This class will meet only two days per week… the day-off schedule will vary, so please be sure to check it each week. Generally, for example, we will take Fridays off; but sometimes, such as during Founder’s Week, we will take the Monday off instead. In total, there will be 12 days off. These weekly days off from normal class meetings are designed to compensate for the time you will spend with your Community Partner (CP). ALL students MUST make satisfactory progress with their CBL projects in order for the class to qualify for the weekly days off. If even one student falls behind, the schedule for the entire class may be revised.
WEEK ONE
January 11
Introductions, syllabus & course overview. CBL project.
January 13
What are state & local governments? Syllabus quiz.
DUE: Chapter 1 New Directions for State & Local Government. Also, create your blog site using blogger.com or another blog service & email url to me at pandrews@ndnu.edu.
WEEK TWO
January 16
No class, MLK, Jr. Day holiday
Extra Credit Opportunity: Attend or participate in an organized MLK Day event & submit a 1-2 page written reflection on the activity. (Due 1/18.)
January 18
How are state and local governments different from government at the Federal level? Why do we have them?
DUE: Chapter 2 Federalism & the States. Also, make final choice of CP for CBL project.
Blog Topic #1: In what sense did your CP grow from a local need or perspective? Is your CP constrained or otherwise affected by Federal policies? To whom is your CP ultimately accountable?
January 20
Conflicts between Federal, state and local authorities.
DUE: Explore in detail the website of the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute in Selma, Alabama: http://www.nvrmi.com
Blog Topic #2: What is the legacy of Dr. King with regard to the enforcement of voting rights at the local level for African Americans? Are these rights still in danger for African Americans and other people of color?
WEEK THREE
January 23
The importance of citizen participation within a democracy.
DUE: Chapter 4 Citizen Participation & Elections
Blog Topic #3: What is the relationship between citizens and your CP? On what level do they interact? How can citizen participation affect your CP?
January 25
The importance of citizen participation within a democracy.
DUE: Excerpt from Thomas Massaro, Living Justice, Chapter 5… for this week read the Introduction, Section 1 (The Dignity of Every Person and Human Rights) and Section 2 (Solidarity, Common Good, and Participation).
January 27
No class, Comp Day #1 for CBL project
WEEK FOUR
January 30
No class, Comp Day #2 for CBL project
February 1
Political parties, interest groups and campaigns.
DUE: Chapter 5 Political Parties, Interest Groups & Campaigns
Blog Topic #4: Does your CP participate in political campaigns or take public stands on campaigns or candidates? Why or why not?
February 3
Ethical factors of campaigning.
DUE: Attend or participate in an organized Founder’s Week event & submit a 1-2 page written reflection on the activity.
Blog Topic #5: Discuss how the charism of the Foundresses of the SND de Namur might influence the career choices and professional activities of an NDNU Political Science graduate.
WEEK FIVE
February 6
State Legislatures.
DUE: Chapter 6 State Legislatures
Blog Topic #6: Does your CP seek any legislative changes or has it in the past? What process does it use to attempt to make those changes? What challenges has it encountered in its attempt to do so?
February 8
State Legislatures.
DUE: TBA
February 10
No class, Comp Day #3 for CBL project
WEEK SIX
February 13
State-Local relations. Oral communication and presentation techniques.
DUE: Chapter 10 State-Local Relations
Blog Topic #7: Does your CP ever get caught up in conflict relating to its various local and state relationships?
February 15
State-Local relations: the notion of subsidiarity and the “proper” role of the various levels of government.
DUE: Excerpt from Massaro… for this week, read Section 4 (Subsidiarity and the Proper Role of Government)
February 17
No class, Comp Day #4 for CBL project
WEEK SEVEN
February 20
No class – Presidents’ Day holiday
Extra Credit Opportunity: Attend or participate in an organized Presidents’ Day event & submit a 1-2 page written reflection on the activity. (Due 2/22.)
February 22
1st half semester review & prep for midterm exam
DUE: CBL Essay: Summarize what you have learned about your CP so far. How/why did you choose this organization? What is the particular project involved? What challenges have you faced with this assignment so far and how have you addressed them? (3 pages)
February 24
No class, Comp Day #5 for CBL project
WEEK EIGHT
February 27
Formal presentations (5-8 minutes): Introducing your Community Partner & CBL project
DUE: Notecards or other preparation for formal presentation
February 29
Midterm exam
DUE: Study for midterm
March 2
No class, Comp Day #6 for CBL project
SPRING BREAK WEEK
March 5-9
Enjoy your week off!
WEEK NINE
March 12
One-on-one mid-semester reviews. In-class writing activity TBA.
DUE: TBA
March 14
Local government structure and leadership.
DUE: Chapter 11 Local Government Structure & Leadership
Blog Topic #8: How does your CP interface with local governmental units? Are there any leaders in particular who’ve had a key impact on the success or development of your CP?
March 16
No class, Comp Day #7 for CBL project
WEEK TEN
March 19
Taxing and spending.
DUE: Chapter 12 Taxing & Spending
Blog Topic #9: Does your CP have authority to raise funds through taxation? If so, what factors or processes are involved? Discuss the ways in which your CP is associated with taxing, spending, or both.
March 21
Research project / write-up assigned. Develop a question about your CP that can be answered through a small quantitative or qualitative primary research project – a survey, statistical analysis, series of interviews, etc. Conduct the research. Write up your results in a 5-page paper that uses your original research to answer the question you developed.
DUE: Brief project proposal (2 pages). What is the question you propose to answer? What has already been written about it? How is your question unique? What kind of research will help you answer the question? How will this research be conducted? How might your findings be used?
March 22 is CTA Day
Extra Credit Opportunity: Attend or participate in one of NDNU’s Call to Action Day events & submit a 1-2 page written reflection on the activity. (Due 3/26.)
March 23
No class, Comp Day #8 for CBL project
WEEK ELEVEN
March 26
Public administration: budgeting and service delivery.
DUE: Chapter 8 Public Administration: Budgeting & Service Delivery
Blog Topic #10: Does your CP rely on money or services provided by any public entity? Are the money and services provided in a consistent and reliable manner or is the CP subject to periodic application, approval, re-application, etc.? How does this consistency, or lack thereof, affect your CP’s operations? Do other people or organizations rely on your CP to provide funding?
March 28
Budgeting and service delivery in crisis.
DUE: Read articles about city and county level governments in
1) Jefferson County, Alabama ( http://news.yahoo.com/alabama-county-seeks-file-biggest-municipal-bankruptcy-001117903.html ),
2) Highland Park, Michigan ( http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Unable-to-pay-bill-Mich-city-apf-2920161472.html ), and
3) Vallejo, California (use the internet to find one or more articles about the Vallejo bankruptcy).
March 30
No class, Comp Day #9 for CBL project
WEEK TWELVE
April 2
The Judiciary.
DUE: Chapter 9 The Judiciary
Blog Topic #11: Does your CP ever have recourse to the judicial process as a way of resolving problems? Describe one example.
April 4
The Judiciary.
DUE: TBA
April 6
No class, Good Friday holiday
Extra Credit Opportunity: Using arguments from any faith-based, philosophical or other moral reasoning tradition, write a 500-word essay on the subject of ethical leadership in government. (Due 4/9.)
WEEK THIRTEEN
April 9
Constitutions.
DUE: Chapter 3 State Constitutions
Blog Topic #12: Is your CP constitutionally mandated? Does it seek any kind of protection relating to its existence or scope, or any guarantee relating to its area of interest, under a state constitution?
April 11
Final exam study guide.
DUE: Research project write-up
April 13
No class, Comp Day #10 for CBL project
WEEK FOURTEEN
April 16
Governors.
DUE: Chapter 7 Governors.
Blog Topic #13: To what extent does the Governor interact with your CP? Does he/she have the authority to make an impact on your CP’s operations?
April 18
Final exam
DUE: Study for the final
Blog Topic #14: How useful was the CBL component of this course? Did interaction with your CP make the content areas of the course more meaningful to you?
April 20
No class, Comp Day #11 for CBL project
WEEK FIFTEEN
April 23
Final research project presentations
April 25
Final research project presentations
April 27
No class, Comp Day #12 for CBL project
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