Course Syllabus

CRN 20857 - POLS 103 Syllabus - Fall 2024

COURSE DESCRIPTION & GENERAL INFORMATION

COURSE DESCRIPTION: A study of American government at the national, state, and local levels. Governmental principles, institutions, and their historical development are examined. This will involve the discussion of controversial political issues. Please remember reasonable people often disagree, and the challenge and requirement of this course is to maintain civil discourse. This course satisfies part of the history and government requirements for the CSU UC, Allan Hancock College, and many private colleges. CAN GOVT 2, acceptable for credit: CSU, UC

Email Instructions

REQUIRED BOOK: 

  • Krutz & Waskiewicz; American Government 3e; OpenStax (online) – FREE!!

https://openstax.org/details/books/american-government-3e

  • Additional readings and videos provided on Canvas

RECOMMENDED PREPARATION:         

College-level written work is required in this course and will be a significant factor in your grade.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES: Successful completion of this course will mean you can:

  1. Explain the structure of the US government and the major historical underpinnings of that system, including the role of the Constitution.
  2. Analyze competing political ideologies, specifically as they relate to US politics.
  3. Describe how economic and cultural influences affect political decisions in the US.
  4. Evaluate how individual participation affects politics and democracy, and how it has changed over time.

 

POLICIES & PROCEDURES

COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Student must complete all reading assignments, participate in class discussion, submit written assignments and take the examination as scheduled.  This course also requires Internet access and proficiency. It is your responsibility to ensure that your computer is working properly and that you can access all the necessary links on the Canvas site. If you experience any computer difficulties, please refer to the “Help” tab located along the left margin of the Canvas site. If you continually encounter computer problems, I urge you to use a different computer and/or use the computers at the college. 

ENROLLMENT POLICY: Generally, it is the responsibility of the student to DROP this course through the Admissions & Records office.  However, if you miss more than one consecutive class (or 10% of the total cumulative class hours) I may drop you.  If you are going to miss a class, please send me an email via Canvas Inbox. 

DUE DATES: All assignments and online posts are due by 11:59 PM Pacific Time on the Tuesday of the relevant week. Some assignments may have due dates that fall on a holiday. Rather than make the due date earlier in the week, it remains on the Tuesday even if it is a college holiday. You may always submit work early. 

LATE WORK and MAKE-UP POLICY: I do not accept late assignments. I assign assignments weeks in advance; it is the student’s responsibility to manage their time accordingly. However, technology can fail us, if so, please send me a message via Canvas Inbox, fully explaining your issue BEFORE the deadline of the assignment. Failure to do so, an extension or excuse will not be granted.

Student are given one late assignment pass, to be used no later than 1 week after the deadline.

Make-up for the Exams will only be honored when a reason with valid documentation supporting a legitimate reason is provided. The make-up should be taken within one week of the missed exam. Students are given advanced notice, prepare and organize your time accordingly.   

It is the student's responsibility to request or acquire missed Lecture Notes, Assignments, or Instructions!

IN CLASS CONDUCT: You are required to abide by the following class rules:

  • Do not leave class early without letting me know before class, then sit near the door and leave quietly.
  • Do not leave the room until class has been dismissed.
  • Electronic devices such as smart phones are not to be used during class and should not be visible unless otherwise noted.
  • Do not sleep, read, text, chat with others, or disrupt the class in anyway.

Students who disrupt the class may be asked to leave but will be welcomed back the following class.

COURSE & COLLEGE POLICIES

The Policies and Procedures for student conduct can be found in the Allan Hancock College Catalog which describe discrimination policies, guidelines of conduct, administration discipline, and student grievances. 

STUDENT GRIEVANCE [COMPLIANT] POLICY:

If you feel you have just cause for a complaint, there is both an informal and formal process to resolve complaints. The first step is to meet with the person(s) involved in the complaint and you can be accompanied by a Student Body Commissioner. For all of the information about student grievances, please go here: https://www.hancockcollege.edu/complaints/students.php

DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

As an instructor and as a person, I am committed to the values of diversity, equity and inclusion. Here’s what these values mean:

  • Diversity: Diversity is the range of human differences and identities, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, social class, physical ability or attributes, religious or ethical values system, national origin, perspectives, language, and political beliefs [including all intersectionalities].
  • Equity: Equity is the promotion of justice, individualized treatment, and fairness needed for all individuals to achieve individual and communal success.
  • Inclusion: Inclusion is the policy and intentional practice by which barriers are removed so that all individuals may be fully involved and empowered to participate meaningfully in all aspects of the college.

Plagiarism ImageRULES OF ENGAGEMENT: This course involves the discussion of controversial political issues.  Remember that reasonable people often disagree.  The challenge and requirement of this course is to maintain civil discourse. We will achieve this by following three basic rules: 

  1. Use polite and civil behavior
    1. Maintain calm level and tone of speech and written words.
    2. Allow others to finish their statements uninterrupted.
    3. Respect others and respect yourself by focusing on evidence rather than emotion.
  2. Use clearly defined terms (providing your own definitions if necessary).
  3. Strictly avoid inflammatory, derogatory and insulting words, phrases and labels.

***DISCLAIMER***

STUDENTS MAY BE EXPOSED TO STRONG LANGUAGE DUE TO THE CONTEXT OF THIS SUBJECT.

RECORDING CLASS: Other than Learning Assistance Program (LAP) directed auxiliary aids and academic accommodations, the use of any electronic listening or recording device in any classroom is prohibited without the explicit prior consent of the instructor (CA Ed Code Sec. 78907). It is in violation of Allan Hancock College policy (BP 5500) which address student conduct. It is also a crime to record any private communication, such as a classroom lecture, without the consent of all parties to the conversation (Cal. Penal Code § 632). Violation of such rules may result in disciplinary action.

 

COURSE ASSIGNMENTS

ABOUT THE LECTURES: The lectures for this course are designed to introduce students to major topics of Political Science and correspond to the chapters in the American Government textbook for the class. In-class exercises and videos will be used to aid in the presentation of course material to reinforce key concepts covered during lecture and textbook readings. Students are encouraged to ask questions about the material covered in class and in the readings. Lecture slides will be available on Canvas and are required reading.

READING QUIZZES: The goal is to read the relevant material before we discuss each topic in class. I suggest you use the PowerPoint Lecture Slides as the starting point and core content. Use the textbook for more detail, examples and explanations. We will have short in-class quizzes prior to discussing the relevant readings each week. Quizzes are worth a maximum of 5 points each, for a total of 60 points.

EXAMS: There is two exam, worth 50 points each. The exam will include multiple choice and written responses.  No books, notes nor electronic devices may be used during the exams.

EXAM REVIEW: A portion of the class session before the exam will be dedicated to exam review.  It is your responsibility to come prepared with questions for any concepts or material you do not understand.  This means you should have completed all reading and studied the Learning Objectives before the review sessions. An additional review sheet will be available.   

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS (“DQ”): Students will be assigned 5 Discussion boards. Discussion boards will be published that relate to lecture (Discussion prompt/YouTube videos). Students are to write a minimum 200-word reflection, provide an opinion, on the topic or chosen video. Then reflect/critique another student discussion submission (minimum 100-words). Discussions are worth a maximum of 10 points each.  

CURRENT EVENTS POSTS: Students will be assigned 5 Current Event Posts. To assist with critical thinking and writing skills, students are required to read a National/Domestic news article (via media news outlets). Must be legitimate sources, if in doubt, ask for help. Sources cannot be repeated. After reading the article, students are to identify the targeted audience, the message, and intent of the article. Additional instructions will be on Canvas. Current Events posts are worth a maximum of 10 points each. 

ANNOTATION: This assignment is worth a maximum of 40 points. Instructions will be available on Canvas.

HYPOTHETICAL PAPER: This hypothetical paper assignment is worth a maximum of 50 points. Instructions will be available on Canvas.

PARTICIPATION: 

Students will be graded for their participation in class; therefore, students must be on time to be eligible for the 5-participation points. Class begins at 6:45pm and students are required to be in their seats by 6:55pm. If a student arrives after 6:55pm, they lose the 5 points, and if they arrive after 7:15pm, it will count as an absence. Two (2) tardies equals One (1) absence, Three (3) unexcused absence may result in a drop from class. 

An Introduction assignment will be worth 15 points. Failure to submit the “About You” assignment will result in an automatic drop from the class. 

Class participation is worth a maximum of 100 points.

EXTRA CREDIT: Extra credit opportunities are available throughout the semester. Details will be available on Canvas.

ROUGH GRADING POLICY:

Rough Grading Policy

Assignment

Percentage

Annotation

9.0%

Reading Quizzes

13.3%

Exams

22.2%

Discussion Questions

11.1%

Current Events Posts

11.1%

Hypothetical Paper

11.1%

Participation

22.2%

Total

100.0%

 

 

GRADING SCALE:

Grading Scale

Points Required

To Earn

90 - 100%

A

80 - 89.9%

B

70 - 79.9%

C

60 - 69.9%

D

 

CLASS SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNMENTS

NOTE:  The following schedule is TENTATIVE and subject to change. Changes will always be announced in class or via Canvas early enough to complete assignments. However, it is your responsibility to keep up with schedule changes. 

 

Tentative Class Schedule

Week

Date of Class

Topics

Required Reading*

Assignments Due

(Tues. 11:59 PM PT)

 

 

SECTION 1

 

 

1

August 21

Course Intro & Overview

American Government and Civic Engagement

 

Ch. 1

 

2

August 28

American Government and Civic Engagement

Ch. 1

 

About You

(Due 8/27/24)

 

3

September 4

The Constitution and Its Origins

American Federalism

Ch.  2

Ch. 3

Patrick Henry

DQ 1

(Due 9/3/24)

 

4

September 11

The Constitution and Its Origins

American Federalism

 

CE Post 1

(Due 9/10/24)

5

September 18

Civil Liberties

Civil Rights

Ch. 4

Ch. 5

Malcolm X

Annotation

(Due 9/17/24)

6

September 25

Civil Rights

Midterm Exam Review

 

CE Post 2

(Due 9/24/24)

7

October 2

Midterm Exam

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2

 

 

8

October 9

The Politics of Public Opinion

The Media

Interest Groups and Lobbying

Ch. 6

Ch. 8

Ch. 10

DQ 2

(Due 10/8/24)

9

October 16

The Politics of Public Opinion

The Media

Interest Groups and Lobbying

 

CE Post 3

(Due 10/15/24)

10

October 23

Political Parties

Voting and Elections

Ch. 9

Ch. 7

DQ 3

(Due 10/22/24)

 

 

SECTION 3

 

 

11

October 30

Congress

 

Ch. 11

 

DQ 4

(Due 10/29/24)

12

November 6

The Presidency

Ch. 12

DQ 5

(Due 11/5/24)

13

November 13

Courts

 

Ch. 13

 

 

14

November 20

State and Local Government

The Bureaucracies

Ch. 14

Ch. 15

Hypothetical Paper

(Due 11/19/24)

 

 

SECTION 4

 

 

15

November 27

Domestic Policy

Foreign Policy

Ch. 16

Ch. 17

CE Post 4

(Due 11/26/24)

16

December 4

Final Exam Review

Ch. 17

CE Post 5

(Due 12/3/24)

17

December 11

Final Exam (At Class Time)

 

 

*** Required Reading includes: textbook chapters as indicated, as well as additional content on Canvas (Lecture Slides, mandatory articles/videos, Articles and Amendments to the US Constitution).

***Reminder: Bookmark the Canvas site (https://hancockcollege.instructure.com), and use it rather than going through myHancock. Accessing Canvas through myHancock may cause you to be kicked off Canvas when myHancock logs you out for lack of activity.

 

 Important Dates and College Holidays

 

IMPORTANT STUDENT RESOURCES & REMINDERS

LEARNING TIPS:

  1. Read the syllabus once a week, students are responsible to know the due date of all assignments and exams.
  2. Work consistently by planning time each week to read the designated chapter(s) and complete the assignments.
  3. DO NOT Procrastinate!
  4. Keep up with class Announcements via Canvas.
  5. Keep up with current events.
  6. Keep organized.
  7. Ask questions about unclear topics, do not assume.
  8. Create a Grammarly.com account (https://www.grammarly.com/1)
  9. Create a Dropbox account. With Dropbox, students’ documents can be accessed at any time from any computer. Sharing information, notes and edits is easier and hassle-free (https://www.dropbox.com/?landing=dbv2).  

 

The number one mistake that students make is that they do not communicate with their Professors. We cannot read your mind! Please talk to me if you have any issues or difficulties regarding all matters related to this course.

DISCLAIMER

From time to time during the semester, changes may be made to this syllabus. Students will be notified of changes through the Announcements feature on Canvas.

 

COURSE RESOURCES & TOOLS:

  1. Syllabus – This should answer most of your questions about due dates, grading and other policies.
  2. The Required Reading & Videos – The textbook is an especially important resource for this course.
  3. Lecture Slides – These are required and a critical part of course content.
  4. Canvas Content – All Lecture Slides, Links and Assignments are posted on Canvas.
  5. Learning Objectives – These detailed questions to help guide you through each learning unit and to inform you as to what level of understanding is expected.
  6. Assignment Details & Rubrics – These describe the standards and criteria for grading the various assignments.
  7. Useful Links – Various website links will be provided on Canvas to help you with research for assignments.
  8. Office Hours – If you cannot contact me during scheduled time, make an appointment.
  9. Fellow Classmates – We will work together and get to know each other this semester.  Your classmates are an important resource for studying and understanding different perspectives.

 

CAMPUS RESOURCES: 

  1. Academic Resource Center – This is a rich resource for tutoring, group study, workshops and computer use.
  2. Computer Access – There are computers and Wi-Fi available for your use in various locations across campus.
  3. Counselors – Seek the advice of college counselors to build your study program and avoid frustrating missteps.
  4. Learning Assistance Program (LAP) – Please visit LAP if you have (or think you might have) any disability that could affect your education.  It is the policy of this college and this course to provide reasonable accommodations but students requesting such accommodation are required to identify themselves to LAP.

Americans with Disabilities Act

Any personal learning accommodations that may be needed by a student covered by the Americans

with Disabilities Act (ADA) must be made known to the instructor as soon as possible. This is the

student’s responsibility. Information about services, academic modifications and

documentation requirements can be obtained from the Learning Assistance Program (LAP).

For more information about services available to AHC students with disabilities, contact:

(805) 922‐6966 ext. 3274 (Santa Maria Campus)

(805) 922‐6966 ext. 5274 (Lompoc Valley Center from Santa Maria)

(805) 735‐3366 ext. 5274 (Lompoc Valley Center from Lompoc)

(805) 928‐7834 (TTY/TDD for the Deaf)

(805) 922‐69‐6966 (Video Phone)

  1. Health Services – Provides students with medical services, health counseling, crisis and mental health counseling, and appropriate referrals to community resources.

  2. Assistance Programs – Hancock has numerous programs to assist students. Some of these are CARE, CalWorks, MESA, Veterans’ Center. See a counselor for more information.

  3. Instructors & Fellow Students – The people around you are a great source of information, do not be afraid to ask!

  4. The Library – Search for and check out a book or publication the old-fashioned way – go to the library! This is an important skill you need (the internet is not enough)!

  5. Job Placement – This is a good resource if you are looking for a short- or long-term job.

  6. Associated Students – This is a great way to get involved in campus government and/or specific clubs based on your personal interests. (Student Services)

 

 

Textbook:

Great news: your textbook for this class is available for free online!

American Government 2e from OpenStax

You have several options to obtain this book:

You can use whichever formats you want. Web view is recommended -- the responsive design works seamlessly on any device.