GOVT 2302
American Government: National, State, and Local II
Spring 2012 Second Start Semester (12 weeks)
Monday and Wednesday, 6:00-8:00 pm, STF 3321
3 Credit Hours, Lecture
Instructor:
Contact:
Laila Sorurbakhsh
832-859-9801
laila.sorurbakhshelba@hccs.edu
Stafford Campus, Scarcella Bldg W118
Course Website: Some course materials will be distributed on the Learning Web, at the
following link: http://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/laila.sorurbakhsh.
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 Goal: Because this is an introductory course, the subject matter includes basic
information about the structures and functions of government and politics. The most important
goal of the course centers on equipping students with the language and the skills for effectively
analyzing, discussing, and participating the political arena. The role of the instructor is to
coordinate and encourage this learning process and to evaluate the performance of students.
Course Prerequisite: Must be placed into college-level reading and college-level writing.
Course Student Learning Outcomes:
1. Describe and evaluate the impact of government on the lives of individuals and society as a
whole, focusing on public finance, the provision of public services, regulatory policy, civil
rights, civil liberties, criminal justice, foreign policy, and defense policy.
2. Compare and contrast the institutions of American national government with those of the
state of Texas.
3. Trace the development of the U.S. and Texas Constitutions from their drafting through the
present.
4. Identify and evaluate information sources for political news, data, and opinion, including
newspapers, websites, television, radio, and social media.
Learning Objectives:
1. Describe and evaluate the impact of government on the lives of individuals and society as a
whole, focusing on public finance, the provision of public services, regulatory policy, civil
rights, civil liberties, criminal justice, foreign policy, and defense policy.
2. Compare and contrast the institutions of American national government with those of the
state of Texas.
3. Trace the development of the U.S. and Texas Constitutions from their drafting through the
present.
4. Identify and evaluate information sources for political news, data, and opinion, including
newspapers, websites, television, radio, and social media.
Grading:
Exam I
Exam II
Paper
Daily Quizzes/Participation
Attendance
TOTAL
Letter Grade:
A
B
C
D
F
25%
25%
25%
15%
10%
100%
90-100
80-89
70-79
60-69
<60
Required Text: Karen O’Connor, et. al., American Government: Roots and Reform, Custom
Edition for Houston Community College (Pearson, 2011).
Additional Readings: Supplemental readings will be distributed on the course website.
Recommended Study Website: www.mypoliscilab.com (Must select Texas Edition)
Open-Access Companion Website: http://pearsonamericangovernment.com
Attendance: You cannot gain much from this course unless you attend class, thus attendance
is required and will be to complete this course regularly. Quiz grades will ensure that the
student is not only present, but is completing the required readings.
Any student with more than 3 absences will be dropped from the course, or, if the deadline has
passed, will automatically receive an F in the course.
Exams: In addition to the daily quizzes, there will be 2 exams. The final exam is NOT
cumulative. These exams will consist of 40 multiple choice questions (2 points each) and 2
short essays (worth 10 points each).
Project: Each student will choose a topic from a list handed out in the beginning of class.
Students will be required to write one 5-10 page essay on any topic discussed in class. The
essay needs to use at least three scholarly sources, and be in standard MLA format. Any
student caught plagiarizing will receive an “F” on the paper, and an “F” in the course. This paper
must be turned in on turnitin.com no later than 6pm on the due date and bring one hard copy to
class. In addition, all students must turn in an outline of their papers.
Classroom Behavior: All cell phones and electronic devices will be turned off for the duration
of the class. Students engaging in inappropriate behavior in the classroom (i.e. sleeping,
texting, talking, etc) will be requested to leave the class. If the behavior persists, the student will
be dropped from the course. Fighting or threats of any kind will be reported immediately to the
police and the student will not be permitted to return to the class.
General Statement: The instructor has the right to add, delete, or modify segments of this
course or syllabus during the semester.
Topical Outline and Reading Schedule: (Exam dates and assignments subject to change.)
Course Outline
Day
Date
Monday
Wednesday
Monday
Wednesday
Monday
Wednesday
Monday
Wednesday
Monday
Wednesday
Monday
Wednesday
Monday
Wednesday
Feb 13th
Feb 15th
Feb 20th
Feb 22nd
Feb 27th
Feb 29th
Mar 5th
Mar 7th
Mar 12th
Mar 14th
Mar 19th
Mar 21st
Mar 26th
Mar 28th
Monday
Apr 2nd
Wednesday
Monday
Wednesday
Monday
Wednesday
Monday
Wednesday
Monday
Wednesday
Monday
Wednesday
Apr 4th
Apr 9th
Apr 11th
Apr 16th
Apr 18th
Apr 23rd
Apr 25th
Apr 30th
Mar 3rd
Mar 7th
Mar 9th
Topic
Syllabus and Introduction; The
Presidency
The Presidency continued
NO CLASS-PRESIDENTS DAY
US Congress
QUIZ 1; The Judiciary
The Judiciary; The Bureaucracy
The Bureaucracy continued
QUIZ 2; Texas Executive
NO CLASS- SPRING BREAK
NO CLASS- SPRING BREAK
Texas Legislature
Texas Judiciary
Exam Review
EXAM I
Civil Liberties (ALL OUTLINES
DUE)
Civil Liberties continued/Civil
Rights
Quiz 3; Civil Rights continued
Domestic Policy
Domestic Policy continued
Quiz 4; Economic Policy
NO CLASS- Midwest Political
Economic Policy/Foreign Policy
Foreign Policy continued
Exam Review
FINAL EXAM PERIOD
TEST DATE TBA
Homework
Read Chapter 8
Read Chapter 7 for next week
STUDY for quiz, Read Chapter 10
Read Chapter 9
STUDY for quiz, Read Chapter 24
Read Chapter 23
Begin preparing presentations and papers
Read Chapter 25
Prepare for Review
STUDY
Read Chapter 5, Prepare Paper Outline
Read Chapter 6
Study for Quiz 3
Read Chapter 17
Read Chapter 18
Study for Quiz 4
Read Chapter 19
Science Conference
STUDY
HCC Policy Statement – ADA
Students who require reasonable accommodations for disabilities are encouraged to contact the
Southwest College disabilities counselor at 713-718-7909 to make necessary arrangements.
Faculty members are authorized to provide accommodations only by the Disability Support
Service Office.
HCC Policy Statement: Academic Honesty
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.
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; and
 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.)
HCC Policy Statements
Class Attendance - It is important that you come to class! Attending class regularly is the best
way to succeed. Poor attendance records tend to correlate with poor grades. If you miss any
class, including the first week, you are responsible for all material missed.
HCC Course Withdrawal Policy
If you feel that you cannot complete this course, you will need to withdraw from the course prior
to the final date of withdrawal. The last day to withdraw this semester is March 29, 2012 at 4:30
p.m. If you do not withdraw before the deadline, you will receive the grade that you are making
in the class as your final grade. Before you withdraw from the course, please take the time to
meet with me to discuss why you feel it is necessary to withdraw. I may be able to provide you
with suggestions that will enable you to complete the course. State law limits students to no
more than SIX total course withdrawals throughout their educational career in obtaining a
certificate and/or degree. College policy allows instructors to drop students who miss more than
12.5 percent of total class time, which is six hours for this course. I am somewhat flexible in
terms of enforcing the policy, but if I perceive that you have vanished from the course or that
you are not making a good faith effort to succeed, I will drop you. If you find that you are unable
to complete the course, you should officially withdraw yourself rather than assume that I will
drop you. If you are an international student on an F-1 student visa, you must maintain a full
load of 12 semester hours in a long semester. Withdrawing from or being dropped from this
course because of a failure to attend may result in your losing your visa. Please contact the
International Student Office at 713 718-8520 if you have questions about your visa status and
other transfer issues.
Repeat Course Fee
The State of Texas encourages students to complete college without having to repeat failed
classes. To increase student success, students who repeat the same course more than once,
are required to pay extra tuition. The purpose of this extra tuition fee is to encourage students to
pass their courses and to graduate. HCC charges a higher tuition rate to students registering
the third or subsequent time for a course. 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.
EGLS3 -- Evaluation for Greater Learning Student Survey System
At Houston Community College, professors believe that thoughtful student feedback is
necessary to improve teaching and learning. During a designated time near the end of the term,
you will be asked to answer a short online survey of research-based questions related to
instruction. The anonymous results of the survey will be made available to your professors and
department chairs for continual improvement of instruction. Look for the survey as part of the
Houston Community College Student System online near the end of the term.