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Fall 2020 Course Syllabus
Course: GOVT-2306- Section: 71 Texas Government |
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| Instructor Information | |||||||||||
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| Instructor | Dr. Tina Capeles | ||||||||||
| capelestl@lamarpa.edu | |||||||||||
| Phone | (409) 984-6378 | ||||||||||
| Office |
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| Department |
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| COVID 19 Information | The Lamar State College Port Arthur (LSCPA) Student Code of Conduct COVID 19 Policy requires students who have been exposed to COVID 19 or diagnosed with COVID 19 to report their condition on the COVID 19 Notification Form (available via a link on the Student Code of Conduct COVID19 webpage). This information will be provided to the Dean of Student Services. In addition, this policy requires all students to wear face coverings in compliance with the criteria included in the policy. For more information please refer to the COVID 19 link on the LSCPA website. | ||||||||||
| Course Information | |||||||||||
| Description | Origin and development of the Texas constitution, structure and powers of state and local government, federalism and inter-governmental relations, political participation, the election process, public policy, and the political culture of Texas. | ||||||||||
| Prerequisites | Competency in reading and writing skills required. | ||||||||||
| Learning Outcomes |
Upon successful completion of this course, students will: Explain the origin and development of the Texas Constitution. Describe state and local political systems and their relationship with the federal government. Describe separation of powers and checks and balances in both theory and practice in Texas. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of Texas government. Evaluate the role of public opinion, interest groups, and political parties in Texas. Analyze the state and local election process. Identify the rights and responsibilities of citizens. Analyze issues, policies and political culture of Texas. Evaluate and respond to the political environment applying researched data. |
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| Core Objectives |
*Communication skills: Students will demonstrate effective written, oral and visual communication. *Critical Thinking Skills: Students will engage in creative and/or innovative thinking, and/or inquiry, analysis, evaluation, synthesis of information, organizing concepts and constructing solutions. *Social Responsibility: Students will demonstrate intercultural competency and civic knowledge by engaging effectively in local, regional, national and/or global communities. * Personal Responsibility: Students will demonstrate the ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making. |
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| Program Student Learning Outcomes |
Reading skills - Demonstrates comprehension of content-area reading material. Identifies all main ideas, supporting details, and vocabulary in reading material; demonstrates a full understanding of the reading. |
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| Textbooks |
Textbook Purchasing Statement: A student attending Lamar State College Port Arthur is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from the college-affiliated bookstore. The same textbook may also be available from an independent retailer, including an online retailer.
Required Text: Title: Government and Politics in the Lone Star State Publisher: Pearson Publishing: ISBN: 9780135176603- Revel E-Text Only Gibson-Robinson-Green Students may also look online for the following editions: ISBN 13: 9780135235812 Combo Authors: Gibson-Robinson-Green 10th Edition -Update to REVEL E-book with an option to buy a loose-leaf copy for an additional charge (Combo) OR students may find an older printed edition listed below: 9th Edition- L. Tucker Gibson, Jr. and Clay Robinson, Government and Politics in the Lone Star State: Pearson Publishing ISBN-13: 978-0133998283 OR 8th Edition- L. Tucker Gibson, Jr. and Clay Robinson, Government and Politics in the Lone Star State, Pearson Publishing ISBN: 13:978-0-205-92706-7 The organization of chapters varies with editions of the textbook. Students need to pay attention to the titles of the chapters as they coincide with the readings for each exam period. |
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| Lecture Topics Outline |
Students are responsible for all material covered in the course, lectures, chapter readings, exams, and the research assignment. Exams: There will only be makeup exams in cases of emergencies and with proper approval by the instructor. In case of emergency, the instructor must be notified at least one day in advance by email as to the reason for missing the exam. Students need proper documentation as to why the exam was missed. Excused reasons are sickness, hospitalization, legal matters, or family matters. A grade of 0 will apply for an exam missed without proper documentation. Routine doctor appointments or work schedule are nor considered acceptable for missing exams. Exam dates are announced in course menu. Research Assignment: Late assignments will not be accepted. Do not email an assignment, it will not be accepted. Students have ample time to complete by the due date. Students should take into consideration any problems that could arise with technology, and therefore, it is recommended that students submit assignments and exams accordingly. See the assignment date in the course menu. Discussion Assignments: Late assignments will not be accepted. Do not email an assignment, it will not be accepted. Students have ample time to complete by the due date. Students should take into consideration any problems that could arise with technology, and therefore, it is recommended that students submit assignments and exams accordingly. See the assignment date in the course menu. Academic Ethics: Applicable to all coursework. It is expected that all students will engage in ethical conduct and will not engage in copying work or the production of other research papers or assignments. This also includes student's previous coursework or current assignments of other courses. Such violation of ethical standards will result in an automatic grade of "0" on the work in question with no opportunity to make up the work. This expectation also extends to proper citations and credit for works used in the research paper. All quotes, paraphrases, or facts taken from another source must be cited. Caution about Quotes and Paraphrases: There should be no more than two to three in the paper and short in length. Students enrolled in both federal government 2305 and Texas 2306, or who have previously taken any government courses, it is required that you write a separate research paper for each course. You may not use the same information. Students may not use assignments from other government courses or any other coursework. Different topics and sources are required. If you have any questions, contact me. Also, the same applies to Discussion Board/Assignments. Any duplicated work will result in a 0 for the grade. Academic integrity is essential, whether in class or online learning, and I take it very seriously. Academic dishonesty will not be accepted in this class. Students are to submit their work, not the work of others, including as stated above, a students' work from past or present courses. If you submit others work as your own or use resources not allowed, you will receive a 0 for the grade and possible F for the course based upon the discretion of the instructor. Additionally, all student submissions are checked for plagiarism, and use of any materials not authorized for use is prohibited. It is also expected that students are not accessing other material questionable to the assignment. My class policy is that if any academic dishonesty is discovered, the student will receive an 0 for the assignment in question and a possible F in the class. You will not just receive a 0 on the individual assignment - whether it be the research assignment, or other assignments - you risk receiving an F for the course. See the Lamar State College-Port Arthur guidelines for academic dishonesty below. Lamar State College-Port Arthur Academic Dishonesty Policy: Lamar State College-Port Arthur considers academic dishonesty, including collusion, cheating, and plagiarism as defined in the Student Handbook, to be a serious academic offense. Students guilty of such behavior will be subject to the following penalties: First offense: Student will receive a failing grade on the exam or assignment with no possibility for a make-up. If the offense is flagrant, the student may receive an F in the course. The student's name and the documented offense will be forwarded to the proper college officials. Second offense: Student will receive an F in the course with no possibility for make-up. The student's name and the documented offense will be forwarded to the proper university officials. All accused students will be given written notice of the offense, the penalty assessed, and the right of appeal to the department chair/advisory committee. |
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| Major Assignments Schedule |
The organization of chapters varies with editions of the textbook. Students need to pay attention to the titles of the chapters as they coincide with the readings for each exam period. Week 1: The Social and Economic Milieu of Texas Politics Week 2: The Texas Constitution Week 3: Texas Government and Politics in the Federal System Week 4: Local Governments in Texas Week 5: Contemporary Public Policy Issues in Texas Week 6: Exam 1 Week 7: Interest Groups and Political Power in Texas Week 8: The Mass Media in Texas Politics Week 9: The Party System in Texas Week 10: Elections, Campaigns, and Political Behavior Week 11: Exam 2 Week 12:The Legislature Week 13:The Texas Executive Week 14:The Texas Bureaucracy and Policy Implementation Week 15:Texas Judiciary Week 16: Final Exam 3 See all dates in the course menu for exams, research assignment, and discussion assignments. Exam weeks above reflect the readings to be included. |
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| Final Exam Date | December 3, 2020 - 8:00 AM Through December 6, 2020 - 11:00 PM | ||||||||||
| Grading Scale | 90 - 100 = A 80 - 89 = B 70 - 79 = C 60 - 69 = D Below 59 = F | ||||||||||
| Determination of Final Grade |
Exams 60% of the final grade. Research assignment 25% of the final grade. Discussion Assignment- 15% of the final grade |
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| Course Policies | |||||||||||
| Instructor Policies |
Students are responsible for all material covered in the course, lectures, chapter readings, exams, and the research assignment. Exams: There will only be makeup exams in cases of emergencies and with proper approval by the instructor. In case of emergency, the instructor must be notified at least one day in advance by email as to the reason for missing the exam. Students need proper documentation as to why the exam was missed. Excused reasons are sickness, hospitalization, legal matters, or family matters. A grade of 0 will apply for an exam missed without proper documentation. Routine doctor appointments or work schedule are nor considered acceptable for missing exams. Exam dates are announced in course menu. Research Assignment: Late assignments will not be accepted. Do not email an assignment, it will not be accepted. Students have ample time to complete by the due date. Students should take into consideration any problems that could arise with technology, and therefore, it is recommended that students submit assignments and exams accordingly. See the assignment date in the course menu. Academic Ethics: Applicable to all coursework. It is expected that all students will engage in ethical conduct and will not engage in copying work or the production of other research papers or assignments. This also includes student's previous coursework or current assignments of other courses. Such violation of ethical standards will result in an automatic grade of "0" on the work in question with no opportunity to make up the work. This expectation also extends to proper citations and credit for works used in the research paper. All quotes, paraphrases, or facts taken from another source must be cited. Caution about Quotes and Paraphrases: There should be no more than two to three in the paper and short in length. Students enrolled in both federal government 2305 and Texas 2306, or who have previously taken any government courses, it is required that you write a separate research paper for each course. You may not use the same information. Students may not use assignments from other government courses or any other coursework. Different topics and sources are required. If you have any questions, contact me. Also, the same applies to Discussion Board/Assignments. Any duplicated work will result in a 0 for the grade. Academic integrity is essential, whether in class or online learning, and I take it very seriously. Academic dishonesty will not be accepted in this class. Students are to submit their work, not the work of others, including as stated above, a students' work from past or present courses. If you submit others work as your own or use resources not allowed, you will receive a 0 for the grade and possible F for the course based upon the discretion of the instructor. Additionally, all student submissions are checked for plagiarism, and use of any materials not authorized for use is prohibited. It is also expected that students are not accessing other material questionable to the assignment. My class policy is that if any academic dishonesty is discovered, the student will receive an 0 for the assignment in question and a possible F in the class. You will not just receive a 0 on the individual assignment - whether it be the research assignment, or other assignments - you risk receiving an F for the course. See the Lamar State College-Port Arthur guidelines for academic dishonesty below. Lamar State College-Port Arthur Academic Dishonesty Policy: Lamar State College-Port Arthur considers academic dishonesty, including collusion, cheating, and plagiarism as defined in the Student Handbook, to be a serious academic offense. Students guilty of such behavior will be subject to the following penalties: First offense: Student will receive a failing grade on the exam or assignment with no possibility for a make-up. If the offense is flagrant, the student may receive an F in the course. The student's name and the documented offense will be forwarded to the proper college officials. Second offense: Student will receive an F in the course with no possibility for make-up. The student's name and the documented offense will be forwarded to the proper university officials. All accused students will be given written notice of the offense, the penalty assessed, and the right of appeal to the department chair/advisory committee. |
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| Attendance Policy |
Students must maintain the readings and all other material on a weekly basis. Students need to stay on track; consistency is important for success. This is not a self-paced course. Keeping pace is important. In case of emergency, the instructor must be notified at least one day in advance by email as to the reason for missing an exam. Students need proper documentation as to why the exam was missed. Excused reasons are sickness, hospitalization, legal matters, or family matters. A grade of 0 will apply for an exam missed without proper documentation. Routine doctor appointments or work schedule are not considered acceptable for missing exams. |
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| Academic Honesty | Academic honesty is expected from all students, and dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. Please consult the LSC-PA policies (Section IX, subsection A, in the Faculty Handbook) for consequences of academic dishonesty. | ||||||||||
| Facility Policies |
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| Important Information | |||||||||||
| ADA Considerations | The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the the Office for Disability Services Coordinator, Room 231, in the Madison Monroe Building. The phone number is (409) 984-6241. | ||||||||||
| MyLSCPA | Be sure to check your campus E-mail and Course Homepage using MyLSCPA campus web portal (My.LamarPA.edu). When you've logged in, click the email icon in the upper right-hand corner to check email, or click on the "My Courses" tab to get to your Course Homepage. Click the link to your course and review the information presented. It is important that you check your email and Course Homepage regularly. You can also access your grades, transcripts, and determine who your academic advisor is by using MyLSCPA. | ||||||||||
| Other | |||||||||||
| HB 2504 | This syllabus is part of LSC-PA's efforts to comply with Texas House Bill 2504. | ||||||||||