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NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE
COURSE SYLLABUS
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Class in Room #202 from 9:30am to 10:50am TR
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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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502
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Semester/Year:
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Spring 2020
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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:
Mora, Sherri. The State of Texas: Government, Politics & Policy. 4th edition. McGraw Hill Publishing, with CONNECT Access code. ISBN 978-1264031993
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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
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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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9:00am – 9:30am
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9:00am – 9:30am
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9:00am – 9:30am
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9:00am – 9:30am
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11am to 1pm
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12:30pm – 2pm
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12:30pm – 2pm
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12:30pm – 2pm
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12:30pm – 2pm
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(online)
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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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14
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Smart Book Chapter Reviews
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5 pts / 70 pts
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10
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Participation Assignments
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10 pts / 100 pts
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2
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Pre-Test & Post-Test
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5 pts / 10 pts
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1
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Debate
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25 pts
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3
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Research Papers / Survey Project
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50 pts / 150pts
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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
Participation Assignments are assigned weekly, and are pretty much all or nothing.
Smart Book Assignments through McGraw Hill done through CONNECT. Cannot accept late work
Sign up for a Debate, and they will be scheduled after the first week of class. More info below.
Three short research papers, or one paper and the two Survey assignments. More info below.
Midterms and the Final Exam will be 100 points each and count for over one-third of your grade!
Make Up Exams will ONLY be made for medical reasons, which are accompanied by a doctor's note on letterhead or a Rx Pad. Make-Up exams will be essay in nature, but will only be worth up to 80 points. Make Up will be given 1 week after the missed exam, or result in an Incomplete if the Final Exam is missed. Students MUST call/email ASAP to arrange this delay.
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 inclement weather or other unforeseen events.
January 20th – MLK Holiday – All Campuses Closed
January 21st – First Day of Class
February 21st – Smart Books Unit #1 - Due by 11:59pm
February 25th – First Midterm Exam - Module #1 – Intro + Chapters 1 - 4
March 6th – Research Paper #1 due through CANVAS by 11:59pm
March 16 - 21 – Spring Break Holiday – All Campuses Closed
April 3rd – Last Day to Withdraw from Course.
April 3rd – Smart Books Unit #2 - Due by 11:59pm
April 7th – Second Midterm Exam - Module #2 - Chapters 5 - 9
April 9th – Research Paper #2 due by 11:59pm OR Survey Cards postmarked.
May 5th – Research Paper #3 OR Survey Input Spreadsheets due by 11:59pm
May 8th – Final Smart Books Unit #3 - Due by 11:59pm
May 14th – Final Exam - Module #3 - Chapters 10 - 14
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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 and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered. All absences are considered to be unauthorized unless the student is absent due to illness or emergencies as determined by the instructor. 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 and punctual attendance 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 April 3, 2020.
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
Debates:
Every student should participate in at least one debate. (Students may elect to participate in a second debate for extra points, but points will only be added if their side “wins” the debate.) We will register for debates the first week of classes, and each student can choose which side to represent on the debate; Pro or Con. (Debate slots are filled based on first-come, first-serve. Extra credit sign-ups will be available after everyone has had a chance.)
The debate is worth 25 points towards your final grade, and points are assigned as follows:
5 points - Argued your own side and gave at least three valid responses.
5 points - Cited facts/research from at least 3 sources during your debate.
5 points - Did not “bait” or ask direct questions of your opponents.
5 points - Open/Close or be especially vocal.
5 points - Won debate according to secret ballot election results.
(At the end of each debate, the electorate (those in class) will vote on which team did the better job. Winner of the secret ballot election gets 5 points, the losers do not. A tie will result in BOTH sides receiving 5 points.)
Students can sign up and participate in a second debate for extra credit. If you are on the winning side, you are awarded an extra 5 points. Those on the losing side, who try, get 1-3 points. Those who lose, and do not try, get no points.
GOVT 2306 - Research Paper – Spring, 2020
Research Papers will consist of three 1000 to 1200-word essays from the assigned topics 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. Here is a good place to find source material: https://www.nctc.edu/library/research-help/subject-guides/government.html 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 (about.com or wikipedia.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 or project is worth 50 points towards your final grade, and paper points are assigned as follows:
5 points – Is the length correct?
12 points – Covered subject matter w/o grammatical, spelling, or sentence errors?
10 points – Is there a conclusion? Was it a high-quality conclusion?
8 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 deduct 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 March 6th – Who are the US Senatorial Candidates running for office in the Texas primaries on March 3rd? John Cornyn is the Republican incumbent, but he has a few challengers. There are several Democratic candidates running against him, but who are the ones that seem to have the best shot according to the polls to become the candidate to run against him in November? Give a brief overview of the main candidates but be sure to mention the minor players as well. Then give me your prediction of who you think will be the two candidates who will face off in November.
Although your conclusion is your opinion be careful NOT to use “I” or “we.” Personal pronouns are not to 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.
Two Options for 2nd part of Research Grade – Due April 9th:
Write and Submit a Second Paper – Lots of people are moving to Texas. Why are they doing that? Or education is not so great. Our pollution is kinda some of the worst. So what draws them here? And how long has this been going on? What affect does a larger population do for the Census and for Texas in general? What are the advantages to a bigger population? Are there disadvantages to a bigger population?
Although your conclusion is your opinion be careful NOT to use “I” or “we.” Personal pronouns are not to 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.
Or Conduct 50 or more surveys with Eligible Texas Voters. Surveys will be provided by your instructor, but you have to get 50 or more individuals to complete them before the deadline. These will be non-partisan surveys about people’s political habits. Any one is eligible to complete the survey as long as they are a US Citizen 18 years of age or older, living in Texas. It is vital that they complete the entire survey and NOT leave out any information. There are no wrong answers and we are NOT here to judge, but just to collect data. Incomplete surveys will NOT be counted. If a participant is NOT eligible to vote, or not of age, or is NOT willing to complete the entire survey, then thank them and move on. (NONE of the information will be used for advertising purposes of any sort and will not be sold or given away. It is all strictly confidential.) I can provide a copy of the survey in an announcement or email attachment, which you can use to make copies, or you can create a survey monkey to collect the data, or I can make the cards and send them to you. (Just give me an address of where to send them.) If you send back hard copies, they need to be postmarked by the due date, sent to my attention, to the address at the bottom of the syllabus.
Also you CANNOT have the same person complete multiple surveys! Each survey MUST be unique, so make sure the person taking the survey has NOT taken it already THIS semester. If they took the survey in the Fall Semester, that is fine.
(This is NOT for everyone, and you can change your mind at any point. Do NOT choose this option if you are going to just make stuff up. If I find out you intentionally fabricated survey information, I will give you a zero for the entire assignment, throw out all your info, report you to the Dean for cheating and withdraw you from this class.)
Two Options for 3rd part of Research Grade – Due May 5th:
Write and Submit a Third Paper – America was founded on the idea that we are a country that is supposed to welcome immigrants, since we were founded by immigrants and immigration has always been a huge part of our national growth. The poem on the Statue of Liberty expresses how many have felt about immigration to the US in the past, but not so much today. Today Texas is pushing to secure our border and just recently Governor Abbott has “CLOSED” Texas to settling new immigrants into Texas. Is this legal? Is this right? How do most Texans feel about this? Should continue these kinds of policies into the future, or not, and why?
Although your conclusion is your opinion be careful NOT to use “I” or “we.” Personal pronouns are not to 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.
Only for those who feel comfortable and conducted surveys, you can Input Your 50 or so Surveys into an Excel Spreadsheet. For those of you who gathered your information electronically you can now put the information into an Excel spreadsheet for inclusion in the database. For those who completed hard copies, I can either mail them back to you, or you can do the third research paper. Look at the example of how to quantify the information for all 50+ surveys in the Announcement Section. For example, a “Yes” answer will be a 1, and a “No” is a 2, etc… (see example in the Announcement section, or I can email it to you). It should be as simple as getting the info to transfer to an Excel Spreadsheet, then re-arranging the columns, then changing some of the answers from Yes or No to 1 or 2. Open-ended questions will stay that way. Once finished, send the completed spreadsheet to me through a normal email account. Do NOT email them through CANVAS. Once I am able to download the completed info into the database a grade will be awarded. Grades will NOT be awarded until the survey info is secure, and the information has been successfully downloaded into the database.
If you have any questions, please ask!
Grading Scale: 655 total points possible
A = 584+ pts B = 583 – 519 pts C = 518 – 453 pts D = 452 – 388 pts F = 387 or less
Instructor Contact Info: Admissions: 972-899-8430
Kevin Davis: 972-899-8410 Business Office: 972-899-8403
Email: kdavis@nctc.edu Counseling: 972-899-8412
Financial Aid: 972-899-8400
Address: FM Director: 972-899-8408
1200 Parker Square Library: 972-899-8413
Flower Mound, Texas 75028 Testing: 972-899-8335