Course/Catalog Description

Theoretical and practical examination of best practices and trends in media and community relations associated with the sport industry. Co-requisite: SPAD 5633

Required Texts

Stoldt, G.C., Dittmore, S.W., Ross, M., & Branvold, S.E. (2021). Sport Public Relations (3^rd  Edition), Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Clavio, C. (2021). Social Media and Sports, Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

APA Publication Manual, 7^th Edition or www.purdueowl.edu

Recommended

Street and Smith’s SportBusiness Journal

Objectives

Students will:

1.    Gain knowledge and skills in the general use of media and community relations within sports related positions.

2.    Gain knowledge and skills necessary for the development of media sources and avenues that may be utilized in promotion of self, program and/or

organization.

3.     Gain knowledge and experience in posting to and maintaining a social media site that will benefit the Sport Administration program and/or athletic teams at

MSU.

4.    Gain understanding and knowledge of the importance of networking and positive community relations for a program/school/organization.

5.    Gain knowledge and experience in planning, developing and maintaining media and positive community relations for sport and recreation entities.

Required Technology

·      MSUTexas Email Account (must be checked daily)

·      Computer (Mac or Windows)

·      Internet access

·      Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) or compatible programs

·      Adobe Reader

·      Web browser plugin(s) for audio and video (e.g., Quicktime)

Technology Skills

·      Must be able to use D2L

·      Must be able to Send/receive email

·      Must be able to create, send, and receive Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint documents

·      Must be able to post and respond to discussion boards

·      Must be able to download audio files

·      Must be able to upload photos and videos to D2L

·      Must be able to appropriately use internet links and websites (e.g. Flip, Google & ZOOM)

Student Email Usage

You are required to use your MSUTexas email address for all correspondence during this course. Check that your MSUTexas email address is the one listed in your Desire 2 Learn Personal Information. Using your MSUTexas address ensures your privacy. If you have a different email account, you can forward your MSUTexas email to that account, but I will only send and respond to e-mails sent from a MSUTexas address. Please make sure to include your name on any email that you send. You are required to check your MSUTexas email a minimum of 3 days per week.

Communication Policies

Before you email me, make sure to follow the “Three then Me” rule. The “Three then Me” rule says that you search for your answer regarding the course in at least three other places before you email me. For example, if you have a question about an assignment, you should consult your syllabus, your grading scale or rubric, or the assignment description on D2L. Remember, check three sources before you email me your question. It is very likely you’ll find the answer and not need to email me. If you don’t find the answer, and need clarification, feel free to email me.

 During the week, I will typically respond to your emails within 24-48 hours. Any emails received after Friday at 1:00 pm and/or over the weekend will receive a response no later than Tuesday by noon. 

Assignment Completion Policy

Assignments and activities must be completed according the instructions provided with each assignment. Failure to follow the instructions will result in an automatic grade of "F" for the assignment.

General Preparation and Submission of Course Assignments and Projects Policies

Unless otherwise noted, all assignments must be submitted using APA 7^th Edition format. This means that each assignment should be typed with double line spacing. You should not indent paragraphs. You should use 11 or 12 point font in Arial or Times New Roman.

You must cite and provide references in APA format (7th edition). Failure to do so will result in at least one letter grade reduction

You must cite quality academic sources in your assignments. This means more than 90% of your references should stem from refereed/peer reviewed sources. For information on the difference between a quality academic source and a popular press source, consult the course information module for an explanatory paper.

You must write using proper sentence structure and grammar. You must proofread your work and use proper spelling and punctuation. Spell check is not always sufficient. Failure to use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation will result in a grade reduction. Assignments submitted with incomplete and run-on sentences may receive an automatic grade reduction.

All sources used in your assignments must appear on the reference page. All sources on the reference page must have appeared in the assignment.

All work must be original work and performed by each individual student. All group work must be original work by that group and performed by your group.

Assignments are graded on the basis of your adherence to the specified requirements, professional appearance, and organization of material, clarity of writing style, justification and support for your ideas, your creativity, and the comprehensiveness of the work. You should also use headings and subheadings when organizing projects and audits.

By logging onto Desire 2 Learn and by submitting each assignment, you are certifying that your work is original and that you are the individual that enrolled in the course.

Students are expected to log into the class portal regularly and check your MSUTexas email a minimum of 3 days per week.

Assignment Deadlines

All assignments will be due by the scheduled deadline on the actual due date in D2L in either the correct drop box, discussion board or Flip. Due to the timeframe of the course, there will be no late assignments accepted without a conversation with the professor a minimum of 48 hours prior to the due date/time. For approved late submissions, a deduction of 5 points per day will be enforced if an assignment is turned in late.

Other Class Policies

During this course you will be expected to deal with your subject area, your instructors, your peers, and your colleagues as a professional. This includes appropriate dress and language for your any video submissions. (only business casual dress accepted.). Although ZOOM meetings are not required attendance, it is recommended that students attend as they are able for the opportunity for gaining information and asking questions. Most ZOOM meetings last between 30 – 45 minutes and are recorded/posted to the newsfeed of the class portal.

Plagiarism Statement

“By enrolling in this course, the student expressly grants MSU a ‘limited right’ in all intellectual property created by the student for the purpose of this course. The ‘limited right’ shall include but shall not be limited to the right to reproduce the student’s work product in order to verify originality, authenticity, and educational purposes.” from Student Handbook

Student Integrity

AI Generated Writing

Using ChatGPT and other AI generative programs to compose a paper or project are not yet considered acceptable practices. AI generated information is not original work. If you copy and paste AI generated information, you have plagiarized the information authored by the machine. If you rephrase AI generated information, you have again committed plagiarism because the information is not your original work.

That said, if you decide to use generative AI for parts of a paper or project, please read the information at the following two links carefully. The Best Practices article gives you suggestions and guidelines for acceptable use. Keep in mind that AI is not always correct or current or trustworthy. However, you are responsible for the accuracy of all material you include in a paper or project. You should locate and cite professional sources that support the AI generative information you use. Best Practices AI Scientific Manuscripts

Most importantly, you must provide citations and references for all generative AI information used. Since generative AI information is not reproducible, you should save copies of the information you obtained and include those documents in appendices attached to your paper or project. Full citation information can be found at the APA How to Cite link. How to Cite ChatGPT

Plagiarism

All papers and projects are submitted to Turnitin for plagiarism and AI checks. Next, the instructor will review the plagiarism/AI issues. Many times, scores can be impacted by reference and citation information, and these issues will be disregarded. All paraphrased and quoted information should be cited and a reference for that citation should be included on the reference page. Remember, this is true for AI generated information as well. The APA manual 7^th edition can be found online. Purdue Owl APA or American Psychological Association

Note: You may not submit a paper for a grade in this class that already has been (or will be) submitted for a grade in another course, unless you obtain the explicit written permission of me and the other instructor involved in advance.

Plagiarism is the use of someone else's thoughts, words, ideas, or lines of argument in your own work without appropriate documentation (a parenthetical citation at the end and a listing in "Works Cited")-whether you use that material in a quote, paraphrase, or summary. It is a theft of intellectual property and will not be tolerated, whether intentional or not.

Student Honor Creed

As an MSU Student, I pledge not to lie, cheat, steal, or help anyone else do so."

As students at MSU, we recognize that any great society must be composed of empowered, responsible citizens. We also recognize universities play an important role in helping mold these responsible citizens. We believe students themselves play an important part in developing responsible citizenship by maintaining a community where integrity and honorable character are the norm, not the exception.

Thus, We, the Students of Midwestern State University, resolve to uphold the honor of the University by affirming our commitment to complete academic honesty. We resolve not only to be honest but also to hold our peers accountable for complete honesty in all university matters.

We consider it dishonest to ask for, give, or receive help in examinations or quizzes, to use any unauthorized material in examinations, or to present, as one's own, work or ideas which are not entirely one's own. We recognize that any instructor has the right to expect that all student work is honest, original work. We accept and acknowledge that responsibility for lying, cheating, stealing, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty fundamentally rests within each individual student.

We expect of ourselves academic integrity, personal professionalism, and ethical character. We appreciate steps taken by University officials to protect the honor of the University against any who would disgrace the MSU student body by violating the spirit of this creed.

Written and adopted by the 2002-2003 MSU Student Senate.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Disability Support Services in Room 168 of the Clark Student Center, (940) 397-4140.

The professor considers this classroom to be a place where you will be treated with respect as a human being - regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, political beliefs, age, or ability. Additionally, diversity of thought is appreciated and encouraged, provided you can agree to disagree. It is the professor's expectation that ALL students consider the classroom a safe environment.

All instructors in the Department have voicemail in their offices and MSUTexas e-mail addresses. Make sure you add your instructor's phone number and e-mail address to both email and cell phone lists of contacts.

Obligation to Report Sex Discrimination under State and Federal Law

Midwestern State University is committed to providing and strengthening an educational, working, and living environment where students, faculty, staff, and visitors are free from sex discrimination of any kind. State and federal law require University employees to report sex discrimination and sexual misconduct to the University’s Office of Title IX. As a faculty member, I am required to report to the Title IX Coordinator any allegations, personally observed behavior, or other direct or indirect knowledge of conduct that reasonably may constitute sex discrimination or sexual misconduct, which includes sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating violence, or stalking, involving a student or employee. After a report is made, the office of Title IX will reach out to the affected student or employee in an effort to connect such person(s) with resources and options in addressing the allegations made in the report. You are also encouraged to report any incidents to the office of Title IX. You may do so by contacting:

Laura Hetrick

Title IX Coordinator
Sunwatcher Village Clubhouse
940-397-4213

laura.hetrick@msutexas.edu

You may also file an online report 24/7 at Maxient 

Should you wish to visit with someone about your experience in confidence, you may contact the MSU Counseling Center at 940-397-4618. For more information on the University’s policy on Title IX or sexual misconduct, please visit MSU Texas Title IX

Senate Bill 11 passed by the 84th Texas Legislature allows licensed handgun holders to carry concealed handguns on campus, effective August 1, 2016. Areas excluded from concealed carry are appropriately marked, in accordance with state law. For more information regarding campus carry, please refer to the University’s webpage at https://msutexas.edu/campus-carry/rules-policies.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact MSU Chief of Police at police@msutexas.edu.