Texas Government Syllabus for 2014-2015
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Instructor Information

Course Information

Recording Policy

Disability Statement

Any student who, because of a disabling condition, may require some special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact disAbility Services (Student Service Center room 119, phone 371-5436) as soon as possible.

Statement for Mental Health and Advocacy & Resource Center:

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

Administrative Drop Policy

N/A

Student Withdrawal Procedures

N/A

Privacy Statement

The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students.  If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email to humanresources@actx.edu .

Course

GOVT-2306-006 Texas Government

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: RDNG 0331-minimum grade of C or a score on a state-approved test indicating college-level reading skills

Course Description

Origin and development of the Texas Constitution, structure and powers of state and local government, federalism and inter-governmental relations, political participation, the election process, public policy and the political culture of Texas.

Student Resources Student Resources Website

Department Expectations

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Occupational License Disclaimer

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)

Class Type

Hybrid

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

REQUIRED BOOK:
Title:  The State of Texas with Connect Plus Access Card , 2nd Ed. 2015
Author:  Sherri Mora
ISBN:  9781259573170
Publisher:  McGraw Hill
 

NOTE:   Please remember that each student is responsible for purchasing the CORRECT Textbook/Readers for this course.  It is very easy in the hectic early days of a new term to glance at a card in the bookstore and select the wrong books.  It is also possible for a student to get conflicting advice from others, including bookstore personnel who mean well, but may be misinformed about the correct books for the proper Professor.  So be sure to go online, print-out-a-copy of the Syllabus and bring it with you when buying your books.  If in doubt, buy what is listed on the Syllabus, then sort out any issues later.  The Syllabus is the final word on which book is correct, so read it carefully and buy accordingly.

Supplies

The Exams for this Course are taken Online which means that each student will need access to a reliable computer and Internet service in order to take each of the required Quizzes.  You may take your Exams from Home, or on the College campus, or t

Student Performance

\ Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

\

\ 1. Explain the origin and development of the Texas constitution.
\ 2. Describe state and local political systems and their relationship with the federal government.
\ 3. Describe separation of powers and checks and balances in both theory and practice in Texas.
\ 4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of Texas government.
\ 5. Evaluate the role of public opinion, interest groups, and political parties in Texas.
\ 6. Analyze the state and local election process.
\ 7. Identify the rights and responsibilities of citizens.
\ 8. Analyze issues, policies and political culture of Texas.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

DISABILITY STATEMENT:    Any student, who because of a disabling condition, may require some special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact disAbility Services (SSC 119, phone 371-5436) as soon as possible.
 

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES:  Student records are confidential under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.  Therefore, the student’s progress within this class cannot be discussed with parents, friends, or guardians without written permission from the student.  The student (not a parent, friends, or the professor) is responsible for contacting the professor if the student is concerned about their progress in the class, absent for an extended period due to illness, surgery, or other circumstances, or any other extenuating situations which may arise during the course of the semester. The student is responsible for following and understanding their rights and responsibilities as listed in the student handbook at on the AC Webpage.  
 

NOTE:  If a student misses class, it is the student’s responsibility to get class notes from another student.  DO NOT ASK THE PROFESSOR FOR THE NOTES.
 

STUDY GROUPS:  Student-led study groups are encouraged.  The professor will provide, if requested, a secure-web forum for each individual study group.  But, never forget that I am also available to you and will gladly help during my Office Hours or Appointments. 

CELL PHONES:  Cell phone, pagers or any electronic device that might disturb the classroom must be turned off during the class period or it will be confiscated.
 

CHEATING:  Occasionally a few students will attempt to cheat on one of the examinations.  Students caught cheating in any way or using materials other than those allowed will have their examinations rejected and, at minimum, receive a grade of F (0 points) for that examination.  Additionally such students may receive a grade of F for the course and may be suspended from the College (penalties which become a permanent part of a penalized student’s record and cannot be eliminated by the repeat-option). 

BEHAVIOR POLICY: To the mature adults who are members of this class I apologize for the insult imposed upon you by this section of the syllabus.  Unfortunately, past behavior by your fellow students has necessitated its inclusion.  Students are expected to behave in a manner befitting adults with the proper respect displayed for their fellow students, the Professor, and the College. This is not middle school, elementary school, nor Lad ‘N’ Lassie day care center, and I have no intention of tolerating behavior which is more stereotypical of any of the aforementioned.  In order to clarify my position, the following list is included as examples of behavior which may result in permanent expulsion from this class.  A student will receive one verbal warning only.  Verbal warnings may include dismissal from class for the remainder of the class period.  A second incident results in permanent expulsion with no chance for reinstatement.

 Prohibited behavior includes, but is not limited to the following:

1. sleeping, head on desk
2. interrupting lecture by any unsuitable means
3. banging, tapping on wall, desk, or floor
4. passing notes
5. disrespect for fellow students
6. wearing headphones - except for hearing assistance as approved
7. disrespectful comments
8. cheating in any form
9. disruptive talking/visiting between students
10. any other disruptive behavior
11. doing homework related to this class or any other
12. moving from desk to desk, walking around room
13. throwing paper wads or any other objects
14. knitting, needlepoint, other arts and crafts

The instructor reserves the right to assign seating if necessary to preserve order.  Contrary to what you are probably now thinking, it is not my intention to design a class which is a prison camp for college students.  I am in favor of having fun in class perhaps as much as anyone; however, it must not be at the expense of an environment conducive to learning.

Review behavior guidelines in the AC student handbook.
 

INSTRUCTOR’S POLICY ON ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:  Occasionally a few students will attempt to cheat or plagiarize.  Students caught will receive a grade of F (0 points) for that examination and/or essay.  Additionally such students may receive a grade of F for the course and may be suspended from the College (penalties which become a permanent part of a penalized student's record and cannot be eliminated by the repeat-option).  If you are unsure about the definition of plagiarism, see the links available to students or visit with your instructor. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

• downloading a free or purchased paper
• copying an article from the web or electronic database
• translating a foreign web article into English
• copy a paper from a local source
• cobbling -- cutting and pasting to create a paper from several sources (including web sites) even if properly cited
• excessive quoting (more than 20% even if properly cited)
• quoting less than all the words copied
• changing some words but copying whole phrases
• paraphrasing without attribution
• summarizing without attribution
• faking a citation
• recycling work from a previous or current course, whether your own work or another student’s work.

Review the Plagiarism Handout located on the "Course Info - Start HERE!" TAB located on the Course Website.

CHOOSING GOOD SCHOLARLY SOURCES FOR RESEARCH:  Students often search for additional information about historical or political events to supplement their understanding of the material in preparation for essays and quizzes.  To correctly interpret any issue, students must have accurate knowledge of the facts. Students can also consult secondary sources such as the work of other scholars.  Students are, however, STRONGLY cautioned to choose these extra sources, particularly internet sites, with care.  Websites, such as Wikipedia or Yahoo, DO NOT necessarily contain reliable facts, documentation, or interpretations, and therefore, should not be used in a college course.  Websites like Wikipedia even post disclaimers informing users that their material may or may not be valid (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Disclaimers).  Students should, instead, choose sources from the WBU Virtual Library such a History Cooperative, JSTOR, or other refereed journals. For websites, learners should select sites where the author can be identified as a scholar, historian, or other knowledgeable person.  Such examples would include websites ending in .edu or .org.  Websites helpful to students in this course already examined by the professor are available via the "Web Resources" link through the course. See "Using Wikipedia -- "Danger Will Robinson" handout located on the "Syllabus" page or this recent CNN article, "Use with caution:  The perils of Wikipedia."  Encyclopedias and general "History or Government” websites also fall into this category because they are too superficial to use as "source material" for research necessary for use in any College Course.

Grading Criteria

REQUIRED ASSIGNMENTS:

Required Exams:  Students will be tested, on average, once every two to three weeks over the roughly 15 weeks of the Semester. Testing will be done entirely Online, during a window of time that opens at 0800 (8am) on Friday mornings and will end at 2355 (11:55pm) on Sunday nights.  You may access the Exam only once, so plan your effort accordingly.   That means you must limit all distractions from friends, family, the neighbor's dog, or anything else that may get in the way of you doing your very best on these Quizzes.  Each quiz has 20 questions worth 5 points each a total of 100 points with a 40-minute time limit open over the Friday to Sunday period.  This 3-day window allows everyone to take each of the Tests, but although there are 6 Exams scheduled during the Term, you may drop the lowest score from the first 5 that are given.  That means that the Last Quiz must be taken and its grade may not be excluded from your Course Average.  The logic here is that if you were not required to take that last test then you would simply skip the final two weeks of the course, and the whole point is for you to learn, not just get your "ticket punched."  Since you are given the chance to drop the lowest grade from the Test, then I DO NOT allow any Make-Up Assignments -- for any reason so do not ask.  The second reason for not granting Make-Ups is that they tend to be more work for an already over-stressed student, and by allowing the Drop option instead, I feel that everyone benefits while still protecting your opportunity to succeed in this class.  So remember, there will be 6 Quizzes in total given about every second weekend, and you may drop the lowest ONE (1) of the first 5 that are taken, including a quiz you might miss due to illness or some other issue.  But everyone must participate in the Last Quiz and that score will count.  So to summarize, there are 6 scheduled Quizzes and students may drop the lowest ONE (1) of the first 5 Quizzes, BUT everyone must take the last Quiz, scheduled for the last Friday-Sunday period prior to the start of Final Exam week, and the score from that Quiz #6 counts!  The Quizzes comprise a total of 90% of your class average, while the remaining 10% will come from the following assignment.

 

Other Assignment:

The remaining 10% of your Course Average will come from a Reflective Capstone Essay written in response to one of the Ethical Dilemma questions. Complete Instructions along with the Questions and the SafeAssign upload link are available via the AC Connect Course Webpage by clicking the "Reflective Capstone Essay" TAB from the left-hand menu.  These Essays are required by the State Legislature in several so-called Gate-Keeper classes like History and Government.  They must be between 350-500 words but no more than 2 pages in length, and you may select the question that interests you the most.  You absolutely MUST submit your Essay via the Online SafeAssign Tool no later than 2355 (11:55pm) on MONDAY night 27 APRIL.  You may turn it in anytime after 13 April 2015, but no later than 27 APRIL 2015.  Remember, this Project MUST be submitted via the SafeAssign link ONLY and will not be accepted in any other form as mandated by College rules.  Citations need to be listed using any standard format.  If you need help with that simply contact the Writer's Corner in the English Department and ask for help. They have created a very useful resource for all of Amarillo College students to gain advice for any written assignment for any class and should be commended and used by all. I have provided a Link to the Writer’s Corner on the left-hand menu on the Course Webpage This Project is your view of an ethical dilemma that was faced by a real person from the period of History you studied during the Semester, but students will need to support their position with facts (cited from a source in both Footnote and Bibliography) using their own words. Occasionally, it is helpful to use a short quote or paraphrase from an outside source and again -- be sure to use the appropriate citation for those parts of your Essay.  The goal is to have each student explore and apply what they have learned during the term to an actual event, and then express their personal response to it. 

Students must access the Complete Instructions which includes the Questions options along with the SafeAssign upload link. These are available on the AC Connect Course Webpage by clicking the "Reflective Capstone Essay" TAB from the left-hand menu.  Students are required to answer ONE of the questions in an essay that have a minimum of 350-500 words but no more than 2 pages in length. Your Capstone Reflective Essay must have a SEPARATE COVER PAGE that includes: 1) Essay Title (if used); 2) Question Number being answered; 3) Course Name and Number WITH Section (Can be found on Course Syllabus); 4) Professor’s Name, i.e., Professor Linda Powell; 5) Student’s Name; 6) Due Date or Date of Submission.  All of the items for the Cover Sheet should be centered with the Title in Bold. The Essay should be double-spaced and written in normal academic standard meaning using the third person where possible.  Students must include any citations and the appropriate Bibliography at the end.

Additionally, all Writing Assignment will be submitted and checked by SafeAssign for plagiarism. This course requires a SafeAssign score of 20% or less for any Writing Assignment. A rating of 40% or greater means blatant plagiarism since students relied upon someone else for almost one-half of their work. The goal of this Assignment is to encourage critical thinking, communication, personal and social responsibility from the individual student about an event. The current version of SafeAssign will only accept Microsoft Word Document (.doc), Portable Document Format (.pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), HTML and Plain Text (.txt) files and sizes of 10 MB or less. The SafeAssign Link allows only ONE upload attempt so your Essay should be ONE complete document (including the Cover Sheet, Essay & Bibliography) and ensure you are uploading the correct version using the SafeAssign Link!  If you need assistance writing your Essay, visit the AC Writer’s Corner on campus or I provide a Link to the Writer’s Corner on the left-hand menu on the Course Webpage   Students needing assistance saving or uploading their Essay on the SafeAssign Link, should visit the AskAC Help Desk or one of the Computer Labs on Campus PRIOR to making their one attempt.  I also provide a Link to the AskAC Help Desk on the left-hand menu on the Course Webpage. 

NOTE:  Students are responsible for ensuring that their Essay uploads correctly (Cover Sheet, Essay, & Bibliography as ONE complete document) without a virus, in an accepted format that SafeAssign can open in Bb to receive a grade.  Any Essay submission which cannot be scanned by SafeAssign or opened by SafeAssign and Bb will NOT be accepted for a grade.
 

Penalties Applied to Writing Assignments
Essay Not Submitted on SafeAssign Link	A 2-letter Grade Deduction (Usually 20 points)
Late (within 24 hours of the Final Due Date)	A letter Grade Deduction (Usually 10 Points)
Late (within 48 hours of the Final Due Date)	A 2-letter Grade Deduction (Usually 20 Points)
Late & Not Submitted on SafeAssign Link (within 24 hours of the Final Due Date)	Both Penalties Apply A TOTAL of 3-letter Grade Deduction (Usually 30 points)      ----------- A 2-letter Grade Deduction for not submitting on SafeAssign Link (Usually 20 points) AND A letter Grade Deduction -- Late (Usually 10 Points)
Late (More than 48 Hours past the Final Due Date)	Will not be Accepted ZERO
SafeAssign Plagiarism Score of 21-40%	A 2-letter Grade Deduction (Usually 20 Points)
SafeAssign Plagiarism Score of 41% or more.	Will not be Accepted ZERO

 

SUMMARY OF ASSIGNMENTS

To summarize, each student will take 6 Quizzes during the Term and may drop one (1) of those Tests (from the first five) so that 5 Quizzes worth 18% each will count for 90% of the class average.  The Last Quiz is Required for Every Student and May Not be Dropped under any circumstances, so plan accordingly.  It is risky to either ignore one of the earlier Quizzes, or to assume that you will do well on the Last One only to find that you desperately need the points from that Last Quiz and find that you "bombed it" and are stuck with a poor grade instead of a higher one from earlier in the Term that must be "tossed out" because only 5 scores will count, and one of those is that Last Quiz.  Please be forewarned and be prepared as the Semester closes to do your best on that Last Quiz.  Finally, each student will write that brief Reflective Capstone Essay covering an Ethical Dilemma they selected from the List, and the Project must be between 350-500 words submitted between 19 November and 1 December for the last 10% of your Course Average.        

 

COMPOSITION OF FINAL GRADE:  All Quizzes are worth 18% each for a total of 90% of your course grade.  There are 6 Quizzes, but only 5, including the Last One will be used to determine all averages.  Students may drop ONE (1) of the first 5 Quizzes, BUT everyone must take the Last Quiz and the score from Quiz #6 counts!  There is NO extra credit offered--so Please Do Not Ask.  This Syllabus is much like a Contract between the student and professor and alterations are not allowed.  Experience has demonstrated that Make-Up work is often just more to do for an already swamped student, so I have chosen to use the Drop score option to relieve the pressure and prevent students from trying to do extra work while still keeping up with up-coming work that is still due on time.  Remember, each student is being allowed to Drop one (1) of their scores to assist those who must miss a Quiz or have outside obligations.  So there is no Extra Credit allowed. The remaining 10% of your course grade will come from the Capstone Reflective Essay, late in the Semester and will not be a major strain on you.

Graded Quizzes (5 at 18% each)      90%
Capstone Reflective Essay               10%

 

GRADE SCALE:
A          90 and above
B          80-89
C          70-79
D          60-69
F          Failing (below 60)

 

MAKE-UP POLICY: There are no make-up Quizzes or Assignments under any circumstances. A missed Quiz will simply become a dropped score-- no exceptions.  There is NO extra credit offered. Remember, everyone must drop one (1) of the first 5 Quizzes but ALL STUDENTS MUST TAKE THE LAST Quiz and the score will count.  The other Assignment must be submitted on the date listed, with no extensions or exemptions.

 

Students MUST submit all Assignments and Quizzes electronically per the appropriate Instructions on the Course Website and no Assignments will be accepted in any other form as mandated by College and Course Syllabus rules.

Attendance

Attendance is necessary to successfully complete this course.  See AC Student Handbook for guidelines. 

NOTE:  This is a hybrid course which meets once a week for lecture requiring student attendance. This is NOT an online course.

QUIZ SCHEDULE:  Quizzes will, on average, be administered at the end of every two to three weeks the class meets during the 15 weeks of the Regular term.  This means that a great deal of material will be covered in lecture/discussion in the period between the Quizzes.  Therefore, it is imperative that students be in attendance each day, since most of the content that will be tested will come from the Professor's lecture/Discussion with the class.  I cannot be emphasize strongly enough just how important being part of that interaction between the class and the Professor is when learning Government.  This is not a subject that is bound by formulas or learned by memorizing the names of bones or atomic tables.  The foundation of Government is the story of the foundation of the State, and the only proven way to learn that story well is to participate in a discussion of what happened and why.  So please make every effort to attend all classes, and seriously consider forming Study Groups with your classmates to spread the workload out among several people and to learn from their interpretations of the events we are all studying.  Also, ask the Professor to cover anything you do not understand. I hold an Advanced Degree in this field of study, spending years of study and thousands of dollars to be able to teach you in the best way possible.  So please take advantage of that while I am learning from you as well.

 

Calendar

Additional Information

AC Connect for Course Webpage:  Students can access the associated Course Webpage on the Internet through the AC Connect Server at https://acconnect.actx.edu or through the AC Homepage http://www.actx.edu/.   Students will be able to access and complete the graded quizzes on the associated calendar dates on the Course Webpage, view their grades, review the Course Syllabus, and more.  All electronic correspondence between student and Professor must to be conducted through the AC Connect -- Course Home Page – "Call PROF" TAB.

 

WITHDRAWING FROM A COURSE:  It is the responsibility of the student to officially drop or withdraw from a course. Failure to withdraw may result in a grade of “F” for the course. A grade of “W” will be given for student-initiated withdrawals that are submitted on or before APRIL 23, 2015.

 

COPYRIGHT OF COURSE:  The course presentations/materials shall not be reproduced, distributed, re-used, or revised without prior knowledge and consent of the professor. The content of this class is copyrighted and protected under laws similar to those governing more traditional materials such as books or articles.   Therefore, audio recorders must have PRIOR approval of the instructor and cannot be disseminated beyond personal use and no visual reproductions or photographs are allowed under any circumstances.

 

HOLIDAYS:  No class will be held on the following dates:
Tuesday, February 10, 2015 - No Class (Professor Powell's Class ONLY)
Monday-Friday, March 16-20, 2015 - Spring Break Holiday
Friday, April 3, 2015 - Easter Holiday
 

 

Go to the Course Webpage on AC Connect and select the "Course Info - Start HERE!" TAB:
 --Print out and keep a copy of the Course Syllabus for the semester handy,
--Print out the Course Schedule on the "Course Schedule" TAB and post somewhere prominent.
--Review and be familiar with ALL Course Policies located including the SafeAssign, Wikipedia and Plagiarism Handouts.
 

**Changes or adjustments in course material, or other parts of this syllabus may be made during the semester if circumstances warrant.