NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE
COURSE SYLLABUS
COURSE AND INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Course title: College Algebra
Course prefix, number, and section number: MATH 1314 0970
Semester/Year of course: Fall 2024
Semester start and end dates: 8/26/2024 – 12/14/2024 (16-week session)
Modality: In-person (mandatory in-person, proctored testing for all exams)
Class meeting location, days, and times:
Bowie campus classroom, meets Tuesday and Thursday 8:00a – 9:20a
Semester credit hours: 3 (Lecture hours: 48)
Course Description: In-depth study and applications of polynomial, rational, radical, exponential and logarithmic functions, and systems of equations using matrices. Additional topics such as sequences, series, probability, and conics may be included.
Course prerequisites: Meet TSI college-readiness standard for College Algebra or equivalent
Required course materials: Registration in the course automatically adds a textbook fee to your NCTC tuition and fees which gives you access to the online learning platform and e-book needed for MATH 1314 (Access Pearson). You do not need to purchase a separate access code. Instructions on how to get your access code can be found in a document on the Course Homepage or in the course Modules. (see * Inclusive Access below for more information)
Required course materials: Scientific calculator, TI-30X IIS is recommended
NOTE: Graphing calculators and phone calculators will not be allowed on exams.
Optional course materials: College Algebra, Lial/Hornsby/Schneider/Daniels, 13th edition, Pearson, 2021
Name of instructor: Cammy Boaz, B.S., M.S. Mathematics, M.S. Data Science
Office location: Bowie campus, Room 131
Telephone number: (940) 872-4002
E-mail address: cboaz@nctc.edu
STUDENT HOURS (OFFICE HOURS)
Each week instructors have time set aside to meet with students outside of class. (Traditionally these times are called “office hours”.) This is a time when a student may ask questions regarding the class, or discuss a particular problem/topic with an instructor one-on-one. Student hours may be held in-person or online. See below for instructions on where/when/how instructors will offer student hours in this class.
Your questions and concerns are important to me. Here are your options to schedule individual
time with me:
IN-PERSON or ONLINE STUDENT HOURS with the instructor:
- Scheduling In-Person Meeting: Students who wish to make an appointment to meet in-person with the instructor on the NCTC Campus located in Bowie, Texas will use the Instructor’s Calendly link provided on the Canvas Home page. Select the icon labeled: ‘WebEx Office Hours’ from the Canvas Home page. Students will select a date and time as desired. You will also be asked to select a LOCATION, either ‘In-Person’, for those students who live near the NCTC Bowie campus or ‘WEBEX’ for those who desire to meet online. The student will receive a confirmation email (check your NCTC Student email account) containing the required WebEx meeting link for the designated date and time. Save and utilize this link to join the instructor at the requested date and time. Students can cancel and/or reschedule an appointment by contacting the instructor prior to the scheduled appointment.
Other ways to communicate with the instructor:
- Asking Questions using Email/Canvas Inbox messaging/Access Pearson “Ask the Instructor”: Students are always welcome to communicate their questions or concerns using their preferred Lion Pride student Email account. Students may also send questions using the Pearson ‘Ask the Instructor’ option available in each homework component. To be most beneficial and timely in forming a response to you, students are expected to clearly identify themselves, the course, and use professional communication skills when posing a question. I do require students to send their written work when asking questions about any course content so that I can better understand where the processes used may be causing an issue.
MATH TUTORING LAB
Students who need help with any math class can visit the NCTC Mathematics Lab to receive assistance. There are math tutors available on most campuses and online. This service is free for all students enrolled in an NCTC math class. Sign up for an appointment or see the most current tutoring hours for all campuses at https://www.nctc.edu/math-lab.
SYLLABUS CHANGE DISCLAIMER
The faculty member reserves the right to make changes to this published syllabus if it is in the best interest of the educational development of this class. Any such changes will be announced as soon as possible in person and/or writing.
SUMMARY OF COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
Weekly Participation assignments 10%
ACCESS PEARSON Homework 10%
ACCESS PEARSON Quizzes 20%
UNIT Exams (3) 40%
Final Exam (1) * 20%
Final grade scale: 90 – 100% = A; 80 – 89% = B; 70 – 79% = C; 60 – 69% = D; Below 60% = F
*The final exam is a departmental comprehensive algebra exam and must be taken by all students. The final exam score, if better, may also be used to override the lowest unit exam score. There is no exemption/replacement/override for the final exam score.
GRADING POLICY
Pearson Homework: All homework will be completed online using ACCESS PEARSON following the scheduled due dates. You will have unlimited attempts to maximize your score by the assigned due date.
Pearson Quizzes: All quiz assignments will be completed online using ACCESS PEARSON following the scheduled due dates. You will have three (3) attempts to maximize your score by the assigned due date. The highest score will be recorded.
Late Pearson Homework/Quizzes policy: Due dates on homework/quizzes will not be extended but students can continue to improve assignments after the due date for a 10% penalty.
TESTING POLICY
Unit Exams & Final Exam: All exams are printed on paper and will be completed ‘In-person’ and proctored by the NCTC Testing Center or an approved peer educator. Students will be provided with instructions on how and when to schedule a testing appointment with the NCTC Campus Testing Center location of your choice. This is a requirement of every mathematics course. No online testing is offered for any reason. Students are required to provide their own course approved calculator (TI-30X IIs or similar basic scientific calculator) for testing. Students must provide a valid TX Driver’s License or valid Passport as proof of identity at check-in to the NCTC Testing centers.
Testing Feedback: Students have 48-hours, following the posting of exam scores, to raise questions or concerns about grading. Student’s may request a scanned copy of their graded unit exams within the same 48-hour window. After the 48-hours have expired, students can no longer contest an exam grade. There will be no feedback or returned exam material provided for the final exam.
Course Grade Book: The grade book in Canvas is the official record keeper of this course.
Missed Testing policy: There will be no late testing after the testing window closes. If you are aware of a necessary absence, please plan with your instructor to test early. This applies to all exams. Any missed exams will earn a zero. Make-up testing or re-takes are not offered for any reason. *The final exam is a departmental comprehensive statistics exam and must be taken by all students or a zero will be recorded. The final exam score, if better, may also be used to override the lowest unit exam score. There is no exemption/replacement/override for the final exam score.
SEE CANVAS FOR THE COMPLETE COURSE CALENDAR, OUTLINE, DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF GRADED WORK, AND OTHER RELATED MATERIAL.
COURSE POLICIES
Academic Integrity Policy: Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, academic falsification, intellectual property dishonesty, academic dishonesty facilitation, and collusion. The use of online math solvers with submitted work is considered academic dishonesty. Faculty members may document and bring charges against a student who is engaged in or is suspected to be engaged in academic dishonesty. See Student Handbook, “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Code of Conduct ([FLB(LOCAL)]”.
Consequences for academic dishonesty may include:
- Zero on the assignment
- Failing grade for the course
Attendance Policy: Regular attendance is expected and necessary for student success in this course. For more information on attendance regulations please see the 2024-2025 NCTC Catalog. (https://www.nctc.edu/catalog)
Withdrawal Policy: A student may withdraw from a course on or after the official date of record. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate and complete a Withdrawal Request Form.
Last day to withdraw from a 16-week course with a “W” is: Monday, November 4, 2024
Student Learning Outcomes: At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate and apply knowledge of properties of functions, including domain and range, operations, compositions, and inverses.
- Recognize and apply polynomial, rational, radical, exponential and logarithmic functions and solve related equations.
- Apply graphing techniques.
- Evaluate all roots of higher degree polynomial and rational functions.
- Recognize, solve, and apply systems of linear equations using matrices.
Core Objectives:
X Critical Thinking
X Communication
X Empirical and Quantitative
Teamwork
Personal Responsibility
Social Responsibility
COLLEGE POLICIES
ADA STATEMENT
NCTC will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the Office for Students with Disabilities to arrange appropriate accommodations. See the OSD Syllabus Addendum.
AI STATEMENT
Absent a clear statement from a course instructor, use of or consultation with generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or other similar technologies shall be treated analogously to assistance from another person, agency, or entity. In particular, using generative AI tools to substantially complete an assignment or exam is not permitted. Students should acknowledge the use of generative AI (other than incidental use) and default to disclosing such assistance when in doubt.
When students use generative AI to replace the rigorous demands of personal engagement with their coursework, it runs counter to the educational mission of the college and undermines the heart of education itself. Artificial Intelligence, large language models, and other such technologies hold promise for deploying knowledge in service to others and accelerating the discovery of new knowledge. However, such technology poses new challenges to pedagogy and to integrity. Within the context of the teaching mission of the college and consistent with the Student Code of Conduct, the authority to define the appropriate use, study, and deployment of these technologies rests with the faculty.
Individual course instructors, in coordination with their divisions, set policies regulating the use of generative AI tools in their courses, including allowing or disallowing some or all uses of such tools. Course instructors will set such policies in their course syllabi and clearly communicate such policies to students. Students who are unsure of policies regarding generative AI tools are encouraged to ask their instructors for clarification.
AI MATH DIVISION STATEMENT
Many online calculators, equation solvers, and graphing tools exist that may aid students in computing and visualizing math problems. These tools are a great resource for helping better understand how to work problems and can be a huge help in studying. However, these tools can be misused/overused. Math classes require students to develop a certain level of skill that a student must be able to demonstrate without the aid of these tools. Often a student may become reliant on these tools or have false sense of confidence in their knowledge and skills. Generally, if a student is using tools or resources to help learn material, eventually they must take away those resources to ensure they are able to work problems with only the tools allowed in the class. In short, we encourage students to use whatever tools they find useful in developing their knowledge and skills. But, these tools must be used thoughtfully so that true understanding and proficiency are developed.
STUDENT HANDBOOK
Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the Student Handbook.
STUDENT SERVICES
NCTC provides a multitude of services and resources to support students. See the Student Services Syllabus Addendum for a listing of those departments and links to their sites.
* Inclusive Access
The NCTC Bookstore and Pearson Education have partnered to provide the best learning resources on the first day of class so that students can gain access to Pearson’s adaptive online platform with the latest version of the eBook at a discount. If students would like to purchase a physical copy of the textbook, they can purchase it through the bookstore.
Students who drop before the add/drop date will have their book fees credited back to their student account, and students who remain in the course will be charged a materials fee by the school to have continued access of the online platforms. If you remain enrolled in the course but wish to opt-out of access to the book please email the NCTC Bookstore within the first two weeks of class with your name and student number.
QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, or COMPLAINTS
The student should contact the instructor to deal with any questions, concerns, or complaints specific to the class. If the student and faculty are not able to resolve the issue, the student may contact the chair or coordinator of the division. If the student remains unsatisfied, the student may proceed to contact the instructional dean.
Name of instructor: Cammy Boaz, B.S., M.S. Mathematics, M.S. Data Science
Office location: Bowie campus, Room 131
Telephone number: (940) 872-4002
E-mail address: cboaz@nctc.edu
Name of Chair: Ben Owens
Office location: Corinth 174
Telephone number: 940.498.6209
E-mail address: bowens@nctc.edu
Name of Instructional Dean: Mary Martinson
Office location: Gainesville 1403
Telephone number: 940.668.7731 ext. 4377
E-mail address: mmartinson@nctc.edu