Syllabus

PSC 1000-01 Intro to American Government (3 units)          

Fall 2020 -- Online                                                 

Instructor: Patti Andrews      

Office hours by Zoom by arrangement                                                                                            

Email: pandrews@ndnu.edu

 

 

Course Summary

This is an exciting time to be studying the basic principles of American style democracy. Our political system is both emulated and ridiculed, often by the very same people. This is true of people within our own borders as well as those observing from without. What are the foundations, structures, strengths and shortcomings of this political system that has the capacity to spark such wide-ranging and conflicted commentary? I look forward to exploring these and other questions with you this semester.

 

Texts

Sidlow, et al., America at Odds

Additional readings as distributed

 

Learning Outcomes. Students will…

·     Demonstrate knowledge of the institutions, structure and working of American government,

·     Understand the historical origins of the Constitution & the relation of politics to government,

·     Develop appreciation of their roles as citizens by analyzing and discussing contemporary policy issues, and examining how change has been achieved in the past, &

·     Acquire the ability to analyze and reflect on the ethical dimensions of political issues.

 

Requirements

This is a participatory class. You can participate in a number of ways – reading, thinking and engaging in online class discussions, both written and verbal, are the most obvious. Engagement in any form of democratic process outside of class will enhance your participation points. Midterm and final exams will assess your retention of the material as well as your ability to apply that material to real-world scenarios. 

 

Evaluation

               Exams                                                          2 @ 100 points = 200           20%

               Reading Analysis (RA) Paper                                                  200           20%

               Weekly Modules                                                                       200           20%

               Research Project (RP)                                                               200           20%

               Online Presence & Participation                                               200           20%

Students are encouraged to keep track of their performance throughout the semester.

Student Success Center  

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Student Success Center (SSC) remains dedicated to supporting students’ academic success at NDNU and has transitioned its services online. The SSC continues to provide online writing and subject tutoring.  Please contact Laura Mizuha, Assistant Director of Writing at lmizuha@ndnu.edu for additional information in both areas.

 

The goal of the Student Success Center is to promote student learning and academic innovation. Professional staff members, academic advisors, and faculty members work together to promote a supportive educational environment, which now includes professional online subject and writing tutoring support.

 

Disability Resource Center

Students with disabilities, whether physical, learning, or psychological, who believe that they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact the Disability Resource Center as soon as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.   Students who are experiencing conditions that are temporarily disabling (i.e. scheduled surgeries, hospitalizations, injuries, etc.) are strongly encouraged to contact the DRC.  Our desire is to assist you with managing the impact of these circumstances.    

 

Please meet with the DRC staff through a virtual meeting in order to: verify your eligibility for any classroom accommodations; and, for academic assistance related to your disability.   Accommodations are not provided retroactively.  The DRC can be reached by email at DRC@ndnu.edu.  

 

Counseling Services  Counselingservices@ndnu.edu       

The mission of Counseling Services is to promote and enhance the overall wellbeing of students so that they may reach their potential for personal growth and academic success. If you are a currently enrolled student and would like to discuss your mental health needs, please feel free to email Counselingservices@ndnu.edu to schedule an appointment. We are currently offering telemental health services only with the following hours: Monday - Wednesday 10am-6pm and Thursday from 10am-4pm.

 

Academic Honesty

NDNU’s core values include learning, integrity, and honesty, values we live out in all areas of our learning community. Academic honesty means you are able to demonstrate your own knowledge and skills and receive feedback on your learning that can help you improve. By taking responsibility for your own work and avoiding actions that could give you an unfair advantage over others, you are contributing to the NDNU learning community and developing professional skills and values that will serve you well into the future. Academic honesty is one of the most important values of a university community, and breaches of this trust have serious consequences. Please see the Student Handbook for a detailed discussion of Academic Conduct expectations.

 

Course Evaluations/Teaching Effectiveness Surveys: Term 2 and Full-Semester Courses

Teaching Effectiveness Surveys (course evaluations) will be available online through Campus Portal from December 7 - 23, 2020.   Your feedback regarding courses and faculty is very important to Notre Dame de Namur University, to your faculty, and to me as the instructor for this course.  Your feedback helps us review and improve their 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 part-time faculty.

 

Directions: 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.  Remember: Your responses are anonymous.