Coeur d'Alene · Social & Behavioral Sciences · Political Science American National Government POLS-101 Spring 2021 Section 101 3 Credits 01/11/2021 to 05/13/2021 Modified 01/12/2021 Contact Information INSTRUCTOR: KEN THOMPSON Email: [email protected] Office: Post Hall 104 Phone: 208.676.7157 Office hours: Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday from 11AM to 12PM I am also available by appointment. Please email for availability and protocol. Meeting Times Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30PM to 3:45PM in Siebert 209. Political Science 101-101 is a lecture course. This course is a designated Gateway course for students enrolled in the Political Science and Pre-Law Program. Gateway courses are good early indicators of student readiness for further study. Successful completion of this course will provide a solid foundation for next steps in your studies so be sure to take every advantage of the available support and resources provided to you. Description This course is the study of the foundation of the United States government and the evolution of constitutional principles. Special attention is given to the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, the three branches of national government, powers and limits of national government, civil rights, political parties, campaigns, political participation, interest groups, media, public opinion, and select public policies. This is an essential course for students majoring in political science, pre-law, or law enforcement. Materials WE THE PEOPLE (Essentials 12th Edition) Author: Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir, Tolbert, Campbell, and Spitzer Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company Edition: 12th (Essentials) ISBN-13: 978-0393679670 ISBN-10: 0393679675 Outcomes 1. Students will learn about the basics of U.S. governmental institutions and their powers. 2. Students will be able to identify, understand and apply political science concepts and theories to historical and contemporary 1 of 6 issues in American government and politics. 3. Students will obtain a working knowledge about the evolution and functioning of the American political system. 4. Students will have a basic understanding of how the U.S. government was formed and the documents and political philosophy that continues to influence our democracy. 5. Students will gain an understanding of the role that the media, interest groups, political parties, legal action and voters play in influencing the federal government. 6. Students will gain develop an understanding of the ethical and moral issues that are involved in government service and citizenship. 7. Students will have a broader understanding of the struggle for human rights by contemporary and historical groups that face discrimination and antipathy. 8. Students will discover how scholarly social science research is conducted and learn about the different types of research and topics that are studied in political science. Assessment Exams Unit exams (75 points each X 4 = 300 450 points points) Final Exam (150 points) Papers One will be a review of an article from an 200 points academic journal. The second will be more open-ended in nature. Chapter Quizzes 10 X 10 points 100 points (your two lowest scores will be dropped) Class Participation Consistent, substantive participation may 100 points bump your grade. In-Class Assignments 4 X 25 100 points 1. South Park: Grey Dawn (Resources, Roles, and Functions of Interest Groups.) 2. The West Wing: Separation of Powers 3. TBD 4. TBD Directed free-writes 50 points TOTAL 1000 points extra credit there may be up to 30-35 points of extra credit available (3% bump) Breakdown A 93% - 100% C 73% - 77% A- 90% - 92% C- 70% - 72% 2 of 6 B+ 88% - 89% D+ 68% - 69% B 83% - 87% D 63% - 67% B- 80% - 82% D- 60% - 62% C+ 78% - 79% F 0% - 59% Course Policies CALENDAR AND CONTENT The instructor reserves the right to revise class calendar, modify content, and/or substitute assignments in response to institutional, weather, or class situations. Changes will be announced in class. Students will be held responsible for all changes. COVID-19 STATEMENT By physically attending class you attest to having no covid-19 symptoms. Schedule Week 1 (1/12 & 1/14): Chapter 1 Introduction: The Citizen and Government Quiz 1: DUE 1/15 (syllabus and chapter 1 quiz) Week 2 (1/19 & 1/21): Chapter 2 Quiz 2: DUE 1/20 The Founding and the Constitution Week 3 (1/26 & 1/28): Chapter 3 Federalism Quiz 3: DUE 1/25 POLS 101-101 Think Tank assignments (as in: assigned to) Congressional Committee Assignments Region Assignments Agency Assignments Week 4 (2/2 & 2/4): Chapter 4 Civil Liberties and Civil Rights EXAM 1: 2/4 Week 5 (2/9 & 2/11): Chapter 5 Quiz 4: Due 2/8 Public Opinion Week 6 (2/16 & 2/18): Chapter 6 Quiz 5: Due 2/15 The Media PAPER 1: DUE 2/18 Week 7 (2/23 & 2/25): Chapter 7 Quiz 6: DUE 2/22 Political Parties, Participation, and Elections Week 8 (3/2 & 3/4): Chapter 8 Quiz 7: DUE 3/1 Interest Groups In-Class Assignment: South Park S7:E10: GREY DAWN 3 of 6 25 points EXAM 2: 3/4 Week 9 (3/9 & 3/11): Chapter 9 Quiz 8: DUE 3/8 Congress Week 10 (3/16 & 3/18): Chapter 10 Quiz 9: DUE 3/15 The Presidency Week 11 (3/23 & 3/25): Chapter 11 Quiz 10: DUE 3/22 Bureaucracy EXAM 3: 3/25 Week 12 (3/30 & 4/1): Spring Break Take a break! Or, if you must, work ahead. Week 13 (4/6 & 4/8): Chapter 12 Quiz 11: DUE 4/5 The Federal Courts In-Class Assignment: The West Wing S5:E7 25 points Week 14 (4/13 & 4/15): Chapter 13 Quiz 12: DUE 4/12 Domestic Policy Week 15 (4/20 & 4/22): Chapter 14 Foreign Policy EXAM 4: 4/22 Week 16 (4/27 & 4/29): PAPER 2 DUE: 4/27 Pop Culture application Extensions and Applications Foreign Policy The Judiciary Week 17 (5/4 & 5/6): Extensions and Applications The Media Week 18: FINAL EXAM Monday, May 10: 4PM-6PM Division Policies Institutional Policies Academic Dishonesty Violations of academic integrity involve using or attempting to use any method that enables an individual to misrepresent the quality or integrity of his or her work at North Idaho College. These violations include the following: Cheating: using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study in any academic exercise. Fabrication: falsifying or inventing any information or citation in an academic exercise. 4 of 6 Plagiarism: knowingly representing the words or ideas of another as one’s own in an academic exercise. Violation of Intellectual Property: stealing, altering, or destroying the academic work of other members of the community or the educational resources, materials, or official documents of the college. Facilitating Academic Dishonesty: knowingly helping another to attempt to violate any provisions of this policy.” Violations of academic integrity may result in failure of an assignment, failure of the course, or more serious sanctions. “For a complete explanation of the North Idaho College Statement on Academic Honesty & Academic Integrity please refer to Policy 5.06 & Procedure 5.06.01: http://www.nic.edu/policy/ Student Code of Conduct The Student Code of Conduct applies to any student enrolled at North Idaho College. This includes, but is not limited to, face-to-face classes and Internet classes. NIC shall maintain a Student Code of Conduct that specifically addresses prohibited behavior and assures due process for alleged violations. The Code of Conduct shall make clear possible sanctions for such actions. Policy Manual (http://www.nic.edu/websites/default.aspx?dpt=121&pageId=) (See 5.06) Disability Support Services and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504/508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, North Idaho College provides accommodations to eligible students who experience barriers in the educational setting due to learning, emotional / mental, physical, visual, or hearing disabilities. Instructors will provide accommodations to students only after having received a Letter of Accommodation from Disability Support Services (DSS). If a student would like to request accommodations, he or she must contact DSS so that a Letter of Accommodation may be sent to the instructor. Students requesting accommodations should contact DSS as early in the semester as possible to avoid delay of accommodation due to student load. Accommodations are not retroactive. DSS provides academic accommodations, access, assistance and services at NIC and at the North Idaho Consortium of Higher Education campus. Contact: Disability Support Services Website (208) 769-5947 Withdrawal March 26th, 2021, is the last day to withdraw from full-length courses. Please check the NIC Calendar (https://www.nic.edu/calendar/) for potential updates. Instructor-Initiated Withdrawal: An instructor has the right to withdraw a student for academic reasons. For more information, see the Instructor-Initiated Withdrawal Procedure (https://www.nic.edu/modules/images/websites/121/file/section5/5.04.02procedure.pdf). Financial Aid Satisfactory Progress (SAP):Federal Regulations require North Idaho College to establish Satisfactory Academic Progress standards (SAP) for all financial aid recipients. The purpose of SAP standards are meant to ensure that students and academic institutions are held accountable to the taxpayer-funded federal student aid programs while students complete their academic goals in a timely manner. This process monitors student performance in all terms of enrollment, including terms in which the student did not receive financial aid. For more information, see the Financial Aid Satisfactory Progress (http://www.nic.edu/websites/default.aspx?dpt=29&pageId=3025) website. For more information on withdrawals, see the NIC Student Accounts (http://www.nic.edu/websites/default.aspx? dpt=12&pageId=177)website.