POS 2041 American National Government

St. Petersburg College

Professor Tara Newsom, JD, LLM

Office Hours: 30 minutes after class or by appointment

Email:

Course Description

The goal of this course is to familiarize students with the structures, functions, and processes of American government and politics. Starting from the premise that students must understand the origins of American government to fully understand the issues facing the United States today, we pay particular emphasis to the intersection of history and contemporary politics. We explore the philosophical and historical roots of American politics, the three branches of government, and various political institutions like the media and political parties. Student will acquire the skills sets and academic background to engage citizenry in the American polity.

By the end of the course, you should be able to:

·  Assess the importance of major historical events for contemporary politics in the United States;

·  Explain how government and politics impacts your daily life;

·  Recognize and evaluate the basic debates and issues in American government and American political history;

·  Explain and critically assess the formal and informal political institutions, and their respective roles, in American politics;

·  Identify and describe the key functions of the three branches of government; and

·  Assess the causes and consequences of different forms of political participation, and outline the ways in which individuals and groups can affect political outcomes in the United States.

Text

·  Bardes, Shelly & Schmidt, American Government and Politics Today: The Essentials 2015-2016 (Boston: Cengage Learning).

·  FREE ONLINE TEXT LOADED ON MYCOURSES

·  Download any US Constitution App with the Declaration of Independence and the amendments. If you can find one with the Federalist Papers included that would be best!

Reading & Course Assignments:

The majority of your reading will be done out of class and is expected to be complete before class begins. This includes all textbook and supplemental reading assignments. Students are expected to contribute to a healthy exchange of ideas and should keep abreast of current events in American governments. Materials presented during class discussions, video presentations and other reading assignments will likely appear on exams. Students are responsible for any material covered in assigned readings and video presentations. Exams will be administered in class and there will be no make-up exams scheduled. Paper assignments will be done out of class and students will be given a set of guidelines to follow.

Attendance

Attendance is counted as a component of your participation grade. You may not miss more than 3 classes, excused or unexcused. Students are responsible for all paperwork regarding withdrawals. LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW WITH A “W” IS October 10th.

A student who misses more than 3 absences before the withdrawal date and fails to withdraw will receive a grade of “WF”. After October 10th, a student may not withdraw and will receive a grade of “F” for the course if the student incurs more than 3 absences and stops attending class. Class begins promptly, and excessive tardiness is not tolerated.

Notification of any anticipated absences that may conflict with a scheduled test must be taken prior to its scheduled date. There are NO “make-ups” for missed papers. The paper assignments will be turned in on or before the due date. The paper is due at the beginning of class.

Writing Requirements

POS 2041 is a Gordon Rule class, so there is a writing requirement of a minimum of 2000 words. To satisfy this requirement, you will write two essays assigned in class. Take care to organize your thoughts before you turn in your assignment. Check your spelling, sentence and paragraph structure before you turn in your assignment. All assignments should be submitted through MyCourses as well as a hard copy and must be submitted within the allotted time and by the posted due date.

ALL assignments must be completed through MyCourses must be submitted or completed within the assignment folder. Emailed assignments will NOT be graded. Again, assignments or other files that are emailed outside of MyCourses will not be accepted and the student will receive a zero for the task.

If you experience a technical problem and it impedes your ability to submit the assignment/exam properly, it must be documented and verified by the SPC technology helpdesk (727) 341-HELP. In addition, you must contact me BEFORE the due date/time to let me know your technical problem. Remember, your phone works well if your internet is out. You will know all due dates and deadlines well in advance, so make sure to plan ample time for completion well in advance of the due dates.

Make sure to save a copy of all your work outside of MyCourses BEFORE you submit it. SAVE A COPY OF ALL WORK SUBMITTED IN THIS COURSE. It is a good idea to save while you are working in case of technical problems.

You must use the MLA citation style for all writing assignments in this course. Refer to The Little Brown Handbook for examples of the MLA style. You can access MLA citation style handouts online through the SPC library online Web site. To access a page of links and information on the MLA citation style, go to the SPC library online Web site at http://www.spcollege.edu/central/libonline/. Click on the Citation Help link under “I Need to Find” on the left side of the page then click MLA style at the top of the page. Additional resources for MLA format are found within the course MyCourses site.

Grading

Everyone can succeed in this class. There is no reason why you cannot earn an A or B if you do the work. Please work hard and I see me if you need help. Do not wait until your grade is irretrievable to seek help.

1.  Participation (In class discussion & Service Based Learning Components including submitting your resume, MLP & seeing career outreach specialist) 20% = 200 points

2.  Mid-Term exam 25% = 250 points

3.  2 Paper Assignments 15% each; total of 30% (specifics provided in class)=300 points

4.  Final Assessment 25% = 250%

The Grading Scale is based on points alone and follow these parameters:

Points

A 90-100% = 900-1000

B 80-89% = 800-899

C 70-79% = 700-799

D 60-69% = 600-699

E 59%-0% = 590-0

Use of Technology Policy

Laptops and cell phone are not permitted. I understand emergency’s exists but to prevent disruptions in class, please excuse yourself and take your emergency call or text outside the classroom.

ALL EMAIL AND ASSIGNMENT CORRESPONDANCE MUST BE THROUGH THE MyCourses SYSTEM. I WILL NOT RESPOND TO EMAILS OUTSIDE MyCourses.

Course Schedule

DATE / Topic & Assignment
Week 1
August 15th
*August 19th is last day to drop / Introduction to course &
Syllabus
Chapter 1, “The Democratic Republic”
Week 2
August 22 / Chapter 2, “The Constitution”
Declaration of Independence
US Constitution
Week 3
August 29 / Chapter 3, “Federalism”
PAPER 1 ASSIGNED
Week 4
NO SCHOOL MONDAY
September 5th Labor Day Holiday
Class resumes rest of week / Chapter 4 “Civil Liberties”
Bill of Rights
Week 5
September 12 / Chapter 5 “Civil Rights”
PAPER 1 DUE
Week 6
September 19 / Chapter 11 “Congress”
Week 7
September 26 / Chapter 12 “The Presidency”
MID-TERM ASSIGNED
Week 8
October 3 / Chapter 13 “The Bureaucracy”
Week 9
October 10 / Chapter 14 “The Courts”
MID-TERM DUE
Week 10
October 17
ALL COLLEGE DAY NO SCHOOL
October 18th
LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW
October 20th
Week 11
October 24 / Chapter 6 “Public Opinion & Political Socialization”
Chapter 10 “The Media”
PAPER 2 ASSIGNED
Chapter 7 & 8 “Interest Groups & Political Parties”
Week 12
October 31 / Chapter 12 ”Campaign & Elections”
PAPER 2 DUE
Week 13
November 7 / Chapter 15 “Domestic & Economic Policy”
Week 14
November 14 / Chapter 16 “Foreign Policy”
Week 15
November 21 / Course Wrap Up & Final Teachbacks
Week 16
November 28 / Final Teachbacks & Exam period if necessary
I reserve the right to change the
Syllabus at any point. Notice and
adequate time to prepare
will be given.

SYLLABUS ADDENDUM

IMPORTANT COLLEGE POLICY REGARDING COURSE DROP/ ADD PERIOD AND AUDIT INFORMATION

Students CANNOT add a course following the 1st day the class meets prior to the second class meeting. Students CAN drop a course through Friday of the first week of classes and be eligible for a refund. Except by appeal to an associate provost, students may not change from credit to audit status after the end of the first week of classes. Online classes may be added through the standard drop/add period for that course.

GRADING AND REPEAT COURSE POLICIES

State policy specifies that students may not repeat courses for which a grade of “C” or higher has been earned except by appeal to an associate provost. Students may repeat a course one time without penalty. On the third attempt, students will pay the full cost of instruction. In addition to any required lab or special fees, the full cost of instruction rate for 2011-2012 is $341.64 per credit hour. In addition, on the third attempt students may NOT receive a grade of “I,” “W,” or “X,” but must receive the letter grade earned. The grade on the final last attempt with the exception of a “W” grade will be the grade that will be calculated into the overall grade point average. (Developmental courses do not average into the grade point average).

ATTENDANCE/ACTIVE PARTICIPATION/WITHDRAWAL POLICIES

Faculty will publish their own participation/attendance policies in their syllabi. Instructors will verify that students are in attendance during the first two weeks of class. Students classified as “No Show” for both of the first two weeks will be administratively withdrawn from any class which they are not attending. The student’s financial aid will be adjusted based on their updated enrollment status. If a student is administratively withdrawn from a class because they were a “No-Show” during the first two weeks of class, financial aid will not pay for the class and the student will be responsible for paying for that class. Students who are not actively participating in class as defined in an instructor's syllabus will be reported to the Administration during the week following the last date to withdraw with a “W” (as posted in the academic calendar on the college’s web site). A grade of “WF” will be assigned to students who are not actively participating during the week following the last day to withdraw with a W grade. Students will be able to withdraw themselves at any time during the term. However, requests submitted after the last date to withdraw with a “W” (see academic calendar) will result in a “WF.” Students and instructors will automatically receive an email notification through their SPC email address whenever a withdrawal occurs. Withdrawing after the “Last Date to Withdraw with a Grade of ‘W’” can have serious consequences. If the student withdraws from a class after the deadline posted in the academic calendar, the student will receive a final grade of ‘WF,' which has the same impact on the student's GPA as a final grade of “F.” A “WF” grade also could impact the student's financial aid, requiring repayment of financial assistance. Students should consult with an academic advisor or financial assistance counselor prior to withdrawing from a class.

FEDERAL GUIDELINES RELATED TO FINANCIAL AID AND TOTAL WITHDRAWAL FROM THE COLLEGE

The U.S. Department of Education requires students who completely withdraw prior to the 60% point of the term and who receive Federal financial aid i.e., Federal Pell Grant, Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG), Federal Stafford Loan, and/or Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant SEOG--to repay a portion of their financial aid. Students considering a withdrawal from all classes before the published withdrawal date should consult a financial assistance counselor to understand their options and the consequences of the total withdrawal. For further information regarding this policy and other financial assistance policies we encourage you to visit our website at: www.spcollege.edu/getfunds

COLLEGE LEVEL ACADEMIC SKILLS (CLAS) GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS In 2009, the Legislature repealed the Florida Statute related to the College-Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST) and eliminated funding for the test. As of July 1, 2009, students are no longer required to take the CLAST. But to earn an A.A. degree or transfer to or graduate from a bachelor’s program, you still must demonstrate that you have met College Level Academic Skills (CLAS) requirements for proficiency in computation and communication skills. This can be done by either achieving a 2.5 GPA (a least a B and a C) in two 3-credit college-level courses in each applicable subject area. Students who do not meet this standard can still meet the CLAS requirements by achieving minimum passing scores on any of the acceptable examinations. If a student is still unsuccessful at satisfying CLAS graduation requirements through grades or repeated exam attempts, there is an appeal option to waive CLAS requirements. Further details about the options for satisfying CLAS graduation requirements can be found at the following link: www.spcollege.edu/webcentral/CLAST.htm.