master, and whether he neglects or performs his duty,
to oblige the students in all cases to behave to him as if he performed with
the greatest diligence and ability. It seems to presume perfect wisdom and
virtue in the one order, and the greatest weakness and folly in the other.
Where the masters, however, really perform their duty, there are no examples,
I believe, that the greater part of the students ever neglect theirs. No discipline
is ever requisite to force attendance upon lectures which are really worth
attending…”
An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, Book
V, Chapter 1, Part f, Paragraph 15
Adam Smith
Here
is Clemson University's attendance policy: "The academic resources of
Clemson University are provided for the intellectual growth and
development of students. Class attendance is critical to the
educational process; therefore, students should attend scheduled
courses regularly if they are to attain their academic goals." While I
concur wholeheartedly, my attendance policy is laissez-faire. The translation from French is
roughly "to allow to act". In other words, you are allowed to do whatever you
want to do with regard to attendance: after all, only you can decide what your
opportunity cost is. Whatever your proclivities for attendance are, you
are responsible for all course materials.
My reason for this laissez-faire policy is two-fold.
First,
I am "old school" in this sense. I truly believe that institutions of
higher education ought to be focused on one, primary, strategic
mission: Education. My focus is on those students who are attending
this university to better themselves and learn economics. I have an
obligation, and perhaps a duty, to protect them from a despoliation of
our learning space. If you do not want to be here, know that I abhor
coercion of any kind. I consider coercion to be the universal mark of
the tyrant.
Second, I respect individual decisions and
embrace the learning processes that emanate from both good decisions
(e.g., taking college seriously as the glorious and rare opportunity it
is) and bad decisions (e.g., extending adolescent debauchery with a 70%
state subsidy.) Not that I have anything against debauchery. I just
don't care to aid and abet yours (nor, I suspect, do federal and state
taxpayers.)
Learning is a shared responsibility. Class
lectures are, but, one way to learn. There are many things covered in
class that are assessed in this course so you should definitely obtain
a copy of class notes, handouts, cases, etc. from a fellow student
should you decide to not attend a class session. Know that I won't be
using valuable office hours to redeliver the lecture because you chose
not to come to class.
Finally, I should note that for
nearly all students there is a high and positive correlation between
class attendance and grades. Given the nature of this class your chosen
course attendance policy and engagement are graded explicitly. I
encourage you to be responsible by fully participating in your
education. I do take class role for administrative purposes because it
is required by "Coach" and the federal government for students who are
getting federal loans, grants, or subsidies. The only other use of an
attendance log might be to explain to you why you are not doing so well
in this course.
Assigned Readings:
There may be assigned readings in this course. In order to have an effective class discussion you must: (1)
read the article prior to the class meeting, (2) be prepared to both ask and
answer questions on the reading, and (3) bring your copy of the article and
your notes on it the class meeting.
Group Work:
Research in the area of learning has substantiated the positive effects of group
study. When carried out with serious effort the returns to group study can be
great for all members of the group. I would strongly encourage you to form study
groups and set a weekly meeting time to discuss this course. I would ask that
you assist each other; treating the study group as a cooperative experience
rather than a competitive one. I have no problem with groups working together
on the homework assignments.
Unless explicit permission is given (such as homework assignments above), all
work handed in must be done alone. You are welcome to discuss and work
together but when you "put pencil to paper" it must be your own work.
To do otherwise will be regarded as an act of academic dishonesty.
Other
There are no extra credit assignments.
Graduation, scholarships, work, financial
aid, personal plans, etc. have nothing to do with grades in this course. Grades
are based on performance (see the University Catalog.)
When you e-mail me please:
1) Use hobbs4@clemson.edu
2) In the Subject Line of your e-mail include the course and CRN number
(e.g., ECON 3500 - 12345). I get lots of e-mail and those from students
are class specific so I need to know which class you are in.
Studying for university-level courses
I expect students to spend 2-3 hours of work outside of class
for every hour you are in class. This means attending class plus spending
6-9 hours on course work including readings, assignment and studying.
For a 15-hour load this means 30-45 hours a week on your courses. A 2007
study by the National Survey of Student Engagement found that full time
students self reported (thus, probably an exaggerated report) spending
about 13-14 hours per week (for a 15-hour load). As I told my college-enrolled
kids, "This may sound like a lot but this is the easiest 30 hour
a week job you'll ever have!" Their subsequent reports from the world of work have confirmed by prediction.
According to this
study, I am swimming upstream. But, swim, I must. Economics is intellectually
challenging and rigorous.
On the upside, Stinebrickner & Stinebrickner in 2007 find that studying
an extra hour per week has the same effect on student achievement as a
5-point increase in your ACT scores.
Sources :
National Survey of Student Engagement. Experiences That Matter: Enhancing
Student Learning and Success. Bloomington, IN: Center for Postsecondary
Research, 2007.
Stinebrickner, T. & Stinebrickner, R. "The Causal Effect of
Studying on Academic Performance." Working Paper W13341. Cambridge,
MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, Aug. 2007.
(Thanks to Professor Linda Ray for these
tidbits of truth.)
State-Mandated and University-Required Regulatory and Control Statements
"Clemson University, like all
higher education institutions, is governed by an extensive and complicated
collection of laws, rules, and regulations—a collection often referred to as
the “regulatory landscape.”from Clemson University's Office of University
Compliance. Housed in some prime real estate at One North Main Street, Suite
722, Greenville, SC 29601.
"The bureaucrat begins, perhaps, by doing only what
he conceives to be his sworn duty, but unless there are very efficient
four-wheel brakes upon him he soon adds a multitude of inventions of
his own, all of them born of his professional virtuosity and designed
to lather and caress his sense of power."
H.L. Mencken, On Politics: A Carnival of Buncombe (Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press, 1996 [1956]), pp. 278-279.
Most of the materials below are copied verbatim, though
I alphabetized it. Assume [sic]. If you want to know more about this
phenomenon Google "rise in college administration"
Academic Advising
Academic advising (Links to an external site.)Links to
an external site. is an ongoing educational process that connects the
student to the University. Academic advising supports the University's
mission of preparing the student for learning beyond the confines of the
academy. Academic advisors represent and interpret University policies and
procedures to the student and help the student navigate the academic and
organizational paths of the institution.
Academic
Grievances
The next person in the chain of command is our
Department Chair: Dr. Scott Baier. Dr. Bair will provide information for
further channels of complaint and grievance if he is unable to solve your
issue. If you are not comfortable talking to your professor or the
Department Chair students are advised to visit the Ombudsman Office. They
state "This assistance is an alternate [sic] to formal administrative
channels, supplementing them but not replacing them."
Academic Success
Center
The Academic Success Center provides free services,
including tutoring, academic coaching, and academic skills workshops, for
all Clemson students. Visit the Academic Success Center website (Links to an
external site.)Links to an external site.for more information on their
services and workshops.
Cooper Library
Reference librarians are available in person and via
text, phone, email, and chat to answer your research questions. Visit Ask a
Librarian (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.for more
information or to get in touch with a librarian.
Copyright
All materials found in this course are
strictly for the use of students enrolled in this course and for purposes
associated with this course; they may not be retained or further
disseminated. Clemson students, faculty, and staff are expected to comply
fully with institutional copyright policy as well as all other copyright
laws.
Non-Discrimination
Clemson University is committed to providing a higher
education environment that is free from sexual discrimination. Therefore, if
you believe you or someone else that is part of the Clemson University
community has been discriminated against based on sex, or if you have
questions about Title IX, please contact the Title IX Coordinator, Alesia
Smith, who also serves as the Executive Director of Equity Compliance, at
110 Holtzendorff Hall, 864-656-3181 (voice) or 864-656-0899 (TDD). The Title
IX Coordinator is the person designated by Clemson University to oversee its
Title IX compliance efforts. Please consult the University's Title IX policy
(Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.for full details.
Privacy Policy
Include your course privacy policy here.
Feel free to adopt/adapt the following statement:This course is designed
with your privacy in mind. If, however, you feel that an assignment or
technology tool undermines your right to privacy, please contact me
immediately. We will work together to determine an alternative assignment
that will help you achieve the course learning outcomes.
Registrar
The Registrar's office (Links to an
external site.)Links to an external site.provides information about
important deadlines, degree and program requirements, and other key
information, including use of iROAR to add, drop, or withdraw from courses.
Student
Accessibility Services
Clemson University values the diversity of our student
body as a strength and a critical component of our dynamic community.
Students with disabilities or temporary injuries/conditions may require
accommodations due to barriers in the structure of facilities, course
design, technology used for curricular purposes, or other campus resources.
Students who experience a barrier to full access to this class should let
the professor know, and make an appointment to meet with a staff member in
Student Accessibility Services as soon as possible. You can make an
appointment by calling 864-656-6848, by emailing
studentaccess@lists.clemson.edu, or by visiting Suite 239 in the Academic
Success Center building. Appointments are strongly encouraged – drop-ins
will be seen if at all possible, but there could be a significant wait due
to scheduled appointments. Students who receive Academic Access Letters are
strongly encouraged to request, obtain and present these to their professors
as early in the semester as possible so that accommodations can be made in a
timely manner. It is the student’s responsibility to follow this process
each semester. You can access further information at the Student
Accessibility Services Website and the Office of Access and Equity Website.
Technical Support
If you are having hardware or software
problems, CCIT's Service Desk may be able to help you. Contact them at
ITHELP@clemson.eduwith a detailed description of your problem.
Title IX
Clemson University Title IX (Sexual
Harassment) statement must be included: Clemson University is committed to a
policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the
basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, pregnancy,
national origin, age, disability, veteran's status, genetic information or
protected activity in employment, educational programs and activities,
admissions and financial aid. This includes a prohibition against sexual
harassment and sexual violence as mandated by Title IX of the Education
Amendments of 1972. This policy is located at
http://www.clemson.edu/campus-life/campus-services/access/title-ix/. Mr.
Jerry Knighton is the Clemson University Title IX Coordinator. He also is
the Director of Access and Equity. His office is located at 110 Holtzendorff
Hall, 864.656.3184 (voice) or 864.656.0899 (TDD).
Writing Center
Clemson University’s Writing Center offers
free one-on-one tutoring for all Clemson students. Visit the Writing
Center's website (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.for
more information about their services or to make an appointment.
