Professional Documents
Culture Documents
004, Spring 2008 (13486) --- Political Institutions of the US and Texas
I. Course Description-
This course and Government 2301 comprise an introduction to the study of politics and government in the United
States. Topics include an examination of the Legislative, Executive, Bureaucracy, and Judicial branches of the United States
and Texas governments. You will also explore Civil Liberties and Civil Rights as well as the policymaking process including
economic, welfare and foreign policy. (3 credit hours--a core curriculum course)
III. Prerequisites: None, but GOVT 2301 is helpful. This course is reading intensive, with in-class written examinations of
student prowess. Therefore, students must have competency in written and spoken English.
A. The Challenge of Democracy (8th or 9th edition), Janda /Berry /Goldman. Houghton-Mifflin (hereafter Janda)
B. Essentials of Texas Politics, 10th edition. Kramer-Newell-Prindle. Thompson-Wadsworth (hereafter Kramer-Newell)
C. Democracy for the Few, by Michael Parenti. Wadsworth Publishing; 7th edition. (hereafter Parenti)
D. Dave Barry Hits Below the Beltway, by Dave Barry. Random House, any edition. (hereafter Hits)
All are available at the UTD bookstore, Off Campus Books, and you can probably buy a copy online somewhere as well.
V. Other assigned materiel - From time to time, I will provide additional reading to supplement the learning process. These
materiél and any discussion are always testable.
You can learn a great deal about both the U.S. government and Texas government merely by digesting the news. I
*highly* recommend reading the NY Times, Washington Post, Guardian (UK), L.A. Times, Wall Street Journal, or
even the Dallas Morning News. All of these have free online editions. Every exam will have a couple of extra credit
questions that will test your knowledge of current events (i.e. have you been keeping up on the news).
VI. Office Hours - Per the above: before and after class, and by appointment (No Friday Appointments).
VII. Attendance -
A. UTD requires "Regular and Punctual attendance". It has been my experience that poor attendance DOES result
in a lackluster performance. Nonetheless, you are adults, so I feel no need to take attendance- Come only if you intend
to learn.
B. Verification of Enrollment: The State of Texas requires that all persons residing in the state carry an identification
card, and:
1) have on their person this card, and
2) be ready to surrender it for examination to any duly constituted authority.
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For our purposes, this means I may ask for your I.D. when you turn in an examination. Not having one on you
means I will not grade that work until I see an ID. This is not meant to belittle or insult you, but with as many
students as there are just in my sections, getting to know all by sight is very difficult- but I'll try.
C. Tardies: Class is scheduled to begin at 1000, thus, I will begin class at that time. There is not much leeway allowed
due to the amount of material being covered. You are adults, you signed up for this class at this time. I will not
repeat material for the benefit of those without the incentive to arrive promptly. If you know you will be late, please
do your classmates the courtesy of not entering the room. Excessive tardiness will be penalized through your final
grade.
D. Leaving Early: Due to the amount of material being covered, leaving before class is complete will hurt your
interactive note-taking. Moreover, doing so is an unnecessary breach of etiquette and a distraction to your
colleagues. If you must leave early, inform me before class, or else your leaving will be treated as if a tardy and your
grade will be penalised.
E. Seating will be assigned the first week of class. You are expected to sit in only your assigned seat.
F. WITHDRAWING FROM THIS COURSE-
1) If you decide that you must drop the course, it is your responsibility to fill out the appropriate form in the college office on
campus. Withdrawal from the course after the official day of record (22 January 2008) will result in a final grade of “W” on
the student transcript and no credit will be awarded. Prior to the official day of record, it is the student’s responsibility to
initiate and complete a request for withdrawal from any course. I do not automatically drop students. You do your own
paperwork.
2) The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-level courses. These dates and times
are published in that semester's course catalog. Administration procedures must be followed. It is the student's responsibility
to handle withdrawal requirements from any class. In other words, I cannot drop or withdraw any student. You must do the
proper paperwork to ensure that you will not receive a final grade of "F" in a course if you choose not to attend the class once
you are enrolled.
3) Translation: If you stop attending class and do not fill out the drop form, you will receive an "F" in the course.
In other words: I fully expect you to behave as if you are mature, reasonable, sane people.
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X. Off-Campus Instruction and Course Activities
Off-campus, out-of-state, and foreign instruction and activities are subject to state law and University policies and
procedures regarding travel and risk-related activities. Information regarding these rules and regulations may be found at the
website address given below. Additional information is available from the office of the school dean.
(http://www.utdallas.edu/Business Affairs/Travel_Risk_Activities.htm)
XI. Participation - The views of the instructor are not dogma, and are open to question and discussion. Please feel free to
disagree, but be prepared to logically and empirically back up your argument!
• Please remember the basic courtesies when disagreeing with others in the room- Speak clearly, concisely, and
do not engage in shouting matches. At the same time, if you merely sit there and absorb without examining the
issues critically, you are missing out. The college campus is truly one of the last places in this country to voice your
ideas in a public forum, and these issues DO affect you for the rest of your lives.
• Your participation is expected, and will be a consideration on your final grade.
XII. WebCT - WebCT is used sparingly in this class, mainly to check your progress in the class. If you do not have a
computer at home or prefer to work on campus, you may do this at the library or in the many computer labs on campus.
---If you are unfamiliar with webct, go to the following website for directions:
http://www.utdallas.edu/distancelearning/students/webct_login.htm
---If you need help with a netID or unix password, go here: http://www.utdallas.edu/distancelearning/students/netid.htm
---WebCT is a technology based learning aid. Because of this, occasional, brief outages are possible.
XIII. Grading – You will be graded on the standard 100-point scale, conformed to Letter grades. I DO NOT CURVE
GRADES- such only rewards those lacking incentive to perform better, and punishes those who strive to achieve.
Grading Scale:
100-98=A+ 87-89=B+ 77-79=C+ 67-69=D+
93-97=A 83-86=B 73-76=C 63-66=D Below 60=F
90-92=A- 80-82=B- 70-72=C- 60-62=D-
• You will be assigned grades based upon your performance on the examinations. Each short exam is worth 20% of
your total grade. Your mid-term and Final are worth 30% each, for a total of 100%.
• Extra Credit opportunities will not be granted to any student who has not completed all six exams, and any extra
credit will not account for more than five percent of your total grade. Detail on Extra Credit will become available
later on my web-site.
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Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable adjustments necessary to eliminate
discrimination on the basis of disability. For example, it may be necessary to remove classroom prohibitions against tape
recorders or animals (in the case of dog guides) for students who are blind. Occasionally an assignment requirement may be
substituted (for example, a research paper versus an oral presentation for a student who is hearing impaired). Classes enrolled
students with mobility impairments may have to be rescheduled in accessible facilities.
The college or university may need to provide special services such as registration, note-taking, or mobility
assistance. It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an accommodation. Disability
Services provides students with letters to present to faculty members to verify that the student has a disability and needs
accommodations. Individuals requiring special accommodation should contact the professor after class or during office hours.
A. Cheating includes looking at or copying from another student's exam, orally communicating or receiving answers during an
exam, having another person take an exam or complete a project or assignment, using unauthorized notes, texts, or other
materials for an exam, and obtaining or distributing an unauthorized copy of an exam or any part of an exam.
B. Plagiarism means passing off as his/her own the ideas or writings of another (that is, without giving proper credit by
documenting sources). Plagiarism includes submitting a paper, report or project that someone else has prepared, in whole or
in part.
C. Collusion is inappropriately collaborating on assignments designed to be completed independently. These definitions are
not exhaustive.
With instructor permission only, tape recorders and laptops may be used during lectures only for the purpose of helping
students take notes. The use of such devices for any other purpose may result in loss of device use for remainder of semester,
system charges of academic dishonesty, and administrative drop from the course. No other electronic devices will be allowed
during class without specific instructor approval.
In case of personal emergencies, check with the instructor before class. I will keep your device at the front of the room, and
you may take it outside should the emergency arise.
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THE POSSESSION OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES DURING EXAMS WILL BE CONSIDERED PROOF OF
CHEATING.
Such devices must be left, turned off, in purses/backpacks at the front of the room.
When there is any scholastic dishonesty, I will assign an “F” for the course, and additional sanctions may
include being expelled from UTD and the UT System, and punishments appropriate under State of Texas
Criminal Code, Penal Section §32.49, (HB 0762).
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XXI. UTD and this course seek to achieve more than merely rote learning. To that end, this course has the following
requirements and objectives-
A. Core Requirements
•READING at the college level, meaning having the ability to analyze and interpret a variety of printed materials--
books, articles, and documents.
•WRITING at the college level, meaning having the ability to produce clear, correct, and coherent prose, adapted to
purpose, occasion, and audience. This includes not only grammar, spelling, and punctuation, but also the writing
process itself.
•SPEAKING effectively, meaning oral communication in clear, coherent, and persuasive language appropriate to
purpose, occasion, and audience.
•LISTENING at the college level, meaning the ability to analyze and interpret various forms of spoken
communication.
•CRITICAL THINKING , embracing methods for applying both qualitative and quantitative skills analytically and
creatively to the subject matter in order to evaluate arguments, solve problems, and construct alternative strategies.
•COMPUTER LITERACY, meaning having the ability to use computer-based technology in communicating,
solving problems, and acquiring information. Students should also be able to evaluate the limits, problems, and
possibilities associated with the use of present and future technologies.
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XXII. Lecture, Assignment, and Examination Schedule
Week 12 (March 24-28) Social Policy: Read Janda Chapter 19; Parenti Chapter 7.
- - -Second Essay Exam.
Week 13 (April 1-4) Public Policy in Texas : Read Kraemer-Newell Chapter 11
Last Date to Request Incomplete April4th
Week 14 (April 7-11) Foreign & Security Policies: Read Janda Chapter 20, Hits Chapters 7-8;
Parenti Chapter 9.
Week 15 (April 14-18) Local Government in Texas : Read Kraemer-Newell Chapter 9.
Local Government Handout
Week 16 (April 21-25) Odds-and-ends wrap-up. All Extra Credit Due. Optional Review.
Thursday May 1st, 08:00 - - - Final Examination.
Grades Available after last exam has been graded.
PLEASE NOTE:
I reserve the right to amend or append this syllabus as need dictates. Any and all changes will be announced in sufficient time
to allow for your personal adjustment.
____________________________________________,________________________________
(Printed name) (UTD Student ID)
_______________________________________________________,______________________
(Signature) (Date)