Faculty Syllabus
GOVT-2305 United States Government
Rolando Duarte
Credit Fall 2025
Section(s)
GOVT-2305-127 (21581)
LEC TuTh 11:00am - 12:40pm AHS AHS1 331
GOVT-2305-136 (21586)
LEC TuTh 1:30pm - 3:00pm AHS AHS1 331
Student Learning Outcomes/Learning Objectives
The Texas Education Code (51.301) mandates that “every college and university receiving state support or state aid from public funds shall give a course of instruction in government or political science that includes consideration of the Constitution of the United States and the constitutions of the states, with special emphasis on that of Texas.”
This course is an introduction to United States national government. The course provides students with a framework for understanding United States government and politics. Students will investigate the constitutional basis, processes, institutions, and policies which underlie, comprise, impact, or are products of United States government and politics.
This is primarily a lecture course with opportunity for student discussion. Student resources and support can be found at https://dualcredit.austincc.edu/student-resources-support/.
Students are expected to demonstrate:
1. Civic and Cultural Awareness—analyzing and critiquing competing perspectives in a democratic society; comparing, contrasting, and interpreting differences and commonalities among peoples, ideas, aesthetic traditions, and cultural practices
2. Critical Thinking—gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating and applying information
3. Personal Responsibility—identifying and applying ethical principles and practices; demonstrating effective learning, creative thinking, and personal responsibility
4. Written, Oral and Visual Communication—communicating effectively, adapting to purpose, structure, audience, and medium
Course Requirements
Attendance
Punctual and regular attendance is necessary for success in this class. As a result, students with more than FOUR absences (for any reason) will be dropped from the class by the instructor. Exceptions will not be made unless documentation can be provided demonstrating extreme need (medical emergencies, death in the family, surgery, etc.) and the student presents a viable plan for completing all course requirements.
Excessive tardiness will result in the student receiving one or more absences. Excessive tardiness can refer to either (1) the amount of time within a particular class period one is late to class or (2) the cumulative number of times one is late to class in a semester. The instructor recognizes that students might occasionally be stuck in traffic or be briefly detained by a teacher, counselor, or administrator, and these rare occurrences would not trigger this policy. Being tardy to class will only result in an absence if a student is excessively and/or habitually late.
How Do You Take Attendance If We Must Move To A Virtual Setting?
Students will be marked “present” for each day of a virtual class if they complete the following: (1) log into the synchronous Zoom meeting on class days, (2) complete the quiz or test on Blackboard during the “open” quiz or test window on days we have a quiz or test in class, (3) complete a post AND a reply to a post on the discussion board for each day’s class topic on days we have a discussion in class.
Grades
The quality and quantity of the work done by the student determines his/her/their final grade. There are three components to your grade:
1. Reading Quizzes (10 questions each) = 20% of your total grade
2. Four Unit Exams (multiple choice and short answer questions) = 20% each
3. Comprehensive Final Exam (multiple choice) = 20% of your total grade
1. Reading Quizzes
We will have a reading quiz for every assigned chapter of the textbook. See the attached reading calendar/quiz schedule. Not all chapters in the textbook will be assigned, nor will they necessarily be read in order. Students are expected to have completed their assigned reading before the quiz. I will drop the lowest quiz grade.
2. Exams
We will take four unit exams this semester. Exams will cover content from the textbook, any assigned outside readings, and lectures. Exams will consist of multiple choice as well as open ended response and/or essay questions. These questions will require both content knowledge and clear, concise, well-organized written responses.
3. Final Exam
You will have the option to complete a comprehensive final examination at the end of the semester OR to complete a five-page research paper. Students who wish to complete the research paper should request instructions and the research prompt by September 19, 2025, so that they may have adequate time to prepare. The research paper will be due on December 11, 2025 (the same day as the final exam).
4. Wait, Doesn’t That Add Up To 120%?
I will drop the lowest test grade. If you, the student, are hard-working, diligent, and well prepared for the four unit tests, you can “drop” the final exam. Ideally, you will take all five tests (unit tests and the final/paper) in order to earn the highest grade possible.
5. Extra Credit?
There will be opportunities for extra credit on all four unit tests. In addition, opportunities may arise during the semester for extra credit. I will advertise these opportunities if and when they become available. Remember, good attendance, meaningful class participation, and disciplined study habits make extra credit wholly unnecessary!
Dual Credit students may occasionally miss a quiz or test because of illness or school-related activity. Please notify Mr. Duarte and make up your work prior to your absence if at all humanly possible. In the event of an unexpected absence, please make arrangements to make up your missing work within a two-week window following your absence! Failure to make-up work within the two-week window may result in the student receiving a zero on the academic work in question.
Scholastic Dishonesty and AI Policy
Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating on an exam or quiz, plagiarism (using another author’s words or arguments without attribution), and collusion (the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing written work for fulfillment of any course requirement). Academic work submitted by students shall be the result of their own thought, research, or self-expression. Academic work is defined as, but not limited to, tests, quizzes (whether taken electronically or on paper), projects (either individual or group), classroom presentations, papers, and homework. If a student commits any of the above actions, the instructor will seek disciplinary action in the form of an academic penalty (which will include a zero on the academic work in question and may include a course grade of “F”).
No use of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) is permitted, meaning a student’s written responses should be generated by the student and should reflect the student’s own original ideas. Using GAI to generate student responses will be considered an act of plagiarism and will be subject to the Academic Dishonesty process of ACC. This includes, but is not limited to, text, audio, visuals, graphics, and artwork.
One exception to this policy is that the use of spelling and grammar checking technology when composing responses assigned to be completed electronically would be acceptable.
If the instructor wishes to allow some generative AI in class assignments and papers the instructor will provide explicit permission and will require proper citation of all submitted materials that were generated or created by any AI program. If you wish to use a form of AI not covered explicitly in this policy, you must consult with your instructor and come to an explicit agreement before submitting any assignment.
Incomplete Policy
A student may receive the grade of “I” (Incomplete) in the event of a catastrophic life event (such as a medical emergency documented by a physician). All “Incompletes” must be cleared within the first four weeks of the following semester.
Academic Freedom
Each student is strongly encouraged to participate in class discussions. In any classroom situation that includes discussion and critical thinking, particularly about political ideas, there are bound to be many differing viewpoints. Students may not only disagree with each other at times, but the students and instructor may also find that they have disparate views on sensitive and volatile topics. It is the instructor’s hope that these differences will enhance class discussion and create an atmosphere where students and instructor alike will be encouraged to think and learn from each other. Therefore, be assured that students’ grades will not be adversely affected by any beliefs or ideas expressed in class or in assignments. Rather, we will all respect the views of others when expressed in classroom discussions.
Withdrawal Policy
A student may withdraw from class at any time before November 20, 2025. Remember, it is the student’s responsibility to withdraw, not the instructor. After the deadline, a letter grade (A, B, C, D, or F) must be awarded.
Grades Finalized With ACC
Final grades will be submitted to ACC on December 15, 2025. This deadline is imposed by ACC; your instructor does NOT have the ability to grant you an extension. Students should use Blackboard to regularly monitor their grades throughout the semester. All students with a grade below a 70 as well as any students unhappy with their class grade in general should speak with the instructor well before the submission deadline.
Student Accessibility Services
Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented physical, cognitive, or psychological disabilities. Students with disabilities must request reasonable accommodations through the Office for Student Accessibility Services at ACC. Students are encouraged to do this three weeks before the start of the semester.
Readings
American Government by OpenStax™
The textbook for this class is available online for free! The book comes in “web view” or PDF format. There is also a free OpenStax app available (download the app, select “Austin Community College” as your school, and select “American Government 3e”). We are using the 3rd edition of OpenStax American Government.
Additional readings, notes, audio, or video files may be assigned. I will notify you in advance and provide you with either the full text or URL needed to access these materials.
In addition, well rounded denizens of this great country should examine a selection of major national news sources in print or online. Newspapers such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, Los Angeles Times, Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle, and Austin-American Statesman, or magazines, such as TIME or The Economist offer breaking news and investigative long-form reporting. Reuters and AP News are prodigious online news agencies. National news programs on local stations (PBS = KLRU, ABC = KVUE, NBC = KXAN, and CBS = KEYE) as well as on cable (BBC America, CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News) report on important issues and events (make sure you are watching the news broadcasts, and not the opinion/commentary shows!). NPR (heard locally on KUT 90.5) is one of the most trusted news sources on radio. Well-rounded members of society should try to receive their news from a combination of these sources to explore a variety of perspectives and topics.
NOTE: while Facebook, Twitter, or other social media feeds can occasionally report news, they are not always trusted news sources!
Course Subjects
Week One (Tuesday, August 19th and Thursday, August 21st)
- Welcome and Syllabus Review
- What is Government?
Week Two (Tuesday, August 26th and Thursday, August 28th)
- Origins of American Government
- Constitution
- Quiz over Chapter 2 on Thursday, August 28
Week Three (Tuesday, September 2nd and Thursday, September 4th)
- Bill of Rights and Federalism
- Quiz over Chapter 3 on Tuesday, September 2
- Unit One Exam on Thursday, September 4
Week Four (Tuesday, September 9th and Thursday, September 11th)
- Public Opinion
- Quiz over Chapter 6 on Tuesday, September 9
- Media Part 1
Week Five (Tuesday, September 16th and Friday, September 19th)
- Media Part 2
- Quiz over Chapter 8 on Tuesday, September 16
- Political Parties
- Quiz over Chapter 9 on Friday, September 19
Week Six (Thursday, September 25th)
- Interest Groups
- Quiz over Chapter 10 on Thursday, September 25
Week Seven (Tuesday, September 30th and Thursday, October 2nd)
- History of Voting
- Voting Today
- Quiz over Chapter 7 on Thursday, October 2
Week Eight (Tuesday, October 7th and Thursday, October 9th)
- Unit Two Exam on Tuesday, October 7
- Congress Part 1
Week Nine (Tuesday, October 14th and Thursday, October 16th)
- Congress Part 2
- Quiz over Chapter 11 on Tuesday, October 14
- Presidency Part 1
Week Ten (Tuesday, October 21st)
- Presidency
- Quiz over Chapter 12 on Tuesday, October 21
Week Eleven (Tuesday, October 28th and Friday, October 31st)
- Bureaucracy
- Quiz over Chapter 15 on Tuesday, October 28
- Domestic Policy
Week Twelve (Thursday, November 6th and Friday, November 7th)
- Foreign Policy
- Quiz over Chapters 16 and 17 on Thursday, November 6
- (5 questions from each chapter)
- Quiz over Chapters 16 and 17 on Thursday, November 6
- Unit Three Exam on Friday, November 7
Week Thirteen (Tuesday, November 11th and Thursday, November 13th)
- The Courts
- Quiz over Chapter 13 on Tuesday, November 11
- Civil Liberties
Week Fourteen (Tuesday, November 18th and Thursday, November 20th)
- Civil Rights
- Quiz over Chapters 4 and 5 on Tuesday, November 18
- (5 questions from each chapter; also, this is your last reading quiz!)
- Quiz over Chapters 4 and 5 on Tuesday, November 18
- Landmark Supreme Court Cases
Week Fifteen (November 24th-November 28th)
- Hey, it’s time for Thanksgiving Break!
Week Sixteen (Tuesday, December 2nd and Thursday, December 4th)
- Film: 13th
- Unit Four Exam on Tuesday, December 4
Week Seventeen (Tuesday, December 9th and Thursday, December 11th)
- Review for Final Exam
- Final Exam on Friday, December 11
Office Hours
T 4:35 PM - 5:35 PM Austin High School - Room 331
NOTEW 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Austin High School - Room 331
NOTEPublished: 08/18/2025 13:17:23