Texas Government (GOVT 2306)
M/W 1230-1400
Government Course Syllabus
GOVT 2306 – 0013 (89649)
Fall 2016
Katy Campus Room 226, Monday and Wednesday 1230-1400
3 Semester Credit Hours
48 Contact Hours
Regular 16 week
Face to Face
Instructor Name
Andrew Sanders
Remind.com text @drasand to 81010
Government Department Chair
Evelyn Ballard
713-718-2490
Office Hours: before and after class or by appointments
Course 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.
Prerequisite, Co-requisite
Must have passed or co-enrolled in English 1301 (Composition I) as a co-requisite.
Academic Program Learning Outcomes:
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.
Course Student Learning Outcomes (SLO)
Identify and describe the institutions of the State of Texas government.
Identify and evaluate information sources for political news, data, and opinion.
Analyze the effects of the historical, social, political, economic, and cultural forces on politics and government
Core Objectives
The Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) mandates that the core curriculum must ensure that students will develop the essential knowledge and skills they need to be successful in college, in a career, in their communities, and in life. Through the Texas Core Curriculum, students will gain a foundation of knowledge of human cultures and the physical and natural world, develop principles of personal and social responsibility for living in a diverse world, and advance intellectual and practical skills that are essential for all learning. Students enrolled in GOVT 2305/2306 core curriculum courses will complete assessments designed to measure the following core objectives:
Critical Thinking Skills—to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information
Communication Skills—to include effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas through written, oral and visual communication
Personal Responsibility—to include the ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making
· Social Responsibility—to include the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making
Student assessment of proficiencies mandated by THECB may include testing, projects, or assignments.
Course Calendar
Please note that the course calendar may change. I will advise you in advance of any changes.
Week beginning January 18th: Introduction, course administration
Week beginning January 25th: Texas Culture and Diversity
Reading: Prologue, pages xxii-xxix; Chapter 1, pages 1-27
Week beginning February 1st: First Exam
Closed book
Prompt: The culture of Texas
Week beginning February 8th: Federalism
Reading: Chapter 2, pages 29-54
Week beginning February 15th: Texas Constitution
Reading: The Texas Constitution, The Constitution of the United States; Chapter 3, pages 56-77
Week beginning February 22nd: Voting and Elections in Texas
Reading: Chapter 4, pages 79-112
Week beginning February 29th: Political Parties
Reading: Chapter 5, pages 114-137
Browsing: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/elections.php
Week beginning March 7th: Second Exam
Closed book
Prompt: Politics in Texas
Week beginning March 14th: Spring Break, No Class
Week beginning March 21st: The people of Texas politics
Week beginning March 28th: Interest Groups
Reading: Chapter 6, pages 139-163
Week beginning April 4th: Texas Legislature and Executive
Reading: Chapters 7 and 8, pages 165-231
Week beginning April 11th: Group Presentation
Prompt: The Governors of Texas (you will be assigned a group during the first week of class)
Week beginning April 18th: Law and the Judiciary
Reading: Chapters 9 and 10, pages 233-285
Week beginning April 25th: Local Government
Reading: Chapter 11, pages 287-312
Week beginning May 2nd: Public Policy in Texas
Reading: Chapter 12, pages 314-355
PAPERS DUE MAY 4
Week beginning May 9th: Finals week – date of final exam TBC.
Instructional Methods
Lectures and discussions.
Student Assignments
You have five assignments for this course, each carrying 20% of your final grade.
Exams
There are three exams, noted on the class schedule above. The prompt is to guide you in your preparation, but should not be assumed to be a definitive guide to the questions you will be asked
The exams will be short answer with roughly five questions.
Group Assignment
The Governors of Texas
In your groups you will make a short presentation (roughly 3 minutes per group member at a minimum) on the Governor your group has chosen. Groups will be assigned, and assigned their subject, during the first week of class. You will be assessed on the content of your presentation as well as on your individual work in the group. Peer assessment will form half your grade for this assignment to ensure full participation or cooperation with your group members.
Paper: due May 4
Prompt: Pick a Texas politician and write a short biographical essay of them. Use a range of sources, including books, newspapers and any primary source material you can access. You can write an essay on the governor you present on, but additional points will be awarded for creativity.
Papers must be fully referenced. I will go over how to reference in class on two occasions.
Length: 1000 words – roughly two pages, single-spaced.
Font: Use 12pt and a standard font
Make-up Policy
If you are unable to complete an assignment, please let me know at the earliest opportunity so that we may make alternative arrangements.
Grading Scale
90-100%= A
80-89% = B
70-79% = C
60-69% = D
less than 60% = F
You may use a total point system, but it must conform to the HCC grading scale (above)
Instructional Materials
William Earl Maxwell, Ernest Crain and Mark P. Jones Texas Politics Today 2015-2016 Edition (Cengage).
This textbook is available in the bookstore. It forms the basis of our course and I strongly recommend that you acquire it as soon as possible.
HCC Policies
ADA Policy: If you have any special needs which affect your ability to learn in this class, please inform me. Appropriate steps will be taken to assist you with your needs. Any student with a documental disability (physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the ADA counselor at the beginning of each semester. There is a Disability Support Services Office at each campus. To find the name of the ADA counselor at your campus, visit www.hccs.edu, then click future students, scroll down the page and click on the words Disability Information. Faculty members are authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the Disability Support Services Office.
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 requires that institutions have policies that protect students’ rights with regard to sex/gender discrimination. Information regarding these rights are in the HCC website under Students-Anti-discrimination. Students who are pregnant and require accommodations should contact any of the ADA Counselors for assistance.
Student Rights and Responsibilities: It is important that every student understands and conforms to respectful behavior while at HCC. Sexual misconduct is not condoned and will be addressed promptly. Know your rights and how to avoid these difficult situations.
Log in to www.edurisksolutions.org Sign in using your HCC student e-mail account, then go to the button at the top right that says Login and enter your student number.
Scholastic Dishonesty:
HCCS students are responsible for conducting themselves with honor and integrity in fulfilling course requirements. Penalties and/or disciplinary proceedings may be initiated by HCC System officials against a student accused of scholastic dishonesty.
"Scholastic dishonesty" includes, but is not limited to, cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion. Cheating on a test includes but is not limited to: Copying from another student's test paper; using unauthorized materials during a test, unauthorized collaboration with another student during a test; knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or soliciting in whole or part the contents of a test; and bribing another person to obtain a copy of a test. Plagiarism includes the appropriation of another's work and the unacknowledged incorporation of that work in one's own written work. Collusion includes the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing written work.
Attendance: Attendance will be taken during each session. If you cannot attend a single session, please let me know. Persistent absence may result in you being removed from the class.
Withdrawals:
Students who take a course for the third time or more must now pay significant tuition/fee increases at HCC and other Texas public colleges and universities. At HCC, it is an additional $50 per credit hour. If you are considering course withdrawal because you are not earning passing grades, confer with your instructor/ counselor as early as possible about your study habits, reading and writing homework, test-taking skills, attendance, course participation, and opportunities for tutoring or other assistance that might be available. Also, the state of Texas has passed a new law limiting new students (as of Fall 2007) to no more than six withdrawals throughout their academic career in obtaining a baccalaureate degree.
The drop/withdrawal date this semester is April 5.
Repeating Courses:
As a result of recent Texas legislative changes, please be advised that HCC is charging additional tuition for students who enroll in the same class three or more times at HCC. While it is the hope of HCC that students will be successful in their first attempt at classes, we realize that life demands, academic struggles, and other issues may
result in students needing to take the same class more than once. Speaking with an advisor will help you develop student success skills, improving your overall academic performance. If a student
repeats a course in which a grade (A-F) has been received, the highest grade received at HCC is the permanent grade for the course and will be used in computing the GPA. All grades earned in a given course will be reflected on the transcript. Other colleges may compute the GPA differently than HCC.
HCC Student Handbook:
Please note that it is each student’s responsibility to read and be familiar with the HCC Student Handbook. Please see:
http://central.hccs.edu/students/student-handbook/
Distance Education
The Distance Education Student Handbook contains policies and procedures unique to the DE student. Students should have reviewed the handbook as part of the mandatory orientation. It is the student's responsibility to be familiar with the handbook's contents. The handbook contains valuable information, answers, and resources, such as DE contacts, policies and procedures (how to drop, attendance requirements, etc.), student services (ADA, financial aid, degree planning, etc.), course information, testing procedures, technical support, and academic calendars. Refer to the DE Student Handbook by visiting this link:
Course Information
A syllabus hasn't been posted for this course yet.