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School of Business

2. UNIVERSITY MISSION STATEMENT
Wayland Baptist University exists to educate students in an academically challenging, learning-focused and distinctively Christian environment for professional success, and service to God and humankind.

3. COURSE NUMBER & NAME: 
FINA 5310-VC01, Public Finance
4. TERM: 
Spring 2, 2022

5. INSTRUCTOR: 
Yongli Luo, PhD

6. CONTACT INFORMATION:
Phone: 281-728-3694
WBU Email: Yongli.luo@wayland.wbu.edu

7. OFFICE HOURS, BUILDING & LOCATION: 
     Mon-Sun @ 8:00AM-5:00PM (CST) or by appointment, ONLINE.

8. COURSE MEETING TIME & LOCATION:
Meeting day & time: Monday through Sunday during March 14—May 7, 2022, ONLINE

9. CATALOG DESCRIPTION: 
Concepts, principles, and practices in financial matters at the federal, state, and local levels to include decision-making techniques, planning the financial structure, management of assets, capital budgeting, obtaining capital, and management of income under conditions of uncertainty

10. PREREQUISITE:
Previous courses in macroeconomics, financial management, political science, and basic accounting are recommended.
11. REQUIRED TEXTBOOK AND RESOURCE MATERIAL: 
BOOK	AUTHOR	ED	YEAR	PUBLISHER	ISBN#	UPDATED	
Management Policies in Local Government Finance	Bartle	6th	2013	ICCMA	9780-87326-7656	4/13/13	

12. OPTIONAL MATERIALS
None

13. COURSE OUTCOMES AND COMPETENCIES:
•	Develop government budgets through analysis of revenue sources, capital requirements, and economic conditions
•	Analyze and describe revenue generation (taxes) including revenue forecasting estimation
•	Understand management of working capital and employee retirement funds
•	Evaluate risk management related to government fiscal decisions
•	Analyze accounting and financial management methods

14. ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
As stated in the Wayland Catalog, students enrolled at one of the University’s external campuses should make every effort to attend all class meetings. All absences must be explained to the instructor, who will then determine whether the omitted work may be made up. When a student reaches that number of absences considered by the instructor to be excessive, the instructor will so advise the student and file an unsatisfactory progress report with the campus executive director. Any student who misses 25 percent or more of the regularly scheduled class meetings may receive a grade of F in the course. Additional attendance policies for each course, as defined by the instructor in the course syllabus, are considered a part of the University’s attendance policy.
15. STATEMENT ON PLAGIARISM & ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:
Wayland Baptist University observes a zero tolerance policy regarding academic dishonesty. Per university policy as described in the academic catalog, all cases of academic dishonesty will be reported and second offenses will result in suspension from the university.
16. DISABILITY STATEMENT:
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), it is the policy of Wayland Baptist University that no otherwise qualified person with a disability be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any educational program or activity in the university. The Coordinator of Counseling Services serves as the coordinator of students with a disability and should be contacted concerning accommodation requests at (806) 291-3765. Documentation of a disability must accompany any request for accommodations.

17. COURSE REQUIREMENTS and GRADING CRITERIA:
Course requirements: The students are expected to read the textbook and other online materials regularly, and complete weekly quizzes, exams, and discussion forums by the due date. Late assignments are not acceptable, but students are encouraged to catch up with penalty of points deduction upon the instructor’s approval with legitimate excuse. 

Grading scale: A ≥ 900, B=800-899, C=700-799, D=600-699, and F ≤ 599 points.  

Grading criteria: 
Quizzes (400 points=8 × 50 points each): Quizzes will be given in each week starting on Monday at 12:00AM and due on Sunday midnight at 11:59PM (CST). Each quiz is timed with limited attempts. The weekly quiz includes true or false, matching, and multiple choice questions from the assigned chapters in that week.   
Forums (300 points=6 × 50 points each): Each discussion forum will be completed in one week including two parts: (1) Initial thread and (2) two replies. By Thursday midnight, students are required to create an initial thread, answer all the required discussion topics/questions. By the Sunday midnight, students should post at least two replies to others. Students may agree/disagree and comment on any inputs made by others with substantial evidences. The initial posts and two replies must have sufficient words with substantial contents and references in APA format.
Exams (300 points=3 × 100 points each): There are three exams scheduled in week 4, week 6,  and week 8. Each exam may consist of true/false, multiple choice, matching or comprehensive essay questions. No make-up exams.
Extra credits (10 points): You can earn up to 10 extra credits by completing a course Checklist and a Discussion board introduction due by Sunday midnight of the first week.
Late Policies: Course Assignments, including discussion boards, quizzes and exams will not be accepted after the due date. If the student is unable to complete an assignment on time, then he or she must contact the instructor immediately for approval by email before the deadline. With approval students will receive the following deductions:
    • Late submission within one week after the due date will receive a 20% deduction.
    • Late submission within 2 weeks but more than one week late will receive a 50% deduction.
    • Late submission beyond two weeks late will not receive credits.
Special circumstances (e.g. death in the family, school business personal health issues) will be reviewed by the instructor on a case-by-case basis.

17.1 Grade Appeal: “Students shall have protection through orderly procedures against prejudices or capricious academic evaluation. A student who believes that he or she has not been held to realistic academic standards, just evaluation procedures, or appropriate grading, may appeal the final grade given in the course by using the student grade appeal process described in the Academic Catalog. Appeals  may  not  be  made  for  advanced  placement  examinations  or  course bypass examinations. Appeals are limited to the final course grade, which may be upheld, raised, or lowered at any stage of the appeal process. Any recommendation to lower a course grade must be submitted through the Vice President of Academic Affairs/Faculty Assembly Grade Appeals Committee for review and approval. The Faculty Assembly Grade Appeals Committee may instruct that the course grade be upheld, raised, or lowered to a more proper evaluation.”

18. TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
Week 	Subject	Assignments	Starting date	Due date	
1	Ch1: Context, Challenge, Ethics and Opportunity	Course Checklist	Mar 14	Mar 20	
	Ch2: Local Government Spending and Revenues	DB Introduction 			
		Quiz 1			
2	Ch3: Government Structure 	Quiz 2	Mar 21	Mar 27	
	Ch4: The Structure of the Finance Functions	DB Forum 1			
3	Ch5: Accounting and Financial Reporting	Quiz 3	Mar 28	Apr 03	
		DB Forum 2			
4	Ch6: Governmental Budgeting 	Quiz 4 	Apr 4	Apr 10	
	Ch7: Information Management	Exam 1			
		DB Forum 3			
5	Ch8: The Property Taxes	Quiz 5	Apr 11	Apr 17	
	Ch9: Consumption and Income Tax	DB Forum 4			
	Ch10: Non-tax Revenue	Quiz 6			
6	Ch11: Capital Planning and Budgeting	DB Forum 5	Apr 18	Apr 24	
	Ch12: Debt and Risk Management	Exam 2			
7	Ch13: Cash, Investment and Pension  	Quiz 7	Apr 25	May 01	
	Ch14: Local Economic Development	DB Forum 6			
	Ch17: Financial Condition Analysis	Evaluation			
8	Ch15: Procurement 	Quiz 8 	May 02	May 7	
	Ch16: Public-Private Partnerships	Exam 3			
		Evaluation			
Note: This schedule is tentative and may be changed at discretion of the professor. 

19. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
•	Always add the course number “FINA 5310 VC01” in the subject line and include “your full name and student ID” in your email. 
•	Use your “First name +Last name” to name all your files that were submitted on Blackboard.
•	For a prompt reply, please contact me by email yongli.luo@wayland.wbu.edu, or call 281-728-3694 during the regular working hours from 8:00AM to 5:00PM.
•	I will reply your emails in 24 hours and post your grades in 7 days after your submission.