5 start

SECTION 1-BASIC COURSE INFORMATION

Course Title:	Strategic Leadership
Course Prefix and Number:	MGMT 6400
Credit Hours	3
Course CRN #:	24549
Semester & Session:	Spring 2025—Full Session
Campus Location:	Online
Meeting Days:	N/A Online
Meeting Time:	N/A Online

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Name:	Dr. Winfield Tufts
E-mail Address:	[email protected]
Office Location:	PSC 377
Office Phone Number:	478-542-3220
Tentative Office Hours:	Mon-Wed 9:00 am to 11:00 am

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Students are responsible for reading, understanding, and adhering to all Middle Georgia State University student policies, including those linked on the Syllabus Policy page.

SECTION 2-DETAILED COURSE INFORMATION

Course Prerequisite:	N/A
Course Description:	Course Description: This course covers topics required in Strategic Leadership. This course emphasizes the learning and the application of key leadership principles and practices.
Student Learning Outcomes:	The objective of this course is to equip the student with the skills to lead a team. As a result of this course the student will be able to: · Demonstrate how to conduct a SWOT analysis · Explain the value of having an Ethical Foundation · Explain the value of Empowering Others · Explain the value of Belonging · Explain the value of Organizational Learning · Explain the value of Nurturing Employee Growth · Explain the value of having Communication plan. · Explain the value of Vision and create a plan · Create a Strategic Plan
Topics:	Please see Students Learning Objectives above.
Required Course Materials:	Textbook: There are no textbooks associated with this class. We will use articles downloaded from Harvard Business Review. You will receive an e-mail from HBSP with instructions to download the articles. MGA Strategic Plan: https://www.mga.edu/about/strategic-plan/index.php
Technology Requirement:	Please see Technical Policy below
Library/Learning Resources:	As a Middle Georgia State University student, you have complete access to GALILEO (Georgia Library Learning Online), a virtual library of licensed commercial databases. It provides access to over 100 databases indexing thousands of periodicals and scholarly journals. There are over 10,000 journal titles available in full text. Additional GALILEO resources include e-books, government documents, reference collections, and video databases. The Middle Georgia State University library also has core collection with locally purchased resources to support this graduate course.
Tutoring:	Tutoring is available free of charge on all MGA campuses for currently enrolled students. To view center contact information, subjects tutored, and tutor availability, go to the SSC website at Student Success Center: Middle Georgia State University (mga.edu). SSC tutoring sessions may be scheduled online and face-to-face through the “Book an Appointment” link on the Student Success Center website. Other services at the SSC include online academic workshops and a robust website with resources for academic assistance. The centers also have computer workstations, printing, and Internet access.

SECTION 3-INSTRUCTOR SPECIFIC POLICIES

Communicating with me (the instructor):

Please communicate with me through regular email, D2L email, MS Teams, and cell phone. You are also welcome to drop by my office or make an appointment to come to my office.

If you are emailing via your MGA email, please include your name and course title .

If you are using D2L mail, please include your name and course title in the subject line. Also, be advised that sometimes I will respond to a D2L email with via a Forwarded email from my MGA email account, so be sure to look in your MGA email for my response.

I will make every attempt to reply to emails and D2L messages within 24 hours , during the school operating hours. If you do not hear from me within 48 hours during the week, please don’t hesitate to email me or message me again.

Attendance Policy:	Online course. Students must keep up with the assignments.
Withdrawal Policy:	Please read the withdrawal policy found at https://www.mga.edu/registrar/registration/drop-add.php before dropping/withdrawing from the class. You are also encouraged to talk to me before withdrawing from this class. Students who wish to withdraw from the University must complete the Withdrawal Form, obtaining the required signature from the advisor, and submitting it to the Office of the Registrar at the Macon campus or the administrative offices at other campuses. Withdrawal is not complete until all withdrawal procedures have been properly executed. https://www.mga.edu/registrar
Technical Policy:	You are expected to have regular access to and the ability to use a computer, the internet, email, and either MS Word or software that will create MS Word documents (like Google Drive), MS PowerPoint or software that will create a PowerPoint presentation, and a phone or webcam to create and upload video. This class is in and managed through D2L/Brightspace. You are expected to have basic knowledge of how to use D2L/Brightspace to view content, upload assignments, participate in discussions, check grades, view announcements, etc.
Late Work Policy:	The due date for all assignments (cases), exams, discussions, and projects are clearly listed in D2L/Brightspace and on a calendar at the end of this syllabus. It is your responsibility to keep up with due dates. Any changes to those dates will be announced in class or in D2L. Reasons for point deductions are below.
Disability Accommodation Policy:	Students seeking ADA accommodations must contact Middle Georgia State University Office of Disability Services in Macon at (478) 471-2985 or in Cochran at (478) 934-3023. https://www.mga.edu/accessibility-services/

CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING THE FINAL COURSE GRADE

Grading Summary:

Discussions	20%
Writing Assignments	40%
Final Paper	40%
TOTAL	100%

HOW CLASS WILL OPERATE

I want you to walk away from this course equipped to address subjects that are largely ignored or taken for granted or not even considered by many leaders.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Your Coursework

Students cannot use generative AI for any portion of their coursework. All work in this class must be your own unless properly cited or disclosed. The use of artificial intelligence writing tools or generative AI tools is prohibited at any stage of the work process.”

Assignments and Instructions

We as leaders should always have two primary goals: the flourishing of our team members and the excellence of our organization. My goal for each student is to move from a point of knowing about key principles of Strategic Leadership to comprehending these principles and putting those principles into action to help our team members flourish and help our organizations be excellent. To do this, students should watch all assigned videos, read all assigned readings, participate in all weekly Discussions, submit all weekly Writing Assignments (Main Documents and Reading Digests, and submit the Final Paper.

Instructions for all Assignments are found in the course’s Content Tab in D2L.

Introductions and Discussions

Introductions in D2L at the beginning of the semester are necessary. I use them to get to know you and for you to get to know members of your groups. Video and photos are encouraged, but not required. Include a minimum of two (2) professional details, such as major, career goals, current job, etc.

For the Introduction and for each chapter Discussion, you are required to create one (1) thread and respond to two (2) posts that are created by your classmates. So, since there are 9 Discussion assignments (one for the Introduction and one for each of the eight Assignments (the Strategic Plan does not require Discussions), there will be 27 opportunities (3 per each Introduction/Discussion assignment) for posting. You will receive 1 point for each initiated post or reply post up to 27.

Written Assignments

Standard Course Format for Written Assignments. The standard format for all Writing Assignments is double spaced, 12-point, Aptos font, and 1” margins (top, bottom, and sides). Place the following information on the first page of each writing assignment:

Name, Course, Topic, Word Count, Date

Each Written Assignment/Discussion should present each question before initiating an answer.

We will use TurnItIn (a plagiarism identification tool) to ensure there is no plagiarism; your score should be no more than 15% commonality for each assignment. I will turn on TurnItIn; submit your assignment as you normally do. If something is not working properly let me know.

Grading Convention for Writing Assignments. Each Writing Assignment should be written as if it is written for a senior leader in a Fortune 500 company. Each Writing Assignment consists of a main document and smaller papers. The main document is identified as “ Main Document”. A smaller paper is identified as a “ Reading Digest”. (Each Assignment’s Main Document and Reading Digest instructions are located at the Course’s Contents Tab in D2L.)

Each Main Document should have a minimum length of 800 words. This is a graduate level course. To receive credit for this course, a student must receive an overall grade of a “B”; an overall score of 80 is the minimum score to receive a “B”. Therefore, the score for a Main Document of minimum length is an 80. For a Main Document to receive a higher score, it must be longer in length with an appropriate breadth and depth.

The Main Document grading rubric is below:

-- below 600 words will be scored proportionately

-- 600 words will receive a maximum score of 70 out of 100

-- 800 words will receive a maximum score of 80 out of 100

-- 1000 words will receive a maximum score of 90 out of 100

-- 1200 words or more will receive a maximum score of 100 out of 100

A Reading Digest is an opportunity for you to interact with the reading and deepen you learning. Your ability to recall the material and synthesize the content will be enhanced by summarizing important takeaways (key points and insights) you gleaned from the reading. This is an important practice for you to develop as you will read several texts throughout this course.

This is also an opportunity to practice your writing and receive feedback on your understanding of the material. Therefore, you should avoid merely summarizing the texts or listing items you highlighted. If you have read critically and for understanding, then you should be able to distill down the most salient points of the readings into a few sentences. Ultimately, this digest will serve as a reference you turn to when you need to recall points from any of the readings or if you need to share a short digest of the reading with others.

Each Reading Digest should be 400 words in length. Each Reading Digest must be completed. Reading Digests are not graded; however, 10 points will be deducted from the overall Writing Assignment grade if a Reading Digest does not meet graduate student standards, or if a Reading Digest is not provided.

Writing Assignment Deductions. Each Writing Assignment has a maximum of 100 points. Examples of deductions to a maximum score will be due to being late (-5 points per day); improper format (-10 points); answers that are not at the graduate student level (TBD based on the severity of the infraction); and not answering a question (a pro rata share of the entire question’s value). If you have a problem, I will work with you in extending the due date of the Writing Assignment if you contact me before the Assignment is due.

FINAL PAPER: Strategic Plan

Each student shall provide a Strategic Plan for his or her organization. You must address five of the topics we studied this term. You may use the MGA Strategic Plan as a “structural” example. Your plan should have Goals, Objectives, and measurable Actions. Your Strategic Plan is due the last day of class. We will have two major class discussions focused on the Strategic Plan: during our kick-off meeting (on or about the first day of class) and right after mid-terms.

Strategic Plan Format. The minimum length of the Strategic Plan shall be 3000 words. The format will be double spaced, 12-point, Aptos font, and 1” margins (top, bottom, and sides). (Please see my comments above regarding minimum length being equivalent to an 80 which is a B.)

Strategic Plans shall be turned in NOT LATER THAN 11:59 PM on 4 December, 2024. I expect the Strategic Plans to be highly professional in grammar and appearance, just as if you were delivering the plan to a Fortune 500 CEO.

The following rubric applies to the Strategic Plan:

· below 2700 will be scored proportionately

· 2700 words will receive a maximum score of 70 out of 100

· 3000 words will receive a maximum score of 80 out of 100

· 3300 words will receive a maximum score of 90 out of 100

· 3600 words will receive a maximum score of 100 out of 100

TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE AND OUTLINE

The schedule below contains class activities, assignments, and deadlines. Note that the course schedule is “tentative” and subject to change based on student and/or curriculum needs. All changes will be announced and posted on the course website. UNIVERSITY HOLIDAYS:

MGMT 6400-1 Strategic Leadership Course Outline1 (Spring 2025)
Assignment	Due Date	Topics/Comments
1	18 Jan	Assignment 1: “SWOT” Writing and Discussion assignments are due by 11:59pm
2	1 Feb	Assignment 2: “Ethics” Writing and Discussion assignments are due by 11:59pm
3	15 Feb	Assignment 3: “Empowerment” Writing and Discussion assignments are due by 11:59pm
4	1 Mar	Assignment 4: “Belonging” Writing and Discussion assignments are due by 11:59pm
5	15 Mar	Assignment 5: “Organizational Learning” Writing and Discussion assignments are due by 11:59pm
6	29 Mar	Assignment 6: “Nurturing Employee Growth” Writing and Discussion assignments are due by 11:59pm
7	12 Apr	Assignment 7: “Strategic Communications” Writing and Discussion assignments are due by 11:59pm
8	26 Apr	Assignment 8: “Creating a Vision” Writing and Discussion assignments are due by 11:59pm
Final Paper	30 Apr	“Strategic Plans” are due by 11:59pm

Section 5-Course Expectations

Online courses are not self-paced and require regular participation, which instructors record. Although online courses lack formal meetings, which can be liberating, they require high maturity and professionalism. Online courses are designed to make learning more convenient but no less rigorous. Self-discipline and good time management skills are a necessary part of the online learning experience.

Please remember that you will spend as much time completing coursework in an online course environment as you would in a traditional face-to-face/classroom. In the event you are unable to participate in this type of environment, please contact your instructor immediately.

The instructor is required to report “no-shows” or students who do not show up the first day of class. Therefore, all students enrolled in the course must verify their enrollment. This can affect financial aid and you may be dropped from the class. Your instructor will notify you as to how to verify your enrollment before the beginning of the term to ensure that you are not reported as a “no-show”

ONLINE COURSE EXPECTATIONS

1. Students must immediately review the tentative course schedule (included as part of the syllabus) for the schedule of discussion activities, assignments, projects, and/or examinations.

2. Students are required to have access to a computer and the Internet.

3. All course materials (i.e. course syllabus, course content, the assignments and the schedule of activities, etc.) are posted in Brightspace D2L course/class web site.

4. Official institutional email (MGA or D2L) is used only for communication between the instructor and students. Private email accounts must not be used to communicate between the instructor and students.

5. Students must attend class if they are to be well prepared for the workplace. Online courses are no different from on campus classroom courses in this regard. Therefore, online students are subject to the college’s attendance policy. Please see the “Attendance Policy” in the college’s catalog. For online classes, participation must be defined in a different manner. Student attendance in online courses is defined as active participation in the course as described in the course syllabus.

6. Online courses will, at a minimum, have weekly mechanisms for student participation, which can be documented using any or all the following methods: a graded discussion activity that is integral to student engagement and learning; a graded assignment/project/examination.

Your instructor will begin grading all assessments after the deadline and make the results available to you within one week after the due date for the assessment.

ONLINE DISCUSSIONS AND POSTINGS

Expectations for Achieving Responsible Online Discourse

One value we must share is respect for individuals - their experience and their ideas or social positions. We also share a genuine desire to learn from one another. To demonstrate these shared values, you are encouraged to consider how your tone, word choice, and content may affect other readers. Some ways people achieve responsible public electronic discourse include:

a) Calling each other by name on the screen,

b) Using smiley faces =) to clarify meaning if a writer's tone might be ambiguous,

c) Clarifying with someone courteously before "flaming" back a quick response, and

d) Refraining from publishing or forwarding any questionable jokes or strong language that could offend various readers.

Guidelines for Online Discussions

Not only respond to your instructor’s questions but carry on a dialogue with your classmates as well. This is a discussion, not just a question-and-answer session, and is one of the items that make a good online course and establishes community. If you only respond to your instructor’s question it makes the discussion more of an "exam" rather than a dialogue.

Do not get caught up in "winning" the debate. We are here to learn the material, have fun, and to discuss matters of importance with others.

Read all postings from your classmates, not just those from the instructor. Sometimes future questions are based on the insights of your classmates.

When you reply to a post, don't just say "I agree". Give the person or person's name you agree with and be sure to put the reply in the right thread. Also include a brief sentence or two summarizing what they said that you are agreeing with and then your views. You might also consider changing the subject line to reflect your posts. Make it easy for us to figure out who you are talking to and what you are talking about.

If you express an opinion, support it with material from our readings or other sources if applicable. When you quote, summarize, or paraphrase from the text, be sure to give the page number(s) -- This is important! Count on checking the class website for assignments or discussions at least twice or more per week.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Students whose number of absences is more than twice the number of class meetings per week may be assigned a failing grade for the course. Students who have more absences than the number of class meetings per week but less than twice the number of class meetings per week, will be penalized on the participation portion of the grade. Students who have absences which are less than or equal to the number of class meetings per week will not be penalized. This policy holds for face-to-face and hybrid courses.

Students that do not submit any work for more than 14 consecutive days in an online course or partially online course may be assigned a failing grade for the course.

The M.G.A. policy on attendance is found in Section 5.04.05 of the Faculty Handbook and in the Academic Catalog https://mga.smartcatalogiq.com/2020-2021/Undergraduate-Catalog/Academic-Policy-and-Information/Course-Policies/Attendance-Policy.

CLASS BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS/CONSEQUENCES FOR VIOLATIONS

Middle Georgia State University students are responsible for reading, understanding, and abiding by the M.G.A. Student Code of Conduct.” Student Code of Conduct, Responsibilities, Procedures, and Rights are found at http://www.mga.edu/student-affairs/docs/MGA_Student_Handbook.pdf#page=45

Section 6-University Policies

ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT POLICY:

As a Middle Georgia State University student and as a student in this class, you are responsible for reading, understanding, and abiding by the Student Code of Conduct Policy: https://www.mga.edu/student-conduct/index.php.

The penalty for academic misconduct is a grade of zero for the work involved and will be referred to the Dean of Students. Subsequent academic misconduct results in a failing grade for the course.

WITHDRAWAL POLICY:

Students are encouraged to read the withdrawal policy before dropping/withdrawing from class: https://www.mga.edu/registrar/registration/drop-add.php

The MGA Withdrawal Form is available online or in the Office of the Registrar. The entire Student Code of Conduct is included in Middle Georgia State’s Student Handbook and is available online at https://www.mga.edu/student-conduct/index.php

NONDISCRIMINATION AND ANTI-HARASSMENT POLICY:

MGA is committed to ensuring a safe learning environment that supports the dignity of all members of the University community. We encourage students to read more about this institutional policy: https://policies.mga.edu/policy-manual/section-6-campus-affairs/6-5-nondiscrimination/index.php

PLAGIARISM AND ACADEMIC INTEGRITY/HONESTY

MGA uses a plagiarism prevention service to evaluate written work that students submit for this course. The papers will be retained by the service for the sole purpose of checking for plagiarized content in future student submissions. MGA’s Code of Conduct prohibits the use of any unauthorized assistance in completing any work for any course. This assistance includes using artificial intelligence platforms to generate any part or all of student submissions. The Code of Conduct is available at this webpage: https://www.mga.edu/student-conduct/index.php.

Section 7-Resource Centers

MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH SUPPORT

Counseling Services is proud to be a part of BeWell@MGA, which provides students 24/7 access to counselors and mental health resources to help cope with minor issues to major concerns. More information is available on this webpage: www.http://mga.edu/student-affairs/bewell/index.php

ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES

Students with a documented disability must work with MGA's Accessibility Services to arrange essential services relating to their disability. All entitlements to accommodations are based on documentation and USG Board of Regents standards. If a student is considering requesting accommodations, they should first contact Accessibility Services to discuss the process: https://www.mga.edu/accessibility-services/index.php

If a student needs course adaptations or accommodations because of a documented disability or chronic illness, the student should notify their instructor in writing and provide a copy of a current Student Accommodations Report (SAR), which is available only from Accessibility Services. Faculty cannot offer accommodations to any student without timely receipt of the official SAR document

STUDENT SUCCESS CENTER (SSC)

Tutoring is available free of charge on all MGA campuses for currently enrolled students. SSC tutoring sessions may be scheduled online and face-to-face through the “Book an Appointment” link on the SSC website. Other services at the SSC include online academic workshops and a robust website with resources for academic assistance. The SSC locations also have computer workstations, printing, and Internet access. To view contact information, subjects tutored, and tutor availability, go to the SSC website at http://www.mga.edu/student-success-center/

WRITING CENTER

The MGA Writing Center is a free service that provides one-on-one consultations to assist students with all types of writing. Either in-person or via Teams, our consultants provide feedback and use different strategies to help students improve their writing.

Writing Center locations are open on the Macon, Cochran, Dublin, and Warner Robins campuses.

MATHEMATICS ACADEMIC RESOURCE CENTER (MARC)

The MARC has locations on the Macon and Cochran Campuses. They offer one-on-one peer tutoring in person and online for mathematics courses. Visit their webpage for more information and additional resources: https://www.mga.edu/computing/mathematics-statistics/marc/index.php

CENTER FOR CAREER AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT (CCLD)

Students have free access to career and professional development services through the CCLD. Virtual and in-person appointments can be scheduled in Macon, Cochran, or Eastman at mga.joinhandshake.com. College-to-career resources include career exploration/assessments, job/internship/graduate school search assistance, career fairs, resume/interview prep, and professional/leadership development. Contact them at or visit https://www.mga.edu/center-career-leadership-development/index.php

Section 8-Micellaneous

DELAYED OPENING OR CLOSING OF THE UNIVERSITY

If class is unable to occur for an opening or closing of the university, go to the online webpage of the course for additional instructions. If there are no additional instructions provided on the course homepage news section, then just plan to meet at the normal next regularly scheduled meeting for the course. Knight Alert can be used to check or https://www.mga.edu/police/alert/index.php HB 280

CAMPUS CARRY LEGISLATION (HOUSE BILL 280)

In accordance with O.C.G.A. § 16-11-127.1, Middle Georgia State University recognizes that a lawful weapons carrier may carry concealed handguns on Middle Georgia State campuses, excluding restricted campus facilities. More information is available at this webpage: https://policies.mga.edu/policy-manual/section-6-campus-affairs/6-10-weapons-on-campus/index.php

COURSE EXPERIENCE FEEDBACK SURVEY

Student perception surveys of a class and its instructor are administered online at the end of each term/session for all courses with five or more students. Students will receive an email containing a link to a survey for each course in which they are enrolled. All responses are anonymous.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Students are responsible for reading, understanding, and adhering to all Middle Georgia State University student policies, including those linked on the Syllabus Policy page.

ACADEMIC MINDSET BELIEFS

The course activities/assignments in this course concerning the Academic Mindset shall contribute to your growth, self-efficacy, the relevancy of academic experience, and a sense of belonging. Throughout this course, growth mindset will be strengthened through activities/assignments by constant engagement. The following growth mindsets belief statements are the bedrock of this course and shall be acclaimed into mind by each student:

· I can strengthen my abilities through effort.

· The work in this course has value and purpose for me.

· I embrace new challenges.

· I will succeed if I put effort into my work.

· I will learn from success and failure to continue to improve.

· My effort and attitude are important to my future.

MGMT 6400 Professor Tufts Fall 2024