4/18/2024 11:20:51 PM	POLS 70 Course Outline as of Spring 2002	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  POLS 70	Title:  CALIF STATE & LOCAL GOVT
Full Title:  California State & Local Government
Last Reviewed:11/13/2023

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	3.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	52.50
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	0		17.5 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	3.00			Contact Total	52.50
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  105.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly: 

Catalog Description:

Organization, operation and politics of state, county, municipal and special district governments in California.  Analysis of various issues facing the state, including education, public finance, environment, planning, and socio-economic conditions.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:
Completion of ENGL 100 or ESL 100.

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

Organization, operation & politics of state, county, municipal & special district governments in California.  Analysis of various issues facing the state, including education, public finance, environment, planning, and socio/economic conditions.

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:Completion of ENGL 100 or ESL 100.
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:	Fall 1981	Inactive:	Spring 2011
Area:	D	Social and Behavioral Sciences
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
	D	Social Science		Fall 1999	Spring 2011
	D6	History
	D8	Political Science, Govt, Legal Instutns
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 1981	Inactive:	Spring 2011
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Major Applicable Course

COURSE CONTENT

Outcomes and Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

Students will:

1)  Record lecture material and relate that material to the textbook

   and to current events

2)  Define terms, concepts, titles of elected officials and offices

   of California's local and state government

3)  Recognize and identify the functions and roles of governing

   institutions in California

4)  Describe the issues, problems, concerns of California citizens

5)  Analyze the issues, problems, concerns, facing California local

   and state government

6)  Discuss the tax system and funding system of California local

   and state government

7)  Explain the principles of California's initiative, proposition,

   referendum, and recall process.

8)  Identify and explain the voting process in California

9)  Evaluate the environmental issues facing California

10) Assess the ethnic issues facing California

11) Compare and contrast the issues of pro growth and pro green

   space in California

Topics and Scope

I.    An overview of Californians and California

     A)  California history

     B)  Variety of peoples

     C)  Political history

     D)  California today

II.   Campaigns, political parties, and elections

     A)  The campaign process

     B)  The election process

     C)  The candidates

     D)  The voters

III.  Interest Groups and Lobbyists

     A)  What are interest groups and lobbyists

     B)  How interest groups and lobbyists function

     C)  An evaluation of interest groups and lobbyists

IV.  The Media in California Politics

    A)  The history of the media in California

    B)  The changing media

    C)  An evaluation of media in California

V.   The Executive Branch in California

    A)  The powers of the governor

    B)  The California bureaucracy

    C)  An evaluation of the executive branch in California

VI.  The Legislature in California

    A)  The Assembly

    B)  The Senate

    C)  Making legislation

    D)  An evaluation of the California legislature

VII.  Judicial System in California

     A)  The local courts

     B)  The higher courts in California

     C)  The election of judges

     D)  An evaluation of the judicial system in California

VIII. Local Government in California

     A)  The duties and structure of local government

     B)  The funding of local government

     C)  The relationship between local and state government

     D)  An evaluation of local government

IX.   Tax Policy in California

     A)  Where California gets its money

     B)  Tax policy

     C)  An evaluation of the tax policy in California

X.    Education Policy in California

     A)  The quality of California education

     B)  Educational financing

     C)  California education in transition

XI.   The Washington Connection

     A)  What California gets from Washington

     B)  Californians in Congress

XII.  Politics in the Golden State

     A)  The past and future

     B)  Challenges facing California people and government

Assignments:

1.  Read and study appropriate chapters in textbook

2.  Regular attendance and extensive notetaking in class is expected

   and assumed

3.  Preparation for three in-class, closed book, no-notes scantron

   and essay examinations

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 20 - 80%
Essay exams, Term papers
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 0 - 0%
None
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 0 - 0%
None
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 20 - 80%
Multiple choice
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 0 - 0%
None

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT & POLITICS ANNUAL, 2000-2001, California Journal

  Press 2000.

John L. Korey, CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT, 3rd ed., 2002, Houghton Mifflin Co.

Peter Schrag, PARADISE LOST, New Press, 1998.

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