The George Washington University s4

The George Washington University

Political Science 2212 Section 10:

State and Urban Policy Problems

Fall 2013

Instructor: Robert Bruce Betz, PhD

Office Location: 1655 North Fort Myer Drive Suite 700, Arlington, VA 22209

Office Phone: (703) 243-1719

Office Hours: By appointment only.

Email:

Course Number and Section

PSC 2212 Section 10

Course CRN

53001

Course Location

Government

Room 104

Course Time

Tuesday and Thursday 2:20 – 3:35 p.m.

Course Description

The course will provide a framework for understanding state and local government organization, responsibilities, operations, challenges, and potentials. There are many pressing issues before states and local governments as they address a host of issues (i.e. aging, education, immigration, terrorism, infrastructure and transportation, environment, and economic development, to name but a few). These issues will be discussed as they relate to state and local government.

Course Goals

This course has five major goals. First, we will examine the American system of federalism starting with an examination of the U.S. Constitution along with the interdependency and tensions for state and local governments.

Second, we will examine and discuss a series of pressing policy issues before state and local governments.

Third, we will be examining state and local governments. Through an examination/discussion of the workings and mechanisms, students will be expected to master a basic understanding of the issue framework for state and local governments.

Fourth, students will master a key communications tool of policy and politics – the issue briefing paper. The framework for the organization of this communications tool will be utilized to discuss pressing policy issues before state and local level policymakers.

Finally, students will organize and participate in a presentation working group to design and give a PowerPoint presentation briefing on an assigned policy issue.

Student Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, the student should know or be able to do the following:

1. To conduct themselves under a strictly enforced honor code.

2. To be able to outline the U.S. constitutional issues related to federalism.

3. To be able to identify the participants in state and urban policy making.

4. To identify the actors and policymakers at the state, municipal, and national levels.

5. To contrast the motivations of the interest groups, political parties, policymakers, etc. and how they pursue their aims.

6. To demonstrate an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of state legislatures, governors, city/county councils, mayors, public administration, and the judiciary.

7. To summarize the dynamics and interplay of state and local relationships, taxes/revenue, and spending by governmental entities.

8. To design a substantive policy briefing paper which analyzes a state or urban policy issue for a policymaker to include the following sub objectives:

a. To demonstrate the ability to construct a concise statement of issue.

b. To conduct a sourced background examination of an issue.

c. To design policy criteria of importance to a selected policymaker.

d. To identify policy alternatives within the ability to act of a selected policymaker.

e. To thoroughly analyze the identified alternatives in relation to the selected criteria.

f. To formulate a substantive recommendation based on the analysis

9. To actively participate in an examination of several preeminent policy issues of growing significance to state and municipal governments.

10. To collaboratively participate in a working group for the design and presentation of a policy issue.

Required Class Material

One standard letter size (8.5 x 11 in.) legal pad with white or yellow paper for pop quizzes, etc. Bring to each class.

Required Texts

1. The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States, by Roger Pilon, CATO Institute, ISBN#: 1-882577-98-1 or The Constitution of the United States, The text of the Constitution can be found at: http://www.house.gov/Constitution/Constitution.html. The text of the Amendments to the Constitution can be found at:http://www.house.gov/Constitution/Amend.html.

2. State and Local Government: The Essentials, by Ann Bowman and Richard Kearney. Houghton Mifflin College, ISBN#: 06180214593

3. Politics and Policy in States and Communities, by John Harrigan and David Nice, Pearson Longman Publishers, ISBN#: 0321129075

Suggested Website Review

Students should make an effort to become familiar and review:

1. National Governor’s Association at http://www.nga.org

2. National Association of Counties at http://www.naco.org

3. United States Conference of Mayors http://usmayors.org

Suggested Daily/Weekly Scanning

1. Washington Post

2. Wall Street Journal

3. New York Times

4. Time Magazine

5. Newsweek

6. U.S. News and World Report

Additional Readings

Library Reserve Material

As announced in class.

Shakings and Happenings

The New York Times has dubbed the George Washington University (GW) as the "…the West Point of the political wars." One of the most commonly cited reasons why students choose to attend GWU is a keen interest in government, politics, policy, media, and the interaction of interest groups on the national scene. Often, many academic courses do not provide the student with an adequate opportunity to engage with other students in examination and debate about contemporary issues and developments. This course will provide such an opportunity at the beginning of each class. These approximately 15 minute exercises are referred to as “Shakings and Happenings.” Students are strongly encouraged to scan the national media between each class and come prepared to present the elements of an issue and to engage in a pro and con examination with other classmates. Thoughtful class participation in this part of the class will be considered in calculating the student’s final grade.

Reading Assignments and Pop Quizzes

Students will be assigned readings from the required texts, provided handouts, articles, and/or library reserve material to be discussed in class. Students should be prepared for a short pop examination on the assignment for that day, including those classes with guest lecturers. Students will be responsible for all the material covered, not just the material in the quizzes. If possible, students are encouraged to try to stay ahead of the reading assignment by at least one class. Again, thoughtful class participation is expected. The cumulative quiz grades will account for 20% of the student’s final class grade.

Final Exam

There will be one final written examination covering the material from the entire course. This examination will be a combination of multiple choice and/or essay questions. Multiple-choice questions for the final examination will be primarily drawn from the assigned readings and daily quizzes. Essay questions will be primarily drawn from topical class discussions. Again, students will be responsible for all the material covered in class. The final examination will account for 50% of the student’s final class grade.

Note: It is essential to include the full honor code pledge at the end of each exam with the student’s individual signature.

Required Writing Assignment - Issue Briefing Paper

Students will be required to submit one typed issue briefing paper of no more than 15 double spaced pages (12 pts font size). The final briefing paper will account for 35% of the student’s final class grade.

This is to be an issue briefing paper to be theoretically used in a political context with a state or municipal policymaker. I want to see how you have mastered this key communications tool.

Each final briefing paper will be graded according to the following:

· Name typed in the top right hand corner of each page.

· Proper format.

· Content (i.e. how well the paper fulfills the assignment and the overall quality of ideas and analysis presented).

· Proper citation of sources including footnotes at the bottom of each page, grammar, spelling, typographical errors, etc.

· Quality and exactness of written descriptions.

· Quality of evaluation.

· Quality of written support.

· Quality of sources used.

The paper will identify and examine an issue and the political forces at work as it relates to a state or major metropolitan city. The Professor must approve written the “Statement of Issue” in advance.

· A written “Statement of Issue” is to be submitted on Thursday, November 1.

· A substantial draft of the briefing paper is due on Tuesday, November 20.

· Students will in writing, peer review another students draft briefing paper and submit that written review on Thursday, November 29.

· This final briefing paper is due on Thursday, December 6. (5 points will be subtracted from the final grade of the paper for each day the paper is late).

The briefing paper is to be organized as follows:

1. Type your name in the top right hand corner of the paper.

2. Under the title, specify the policymaker who this briefing paper would be presented to.

3. Statement of the issue.

4. Background.

5. Criteria.

6. Thematic alternatives for action available to the policymaker.

7. Evaluation.

8. Your recommended alternative for action.

Note: It is essential to include a fully typed honor code pledge at the end of the paper with the student’s individual signature.

Required Working Group Presentation Assignment - Issue Briefing PowerPoint

Early in the semester, students will be assigned to a presentation working group. Each working group will be assigned a specific policy issue of importance to many state and urban governments. The working group is expected to work autonomously and to bring in substantial information from outside sources. The overall objective of the working group is to design and present a PowerPoint briefing to the entire class on an assigned day. The presentation cannot be less than 30 minutes with additional time afterward for questions and answers from the rest of the class. Students in the working group are completely responsible for making all arrangements with GWU for audio/visual and/or other technical devices to be used in the presentations. Each member of the working group must have a speaking part in the PowerPoint presentation. The quality and informational value of written handouts for the entire class on the topic and/or presentation are part of the grade for this assignment. All working group presentations are to be made in appropriate “job interview” business attire. All members of the working group will receive an equal grade for the quality and thoroughness of the briefing presentation and handouts.

Study Group

One of the strongest recommendations for this course is for students to form an outside study group to routinely meet to review class materials, compare class notes, and to go-over classroom discussions. Organization and initiation of this study group early in the semester is crucial to its success. If, at any time, some members of the study group are free-riding on the work of others and not making serious/routine contributions to the success of the study sessions, drop these individuals and move on with a highly motivated core group. Like peer review, study groups are a part of serious academic work. Also, experience in this class has shown that active and routine participation in a study group can increase the likelihood of enhanced performance on quizzes, examinations, and assignments.

Instructor’s Philosophy and Course Policies

The following represents the philosophy of the Professor and the course policies. They are all important to understand.

· Each student is expected to be familiar with the university’s academic integrity code. It is of critical importance for the student to know that the Professor has established an individual honor code for this class. For this course, each quiz, exam, and paper handed in as part of this class will contain the following written statement by the individual student on the outside of the submitted material “I have neither given nor received aid on this work. All material is mine or otherwise footnoted accordingly.” Each student is expected to sign this statement with his or her full name each and every time it is used. This is an aspect of the course that must be taken extremely seriously by each student. The Professor will not tolerate academic cheating, dishonesty, and/or plagiarism and will immediately fail the student/s that participates in such activities. All violations will be reported to the appropriate academic authorities.

· If the student is here to learn, the Professor is here to teach. If the student has any other possible agenda, they should seriously consider taking some other course.

· You must do the work. This course cannot be audited.

· Email communications with the Professor are acceptable. I will respond to emails routinely, but it could take up to 48 hours for a response. Each email to the Professor from a student must include “PSC 2212 Section 10” in the subject line.

· Due to my active travel schedule (domestic and international) it is best for students to consider calling my office at (703) 243-1719 to leave a message.

· The Professor is available for scheduled meetings with students at his office in Arlington, VA, located close to the Rosslyn Metro Station. Please call my office at (703) 243-1719 to request an appointment.

· Class attendance is mandatory and recorded through participation in daily pop quizzes.

· Reading assignments and class discussion will take place on all class days, except examination days, unless otherwise advised.

· There is absolutely no circumstance in which a pop quiz can be made up.

· Make up mid-term and final exams will be given only in the event of extreme extenuating circumstances judged solely by the Professor.

· All quizzes, exams, and papers handed in as part of this class are available to the individual student for examination. However, all such materials will remain in the ultimate possession of the Professor.