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 Student Service Center office 112. 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
The Tutoring for Success policy applies to any student whose grade or performance in the course falls below a departmentally determined minimum threshold. In either of those cases, the instructor will direct the student to the appropriate tutoring service, which may be faculty-led, discipline-specific, and/or general. Under this policy, the instructor will follow specific departmental guidelines governing the use, duration, and grade component of the tutoring need.
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-2306-009 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
Gibson, et. al., Government and Politics in the Love Star State REVEL
Bundle with Access Code and Loose Leaf 12th Ed. 2020 Revel
ISBN-13: 9780136902027
Access to a reliable computer and reliable internet. Smartphones have numerous problems with the Exams and Quizzes in this course. All students should have access to a desktop or laptop computer with a reliable internet access when taking Exams and Quizzes.
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".
Students are expected to follow all Amarillo College policies and procedures.
During discussions in the course; students are expected to be professional and follow common courtesy. The discussions in this class are meant to bring up various positions and sometimes the debate can be heated; however, it is appropriate to attach a certain argument or point of view, but it is never appropriate to attach the person who is posting information with which you may disagree.
Students are not allowed to use online sources for the main exams in this course. Only course materials can be used.
A = 90 - 100
B = 80 - 89
C = 70 - 79
D = 60 - 69
F = 0 - 59
Exams Average – 40%
Chapter Assignments – 25%
Discussions Average – 25%
Course Paper – 10%
Attendance and/or participation requirements in courses delivered electronically (telecourses and on-line courses) will be unique to the individual course.
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Assignments and Exams
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Instructions |
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Read all of the information and instructions regarding this course on this page. Be sure to read the whole page and not just the first few dates. This information will help save you time later in the course. Be sure you have also read all of the start here page and the syllabus. |
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Introduction |
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There is a Discussion tab on the left hand menu. Click on that tab and then click on the Topic for Introduction. Click on my introduction posting and then click on "reply". Write an introduction of yourself. It does not have to be long and is not graded. Simply state a few things about yourself for the class. Examples include: major, interests, family information, work, how far you live from campus, etc. THE DUE DATE FOR THIS IS TUESDAY, JANUARY 23. IF YOU DO NOT COMPLETE THIS INTRO ASSIGNMENT BY THIS TIME YOU WILL NOT BE COUNTED ON THE CENSUS ROSTER FOR SPRING I FOR THIS COURSE. This will also give you an idea of how the discussion works and give us a chance to get to know one another. The rest of the discussions assigned in this course are graded. |
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Course Information |
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As discussed in the Syllabus and the Start Here page, you will have 4 Exams total and 3 Discussions (that are graded) total. You will also have a short Course Paper in the later part of the semester. Additionally, there are weekly chapter assignments that state what chapters are assigned for the week. Each of those have several components that must be completed by the weekly deadline to receive any credit for the points related to those components. Be sure to read ALL OF THE ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS PAGE linked to the INSTRUCTIONS-PAPER TAB in the course. There will be one overall Assignment Grade that will count toward the final overall average for the course. Those are all of the grades for this class. Those are the only grades that will be used to compute your overall average for the course.
Each Chapter Assignment is very similar as far as the reading and study material are concerned. Each chapter will have several sections of reading and study material. Each section has a short 3 to 5 question quiz. Each chapter has a review quiz and a shared writing assignment. Those are all graded and count toward the overall Weekly Assignment average. Be sure that you complete all of the reading, quizzes, and shared writing assignment by the deadline of each assignment.
The course is divided into 4 Units. Each Unit has 2 to 3 chapter assignments. There are also three Blackboard Discussion questions that are graded separately. They are assigned with various weekly chapter assignments throughout the course. There will not be one each week. You can see where they are assigned on this Assignment Dates page and under each of the actual assignments under the Lessons-Assignments tab.
Each weekly assignment will be assigned on Monday of the week and will be due by the next Sunday except for the first assignment. So you will have at least 6 days to complete the readings, quizzes, shared writing and Blackboard discussions, so there are no excuses for not being able to complete these on time. In addition, I drop one of the three discussion grades. The Course paper will be assigned later in the semester and you will have approximately TWO weeks to work on this assignment. There will be detailed instructions when the paper is assigned. The average of the three main exams left after dropping the lowest will count 40% of your overall average in the course. The average of the four discussion grades after dropping the lowest will count as 25% of your overall average. The Course paper will count 10% of your overall course average. The average of all of the weekly chapter assignments will count as 25% of your overall average.
The Chapter Assignments completed before a Main Unit Exam are what you are responsible for reading and studying to prepare for that Main Exam. Therefore, each Main Exam just covers the chapters and readings assigned up to that exam and after the previous exam.
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Assigned 1-18
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COMPLETE THE INTRO DISCUSSION FORUM!! DUE January 23th. Chapter 1: The Social and Economic Environment of Texas Politics
Chapter 2: The Texas Constitution
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Assigned 1-24
Due 01/30
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01/28 |
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Main Exam 1 First day - EXAM 1 will be posted this morning. The exams are all 50 multiple choice questions and you will have 60 minutes from the time you begin. Once you go into the test you must complete your work in the 60 minute time frame. You cannot save your exam somewhere in the middle and come back to it later. Once the clock starts, it does not stop until the end of the time limit. If you get disconnected from the exam, you should try to log back in as soon as possible. This should be plenty of time for all students. Be sure to read all of the instructions before beginning the exam. The Exam will be open through Monday.
All Exams must be submitted by 11:30pm the last day the exam is available.
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01/29 |
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Main Exam 1 continued today
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01/30 |
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Main Exam 1 - last day. The Exam will end at 11:30 pm, you should begin the exam by 10:30 pm at the latest.
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Assigned 01/30
Due 02/06 |
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Chapter 5: The Texas Legislature
Chapter 6: The Texas Executive
Discussion 2 in Blackboard - DUE 02/06
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Assigned 02/07
Due 02/13 |
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Chapter 7: The Texas Bureaucracy and Policy Implementation
Chapter 8: The Judicial System in Texas
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2-11 |
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Main Exam 2 First day - EXAM 2 will be posted this morning. All Exams are set up the same as the 1st Exam.
All Exams must be submitted by 11:30pm the last day the exam is available.
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2-12 |
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Main Exam 2 continued today
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2-13 |
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Main Exam 2 - last day. The Exam will end at 11:30 pm, you should begin the exam by 10:30 pm at the latest.
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2-14
Due 02/27 |
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Assigned 2-14
Due 2-20 |
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Chapter 9: Political Socialization, Political Behavior, and Public Opinion
Chapter 10: The Party System in Texas
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Assigned 2-21
Due 02/27 |
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Chapter 11: Elections, Campaigns, and Voting in Texas
Chapter 12: The Mass Media in Texas Politics
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2-25 |
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Main Exam 3 First day - EXAM 3 will be posted this morning.
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02/26 |
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Main Exam 3 continued today
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02/27 |
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Main Exam 3 - last day. The Exam will end at 11:30 pm, you should begin the exam by 10:30 pm at the latest.
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Assigned 02/28
Due 03/06 |
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Chapter 13: Interest Groups and Political Power in Texas
Chapter 14: Contemporary Public Policy Issues in Texas
NOTICE this assignment and the last Exam MUST be completed by May 9th.
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03/07 |
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Main Exam 4 First day - EXAM 4 will be posted this morning.
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03/08 |
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Main Exam 4 continued today
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03/09 |
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Main Exam 4 - last day. The Exam will end at 11:30 pm, you should begin the exam by 10:30 pm at the latest. This is Wednesday of Finals Week. This is the last day to take the final in this class
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There is a Start Here page under the Lessons Tab when you log in to the course. All students should read and understand ALL of the information that is contained on that Start Here page. This will save ALL students a lot of time and frustration.
01/16/22 10:32 AM
01/31/22 1:22 PM