MWFSpring 2017
U.S. POLITICAL SYSTEMS (PS103)
Instructor:Dr. R. AlthausOffice: 211 F Carnahan Hall
Phone:6512700 (o) 651-1799 (h)Hours: 9:00-9:50MWF
E-mail: 11:-00-11:50 MWF
Web: and by appointment
Moodle:
COURSE INFORMATION
PURPOSES OF
THE COURSE:To expose the students in a systematic manner to a coherent body of knowledge pertaining to the United States political system.
To provide the skills necessary to participate in, and the knowledge to understand and appreciate the values of a democratic society.
STUDENT LEARNING
OUTCOMES:Students will locate relevant current event materials suitable to the course.
Students will identify the constitutional foundations of American government.
Students will identify the workings of the three branches of American government.
TEXT:There will be one text required in this course. The text is:American Politics Today,4th(Missouri) ed.,by Bianco and Canon,and it is available through the textbook rental service. It is hoped that, in addition, students will keep themselves somewhat informed on current political events through news sources of their choice.
ATTENDANCE:Attendance in all class meetings is expected, according to official University policy. (See the 2016-2017 Bulletin, page 20.) Attendance records will be kept.
PUNCTUALITY:Students are expected to arrive for class on time, as a demonstration that they can function responsibly in this learning environment (see University Studies Objective number 9.) In order to minimize disruption of class proceedings, students arriving late must wait outside the classroom until admitted by the professor. A late-arriving student should not knock or open the door, as these would be disruptive. Instead, the student should write his/her name on a sheet(not scrap) of paper, and slide it under the door of the classroom as a means of requesting late admission. At a natural break, the professor will admit the student, who should sit in the unoccupied seat closest to the door, and prepare for class with as little disruption as possible. A student will be admitted late only twice during the semester, and only after following these procedures. Any student entering without the professor’s permission, or any student seeking to enter late more than twice this semester, or any student not taking the seat closest to the door, will be considered to have unreasonably disrupted the educational environment, and will be charged with violating the Code of Student Conduct. If you would like to verify the correct time, the course web site (listed above) has a link to an official government clock.
NOTE: No late admissions will be permitted during examinations or quizzes!
ELECTRONICThe use of electronic devices during class distracts the user, and can distract or
DEVICES:disrupt others, including the professor. Therefore, they are not to be used. Students should develop the habit of silencing cell phones by the time class begins. (Bluetooth devices and ear buds should be removed from ears.) One inadvertent ring will earn you a glare from the professor. A second offense will be considered to be an unreasonable disruption of class proceedings. The offender will be asked to leave class, and a complaint will be lodged with University judicial authorities.
RESTROOMRestrooms should be visited before or after class, not during class. If you have a
VISITS:verified medical condition that requires accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act or similar federal legislation, accommodation will be provided.
GRADES:Semester grades will be assigned on the basis of a scale computed from the total number of points accumulated in the course. The scale is a 90%80%70% one. This means that a student receiving 90% or more of the total points possible in the semester can expect to receive an "A", 80% to 89% a "B", etc. No letter grades will be assigned to individual tests or assignments. There will be 350 total points possible for the course, distributed as follows:
150Best three of four 50point examinations
100Final examination
30Elected Officials assignment and quiz
70Other writing assignments and quizzes
350Total
NOTE: Instructor reserves the right to modify the total number of points by giving additional assignments and quizzes, either announced or unannounced. The percentages required for semester grades will be unaffected.
EXTRA
CREDIT:Because of inherent unfairness in extra credit plans, no extra credit will be offered.
LATE PAPERS:Typically, homework assigned during this semester will be reviewed and discussed during the class period at which it is due. As a result, no numerical credit will be assigned to any paper which is actually received by the professor after the assignment has been gone over in class. Any other late papers may be accepted for partial credit, according to the professor’s best professional judgment. (The details of assignments will be distributed in class.)
Online quizzes that are not submitted as of the time due will receive a score of zero.
MAKEUPS:In order to avoid misunderstandings about what constitutes an "excused absence,” difficulties in scheduling makeup sessions, and disappointment concerning the difficulty of makeup exams, none will be offered. By counting only the three highest of the four grades on the 50point tests, the grading system in essence "builds in" one makeup for every student. A student who misses one of these exams, for whatever reason, will receive a zero for that score, and it will be dropped when computing the semester grade. Hence, the student who misses one of these exams is not penalized, and the student who takes all of them will have the advantage of an additional intellectual exercise.
NOTE: The 100point comprehensive final exam will be taken at the officially scheduled time!
CHEATING: The instructor will enforce all University rules, regulations, and policies pertaining to academic honesty. You may find a brief listing of some of these rules in the Bulletin (pp. 21-25).
□In addition: you are required to take the “Academic Honesty Quiz” through the class Moodle site, and receive a grade of 100% on it before you will be permitted to submit quizzes, assignments, or exams. Failure to do so in a timely manner may cause you to lose points for activities whose due dates have passed.
"Academic dishonesty" includes, but is not limited to:
a) giving or receiving unauthorized assistance on examinations, quizzes, or other assignments.
b) plagiarism, which is the intentional or unintentional representation of the thoughts, words, or ideas of another as one's own. (Including material from other sources in one's paper without giving proper credit to those sources is plagiarism.)
STANDARDS
OF CONDUCT:***1) Any unreasonably suspicious behavior on the part of a student during an examination or a quiz shall result in the confiscation of that person's paper. The student shall receive a zero (nondroppable) as a grade for that particular endeavor.
***2) Any verifiable case of academic dishonesty shall result in a zero (non-droppable) grade for that assignment and the immediate and fullest prosecution of the case through University channels.
EXPECTATIONS: It is expected or assumed by the instructor that you:
...enjoy learning, even if not in your major field of study, and that is why you are enrolled at the University.
...will attend class, and will arrive prepared and on time.
...will take notes on both class proceedings and the assigned reading.
…will spend about two hours outside of class preparing and reviewing for every hour you spend in class.
...will be familiar with and comply with this syllabus and the policies set out therein, including the provisions of the Academic Honesty Quiz.
...will ask questions about anything which is not clear to you.
...will let him know if your performance in this class is not up to your usual level.
EXPECTATIONS: You should assume that the instructor will:
…apply class and university rules and procedures fairly and impartially
…begin class on time and conclude class on time
…prepare class materials (content, assignments, exams, and evaluations) in a professional manner
…apply high standards of performance to both student performance and to his performance
…provide office hours and other means with which to communicate with him
…return graded assignments and exams within a reasonable time
ADDITIONAL REQUIRED INFORMATION:
ACCESSIBILITY:The Instructor will comply with established University procedures regarding accessibility. A statement of the University Accessibility Plan can be found on the inside front cover of the Bulletin. Additional information can be found at:
CATALOGUE“Institutions and processes of national and state government, including an analysis of
DESCRIPTION:the Missouri Constitution (3 hours)”
CIVILITY: “Every Student at Southeast is obligated at all times to assume responsibility for his/her actions, to respect constituted authority, to be truthful, and to respect the rights of others, as well as to respect private and public property.” For purposes of this class, “civility” also means that class discussion will be conducted within the parameters of conventional professional settings.
Questions, comments or requests regarding this course or program should first be taken to your instructor. Unanswered questions or unresolved issues involving this class may be taken to Dr. Hamner Hill, Department Chairperson ().NOTE:Anyone who remains enrolled in this course will be assumed:
1) to have received a complete copy of this course syllabus,
2) to have read and understood the contents of this syllabus, and
3) to have agreed to the rules and conditions set out herein.
PERSONAL GRADE RECORD
Grades on individual assignments and examinations are not posted online. If it is important to you to know at any given time how you are doing, then it should be important enough for you to keep track of your own grades. (The instructor, of course, will be happy to discuss your performance with you at any point in the semester.) Please feel free to record your grades on the form below. (You may also download a calculating spreadsheet from the class web page.)
out of 50, Test 1 out of 50, Test 2 out of 50, Test 3
out of 50, Test 4
____ out of 150, Best Three Exams
out of 10, Syllabus/Web Page quiz out of 10, Interest Group assmnt.
out of 15, Elected Officials, part one out of 15, Elected Officials Quiz
out of 5, Moodle Quiz 1 out of 5, Moodle Quiz 2
out of 5, Moodle Quiz 3 out of 5, Moodle Quiz 4
out of 5, Moodle Quiz 5 out of 5, Moodle Quiz 6
out of 5, Moodle Quiz 7 out of 5, Moodle Quiz 8
out of 5, Moodle Quiz 9 out of 5, Moodle Quiz 10
out of 5, Moodle Quiz 11 out of 5, Moodle Quiz 12
out of 5, Moodle Quiz 13
out of 50, Best 10 of 13 Quizzes
out of 100, Final Exam out of 350, Semester Total
Tentative Grade Breaks:
90% / 315 points80% / 280 points
70% / 245 points
60% / 210 points
HONORS STUDENTS: Dr. Althaus is on the Honors Faculty. If you are in the Jane Stephens Honors Program, you are welcome to discuss with him the possibility of fulfilling an honors contract to receive honors credit for this course.
MWF
ASSIGNMENTS
(Chapters refer to Bianco & Canon text, 4th ed.)
JANUARY:
18 Introduction
20 In-class Quiz on Syllabus and Class Web Site
23 Quiz due on Chapter 1 (Understanding American Politics)
25
27 Quiz due on Chapter 2 (The Constitution and the Founding)
30
FEBRUARY:
1
3 Quiz due on Chapter 3 (Federalism)
6
8 EXAM 1
10 Quiz due on Chapter 10 (Interest Groups)
13
15
17 Quiz due on Chapter 8 (Political Parties)
20
22 Quiz due on Chapter 9 (Elections)
24
27
MARCH:
1
3 EXAM 2
6 Quiz due onChapter 6[pp. 199-211 and 219-232 only] (Public Opinion)
8 Quiz due on Chapter 4(Civil Liberties)
10
20 Quiz due on Chapter 5 (Civil Rights)
22
24 Quiz due on Chapter 11 (Congress)
27
29
31 EXAM 3
APRIL:
3 Quiz due on Chapter 12 (Presidency)
5
7
10 Quiz due on Chapter 13 (Bureaucracy)
12
14 University Closed—No Class!
17
19 Quiz due on Chapter 14 (Courts)
21
24
26 EXAM 4
28 Review/Skim Missouri Constitution [pp. 11-136 in back of text]
MAY:
1
3
5
8 FINAL EXAM (regular class time, regular class location)