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V.L. Sauter, Decision Support Systems: An Applied Managerial Approach, New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1997.

Prerequisites: BA3300: Business Statistics

Semester Goals: Decision Support Systems are tools decision makers use to gain a better understanding of their business. They are the "front-end" technology that is generally associated with a data warehouse, and which provides the modeling and analysis capabilities to help decision makers see avenues through which to gain competitive advantage. As the name suggests, a DSS focuses how models, data, and other analytical tools decision makers might use in the reasoned consideration of the options available to them. In the current environment in most businesses, DSS are being implemented as intranets and so require web-based technologies.

Assignments: See assignments page.

Exams: There will be a midterm and a final exam.

Midterm exam: March 17

Final exam: Monday, May 5, 5:30 - 7:30 pm

Make-up exams will be provided only if Dr. Sauter has been notified prior to the exam and if you have an acceptable reason for missing the exam. Under all other circumstances, a grade of zero (0) will be assigned. NO late exams (if it is a take home exam) will be accepted.

Grading Policy: The following proportions will be used for grading.

Approximate letter grades will be assigned when exams and projects are returned. Students should remember, however, that the term average is a weighted average of the numerical grades, not an average of the approximate letter grades.

Drop Policy: For the purposes of this policy, the "effective drop date" is the date which I am informed of the drop or the actual date of the drop, which ever is later. Students can and may inform me by leaving me a note in my mailbox, leaving me a message (on voice mail or email) or by speaking to me in person or over the telephone.

A student may drop this class until March 19 with a passing grade. (Note the University policy states that you may drop until February 11 without receiving a grade; this policy is simply an extension of the University policy.) Between March 20 and April 5, a student will receive either a passing grade (excused) or a failing grade (F) depending upon his or her performance (current grade) in the course. A student may withdraw after April 5 only with and solely with the approval of the dean of his or her division. If you want to withdraw after this date, go directly to your dean; do not ask for my signature -- my signature is not needed and I will not provide it. Under no circumstance may a student drop this class after May 3, 2008.

Academic Honesty: According to the University Standard of Conduct, Section 6.0101,

For the purposes of this class, cheating will include: plagiarism (using the writings of another without proper citation), copying of another (either current or past student's work), working with another on individually assigned work or exams, unauthorized marking on a graded paper or exam, or in any other way presenting as one's own work that which is not entirely one's own work. Further definitions and clarifications can be found in the University guidelines.

Any student who is caught cheating on any assignment or exam will receive a grade of zero (0) for that assignment or exam. Further, a recommendation will be made to the appropriate university officials that additional disciplinary action be taken.

Classroom Courtesy: I realize that I should not have to tell you these things, and I apologize to those of you for whom this is unnecessary, but in the past few years I have noticed a significant increase in bad classroom manners and inconsiderate behavior. So please adhere to the following rules. Repeated violations of these will be grounds for reducing your course grade, and you will be reported to the Office of Homeland Security as a threat to national learning.

Turn off your phones and pagers before entering class; do not talk on the phone in class.

Come to class on time. In those rare cases where being late is unavoidable, please enter the classroom quietly and take a seat as close to the door as possible. If the class period is more than half done, don't bother to come to the class. Once in class, do not get up and leave unless it is truly an emergency.

Open beverage cans and bottles and snack bags before class starts. If you eat during class, please do so quietly.

Keep talking with your neighbor to a minimum. If you are confused about something in class, please ask me - that is my job.

When you the laptop computers, do so quietly. Recently the typing by students has gotten so loud that it is very distracting both to me and the members of the class.

Bring a handkerchief or tissue to class to blow your nose in case you get the sniffles.

I am not going to supervise your use of the computer in class. However, you are responsible for all the material covered in class -- if you do not pay attention and miss important material, I am not going to go over it again.