2306 State Government
Houston Community College System (HCC)
San Jacinto Building
Rm 138
MoWe 9:00AM - 11:00AM
Instructor: Erik Neel
Contact: neel4967@gmail.com
*** Use the subject: HCC GOVT 2306 to lower the chance of being missed. ***
*** All communication devices are to be placed on SILENT during class. ***
2306 is a class designed to introduce students to the foundations of Texas and its Government.
The founding of the Texas Colonies through the Republic of Texas and on through
Reconstruction era government will be covered, with comparisons to other states and the
federal government. The structure of Texas currently and comparisons to other states will be
covered in detail.
Reading Material: TBA, Current Editions will be available in the bookstore.
GRADES/Assignments
Midterm
20%
Final
40%
3 Papers
30%
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 NOT required, but this is YOUR Degree not my degree, 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 College System provides instructors with the authority to drop students that miss more
than 6-hours 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. ***
Objectives and Outcomes from GOVT 2306
Students will leave this class knowing what, influenced our Texas’ Founding Fathers to break
from Mexico in 1836.
They will know the Founding Documents: Texas Declaration of
Independence, and the many Constitutions; and some of the key historical figures and events:
Alamo, Battle of San Jacinto, Sam Houston, David Burnet, Anson Jones, etc.
Students will know the “players” and the structures of the State Government. Resources that
are available to research from original sources will be covered throughout the course, and be
able to form coherent statements, and/or opinions, from that data.
WRITING ASSIGNMENTS:
Three papers are going to be written during the course of the class, a guide to how to write
these papers will be provided to the students prior to the first assignment. The topics will
reflect current events within the national and international arenas so it is advisable to watch or
read the news daily.
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.
TENATIVE SCHEDULE
Mon, 02/10/2014
Introductions, Political Theory and Definitions
Wed, 02/12/2014
Theory Cont., Texas History and the Six Flags
Mon, 02/17/2014
Presidents Day: Holiday
Wed, 02/19/2014
Texas History and National Developments
Mon, 02/24/2014
Texas Revolution
Wed, 02/26/2014
Constitution of Republic
Mon, 03/03/2014
Texas Presidents
Wed, 03/05/2014
Political Culture of the Republic and into Statehood
Mon, 03/10/2014
Confederate States / Reconstruction and 1876 Const.
Wed, 03/12/2014
1876 Constitution
Mon, 03/17/2014
Spring Break
Wed, 03/19/2014
Spring Break
Mon, 03/24/2014
1876 Constitution / Review
Wed, 03/26/2014
MidTerm
Mon, 03/31/2014
Go over MidTerm / Texas Courts
Wed, 04/02/2014
Texas Courts
Mon, 04/07/2014
Texas Plural Executives
Wed, 04/09/2014
Texas Executive Branch
Mon, 04/14/2014
Texas Executive Branch
Wed, 04/16/2014
Texas Legislation / County Govt and Special Dist.
Mon, 04/21/2014
Patriots' Day: Holiday
Wed, 04/23/2014
City Government / Houston
Mon, 04/28/2014
Taxation and Municipal Bonds
Wed, 04/30/2014
Recent Developments and Review
Mon, 05/05/2014
Finals Week