TEXAS STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT      PRINT BASED
GOV. 2306-050   SYNONYM 08801
SECOND EIGHT WEEKS SESSION, 20 OCTOBER- 14 DECEMBER 2003

JIM FOWLER
OFFICE: Room 207, Rio Grande Campus
EMAIL   jfowler@austincc.edu  FAX   223-3050                                                                         

OFFICE TELEPHONE: 223-3053
OFFICE HOURS: MTWTH 1500-1700 and by appointment just about anywhere that serves coffee

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

1. Purchase textbook:  Texas Politics and Government, 3rd edition, Haag, Peebles, and Keith. It is available at ACC bookstores.  There is also a study guide available by the same authors that is not required.
2. Grading is based on the success level of students on their exams.  Each student must complete four examinations. To determine your progress in the course, add up the number of correct answers on the four exams and compare the total to the chart in the syllabus. In the case of a retest, use the higher score.

COURSE EXAMINATION GUIDELINES
 
 

Examinations

Chapters Covered

Total Points

Deadline Date

1

1-4

50

MON. 3 NOVEMBER 03

2

5-8

50

MON. 17 NOVEMBER.03

3

9-12

50

MON.1 DECEMBER 03

4

13-14

50

MON 8 DECEMBER 03

Retests:  Students may retest on any or all of the above exams.  All retesting must be completed by THURSDAY 11 DECEMBER.  The highest score between the test and retest is the one that will be counted. ALL TESTING 8 DECEMBER AND LATER MUST BE DONE AT THE RGC TESTING CENTER.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Date to WITHDRAW without Academic Penalty:  20 NOVEMBER 2003

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course is an introduction to Texas state and local government. This course includes a framework for analyzing Texas government and politics and the constitutional basis for the processes of, the institutions of, and the policies of  Texas government and politics.

COURSE RATIONALE

 The purpose of this course is  to prepare the students for political participation at the local or state level. At whatever degree of commitment the students choose to participate as a citizen, this course will provide the basic factual data as well as the analytical tools necessary to think critically about the political process.   The reading assignments provide  examples in contemporary government and people who influence policy decisions.
Print based Texas State & Local Government requires the student to be highly motivated and understanding of a non-traditional system of study.  For the most part, the student is on his/her own; there is no structured classroom or lecture in such a course.  The student is expected to meet all course requirements by the due dates. However these dates are guidelines to remind the students of the passage of time and if a day or two more is needed the student may take the extra time without having to ask for permission. THE DEADLINE FOR THE FOURTH EXAM IS HARD AND FAST. Students are encouraged to seek out their instructor to review exams.

COURSE ASSIGNMENTS:

As a student you are required to:

1.      Read the materials in the textbook

2.      Take the four exams.

3.      Retest if appropriate.

4.      Contact the instructor twice

5.                                                                                                                                                           MANDATORY MEETINGS WITH THE INSTRUCTOR:

The Texas State Coordinating Board of Education has required that for a distance learning student to get credit for the course, instructors and students need to have at least two contacts (verbal, in-person, or over the phone) with each other during the semester beyond the orientation session.

STUDENT ID CARDS:

  Any student wishing to use a Testing Center must have a current ACC ID along with a photo ID such as a driver’s license, Dept. of Public Safety ID, or passport.  No student will be allowed to test in the testing centers without these two ID’s.  If you have not received your ACC ID card or if you lose it, you will be permitted to take an exam by using your ACC registration fee receipt and a picture ID card.

TESTING AND GRADING:

Students must take four exams during the semester.    Student should be warned that testing centers will not give out exams the last thirty minutes of their scheduled hours (see last page for Testing Center phone numbers to verify testing centers hours). ALSO, PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THE TESTING CENTERS  HAVE THEIR OWN RULES AND PROCEDURES THAT YOU MUST FOLLOW. THESE WILL BE POSTED IN THE TESTING CENTERS. Testing Center Personnel will grade exams while students wait for the results.  Graded exams will then be sent to the instructor to be recorded.  Students will receive a receipt which will serve as a verification of their test results.  You must keep the receipt if you plan to retest.  Be sure to take it with you to the Testing Center when you go to retest.  Grades may also be obtained by meeting with your instructor during the scheduled office hours.  Grades will not be given over the telephone.  Each exam will be based on the materials covered in the textbook according to posted schedule on page 1 of this syllabus.

You should try to take exams no later than the listed dates in order to pace your time appropriately for finishing all the course work on time.  Exams may be taken anytime before these dates.  There will be fifty multiple choice and true-false questions on each of the four exams. Grades will be based on the total number of questions that you answer correctly on the four exams.    The deadline for all testing and retesting ; THURSDAY 11 DECEMBER 2003.
 

FINAL GRADE

MINIMUM NUMBER OF CORRECT ANSWERS

A

140

B

120

C

100

F

Less than 100

IMPORTANT! If you retest, do not retest on an exam you have already taken!  Inform the test administrator with your feed back sheet that you are taking a retest and require a form other than the one you have already taken.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

“Acts prohibited by the College for which discipline may be administered include scholastic dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating on an examination or quiz, plagiarizing, and unauthorized  collaboration with another in preparing outside work. Academic work submitted by students shall be the result of their thought, research or self expression. Academic work submitted by students is defined as, but not limited to tests, quizzes, whether taken electronically or on paper; projects, either individual or group; classroom presentations, and homework” (Student Handbook, 2002-2003, p. 32).  Authorization for collaboration with others may be given only by the instructor.  Academic dishonesty will result in immediate expulsion from the class and the assigning of an “F”  for the semester grade regardless of whether the student initiates a withdrawal from the course.

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

Be assured that the instructor is completely supportive of the first amendment of the U. S. Constitution and that you will not be penalized for any expression you may make written, or oral.

INCOMPLETE GRADES:

A student may receive a temporary grade of “I” (Incomplete) at the end of the semester ONLY if the following conditions are met:
1. The student must have TAKEN TWO EXAMINATIONS WITH A COMBINED TOTAL OF 50 CORRECT ANSWERS by the end of the semester.  
2. The request for an “I” Grade must be made in person in the instructor’s office and  the necessary documents MUST BE COMPLETED AND FILED WITH THE INSTRUCTOR. The instructor has these blank forms.

WITHDRAWALS:

A student may withdraw any time during the semester THURSDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2003 without academic penalty.  To withdraw from a class, one must do it officially by filling out the required form with Admissions & Records.  Responsibility for withdrawing from the course rests entirely with the student.  If you stop taking the course and are not officially withdrawn, you will then receive a grade of “F”.  A student who misses test deadlines will not be withdrawn by the instructor.

HOW TO PASS THE COURSE:

The key to completing the course successfully is to read your textbook on a schedule.  Read each paragraph as a separate entity, looking for information appropriate for multiple choice and true/false questions. All test questions are based on information directly from the text.  Also, keep the lines of communication with the instructor open.  If problems develop during the semester contact the instructor as soon as possible to resolve any difficulties.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

“Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented physical, cognitive, or psychological disabilities. Students with disabilities must request reasonable accommodations through the Office for Students with Disabilities on the campus where they expect to take the majority of their classes. Students are encouraged to do this three weeks before the start of the semester.” (Student Handbook, 2002-2003, p. 14).         

LIBRARIES & TESTING CENTERS:

1.  NRG Northridge Campus, 11928 Stonehollow Dr.
Library                      223-474
Testing Center          223-4735
2.  PIN Pinnacle Campus, 7748 Hwy 290 W.
Library                     223-8113
Testing Center         223-8002
3.  CYP Cypress Campus, 1555 Cypress Creek Rd, Cedar Park
Library                    223-2030
Testing Center        223-3164
4.  RGC Rio Grande Campus, 1212 Rio Grande
Library                    223-3068
Testing Center        223-3164
5.  ROR Round Rock High School, 300 Lake Creek Drive at Hwy 620
Testing Center        255-9663
6.  RVS Riverside Campus, 5712 East Riverside
Library                    223-6005
Testing Center        223-6242
7.  E VC East View Campus, 3401 Webberville Road
Library                   223-5109
Testing Center       223-5126
8.  FGB Fredericksburg High School, 1107 Hwy 16 South
Testing Center      1-210-997-6363
9.  SMC San Marcos High School, 1301 State Hwy. 123
Testing Center     1-512-353-7224