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NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE
COURSE SYLLABUS
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On-Line
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Course Title:
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American State & Local Government
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Course Prefix & Number:
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GOVT2306
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Section Number:
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233
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Semester/Year:
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Dec-Mester 2018
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Semester Credit Hours:
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3
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Lecture Hours:
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3
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Lab Hours:
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0
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Course Description (NCTC Catalog):
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.
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Course Prerequisite(s): None
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Required or Recommended Course Materials:
Champagne-Harpham. Governing Texas. 3rd edition. Norton. Paperback
ISBN: 9780393283679 or 2-hole punch ISBN: 9280393616477
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INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
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Name of Instructor:
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Kevin Davis
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Campus/Office Location:
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Flower Mound / Room #107 – Cubicle #4
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Telephone Number:
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972-899-8410
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E-mail Address:
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kdavis@nctc.edu
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OFFICE HOURS – Will be checking most every day
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Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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6pm – 7pm
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6pm-7pm
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6pm-7pm
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STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (From Academic Course Guide Manual/NCTC Catalog
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At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
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Explain the origin and development of the Texas Constitution.
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Demonstrate an understanding of state and local political systems and their relationship with the federal government.
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Describe separation of powers and checks and balances in both theory and practice in Texas.
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Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of Texas government.
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Evaluate the role of public opinion, interest groups, and political parties in Texas.
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Analyze the state and local election process.
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Identify the rights and responsibilities of citizens
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Analyze issues, policies, and political culture of Texas.
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Research and compose an essay assignment/argument using proper grammar/English and basic computer skills.
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GRADING CRITERIA
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# of Graded Course Elements
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Graded Course Elements
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Percentage or Point Values
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10
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Participation Assignments & Pre/Post Quiz
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10 pts / 100 pts
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13 Chaps
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Chapter Exercises
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Vari pts / 251 pts
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13
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Chapter Post Tests
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20 pts / 260 pts
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3
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Discussion
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50 pts / 150 pts
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2
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Research Papers
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50 pts / 100 pts
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2
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Midterm Exams
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100 pts / 200 pts
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1
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Final Exam
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100 pts
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COURSE SUBJECT OUTLINE
WATCH your Due Dates! Participation Assignments are due all the time, and are pretty much all or nothing. Chapter Exercises are due every couple days. If you are late, the assignment is only open for a few hours after the deadline. After that, it will close forever.
Discussions will occur every weekend, and will be open until 11:59pm Sunday night. They will be on the Discussion Board, but you can get there from the Assignment page. More info below.
Two short research papers are due in a couple weeks, and are a significant chunk of your grade.
Midterms and the Final Exam will be 100 points each and count for about 1/3 of your grade!
You will get ONE Mulligan for TECHNICAL Reasons ONLY, if something happens during an exam, I can reset, but ONLY once. Be sure to find out why you lost your connection and fix it, or switch to a secure location/computer/modem. Plagiarism/Cheating/Collusion will NOT be tolerated and will result in a Zero for that assignment and a report to the Dean for Disciplinary Action.
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This is a TENTATIVE Schedule which is subject to change W/O notice due to unforeseen events.
December 17th – First Day of Class
December 25th & 26th – 1st Midterm Exam - Module #1 – Intro & Chapters 1-4 – Exam will open at noon on December 25th and close at 11:59pm on December 26th.
December 27th – Last Day to Withdraw from Course.
December 30th – Research Paper #1 due through CANVAS by 11:59pm
January 1st & 2nd – Second Midterm Exam - Module #2 - Chapters 5-8 - Exam will open at noon on January 1st and close at 11:59pm on January 2nd.
January 6th – Research Paper #2 due by 11:59pm.
January 9th & 10th – Final Exam - Module #3 - Chapters 9-13 - Exam will open at noon on January 9th and close at 11:59pm on January 10th.
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If you cannot meet these dates/deadlines, then drop this course.
DISABILITY SERVICES (Office for Students with Disabilities)
The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides support services for students with disabilities, students enrolled in technical areas of study, and students who are classified as special populations (i.e. single parents).
Support services for students with disabilities might include appropriate and reasonable accommodations, or they may be in the form of personal counseling, academic counseling, career counseling, etc. Furthermore, OSD Counselors work with students to encourage self-advocacy and promote empowerment. The Counselors also provides resource information, disability-related information, and adaptive technology for students who qualify.
For support, please contact the counselors at (940) 498-6207 or (940) 668-4321. Alternatively, students may stop by Room 170 in Corinth or Room 110 in Gainesville.
Regular attendance on-line is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered. It is the student responsibility to provide documentation as to the emergency for approval and judgement by the faculty member. Approved college sponsored activities are the only absences for which a student should not be held liable and only when provided by a college official ahead of the absence. Valid reasons for absence, however, do not relieve the student of the responsibility for making up required work. Students will not be allowed to make up an examination missed due to absence unless they have reasons acceptable to the instructor. A student who is compelled to be absent when a test is given should petition the instructor, in advance if possible, for permission to postpone the exam. Student will be dropped from a class by the Registrar upon recommendation of the instructor who feels the student has been justifiably absent or tardy a sufficient number of times to preclude meeting the course’s objectives. Persistent, unjustified absences from classes or laboratories will be considered sufficient cause for College officials to drop a student from the rolls of the College. From Board Policy FC (LOCAL)
Regular attendance on-line is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered. Absence does not relieve the student of the responsibility for making up required work. Dropping a course is the student's responsibility, but you MAY be dropped for excessive absence. See Attendance Regulations in the North Central Texas College Catalog.
Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is December 27, 2018.
CORE CURRICULUM FOUNDATIONAL COMPONENT AREA (For classes in the Core)_______
o Communication
o Mathematics
o Life and Physical Science
o Language, Philosophy & Culture
o Creative Arts
X Government/Political Science
o Social and Behavioral Sciences
o Component Area Option
o American History
REQUIRED CORE OBJECTIVES (For classes in the Core)
X Critical Thinking
o Communication
o Empirical and Quantitative
o Teamwork
X Personal Responsibility
X Social Responsibility
o Academic General Education Course (from ACGM but not in NCTC Core)
X Academic NCTC Core Curriculum Course
o WECM Course
Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the student handbook and published online.
Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, academic falsification, intellectual property dishonesty, academic dishonesty facilitation and collusion. Faculty members may document and bring charges against a student who is engaged in or is suspected to be engaged in academic dishonesty. See Student Handbook, “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct ([FLB(LOCAL)]”.
QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, or COMPLAINTS
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Name of Division Chair:
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Crystal R.M. Wright
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Office Location:
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Gainesville Campus, Room 824
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Telephone Number:
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940-668-7731, ext. 4320
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E-mail Address:
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cwright@nctc.edu
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Name of Instructional Dean:
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Dr. Bruce King
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Office Location:
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Gainesville Campus
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Telephone Number:
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940-498-6464
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E-mail Address:
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bking@nctc.edu
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Rumsfeld’s Unknown Speech
"As we know, there are known knowns. These are things we know. These are things we know we know… We also know there are known unknowns. That is to say, we know there are some things we do not know… But there are also unknown unknowns, the ones we don't know, we don't know." – Donald Rumsfeld
Discussions:
Every student should participate in discussions. (Students will be expected to participate with an original post and at least one reply to another student.) Discussions will be open all week and due on Sunday night at 11:59pm. There are 3 discussions worth 50 points each (35 pts for your original post and 15 pts for your reply.)
Although there is no real wrong answer to these questions, you will NOT get points for fluff, opinions without facts, or extremely biased “just because” pieces. I will take off points for derogatory language, answers that are too short, poorly worded, or use little to no research.
Remember EVERYONE is entitled to their opinions, so there is no need to get nasty about them. We can always agree to disagree, but the best opinions are those you can defend.
Each discussion is worth 50 points, and points are assigned as follows:
Original post (35 pts):
10 points - Argued your own side and used sources to validate your points.
10 points – Grammar, spelling and syntax is good with no awkward sentences.
5 points – Length correct. (at least 500 words, but no more than 1000)
5 points – Cite at least three (3) sources for your discussion.
5 points – Be civil and do not use demeaning/dismissive language.
Reply (15 pts):
5 points – Tell us why you agree, or disagree, with the post.
5 points – Grammar, spelling and syntax is good with no awkward sentences.
5 points – Length correct. (at least 300 words, but no more than 500)
GOVT 2306 - Research Paper – December-mester, 2018
Research Paper will consist of a 1000 to 1200 word paper from the assigned topic listed below. Please choose your words carefully and make sure your paper is no longer than 1400 words with your citations. Put your name at the top, skip a line and then start writing. Be sure to focus on relevant information and not extraneous personal information like exact birth dates, siblings, pets, mother’s/father’s occupation, etc. Make sure your discussion is significant to the topic at hand and researches/discusses both sides of each issue. In your conclusion, discuss your own opinions on the subject; for or against, etc. and justify that conclusion!
Make sure to cite ALL your quotes, and use APA or MLA format for citations/sources. Failure to cite your quotes is plagiarism, and you will be counted off for that. Also, do not cite more than 10%, or 100 words, of your paper. Using encyclopedias and encyclopedic websites (wikipedia.com or about.com), or grade school websites, will count against you! Do NOT quote your instructor or textbook. This is supposed to be OUTSIDE research, so make good use of the books, magazines, journals, reports, and government/education websites.
Each paper is worth 50 points towards your final grade, and points are assigned as follows:
6 points - Is the length correct?
15 points - Covered subject matter w/o grammatical, spelling, or sentence errors?
10 points - Is there a conclusion? Was it a high, quality conclusion?
4 points - 4 or more good sources? (You will lose points for using wikipedia.com, about.com, or any encyclopedic site, as a source. You also lose points for using your textbook or instructor as a source.)
15 points - Quality of your paper. (Answers the questions, sticks to subject, no excessive quoting, no awkward spots, and has good flow?)
Papers will be submitted through Canvas by 11:59pm on the day it is due. If you miss the deadline, you can e-mail it to me, but I will 5 points for EVERY day that it is late. It is YOUR responsibility to make sure YOUR paper is submitted by the deadline.
Paper #1 Due December 30th – Texas has been fighting an “Open Border” and “Sanctuary Cities” for years now. Just last session the Legislature passed a law banning Sanctuary Cities in Texas. What exactly is a Sanctuary City, and how were cities affected by the new law? San Antonio is being charged with violating the new Sanctuary City law. What did they do wrong?
Many claim Texas has Open Borders, and we need a wall? We have been seeing record border crossings and Texas is spending an additional $800 million for border security, so why are we NOT secure? What has the extra money accomplished? Shouldn’t we get MORE Federal help? Do we still need a wall, or are their other ideas?
In your conclusion, discuss whether we need to ban Sanctuary Cities, and if we need a Wall. Also, should Texas continue to spend an additional $800 million on Border Security, especially since that is supposed to be a Federal job? Although your conclusion is your opinion, be careful NOT to use “I” or “we.” Personal pronouns should not be used in a formal research paper, which this is, even though it is a bit short. Just say it like you mean it, and it is a fact.
Paper #2 Due January 6th – Recently Dallas/DFW was in the running for Amazon’s HQ2, but lost to Crystal City, Virginia and Queens in NYC. The major reason for losing the HQ2 was Amazon’s lack of faith that the area could provide a steady stream of educated workers in the future. What is the state of Texas’ education? What are the current trends we are seeing over the last few decades? How are our Test Scores? Do we need to change course, or are there just a few problems to address? (Lots of this has to do with money, and Gov Abbott has a new plan to reduce Property Taxes, which is a main source of revenue for our schools. The plan also cuts funding for schools. Be sure to discuss this new plan, and if you endorse it, or not.)
Although your conclusion is your opinion be careful NOT to use “I” or “we.” Personal pronouns should not be used in a formal research paper, which this is, even though it is a bit short. Just say it like you mean it, and it is a fact.
If you have any questions, please ask!
Grading Scale: 1161 total points possible
A = 1033+ pts B = 1032 – 917 pts C = 916 – 801 pts D = 800 – 685 pts F = 684 or less
All NCTC campuses will be closed from December 19th to January 1st and will reopen on January 2nd.
Helpful Phone #’s for Flower Mound:
Admissions: 972-899-8430
Business Office: 972-899-8403
Counseling/Testing: 972-899-8412
Financial Aid: 972-899-8400
FM Director: 972-899-8402
Library: 972-899-8413
Kevin Davis: 972-899-8410
Email: kdavis@nctc.edu
Address: 1200 Parker Square, Flower Mound, Texas 75028