STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Bluefield State
College
POSC 218—SPRING 2013
Sections 001 & 002
CRN: 20033 & 20623
IVNWE
Colin S. Cavell, Ph.D.
Course Room No.: PHYSED
P305 & HEC W21
Class TTH: 2:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. (14:00-15:15) INTERNET:
ccavell@bluefieldstate.edu
Office Hours: TBA Office No.: B120
VOICE: 304.327.4034 (W) 512-924-2364 (M)
A comparative study of American state
and local governments, with emphasis on federalism, federal and state
relations, interstate regulations, and structure and political process of state
and local governments.
Grading
Policy: 20% for Attendance*; 20% for the Class
Presentation; 20% for the Midterm Exam; 20% for the Research Paper; and 20% for
the Final Exam. A Guidelines sheet will be distributed outlining the
requirements for your Class Presentation and for your Research Paper.
Grading
Scale: 90-100=A; 80-89=B; 70-79=C; 60-69=D; 0-59=F. These numerical scores correspond to the
following evaluations: “A” = Excellent;
“B” = Good; “C” = Satisfactory (NOTE: A
grade of “C” or better is required in major courses); “D” = Poor (passing,
except in major courses); “F” = Earned Failure (removed only by repeating the
course; upon successfully passing the course, the first grade is “excluded”
from grade point average. The second
grade is “included” in the recalculation of the grade point average); and “I” =
Incomplete.
Learning Outcomes: Upon completion of POSC 218, students should be able to read and provide an immanent critique of texts; to articulate arguments and examine their flaws; be familiar with the basics of logical, ethical, and dialectical reasoning; be familiar with essays, both pro and con, regarding the responsibilities of state and local government in the United States; understand what is federalism and how it works; know that each state operates under both its own state constitution as well as the US federal constitution; be familiar with state finances and taxing policies; have some understanding of statewide political attitudes and participation in election campaigns and their importance; be cognizant of the various political parties and interest groups operating within their state; understand the law-making role of state legislatures and city councils; have familiarity with the state and city executive branches and the role and power of the governor, mayors, and city managers; be familiar with the state judicial court system and its role; understand the power and role of the state and local bureaucracy; appreciate the role of local municipal governments and their associative politics; understand the role of the educational system within the state; be familiar with the state and local criminal justice system; understand the role of the state healthcare system; be cognizant of the built and natural environment and culture of the state and their importance.
Academic
Integrity Policy: Academic
integrity is expected of all students. This means that all work for this class
must be undertaken and completed by you alone without collaboration from
others. Any dishonesty in the performance of course work, such as plagiarism or
cheating in other forms, will be reported. In the event the student is charged
with some form of dishonesty, the Student Discipline Policy will be followed.
The full text of the BSC Academic Honesty Policy can be found at: http://www.bluefieldstate.edu/academics/academic-honesty-and-proctoring.
In addition, students should be aware that research paper assignments may be
submitted to Turnitin by the instructor for the purpose of checking for
possible plagiarism. Submitted assignments will be included in the BSC
dedicated database of assignments at Turnitin and will be used solely for the
purpose of checking for possible plagiarism during the grading process during
this term and in the future.
Attendance
Policy*: Attendance in class is mandatory. It is the student’s responsibility to sign
the attendance sheet each day of class; failure to sign the attendance
sheet—even if in attendance—will be counted as an absence. “When the number of clock hours of willful
absences exceeds the number of semester
hours of credit, the instructor will notify the Registrar that the student has
exceeded the permissible number of absences and should be withdrawn from
class.” Students with Excused Absences
must submit to me a hard copy of the campus publication The Bulletin announcing your allowed absence in order to get credit
for the day(s) of your absence. “It is
the responsibility of the student to…provide supporting documents for
institutional and unavoidable absences” (Bluefield
State College Academic Catalog 2012-2014, p. 55). As well, you are expected to follow the
syllabus and accordingly be prepared for each day’s class. This means that you must read the
pre-assigned readings before class so that you will be prepared to discuss and
debate in class the subject matter scheduled for that day and answer questions
related to the issues being covered. NOTE: TURN OFF all cell phones during class.
* Absence from class may be made up by preparing a two-page, typed (i.e. using maximum 12 point font size and maximum
double-spaced text with one-inch margin on all sides), summary on the missed material scheduled to be covered the
day(s) of your absence. The summary must
be in your own words and must not be copied material from the text(s),
the internet, or any other source(s). All
summaries must be turned in to me by the last day of classes if you want
credit for your absences.
Withdrawal
Policy: Academic
Withdrawal from the course prior to the deadline date for withdrawal as
published within the academic calendar is accomplished by securing a change in
schedule form and having it signed by appropriate persons. Blank copies of the change in schedule form
are available in the offices of the Registrar, the Vice President for Academic
Affairs, the Dean and the advisor. After
obtaining the required signatures, the student must submit, prior to the
deadline date, the change in schedule form to the Office of the Registrar.
Disability
Services Statement: BSC is committed to full inclusion of all
students. Students who, by nature of a documented disability, require
classroom, equipment, testing or assignment accommodations should contact the
Student Support Services at 304.327.4227 to request accommodations before the
start of the semester. Your immediate attention to these arrangements is
necessary to assure a positive learning experience.
Free Tutoring Services Available: BSC offers Smarthinking
free online tutoring for all BSC students in the following subjects: Math; Accounting, Managerial; Accounting,
Financial; Writing (all subjects); Grammar; Microeconomics; Macroeconomics;
Statistics; Spanish. Chemistry, etc. This service is free and available 24
hours a day to all BSC students. Go to http://www.smarthinking.com/ and
follow these instructions.
Required Texts:
Smith,
Kevin B. and Alan Greenblatt, and Michele Mariani Vaughn. 2012. Governing States and Localities, 3rd edition. Washington, DC: CQ Press College. [ISBN-13: 978-1604267280 ], 600 pages.
***This class
is web-enhanced and students will be able to access supplemental materials on
the BSC BlackBoard website, including chapter outlines, chapter PowerPoint
summaries, etc.***
Jan. 21: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (College Closed)
Jan. 22: [Tuesday:
Classes begin for Spring Semester]
Introduction:
They Tax Dogs in West Virginia, Don’t They?
Readings: Smith,
Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 1
Jan. 24: Introduction: They Tax Dogs in West Virginia, Don’t They?
Readings: Smith, Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 1
Jan. 29: Federalism:
The Power Plan
Readings: Smith,
Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 2
Jan. 31: Constitutions: Operating Instructions
Readings: Smith, Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 3
Feb. 5: Finances: Filling the Till
and Paying the Bills
Readings: Smith, Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 4
Feb. 7: Political
Attitudes and Participation: Venting and Voting
Readings: Smith, Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 5
Feb. 12: Parties
and Interest Groups: Elephants, Donkeys, and Cash Cows
Readings: Smith, Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 6
Feb. 14: Parties and
Interest Groups: Elephants, Donkeys, and Cash Cows
Readings: Smith, Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 6
Feb. 19: Legislatures:
The Art of Herding Cats
Readings: Smith, Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 7
Feb. 21: Legislatures:
The Art of Herding Cats
Readings: Smith, Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 7
NOTE: Special lecture on Mountain Top Removal; Dr.
Lowinger’s Seminar in Social Science class (SOSC 490) will be guests
Feb. 26: Governors and
Executives: There Is No Such Thing as Absolute Power
Readings: Smith, Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 8
Feb. 28: Governors
and Executives: There Is No Such Thing as Absolute Power
Readings:
Smith, Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 8
Mar. 5: Courts: Turning
Law into Politics
Readings: Smith, Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 9
Mar. 7: MIDTERM EXAM
Mar. 8: Mid-Semester grades due to Registrar
Mar. 11-15:
Spring Break (No Classes)
Mar. 19: Courts: Turning Law into Politics
Readings:
Smith, Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 9
Mar. 21: Bureaucracy:
What Nobody Wants but Everybody Needs
Readings:
Smith, Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 10
Mar. 26: Bureaucracy:
What Nobody Wants but Everybody Needs
Readings:
Smith, Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 10
Mar. 28: Local
Government: Function Follows Form
Readings:
Smith, Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 11
Apr. 1-12:
Pre-Registration for Summer & Fall Semester courses
Apr. 2: Local
Government: Function Follows Form
Readings:
Smith, Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 11
Apr. 4: Metropolitics:
The Hole Government Problem
Readings:
Smith, Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 12
Apr. 9: Metropolitics: The Hole Government Problem
Readings: Smith, Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 12
Apr. 11: Education: Reading, Writing, and
Regulation
Readings:
Smith, Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 13
Apr. 12:
Last Day to Withdraw from course/college with a grade of "W"
Apr. 16: Education:
Reading, Writing, and Regulation
Readings:
Smith, Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 13
Apr. 18: Crime
and Punishment
Readings:
Smith, Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 14
Apr. 23: Crime
and Punishment
Readings: Smith, Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 14
Apr. 25: [Research
Papers Due] Health and Welfare
Policy: State, Heal Thyself!
Readings: Smith, Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 15
Assignment: Research Papers Due today. Hand in a hard copy of your Research Papers
to me in class and send me an electronic copy by email as a Microsoft Word
attachment.
May 2: Health
and Welfare Policy: State, Heal Thyself!
Readings: Smith, Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 15
May 7: The
Environment: Thinking Globally, Acting Locally
Readings:
Smith, Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 16
May 9: [Last day of classes. In-Class
Presentations and Research Papers MUST be completed by this date. No submissions will be accepted after this
date.] The Environment: Thinking Globally, Acting Locally
Readings: Smith, Greenblatt, and Vaughn Ch. 16
Assignment: Complete all readings.
May 16: FINAL EXAM
May 20: Final
grades due to Registrar electronically