Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

Technology and Ethics (Face-to-Face)

CSCY 2400-02

Course: CSCY 2400-02
Credits: 3
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: CSIS
CRN: 10572

Course Description

This is a course covering the ethical, policy and social aspects of information technology, the business within information technology, and the foundations of ethical decisions. The class will probe issues related to relationships in business, information acquisition, access and stewardship, software, and intellectual property. Areas of social concern will include decisions, liability, freedom, privacy, and control. The ultimate goal of the course is to give students an ethical perspective on the multiple challenges created by business and the diffusion of computer technology in the modern home and workplace. (Fall, Spring) [Graded (Standard Letter)] General Education Category: Social and Behavioral Sciences

Required Texts

  Reynolds, George W., 2018. Ethics in Information Technology (6th Edition), Cengage Learning, Boston, 02210. ISBN 978-1337405874 

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be
able to:
● Function with integrity and make ethical decisions in their workplaces and fields of study.
● Build a solid foundation of the common body of knowledge in the discipline
● Communicate proficiently with others in the field through scholarly writing and deliver
skilled knowledgeable oral and written presentation to general and specialized audiences
● Think logically through an issue using quantitative reasoning and quantitative and
qualitative data; to employ and apply technical overview knowledge and literacy tools in
order to address problems in their field
● Develop critical thinking skills that will result in student’s ability to solve problems in
their diverse workplaces and fields of study

Course Requirements

This class is worth 1000 points!!! To calculate a student grade, take total points and
divide by 10. This score will be the final grade based on the grading scale for this class. No
grades are curved. There are no make-up quizzes, tests, or finals.
WEIGHTING OF ASSIGNMENTS:
Mid-Term Exam 150
Final Exam 150
Chapter Discussion Questions 70 (5 each)
Chapter Homeworks 140 (10 each)
Chapter Quizzes 70 (5 each)
Chapter Tests 70 (5 each)
Lab Exercises 140 (10 each)
SOHO Final Project 150
Possible Extra points 50 (not included in Total below)
----------
Total 1000
GRADING SCALE:
920 – 1000 pts A 92% – 100%
895 – 919 pts A- 89.5% – 91.9%
870 – 894 pts B+ 87% – 89.4%
840 – 869 pts B 84% – 87%
795 – 839 pts B- 79.5% – 83.9%
770 – 794 pts C+ 77% – 79.4%
740 – 769 pts C 74% – 76.9%
695 – 739 pts C- 69.5% – 73.9%
670 – 694 pts D+ 67% – 69.4%
640 – 669 pts D 64% – 66.9%
595 – 639 pts D- 59.5% – 63.9%
0 – 594 pts F 0% – 59.4%

Course Outline

1/7 -- Intro, Syllabus, Ethics
1/12 -- Ethics pt. 2
1/14 -- Corruption of Corporations
1/19 -- No Class
1/21 -- Corruption of Corporations pt. 2
1/26 -- Team/Politics and Leadership
1/28 -- Team/Politics and Leadershp pt. 2
2/2 -- Ethics of Technology
2/4 -- Ethics of Technology pt. 2
2/9 -- Cyber Attacks
2/11 -- Cyber Attacks pt. 2
2/16 -- No Class
2/18 -- Privacy
2/23 -- Privacy pt.2 
2/25 -- Freedom of Expression
3/2 -- Freedom of Expression pt. 2
3/4 -- Freedom of Expression pt. 3
3/9 -- No Class
3/11 -- No Class
3/16 -- Intellectual Property
3/18 -- Intellectual Property pt. 2
3/23 -- Ethics in Software Development
3/25 -- Ethics in Software Development pt. 2
3/30 -- Impacts of IT on Society
4/1 -- Impacts of IT on Society pt. 2
4/6 -- Social Media
4/8 -- Social Medic pt. 2
4/13 -- Ethics of IT Organizations
4/15 -- Ethics of IT Organizations pt. 2

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Exams, Discussions, Papers, and Presentations cannot be late or made up. All other assignments can be submitted up to 10 days late with a 10% deduction per day.

Attendance Policy

Students are expected to attend all class meetings and are responsible for all of the
material covered. Students who miss a class meeting should copy a classmate’s notes for that
meeting. Students must look at this syllabus carefully and plan well ahead.

Course Fees

There is an $11 per credit course fee.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.