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Spring 2022 Course Syllabus
Course: GOVT-2305- Section: 03 Federal Government |
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| Instructor Information | |||||||||||
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| Instructor | Nathaniel Crosby | ||||||||||
| crosbyna@lamarpa.edu | |||||||||||
| Phone | 4099846330 | ||||||||||
| Office |
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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 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. | ||||||||||
| Prerequisites | None | ||||||||||
| Learning Outcomes |
Successful students: 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. |
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| Core Objectives |
1. Communication skills: Students will demonstrate effective written, oral and visual communication. 2. 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. 3. Social Responsibility: Students will demonstrate intercultural competency and civic knowledge by engaging effectively in local, regional, national and/or global communities. 4. 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 | . | ||||||||||
| 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.
Kurtz, Glen. 2021. American Government 3e. Houston: OpenStax |
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| Lecture Topics Outline |
Week 1: Political Culture Week 2: Constitutional Democracy and American Exceptionalism Week 3: Federalism and Immigration Week 4: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights Week 5: Public Opinion, Voting, and Elections Week 6: Race in America Week 7: The Media and Political Parties Week 8: Interest Groups, Lobbying, and Gender in America Week 9: Spring Break Week 10: Congress and Party Systems Week 11: The Presidency and the Electoral College Week 12: The Courts Week 13: State and Local Government and the Bureaucracy Week 14: Domestic and Foreign Policy Week 15: Presentations Week 16: Presentations Week 17: Final Exam |
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| Major Assignments Schedule |
The schedule is tentative and subject to change. Week 1, 01/17 - 01/21: Introduction and Political Culture � Tuesday - Introduction � Thursday - Chapter 1 Kurtz � Quiz 1 and Introduction Paper are Due Sunday at 11:59pm Week 2, 01/24 - 01/28: Constitutional Democracy and American Exceptionalism � Tuesday - Chapter 2 Kurtz � Thursday - American Exceptionalism Discussion Lecture & Research Paper Draft Day � Faultlines Chapter 1 (American Exceptionalism) Discussion Forum Due Sunday at 11:59pm � Quiz 2 Due Sunday at 11:59pm Week 3, 01/31 - 02/04: Federalism and Immigration � Tuesday - Chapter 3 Kurtz � Thursday - Immigration Discussion Lecture � Faultlines Chapter 3 (Immigration) Discussion Forum Due Sunday at 11:59pm � Quiz 3 Due Sunday at 11:59pm Week 4, 02/07 - 02/11: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights � Tuesday - Chapter 4 Kurtz � Thursday - Chapter 5 Kurtz � Quiz 4 Due Sunday at 11:59pm Week 5, 02/14 - 02/18: Public Opinion, Voting, and Elections � Tuesday - Chapter 6 Kurtz � Thursday - Chapter 7 Kurtz � Quiz 5 Due Sunday at 11:59pm Week 6, 02/21 - 02/25: Race in America and MIDTERM � Tuesday - Midterm Review and Race in America Discussion Lecture � Thursday - MIDTERM MULTIPLE CHOICE IN CLASS � ESSAYS DUE AT MIDNIGHT ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH AT MIDNIGHT � Multiple Readings on Blackboard (Race in America) Discussion Forum Due Sunday at 11:59pm � No Quiz Due This Week! Week 7, 02/28 - 03/04: The Media and Political Parties � Tuesday - Chapter 8 Kurtz � Thursday - Chapter 9 Kurtz � Quiz 6 Due Sunday at 11:59pm Week 8, 03/07 - 03/11: Interest Groups, Lobbying, and Gender in America � Tuesday - Chapter 10 Kurtz � Thursday - Gender in America Discussion Lecture � Multiple Readings on Blackboard (Gender in America) Discussion Due Sunday at 11:59pm � Quiz 7 Due Sunday at 11:59pm Week 9, 03/14 - 03/18: SPRING BREAK Week 10, 03/21 - 03/25: Congress and Party Systems � Tuesday - Chapter 11 Kurtz � Thursday - Party Systems Discussion Lecture � Chapter 11 Faultlines (Two- vs. Multi-party Systems) Discussion Due Sunday at 11:59pm � Quiz 8 Due Sunday at 11:59pm Week 11, 03/28 - 04/01: The Presidency and the Electoral College � Tuesday - Chapter 12 Kurtz � Thursday - Electoral College Discussion Lecture � Faultlines Chapter 6 (Electoral College) Discussion Due Sunday at 11:59pm � Quiz 9 Due Sunday at 11:59pm Week 12, 04/04 - 04/08: The Courts � Tuesday - Chapter 13 Kurtz � Thursday - Class Picked Topic Discussion Lecture � Quiz 10 Due Sunday at 11:59pm Week 13, 04/11 - 04/15: State and Local Government & The Bureaucracy � Tuesday - Chapter 14 Kurtz � Thursday - Chapter 15 Kurtz � Quiz 11 Due Sunday at 11:59pm Week 14, 04/18 - 04/22: Domestic and Foreign Policy � Tuesday - Chapter 16 Kurtz � Thursday - Chapter 17 Kurtz � Quiz 12 Due Sunday at 11:59pm Week 15, 04/25 - 04/29: Foreign Policy � Tuesday - Class Picked Topic Discussion Lecture � Thursday - Research Paper Work Day � RESEARCH PAPER DUE AT MIDNIGHT ON SUNDAY, MAY 1ST AT MIDNIGHT � Final Exam Essays Open � No Quiz this week Week 16, 05/02 - 05/06: Paper Presentations � Tuesday - Paper Presentations � Thursday - Paper Presentations and Final Review � FINAL EXAM ESSAYS DUE AT MIDNIGHT ON FRIDAY MAY 6th Week 17, 05/09 - 05/13: Final Review � Tuesday - Final Exam Multiple Choice � Thursday - Paper Presentations Extra Day |
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| Final Exam Date | December 10, 2022 - 2:0 PM Through May 10, 2022 - 4:0 PM | ||||||||||
| Grading Scale |
A = 100-90 B = 89-80 C = 79-70 D = 69-60 F = 59 and below |
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| Determination of Final Grade |
? 5% Introduction Paper ? 10% Attendance ? 10% Discussion Boards ? 25% Weekly Quizzes ? 15% Research Paper ? 15% Midterm Exam ? 20% Final Exam |
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| Course Policies | |||||||||||
| Instructor Policies |
Course Policies During Class Activities that are disruptive to class will not be tolerated. Arriving late for class, reading newspapers, speaking while others are speaking, packing prior to the end of class, and cell phones are all highly disruptive. Cell phones, ipods, and other similar devices must be turned off during class, unless previously approved by the instructor. Laptops may be used for note-taking only; use of laptops for purposes other than note-taking will result in the banning of laptops from the classroom. In addition, students are encouraged to discuss and express opinions on the many issues, some controversial, that are covered in class. Although differing opinions are encouraged, I will not tolerate any attacks of a personal nature or statements that single out students based on their race, gender, religion, age, ethnicity, nationality, abilities, appearance, or sexual orientation. Any student engaging in disruptive or disrespectful activities will be asked to leave the classroom, if it continues after the first warning and removal, you will no longer be welcome in attending this course. 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 course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission. Outside of Class Emailing the Instructor or Classmates When emailing or contacting anyone involved with this course, especially the instructor, allow for 48 hours before resubmitting an email or request. You should not expect an email over the weekend, even if an assignment is due. The instructor or your classmate may check their email over the weekend, but is not obliged to respond to your email at that time. If you have questions, it is best to get those emails in prior to the weekend. Online Decorum All members of this class are expected to provide the same level of respect to their classmates in person as well as online in the discussion forums. Failure to respect your classmates or instructor can be treated with any penalty similar to those outlined for in class behavior. Grading Timetable The instructor will, to the best of their abilities, have all graded assignments back to students within 2 weeks of the due date. If there are unforeseen circumstances, the instructor will inform the class of the delay in receiving their work back prior to the two week deadline. Please refrain from emailing the instructor about grades during that two week window. Once grades are posted, the instructor will inform the class either by email or by an announcement in class. Computer Requirement Policy: Students are required to have a computer with Internet access for classes. The computer must be an actual computer � smart phones, iPads, Androids, Chromebooks, etc., are not acceptable substitutes because they lack software compatibility necessary to complete all assignments and tests. Financial costs for the necessary equipment and internet access are the responsibility of the student. Computer systems requirements: � Webcam, microphone, and speakers or headphones � Windows 10 or a recent version of Mac OS (minimum Sierra). Windows 10 S mode is not supported (Contact professor to upgrade from S to regular Windows 10) Hardware capable of running Microsoft Teams (free download) and supports multi-media playback � Support for Chrome or Microsoft Edge � Note: Firefox, Safari, or other browsers may not work on all LSCPA applications � Able to run Microsoft Office which will be provided free to TC students � Adobe Reader or another PDF viewer � Antivirus software such as Windows Defender or another 3rd party anti-virus solution Students should regularly backup content to prevent loss of coursework due to hardware failure. Backup copies of documents and other coursework may be placed on OneDrive cloud storage. OneDrive is included free of charge for all LSCPA students. Alternative Operations during Campus Closure In the event of an emergency or announced campus closure due to a natural disaster or pandemic, Lamar State College - Port Arthur may need to move to altered operations and course delivery methods. During this time, Lamar State College - Port Arthur may opt to continue delivery of instruction through methods that include, but are not limited to: online learning management system Blackboard, online conferencing through TEAMS, email messaging, and/or an alternate schedule. It is the responsibility of the student to monitor Lamar State College - Port Arthur�s website for instructions about continuing courses remotely, instructor email notifications on the method of delivery and course-specific communication, and LSCPA email notifications for important general information. COVID-19 Online/Virtual Environment Instructional Commitment The ongoing COVID-19 situation will require that some course materials and instruction are provided through an online and/or virtual format. Even if all or a portion of a class was originally scheduled to meet face to face, social distancing guidelines associated with COVID-19 will limit the number of students who are able to attend face to face classes in person simultaneously. Further, circumstances associated with COVID-19 could cause the college to be forced to shift completely to an online and/or virtual delivery at any time during the semester. While LSCPA faculty members are committed to providing students the option of face to face instruction if possible, students should be prepared to continue their classes in an online and/or virtual environment if necessary. Lamar State College - Port Arthur is committed to maintaining engaging, high quality instruction regardless of the delivery format. The Lamar State College - Port Arthur 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 COVID-19 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. Make-up Exams and Missed Assignments Missed exams will be excused and made-up after the fact in case of illness or personal emergency only with proper documentation. Please contact the instructor as soon as possible if an emergency arises that prevents you from taking the exam. If you can not take the exam at the time it�s listed, contact the professor AS SOON AS POSSIBLE to reschedule when you can take it. You must have an actual excuse not just a desire to take it at a different time. Exams missed due to university sponsored events or religious holidays may also be excused, provided that the student informs me of the absence at least two weeks in advance. Vacation (e.g. leaving early for fall, spring or semester break) and social engagements will not be excused. Absolutely no excuse will be accepted for late assignments or missed exams, unless they are formally approved by the university. There will be no exceptions to this policy. Additionally, the documentation must explicitly state that the student was unable to attend class on the date in question. Students must provide proper documentation and make-up the missed assignment (or exam) within two weeks of the originally scheduled date. Failure to do so will result in a zero. Makeup exams may differ significantly in both structure and content from the original exam. Missed Quizzes and Discussions will not be accepted a late unless there is severe illness or personal emergency that takes the whole week that the assignment is open. The student�s two lowest quiz grades will be drop at the end of the semester, therefore do not request for quizzes to be reopened because of personal failures in submitting it on time. Extra Credit Opportunity 1 By Thursday, February 3rd, submit to the professor in person a 250-350 word summary of the missed assignments policy for this course. Academic Integrity and Honesty Scholastic dishonesty, involving but not limited to cheating on a test, plagiarism, collusion, or falsification of records will make the student liable for disciplinary action after being investigated by the Dean of Students. Proven violations of this nature will result in the student being dropped from the class with an �F�. This policy applies campus wide, including LSCPA Testing Center, as well as off-campus classroom or lab sites, including dual credit campuses. This information can be found in the Student Handbook at https://lscpa.edu. Don�t cheat. Don�t be that guy. Yes, you. You know exactly what I�m talking about. You will also be required to complete an Plagiarism Contract that was provided to you with this syllabus. It must be signed and returned to the instructor if you wish to have ANY of your assignments graded. Religious Observances Texas House Bill 256 regarding religious observances requires that faculty and the university make every effort to reasonably and fairly deal with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance. Students are advised to notify the course instructor well in advance of the conflict and must make-up the missed assignment within two weeks of the original due date. Disability Act Statement Lamar State College - Port Arthur complies with all provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act and makes reasonable accommodations upon request. 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 Special Populations Coordinator, Room 231, in the Madison Monroe Building. The phone number is (409) 984-6241. If you have an accommodation letter from their office indicating that you have a disability which requires academic accommodations, please present it to me so we can discuss the accommodations that you might need for this class. It is best to request these changes at the beginning if not before the start of class so there is ample time to make the accommodations. |
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| Attendance Policy |
Lamar State College - Port Arthur?s absentee policy allows instructors deciding attendance policies as it fits with the overall view of the department and college. Therefore, you are expected to follow the attendance policy as provide Here. If a student leaves and returns during class or leaves the class before the class is over, they may be considered absent. Faculty members are not obligated to provide opportunities for students to make-up missed assignments and tests as a result of a student?s absence from class. Attendance will be taken at the beginning of the class every day. A roll sheet will be passed out to all students to sign. If a student is caught signing for another student, they will be treated as if they did not attend the lecture meeting as well as the student they attempted to sign for. If a student is late or missed class, it is their responsibility to notify me. A student is allowed a maximum of 4 absences (which constitutes 2 classes per week). Any more than 4 absences could result in the student?s final grade being lowered a letter grade for every additional unexcused absence. A student should not stop attending a class without formally withdrawing from the course by the institution?s published Last Day for Students to Drop. If a student stops attending after the published Last Day for Students to Drop, the student may receive a grade of "F" in the class. The professor will submit the last date of attendance for students receiving a grade of "F" or "W". Withdrawal from a course(s) may affect a student?s current or future financial aid eligibility. Students should consult the Financial Aid Office to learn both short and long term consequences of a withdrawal. |
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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 |
Alternative Operations during Campus Closure In the event of an emergency or announced campus closure due to a natural disaster or pandemic, Lamar State College - Port Arthur may need to move to altered operations and course delivery methods. During this time, Lamar State College - Port Arthur may opt to continue delivery of instruction through methods that include, but are not limited to: online learning management system Blackboard, online conferencing through TEAMS, email messaging, and/or an alternate schedule. It is the responsibility of the student to monitor Lamar State College - Port Arthur?s website for instructions about continuing courses remotely, instructor email notifications on the method of delivery and course-specific communication, and LSCPA email notifications for important general information. COVID-19 Online/Virtual Environment Instructional Commitment The ongoing COVID-19 situation will require that some course materials and instruction are provided through an online and/or virtual format. Even if all or a portion of a class was originally scheduled to meet face to face, social distancing guidelines associated with COVID-19 will limit the number of students who are able to attend face to face classes in person simultaneously. Further, circumstances associated with COVID-19 could cause the college to be forced to shift completely to an online and/or virtual delivery at any time during the semester. While LSCPA faculty members are committed to providing students the option of face to face instruction if possible, students should be prepared to continue their classes in an online and/or virtual environment if necessary. Lamar State College - Port Arthur is committed to maintaining engaging, high quality instruction regardless of the delivery format. The Lamar State College - Port Arthur 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 COVID-19 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. |
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| HB 2504 | This syllabus is part of LSC-PA's efforts to comply with Texas House Bill 2504. | ||||||||||
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