San José State University
Department of Political Science
Political Science 103: Local Government and Politics
Spring 2016
Lecturer: Rod Diridon, Jr.
Office Location: Clark Hall 406G
Telephone: (408) 623-2755
Email: rod_diridon@yahoo.com (preferred contact)
Office Hours: By appointment
Class Days/Time: Wednesdays, 6:00 PM to 8:45 PM
Classroom: Dudley Moorhead Hall (DMH), room 149A
CANVAS Website: http://sjsu.instructure.com
• Course Description
For the bulk of Americans, local government has the most direct effect on their quality of life.
Police and fire public safety, local streets, sidewalks, water, sewers, utilities, libraries, parks,
cemeteries, land use, development and the costs thereof are just a few of the policy areas
regularly administered by a municipality. It is also the most accountable level of government:
you can easily drive to City Hall for a Council meeting, but probably not to the State Capital or
Washington D.C. The confluence of these broad responsibilities, highly motivated
stakeholders and sometimes challenging policy hurdles makes local politics a worthy field of
study.
This class will focus on, 1) the basic history and structures of local government, 2) how public
policy is made, shaped and implemented, and 2) the players and sometimes complex
relationships between stakeholders in the public process. Significant attention will be directed
to the practical elements of the process of governance rather than esoteric or theoretical
models. An effort will also be made to provide a context for how one would pursue
employment in local government and the various associated organizations and institutions.
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Instructor’s Biography: Rod Diridon, Jr. was elected City Clerk for the City of Santa Clara in
2004 and appointed to the additional role of City Auditor in 2007. As the City Clerk and
Auditor, Diridon works with City and community partners to implement the City’s state,
national and international award-winning ethics and community engagement programs. He
also serves on the board of California Common Cause and as the Chair of the California Ethics
and Democracy Project, a non-profit effort to engage the City Clerk profession in the process
of creating good government programs. Prior to his tenure as City Clerk, Diridon had various
careers as a political campaign consultant, high-tech global program manager and general
manager of a regional start-up. He also served two terms as a City Councilmember, focusing
on campaign finance reform and good government policies. Diridon received a BA in Political
Science from San Jose State University in 1993 and became a Master Municipal Clerk in
2009. He returned to SJSU to earn a Master’s Degree in Public Administration in 2013,
graduating Summa cum Laude with a perfect 4.0 GPA and receiving the Smith Award for the
outstanding thesis-level project.
• Course Goals and Learning Outcomes
In this course students will learn:
 A practical and historical context for the structure and function of local governance.
 The roles, powers and limitation of residents, public officials, private sector
professionals, members of the media and others in the context of local government.
 How to empower yourself to be an effective and savvy participant in the local
governance of your community.
 How to use critical thinking and analytical skills to assess local policies and politics
from your own, personal set of morals and ideologies.
 How to pursue employment or a career in local government or the associated
industries.
In addition, this course will contribute to the Political Science Program Learning Outcomes,
which political science students are expected reach by upon graduation.
• Breadth Students should possess a broad knowledge of the theory and
methods of the various branches of the discipline.
• Application Students should be able to apply a variety of techniques to identify,
understand, and analyze domestic and international political issues and
organizations.
• Disciplinary methods Student should be able to formulate research
questions, engage in systematic literature searches using primary and
secondary sources, have competence in systematic data gathering using
library sources, government documents, and data available through electronic
sources, should be able to evaluate research studies, and should be able to
critically analyze and interpret influential political texts.
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•
•
Communication Skills Students should master basic competencies in oral and
written communication skills and be able to apply these skills in the context of
political science. This means communicating effectively about politics and/or public
administration, public policy, and law.
Citizenship Students should acquire an understanding of the role of the citizen in
local, state, national, and global contexts and appreciate the importance of lifelong
participation in political processes.
• Required Texts/Readings



Christensen, Terry, and Tom Hogen - Esch. 2006. Local Politics: Governing
at the Grassroots. 2nd Ed. ME Sharpe.
Local daily and weekly newspapers and various sites on the Internet.
Handouts as provided or sent by the instructor or guest speaker.
• Course Requirements and Assignments
SJSU classes are designed such that in order to be successful, it is expected that students will spend
a minimum of forty-five hours for each unit of credit (normally three hours per unit per week),
including preparing for class, participating in course activities, completing assignments, and so on.
More details about student workload can be found in University Policy S12-3 at
http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/docs/S12-3.pdf.
A basic outline and weighting of the assignments is below. Additional information will be
provided by the instructor regarding the content of each assignment:
Overall Class Participation
10%
Primary Examination
20%
Role Model Paper
20%
Local Governance Simulation
20%
Final Paper
15%
Final Examination
15%
Total = 100%
*Additional extra credit of up to 5% may be offered as outlined below.
•
Overall Class Participation (10%): This will be a highly interactive course. It is
expected that you will participate both during and outside of class as necessary to
complete assignments and build a robust body of knowledge regarding local politics. At
the instructors’ discretion, a portion or all of this 10% may be in the form of quizzes or
other tests.
•
Primary Examination (20%): This essay exam will be given at the end of Section 1 of
the class. It will test your knowledge of the history, structures and concepts related to
local governance.
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•
Role Model Paper (20%): Midway through the semester you will choose your role for
the City Council simulation. You are expected to research the role, interview someone
who is an active practitioner and complete a paper of not more than 2000 words, as well
as an outline of the role. This paper should demonstrate a thorough understanding of the
function of the role as well as the tactics, processes and strategies related to the
implementation of its’ work product.
•
Local Governance Simulation (20%): Starting approximately 2/3 through the semester,
the class will begin a multi-week simulation of a city council meeting, with students
assuming various roles in local governance. Students will be graded on both their
participation as well as their ability to achieve policy success and effectively playing the
role they have chosen.
•
Final Paper (15%): A “capstone” paper of no more than 3000 words will be due the day
of the final exam, outlining what the student learned through the simulation and academic
portions of the class. This will outline their performance during the simulation, a selfanalysis of their success or lack thereof, and offer insights into the role and function of
local governance.
•
Final Examination (15%): During finals week, an essay exam will be administered
outlining elements of all three segments of the class.
•
Extra Credit (+5%): One extra credit paper of no more than 900 words may be
submitted at any time before the final examination. This paper may be a summary and
reflection on a speaker at the Don Edwards Lecture series. It may also be on a topic
germane to local governance, to be approved by the instructor prior to commencement.
Course Letter Grades will be assigned using the following scale:
A+ = 99 ‐ 100%
B = 83 ‐ 86%
C‐ = 70 ‐ 72%
F = 59% or below
A = 93 ‐ 98%
B‐ = 80 ‐ 82%
D+ = 67 ‐ 69%
A‐ = 90 ‐ 92%
C+ = 77 ‐ 79%
D = 63 ‐ 66%
B+ = 87 ‐ 89%
C = 73 ‐ 76%
D‐ = 60 ‐ 62%
• Classroom Protocol and Policies
No Mobile Phone Use in Class
In the classroom environment, texting, social networking, web searching, or any of the myriad
things people can do with their phones is distracting to the instructor, students and you. Use of
mobile phones during class time is not allowed. If phone use is absolutely necessary, please
leave the classroom. If the instructor notices smartphone use, the student will be asked to
leave.
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Late Policy
Make-up exams are only given in cases of excused absences in accordance with the
university’s policy on excused absences. Circumstances that may lead to an excused
student absence are subpoenas, jury duty, military duty, religious observances, illness,
illness of a dependent, and bereavement for immediate family. If you are a member of a
SJSU varsity intercollegiate athletic team, please provide the instructor with your team
schedule during the first week of the class. Papers that are turned in late will be
penalized a full letter grade for every 24 hours past the original due date. For
example, a paper turned in 10 minutes past the scheduled time it was due will be marked
down 1 full letter grade. This same penalty will apply to a paper turned in up to 24 hours
past the original due date. For every 24 hours after that, a paper will be penalized an
additional letter grade and so on until the start value is an ‘F.” Please be aware of this
policy and submit your writing assignments on time.
• University Policies
Dropping and Adding
Students are responsible for understanding the policies and procedures about add/drop, grade
forgiveness, etc. Refer to the current semester’s Catalog Policies section at
http://info.sjsu.edu/static/catalog/policies.html. Add/drop deadlines can be found on the
current academic year calendars document on the Academic Calendars webpage at
http://www.sjsu.edu/provost/services/academic_calendars/. The Late Drop Policy is
available at http://www.sjsu.edu/aars/policies/latedrops/policy/. Students should be aware of
the current deadlines and penalties for dropping classes. Information about the latest changes
and news is available at the Advising Hub at http://www.sjsu.edu/advising/.
Consent for Recording of Class and Public Sharing of Instructor Material
University Policy S12‐7, http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/docs/S12-7.pdf, requires students to
obtain instructor’s permission to record the course.
 “Common courtesy and professional behavior dictate that you notify someone when
you are recording him/her. You must obtain the instructor’s permission to make
audio or video recordings in this class. Such permission allows the recordings to be
used for your private, study purposes only. The recordings are the intellectual
property of the instructor; you have not been given any rights to reproduce or
distribute the material.”
• It is suggested that the greensheet include the instructor’s process for granting
permission, whether in writing or orally and whether for the whole semester or
on a class by class basis.
• In classes where active participation of students or guests may be on the
recording, permission of those students or guests should be obtained as well.
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 “Course material developed by the instructor is the intellectual property of the
instructor and cannot be shared publicly without his/her approval. You may not
publicly share or upload instructor generated material for this course such as exam
questions, lecture notes, or homework solutions without instructor consent.”
Academic integrity
Your commitment as a student to learning is evidenced by your enrollment at San Jose State
University requires you to be honest in all your academic course work. Faculty members are
required to report all infractions to the office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development.
The policy on academic integrity can be found at http://www2.sjsu.edu/senate/S04-12.pdf.
SJSU rules against plagiarism are set forth in the SJSU Catalog, which defines plagiarism as
the act of representing the work of another as one’s own (without giving appropriate credit)
regardless of how that work was obtained, and submitting it to fulfill academic requirements.”
The Student Conduct and Ethical Development website is available at
http://www.sjsu.edu/studentconduct/.
Plagiarism at San Jose State University includes, but is not limited to: the act of
incorporating the ideas, words, sentences, paragraphs, or parts thereof, or the specific
substance of another’s work, without giving appropriate credit, and representing the product
as one’s own work. It is the role and obligation of each student to know the rules that
preserve academic integrity and abide by them at all times.
Campus Policy in Compliance with the American Disabilities Act
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need to
make special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an
appointment with me as soon as possible, or see the instructor during office hours. Presidential
Directive 97‐03 at http://www.sjsu.edu/president/docs/directives/PD_1997-03.pdf requires that
students with disabilities requesting accommodations must register with the Accessible
Education Center (AEC) at http://www.sjsu.edu/aec to establish a record of their disability.
Accommodation to Students' Religious Holidays
San José State University shall provide accommodation on any graded class work or activities
for students wishing to observe religious holidays when such observances require students to be
absent from class. It is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor, in writing,
about such holidays before the add deadline at the start of each semester. If such holidays occur
before the add deadline, the student must notify the instructor, in writing, at least three days
before the date that he/she will be absent. It is the responsibility of the instructor to make every
reasonable effort to honor the student request without penalty, and of the student to make up the
work missed. See University Policy S14-7 at http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/docs/S14-7.pdf.
• Other Helpful Resources and Information
Student Technology Resources
Computer labs for student use are available in the Academic Success Center at
http://www.sjsu.edu/at/asc/ located on the 1st floor of Clark Hall and in the Associated
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Students Lab on the 2nd floor of the Student Union. Additional computer labs may be
available in your department/college. Computers are also available in the Martin Luther
King Library. A wide variety of audio-visual equipment is available for student checkout
from Media Services located in IRC 112. These items include DV and HD digital
camcorders; digital still cameras; video, slide and overhead projectors; DVD, CD, and
audiotape players; sound systems, wireless microphones, projection screens and monitors.
SJSU Peer Connections
Peer Connections, a campus-wide resource for mentoring and tutoring, strives to inspire
students to develop their potential as independent learners while they learn to successfully
navigate through their university experience. You are encouraged to take advantage of their
services which include course-content based tutoring, enhanced study and time management
skills, more effective critical thinking strategies, decision making and problem-solving abilities,
and campus resource referrals. In addition to offering small group, individual, and drop-in
tutoring for a number of undergraduate courses, consultation with mentors is available on a
drop-in or by appointment basis. Workshops are offered on a wide variety of topics including
preparing for the Writing Skills Test (WST), improving your learning and memory, alleviating
procrastination, surviving your first semester at SJSU, and other related topics. A computer
lab and study space are also available for student use in Room 600 of Student Services Center
(SSC). Peer Connections is located in three locations: SSC, Room 600 (10th Street Garage on
the corner of 10th and San Fernando Street), at the 1st floor entrance of Clark Hall, and in the
Living Learning Center (LLC) in Campus Village Housing Building B. Visit Peer Connections
website at http://peerconnections.sjsu.edu/ for more information.
SJSU Writing Center
The SJSU Writing Center is located in Clark Hall, Suite 126. All Writing Specialists have
gone through a rigorous hiring process, and they are well trained to assist all students at all
levels within all disciplines to become better writers. In addition to one-on-one tutoring
services, the Writing Center also offers workshops every semester on a variety of writing
topics. To make an appointment or to refer to the numerous online resources offered
through the Writing Center, visit the Writing Center website at
http://www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter.
Academic Counseling Center for Excellence in the Social Sciences: ACCESS
All College of Social Sciences students and interested students are invited to stop by the
Center for general education advising, help with changing majors, academic policy related
questions, meeting with peer advisors, and/or attending various regularly scheduled
presentations and workshops. Looking for academic advice or maybe just some tips about
how to navigate your way around SJSU? Check out the COSS Student Success Center (Clark
Hall Room 240). It's also a great place to study.
http://www.sjsu.edu/socialsciences/ACCESS/
Additional Class Notes
This is a course that covers a significant body of material in a short period of time. Every
student is encouraged to participate by asking questions and actively participating in group and
class discussions. Although attendance in the class is not mandatory it is, participation is a
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portion of the grading scale and it is obviously difficult to contribute if you do not attend class.
Each student has intellect, experience and a personal point of view to bring into the class and
the course becomes much more rewarding if you frequently participate.
Handouts, PowerPoint slides and other support documents may be posted on the course Canvas
site which you can link to here: http://sjsu.instructure.com. Either Canvas or group email
distributions will be used throughout the semester for supplemental items such as newspaper
articles and outlines of academic papers, and when the time comes, to communicate your
performance on the graded assignments.
Please avail yourself of the instructor to answer any questions you may have regarding the
course and the context in which the subject matter is considered. If your work or academic
schedule are in conflict with the instructor’s office hours, please contact him to make an
appointment outside of office hours. While it is not guaranteed that this will be possible,
efforts will be made to do so.
• POLS 103: Local Government and Politics (Spring 2016) Schedule*
*Schedule is subject to change with fair notice and will be announced via email and/or in-class
announcement.
The PS 103 term will be broken into three main sections:
1) Background Section (Weeks 1 – 5): The history, structures and concepts behind local
governance.
2) Implementation Section (Weeks 6 – 11): The participants and processes through which
local governance occurs.
3) Simulation Section (Weeks 12-16): An in-depth simulation of a City and local
community considering difficult policy decisions.
Week
1
Date
Wednesday 2/3
Topics, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines
Getting Started: Context and Introductions
Reading, Local Politics:
Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study of Local Politics: Why We Bother and How
We Go About It
Geographic and Social Settings
2
Wednesday 2/10
Reading, Local Politics:
Chapter 2: The Environment of Local Politics: The Geographic, Demographic and
Economic Contexts
Chapter 3: The Evolution of Urban Places: Where People Live and Why
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Structures and Forms of Governance
3
Wednesday 2/17
Reading, Local Politics:
Chapter 4: The Intergovernmental Environment of Local Politics: Creatures of the
States and Supplicants of the Federal Government
Chapter 14: Metropolitan Politics: The Future of Local Government
City Manager Form of Government
4
Wednesday 2/24
Reading, Local Politics:
Chapter 5: Forms of Government: From Weak Mayors and Machines to the
Beginnings of Reform
Chapter 6: Reform Politics: The City-Manager form of Government and Beyond
Leadership Structures
5
Wednesday 3/2
* Primary Examination Due
Reading, Local Politics:
Chapter 7: Legislators and Executives: The Balance of Power
Policy Implementation
6
Wednesday 3/9
* Role Model Assignments Made in Class
Reading, Local Politics:
Chapter 8: Bureaucracy: The Rest of the Iceberg
Elections
7
Wednesday 3/16
Reading, Local Politics:
Chapter 9: Elections and Campaigns: The Voters (and the Media) Have Their Say
8
Wednesday 3/23
Who, How and Why
The Brown Act and Sunshine Laws
Reading, Local Politics:
Chapter 10: Interest Groups in Local Politics: Types, Tactics and Targets
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9
Wednesday 3/30
No Class: Spring Break.
Power and the Community
10
Wednesday 4/6
Reading, Local Politics:
Chapter 11: Community Power Structures: Official and Unofficial Decision
Makers
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Wednesday 4/13
Review of Course and Outline of Simulation
Robert’s Rules of Order and How Meetings Work
* Role Model Papers Due
Reading, Local Politics:
Chapter 12: Budget Politics: The Getting and Spending of Money
City Simulation
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Wednesday 4/20
* Pre-Council Process: Proposing policy and debating policy
Reading, Local Politics:
Chapter 13: Politics and Public Policy: Some Local Issues and Battles
City Simulation
13
Wednesday 4/27
* Council Meeting 1: Considering and making policy
Review of First Council Meeting
City Simulation
14
Wednesday 5/4
* Pre-Council Process: Proposing and debating policy
10
City Simulation
15
Wednesday 5/11
* Council Meeting 2: Considering and making policy
Review of Second Council Meeting
16
Wednesday 5/18
* Final Paper Due Wednesday, May 18 at 6:00PM
* Final Exam Wednesday, May 18, 6:00 – 8:30 PM
Assignment: City Council Reflection Paper Due
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