Faculty Syllabus

Course Description: 

A course in legal and regulatory requirements that impact the hospitality industry with an emphasis on compliance and prevention of liabilities. Topics include government agencies that impact the industry, business structures, labor regulations, tax laws, tip reporting, franchise regulations, public liability laws and more.

This is a Distance Learning course that is being delivered in a Hybrid Format. Portions of this course is to be done independently during a specified timeframe and we are scheduled to meet as a class in person once a week as well. Courses delivered via distance learning require time management and study skills to be successful.

Course Rationale: 

The course is aimed towards second year college students pursuing their degree in Hospitality Management, Meeting & Event Planning or Culinary Arts. This comprehensive course prepares students and professionals in hospitality management to negotiate the industry’s complex network of legal requirements and manage their operations in a way that will minimize the risk of a lawsuit. This course combines relevant legal information about the industry with a series of interactive exercises that foster preventative legal management and effective decision making. Rather than pouring over case law, students learn decision-making through active participation in critical thinking exercises, hypothetical situations, and team activities. By looking at how various parties made choices and how legal problems could have been avoided, students will learn to apply a practical legal awareness to their own actions.

Foundations of Legal Issues Knowledge

Identify basic legal principles governing the hospitality industry, giving explanation to purpose and need.

Critically evaluate the various laws impacting sectors of the hospitality industry and the implications each of these has upon business.

Explore the importance of guest relationships and how this is influenced through varying legislation.

Examine the legal environment in which hotels and restaurants must exist, giving justification and critique to applied law.

Develop an understanding of base decisions in relation to ethical standards and values, and how the hospitality industry adopts and implements such decisions.

Identify and explain labor regulations, emphasizing industry standards for compliance and prevention.

Review public liability legislation and the impact this has upon the day-to-day operational compliance of the hospitality industry.

Course Textbook: Hospitality Law: Managing Legal Issues in the Hospitality Industry 5th edition

John Wiley & Sons, Stephen Barth, University of Houston

ISBN: 978-1119386094

Reading: It is essential that you keep up with the reading to make the most out of our class time when we connect.  Class time will not be used to “teach the book” and coming to class prepared to the discuss theories, concepts, applications presented in each chapter will help us all be on the same page so we can have deeper conversation about the topics. 

Instructor Attendance and Participation Policy

Regular and punctual class attendance is expected of all students. The instructor may withdraw students from the class if a student is not in attendance for 2 in person courses and/or 5 classes total. When a student has missed 2 in person courses and/or 5 classes total, which includes both excused and unexcused absences, the instructor will email the student letting them know of the withdrawal and give the student 1 week from the day of the sent email to appeal the pending withdrawal.

The instructor may withdraw students from the class if a student is not in attendance for 5 classes. When a student has missed 5 classes which includes both excused and unexcused absentees the instructor will email the student letting them know of the withdrawal and give the student one week from the day of the sent email to appeal the pending withdrawal. Each week attendance will be taken and consists of the following acceptable academically related activities:

• Virtual class attendance where there is direct interaction between instructor and student
• Submission of an academic assignment (for distance learning classes)
• Examination, interactive tutorial or computer assisted instruction (for distance learning classes)
• Study group as assigned by instructor
• Participation in online discussion about academic matters as assigned (for distance learning classes)

Any student not in attendance within the first 12 day of classes will be reported to the Federal Financial Aid system.

Graded Assignments Policy

Once the due date has passed for a quiz the link will no longer be available.

All assignments are available in Blackboard and are listed within the “Assignments” folder. All assignments must be completed by the specified dues dates posted in Blackboard. The assignments will be available during the week specified.

To receive credit, assignments can only be accepted via Blackboard unless another mode of delivery is specified, or previous arrangements have been made. If a link does not appear, please contact me immediately.

Situations where classes are cancelled because of weather, or other emergencies: The student is responsible for communicating with their professor during any closures and completing any assignments or other activities designated by their professor.

Instructor Withdrawal Policy

It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw from the course by the official withdrawal date if personal circumstances prevent progress. Thus, if you stop attending class and do not officially withdrawal through the registrar’s office you will receive an “F” as your final grade.

I reserve the right to withdraw any student from the course for lack of attendance, lack of progress, disrespectful behavior in the classroom or via e-mail, unauthorized use of technology in the classroom, disruptive behavior, studying other course materials or use of vulgar language as defined by the instructor.

Incomplete Policy Statement

An incomplete (grade of "I") will only be given for extenuating circumstances.  What constitutes “extenuating circumstances” is left to the instructor’s discretion.  If a grade of I is given, the remaining course work must be completed by a date set by the student and professor.  This date may not be later than two weeks prior to the end of the following semester.  A grade of I also requires completion and submission of the Incomplete Grade form, to be signed by the faculty member (and student if possible) and submitted to the department chair.

Students may request an Incomplete from their faculty member if they believe circumstances warrant.  The faculty member will determine whether the Incomplete is appropriate to award or not.  The following processes must be followed when awarding a student an “I” grade.

1.      Prior to the end of the semester in which the “I” is to be awarded, the student must meet with the instructor to determine the assignments and exams that must be completed prior to the deadline date.  This meeting can occur virtually or in person.  The instructor should complete the Report of Incomplete Grade form.

2.      The faculty member will complete the form, including all requirements to complete the course and the due date, sign (by typing in name) and then email it to the student.  The student will then complete his/her section, sign (by typing in name), and return the completed form to the faculty member to complete the agreement.  A copy of the fully completed form can then be emailed by the faculty member to the student and the department chair for each grade of Incomplete that the faculty member submits at the end of the semester.  

3.      The student must complete all remaining work by the date specified on the form above.  This date is determined by the instructor in collaboration with the student, but it may not be later than the final withdrawal deadline in the subsequent long semester. 

4.      Students will retain access to the course Blackboard page through the subsequent semester in order to submit work and complete the course. Students will be able to log on to Blackboard and have access to the course section materials, assignments, and grades from the course and semester in which the Incomplete was awarded. 

5.      When the student completes the required work by the Incomplete deadline, the instructor will submit an electronic Grade Change Form to change the student’s performance grade from an “I” to the earned grade of A, B, C, D, or F.

If an Incomplete is not resolved by the deadline, the grade automatically converts to an “F.”  Approval to carry an Incomplete for longer than the following semester or session deadline is not frequently granted.

Communication

You will need to have access to MS Office or use your student Google Drive access. If you do not own a copy of MS Office, you can obtain a free copy. (link: https://products.office.com/en-us/student)

The other option is to create work in the google suite and then download it to be a pdf to then upload in blackboard.

Internet access is a requirement for this course. Computers are available at Austin public libraries and at all ACC campuses in the library and learning labs. Please call the library you are considering visiting for hours of operation. The course will be administered via ACC’s Blackboard site. The link is Blackboard

Communication for this course will be via ACC’s student Gmail assigned e-mail address. Please use the underlined link to discover your log-in and password information,. You must have your email address to receive information for this course.

You are expected to have accessed your ACCmail account during the first week of the course. I will return e-mail messages within 48 hours of receipt Monday - Friday. When contacting me via e-mail please make sure that you identify yourself, the subject matter, and the course in which you are enrolled.

*Complete and most up to date syllabus can be found in the Blackboard Course