Summer I 2026
Federal Government
Approved: Initials/date GOVT 2305 – 2A1 CREDIT 3 Semester Credit Hours (3 hours lecture, 0 hours lab) MODE OF INSTRUCTION Online PREREQUISITE/CO-REQUISITE: TSI Complete in Reading COURSE DESCRIPTION Origin and development of the U.S. Constitution; structure and powers of the national government including the legislative, executive, and judicial branches; federalism; political participation; the national election process; public policy; civil liberties and civil rights. COURSE OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to: 1. Explain the origin and development of constitutional democracy in the United States 2. Demonstrate knowledge of the federal system 3. Describe separation of powers and checks and balances in both theory and practice 4. Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the federal government 5. Evaluate the role of public opinion, interest groups, and political parties in the political system 6. Analyze the election process 7. Describe the rights and responsibilities of citizens 8. Analyze issues and policies in U.S. politics INSTRUCTOR CONTACT INFORMATION Instructor: Adan Arriaga, J.D. Email: aarriaga@eagle.lit.edu Office Phone: (409) 247-5138 Office Location: Lonnie Howard Technology Center (Room 206) Office Hours: By appointment REQUIRED TEXTBOOK AND MATERIALS American Government 3rd Edition Krutz, Waskiewicz; Free Web Version ISBN-13: 978-1-951693-38-1 https://openstax.org/details/books/american-government-3e 2 ATTENDANCE POLICY Consistent attendance and active participation are essential to your success in this course, whether it is conducted in person, online, or in a hybrid format. You are expected to attend all scheduled sessions, engage with course materials, contribute to discussions, and complete all assignments. For online and hybrid courses, this includes regular log-ins to Blackboard and participation in discussion boards. Attendance and participation will be monitored throughout the semester. If your in-class attendance or online engagement declines significantly or stops, the instructor will contact you to discuss your progress and offer support. An academic intervention will be initiated if a student accumulates three absences from in-person class or fails to access the Blackboard platform for a continuous period of seven days in online or hybrid classes. If you anticipate an absence or disruption in participation, notify the instructor in advance when possible. Ongoing lack of attendance may lead to additional academic intervention. DROP POLICY If you wish to drop a course, you are responsible for initiating and completing the drop process. If you stop coming to class and fail to drop the course, you will earn an “F” in the course. COURSE CALENDAR Unit Assignment Module Due Date 1 Syllabus Acknowledgement Quiz Welcome June 3 Journal 1.1 Quiz 1.1 1.1 What is Government? - - Journal 1.2 1.2 Political Socialization June 7 Quiz 1.3 1.3 Roots of the Revolution - Discussion: Liberty or Loyalty in 1776 - Quiz 1.4 1.4 The Constitution - Topic & Legislator Selection (Core Assessment) June 10 Unit 1 Exam June 10 2 Discussion: Free Speech & Civil Liberties 2.1 Supreme Court Decisions June 12 Discussion: Due Process & Civil Liberties - Quiz 2.2 2.2 Civil Liberties - Quiz 2.3 2.3 Civil Rights June 17 Quiz 2.4 2.4 Federalism - First Draft (Core Assessment) June 19 Unit 2 Exam June 19 3 Quiz 3.1 3.1 Legislative Branch June 24 Journal 3.1 - Quiz 3.2 3.2 Executive Branch - Journal 3.2 - Quiz 3.3 3.3 Judicial Branch - 3 Journal 3.3 - Second Draft (Core Assessment) June 26 Unit 3 Exam June 26 4 Discussion: Interest Groups and Their Influence on Government 4.1 Interest Groups July 1 Quiz 4.1 - Quiz 4.2 4.2 Public Opinion & Polling - Quiz 4.3 4.3 The Media - Quiz 4.4 4.4 Political Parties - Quiz 4.5 4.5 Political Participation Unit 4 Exam July 3 Final Draft (Core Assessment) July 7 Optional Final Exam (Optional) July 7 COURSE EVALUATION Final grades will be calculated according to the following criteria: Exams 50% Core Assessment 20% Quizzes/Assignments/Discussions 30% GRADE SCALE • 90-100 A • 80-89 B • 70-79 C • 60-69 D • 0-59 F TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS The latest technical requirements, including hardware, compatible browsers, operating systems, etc. can be online at https://lit.edu/online-learning/online-learning-minimum-computer-requirements. A functional broadband internet connection, such as DSL, cable, or WiFi is necessary to maximize the use of online technology and resources. DISABILITIES STATEMENT The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are federal anti-discrimination statutes that provide comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. LIT provides reasonable accommodations as defined in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, to students with a diagnosed disability. The Special Populations Office is located in the Eagles’ Nest Room 129 and helps foster a supportive and inclusive educational environment by maintaining partnerships with faculty and staff, as well as promoting awareness among all members of the Lamar Institute of Technology community. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Special Populations Coordinator at (409)-951-5708 or email specialpopulations@lit.edu. You may also visit the online resource at Special Populations - Lamar Institute of Technology (lit.edu). 4 STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT STATEMENT It is the responsibility of all registered Lamar Institute of Technology students to access, read, understand and abide by all published policies, regulations, and procedures listed in the LIT Catalog and Student Handbook. The LIT Catalog and Student Handbook may be accessed at www.lit.edu. Please note that the online version of the LIT Catalog and Student Handbook supersedes all other versions of the same document. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE STATEMENT Lamar Institute of Technology (LIT) recognizes the recent advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT, have changed the landscape of many career disciplines and will impact many students in and out of the classroom. To prepare students for their selected careers, LIT desires to guide students in the ethical use of these technologies and incorporate AI into classroom instruction and assignments appropriately. Appropriate use of these technologies is at the discretion of the instructor. Students are reminded that all submitted work must be their own original work unless otherwise specified. Students should contact their instructor with any questions as to the acceptable use of AI/ChatGPT in their courses STARFISH LIT utilizes an early alert system called Starfish. Throughout the semester, you may receive emails from Starfish regarding your course grades, attendance, or academic performance. Faculty members record student attendance, raise flags and kudos to express concern or give praise, and you can make an appointment with faculty and staff all through the Starfish home page. You can also login to Blackboard or MyLIT and click on the Starfish link to view academic alerts and detailed information. It is the responsibility of the student to pay attention to these emails and information in Starfish and consider taking the recommended actions. Starfish is used to help you be a successful student at LIT. ADDITIONAL COURSE POLICIES/INFORMATION Due Dates and Late Work All deadlines are listed in the course schedule. Students must plan accordingly. Late work is not accepted unless a documented emergency or exigent circumstance occurs. Extension requests must be submitted in writing within 48 hours with documentation. Approval of extensions is at the instructor’s discretion. DUAL CREDIT STUDENTS This course follows the LIT academic calendar, not the high school schedule. High school events, testing, or activities are not valid reasons for late or missing work. 5 Technology and Technical Responsibility Students are responsible for having all required technology. This includes downloading and maintaining Respondus LockDown Browser before any exam. Failure to install or configure required software does not excuse missed work. All technical issues, including Blackboard access, LockDown Browser errors, passwords, device problems, or connectivity, must be directed to LIT Help Desk or Blackboard Support. The instructor does not provide technical troubleshooting. Technical difficulties of any kind, including internet outages, device failure, software errors, or user error, are not valid excuses for missing deadlines. Students must troubleshoot promptly and seek appropriate support. DUAL CREDIT STUDENTS School issued devices, including Chromebooks, are the responsibility of the high school and its IT department. Device limitations or restrictions do not exempt students from LIT requirements. Work Submission All coursework must be submitted through the designated instructional platform. Online courses require all assignments, including examinations, to be submitted via Blackboard. In-person courses submit all work during scheduled class meetings. Hybrid courses are expected to submit assignments through Blackboard unless alternative instructions are provided by the instructor. Any technical issue affecting submission must be reported within 30 minutes of the attempted submission. Grading Most assignments are graded within one week. Students will be notified of delays. Communication All communication must occur through Blackboard. Messages are answered within 24 hours on weekdays. Weekend messages are answered on the next business day. If Blackboard is unavailable, students may use their official LIT email. Assignments may not be submitted by email. Academic Integrity Students must follow the LIT Academic Integrity Policy. All work must be original. Prohibited actions include plagiarism, cheating, collusion, and fabrication. Violations result in failure of the assignment and may result in failure of the course. All coursework must be completed individually unless collaboration is permitted. Free tutoring and academic support are available. Exam Policy Exams are open note unless stated otherwise. Only your own handwritten or typed notes may be used. Quizzes are closed resource. Notes may be reviewed by the instructor or proctor. 6 Shared, copied, or AI generated notes are not allowed. Unauthorized materials violate the Academic Integrity Policy. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy and Ethical Use AI tools are an intentional component of this course and may be used for designated support tasks such as brainstorming, outlining, generating preliminary ideas, and assisting with organization. These uses are meant to help students develop critical awareness of AI’s capabilities, limitations, and ethical implications. AI tools may not be used to produce, replace, or substantially revise any portion of a student’s analytical work, written assignments, or assessments intended to evaluate individual learning. ‘Substantial revision’ includes any instance in which AI generates, rewrites, restructures, or meaningfully alters a student’s language, argumentation, or interpretation. Final work must reflect the student’s independent thinking and expression. All AI use must remain within the parameters established by the instructor, which may vary by assignment. Students are responsible for seeking clarification when needed. Any use of AI tools must be transparently disclosed and cited according to the required citation style for the assignment. Disclosures must include the tool used, the date, and a brief description of how it contributed to the work. Undisclosed or unauthorized AI use constitutes a violation of academic integrity. Students with approved accommodations through the Special Populations Office may continue to use any assistive technologies, including AI-based tools, that are part of their accommodation plan. Ethical AI Use • Transparency of use: Students must clearly state how AI contributed to their work. • Verification of accuracy: Students are responsible for checking the accuracy and reliability of any AI-generated information. • Originality of work: Final submissions must reflect the student’s own thinking and writing. AI may not generate or significantly revise submitted work. • Protection of personal or sensitive information: Students must not enter private, confidential, or identifying information into AI tools. • Prohibited use on assessments: AI may not be used on exams, quizzes, or any independent assessments. • Compliance with accommodations: Students with approved accommodations may use AI-based assistive technologies aligned with their documentation. • Following assignment-specific rules: Students must follow all AI guidelines provided for each assignment. 7 Citation Policy All sources, including print, digital, human, and AI, must be cited. Students must use a consistent citation style such as MLA, APA, or Chicago. Missing or improper citations may constitute academic misconduct. Class Etiquette This course may involve complex topics and diverse viewpoints. Students are expected to maintain a respectful, constructive, and professional learning environment. Disruptive behavior, disrespectful language, or actions that interfere with instruction will be addressed according to the LIT Student Code of Conduct. Extra Credit Extra credit is not offered. Students may take the optional final exam to replace their lowest exam score. Any policy regarding dropped scores applies equally to all students. FERPA & Student Privacy Policy FERPA protects the privacy of student education records under 20 U.S.C. § 1232g and 34 C.F.R. Part 99. Once enrolled at LIT, all FERPA rights belong to the student, including dual credit students. The instructor will not share grades, attendance, performance information, or any other student records with parents, guardians, counselors, facilitators, or outside individuals without the student’s written consent through an official LIT release form. All communication about academic progress will occur directly with the student. Dual Credit Students High school personnel do not have automatic access to LIT student information. Any counselor or facilitator with questions must contact the LIT Dual Credit Department first. The instructor will not respond to outside inquiries unless directed through the proper LIT channels. Students are responsible for monitoring their own academic standing and communicating directly with the instructor regarding course concerns. Modification Clause The instructor may modify the syllabus or schedule as needed. Students will be notified of any changes.