2305 Federal Government
CRN: 26208
M/W 5:30 – 7PM
Room: San Jacinto 202
Instructor: Erik Neel
Contact: neel4967@gmail.com
*** Use the subject: HCC GOVT 2305 to lower the chance of being missed. ***
*** All communication devices are to be placed on SILENT during class. ***
2305 is a class designed to introduce students to the foundations of the United States’ Federal
Government. Some of the people that influenced the Founding Fathers, the Declaration of
Independence, Articles of Confederation, and Constitution will be covered in detail. The
structure and policy issues of the current Federal Government will be covered in detail.
Reading Material: TBA, Current Editions will be available in the bookstore.
GRADES/Assignments
Midterm
30%
Final
40%
1 Paper
20%
5 Quizzes
10%
100%
A = 91 – 100%
B = 81 – 90%
C = 71 – 80%
D = 61 – 70%
F = 0 – 60%
Please take all exams at the scheduled time. Makeup exams will be given only in emergency
situations.
DISABILITY STATEMENT:
HCC is compliant with ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. "Any student
with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who
needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the Disability Service office at the
respective college at the beginning of each semester."
ATTENDANCE POLICY:
Attendance is required, ALL testable information is given during class lecture and discussions so
if one is absent they are missing out on vital information they cannot receive by copying others’
notes. Five (5) quizzes will be given throughout the session, if one is not present for those
quizzes they receive a zero (0) for that quiz (one missed quiz and the highest grade possible is
98% IF all other grades are perfect).
The System provides instructors with the authority to drop students that miss more than 6hours of lecture (i.e. if one misses FOUR classes during a regular 16-week session they may be
dropped from the course).
If you as a student plan on dropping the course it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to drop: if a name
appears on the final grade roster when the student intended to drop, that student will receive
an “F” for their final grade.
Three-Peater Statement:
Students who take a course for the third time or more may soon face significant tuition/fee
increases at HCC and other Texas public colleges and universities. 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.
HONESTY POLICY:
As with your attendance, this is YOUR degree not your neighbor’s not your friend’s or family
member’s, do your own work, your own tests; take pride in your mind and ownership of your
work.
Academic dishonesty (cheating) will result in a ZERO for the assignment and/or for the course,
and possible expulsion from college, depending on the severity of the offense. ***
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.
Government Program Student Learning Outcomes
1 Identify and describe the institutions of American national government. GOVT 2302/2305
2. Identify and describe the institutions of the State of Texas government. GOVT 2302/2306
3. Identify and evaluate information sources for political news, data, and opinion. GOVT 2306
4. Analyze the effects of the historical, social, political, economic, and cultural forces on politics
and government. GOVT 2306
5. 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.
GOVT 2305Objectives and Outcomes from GOVT 2305
WRITING ASSIGNMENTS:
A guide on how, and on what topic, to write will be handed out or emailed at the beginning of
the course.
Sources for the news are (to name a few):
http://english.aljazeera.net/HomePage
http://www.asiapacificnews.net/
http://www.cnn.com/
http://drudgereport.com/
http://www.economist.com/
http://www.ft.com/home/us
http://www.heritage.org/
http://mises.org/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/
http://www.nytimes.com/
5% Extra Credit is available to students that write their governmental representative.
Elected Officials are servants; they are there to service their constituents. Please get involved
in the process and earn 5% in the process.
If you need any help with the class or other courses I have been through what most of your are
doing, plus I have over 20 years corporate experience, I am available at different times each
semester for STUDENT CONFERENCES just ask me before or after class and we can schedule
more time if needed.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
Mon. 08/25/2014 Introductions
The Social Contract
Political Leadership and Opinion
Wed. 08/27/2014 Political Influences of Our Founding
Plato and Socrates
Aristotle
Wed. 09/03/2014 Influences (cont.)
Polybius and Mixed Government
Cicero
Mon. 09/08/2014 Thomas Hobbes v. John Locke
Montesquieu and Mixed Government
Alexis de Tocqueville
Wed. 09/10/2014 Historical overview of National Laws
Overview of political terms and theories
Virginian Constitution and Declaration of Rights
Mon. 09/15/2014 Declaration of Independence
Articles of Confederation
Wed. 09/17/2014 US Constitution
Article I
Congress
Mon. 09/22/2014 US Constitution
Article II
The President
Wed. 09/24/2014 US Constitution
Article III – VII
Courts
Type of Government
Methods of Amending
Mon. 09/29/2014 Federalist / Anti-Federalist Papers
Amendments
Bill of Rights
Wed. 10/01/2014 Amendments
11th - 27th Amendments
Mon. 10/06/2014 Midterm
Wed. 10/08/2014 Go over Midterms
Historical overview of legislation
Mon. 10/13/2014 US Congress – Senate
US Congress – House
Wed. 10/15/2014 Committees, Caucus’, and Commissions
How a Bill becomes Law
Mon. 10/20/2014 The President
Biographies of select presidents
Wed. 10/22/2014 Biographies of select presidents
Mon. 10/27/2014 Biographies of select presidents
VP and Executive Offices
Wed. 10/29/2014 Cabinet
Mon. 11/03/2014 Cabinet (cont.)
Wed. 11/05/2014 Supreme Court
Lower Courts
Mon. 11/10/2014 Monetary Policy
Wed. 11/12/2014 Fiscal Policy
Mon. 11/17/2014 Fiscal Policy (cont.)
Wed. 11/19/2014 Fiscal Policy (cont.)
Mon. 11/24/2014 Foreign and Energy Policy
Mon. 12/01/2014 Open
Wed. 12/03/2014 Open
Mon. 12/08/2014 Finals Week