Contact me anytime 8am-10pm, M-Su
Collusion is defined as “the unauthorized collaboration with another person or by any other means, including artificial intelligence (AI) and computer translators, in preparing work for fulfillment of course requirements.” Using AI like (ChatGPT or Google Gemini) to create a document is considered colluding. <strong>The use of Generative Artificial Intelligence on specific assignments is at the discretion of the instructor. </strong>
If you have a disability (learning, mental, physical) that affects your ability to participate effectively and have access to any program or service at Amarillo College please contact Disability Services at (806) 345-5639 . Our offices are located in the Enrollment Center, Suite 700. More information may be found at www.actx.edu/disability.
Disability Services facilitates access to all programs and services according to the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as other federal and state laws.
Amarillo College is committed to providing equal access to all programs and services, including all working, learning, and service environments that affect equal access for persons with disabilities. This commitment to provide equal access and opportunity for persons with disabilities is in compliance with federal and state law. Amarillo College also strives to provide Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) that are accessible to all authorized users.
If you find you are unable to access material in an accessible format please contact the Disability Services Office at (806) 345-5639 . This office will work in conjunction with other campus resources to address and accommodate your issue in a timely manner.
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
Tutoring for Success applies to any student whose overall performance in the course falls below 75%. The instructor will create the task in the Student Engagement Portal (Watermark) to direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty- or SI-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. The tutoring service assigned, the due date for when the tutoring must be completed, and the amount of tutoring required are at the discretion of the instructor. Additionally, the task will alert the student’s success team. Students who do not fulfill the assigned tutoring task may be subject to program- and course-specific penalties that could result in a grade reduction and/or in not being allowed to progress in the course until the tutoring requirement has been satisfied.
Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016
Students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.
NOTE: Students who are attending Texas institutions of higher education, for the first time fall 2007 and later, may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.
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 .
GOVT-2306-015 Texas Government
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 ResourcesStudent Resources Website
Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:
Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:
Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me
You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.
(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)
Online Course
E-Text – Governing Texas, 5th Edition – provided in the course.
No supplies available
No performance information available
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".
No behavior expectations available
COURSE REQUIREMENTS/ASSIGNMENTS:
Grade Scale (based on 1000 total points possible):
A = 900 to 1000 points
B = 800 to 899 points
C = 700 to 799 points
D = 600 to 699 points
F = 0-599 points
Instructions for Chapter and Unit Work
1. Watch the PowerPoint presentation for the chapter.
2. Read the Chapter in the textbook
3. Study the Chapter until you have achieved chapter mastery.
4. Take the Chapter Exam.
5. Do the Written Assignments as you encounter them in the course.
Intro and Concluding Discussion Forums and Orientation Quiz (15 points)
The introductory discussion forum and the orientation quiz are in the Start Here folder. Do the Concluding Discussion Forum at the end of the course (end of Lesson Eight).
Lesson Quizzes (200 points):
Each lesson quiz is worth 25 points. The format for each exam is "open book" and each exam has a time limit of 30 minutes. Utilize the PowerPoint chapter presentations as well as the textbook to prepare for each exam.
Each student will have one attempt per exam, so study hard before you attempt to take an exam. Exam questions are pulled from a larger group of questions. By design, there is not enough time to look up each question, so study prior to taking the exam. The grade will post immediately after submission.
You must be prepared for each exam by reading the assigned chapter, doing the chapter discussion forum, doing any written assignments associated with the chapter. Do not procrastinate; give yourself time to complete each exam in sequence as you progress through the chapters and the units. You may, of course, move at your own pace ahead of each deadline.
On rare occasions, there may be an issue with the exam questions. Please let me know if that is the case. I always appreciate help in catching errors in the exam. Always feel free to check the answers against the book – if you have a question about an answer marked wrong, just email me with the question and your evidence (a pic) from the book.
Unforeseen glitches during an exam attempt can occur from time to time. There are several steps you can take to ensure you do not have a problem during an attempt. Go ahead and contact me if you have any problems with the exam, if it is a tech support problem, consult tech support.
Midterm and Final Exam (200 points)
There is a midterm and final exam each worth 100 points. The midterm will cover Lessons 1-4, the final will cover Lessons 5-8.
Written Projects (160 points):
There are five written projects for the course.
See instructions for each assignment in Blackboard. There will be an attached rubric given with the grade on the written assignment. Be sure to answer all questions for each assignment. Questions that require more work are always worth more points. Do not skip questions that require paragraph summaries or extended replies, you’re grade on the assignment will suffer greatly if you do. Incomplete written assignment may not be accepted and may be given a 0, so do not turn in half-completed work or skip any of the questions. Do not cut and paste any answers for the written assignments unless otherwise indicated. That is plagiarism. Students who plagiarize will get a 0 on the assignment and may fail the course and be reported to the college.
See instructions for each assignment in those units on Blackboard. There will be an attached rubric given with the grade on the written assignment. Be sure to answer all questions for each assignment. Questions that require more work are always worth more points. Do not skip questions that require paragraph summaries or extended replies, your grade on the assignment will suffer greatly if you do. Do not cut and paste any answers on these written assignments – that is plagiarism. If you plagiarize, you will fail the course. See further information on plagiarism below.
Blackboard Discussion Boards (320 points)
There are 16 chapter discussion forums worth 20 points each for a total of 320 points. For each Discussion Forum, write a 250-300-word response (use your word processor to count the number of words and include that at the end of your post). Your response should carefully address all parts of the question in a coherent, organized, and professional manner. You must also respond to someone else's post with a 100-word response (use word count again). Your responses should be your own words. Do not cut and paste - this is plagiarism. If you do quote the textbook or other sources, be sure to use parenthetical citation or footnotes for proper attribution. Use proper grammar and spelling – posts with excessive grammar and spelling errors may receive a lowered grade or a 0.
You will primarily be graded on the completeness of your posts. If the professor asks a follow up question, be sure to reply and answer the question. Make sure you read any replies or comments made on your posts by fellow students or the professor. If I ask a follow up question, make sure you answer as a reply to your original post. To post, click "Create Thread" in the upper left-hand corner of the Discussion Board.
Academic Dishonesty:
Cheating includes, but is not limited to, having access to unauthorized materials or electronic, digital media, telecommunication, and/or wearable devices (i.e., phones, smart watches, Fitbits, Bluetooth devices, tablets, etc.) during an examination; the giving or receiving of information in an unauthorized manner during an examination or to complete an assignment; using, buying, selling, soliciting, stealing, or otherwise obtaining course assignments and/or examination questions in advance; using someone else’s work for an assignment as if it were one’s own; submitting or resubmitting an assignment in whole or in part (i.e., recycling an assignment) for more than one (1) class or institution without permission from each of the professors; using annotated texts or teacher’s editions; using information about exams posted on the Internet or in any electronic medium; leaving a test site without authority; failing to secure test materials; removing tests or answer sheets from a test site; and any other dishonest means of attempting to fulfill the requirements of a course.
Collusion includes, but is not limited to, intentionally or unintentionally aiding or attempting to aid another in an act of scholastic dishonesty; failing to secure academic work; providing a paper or project to another student; providing an inappropriate level of assistance; unauthorized collaboration or communicating answers to a classmate about an examination or course assignment; and allowing a classmate to copy answers.
General Scholastic Dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts, or omissions related to applications for enrollment, credit or class work, research, or the award of a degree; and/or falsifying academic records or documents. Students are expected to record honestly and accurately the results of all their research. Falsification of research results shall include misrepresentations, distortions, or omissions in data or reports on research.
Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, intentionally or unintentionally failing to quote and cite an author’s words, information, and/or ideas in accordance with American Psychological Association (APA) Style, Modern Language Association (MLA) Style, The Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago Style), or another citation style approved by the professor.
Any student who has been found by the instructor to have been academically dishonest due to plagiarism, cheating, or collusion on an assignment may receive a grade of zero for the assignment, may be given an F for the course, and may be reported to the College.
LATE WORK/MAKE-UP WORK POLICY:
Late work is generally not accepted. If late work is accepted, the grade may be lowered or given a 0 at the discretion of the instructor.
Login to Blackboard course at least three times a week.
Course Schedule
Next to each unit is the time allotted for that unit’s work to be completed. All Deadlines are by 11:59pm on the date indicated. Failure to do work by the deadline may result in a 0 or reduced grade for that assignment. It is highly suggested you work ahead of schedule so as to be prepared for any emergencies that might occur.
“Start Here” Activities
Plagiarism Tutorial (due by 3-18)
Read the Syllabus (due by 3-18)
Introductory Discussion Board (due by 3-18)
Orientation Quiz (due by 3-18)
Unit I - Foundations
Chapter 1 Readings, Power Point, Activities/Videos, and Exam (due by 3-19)
Chapter 2 Readings, Power Point, Activities/Videos, and Exam (due by 3-21)
Written Assignment: Texas Rights Project (due by 3-21)
Chapter 3 Readings, Power Point, Activities/Videos, and Exam (due by 3-23)
Discussion Board #1 (due by 3-25)
Facebook Discussion Posts and Comments (two posts, two comments per week)
Unit II – Political Behavior
Chapter 4 Readings, Power Point, Activities/Videos, and Exam (due by 3-28)
Chapter 5 Readings, Power Point, Activities/Videos, and Exam (due by 3-31)
Chapter 6 Readings, Power Point, Activities/Videos, and Exam (due by 4-3)
Written Assignment: Interest Group Project (due by 4-4)
Discussion Board #2 (due by 4-8)
Common Assessment Essay - Ethical Dilemmas (due by 4-9)
Facebook Discussion Posts and Comments (two posts, two comments per week)
Unit III – Institutions
Chapter 7 Readings, Power Point, Activities/Videos, and Exam (due by 4-9)
Written Assignment: Texas Legislative Profiles (due by 4-11)
Chapter 8 Readings, Power Point, Activities/Videos, and Exam (due by 4-15)
Written Assignment: Governor Profiles (due by 4-17)
Chapter 9 Readings, Power Point, Activities/Videos, and Exam (due by 4-19)
Discussion Board #3 (due by 4-20)
Facebook Discussion Posts and Comments (two posts, two comments per week)
Unit IV – Local Government and State Public Policy
Chapter 10 Readings, Power Point, Activities/Videos, and Exam (due by 4-22)
Written Assignment: Local Government Project (4-25)
Chapter 11 Readings, Power Point, Activities/Videos, and Exam (due by 4-28)
Chapter 12 Readings, Power Point, Activities/Videos, and Exam (due by 5-1)
Chapter 13 Readings, Power Point, Activities/Videos, and Exam (due by 5-4)
Discussion #4 (due by 5-5)
Common Assessment Essay (due by 5-7)
Concluding Discussion Board (due by 5-7)
Facebook Discussion Posts and Comments (two posts, two comments per week)
Alternate Film Project (for those who did not do Facebook (due by 5-7)
Note: The professor reserves the right to make changes or modifications, if necessary, to this syllabus.
No additional information available
03/16/25 4:45 PM
03/16/25 4:47 PM