GOVERNMENT 2302: AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
Spring 2011
Central Campus - Room BSCC 308
3 hour lecture course / 48 hours per semester/ 16 weeks
Instructor:
Kimberly P. Washington
Instructor Contact Information:
E-Mail:
kimberlypwashington@gmail.com
Voice Mail: 281-773-9499
Course Description. A study of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government
at both the national and state levels; economic and regulatory policy; social policy; civil liberties
and civil rights policy; and foreign policy.
Course Prerequisites. Must be placed into college-level reading and college-level writing.
Course Objectives. The main objective of the course is to broaden and deepen our
understanding of American politics. This objective has at least three parts. The first part is to
develop a body of shared knowledge about American politics. The second part is to become
acquainted with and understand a number of important concepts and theories with which to make
sense of American politics. The third part is to develop some of the skills necessary to the
understanding and practice of American politics.
Student Learning Objectives. After completing GOVT 2302, students will be able to do the
following:

Demonstrate the ability to read and evaluate government documents and data critical to
the study of American government and politics.

Articulate contrasting points of view on one or more major political issues.

Use online data sources to describe and critically evaluate the budgetary policies of the
United States national government, the state of Texas, and local governments in Harris
County.

Demonstrate the political knowledge to understand what is being reported/discussed in
the media.
Student Learning Outcomes. After completing GOVT 2302, students will be able to do the
following:

Describe and evaluate the impact of government on the lives of individuals and society as
a whole.
1

Compare and contrast the institutions of American national government with those of the
state of Texas.

Identify and evaluate information sources for political news, data, and opinion.
Instructional Methods. This class will consist of lectures and class discussions.
Course Requirements. The course requirements are:
Example:
Exam #1
Exam #2
Exam #3
Final Examination
Research Papers
Class Participation/Exercises
Total Points
20% of the course grade
20% of the course grade
20% of the course grade
20% of the course grade
10% of the course grade
10% of the course grade
100% of the course grade
Grading Scale. The grading scale for all exams, the class presentation, and the course is:
A = 100 - 90
B = 89 - 80
C = 79 - 70
D = 69 - 60
F = 59 and below
Make-Up Policy. The general make-up for exams are possible with a written legitimate excuse.
Make ups will be given at professor’s discretion.
Course Attendance and Withdrawal Policy. Attendance will be taken on a daily basis. A
student may officially drop at the registrar's office anytime up to and including April 14. Students
who stop attending class prior to April 14 will be dropped. Students who attend class after April 14
cannot receive a W.
Students who take a course for the third time or more 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 or a 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.
Beginning Fall 2007, the State of Texas imposes penalties on students who withdraw/drop
courses excessively. Students are limited to no more than SIX total course withdrawals
throughout their educational career at a Texas public college or university. Students are
encouraged to review the HCC 6 Drop Policy.
To help you avoid having to withdraw from any class, contact your professor regarding your
2
academic performance. You may also want to contact your counselor to learn about helpful HCC
resources (e.g. online tutoring, child care, financial aid, job placement, etc.).
How to Drop
If a student decides to withdraw from a class upon careful review of other options, the student
can withdraw online prior to the deadline through their HCC Student Center.
HCC and/or professors may withdraw students for excessive absences without notification (see
course attendance policy above).
AskOnline. All government students are encouraged to use HCC’s online tutoring system for help
with any GOVT class. Questions submitted to the ASK queue will be answered within 24 hours –
and usually much before that. Tutors are on duty 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Online tutors will
not do homework for you, but they will guide you in the right direction. To maximize the
effectiveness of the system, be specific when you ask questions, and let the tutor know what class
you are taking. You will receive two responses – one from an English tutor and one from a
government tutor.
Registering for online tutoring is easy. Go to www.hccs.askonline.net. (For DE classes, this link is
on the front page of Blackboard.) Select a user name and password that you will remember. Use
any e-mail address, and add your student ID number (W number). It will probably take five
minutes to set up your askonline account. After that, you can submit questions in seconds. Tutor
responses are not e-mailed to you. To see the answers, log back in to the system and click the
bright yellow NEW button.
Students with Disabilities. Students who require reasonable accommodations for disabilities are
encouraged to report to LHSB 106, or call 713-718-6164 to make necessary arrangements. Faculty
is only authorized to provide accommodations requested by the Disability Support Services Office.
International Students. Receiving a W in a course may affect the status of your student Visa.
Once a W is given for the course, it will not be changed to an F because of the visa consideration.
Please contact the International Student Office at 713-718-8520 if you have any questions about
your visa status and other transfer issues.
HCC Policy Statement: Academic Honesty. A student who is academically dishonest is, by
definition, not showing that the coursework has been learned, and that student is claiming an
advantage not available to other students. The instructor is responsible for measuring each
student's individual achievements and also for ensuring that all students compete on a level
playing field. Thus, in our system, the instructor has teaching, grading, and enforcement roles.
You are expected to be familiar with the University's Policy on Academic Honesty, found in the
catalog. What that means is: If you are charged with an offense, pleading ignorance of the rules
will not help you. Students are responsible for conducting themselves with honor and integrity in
fulfilling course requirements. Penalties and/or disciplinary proceedings may be initiated by
College System officials against a student accused of scholastic dishonesty. "Scholastic
dishonesty": includes, but is not limited to, cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion.
3
Cheating on a test includes:





Copying from another students' test paper;
Using materials not authorized by the person giving the test;
Collaborating with another student during a test without authorization;
Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or soliciting in whole or part the
contents of a test that has not been administered;
Bribing another person to obtain a test that is to be administered.
Plagiarism means the appropriation of another's work and the unacknowledged incorporation of
that work in one's own written work offered for credit.
Collusion mean the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing written work
offered for credit. Possible punishments for academic dishonesty may include a grade of 0 or F in
the particular assignment, failure in the course, and/or recommendation for probation or
dismissal from the College System. (See the Student Handbook)
Course Textbooks and Readings. The two textbooks for the course can be purchased at the
bookstore at HCCS Central College, 1300 Holman. Take this syllabus with you to make sure you
get the correct books.
The two texts for the course are:
1. Edward Greenberg, Benjamin Page, Neal Tannahill, The Struggle for Democracy with
Texas Government (Pearson, 2009) ISBN-13: 978-0-558-23960-2
2. John Rourke, ed., You Decide! 2010: Current Debates in American Politics (Longman,
2010) ISBN 0-205-74547-4
The bookstore should have a package containing both textbooks, along with an access code for
MyPoliSciLab. This package is less expensive than buying the books separately. Ask the
bookstore if they have the package. The ISBN for the package is 0-558-65325-1.
Course Topics and Schedule of Readings.
Day and Date
1. 01/18
2. 01/20
3. 01/25
4. 01/27 – 02/01
5. 02/03
6. 02/08
7. 02/10
8. 02/15- 02/17
9. 02/22- 02/24
Topic
Course Overview & Introductions
Democracy and American Politics
The Policymaking Process
Congress: Structure, Organization, &
Functions
The Texas Legislature
Review
Test 1 (Ch.1, 20, 11, & 28)
The Presidency
The Executive Branch of the US
Reading Assignment
Syllabus
Struggle for Democracy, Ch. 1
Struggle for Democracy, Ch. 20
Struggle for Democracy, Ch.11;
Struggle for Democracy, Ch.28
Struggle for Democracy, Ch.12
Struggle for Democracy, Ch.13
4
10. 03/01
11. 03/03
12. 03/08
13. 03/10
14.
15. 03/22
16. 03/24 – 03/29
17. 03/31 – 04/05
18. 04/07
19. 04/12
20. 04/14
21. 04/19 – 04/21
22. 04/26
23. 04/28
24. 05/03
25. 05/05
TBA
Executive Branch of Texas
Government
Federal Court System
Review
Test 2 (Ch. 12, 13, 29, & 14)
Spring Break
Texas Court System
Economic Policymaking
Social Safety Nets
Taxes and Budgeting in Texas
Review
Test 3 (Ch. 30, 17, 18, & 33)
Civil Liberties: The Struggle for
Freedom
Criminal Justice
Constitutional Basis of Civil Rights
Foreign Policy
Review
Final Exam
Struggle for Democracy, Ch.29
Struggle for Democracy, Ch.14
March 14- 20
Struggle for Democracy, Ch.30
Struggle for Democracy, Ch. 17
Struggle for Democracy, Ch.18
Struggle for Democracy, Ch.33
Struggle for Democracy, Ch.15
Struggle for Democracy, Ch.34
Struggle for Democracy, Ch.16
Struggle for Democracy, Ch.19
The professor reserves the right to change the course calendar as needed.
5