Syllabus

PSC 2301-C-01 State & Local Government (4 units)                             Patricia Andrews, MA

Spring 2016 – 10:50-12:05 T/Th                                           http://SLGSpring2016.blogspot.com

Cuvilly 23                                                                                                        pandrews@ndnu.edu

Course Summary

This course is an introduction to the structure, functions and inter-relations of state and local governments, emphasizing real-world problem solving through personal engagement.

Texts

Bowman & Kearney, State and Local Government: The Essentials

Additional readings as assigned by Community Partner (CP) and in class

Learning Outcomes

Students will…

1.     Understand how state, local and regional government units are run, recognize the influence of global forces on these units, and identify their connections to local developments (PLO 1)

2.     Understand how decisions made at these levels shape society and political discourse (PLO 5)

3.     Demonstrate knowledge of the recurring issues and systemic problems that arise at the state, local and regional levels (PLO 4)

4.     Demonstrate knowledge of the inter-relationships between state, local, regional and federal units of government (PLO 1)

5.     Weigh, interpret and evaluate the actions of actual state, local and regional governmental units, and the agencies doing their work, as well as the student’s own experiential engagement with his or her CP, and present a sustained argument supported by evidence (PLO 6 & MVE ILOs 2, 3, 4 & 6)

6.     Use the tools of social science research to formulate an ethically, spiritually or socially meaningful research topic relating to their engagement experience, collect and analyze original evidence, and present their results to the class and, if desired, to the CP (PLO 6 & MVE ILOs 3 & 7)

Requirements

Consistent attendance, reading and note-taking are always essential to college success. Students’ preparedness will be assessed at every class session through quizzes, blog posts and class participation.

1)    Students will produce a minimum of 32 pages of written work. All formal papers must be submitted in MLA format. Late papers will be penalized by up to one full letter grade per week.

2)    An online reading and Community Engagement reflection journal will be kept on a regular basis.

3)    Oral communication opportunities develop confidence and skill in public speaking. Students will be responsible for specific formal and informal contributions.

4)    This class incorporates a Community Engagement component. A minimum of 15 hours of field work and 30 hours of related activities will be required. Students will choose their Community Partners and define mutually beneficial engagement projects under the guidance of the instructor. Community Partners may, if they wish, participate in the evaluation of student learning.

Evaluation

A total of 1000 points is possible, broken down into the categories below. Students are encouraged to keep track of their progress on a regular basis throughout the semester.

      Exams                                                                                  2 @ 50 points = 100

      CE Assignment & Related Blog/Online Journal Entries    1 @ 222 points = 222

      Reading & 10 Related Blog/Online Journal Entries           1 @ 100 points = 100

      Speaker Reflection Essay                                                     1 @ 50 points =  50

      Research Project & Paper                                                  1 @ 150 points = 150

      Attendance                                                                  26 days @ 7 points = 182

      Participation                                                               28 days @ 7 points = 196

Academic Honesty

Academic honesty is a cornerstone of our values at NDNU. If any words or ideas used in an assignment submission do not represent your original words or ideas, you must cite all relevant sources and make clear the extent to which such sources were used. Words or ideas that require citation include, but are not limited to, all hard copy or electronic publications, whether copyrighted or not, and all verbal or visual communication when the content of such communication clearly originates from an identifiable source. Consult Student Handbook regarding consequences of misrepresenting your work.

Note to Students with Disabilities

NDNU complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Students who have a disability that might affect academic performance in this class are encouraged to confer with the instructor at the beginning of the semester and to contact Dr. Peggy Koshland Crane in the Program for Academic Support and Services (PASS) (650-508-3670; mcrane@ndnu.edu). In order to receive accommodations, students must register with the PASS office.

Average Student Workload Expectations:  Class time consists of 45 hours & students are expected to attend. Students are expected to engage in an additional 15 hours with a Community Partner & approximately 120 hours of out-of-class homework over the 15 weeks, or approximately 8 hours per week.

Workload         Hours in Class  45                    Hours with CP                                                   15

Distribution:     Reading           40                    CP Related Activities, Inclucing CTA Day        30

                        Written Work    45                    Exam Preparation                                                5

Program Learning Outcomes – Political Science

Students will…

1. demonstrate knowledge and understanding of American governmental institutions and processes that enable him or her to be an active and effective citizen;
2. acquire familiarity with and understanding of the variety of political systems in the world at large, their social and historical contexts, and their relation to the global political order;
3. identify and critically examine the major political theories and ideologies;
4. employ historical perspectives to evaluate contemporary domestic and international conflicts and issues;
5. analyze political and policy problems and formulate policy options; and
6. use the tools of social science research – statistical and qualitative – in formulating a research topic, collecting and analyzing data, and presenting results.

Institutional Learning Outcomes for Mission, Values and Engagement

Students will…

1) reflect on the heritage of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in the context of student’s own values and belief systems;

2) develop relationships that honor the dignity of each person;

3) connect ethical implications of professional and liberal arts course content to the promotion of justice and peace through personal decisions and actions;

4) apply classroom learning to address community and social problems, using the Reflection-Action-Reflection model;

5) demonstrate understanding of the value of diversity;

6) assess the role of community-building activities and collaborative decision-making processes; and

7) demonstrate spiritual or ethical leadership skills in working toward a more just society.

Course Evaluations/Teaching Effectiveness Surveys

Teaching Effectiveness Surveys (course evaluations) will be available online through Campus Portal starting late April. Your feedback regarding courses and faculty is very important to NDNU and to me as the instructor for this course. Your feedback helps us review and improve teaching, helps departments/programs review and improve program content, and is used by the university in making decisions about tenure, promotion, and hiring decisions for faculty. To access, please enable pop-ups in your browser (uncheck pop-up blocker), then in Campus Portal look for the "You have an active survey" link in the left sidebar. Click that link to open the Course Evaluation Surveys page, which has a link to a survey for each course in which you're enrolled. Your feedback is very important! Please complete your evaluations for all your courses promptly.