Federal Government 2305
Syllabus
Blinn College – Bryan Campus
Section(s):
G2
G6
Instructor's Name:
Office Number:
Office Hours:
Judge J. D. Langley
A-141
Tuesday
5:10 pm-5:40 pm
Thursday 5:10 pm-5:40 pm
(979) 361-4270
[email protected]
Office Phone:
Office Email:
Tuesdays & Thursdays
Tuesdays
5:40 pm – 6:55 pm
7:05 pm – 9:45 pm
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Government 2305 is a study of the organization, functions, and administration of
the several branches and agencies of the national government, including a
study of the federal constitution. The primary factors considered relate to the
three branches of government -- judicial, executive, legislative -- major historical
documents, the events that shaped the nation, and current events. Emphasis
will be placed on the interaction of these subsystems. Three credit hours.
PREREQUISITES:
Appropriate score on the THEA test or alternative test or completion of READ
0306 with a grade of “C” or better.
CORE CURRICULUM COURSE:
This is a Core Course in the 42-Hour Core of Blinn College. As such, students will
develop proficiency in the appropriate Intellectual Competencies, Exemplary
Educational Objectives, and Perspectives. The URL for the Blinn College Core
Curriculum web site is: www.blinn.edu/corecurriculum
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
After successfully completing Government 2305, students should have a working
knowledge of the organization, functions and administrations of the several
branches and agencies of the national government, plus an understanding of
the national constitution. These include:
1.
2.
3.
analyze the United States Constitution;
evaluate federalism and its effectiveness as a form of government;
identify the primary components of Congress, its major functions, and its
effectiveness;
4. explain the structure, roles, functions, and expansion of the executive
branch;
5. analyze the structure, functions and effectiveness of the federal judiciary;
6. determine the functions of the bureaucracy;
7. trace the development of American political parties and their current
functions in United States politics;
8. describe the types and effectiveness of political participation;
9. compare and contrast civil liberties and civil rights; and
10. evaluate the objectives of foreign and domestic policies
TEXTBOOKS, SUPPLIES, MATERIALS:
Textbook: Dye, Thomas. Politics in America, Custom Edition for Blinn CollegeBryan, Pearson Publishing.
CIVILITY STATEMENT:
Members of the Blinn College community, which includes faculty, staff and
students, are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all aspects of campus
life. Blinn College holds all members accountable for their actions and words.
Therefore, all members should commit themselves to behave in a manner that
recognizes personal respect, and demonstrates concern for the personal
dignity, rights, and freedoms of every member of the College community,
including respect for College property and the physical and intellectual
property of others.
CIVILITY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM:
If a student is asked to leave the classroom because of uncivil behavior, the
student may not return to that class until he or she arranges a conference with
the instructor: it is the student's responsibility to arrange for this conference.
ADA STATEMENT:
Information regarding procedures for documenting disabilities can be obtained
from the Counseling Office. Reasonable accommodations will be made for
documented disabilities. Students must present documentation as soon as
possible for the instructor to arrange accommodation.
COURSE OUTLINE:
This course is divided into 4 instructional blocks. The online tests cover each of
the chapters and the major examinations are administered at the end of each
instructional block.
Block 1. The Framework of the Federal Government
Chapter 1.
Chapter 2.
Chapter 3.
Chapter 4.
Politics
Political Culture
The Constitution
Federalism
Block 2. The Non-governmental Players
Chapter 5.
Chapter 6.
Chapter 7.
Chapter 8.
Chapter 9.
Opinion and Participation
Mass Media
Political Parties
Campaigns and Elections
Interest Groups
Block 3. The Governmental Players
Chapter 10.
Chapter 11.
Chapter 12.
Chapter 13.
The Congress
The President
The Bureaucracy
The Courts
Block 4. How it all works together.
Chapter 14.
Chapter 15.
Chapter 16.
Chapter 17.
Chapter 18.
Politics and Personal Liberty
Politics and Civil Rights
Politics and the Economy
Politics and Social Welfare
Politics and National Security
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Online Tests
Each student will be required to complete TEN (10) online tests. All student
answers to the online tests and the research paper must be submitted online
through eCampus.
Major Exams and Final Exam
Each student will be required to complete FOUR (4) major examinations, and
ONE (1) comprehensive final examination. The online tests, major exams, and
final exam will each consist of multiple choice questions and may include
true/false and matching questions. The major exams and final exam must be
submitted on scantron using a #2 pencil. The major exams and final exams are
closed-book and in class. No dictionaries or any electronic devices may be
used during any major examination or the final examination.
Research Paper
One (1) research paper will be required from each student. The Research Paper
must be submitted using the Turn-It-In drop box found under the eCampus
Lessons Tab by the deadline stated in the calendar for each course section.
If the paper is submitted after the deadline, FIVE (5) POINTS will be deducted for
each portion of a 24 hour period following the submission deadline. Any paper
submitted after 11:55 p.m. on the seventh day after its submission deadline will
receive a zero (0) grade.
The subject of each research paper is the following article:
The Framers of the Constitution and Republicanism
The U.S. Constitution established a republic. The framers chose the republican form of
government over all other forms, including monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy. Americans
have often differed over the practice of republican government. But they have agreed in large part
on the fundamental principles and elements of republican government:
Republican government is limited. The powers of government are circumscribed to reduce the
possibility of tyranny. In the Constitution, the framers set limits on the powers exercised by
the national government over the states and over individuals.
Republican government is representational. The exercise of power by government over
citizens is legitimate only when citizens are represented by legislative assemblies. The
framers admired the representative institutions of the Roman Republic. They even named the
U.S. Senate for the Roman Senate. But Republicanism offered no standard position on four
difficult issues:
1. How many constituents should each legislator represent?
2. Should legislators be responsible to their constituents, to their own conscience, or to
the public interest?
3. Should representatives of the people be elected by the people themselves or by intermediate institutions?
4. Who should be eligible to vote for their legislators?
On the issue of the direct popular election of representatives (3, above), the framers were
divided. The Constitution always has provided for the direct popular election of members of
the House, but U.S. senators were chosen by members of their state legislature until after the
Seventeenth Amendment was ratified in 1913. Remember that the framers didn't think too
highly of the public's ability to handle political power wisely. So they chose not to expand the
right to vote beyond the voting qualifications the states had established for the largest branch
of each state's legislature. Later, a series of constitutional amendments, Supreme Court
decisions, and popular movements democratized representation and expanded the eligible
electorate.
In republican government, the people are sovereign. Republicans believe that the people at
large create, authorize, and empower government, and that government must be accountable
to the people. A government rooted in the people cannot act without the consent of the people.
The word republic comes from the Latin res publica ("the public thing"), which means that
government is a common enterprise, originating from and belonging to the people. Thomas
Jefferson made the principle of popular sovereignty clear in the Declaration of Independence:
"Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the
governed .... Whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the
Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government."
ASSIGNMENT
The following questions require a close reading and understanding of the
Constitution. Consult the Constitution in the back of your textbook and class
lectures for information to complete this assignment. Write your paper using the
directions given to you that follow, and answer the following:
1. Identify three significant elements of the Constitution (including amendments)
that embody the republican principle of limited government. Explain and
support your answers with Constitutional references.
2. Three institutions in the new government embodied the framers' commitment
to the principle of representation: the House of Representatives, the Senate,
and the presidency. Identify below the system of representation the framers
established for each institution by answering this question:
Was it representation by direct popular election, or was
representation filtered through the choice of some intermediate
body? If the latter, identify that intermediate body and describe its
role and support your answer with Constitutional references.
3. Identify three amendments to the Constitution that expanded democratic
representation, and explain what each amendment has accomplished.
4. Identify one passage in the Constitution that expresses the republican principle
of popular sovereignty. Why?
The paper must be computer generated, using 12 point type, double-spaced, using the
template format found in the Research Paper Folder in eCampus under the Lessons Tab. You
must cite by reference any sources for statements of fact and quotes used to support your
answers. If the source references an internet URL, include hyperlink format if possible.
Writing and research ability, critical thinking skills, and mastery of the subject matter will be
evaluated in determining the grade to be assigned for the paper. A grading rubric will be
posted under the Research Paper folder in eCampus clearly establishing the grading system
for the paper.
CALENDAR OF MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS AND EXAMS:
A course schedule for each section clearly establishing the calendar of all
subjects to be covered in class and dates/times that all assignments are due is
posted into the “Calendar” in eCampus for each course section.
CRITERIA FOR GRADING:
Grading in this course is based on a 100 point grading system, meaning that
each assessment is given a maximum of 100 points, then each category of
assessments is averaged then multiplied by a weighted percentage value using
the following formula. The value points for each category are calculated to the
second decimal (100ths), then are added to result in a numerical course grade.
Major Exams
Weekly Tests
Research Paper
Final Exam
COURSE GRADE
[40%]
[30%] (only highest 9 count)
[10%]
[20%]
Avg. of 4 x .40
Avg. of highest 8 x .30
Score on paper x .10
Total correct x .20
=
=
=
=
Total of above points
The numerical course grade is then converted into the following letter grades:
Grading Standards: A=90-100, B=80-89, C=70-79, D=60-69, F=0-59
The numerical Final Grade is calculated to second decimal (100ths) and
rounded to the nearest whole number.
Examples:
89.49 is rounded to 89 and the course grade is a “B”
89.50 is rounded to 90 and the course grade is an “A”
MISSED ASSESSMENTS AND MAKE-UP POLICIES:
Each student is responsible to attend each class, timely take the online and inclass assessments and turn in the research paper when scheduled. The makeup policies are explained within each of the following requirements for graded
events.
Online Tests
The online tests are designed to assist your study preparation for each class.
Since the one lowest score of the online tests is dropped, every student is
provided one opportunity to miss one online test deadline. The online tests and
correct answer for each online test will be available immediately upon
conclusion of the prior instructional block, me. As a result,
NO ONLINE TESTS MAY BE TURNED IN AFTER THE DATE THE TEST IS DUE
NO EXCEPTIONS
You may submit an online test at any time it is available prior to the beginning of
the class in which it is due. If you fail to submit an online test by the time it is due,
your grade for that online test will be recorded as a Zero (0). No student may
submit an online test for another student.
Major Exams
Should unavoidable circumstances prevent a student from attending a
particular class and taking a major exam when scheduled, it is the student’s
responsibility to contact the instructor and arrange to take a make-up exam
prior to the next scheduled class.
Make-up Major Exams must be taken and completed
PRIOR TO THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT CLASS
following the regularly scheduled date of the Major Exam.
If the make-up exam is not completed prior to the date of the next scheduled
class following the date of the missed exam, the student will receive a zero (0)
grade for the missed exam.
Research Paper
Any research paper may be submitted early. If any paper is submitted after the
deadline, FIVE (5) POINTS will be deducted for each portion of a 24 hour period
following the submission deadline. Any paper submitted after 11:55 p.m. on the
seventh day after its submission deadline will receive a zero (0) grade.
Final Exam
Because final course grades must be submitted before 4 pm on December 16,
2010, the only way a final exam can be taken after the scheduled date is for the
student to take a grade of incomplete (“I”) for the course by executing a course
completion contract with the instructor, and take the final examination by the
date established in the course completion contract. This should be arranged
prior to the regularly scheduled final exam with the course instructor and must
be arranged no later December 15th, 2010. If no such arrangements are made,
and the student does not take the final exam at the scheduled time, a grade of
zero (0) will be entered for the final exam.
ATTENDANCE POLICY:
The College District believes that class attendance is essential for student
success; therefore, students are required to promptly and regularly attend all
their classes. Each class meeting builds the foundation for subsequent class
meetings. Without full participation and regular class attendance, students shall
find themselves at a severe disadvantage for achieving success in college.
Class participation shall constitute at least ten percent of the final course grade.
It is the responsibility of each faculty member, in consultation with the division
chair, to determine how participation is achieved in his or her class.
Faculty will require students to regularly attend class and will keep a record of
attendance from the first day of class and/or the first day the student’s name
appears on the roster through final examinations. In this class, an attendance
roster will be circulated by the instructor during each class. No student may sign
another student’s name on the attendance roster.
It is the responsibility of each student to sign the attendance roster
that will be circulated through the classroom during each class .
If a student has one week’s worth of absences during the semester, he/she will
be sent an e-mail by the College requiring the student to contact his/her
instructor and schedule a conference immediately to discuss his/her
attendance issues. If the student accumulates two weeks worth of absences,
he/she will be administratively withdrawn from class.
OTHER POLICIES:
No food or drinks in the classroom.
Blinn College does not tolerate cheating, plagiarism or collusion. Procedures
for dealing with these acts are outlined in the Scholastic Dishonesty Policy.
The right and responsibility to determine the appropriateness of the dress of a
particular student lies with the classroom instructor or when the student is
outside the classroom, with the immediate supervisor of the building or
grounds the student is utilizing.
An instructor may require specific,
appropriate dress when students are to give classroom presentations or
speeches of any type or when representing the College outside the
classroom. When an instructor informs a student that the clothing s/he is
wearing is not appropriate, the student must leave the classroom or other
facility until the student changes the clothing or agrees not to wear such
clothing again, as the instructor or supervisor directs.
All the functions of personal electronic devices designed for communication
and/or entertainment (cell phones, pagers, beepers, iPods, and similar
devices) must be turned off and kept out of sight in all Blinn College
classrooms and associated laboratories. Any noncompliance with this policy
will be addressed in accordance with the Blinn College civility policy
(Administrative Policy). Additionally, any communication understood by the
instructor to be in the nature of cheating will have consequences in
accordance with this Blinn College policy section regarding academic
dishonesty [FLB (Local)]. Students exempted from this policy section include,
active members of firefighting organizations, emergency medical services
organizations, commissioned police officers, on-call employees of any
political subdivision of the state of Texas, or agencies of the federal
government. Exempted students are expected to set the emergency-use
devices on silent or vibrate mode only.