Professor: Dr. W.A. Kelly Huff
Office: Kennedy 111 Phone: 927-7794 e-mail: huffwak@peachnet.campuscwix.net
Office Hours: Monday 2p.m. to 4 p.m./Wednesday 11a.m. to 12 noon/Thursday 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Textbook: Zelezny, John D. (1997) (2nd Ed.).
Communications Law: Liberties, Restraints, and the Modern Media.
Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company.
Catalog Course Description: “Study of the laws affecting
American media, including the concept of freedom of speech
and press, federal regulatory
agencies, libel, slander, copyright, and invasion of privacy.”
Course Objective: The course systematically and
objectively takes a narrative, “nuts-and-bolts” approach for mass
communication students with
substantial material applicable to public relations, advertising, and broadcasting,
as well
as print journalism.
The course addresses market changes by streamlining some of the traditional
news-oriented material
and introducing other legal
topics of broad concern to mass communication professionals (i.e., advertising,
PR, video
production, announcing,
magazine editing, etc.).
Methods of Instruction: Several types of activities
are planned, including lecture, group discussion, possible guest lecture(s),
and media exposure (pertinent
films, video, and audio tapes).
Attendance: For group discussion and exams, attendance
is mandatory. Attendance is expected at class lecture.
(Note: 80% and more
of material on exams will be covered in class.) Students are responsible
for all in-class lecture
material and announcements
regarding changes in the class schedule. Attendance is taken for
groups and is counted
as part of the grading criteria
for reports. Athletes must leave written notice of schedule conflicts
at instructor’s office
during the first week of
class. All phones, beepers, radios, etc. must be turned off before
class begins and they will
remain off throughout class.
No headphones will be allowed during class.
Three Exams: Each exam will stand on its own.
There is no comprehensive exam covering material from the entire course.
No headphones will be allowed
during tests.
Exam Make-Ups: Students who miss an exam or an assigned
discussion day must present a legitimate reason in advance
and as covered under the
same policies that govern final exams; for example, serious illness,* or
a University-sponsored
event,** or a death in one’s
immediate family.*** For any of these reasons, the student must present
his/her case to the
instructor in person and
in written form with pertinent evidence also provided. For final
exams, you must give the
instructor notice at lease
two weeks prior to the last day of class (actual class and not the final
exam time) so that the
instructor can decide if
and/or when the substitute test will be given. Note that the makeup
will cover the same material,
but will take a different
and more difficult form than the exam administered to the rest of the class.
* Illness: The student
must contact the instructor prior to the exam. If you are unable
to do so, have a friend or RA do
so. Note: Under
most circumstances the make-up must be scheduled prior to the next class
period or within the same
week of the exam.
Note also: you may not take a makeup without an official medical
excuse, then verification still must
be presented to validate.
The legitimacy and validity of the excuse will be determined by the instructor.
** University-sponsored event:
Note: The student must submit a written request to the instructor
no less than two weeks
prior to the event and must
complete arrangements to make up the exam in advance. As stated above,
athletes must
present a written notice
to the instructor during the first week of class.
*** Family death: Students
must contact the instructor prior to the exam or discussion. The
university typically verifies
that the student must miss
class because of a family death. At the very least, leave a message
with the mass
communication secretary
and see the instructor as soon as possible upon your return.
Reports: Reports on group discussions are 1-2 pages
in length – no more and no less. All reports are to be typed or
word-processed and double-spaced
or will receive an automatic grade of “zero.” You can only do a report
if you go
to the group meeting.
If you miss the meeting for any reason, you will receive an automatic “zero”
for the group report
assignment. You may,
however, meet with the instructor in person to discuss your absence.
It is possible that an
alternative may be reached,
but only in rare cases and with proper documentation. No Late Reports
will be accepted!
Conditions for each report
are specified in this syllabus. The report must be turned in at the
beginning of the very next
class meeting! Not
at the middle or end or afterward: NO exceptions!
Audio/Visual and other classroom presentations (ex. guest
speaker): Some questions on exams will be taken from these.
There will be no opportunity
for make-ups on these. Video and/or audio tapes will be played in
class only. They will not
be made available outside
class! Obviously, the same goes for any guest speaker who may appear
in class.
Grading: Based on the results of three exams of
equal value and group discussions/reports. Exams ask for essay or
short
answers. The final
grade will be computed on the following basis:
Exam
I
30 percent
Exam II
30 percent
Exam III
30 percent
Group Participation/Report 10 percent
Grade Scale: A = 90 to 100 points, B = 80 to 89, C = 70 to 79, D = 60 to 69, F = 59 and Below
Special Notes:
Students who for some reason cannot take an exam as scheduled must notify
the instructor in writing no less than
two weeks prior to the exam.
Furthermore, the student must get that reason approved in writing by the
instructor.
The same rule applies to
group meetings.
Students who have a need for special accommodations due to any type
of disability should schedule an appointment
with me within the first
week of the class.
Academic dishonesty penalties and definition are adhered to as outlined
in the Student Handbook.