Raymond D. Wiley Chapter

Department of Speech Communication

Southern Illinois University, Carbondale

www.prssasiuc.com

Syllabus

Faculty Advisor:  Josh Houston (whouston@siu.edu) 453-2296

Professional Advisor:  Greg Scott (gregs@foundation.siu.edu)

Meeting Times

General Meetings:  Every Wednesday (except designated holidays and finals week) from 4:30-5:30 p.m., Cambria Room, Student Center.

Pyramid Meetings:  Every Wednesday (except designated holidays and finals week) from 5:45-6:45 p.m., Cambria Room, Student Center.

Learning Objectives

The primary objective of SPCM 390H is to help students who are preparing to become PR practitioners gain knowledge and hands-on experience so that they can become marketable candidates for the profession as well as produce materials for their personal portfolios.  PRSSA is a pre-professional student organization that serves as the formal link between PRSSA members and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the nation’s premier trade association for the PR profession.  Other specific learning objectives include:

• Developing students’ understanding of the principles and practices of public relations
• Stimulating and encouraging awareness of and appreciation for their chosen field
• Instilling an overall professional and ethical attitude

Payment of Dues

There are no required texts for this course; however, all members are required to pay local and national dues which total $65.  This payment includes two semesters (one calendar year).  Dues need to be paid whether or not you are taking 390H for credit.

Being in a Committee

All members of PRSSA will be in committee.  A description of the committee’s is included in this packet. There will be some set projects that will have to be accomplished by each committee during the course of the semesters.  Incompletion of projects will lower grades.

Difference Between PRSSA and Pyramid

The entire organization is referred to as PRSSA.  Pyramid, the student-run public relations agency, is a component of our PRSSA chapter.  Each semester, Pyramid services clients in the community and on campus.  Pyramid is organized into account teams.  All Pyramid members have to be members of PRSSA, but all PRSSA members do not have to be in Pyramid. In order to work for Pyramid, you will have to go through a “hiring” process.

Working for PYRAMID

Entry into Pyramid will be selective.  The goal of Pyramid is to provide focused and high quality PR service to clients.  Hence we must ensure that Pyramid employs people who are qualified to and interested in providing such service.  All those interested in working for Pyramid must submit an application to the VPO no later than Jan. 27th. ^. 

^{Note:  If you fail to perform adequately/professionally in Pyramid, you could be dropped during the semester.} 

^{Credit Hour Policies}

^{In order to gain one credit hour for 390H, a member must complete 35 clock hours of PRSSA/Pyramid work during the course of the semester.}

^{Note:  Hours can only be earned for pre-approved PR work.  No hours can be earned for}

              ^{attending PRSSA social events or making donations of any sort.}

^{Special cases:}

^{-     National conference = 35 clock hours}

^{-     Regional conferences are decided on a case basis (usually 20 clock hours)}

^{-     St. Louis PRSA luncheons meetings (need to attend entire event) and other out-of-town day events = 10 clock hours.} 

^{Note:  If you sign up for one credit hour, you can get clock hours for attending one luncheon, two credit hours, two luncheons, and so on. You’re welcome to attend more than one luncheon even if you sign up for one credit hour, you just won’t get hours for it}

• ^{Members who do not complete the required number of clock hours will receive an “Incomplete” grade.  They must complete their hours in the next consecutive semester (PRSSA is not active during the summer) in order to avoid an “F” grade.}

• ^{Members who exceed the number of clock hours they are required to complete can apply these extra hours in the next consecutive semester, i.e., these hours roll over.}

• ^{NOTE:  If you do not register for 390H credit hours and still attend, then your hours do not roll over.}

^{Documentation of Hours}

^{Each member is required to record his/her hours, verified by the signature of his/her immediate peer supervisor, on a weekly basis (at the general meetings) on the time sheet provided in the introduction packet.  Failure to do this will lower the final grade.}

^Attendance

• ^{All members are required to be present and on-time at Wednesday general meetings.} 

^{IMPORTANT:  If you miss more than two general meetings you will lose an entire letter grade.  If you miss more than five meetings, you will lose two letter grades. If you miss more than seven meetings, you could fail the class.} 

• ^{All Pyramid members are required to attend all Pyramid meetings.}
• ^{All Pyramid Account Managers and PRSSA Committee Heads are required to be present at all Account Manager and Committee Head meetings.}

^{Accountability in Positions of Leadership}

^{(Whether or not enrolled for credit in 390H )}

^{If you are in a position of leadership in PRSSA (such as Account manager, Committee Head, Executive Board member), you are also in a position of responsibility.  Failure to carry through with your responsibilities until the end of the semester will be recorded as unprofessional conduct (and this could significantly hurt your final grade).}

^{A Point of Confusion}

^{In the past, there has been some confusion about SPCM 390H hours and SPCM 494 (Internship) hours.  These are NOT interchangeable, i.e., you cannot sign up for SPCM 390H hours and assume that they may be applied towards SPCM 494, and vice versa.} 

^Assignments

^{There will be weekly committee (and account if you’re in Pyramid) work for each member which will have to be completed outside general meeting hours (e.g., preparing for a fund-raiser, working on campaigns, writing press releases, arranging for speakers and so on)}

^{Final paper (not required if not taking PRSSA for credit):  One final paper (3 pages) will be due.  Briefly, this paper will be an essay on what you accomplished as a PRSSA/Pyramid member during the semester, what you learned about PR by being a member, and an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of our chapter.   Your paper will be graded on content, quality of writing (grammar, composition, organization) and the amount of work accomplished during the semester.  Detailed guidelines will be handed out later in the semester.}

^{THE COMPETITION}

^{Committee and Account Presentations:  Each PRSSA Committee and Pyramid Account Team will do a short competitive presentation (5-7 mins.) at the end of the semester.  This presentation will cover what that committee/account accomplished during the course of the semester (40% of grade for those only in committees).  This means that committees/accounts will have to set realistic goals very early in the semester.  Each Committee Head/Account Manager will be in charge of making sure that the goals are met. Winners of various committee awards will be named at the end of semester banquet.}

^{Grade breakdown:}

              ^{Final Paper = 10%}

              ^{Professionalism = 10%}

              ^{Committee Performance = 40%}

              ^{Completion of Required Clock Hours = 40%}

              ^{Total = 100%}

^{IMPORTANT NOTE:  Even if you’re unable to complete your required clock hours, you will still need to turn in your paper, participate in the committee/account competition and complete the peer evaluations.  Failure to do so by the above deadline will result in an “F” grade.}

^{Grading Scale}

^{90-100% = A         80-89% = B                 70-79% = C         60-69% = D          0-59% = F}

^{This course is not an “easy A.”  We believe in working hard and enjoying the work we do.} 

^{IMPORTANT:  We have a rule related to professionalism.  If you sign up to participate in an event or do any other kind of work and do not show up, you WILL be docked an entire letter grade.  We will be documenting such absences very closely.  It is important to learn that your team members depend on you, and that reliability is a very important quality to develop if one wants to be successful in the work place.}

^{Note:  If you have any special needs, please see your faculty advisor.  I will do my best to accommodate your needs.}                           

^{Have a great semester!}