Fall 2023 Course Syllabus
Course: GOVT-2305 (Section: 7L, CRN: 93022)
Federal Government 		LSCPA Logo Image
Instructor Information
Instructor Debra Jenke
Email debraaj@lamarpa.edu
Phone (409) 984-6102
Office Madison Monroe Educational - Room: 147
Office Hours Livingston High School
Counselor's Suite Office 18
Livingston, Texas 

Office Hours by request/before class
Additional Contact Information debrajenke@gmail.com
Course Information
Description Origin and development of the U.S. Constitution, structure and powers of the national government including the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, federalism, political participation, the national election process, public policy, civil liberties and civil rights.
Required 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.

Rice Open Stax
Government 3e
ISBN: 978-1-71149-395-4
Additional Materials/Resources None.
Corequisites/Prerequisites None
Learning Outcomes Upon successful completion of this course, students will: 1. Explain the origin and development of constitutional democracy in the United States. 2. Demonstrate knowledge of the federal system. 3. Describe separation of powers and checks and balances in both theory and practice. 4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the federal government. 5. Evaluate the role of public opinion, interest groups, and political parties in the political system. 6. Analyze the election process. 7. Describe the rights and responsibilities of citizens 8. Analyze issues and policies in U.S. politics. 
Core Objectives Communication Skills:  Students will demonstrate effective written, oral and/or 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 
Lecture Topics Outline

Section I:  American Government and Civic Engagement

Political Socialization and Citizen Participation
History Lesson - Articles of Confederation
Four Major Arguments at the Constitutional Convention
Features of the Constitution
Federalism 
Ratification of the Constitution and Amending the Constitution
Four Remarkable Men and Four Major Flaws

Section II:  Formal Institutions - The Three Branches

Supreme Court Make-up Katrina (death of Rehnquist)  to present
Adverbs of the Supreme Court
Presidential Roles and Powers
Electoral College
Presidents Since 1900 (shows party shifts)
Congress
Theories - Elite, Bureaucratic, Pluralist, Rational Choice

Section III:  Voting, Elections, Media, Parties, Interest Groups

History of Political Parties
Modern Era of Politics
Interest Groups
Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens

Section IV:  Civil Rights, Civil Liberties, Domestic Policy (Foreign Policy covered in readings/quizzes)


Religious Freedoms
Civil Liberties: Right to Privacy, Rights of Criminal Defendants, 
Civil Rights through Court cases --Dred Scott (1957) to Brown v. Board (1954)
Contributory and Non-Contributory Programs
Healthcare Policy
Monetary and Fiscal Policy
Four goals of U.S. Economic Policy
Major Assignments Schedule Section I:

Syllabus/Course Overview and Contract   Friday, September 1, 7:30 a.m.
Get Acquainted Discussion Discussion Sunday, September 17, 11:59 p.m.
Four textbook quizzes by September 20, 9:00 a.m. (run from August 28 - September 20, 9:00 a.m.)
Major Exam 1 Monday, September 18, 7:30 a.m.

Section II:

Four textbook quizzes by Wednesday, October 4, 9:00 a.m. (run from September 20 to Wednesday October 4, 9:00 a.m.)
Major Exam 2 On-Line week of October 4

Section III:

Pre-Essay Work  Thursday, October 19 by 11:59 p.m.
Four textbook quizzes by November 8, 9:00 a.m.  (run from October 16 to Wednesday, November 8, 9:00 a.m.)
Major Exam 3 Week of November 6

Section IV:  

Semester Research Essay Sunday, November 1 by 11:59 p.m.
Roundtable Presentations   Sequenced after Thanksgiving break per sign-up
Three textbook quizzes by December 13, 9:00 a.m. (run from November 8 to December 11)
Final Exam Monday, December 11, 7:30 a.m.
Final Exam Date December 11, 2023 - 7:30 AM   Through  December 11, 2023 - 9:00 AM
Grading Scale  90 - 100=A 80 - 89=B  70 - 79=C   60 - 69=D  Below 59 = F
Determination of
Final Grade		 Textbook quizzes   15%                          150 points

Four Major Exams  40%                          400 points  (includes 100 points of written essays)

Written Work           35%
Class contract                                              50 points
Get Acquainted Discussion/Political Song 100 points
Pre-Research Paper                                  100 points
Research Paper                                         100 points

Class Presentation   10%                        100 points
Course Policies
Instructor Policies Course Policies were determined in a contract set between instructor and class.

1.  Cell Phones - they may be out, on the right corner of the desk, face down, on vibrate

2.  Respect
  • No talking over Ms. Jenke or classmates
  • Treat others as you would want to be treated
  • No sleeping
  • Use good listening skills
  • Come to class prepared
  • Consider different perspectives of those around you
  • No earbuds or headphones
  • Drinks must have a lid; eating may not be a distraction
3.  Assignments and Due Dates:  follow and adhere to the due dates.  Late work is not acceptable.  (Ms. Jenke has discretion on emergencies and extenuating circumstances)

4.  Plagiarism and Cheating:
  • It is the student's responsibility to learn to cite appropriately
  • No copy and paste unless it is a quote, with quotation marks and appropriate citation
  • NO cheating on assignments, research papers, exams
  • Screenshots of quiz questions or exam questions is cheating

5.  Other:  It is best practice to check emails and blackboard daily for announcements and reminders
Attendance Policy This is a hybrid course.  Attendance is very important.  If you need to miss a class, especially due to a school-excused function, please email instructor to attend the alternate class day.  
Some notes will be on-line, but those that were covered in class will most likely not be posted on-line.  It is the student's responsibility to get the lecture notes presented in class. 
Additional Information
Institutional Policies
MyLSCPA Be sure to check your campus email and Course Homepage using MyLSCPA campus web portal. You can also access your grades, transcripts, academic advisors, degree progress, and other services through MyLSCPA.
Academic Honesty Academic honesty is expected from all students, and dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. Please consult the LSCPA policies (Academic Dishonesty section in the Student Handbook) for consequences of academic dishonesty.
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.
COVID 19 Information The Lamar State College Port Arthur (LSCPA) Student Code of Conduct COVID 19 Policy requires students who have been diagnosed with COVID 19 to report their condition directly to their local health department. Students should also contact their course faculty to report their quarantine status. In addition, this policy requires all students to wear face coverings when directly exposed to COVID 19 in compliance with the criteria included in the policy. For more information please refer to the COVID 19 link on the LSCPA website.
Facility Policies No food or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom. Only students enrolled in the course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission. Use of electronic devices is prohibited.
HB 2504 This syllabus is part of LSCPA's efforts to comply with Texas House Bill 2504.
Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect As per Texas law and LSCPA policy, all LSCPA employees, including faculty, are required to report allegations or disclosures of child abuse or neglect to the designated authorities, which may include a local or state law enforcement agency or the Texas Department of Family Protective Services. For more information about mandatory reporting requirements, see LSCPA's Policy and Procedure Manual.
Title IX and Sexual Misconduct LSCPA is committed to establishing and maintaining an environment that is free from all forms of sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, sexual violence, and other forms of sexual misconduct. All LSCPA employees, including faculty, have the responsibility to report disclosures of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, sexual assault (including rape and acquaintance rape), domestic violence, dating violence, relationship violence, or stalking, to LSCPA's Title IX Coordinator, whose role is to coordinate the college's response to sexual misconduct. For more information about Title IX protections, faculty reporting responsibilities, options for confidential reporting, and the resources available for support visit LSCPA's Title IX website.
Clery Act Crime Reporting For more information about the Clery Act and crime reporting, see the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report and the Campus Security website.
Grievance / Complaint / Concern If you have a grievance, complaint, or concern about this course that has not been resolved through discussion with the Instructor, please consult the Department Chair.
Department Information
Dual Enrollment
Chair:Steven Zani
Email:zanisj@lamarpa.edu
Phone:(409) 984-6431