2306 State Government
Houston Community College System (HCC)
1300 Holman
Business Career Center Building
Rm 311
Houston, TX 77004
GOVT 2306 / 66803 / Tue-Thur afternoons 1:00 – 2:30PM
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. ***
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
Tue, 08/27/2013
Introductions, Start of Texas History and the Six Flags
Thu, 08/29/2013
Continuation of Six Flags / National Developments
Tue, 09/03/2013
Texas Revolution and the Declaration of Independence.
Thu, 09/05/2013
Texas Revolution and the Declaration of Independence.
Tue, 09/10/2013
Revolution (cont.) / Texas Republic
Thu, 09/12/2013
Texas Republic
Tue, 09/17/2013
Texas as 28th State / Comparisons to National & other States
Thu, 09/19/2013
Texas as 28th State / Comparisons to National & other States
Tue, 09/24/2013
Confederate States
Thu, 09/26/2013
Post-Civil War / Reconstruction
Tue, 10/01/2013
Reconstruction Constitution - 1866 and 1868
Thu, 10/03/2013
1876 Constitution
Tue, 10/08/2013
1876 Constitution
Thu, 10/10/2013
1876 Constitution
Tue, 10/15/2013
Mid Term
Thu, 10/17/2013
Texas Courts
Tue, 10/22/2013
Texas Courts
Thu, 10/24/2013
Texas Plural Executives
Tue, 10/29/2013
Texas Plural Executives
Thu, 10/31/2013
Texas Executive Branch
Tue, 11/05/2013
Texas Executive Branch
Thu, 11/07/2013
Texas Legislation
Tue, 11/12/2013
County Government
Thu, 11/14/2013
City Government
Tue, 11/19/2013
Houston
Thu, 11/21/2013
State Budgets
Tue, 11/26/2013
Municipal Bonds
Thu, 11/28/2013
Taxation
Tue, 12/03/2013
Taxation
Thu, 12/05/2013
State Education
Tue, 12/10/2013
Finals Week