State and Local
Government
Political Science 371
Spring 2004
Dr. Carolyn M. Shrewsbury
109 Morris Hall
Minnesota State University
Mankato, MN 56001
Office: MH 204C 507-389-6939
FAX: 507-389-6377
http://krypton.mankato.msus.edu/~cbury/web/
Course Purpose: In a federal system like the United States, state
governments have major independent roles in making public policy. Local
governments implement policies made at both the national and state levels, and
are significant policy makers on their own behalf. Besides studying the
structures and processes of state and local governments, we will look at some
of the successes and challenges in those policy areas for which states have a
major role.
Objectives: The student should enhance his or her general
proficiencies in:
* Gaining access to existing knowledge about
state and local governments and policies;
* Displaying a command of that existing
knowledge appropriate for an upper division level course; this especially
includes:
* the nature
of federalism and intergovernmental relations;
* the
structures of state and local governments;
* the
effectiveness of participatory mechanisms;
* the
dimensions of major policy initiatives at state/local levels;
* trends and
needs for the 21st Century.
* Displaying the ability to draw out existing
knowledge from professional as well as mass audience materials. This includes
the internet;
* Utilizing existing knowledge to explore issues
and to communicate that to others;
* Evaluating and creating new knowledge;
The textbook is Dresang
& Gosling Politics and Policy in American States and Communities Fourth
Edition
Additional required
materials from the Internet and elsewhere are assigned and available through
our course website.
We will be using Ucompass
Educator for our course management system. You will have additional
assignments, reading material, exercises and the like that will be accessed
from our UCompass course site. You access UCompass Educator at
https://ucompass.mnsu.edu/secure.html
Grades will be determined by
a modified contract.
The scale is based on 200 points.
A = 180
B- 160
C- 135
D = 115
You earn points in 4 ways:
Exams: There will be 3
mostly multiple-choice exams each worth 35 points. There are no make-ups for
missed exams but there will also
be a voluntary essay comprehensive final exam. I f your final exam score is
higher than that on any of the previous exams, it will be substituted for your
lowest score. Total possible exam
points = 105.
Attendance: Your presence in
the classroom is important. You will receive a point for each day you are in
class to a maximum of 25 points. (An absence is an absence whether for good
reason or not. You have some days leeway for that day for which you are ill,
have a family emergency, a car that wonąt start, have to be at work, go on a
field trip, or just need a break or school is called off because of snow or
other emergency. To earn an A
or B you must receive the full 25 points for attendance.
Participation: You can
receive up to 25 points in participation. More on this in class.
Projects: You must earn 25
points in projects. You may earn up to 80. Details on projects are on UCompass.
Some projects have specific
due dates. Others do not.
However, you may turn in no more than 2 projects a week. In other words,
you need to be working on projects throughout the semester. You cannot do them
all at the last moment. No project may be turned in later than April 27.
Miscellaneous
information: Any student needing
special arrangements is encouraged to visit with me at your earliest
convenience. If you are a student with a documented disability, please see me
as early in the semester as possible to discuss the necessary accommodations,
and/or contact the Disability Services Office at 507-389-2825 (V) or
1-800-627-3529 (MRS/TTY).
All students are welcome to
contact me throughout the semester with questions or observations about the
class, or with any concerns or with any difficulties about the class. I do my
best to be available during office hours. You may contact me in my office
whether I am having formal office hours. E-mail is also an efficient way to
reach me.
Some items we take for
granted, but are worth repeating; all work that you submit must be your own. By
remaining in this class, you certify that you will not engage in academic
dishonesty in this class.
Cellular phones and pagers
are to be turned off during class unless you are an emergency responder. Do not
use cellular phones in the classroom.
Schedule: This is a partial listing. I will be adding
exercises and Internet assignments and additional readings. Check our course
site before you prepare each class.
You may want to check the
State and Local resource page at http://krypton.mankato.msus.edu/~cbury/web/Resources/state.html
That I have
prepared that provides links to some of the materials you'll find useful for
this course.
Be sure to read the assigned
chapter before class. Otherwise you will waste your and our time in the
classroom. Note that we are not reading the chapters in order.
Jan. 13 Introductions
Jan. 15 Ch. 1 Face to Face Governance
Overview of state and local
government and politics.
Jan. 20 Ch. 2 State diversity
Jan. 22 Read: Shrewsbury Minnesota A
Decade of Demographic Change available in UCompass.filed in the readings
folder.
Week 3
Jan. 27 CH. 14 Crime
Jan. 29 Continue Ch 14 Corrections
Feb 3 Ch 15 Education policy
Feb 5 Ch 16 Social welfare policy
Week 5
Feb 10 Continue Ch 16 Health policy
Feb 12 Exam 1
Feb 17 Ch. 3 Federalism
Feb 19 Continue with federalism.
Also read Ch 4 Constitutions and charters
Feb 24 CH 11 Local government
Feb 26 continue with local
government
Week 8
Mar 2 Ch. 17 Environmental policies
Mar 4 continue Ch 17 Economic
development policy
Week 9
Mar 16 Ch. 18 Fiscal policies
Mar 18 continue fiscal policy
Week 10
Mar 23 Ch 5 Policy making process
Mar 25 Exam 2
Mar 30 Ch 6 Grassroots participation
Apr 1 Ch 7 Interest Groups
Apr 6 Ch 8 Parties and elections
Apr 8 rethinking participation
Apr 13 Ch 9 Governors
Apr 15 Ch 10 Legislatures
Apr 20 Continue Ch 10 more on
legislatures and legislators
Apr 22 Ch 13 Courts
Apr 27 Ch 12 Bureaucracies
Apr 29 Exam 3. Also read Ch 19 Responding to pressing public problems
last revised: 1/7/04