COM 590 Syllabus - Irwin Mallin, IPFW Communication

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Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne Department of Communication
COM 590 – Organizational Conflict Communication – Summer Session I 2004 – 3 credits
Section 01 – Call Number 31565 – MTR 5:30-7:50 p.m. – Neff Hall 278

Instructor: Professor Irwin Mallin – Office: Neff Hall 230E
Office Hours: MTR 4-5 p.m.,and other times by appointment
Phone: 481-6553 – E- Mail: mallini@ipfw.edu
Course Web Site: http://users.ipfw.edu/mallini/

I. Course Description: An analysis of key readings in organizational conflict, particularly from the communication perspective. Topics include models for conflict management, the productive potential of conflict, the role of goals and emotion in conflict, formal and informal interventions and an examination of case studies in organizational conflict.

II. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.   COM 324 or 574 or 491 (Negotiation and Conflict) recommended but not required.

III. Course Goals: Upon completing this course, you should:

1) be able to apply relevant theories of communication and other disciplines to the conflict behavior of yourself and others in the organizational context;
2) be able to evaluate the usefulness of some of these theories for enhancing conflict management competence in your own workplace; and
3) have developed an awareness of some of the methods scholars use in studying conflict in organizations.

IV. Course Tools:

Links to required readings and other important course information will be e-mailed to course participants. Reading guides and other important information will be posted to the course web site. Accordingly, you are required to have an e-mail account and access to the World Wide Web. It is expected that your e-mail account will not be set to block e-mail from me as spam and that you will check this account regularly.

V. Course Assignments: This course will be graded on a 1000 point scale, as follows:

• Tests (2 at 250 points each = 500 points). The tests will cover material in lecture, class discussions and the textbook, as well as any brief additional readings that may be assigned. The tests will not be cumulative, except as explicitly noted in test review.

• Response papers (2 at 200 points each = 400 points) Each response paper assignment will ask you to respond to specific questions applying the course material to your own experience in a well-written, detailed, typed and stapled three to five page essay. The response papers will each be assigned as indicated on the Course Schedule. You are responsible for keeping a copy of each response paper.

• Class contributions (100 points) You are expected to attend class. Beyond mere attendance, though, this is a participatory course. Your productive contributions to class discussions and activities are important. In addition, brief homework assignments beyond the readings will be assigned. This portion of your grade reflects my assessment of your participation in class discussions and activities and brief homework assignments. Each unexcused absence will reduce your grade for this component by 10 points. All that is required here is that you account for yourself for each class period, as follows: 1) If you know in advance you won’t be able to attend a given class, you should let me know the reason in advance, preferably by e-mail as that provides us with a written record. 2) In emergency situations where you can’t tell me in advance of your absence, it’s your responsibility to account for those absences as soon as possible afterward and in no event more than two weeks afterward. 3) If you arrive to class after I have taken attendance, it’s your responsibility to see me after class to insure that I have recorded your presence.

VI. Grading Scale: A = 900-1000; B = 800-899; C = 700-799; D = 600-699; F = 0-599.

VII. Late or Missing Assignments and Tests: In the absence of extreme circumstances, written assignments will not be accepted after the class period in which they are due, and examinations not taken on the designated date can not be made up. Failure to turn in an assignment or take a test will result in a grade of F for the course.

VIII. Academic Integrity: You are expected to be familiar with what constitutes academic misconduct in this course and at IPFW, and with what the penalties are for such conduct, as set forth in parts II and III of the IPFW Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities and Conduct, which is published on pages 183-191 of the 2003-2004 Student Handbook Planner and available online at <http://www.ipfw.edu/senate/stu_code.htm>.

As Professor Carr used to say on his syllabi, “if caught cheating or plagiarizing, a student will receive no credit for the assignment and/or an ‘F’ for the course. Any instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean and Vice Chancellor and may result in expulsion from the University. Most instances of academic dishonesty result from a combination of the last-minute rush, poor judgment and a lack of familiarity with academic propriety. Consult the instructor well in advance of an assignment due date to clarify your responsibilities.”

IX. Incompletes: A grade of incomplete will only be given in compliance with IPFW’s policy on incomplete grades, as set forth on page 282 of the 2002-2004 IPFW Undergraduate Bulletin, page 125 of the 2003-2005 IPFW Graduate Bulletin, and available online at <http://www.ipfw.edu/senate/acadregs.htm#ARTICLE6_4> and then only under extraordinary circumstances. If such circumstances arise, please let me know and we will discuss whether an incomplete is appropriate.

X. Campus Services:

• Services For Students With Disabilities, Walb Student Union 113, 481-6657, <http://www.ipfw.edu/ssd>. If you have or acquire a disability, I will work with you, through that office, to make whatever accommodations are necessary for you to complete this course.

• The Writing Center, Kettler Hall G19, 481-5740, <http://www.ipfw.edu/casa/WC>, provides one-on-one assistance with writing. Sign up for appointments ahead of time on the bulletin board outside Kettler Hall G19.

• Center for Academic Support and Advancement, Kettler Hall G23, 481-6817, <http://www.ipfw.edu/casa>, provides tutoring by appointment. You may also find useful the hints on their web page for note taking, text reading, and test taking on their web page.

• Child Care Center, 4133 Hobson Road (Cor. Stellhorn), 485-4187, <http://www.ipfw.edu/childcar/>, provides childcare services for students.

• A variety of other student services are described on pages 5-31 of the 2003-2004 Student Handbook Planner.

XI. Course Contract: This document, together with assignments and other handouts you may receive from the instructor throughout the semester, explains some of the official course policies. Please read it carefully. If you have any questions, ask your instructor immediately. After the first week of class, your continued attendance in class signifies that you understand these policies and agree to participate in this course according to them.


Go to Course Schedule | Go to Assignments
Go to Reading Guides | Go to Irwin's Main Page | E-Mail Irwin