Summer Semester 2013

Monday – Friday

11:00 am – 12:45 pm

Gordon Palmer 230

 

Instructor:                        Laura Merrifield Sojka

Office:                              tenHoor 320

E-mail:                              lmsojka@crimson.ua.edu

Office Hours:                    Monday & Wednesday – 12:45 – 2:00 pm, immediately before and after class, and by appointment

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course surveys the fundamental elements of state and local government and politics.  Critically assessing the role of political conflict will remain a theme throughout the course, as we address the concepts of federalism, the branches of government at the state level, and the interworkings of community government.  The topics of constitutionalism, political parties, interest groups, and political participation will be covered as well. 

 

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

 

1.  Identify the role of federalism and intergovernmental relations in the formulation and implementation of state politics and policy.

 

2.  Evaluate the influence of individuals and groups in state and community politics, including interest groups, political parties, voters, and politicians.  

 

3.  Identify selected policy issues facing state politics today and be able to make comparisons between states that can be attributable to partisan, cultural, economic, and other differences among the states.

 

4.  Understand the function and purpose of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of state government, as well as the major features of community government.

 

5.  Apply the major themes of this course to present issues centering on state and local politics, including political participation dilemmas, racial and gender disparities, policy challenges, etc.

 

REQUIRED TEXTS

Dye, Thomas R and MacManus, Susan A..  2012.  Politics in State and Communities.   14th Edition.  Boston, MA:  Pearson Education, Inc.

 

Additional materials, such as case studies and supplemental, will be added.  These will be either supplied by me in class or available via electronic reserve. 

 

DISABILITY ACCOMODATIONS

If you have any special needs, you must contact the Office of Disability Services (348-4285).  You must also meet with me to arrange any necessary accommodations. 

 

ATTENDANCE/PUNCTUALITY

Class attendance is required to succeed in this course.  Lectures and discussions include materials that are not available in the text and you are responsible for all information presented. If you have missed a class, it is your responsibility to obtain the notes from a classmate, as I will not provide these for you. I will not post my lecture notes online. Regular attendance will provide you with all of the information necessary to succeed in this course and also represents a significant portion of your grade.  If you are frequently absent, your grade will fall quickly.

It is important to be punctual for class as well.  If you are not present when the attendance sheet is passed around, you will not be permitted to sign it and claim attendance for the day.  Being on time for class is not only necessary as part of the learning process, but it further demonstrates respect for both the instructor, fellow students, and the course as a whole.  Please make your best effort to be present, punctual, and prepared to learn.

 

LATE/MISSED ASSIGNMENTS

Late or missed assignments will be accepted only in very unusual circumstances.  You must contact the instructor within 24 hours of the assignment being due and provide documentation concerning the reasons why an assignment is late or why an exam was missed.  Assignments that are late/missed without documentation will not be accepted.  Expect that documentation may be verified for authenticity.  Forged or false documentation is considered a form of academic misconduct, and in these cases the instructor will follow the University of Alabama’s Academic Misconduct Disciplinary Policy guidelines. 

 

If an in-class assignment or exam is allowed a make-up, any make-up allowed will be in a format of my discretion (essay, multiple choice, oral examination, etc.).  If you must miss class due to an official University of Alabama function, you must contact me directly for make-up assignments prior to the date of absence.  No late work will be accepted after the last day of class for the semester. 

 

GRADING

The grades for this course will be based on a standard grading system.

 

Grade            %                            Grade                 %                           Grade                 %

A+                98%                        B-                      80%                        D                       63%

A                  93%                        C+                     78%                        D-                      60%

A-                 90%                        C                       73%                        F                        0-59%

B+                88%                        C-                      70%

B                  83%                        D+                     68%

 

ASSIGNMENTS

 

ASSIGNMENT            %             DUE DATE (Tentative)

Exam I                     20            July 12

Exam II                    20            July 19

Exam III                   20            July 26       

Exam IV                  20            August 2

Attendance/           20            Throughout term
Participation   

Total                      100

 

* EXAMS

Exams may be cumulative.  The format of exams may include any combination of the following types of questions:  multiple choice, true/false, fill in the blank, and/or short essays.  Further instructions will be detailed prior to each testing date. 

 

If you are absent on exam day, in order to take the make-up exam, you must contact the instructor within 24 hours of the exam and provide documentation concerning the absence.  If you arrive after the first exam has been turned in, you will not be allowed to take the exam unless you can provide documentation concerning your lateness.  No exceptions.

 

* ATTENDANCE/PARTICIPATION

Assigned reading material is a necessary component of this course.  Therefore, in-class assignments will be given randomly throughout the semester based on assigned readings/course content and will collectively constitute 10% of your overall grade.  Assignments may include, but are not limited to, case studies, pop-quizzes, group assignments and individual assignments (take home or in-class).  Case studies in particular are important to understanding the complex nature of public administration challenges and will be used to further illustrate concepts.  These will be made available by me prior to class but must be read by the student before they are discussed in class.  The total number of in-class assignments that contribute to participation may vary, given that quizzes may or may not be necessary throughout the term.

 

* EXTRA CREDIT 

Extra credit may be offered during the course at my discretion.  Opportunities for extra credit may include, but are not limited to, guest lectures, University events, and extra assignments.  Qualifications for extra credit will be explained if and when an event occurs and will be made available to the entire class.  There is no make-up for extra credit. 

 

CLASSROOM DECORUM

The Code of Student Conduct requires that students behave in a manner that is conducive to a teaching/learning environment.  Disruptive behavior will not be tolerated.  Discussions of certain topics may involve opposing positions.  I expect all students to be respectful of others’ positions and opinions.  Students who engage in behavior that is disruptive or obstructive to the teaching/learning environment will be subject to disciplinary sanctions outlined by the Code of Student Conduct. 

 

I also expect students to be respectful of the class.  Please make sure personal electronic devices are off before entering the classroom.  Should your electronic device disturb the class or if you are suspected of text messaging during class, you will be asked to leave.  The use of computers in class is allowed. However, students who engage in non-class related activities on their computers will jeopardize the use of computers during class time for everyone.

 

Furthermore, no photographs, videos, or audio tapings are to be conducted in the class without either 1) a request for disability accommodation from the Office of Disability Services or 2) explicit permission from the instructor.  Lecture material is considered copyrighted.

 

ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT

The University expects from its students a higher standard of conduct than the minimum required to avoid disciplinary action.  Academic misconduct includes all acts of dishonesty in any academically related matter and any knowing or intentional help or attempt to help, or conspiracy to help, another student engage in academic misconduct.  If a student is suspected of any type of academic misconduct, the instructor will follow the University of Alabama’s Academic Misconduct Disciplinary Policy guidelines.  If you are unsure of what constitutes cheating or plagiarism, please refer to the University of Alabama Student Code of Conduct or ask me.

 

COURSE OUTLINE
This is the guideline for reading for the course.  The corresponding lectures and activities may carry over from day or week, but the assigned chapter(s) should be read by the assigned date.  Please note that this course schedule is tentative and may change as the course progresses throughout the semester.  Any changes made to this schedule will be announced in class. 

 

Week One

July 3rd – July 5th

            - Introduction and Pretest

            - No Class on July 4th (Independence Day)

            - Chapter 1: Politics in States and Communities

 

Week Two

July 8th – July 12th

             - Chapter 2: Democracy and Constitutionalism in the States

             - Chapter 3: States, Communities, and American Federalism

             - Chapter 4: Participation in State Politics

             - Review and Exam I on Friday, July 12th

 

Week Three

July 15th – July 19th

             - Chapter 5: Parties and Campaigns in the States

             - Chapter 6: Legislators in State Politics

             - Chapter 7: Governors in State Politics

             - Review and Exam II on Friday, July 19th

 

Week Four

July 22nd – July 26th

            - Chapter 8:Bureacratic Politics in States and Communities

            - Chapter 9: Courts, Crime, and Correctional Policy

            - Chapter 10: Governing America’s Communities

            - Review and Exam III on Friday, July 26th

 

Week Five

July 29th – July 31st

            - Chapter 11: Participation in Community Politics

            - Chapter 12: Metropolitics: Conflict in the Metropolis

            - Public Policy at the State Level (Tax, Economic, Social, & Education)

            - Review and Preparation for Exam IV on Friday, August 2nd

 

FINAL EXAM: Friday, August 2nd  – 8:00 AM -10:30 AM