WAYLAND BAPTIST UNIVERSITY
FAIRBANKS CAMPUS
School of Behavioral and Social Sciences
Wayland Baptist University exists to educate students in an academically challenging, learning-focused and
distinctively Christian environment for professional success and service to God and humankind.
POLS 2301-Federal and State Government
TERM: Summer 2015
Instructor: Dr. Karen E. Dempster, Esq. BA, MED, EDS, JD.
Contact Information: 907-456-2365 (H), 907-978-7745 (C). Email: dempsterk@wbu.edu
Office Hours: Eielson AFB, Wednesday & Thursday 2:00 – 5:30 PM, Sunday, 5PM Eielson AFB
2623 Wabash Ave, 107.
Class Time and Location: Wednesday, 6-10:00 PM, Eielson AFB, Bldg. 2631 Rm. 316
Catalog Description: Survey course covering such topics as the national and state
constitutions, institutional structures and processes, political parties, elections, civil
liberties and civil rights.
There is no prerequisite for this course
Textbook: :
POLS 2301. Federal and State Government
BOOK
AUTHOR
ED YEAR PUBLISHER
American
Government Losco/Baker 3rd 2013 McGraw Hill
2013-2014
ISBN#
978-0-0774-09937
Optional Material: U. S. Constitution
Course Outcome Competencies: Students should be able to demonstrate knowledge of
 national constitutions,
 the major institutions of the national government,
 the national policymaking process,
 the electoral system, federalism, civil liberties and civil rights.
Additional attendance policies:
Attendance: This is a real must for this course. Attendance is required. Excessive late arrivals
or early departures will be taken into consideration when assessing absences. Material will be
discussed in class, and included in the exams, that is not in the book. It is the students’
responsibility to obtain any material missed when absent regardless of the reason for the
absence. The student must not miss any more than 3 classes. Absences beyond 3 classes or 25%
of the class time may result in a failure in the class. In case of TDY’s or any absence, the
instructor should be notified as soon as possible, preferably BEFORE the absence.
Homework and Reading: Assigned homework and reading are to be completed for the class
session for which they are assigned.
Quiz/Tests: All material assigned with be reviewed and tested each week. Quizzes will occur
every week. Class discussions and Lectures are based on the reading.
Disability Policy: “It is the university policy that no otherwise qualified disabled person be
excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under
any educational program or activity in the university.” Your instructor is an ADA qualified
dyslexic, and although bright, she makes frequent reversals- for which students get quiz points if
they catch the mistake before the instructor corrects it. She believes in turning her handicap
into a student advantage. She also will not tolerate any discrimination based on handicap. If
you have a handicap, please inform the instructor as soon as possible.
Service for the Disabled: It is University policy that no otherwise qualified disabled person be
excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under
any educational program or activity in the University. Students should inform the instructor of
existing disabilities at the first class meeting.
Incomplete Policy: A grade of incomplete is changed if the work required is completed prior to
time set in the WBU catalog. If work is not completed by this date, the grade of “I” is
automatically converted to the grade of “F”.
The University has a standard grade scale:
A = 90-100, B = 80-89, C = 70-79, D = 60-69, F= below 60, W = Withdrawal, WP = withdrew
passing, WF = withdrew failing, I = incomplete. An incomplete may be given within the last two
weeks of a long term or within the last two days of a microterm to a student who is passing, but
has not completed a term paper, examination, or other required work for reasons beyond the
student’s control. A grade of “incomplete” is changed if the work required is completed prior to
the last day of the next long (10 to 15 weeks) term, unless the instructor designates an earlier
date for completion. If the work is not completed by the appropriate date, the I is converted to an
F.
Method of determining course grade:
 Final presentation is worth 200 points, 100 for presentation/100 for research and writing.
 Paper on Most important civil liberty is 30 pts,
 Paper on your political platform is 30 points
 Quizes/discussions 10-20 points each
Grade is total points earned divided by total possible points. Then the percentage is assigned a
grade as above.
Instructor's policy on Academic Dishonesty:
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY/CONDUCT Wayland Baptist University is committed to
maintaining and upholding intellectual integrity. All students, faculty, and staff have
obligations to prevent violations of academic integrity and take corrective action when
they occur. The adjudication process will include the sanction imposed on students who
commit the following academic violations, which may include a failing grade on the
assignment, a failing grade for the course, suspension or dismissal from the University.
1. Plagiarism: Presenting as one's own the ideas, words or products of another.
Plagiarism includes the use of any source to complete academic assignments without proper
acknowledgment of the source. (Remember all sources must be cited inside the body of the text
and the bibliography page to be complete. Failure to cite in both spots will fall under the
violation of plagiarism).
2. Cheating: is a broad term that includes the following:
a. Giving or receiving help from an unauthorized person(s) or materials during
examinations.
b. The unauthorized communication of examination questions prior to, during, or
following administration of the examination.
c. Collaboration on examinations or assignments expected to be individual work.
d. Fraud and deceit, that includes knowingly furnishing false or misleading information
or failing to furnish appropriate information when requested, such as when applying
for admission to the University.
“Students are responsible for reading, understanding, obeying, and respecting all
academic policies, with added emphasis being placed upon academic progress policies, appearing
in the Wayland Baptist University Academic Catalog applicable to their curriculum and/or
program of study.”
ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE
Federal and State Government Projects
1. The project is to be long enough to properly demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of
the particular aspect of government you have chosen to focus on (5-8 pages).
2. Each student will present their project to the class. Allow 5-10 minutes for both presentation
and class comments/questions. This will occur on the second to last and last class.
3. All projects must be pre-approved before they are started-by Class #3, please have a proposal
ready to be presented, as a paragraph to a page, briefly discussing your project topic.
4. All projects are to be typed, double spaced and of university quality.
5. Grading is on original thought and creativity of expression.
6. Examples: Focus on a topic of interest to YOU.
* The Electoral Process- recent state or federal elections.
* Civil Liberties before or after 9/11
* Freedom of Religion- how much does the First Amendment protect.
* Illegal immigration-what is the position of the constitution/taxpayers.
* Equal Rights
* Privacy Rights-education, life of the child, birth control, marriage.
* Economic Issues- National Debt, Obama Care
*Your tax money & Bail-outs
* Freedom of Speech-hate speech, the right not to speak
*The Illinois Governor and selling of a US Senate seat.
*Revising the current tax code
*Shrinking the Federal Budget- what needs to go, be reduced
*Unions- good, bad or otherwise in the 2015’s
* Any other topic that is of interest to you and related to American Politics/Government
This schedule is subject to CHANGE. Assignments are reviewed each class meeting and any
changes will be noted at that time.
Date
5/27/15
6/03/15
6/10/15
.
6/17/15
Reading
Chapter 1: Citizenship in Our Changing
Democracy
Chapter 2: The Constitution
VERY IMPORTANT
Do/Read____________
Pg. 3-15
Quizzes &
Pg. 16-37
discussion.
Chapter 3: Federalism
Amendment 9 & 10 pg 446
Chapter 14: The Courts
Pg. 38-60
Class disc +
Chapter 11: Congress Pg. 260-295
Chapter 12: President Pg. 296-328
Amendment 22 & 25, Pg 445-446
Quiz/discussion Art. I USC
Tic/Tac/Toe Teams , Art II, USC
pg. 437-442
Chapter 4: Civil Liberties Pg. 62- 91
Pg 439-440, Amendments 1-9
Pg. 356-381. Quiz on reading.
Art III, US Constitution (USC)
Pg. 442-444.
6/24/15
Chapter 5: Civil Rights Pg. 92-121
Amendments 13, 14, 15 & 19. Pg. 447-9
Write a 1-3 page paper on what
YOU believe is the most important
Civil Liberty and Why.
Quiz/discussion
Quiz/Disc
Tic/Tak/Toe Teams
7/01/15
Chapter 6: Public Opinion Listening to
Citizens.
Chapter 7: Political Participation
Chapter 8: Interest Groups
Amendment 27 pg. 452
Pg. 122-146.
Pg. 148-172
Pg. 174-200
Quiz/Disc
Submit Project Topic
Chapter 9: Parties & Political Campaigns
Amendment 12, 17, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25 & 26.
Pg. 202- 229 Quiz/Essay
Pg. 446-452.
7/08/15
Chapter 10: Media:Tuning in or Tuning Out Pg. 230- 258.
2 Page essay: What would be your
political platform, if you were running
for US President, and why.
7/15/15
7/22/15
Chapter 15: Public Policy
Chapter 16: Foreign Policy
Pg. 382-404
Pg. 406-433.
Quiz/Disc
Chapter 13: The Bureaucracy
Pg. 330-353
Tic/Tak/Toe team
7/29/15
Present Projects- Each student will discuss their project for between 10-15 minutes
media aids are encouraged. (Please let me know in advance if you need a TV/VCR or
other devices). Question and Answer re: projects and areas of interest.
8/05/15
Present Projects