Fall 2024 Course Syllabus Course: GOVT-2306 (Section: 1E, CRN: 93203) Texas Government

Instructor Information
Instructor	Shannon Tanner
Email	tannerst@lamarpa.edu
Phone	(409) 984-6330
Office	Educational I - Room: 113
Office Hours	Monday & Wednesdays 11:00am-12:00pm; Tuesdays and Thursdays 11:00am-1:00pm; Fridays and online by appointment.
Additional Contact Information
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.
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. Texas Government 2.0 OER Commons https://oercommons.org/courseware/8453
Additional Materials/Resources	None.
Corequisites/Prerequisites	None
Learning Outcomes	Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to 1.      Explain the origin and development of the Texas constitution. 2.      Describe state and local political systems and their relationship with the federal government 3.      Describe separation of powers and checks and balances in both theory and practice in Texas 4.      Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of Texas government 5.      Evaluate the role of public opinion, interest groups, and political parties in Texas. 6.      Analyze the state and local election process. 7.      Identify the rights and responsibilities of citizens. 8.      Analyze issues, policies and political culture of Texas.
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. * Empirical and Quantitative Skills: Students will demonstrate applications of scientific and mathematical concepts. * Teamwork: Students will demonstrate the ability to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal and consider different points of view. * Social Responsibility: Students will demonstrate intercultural competency and civic knowledge by engaging effectively in local, regional, national and/or global communities.
Lecture Topics Outline	Introduction-Course Syllabus The Social and Economic Environment of Texas Politics Texas Government and Politics in the Federalist System; The Texas Constitution Local Government in Texas The Texas Legislature The Texas Executive The Texas Bureaucracy The Texas Judiciary Voting and Political Participation in Texas Elections and Campaigns in Texas Texas and the Electoral College The Party System in Texas Interest Groups in Texas Mass Media in Texas Politics Contemporary Policy Issues in Texas
Major Assignments Schedule	DATE TOPIC READINGS (Due on this Date) ASSIGNMENTS (Due on this Date) August 26-Sept 1 Introduction-Course Syllabus The Social and Economic Environment of Texas Politics Unit #1 in Textbook   Sept 3-8 Texas Government and Politics in the Federalist System;   Unit #2 in Textbook   Sept 9-15 The Texas Constitution   Reading Quiz Sept 16-22 Review Current Events Extra Credit Opportunity Exam #1   Unit #1 Assignment By 11:59pm on September 22nd Sept 23-29 Local Government in Texas Unit #6 in Textbook     Sept 30-Oct 6 The Texas Legislature The Texas Executive Unit #3 & 4 in Textbook Reading Quiz Oct 7-13 The Texas Bureaucracy The Texas Judiciary Unit #5 in Textbook Unit Assignment #2 Due by 11:59pm on Sunday, October 13th   Oct 14-20 Review Current Events Extra Credit Opportunity Exam #2     Oct 21-27 Voting and Political Participation in Texas Unit #7 in your Textbook   Oct 28-Nov 3 Elections and Campaigns in Texas; Texas and the Electoral College Unit #8 in your Textbook   Nov 4-10 The Party System in Texas Interest Groups in Texas Units #10 & 11 in your Textbook Reading Quiz Nov 11-17 Review Current Events Extra Credit Opportunity Exam #3   Unit Assignment #3 Due by 11:59pm on Sunday, November 17th   Nov 18-24 Project Presentations   Semester Project Final Papers Due by 11:59pm on Sunday, November 24th   Nov 25-Dec 1 Thanksgiving Week       Dec 2-8 Mass Media in Texas Politics Chapters 12 & 13 Unit Assignment #4 Due by 11:59pm on Sunday, December 8th Dec 9-13 Contemporary Policy Issues in Texas Review; Current Events Extra Credit Opportunity; Exam #4 Chapter 14
Final Exam Date	December 12, 2024 - 8:00 AM   Through  December 12, 2024 - 1:00 PM
Grading Scale	90 - 100=A 80 - 89=B  70 - 79=C   60 - 69=D  Below 59 = F
Determination of Final Grade	Exams.........................................40% Unit Assignments.......................20% Semester Project/Paper.............20% Quizzes.......................................20%
Course Policies
Instructor Policies	Make-up work and exams are given at the discretion of the Instructor. In cases of personal illness or emergency, with proper documentation, the instructor will allow make-up work, provided the student requests one immediately upon return to class.   Students must be on time and in their seat at the start of class to be counted present. Students arriving after the roll is called will be counted absent for that class period. Students who arrive tardy on exam days may not be permitted to enter the class or take the exam with the rest of the class and must contact the instructor for a make-up exam.   Late work is not accepted in this course, unless due to verifiable personal illness or emergency and always at the discretion of the instructor.   Activities that are disruptive to class will not be tolerated. Arriving late for class, reading newspapers, watching streaming services or playing video games, speaking while others are speaking, packing prior to the end of class and cell phones are highly disruptive. Cell phones, I-pods and other similar devices must be turned off during class, unless previously approved by the instructor. Any student engaging in disruptive behavior will be asked to leave the classroom.   Eating and smoking are not allowed in class. This includes the use of e-cigarettes or other forms of vaping. Only students enrolled in the class are allowed inside the classroom.   Laptops may be used for notetaking only. Use of laptops for purposes other than notetaking will result in the banning of all laptops from the classroom.   In this course we will frequently discuss current events, and at times, some students may find these topics controversial. It is important to keep in mind that different students may come from a different background and therefore may have different experiences and points of view. Students may disagree on these points of view. Disagreements lead to critical thinking, scholarly debates and learning but only when students disagree respectfully. Disrespect towards any person or group of people, whether inside this classroom or out, will not be tolerated. Students may not denigrate or attack any person or single out any person based on race, gender, religion, age, ethnicity, nationality, abilities, appearance, or sexual orientation. Any student behaving disrespectfully will be asked to leave the classroom, reported to the Dean of Student Services and other appropriate administrative officials, and will be forced to apologize to the class before they can return.   The instructor will grade and return all submitted work ASAP, but never longer than 7 days after the assignment is submitted, without notice. Any submitted assignment that is found to have used AI or that is the result of cheating or plagiarism will receive an automatic zero for the assignment and possibly for the course grade.
Attendance Policy	Students should attend every class and attendance will be taken every day at the beginning of every class. As there are valid reasons that students might need to miss class, each student will be allowed three automatically excused absences for the semester. Students who need to miss more than three class days during the semester will have additional absences excused on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the instructor. Any absence not excused by the instructor, after the first 3, will each result in 5 points taken from the student’s final grade for the course. If a student leaves class and returns or leaves class before class is dismissed, the student MAY be counted absent for that 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	General Education and Developmental Studies Chair: Dr. Steven Zani Email: zanisj@lamarpa.edu Phone: (409) 984-6431