Welcome to BUS 248 (CRN 70498)
Small Business Management – Distance Education

Dear Students:

Welcome to Distance Education at Cuesta College and the online version of Small Business Management.  My name is Neil Higgins and I will be your instructor for this course.  This letter is to inform you of some of the important details prior to the start of this Fall 2020 class.

Instructor Contact Information

Instructor: Neil Higgins 
Phone:805.776.3008 (cell)
Email: nhiggins@cuesta.edu

Course Overview

Welcome to BUS 248 Small Business Management, a Distance Education course.  In this course you will be exploring the role of a manager of a small business, and the skills needed to be a successful small business manager.   Our approach will include the study of traditional and new age management concepts integrated with timely real world examples.  You will become familiar with concepts and current thinking in business management, and you will have the opportunity to analyze and apply these ideas to today’s small business environment.

This is a course where you will bring your own work experience to our virtual classroom to create a robust learning environment.  Expect your management acumen to grow through group discussions, and thought-provoking case study analysis. My responsibilities include facilitating your learning process. Ultimately, you are responsible for ensuring that you learn the material.

In order to be successful in this course you will need to: 1) complete weekly readings and written assignments, 2) participate in online discussions, 3)  review and analyze various small business management issues, and 4)  be willing to put the time in to learn new things. 

This course is taught using Canvas and other websites.  These are Web-based tools used to facilitate teaching an online class. These platforms provide the framework for the BUS 248 class including presentations, student data files, the tools to receive and send course materials, and a grade book. Using Canvas, you can communicate with other students, and you can share materials and ideas with other course participants via the discussion forum.

Textbook and Course Materials

There is no need to purchase a textbook for this class we will be using free Open Educational Resources to help guide our learning.  In addition, we will be using new tools developed by Intuit to help us learn and understand the finances of small business.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course of instruction through studying the book, lecture in class, case studies, guest speakers, class participation, critical thinking exercises, testing, students will be able to:

1. Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of the various legal structures, e.g. sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, etc., for small business ownership.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of the basic financial statements, financial ratios, and cash flow techniques.
3. Explain and use basic business terminology related to banking, marketing, legal, tax, management, human relations, ethics, and accounting issues as used in small business.
4. Demonstrate communication and social (Business Etiquette) skills appropriate to a business environment.
5. Assess the economic viability of a proposed business or business expansion.
6. Analyze an ethical dilemma faced by a small business manager, prepare a recommendation for action and justify it legally or morally.

Class Requirements

This class is entirely online with no in-person class sessions. You will need a computer and have access to the internet to view course materials and participate in this class.  It is essential that you understand the basic concepts of email, web navigation and online communication to succeed in this course. 

Please visit Cuesta College’s Distance Education website at http://library.cuesta.edu/distance/index.htm for FAQs, online resources, and information on “how to survive an online course.”

Online courses move quickly, please be prepared to spend approximately 7-10 hours per week on coursework for this class. 

Are you wondering how successful you may be at a distance education course?  Take the Self-Assessment Survey at http://www.cuesta.edu/student/aboutacad/distance/survey.html

This course is taught using Canvas and other websites.  These are Web-based tools used to facilitate teaching an online class. These platforms provide the framework for the BUS 248 class including presentations, student data files, the tools to receive and send course materials, and a grade book. Using Canvas, you can communicate with other students, and you can share materials and ideas with other course participants via the discussion forum.

Computer Requirements

The browser requirements and minimum qualifications required for this class are detailed in the following link: https://www.cuesta.edu/academics/distance/faqs_technical.htmlLinks to an external site.

Canvas Support

Canvas Support: http://www.cuesta.edu/student/aboutacad/distance/

College Policies / Assistance

Each student is required to follow all school guidelines and comply with all school deadlines including personal responsibility for adding and/or dropping this class.  Drop dates are available on the academic calendar: 

https://www.cuesta.edu/student/documents/admissions_records/studentcalendar.pdf

Academic Honesty: 
Students are responsible for being aware of and complying with the Academic Honesty Policy (refer to Cuesta College Schedule or Cuesta College Catalog). At the discretion of the instructor, students being academically dishonest (submitting another student’s work as your own, e.g. copying a computer file that contains another student’s work) will be dropped from the course. If the drop deadline has passed, students will receive a failing grade in the course. In addition, a “Student Incident Report” will be filed with the Vice President of Academic Affairs office.

Students With Disabilities:
If you have a disability and need accommodations in this class, please contact Disabled Student Program & Services at (805) 546-3148 or (805) 591-6215 NCC as soon as possible to ensure that you receive the accommodations in a timely manner. Here is a link to their services:

https://www.cuesta.edu/student/studentservices/dsps/dsps_services.html 

You may also discuss your need for accommodations with me directly.

Veteran:
If you are a Veteran, please contact Karen Andrews, Cuesta College VA Certifying Official - 546-3142. The Veteran Center is in Room 6903. Here is a link to the Veteran Services: https://www.cuesta.edu/student/studentservices/veterans/index.html

Counseling Center:

IF you need to talk to a college counselor you can use this link: https://www.cuesta.edu/student/studentservices/counseling/index.html

College life can compound other issues in one’s life. If you are feeling overwhelmed and feel you need help to maintain your personal balance – please contact our counseling center at 546-3138 or click here: https://www.cuesta.edu/student/resources/healthcenter/mentalhealth/index.html

Library Services:

Here is a link to the Library and their services: https://www.cuesta.edu/library/index.html

Circulation/Reserves: (805) 546-3155 
Reference Desk - SLO: (805) 546-3157 NC: (805) 591-6200 Ext. 4410.

Student Services & Tutoring:
Promoting the academic skills, learning strategies and attitudes necessary for student success in all disciplines for ALL students are available online at this URL.  https://www.cuesta.edu/student/resources/ssc/index.html

If you have any further questions prior to the first day of class, please feel free to email me at nhiggins@cuesta.edu. Otherwise, I look forward to getting to know you during the course of the semester.

Thank you,
Neil Higgins