LAMAR STATE COLLEGE ORANGE SYLLABUS

Academic Studies

GOVT, 2305, Federal Government, 87S

COURSE INFORMATION

Instructor Name	Meredith Little
Building/Office Number	Online Only,
Office Hours	N/A
Virtual Hours	Mondays and Wednesdays 12:45 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.  Also, by appointment. (Collaborate)
Office Telephone	(325) 939-4152
Email Address	meredith.little@lsco.edu

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.


Required Textbook & Materials
Textbook:  Krutz, Glen, et al. American Government 3e.  Houston, TX, Rice University, 2021.  The textbook is free and downloadable
Supplements:   All other materials are provided via Blackboard. 


Upon registration for classes, LSCO students are automatically charged $14 per semester credit hour for access to all required textbooks, lab manuals, lab codes, and electronic books on the first day of class through the Gator Book Pack. Information about the LSCO Gator Book Pack as well as responses to common FAQs can be found on LSCO's webpage. ALL STUDENTS WILL HAVE UNTIL THE SECOND DAY OF THE SEMESTER TO OPT-OUT OF THE GATOR BOOK PACK.

Every student MUST have access to the required textbooks by the week of class. The student will be responsible for all assignments given. Failure to have a text may result in being dropped from the class. Failure to follow instructions (written or oral) will result in penalties.


Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

Upon successful completion of this course, students will acquire the following course learning outcomes:

Core Objectives




Course Topical Outline

Course Schedule

 

Modules 1 and 2	3/18 – 3/22	Assigned Materials:	Chapter 1:  American Government and Civic Engagement, Chapter 2:  The Constitution and Its Origins, Crash CourseIntroduction, and Beginning of the semester documents
		DFue:	3/18: Click the “Start Here” link on the Navigation Panel and read the Course Survival Guide PowerPoint 3/18: Read the syllabus 3/18: Have a look at the free textbook 3/18: Explore the course 3/18: Introduction Discussion 3/19: Why Study Government Discussion 3/20: Last Day to “OPT-OUT” of GATOR BOOK PACK 3/20: Syllabus and Course Layout Quiz 3/21: Ch. 1 from theAmerican Government 3E (Am Gov) textbook and Crash Course Introduction Quiz and Ch. 2 Am Gov Quiz. In addition tFo the chapter quizzes, I will have questions over the various videos and extra readings I assign during the course of the semester.  3/22: Last Day to Petition for “No Grade” Note: There are two major deadlines this semester, the first being 4/14 and the second being 5/6.  Any work due from 3/18 to 4/14 can be submitted without penalty by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday 4/14.  This includes the Midterm.  After which, any work from 4/15 to 5/6 can be submitted without penalty by 11:59 p.m. on Monday 5/6.  This includes the Final. I do have a Course Schedule that I strongly suggest students follow because the work tends to pile up.  When work is left to the last minute, what can go wrong will go wrong (see Murphy’s Law).  I will record zeros as place holders for missed work, but I will update grades once something is submitted.  However, if a major deadline is missed, the work will remain a zero.  I record zeros for missed work so students will know where they stand in the class if they elect not to submit something.  Students may work ahead.

 

Modules 3 and 4		3/25 – 3/29	Assigned Materials:		Chapter 3: American Federalism, Chapter 4: Civil Liberties, Heimler’s Federalism Video, and Bill of Rights(Scroll down. The Bill of Rights are Amendments I – X. Or, as we mainly known them Amendments 1 - 10), and A More Perfect Union,
			Due:		3/25: Last Day to Drop without Penalty 3/25: Ch. 3 Am Gov and Heimler’s Federalism Video Quiz and Ch.  4 Am Gov and Bill of Rights Quiz 3/26: Crash Course Federalism Quiz 3/28: A More Perfect Union movie and quizzes 3/29: Federalism Discussion
Modules 5 and 6		4/1 – 4/5	Assigned Materials:		Chapter 5:  Civil Rights, Chapter 6: The Politics of Public Opinion, Flag Burningvideo, Texas v. JohnsonU.S. Supreme Court Decision, and Polling and Demographics information
			Due:		4/1: Ch. 5 Am Gov and the Flag Burning Controversy Quiz Ch. 6 Am Gov Quiz 4/2: Flag Burning Discussion 4/3: Fourth Amendment Search and Seizure Discussion 4/4: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Discussion 4/5: Polling and Demographics Assignment
Modules 7 and 8	4/8 – 4/12			Assigned Material:	Chapter 7: Voting and Elections, Chapter 8: The Media, Make News, Colbert video, Crash Course videos, and article for Media Bias assignment
				Due:	4/8: Ch. 7 Am Gov, Gerrymandering, How Voters Decide, and Super Pac Video Quiz and Ch. 8 Am Gov and Make News Quiz 4/8: Presidential Job Approval Discussion 4/9: Stephen Colbert Super PacDiscussion 4/9: How Voters DecideDiscussion 4/10: GerrymanderingDiscussion 4/10: Make News/Media Discussion 4/11: Media Bias Assignment 4/12: Midterm: includes Chapters 1 – 8 from American Government, Make News, and anything covered in class.  You have until 4/14 (Sunday) by 11:59 p.m. to submit the Midterm without penalty.  After that, any Midterm not submitted will receive a zero. 4/14: All work from 3/18 – 4/12 is due today by 11:59 p.m.  This includes the Midterm.  Anything not submitted will receive or remain a zero.  I don’t normally have work due on Sundays, but I’m giving you the weekend to finish.  Remember that I have given a course schedule that you should have been trying to follow this semester.
Modules 9 and 10	4/15 – 4/19			Assigned Material:	Chapter 9: Political Parties, Political Party Ideology information, Doom Loopvideo, Civilityvideo, Interest Group Crash Coursevideo, and Chapter 10: Interest Groups and Lobbying.
				Due:	4/15: Last Day to Drop or Withdraw 4/15: Ch. 9 Am Gov, Doom Loop Video, and Civility Video Quiz and Ch. 10 Am Gov and Interest Group Video Quiz 4/16: Political Partisanship Discussion 4/16: Political Ideology Discussion 4/17: Interest Group Assignment 4/18: Lobbying Pros and Cons Discussion
Modules 11 - 14	4/22 – 4/26			Assigned Material:	Chapter 11: Congress, Chapter 12: The Presidency, Chapter 13: The Courts, Chapter 14: State and Local Government, andElectoral College videos
				Due:	4/22: Chs. 11, 13 - 14 Am Gov Quiz and Ch. 12 Am Gov and Electoral College Quiz 4/24: Electoral College Pros and Cons Discussion 4/26: Who Will Win the 2024 Election Discussion
Modules 15 - 17	4/29 – 5/3			Assigned Material:	Chapter 15: The Bureaucracy, Chapter 16: Domestic Policy, and Chapter 17: Foreign Policy
				Due:	4/29: Chs. 15 - 17 Am Gov Quizzes 4/30: Who Represents Me Assignment 5/1: Supreme Court Assignment 5/3: Extra Credit.  See this week’s folder for more information.  This is not mandatory.
	5/6 – 5/10			Assigned Material:
				Due:	5/6: Final Exam (comprehensive). Chapters 1 – 17 from American Government 5/6:  All work from 4/15 to 5/6 is due today (Monday) by 11:59 p.m.  Any work not submitted will receive or remain a zero.

 
 




Major Assignments Schedule




Final Exam Date

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COURSE POLICIES

Academic Honesty

Faculty who suspect violation of academic honesty, cheating, plagiarism, collusion, or abuse of resource materials may assign an academic penalty. Students must be notified of their right to appeal before the academic penalty is imposed.

Students subject to penalty due to academic honesty have the right to appeal the decision. Refer to the current LSCO Catalog for details on the appeal process.
Academic Integrity and AI Policy: The goal of this course is not just to complete assignments but to cultivate your knowledge, skills, and abilities. By maintaining academic integrity and producing original work, you will enhance your learning experience and contribute to the overall academic community.
Academic Integrity is the intent of LSCO to foster a spirit of complete honesty and a high standard of integrity. The attempt of students to present as their own any work they have not honestly performed is regarded by the faculty and administration as a serious offense and subjects the offender to disciplinary action. The Student Handbook contains a list of academic integrity definitions and violations.  LSCO’s Academic Policy(page 6 in the Student Handbook).
Plagiarism, which includes submitting work generated wholly or in part by AI tools, is strictly prohibited. Any instances of unoriginal work, whether produced by AI or another source, will be considered a violation of academic integrity and subject to appropriate disciplinary actions.  Furthermore, the student knows when AI is being used.
The instructor will assign an F for the first offense and possible failure in the class for the second offense.  After the second offense, the instructor will contact the Dean of Students.  If the student is a dual-credit student, then the instructor will also contact that student’s school counselor and principal. This penalty also applies to students who use other sources [AI, paraphrasing tools, websites (copying verbatim), textbooks (copying verbatim), etc.] to complete assignments/exams/discussions/etc.  The instructor has provided several sources on how to avoid plagiarism and students are to read/watch the material found on Canvas.  The instructor will never accept ignorance as an excuse for plagiarism. 




Electronic Communication

LSCO students are required to use either their LSCO Blackboard account or their LSCO email account (Office 365 / Microsoft Outlook) for all electronic communication. In order to ensure the privacy and identity of the student communicating via electronic methods, LSCO faculty will direct students to use their LSCO email accounts rather than personal accounts. If a student has trouble accessing their LSCO email account, they should contact the LSCO Help Desk at (409) 882-3033 or helpdesk@lsco.edu.

Electronic Communication:LSCO students are required to use their LSCO email account (Office 365 / Microsoft Outlook) for all electronic communication. In order to ensure the privacy and identity of the student communicating via electronic methods, LSCO faculty will direct students to use their LSCO email accounts rather than personal, school (other than LSCO), or business accounts. If a student has trouble accessing their LSCO email account, they should contact the LSCO Help Desk at (409) 882-3033 or helpdesk@lsco.edu.
 
For additional information about student privacy, please see the Distance Learning Handbook.  The information is found in Appendix D. 
When emailing or texting the instructor, include the class, section number, and your full name as it appears on the roster.  For example, 1302.80 Joseph Smith.  Be specific and include all pertinent information in your email such as the name and date of an assignment and anything else that will help identify and resolve the issue quickly.  Do not reply to the automatic emails that are generated by the posted announcements. 
Only use the LSCO email account when emailing.  Do not use school (meaning other than LSCO’s email), personal, or business email accounts to contact the instructor. 




Attendance Requirements

Federal regulations require students who receive financial aid to have begun "attending" and participate substantially in each course for which they are enrolled on or before the official census reporting date outlined on the LSCO Academic Calendar. Students documented as "not attending" a course upon the census date are assumed (for financial aid purposes) to have not begun attendance for that course, negatively affecting their financial aid eligibility and disbursement.

Attendance in an ONLINE course is verified by substantial participation in the course on or before the census date published in the LSCO Academic Calendar. Substantial participation in this online course is defined as logging in and completing/participating in at least one requirement of the course. Note: Simply logging in to your online course does not constitute attendance.

Hybrid classes are a mix of face-to-face and online environments. Students will be expected to attend a certain number of classes as required by the instructor. (Include the policy on absences and tardiness.) In addition to classroom attendance, your weekly active participation in the online component (Blackboard and/or homework software) will be considered and expected.

The instructor will take weekly attendance on Mondays for the following week.  If a student participates in any assignments or discussions of the previous week, the student will be counted as present.  Simply logging on and doing nothing will not count as being present for the week.  See LSCO’s attendance policy(found on page 9). 




Make-up Work Policy

Extra time may be granted for extenuating circumstances (such as personal illness or family emergency), but documentation of the circumstance will be required.  Students must contact me no later than two (2) business days after a deadline if a deadline is missed.  Since the instructor does allow extra time for work (see the 8 Week Semester Deadline on page 5), the documentation rule will be strictly enforced. If a student approaches the instructor and has not completed most things for the first or second part of the semester, that will be a problem as well even if documentation is provided.  


Classroom Etiquette

Classroom Etiquette:  Since face-to-face meetings in the classroom may be replaced by online meetings through discussion boards, emails, and/or Blackboard Collaborate, students are expected to follow the rules of netiquette in these forums.  For more information about netiquette and its importance visit the Netiquette Informationsite.
 
Classroom Rules:  Respect others during interactions.  If a student persists in disruptive, disrespectful, or bullying behavior, the student may be dropped from the class on the third warning.  Being dropped from the class may happen sooner depending on the egregiousness of the offense, however. 


Exam Policy

There will be two (2) exams worth 100 points each.  Exams will consist of matching, multiple-choice, short answer, and/or true/false questions. Students may use their books during the exam, but this should not be considered a substitute for reading.  The exams are fully online and timed.  Students may not work together on exams.  . 


Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Students should use AI technology responsibly and ethically. This includes refraining from using AI to engage in harmful or unethical activities, such as generating false information, spreading misinformation, or engaging in malicious behaviors. The use of AI should align with the principles of academic integrity, honesty, and respect for others. Students are responsible for adhering to LSCO's Academic Honesty policy found in the Student Handbook. LSCO's full AI policy can be found at AI Policy | Lamar State College Orange (lsco.edu)


Expected Time Requirement for this Course

For every hour in class (or unit of credit) taught in a 16-week session, students should expect to spend at least two to three hours per week studying and completing assignments. Example: For a 3-credit hour class taught in a 16-week session, students should prepare to allocate approximately 6 to 9 hours per week outside of class studying and completing assignments. For a 3-credit hour taught in a 10-week summer session, students should prepare to allocate approximately 10 to 15 hours per week outside of class studying and completing assignments. For a 3-credit hour taught in an 8-week session, students should prepare to allocate approximately 12 to 18 hours per week outside of class studying and completing assignments. For a 3-credit hour taught in a 5-week summer session, students should prepare to allocate approximately 20 to 29 hours per week outside of class studying and completing assignments.


Grading and Evaluation Method

Assignments & Weights: Grades will be calculated using a weighted average.  Click hereto see how to calculate a weighted average.  There is also a grade calculator on that site.  The instructor keeps up with grading and enters grades frequently, so students’ averages will be a moving target. Students can see their averages in the “Weighted Total” column of the grade book.   The average weights will be assigned as follows:
 

Assignments	Points/Assignment	Percentage
Midterm	100	20
Final Exam	100	30
Assignments	100	10
Quizzes[1]	100	20
Discussions	100	10
Attendance	100	10

 
Grades will be assigned based on the following scale:
90 – 100               A
80 – 89                  B
70 – 79                  C
60 – 69                  D
50 or less             F
Students should be aware that a grade of “D” is not usually transferable to another college.


Instructor Response Time

The instructor will respond to emails within 24 hours, excluding weekends and holidays. On weekends and holidays, the instructor will respond to emails from students within 24 hours of the first business day following the weekend or holiday.


Participation Requirements

Expectations: 

1. Students are expected to know all course requirements and deadlines, and to read the syllabus on the first day of class. 
2. The course requires a substantial amount of reading and some writing assignments.  Students are expected to come to class (and/or participate online) having read the assigned material and complete any assignments by the deadlines.
3. The course requires that students know how to use Blackboard.  Visit the Distance Edsite for more information.  Click on the link for Blackboard help articles and videos.
4. Ignorance of these expectations is not an excuse for poor performance in the class.

Expected Time Requirement for this Course: For every hour in class (or unit of credit), students should expect to spend at least two to three hours per week studying and completing assignments.For a 3-credit-hour class, students should prepare to allocate approximately six to nine hours per week outside of class. All Online/Hybrid students should expect to spend at least as much time or more in this course as the traditional, face-to-face class.





Review of Test Grades

Procedure for Review of Test Grades (and other major work): If a student has an issue about his/her grade, the instructor must be contacted no later than three (3) business days after receiving the grade.  This is true for all grades – not just test grades.




Student's Responsibility

This syllabus contains information, policies, and procedures for a specific course. By enrolling, the student agrees to read, understand, and abide by the rules, policies, regulations, and ethical standards of Lamar State College Orange as those contained in the current LSCO Catalog and schedule of classes.


Syllabus Content

The instructor reserves the right to make changes to this syllabus if deemed necessary. All changes will be provided to the students orally or in writing before the implementation of the change.


Textbook and Required Materials Access

Every student MUST have access to the required textbooks by the second week of class. The student will be responsible for all assignments given. Failure to have a text may result in being dropped from the class. Failure to follow instructions (written or oral) will result in penalties.


STUDENT SUPPORT RESOURCES

Mental Health Resources

TimelyCare is a virtual health and well-being platform that is available 24/7 for all non-dual credit enrolled LSCO students. There is no cost to eligible students for this service. TimelyCare’s providers offer emotional support, mental health counseling, health coaching, psychiatry, and basic needs support. Non-Dual Credit students enrolled in classes can log in to the TimelyCare website or app available at timelycare.com/LSCO.


Advocacy Information

Any student who faces challenges securing their food or housing and believes this may affect their performance in the course is encouraged to contact the advising office for guidance on how to identify possible resources. Please notify the instructor of your circumstance if you are comfortable doing so.


Affirmative Action

LSCO is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution which provides educational and employment opportunities on the basis of merit and without discrimination or harassment in full compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 503,504); Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972; the Vietnam Era Veterans Assistance Act of 1974; Article 522lk V.A.C.S.; and Executive Orders 11246 and 11758.


Title IX of the Education Amendments

LSCO prohibits discrimination, including sexual harassment and retaliation, against any student on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability, or any other basis prohibited by law. Any student who believes that he or she has experienced prohibited conduct or believes that another student has experienced prohibited conduct should immediately report the alleged acts to the Title IX Coordinator, Patty Collins, at patty.collins@lsco.edu.


Blackboard Resources

LSCO students will access Blackboard through the MyGator portal. Login credentials will use the following format: username@my.lsco.edu and Password. For help in identifying your Username/Password, visit https://www2.lsco.edu/sspr/.

Blackboard student resource videos and help-sites are available at https://www.lsco.edu/distanceed/blackboard-student.asp.


Career Coach

Lamar State College Orange provides career advising services to all students and alumni through Career Coach, an online career planning tool. Career Coach assists students through all phases of developing, initiating, and implementing career plans.

Information regarding employment opportunities and career options are provided along with access to live local job postings. Full-time and part-time employment opportunities, as well as internships, are available through Career Coach. Visit https://www.lsco.edu/advising/career-planning.asp for more details on how to use LSCO's Career Coach to plan for and learn more about your future career.


Gator Assistance Services

Lamar State College Orange provides currently enrolled technical students support for daycare costs as well as other services.

Visit https://www.lsco.edu/advising/gator-assistance.asp for details on assistance services.


Gator Success Center

Students are encouraged to make an appointment or walk in to receive tutoring, support services, or access to an open computer lab. Face-to-face and online supplemental instruction sessions are available to help students through any LSCO course. Reach out to learning.center@lsco.edu for more information on how students can receive academic support.


Library Services

Students are encouraged to visit library.lsco.edu to find the library's current operating hours, access the catalog to locate print materials, and access GatorSearch to explore the vast electronic collection. The library provides over 77 electronic database collections that include eBooks, newspapers, magazines, academic journals, and streaming video. The physical library contains a specialized collection of research materials specifically chosen to support the degrees and courses offered. Additionally, Students with research questions or questions about library services are encouraged visit the library in person, call 409-882-3352, access the chat on the library webpage, or to email their question to lscolibrary@lsco.edu.


Student with Disabilities

Under the Texas State System, Lamar State College Orange complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, pertaining to the provision of reasonable academic adjustments/auxiliary aids for students with disability. We strive to provide reasonable academic adjustments/auxiliary aids to students who request and require them.

Students who believe they have a disability requiring an academic adjustment/auxiliary aid are encouraged to contact the Special Populations Advisor at (409) 882-3393 or visiting the Advising Office located on the first floor of the Ron Lewis Library Building (RLB) room 113. Students are encouraged to apply before the start of the semester when at all possible. The Accommodation Request Form and details regarding the appropriate documentation needed can be found here: https://www.lsco.edu/advising/disability.asp. Once approved, the signed accommodation form provided by the Special Populations Advisor must be submitted to the instructor at least two business days in advance of need.


Upswing 24/7 FREE Tutoring Services

Lamar State College Orange provides currently enrolled students with access to online tutoring through a partnership with Upswing, an online tutoring platform. Tutors are available 24/7 online in almost every subject.

Visit https://www.lsco.edu/tutoring/online-tutoring.asp for details on how to log-in to the FREE services.


INSTITUTIONAL POLICIES

Campus Closure

In the event of an emergency campus closure in excess of three class days, Lamar State College Orange's classes will continue via the use of Blackboard. In such an instance, the college website, www.lsco.edu, will have information concerning the event and anticipated re-opening plans.


Civility

Please be considerate of other classmates' feelings, ethnic background, cultural differences, situations, and level of maturity. Students will be asked to leave the course if disruptive or inappropriate behavior is exhibited in any of the course requirements. If your instructor feels that you have not contributed appropriately to course requirements, your final course grade may be reduced accordingly.

The instructor reserves the right to manage a positive learning environment and will not tolerate inappropriate conduct in the course. Rude correspondence (discourteous or impolite, especially in a deliberate way) in e-mails, telephone calls, in person, or comments made to other class members, the instructor, or the office staff.


Contingency Plans

Students should develop a backup plan should their computer system or their Internet provider fail. Computer or internet connectivity issues are not valid excuses for missing a deadline. The College provides many opportunities for using computer equipment, as do many public libraries. Refer to the LSCO website for operational hours of the Library and Success Center.


COVID Notification Policy

Students who have been diagnosed with COVID 19 are required to report their condition to their instructor and to the College via the COVID Notification Form. Guidance on how to proceed will be delivered to the student's email after completing the required notification form.


Credit Transfer

Students should check in advance with the institution to which they plan to transfer credit to confirm transferability.


Criminal Background Policy

LSCO awards some certificates and degrees in which a criminal history MAY disqualify candidates from becoming licensed, certified, and/or employed upon degree/certificate completion. Students with a criminal background enrolling in courses leading to a degree/certificate in Criminal Justice, Cosmetology, Emergency Medical Technology, Massage Therapy, Medical Assisting, Vocational Nursing (VN), Registered Nursing (RN), Pharmacy Technician, Real Estate, or Teacher Preparation program are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to discuss the certification and/or licensing regulations of the program with the program director listed in order to learn more about the current guidelines related to criminal history as well as the right of individuals to request a criminal history evaluation letter.


Drops and Withdrawals

Never attending or ceasing to attend classes DOES NOT constitute a drop or withdrawal. You remain registered until you request a drop from the instructor. Failure to act in a timely manner will result in an "F" grade for the course. It is the student's responsibility to follow up with the LSCO advising office to ensure that all drops/withdrawals are processed as desired.


Grade of "Incomplete"

The grade of "I" may be given when any requirement of the course, including the final examination, is not completed. Students seeking an incomplete should have completed 75% of the course requirements and be passing the course at the time of the request. Arrangements to complete deficiencies in a course should be made in advance of the end of the semester with the instructor. The instructor will process the Incomplete form online, and a confirmation will be sent to the student's LSCO email.

Incomplete work must be finished during the next long semester. If not, the Office of Admission and Records must change the "I" grade to the grade of "F." The course must then be repeated if credit is desired. An "I" grade also automatically becomes an "F" if the student registers for the course prior to removing the deficiencies and receiving a grade change. The instructor may record the grade of "F" for a student who is absent from the final examination and is not passing the course.


Grade Appeals and the Academic Grievance Process

Grade determination and awarding of grades in a course are the responsibility of the instructor and should be calculated according to college policy, procedures, and written details provided in the course syllabus. NOTE: Final grades are available to students within 48 hours of the instructor posting the grade in Banner. Students may view final grades by logging into MyGator and then accessing Gator Self-Service.

An academic appeal process is afforded to students who desire to dispute a grade or any decision that affects the student's ability to complete and earn a grade for the course provided it is not related to a violation outlined in the LSCO Student Code of Conduct. If an informal conference with the faculty member regarding an academic complaint fails to reach the outcome requested by the student, the student may initiate the formal process outlined below. Even after initiating the formal complaint process, students are encouraged to seek informal resolution of their concerns. A student whose concerns are resolved may withdraw a formal complaint at any time.

Refer to the current catalog or for details on the formal grade appeal process.


Institutional Educational Goals

Lamar State College Orange has identified seven educational goals to specify the knowledge and skills that students should gain from completing academic and technical programs with the College. These goals are:

1. Critical thinking (General Education, Technical) - Students will be able to demonstrate creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information.
2. Communication (General Education, Technical) - Students will be able to effectively develop, interpret and express of ideas through written, oral and visual communication.
3. Empirical and quantitative skills (General Education, Technical) - Students will be able to manipulate and analyze numerical data or observable facts and create informed conclusions.
4. Teamwork (General Education, Technical) - Students will be able to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal.
5. Social responsibility (General Education, Technical) - Students will be able to recognize and acquire a sense of intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national and global communities.
6. Personal responsibility (General Education, Technical) - Students will be able to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making.
7. Professional competency (Technical) - Students will be able to recognize or demonstrate skills and that depict professional values and employability. If the career has licensure or certification requirements, students may prepare for the licensure and certification in a capstone course and sit for the licensure or certificate at the end of the program.

MyGator and Log-In Credentials

Current students will access many LSCO applications through the MyGator portal. Login credentials will use the following format: username@my.lsco.edu/Password. For help in identifying your username/Password, visit https://www2.lsco.edu/sspr/.

It is a violation of College policy, state laws, and federal laws for anyone to gain or help others gain unauthorized access to MyGator or any LSCO application or service. All accounts shall be for use by a single individual - the person for whom the account was approved or assigned. This includes Blackboard accounts as well as any application within MyGator. Sharing or loaning accounts is strictly prohibited, can be construed as a form of cheating, and violates College policy, state laws, and federal laws.


Policies and Procedures

LSCO adheres to the policies and procedures established in the Texas Education Code, Texas State University System Rules and Regulations, LSCO Faculty Handbook, LSCO Student Handbook, and LSCO Catalog.


Prohibited Items in the Classroom

No food or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom. Only students enrolled in the course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission. It is inappropriate for minor children to be on campus due to the potential liability to the College, the risk of harm to the children, and decreased employee productivity due to distractions and disruptions.


Student Privacy

The privacy of all students, including Distance Education students, is protected through strict adherence to the rules of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. LSCO's statement regarding the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act can be found in LSCO's Student Handbook, page 70. Additional information regarding privacy for Distance Education students can be found in the Distance Education Handbook, appendix D.