Texas Government (GOVT 2036)

Instructor:

Course Overview

Government Course Syllabus

GOVT 2306 - Texas GOVT

September 2017, CRN

West Loop, 5:20-7:00/ 7:00-8:20

3 Semester Credit Hours

48 Contact Hours

Instructor Name

Zachary (Zak) Miller

[email protected]

Government Department Chair

Evelyn Ballard

[email protected]

713-718-2490

Office Hours: before class on Tuesday & Thursday from 5:00 or by appointments

Course Description

Texas-- 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:

2306:

Explain the origin and development of the Texas constitution.
Describe state and local political systems and their relationship with the federal government.
Describe separation of powers and checks and balances in both theory and practice in Texas.
Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of Texas government.
Evaluate the role of public opinion, interest groups, and political parties in Texas.
Analyze the state and local election process.
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.
Recognize and assume the responsibilities of citizenship by developing one’s critical thinking skills, engaging in public discourse, and by obtaining information through the news media.

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

DATES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITH OR WITHOUT NOTICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Week 1 – Prologue

Theory and practice

Texas Political Culture

Week 2

Chapter 1 &2 History and Influence

Assign Mid-Term Paper – Texas/ Houston Culture

Week 3

Chapter 1 &2 Diversity, Culture and the Federal System

Chapter 11 - Local Government

Week 4 Chapter 3 Texas Constitution

Week 5 Chapter 4 Voting & Elections

TEST 1

Week 6 Chapter 5 Political Parties

Rough Draft of Mid-Term Paper DUE

Week 7 Chapter 7 Interest Groups

Mid-Term Paper DUE

Week 8 The Legislature

Assign Final Paper – The Future of Texas & the Texas of the Future

Week 9 The Executive Branch

Week 10 Chapter 9 – The Judiciary

TEST 2

Week 12 Chapter 10 – Law

Rough Draft of Final Papers DUE (If you like)

Week 13 Chapter 12 Public Policy

Week 14 Exam Prep & Final

Final Papers Due

TEST 3

Instructional Methods

This class relies on Lectures and In-Class Discussions as well as Research Projects to help you become familiar with Texas Government.

Student Assignments

Texas/ Houston Culture

This will be a formal research paper that you will write on a topic related to Texas or Houston political culture. You will pick a person, place, thing, or event that you feel reflects something unique about Texas culture, and then explain how it relates to our system of Texas Government. For instance:

Latino Identity in the novel George Washington Gomez
Larry McMurtry and Texas Women
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre as Metaphor for the Texas Legislature
The Speeches of Barbra Jordan – Mic Drop.

Not sure what to pick? Come talk to me. This will be worth 20% of your final grade.

You are expected to use at least 3 sources ONLY 1 of which can be an internet source! You will also create a short Power Point presentation on your topic to share with the class.

TEST 1 – This will be a comprehensive Essay Test covering our course materials to date. It will be worth 10% of your final grade.

Final Paper – The Future of Texas & the Texas of the Future

This will be a formal research paper that you will write on the future of Texas and the Texas of the future. You will pick a topic that you see as an emerging issue or aspect of Texas political culture and then explain how it could be addressed. For example:

No Money Mo Problems – How do we finance Public Education in Texas?
What would happen if Texas turned Blue?
Water, Water Everywhere and Not a Drop to Drink – Texas in the Age of Draught.
Get the Frack Outta Here! Towards a Solar Future in Texas

Not sure what to pick? Come talk to me. This will be worth 20% of your final grade.

You are expected to use at least 3 sources ONLY 1 of which can be an internet source! You will also create a short Power Point presentation on your topic to share with the class.

TEST 2 - This will be a comprehensive Essay Test covering our course materials to date. It will be worth 10% of your final grade.

Texas Political Essay – This will be a short paper that you will write explaining a current issue in Texas politics and why you feel the way you do it using examples from your life and our class. For instance:

How I feel about the defeat of the Houston HERO Ordinance
Dear Texas –please legalize marijuana
Why I support the Death Penalty

This will be worth 10% of your final grade. You do not need to use research materials but you may if you like.

TEST 3 - This will be a comprehensive Essay Test covering our course materials to date. It will be worth 10% of your final grade.

Participation – This will be determined by class attendance and how often you talk with your classmates about the topics of discussion during class. This will be worth 10% off your final grade. For instance:

I attended every class and always spoke up with questions and comments during class – Full Points!
I attended every class and always asked the teacher separately if I had questions (because I’m a bit shy) – Full Points!
I attended almost all the classes and tried to participate as best as I could – Most of the Points!
I came when I felt like it – I don’t do talking. – Fewer Points!
I almost never came and I slept through class when I did show-up. – Almost No Points!
I never came to class. – No Points!

Make-up Policy

You can schedule a make-up subject to approval and within reason

Grading Scale

90-100%= A

80-89% = B

70-79% = C

60-69% = D

less than 60% = F

Instructor Grading Criteria

Test 1	10%	100 points
Test 2	10%	100 points
Test 3	10%	100 points
Mid-Term Paper	20%	200 points
Final Paper	20%	200 points
Essay	15%	150 points
Participation	15%	150 points
Total	100%	1000 points

Instructional Materials

Practicing Texas Politics, 2015 - 2016 edition. One of the publishers, Lyle C. Brown

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.

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.

IF I CATCH YOU CHEATING I WILL FLUNK YOU OUT OF THE CLASS. But realistically, you don’t need to cheat. If you’re having trouble come talk to me. If you don’t know whether you need to cite a source or not, come talk to me.

Attendance:

I like teaching this class. I hope you like attending this class. However, you are a grown-up and can determine whether or not you can make it to class. Just remember that if you’re not here than you can’t participate and you might miss something important. Unless you have a good reason, just come to 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.

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:

http://de.hccs.edu/media/houston-community-college/distance-education/student-services/pdf/2015-HCC-DE-Student-Handbook-%28Revised-5_28_15%29_will.pdf