PLS 101 Section 5             American Democracy and Citizenship             Spring 2010 

Dr. George E. Connor                         Strong Hall 307      

Phone: 836-5630                                 E-mail: georgeconnor@missouristate.edu

Office Hours: by appointment

Texts:

Fiorina, Peterson, Johnson, and Mayer. The New American Democracy (6th ed.)

Plunkitt of Tammany Hall (available online through MyPoliSciLab library)

Bookstore Test Packet (scantron forms, pencils)

Policies:

1. Exams: There will be 4 multiple choice exams worth 50 points and a 50-point common final.  

2. MyPoliSciLab Assignments: There will be 5 internet assignments per section worth 5 points each for a total of 100 points.

3. Grading: Final grades will be based on 350 total points and the following scale percentages: 93 A, 90 A-, 87 B+, 83 B, 80 B-, 77 C+, 73 C, 70 C-, 67 D+, 60 D (Please note that there are no A+s or D-s). No curve will be utilized and no extra-credit will be given, and no "rounding-up" will occur.

4.Attendance/Participation: Both are expected, neither is required. Attendance will be taken for administrative purposes only and will have no direct impact on grades. Pre-arranged absences may be tolerated with prior (24 hour) notice, University sanction, and documentation.

5. Promptness: Students arriving late for class will be glared at. Students arriving late for exams may not be allowed to take the exam.

6. Academic Dishonesty: Missouri State University is a community of scholars committed to developing educated persons who accept the responsibility to practice personal and academic integrity.  You are responsible for knowing and following the university’s student honor code, Student Academic Integrity Policies and Procedures, available at www.missouristate.edu/assets/provost/AcademicIntegrityPolicyRev-1-08.pdf and also available at the Reserves Desk in Meyer Library.  Any student participating in any form of academic dishonesty will be subject to sanctions as described in this policy.   

7. Cell phones and other electronic devices: As a member of the learning community, each student has a responsibility to other students who are members of the community.  When cell phones or pagers ring and students respond in class or leave class to respond, it disrupts the class.  Therefore, the Office of the Provost prohibits the use by students of cell phones, pagers, PDAs, or similar communication devices during scheduled classes.  All such devices must be turned off or put in a silent (vibrate) mode and ordinarily should not be taken out during class.  Given the fact that these same communication devices are an integral part of the University’s emergency notification system, an exception to this policy would occur when numerous devices activate simultaneously.  When this occurs, students may consult their devices to determine if a university emergency exists.  If that is not the case, the devices should be immediately returned to silent mode and put away.  Other exceptions to this policy may be granted at the discretion of the instructor. 

8. Academic Accommodation: To request academic accommodations for a disability, contact the Director of Disability Services, Plaster Student Union, Suite 405, (417) 836-4192 or (417) 836-6792 (TTY), www.missouristate.edu/disability.  Students are required to provide documentation of disability to Disability Services prior to receiving accommodations. Disability Services refers some types of accommodation requests to the Learning Diagnostic Clinic, which also provides diagnostic testing for learning and psychological disabilities. For information about testing, contact the Director of the Learning Diagnostic Clinic, (417) 836-4787, http://psychology.missouristate.edu/ldc.

9. Emergency Response: Students who require assistance during an emergency evacuation must discuss their needs with their professors and Disability Services. If you have emergency medical information to share with me, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible. For additional information students should contact the Office of Disability Services, 836-4192 (PSU 405), or Larry Combs, Interim Assistant Director of Public Safety and Transportation at 836-6576. For further information on Missouri State University’s Emergency Response Plan, please refer to the following web site: http://www.missouristate.edu/safetran/erp.htm.

10. Nondiscrimination: Missouri State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution, and maintains a grievance procedure available to any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against. At all times, it is your right to address inquiries or concerns about possible discrimination to the Office for Equity and Diversity, Park Central Office Building, 117 Park Central Square, Suite 111,(417) 836-4252. Other types of concerns (i.e., concerns of an academic nature) should be discussed directly with your instructor and can also be brought to the attention of your instructor’s Department Head.   Please visit the OED website at www.missouristate.edu/equity/.

11. Dropping: It is your responsibility to understand the University’s procedure for dropping a class. If you stop attending this class but do not follow proper procedure for dropping the class, you will receive a failing grade and will also be financially obligated to pay for the class. For information about dropping a class or withdrawing from the university, contact the Office of the Registrar at 836-5520. It should be noted that withdrawing from the University does not insure a "drop while passing" grade.

12. No Food or Drink in Strong Hall classrooms

Statement of Purpose

As part of the General Education Program, this course fulfills a portion of the Public Affairs component and is broadly designed to develop educated citizens by increasing awareness of the public dimension of life, producing a broad literacy in the primary public issues, and nurturing the discussion of these issues. The course emphasis is on the values, rights, and responsibilities that shape the public decision making of active and informed citizens and that influence contemporary public affairs in a democratic society. In fulfillment of Missouri state law, the course is designed to familiarize students with the institutions and constitutional framework of the United States and Missouri.  The course is also designed to further the goals of general education (http://www.missouristate.edu/generaleducation). Specifically, it encourages students to develop reflective, creative, and critical dispositions by striving to be well-informed and open-minded, as well as to develop a broader understanding of culture and society with the ability to conceptualize and trace the influence of institutions and understand the sources and expressions of political values.

Course Schedule: 

Jan 11   Introduction   FPJM 1

                        Syllabus and Methodology 

Jan 13              MyPoliSciLab Overview (www.mypoliscilab.com)

Part I Philosophical, Constitutional and Institutional Heritage

Jan 15 Philosophical Foundations of Constitutional Democracy FPJM 2 (27-35)

                        Declaration of Independence

Jan 18   No class

Jan 20   Constitutional Foundations    FPJM 2 (35-59)

                        Compromises

Jan 22              Ratification: Anti-Federalists and Federalists

Jan 25              Constitutional Purposes

Jan 27              Missouri Constitution   

Jan 29   Federalism FPJM 3

                        Judicial Review, Necessary and Proper

Feb 1               Commerce Clause

Feb 3    Plunkitt of Tammany Hall 1, 7, 15, 8

Feb 5    MyPoliSciLab

Feb 8    EXAM

Part II Institutional Foundations of American Democracy

Feb 10  Legislative Branch FPJM 11, 12

                         Representation and "Constituents" 

Feb 12              Congressional Elections

Feb 15  No class

Feb 17  Executive Branch FPJM 13

                         Presidential Personality

Feb 19              Bureaucracy FPJM 14

                                    Authority and Role 

Feb 22  Judicial Branch   FPJM 15

                         Supreme Court Finality

Feb 24  Missouri Government

                            Legislature and Executive

Feb 26                 Judicial Branch and the Missouri Plan                             

Feb 29   Plunkitt of Tammany Hall 2, 8, 11, 12, 19

Mar 1    MyPoliSciLab

Mar 3    EXAM

Part III Cultural Foundations of American Democracy

Mar 5    Political Culture  FPJM 4

Mar 8-12 No class

Mar 15  Civil Liberties  FPJM 16

                        Definitions                      

Mar 17            Context Speech  

Mar 19             Religion: When is Religion not Religion?

Mar 22             Crime and More Punishment

Mar 24  Civil Rights   FPJM 17      

                        Issues of Race       

Mar 26             Full Faith and Credit

Mar 29            Privacy and the Right to Die

Mar 31  Plunkitt of Tammany Hall 6, 23, 4, 17

Apr 2     No class

Apr 5     MyPoliSciLab

Apr 7     EXAM

Part IV Citizenship and American Democracy

Apr 9    Public Opinion   FPJM 5

Apr 12  Political Participation and Voting FPJM 6

                       Initiatives and Referendum: Process and Pros

Apr 14            Initiatives and Referendum: Cons

Apr 16  Interest Groups FPJM 7

                       Money 

Apr 19  Parties and Politics  FPJM 8

Apr 21            Parties and Elections

Apr 23  Media FPJM 9

                       Agenda Setting and Bias 

Apr 26  Campaigns and Elections FPJM 10

                        2008 and Beyond

Apr 28  Plunkitt of Tammany Hall 3, 9, 20, 22

Apr 30  MyPoliSciLab

May 3   Big Picture

May 5   EXAM

May 7  Dead Day

EXAM SCHEDULE

COMMON FINAL    Saturday, May 8   3:45-5:45

Dates to Remember:     

    No penalty drop: Mar 23

    Last drop:  Apr 30