MGF 1107 syllabus

Topics include voting systems, weighted voting, fair division, apportionment, and Game Theory. This course satisfies FIU's Core Curriculum and General Education math requirements and can be used towards an exemption from the CLAST. It is intended to be of interest to students majoring in Political Science, International Relations, History, Social Studies Education, and Public Administration.

Chapter 9, Combinatorics, Chapter 11, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Probability and Chapter 15

There will be three tests (20% each), a cumulative final exam (25%), the average of your online assessments (13%). and an assignment you will receive after test 3 (2%). Pay attention to the due dates for the assessments, which are on Blackboard. Assessments due at 11:59pm are due at 11:59:00. If you submit your assessment at 11:59:01, it will not be accepted. After rounding off your weighted average to the nearest whole number, the following grading scale will be applied:

My grading scale is as follows:

Letter Grade	Range	Letter Grade	Range	Letter Grade	Range
A	90+	B-	77 - 79	D	60 - 63
A-	87 - 89	C+	74 - 76	D-	57 - 59
B+	84 - 86	C	67 - 73	F	0 - 56
B	80 - 83	D+	64 - 66

I reserve the right to add points to the totals of students who display outstanding class participation. I will NEVER "curve" grades or drop your lowest grade.

Attendance:
I) NON-TEST DAYS: OPTIONAL. Absence is preferred to tardiness. Three points will be deducted from your final exam grade at the end of the semester for each tardiness (even one second late constitutes a tardiness). Students with even one tardy will be ineligible for the following benefits:
a) overrides into any of my closed classes in future terms
b) the privilege of attending my office hours in a future term if enrolled in another instructor's section
c) recommendations (e.g. for graduate school, scholarships, employment, etc.)
d) any class participation points mentioned above
No written or oral excuses will be accepted for tardiness. If you can't make it on time, don't come!
II) TEST DAYS: REQUIRED. You will have at least 2 classes notice of an upcoming test. There are NO MAKEUP TESTS. If you miss a test and, in the opinion of the instructor, the absence is excusable, your final exam will count as two grades. If the absence is not excusable, you will receive a zero on the test missed. Be prepared to document your excuse with a traffic ticket, hospital bill, arrest form, etc. A doctor's note is not acceptable unless it says "(student's name) was unable to attend school on (date of test)." Tardiness is permitted on test days without penalty although you will have less time on the test than everyone else. If you are so late that someone has already turned in their test before you arrive, you will not be allowed to take the test.

NOTE: If you see a note posted saying that a test is canceled, make sure it is on FIU stationary and wait until the starting time of class before leaving.

All tests must be written using pencil. A calculator with a square root button is required. Graphing calculators are prohibited on tests.

CELL PHONES must be turned off! The vibrate mode is not considered turned off. Cell phones must not be visible to you or me. If they are on your belt, they are visible. If they are in your bookbag or pocket, they are not. Violations of this policy will result in you will having to put the cellcphone in the hallway immediately outside the class. If you are afraid it will be stolen, you may choose to leave with it, but you will not be readmitted to class that day. If this occurs during a test, and you choose to leave rather than put the phone in the hallway, all unanswered test questions will be marked wrong.

EARLY ALERT: In an effort to help you succeed in your academic courses, FIU utilizes an Early Alert system. Instructors are now able to notify students’ academic advisors if there are concerns about class performance. If an alert is submitted, your academic advisor will send you a message via your Student Dashboard (accessed via your MYFIU page) to discuss ways to improve your performance. Please respond to any communication you receive from your academic advisor about an early alert. Our goal with this program is to help you to be successful by identifying any issues as early on as possible and working to address them.

DROPS are not initiated by Prof. Rosenthal. If you stop attending, you must drop this class yourself to avoid a grade of F. The deadline for dropping classes with a grade of DR is Nov.2.

EXTRA TUITION CHARGES FOR REPEATED COURSES AND EXCESS HOURS:The Florida Legislature has mandated a tuition surcharge for the third time a student either takes or attempts a college credit course. This charge should serve as additional motivation for you not to have to retake this course. In other words, DO THE HOMEWORK!!!

ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT includes (but is not limited to) giving or receiving assistance on a test, quiz, or homework assignment for which such assistance is not permitted, falsifying a document to obtain an excusal from a test, and using unauthorized notes on a test or quiz. A more complete definition of Academic Misconduct is given here. Penalties for Academic Misconduct range from an F in the course to expulsion from the university.