Agricultural Cooperatives AGEC 3463 Course Syllabus

Spring 2002 Dr. Phil Kenkel [email protected] 744-9818 744-9837 (Norma)

Lectures: 10:30-11:45 TTR, Rm 408 Ag Hall

Office hours: 8:00-10:00 TTR, by appointment or anytime I’m in the office 516 Ag Hall

Secretary: Norma Eddington, Rm 513 744-9837

Class TA: Amy Gilbert-317 Ag Hall 744-6171

Catalog Description of Course: Prerequisites: 3323 and 3423 or permission of instructor. An evaluation of the fundamental principles, objectives, structure, finance, and management associated with the cooperative organization. An analysis of the cooperative business organization within the modern economy — history, legislation, and evolution. An examination of careers related to cooperatives.

Introduction to Course: I have the good fortune to hold a position made possible by an endowment created by the cooperative industry. One of the goals of the endowment was to give students a better understanding of the cooperatives and cooperative career opportunities. In AGEC 3463 we will learn about how cooperatives are structures and discuss what is different and what is not different about managing a cooperative. We will also be discussing some of the exciting new development in cooperative businesses including new value-added other non-traditional cooperatives. During the course of the semester we will also have a number of presentations by cooperative professionals who will share their personal viewpoints on the topics we are discussing. Attendance will be recorded on the days scheduled for guest speakers.

Objectives: The objective of AGEC 3463 is to help you gain a basic understanding of:  The basic principles and unique management, marketing and finance strategies of cooperatives  The scope of the cooperative industry and alternative structures for cooperative firms  The rationale for the appropriate role of cooperatives in a market economy  How “New Generation” cooperatives differ from traditional cooperatives and how this structure is being used to develop new value-added businesses and other efforts.  The basic steps in establishing a new cooperative.  The types of career opportunities available in cooperatives. Course Conduct: This class will be a combination of lectures, discussions, and guest lecturers. You are encouraged to ask questions and to discuss differences of opinion with the instructor and other students. Class assignments and schedule may be modified to accommodate discussion and the schedule of guest lecturers

Grading Points 2 Exams (100 points each) 200 Final Exam (comprehensive) 100 Homework and Quizzes 50 Attendance (guest speaker days) 50 Start Your Own Cooperative Project 100 ------Total 500

Extra credit offered during the semester will accumulate and apply only to the final exam. The highest grade possible on the final (including extra credit) is 100%.

Other Important Points Impacting Your Grade:

1. Exams may be made up only if permission is requested and granted at least one week in advance for University-sponsored activities, or for illness (or death) in family verified by a note from physician or other appropriate individual(s). Any rescheduled of the final exam must follow University policy and must be cleared with me one week in advance.

2. The class project will involve students working in teams (this is a class about cooperation) to design a hypothetical new cooperative. In addition to the written report, team members will make a brief report to the class during dead week.

3. Start Your Own Cooperative reports must include a typed paper and a copy in MSWord format emailed to the instructor.

4. Homework assignment have a designated due date. No points will be given for an assignment not turned in by 5:00 p.m. on the date due.

5. Quizzes, assignments and tests will be handed out only one (1) time. Students not in class when the material is handed out must pick up the material from the TA’s office. Students have one week from the time the quiz, assignment or test is handed out to inform the instructor or TA that they did not receive their quiz, assignment or test back. After one week, there will be no recourse. Suggested Exam Schedule Exam 1 February 26, 2002 Exam 2 April 11, 2002 Final Exam Friday May 10, 4:30 p.m.

Suggested Grading Scale 450.500 A 400.449 B 350.400 C 300.350 D < 300 E

I reserve the right to “curve” the grades up, but I will not adjust any grades downward.

Textbook: I have made special arrangement for us to preview a new textbook “Agricultural Cooperatives: An Economic and Management Perspective” David W. Cobia and Bruce L. Anderson, editors. This new textbook is a joint effort involving most of the top cooperative scholars in the U.S. AGEC 3463 students will have access to the text on- line, at no charge, for use in the class only. You may review the book on-line or print the chapters for you own use. To access the text go to the class notes web page http://www.agecon.okstate.edu/classnotes.asp and then click on AGEC 3463. You will need a user name and password to access the class web page. We will announce the password in class. If you forget the password contact Amy Gilbert (the class TA) or my Norma (my secretary)

Class Attendance: The textbook provides a foundation for the material covered in class. Several of the chapters are fairly theoretical. The class lectures will emphasize the most important material and may bring in additional material not covered in the textbook. You are responsible for all material covered in class and announcements made in class. There is a strong correlation between class attendance and performance in this class. Attendance will be recorded on the dates scheduled for outside speakers and your attendance and participation on these dates will impact your grade.

Course Evaluation: A formal course evaluation will be administered near the end of the semester, but throughout the semester, you are invited to leave anonymous suggestions/comments for the instructor in the box provided in the TA office. Academic Misconduct/Dishonesty: Academic misconduct or dishonesty will result in a grade of zero for the quiz, exam, homework, or paper involved. "Academic dishonesty is behavior in which a deliberately fraudulent misrepresentation is employed in an attempt to gain undeserved intellectual credit, either for oneself or for another." (From Allegations of Academic Dishonesty or Misconduct, Oklahoma State University Policy & Procedures Letter, 2-0822, Academic Affairs, December 1984.) Academic dishonesty in this course is defined as cheating and/or assisting with cheating on an exam or homework; plagiarism; unauthorized possession of examinations; falsification of records; reading or attempting to read another student's answer while a quiz or exam is in progress; and the use of books, notes, or any other materials not authorized during an exam or quiz. Homework and assignments are to be prepared by the student and represent the student's own work. Unless otherwise clearly stated in the assignment, all assignments are to be done by the individual student and not by a "group effort."

Academic Accommodations If any member of this class feels that he/she has a qualified disability and needs special accommodations, he/she should notify me and request verification of eligibility for accommodations from the Office of Student Disability Services, 326 Student Union. Please advise me of such disability and the desired accommodations at some point before, during or immediately after the first scheduled class period.

University Policy on Dropping Courses \At any time prior to and including Friday, January 25 a student may drop a course, and no record of the course will appear on the student's academic record.

After this time and prior to the end of the thirteenth week of classes (Friday April 12), a grade of "W" will be recorded on the student's academic record. After Friday, April 12, a course may be dropped by petition only.

After April 12, a student may not drop a course and will be assigned only the grade of "A”, "B”, "C”,"D”, or "F" or (when appropriate) "I, "NP”, "P”, or "R" by the instructor. (Exceptions to this policy may be allowed by petition due to extraordinary circumstances. A petition requires the signatures of the student's instructor, advisor, and dean, with the grade of "W" or "F" assigned by the instructor.