CFS-351 -- Human Resource Management in the Hospitality Industry
Spring 2009

Instructor: Dr. Rich Patterson, R.D.
Office: Academic Complex, 209C
E-Mail: rich.patterson@wku.edu
Homepage: http://www.wku.edu/~hrtm
Office Phone: 270-745-4031 -- FAX: 270-745-3999
Department Secretary: 270-745-4352

Office Hours:

Course Description:

Prerequisites:

Required Text:

Course Objectives

Terminal Performance Objective: The student will be able to apply basic human resource management and leadership concepts in a hospitality operation.

More specifically, the student will be able to:

1. Discuss all aspects of the human resource function as found in hospitality operations. Topics include: Recruitment, selection, orientation, training, performance evaluation, compensation, incentive awards, turnover, job analysis, discipline, job design, to include the legal and ethical issues surrounding each topic.
   
   
2. Describe the differences and similarities of the human resource function in a service versus a manufacturing/product industry.
   
   
3. Discuss the laws and legal guidelines that regulate the human resource function and form the foundation for ethical decisions.
   
   
4. Describe the role of labor unions, negotiation, and collective bargaining in hospitality.
   
   
5. Describe the importance of ethics and social responsibility throughout the human resource management system.
   
   
6. Discuss the impact of diversity in the hospitality industry and its impact on the human resource management system.
   

Method of Instruction

1. Class discussions
   
2. Guest speakers
   
3. Case Studies
   
4. Assigned Readings
5. Instructor presentations
   
6. Role Plays and Simulations
   
7. Videotapes

Course Requirements

1. The student will read and study all chapters assigned in the textbook and all outside readings assigned in class.
   
   
2. Each student will complete a written case study which will be based on the text and information presented in class. The case study must be a minimum of three (3) full pages in length. The case study is to be emailed to: rich.patterson@wku.edu as an attached file no later than midnight on date specified by the instructor in class. See the Case Study Guidelines, below, for more detailed information.
   
   
3. On randomly selected class days, case studies will be given. Students who have unexcused absences on those days will receive a zero for the case study which cannot be made up.
   
   
4. Students are expected to attend all classes except in very extenuating circumstances as defined under Attendance Policy below. Students are also expected to actively participate in class as described in Class Participation below.
   
   
5. Late assignments to include homework, papers, case studies, exams etc. will automatically lose points for every day or part of a day they are late according to the following schedule: 1 day late -- 10 points off grade; 2 days late -- 30 points off grade; 3 days late -- 70 points off grade. After three days, unsubmitted assignments will receive a grade of "zero". This policy is in effect for all aspects of this course.

6. The use of electronic devices to include, but not limited to, cell phones, iPods, PDA's, portable computers, etc., except in emergency situations, is not permitted in the classroom. All electronic devices should be turned off before entering the classroom. Students who disregard this policy will lose points off their professionalism score.
7. All course requirements must be completed -- they are not optional. Students who do not complete all requirements will receive an "incomplete" until all work is satisfactorily completed or a grade of "F", at the discretion of the instructor . Please note that an incomplete automatically becomes an "F" after a certain period of time. If you receive an incomplete, consult the university bulletin or the office of the registrar for more information on how and when to clear an incomplete.
   
   

Class Participation, Professionalism and Attention to Detail

1. This course requires that you participate in class discussions, in-class case studies, and role plays/simulations. This means that you contribute to class discussions by relating your experiences, asking questions, making comments appropriate to the topics being discussed and participating in role plays/simulations. Students will be assigned readings in the textbook as well as case studies which will be discussed during a given class period. In order for the discussions to be meaningful, each student must come to class fully prepared to discuss the assigned reading and to make meaningful comments. Since participation plays a role in your final grade, it is essential that you have not only read the assignment, but have drawn your own conclusions from the reading(s). You will present those conclusions during class discussions.
   
   
2. Please note that merely showing up for class is not sufficient for this class. Unless you make a conscientious effort to attend every class and actively participate in discussions, you will receive few, if any, class participation points.
   
   
3. All students are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner. Unprofessional behavior such as, but not limited to, repeated disruption of class including habitually walking in after class has started, sleeping in class, frequent side conversations with other students, reading newspapers or other course materials, the use of foul language, ringing or playing with cell phones and/or rudeness toward ANY person will be considered a serious violation of this standard and will lower your grade accordingly. Please turn off all cell phones before entering the classroom.

4. Attention to detail means being prepared for class. This would include, but is not limited to; having a Scantron, pencil, etc. for exams; remembering dates for exams and due dates; reading and following the course syllabus, etc. The hospitality industry is a very detail oriented industry, so it begins here.
5. Your class participation grade is tied to your attendance since you can't participate in class discussions if you are not in class. Class discussions and in-class exercises can't be duplicated so if you are not in class, you miss out on the experience. The following in-class experiences will be graded and you will receive a zero for the day if you miss class that day. There will be no make-up opportunities for these experiences including but not limited to: any in-class exercises/discussions, videos, quizzes, guest speakers, role plays, simulations, etc.
6. The class participation/professionalism grade will be based on your performance in class, conduct in class, participation in class discussions, overall attendance as well as grades on pop quizzes, in-class exercises, and case studies.

Attendance Policy

1. Attendance in all classes is required. There are no exceptions to this policy except in very extenuating circumstances (sickness of such severity that it prevents the student from attending classes, serious illness or death in the family). Please note: Merely having an appointment scheduled during class time is not considered an excused absence. For example, dental appointments are not excused unless it was an emergency. Athletes and students who accompany athletic teams (for official purposes) will also be excused for documented games/matches/tournaments etc. which are scheduled out of Bowling Green. It is incumbent on the student to provide acceptable documentation to substantiate all excusable absences or the absence will be considered unexcused. Acceptable documentation for excused absences must be provided no later than one week following the student's return to school. Documentation submitted after this time will not be considered. It is incumbent on the student to provide the documentation; the instructor will not ask for it.

2. Roll will be called in the very beginning of each class. If you arrive after roll has been called, it is incumbent on you, the student, to indicate at the end of class that you were late but present for class. Do not assume that the instructor saw you come in and marked you present. Statements such as "I was late for class last Monday but forgot to tell you" will not change the absence.

3. You will receive two points for each class you attend (approximately 72 attandance points -- depending on the number of class periods we meet). For each unexcused absence, you will receive zero points and for each time you are late or leave class early, you will only receive one point. Your "attendance grade" will be a percentage determined by dividing the number of points you have at the end of the semester by 72 (or whatever the total number comes out to be).
   
   

Exams

1. There will be three examinations. Each exam will cover the material discussed in class plus all reading assignments (textbook, supplemental readings on the internet, industry news, etc). The exams will cover only the material since the previous exam.
   
   
2. Exams in this course typically include multiple choice and true/false questions so students must provide a Scantron for all exams. The Scantron can be brown or either of the two green colors.

3. Students must be present for all exams. Students who miss exams for reasons other than those excused (see attendance above) will automatically lose points for each day or part of a day the exam is not taken in accordance with the schedule indicated in the course requirements above.

4. Exam dates are as follows. Chapters covered for each exam will be announced in class. *
   • Exam 1 -- Feb 18, 2009
   • Exam 2 -- March 20, 2009
   • Exam 3 -- April 15, 2009
   • Exam 4 -- Monday, May 11, 2009 -- 10:30 a.m.
     *Exam dates are subject to, and often do, change. Changes will be announced in class.

Evaluation and Determining Course Grade

• Exam 1 -- 20%
  
• Exam 2 -- 20%
  
• Exam 3 -- 20%
  
• Exam 4 -- 20%
  
• Case study -- 10%
  
• Class Participation, attendance, attention to detail and professionalism -- 10%
  

The case study will be due no later than midnight on the date specified by the instructor in class.

Grades when submitted are final and will not be changed unless there was a computational error or other error on the part of the instructor. If you need a certain grade in this course to maintain or increase your grade point average, you must put the appropriate amount of effort into the class requirements to earn that grade

Academic Honesty

The following list describes the types of academic misconduct that will not be tolerated in any way in this class:

1. Cheating: Use of an unauthorized "aid" while taking a test, having another person take an exam or quiz in the place of the student, stealing an examination, using group work as an individual student's work, or unauthorized use of assistance from a lab or computer technician or any other person. Note: If the instructor or a proctor sees/finds a paper or electronic device with course information during the exam, this will be considered as cheating and the student will receive a zero for the exam and possibly an "F" in the course. It is incumbent on the student to assure that all books, papers, notes, and electronic devices that contain course information are securely stored away -- there is a no tolerance in this area.
   
   
2. Fabrication: Falsifying data in laboratory results, inventing information for a report, falsifying citations to sources of information.



3. Facilitating Academic Dishonesty: Aiding another student in committing academic misconduct.



4. Interference: Stealing, changing, destroying, or impeding another student's work. Impeding includes stealing, defacing, or mutilating resources to deprive someone the use of resources.



5. Plagiarism: Using the ideas, words, or statements of another person without giving credit to that person. A student shall give credit to the works of others if the student uses another person's words, ideas, opinions, or theories or borrows facts, statistics, or other illustrative material unless the information is common knowledge.



6. Violation of Course Rules: Not following course rules as outlined in the course syllabus, other course documents, email messages, and as instructed on the course website.