POSC 111 American National Government

Columbia College Online Campus
Page |1
POSC 111
American National Government
August 2014 Session (14-51)
Monday, August 18 – Saturday, October 11, 2014
Course Description
Survey of the American political system, with emphasis on the Constitution, governmental structure,
the political process and the economic system.
Prerequisite: None
Proctored Exams: -- Midterm and Final
Instructor Information
John C. Davis
M.A., Political Science, University of Arkansas
E-mail: [email protected]
Textbooks
Sidlow, Edward and Beth Henschen. GOVT 6, 6th edition. Wadsworth, 2014.
ISBN 13: 978-1-285-43742-2
Textbooks for the course may be ordered from MBS Direct. You can order
 online at http://direct.mbsbooks.com/columbia.htm (be sure to select Online Education
rather than your home campus before selecting your class)
 by phone at 800-325-3252
For additional information about the bookstore, visit http://www.mbsbooks.com.
Please note that the use of an eBook carries certain risks: information may be missing due to
copyright restrictions, the book cannot be resold to MBS Direct, and an eBook purchase cannot be
refunded.
Course Overview
By the end of this course you will not only understand the institutions and processes of politics in
America, you will also have learned how to access political information and ways that you can
participate in the political system.
Technology Requirements
Participation in this course will require the basic technology for all online classes at Columbia
Columbia College Online Campus
Page |2
College:




A computer with reliable Internet access,
a web browser,
Acrobat Reader,
Microsoft Office or another word processor such as Open Office.
You can find more details about standard technical requirements for our courses on our site.
Course Objectives


To survey topics related to American government.
To increase awareness of political issues.
Measurable Learning Outcomes






Explain Congress, the Presidency, the Bureaucracy, and the Courts.
Explain the U.S. Constitution’s structure and its primary provisions.
Identify significant Supreme Court decisions interpreting the Bill of Rights.
Describe the development of American federalism and explain its current application.
Explain the impact of interest groups on American political decision making.
Explain American political parties, their development, and their significance.
Grading
Grading Scale
Grade Weights
GRADE
POINTS
PERCENT
ASSIGNMENT
POINTS
PERCENT
A
900-1,000
90-100
Discussions
235
23.5
B
800-899
80-89
Internet Activities (8)
200
20
C
700-799
70-79
Paper Projects (3)
150
15
190
19
D
600-699
60-69
Midterm
F
000-599
0-59
Final
225
22.5
Total
1,000
100
Schedule of Due Dates
WEEK
1
ASSIGNMENT
POINTS
DUE
Introduction
5
Monday
Discussion Question 1
10
Wednesday
Current Events 1
10
Friday
Discussion Question 2
10
Internet Activity 1
25
Sunday
Columbia College Online Campus
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Page |3
Discussion Question 3
10
Wednesday
Discussion Question 4
10
Friday
Discussion Question 5
10
Internet Activity 2
25
Discussion Question 6
10
Wednesday
Current Events 2
10
Friday
Discussion Question 7
10
Internet Activity 3
25
Proctor Information
--
Paper Project 1
50
Monday
Discussion Question 8
10
Wednesday
Current Events 3
10
Friday
Midterm
190
Saturday
Discussion Question 9
10
Internet Activity 4
25
Discussion Question 10
10
Wednesday
Discussion Question 11
10
Friday
Discussion Question 12
10
Internet Activity 5
25
Paper Project 2
50
Monday
Discussion Question 13
10
Wednesday
Discussion Question 14
10
Friday
Discussion Question 15
10
Internet Activity 6
25
Discussion Question 16
10
Wednesday
Current Events 4
10
Friday
Discussion Question 17
10
Internet Activity 7
25
Paper Project 3
50
Monday
Discussion Question 18
10
Wednesday
Discussion Question 19
10
Friday
Internet Activity 8
25
Final Exam
225
Sunday
Sunday
Sunday
Sunday
Sunday
Sunday
Saturday
Columbia College Online Campus
Page |4
Assignment Overview
Readings: Completing weekly Reading assignments (the exams are designed in large part to test
student knowledge of the required reading materials).
Discussions: You should respond to the first discussion question each week by Wednesday at
midnight and have posted to the Current Events/Discussion Question topic by Friday at midnight. By
Sunday at midnight, you should have responded to all of the discussion questions, posted to the
Current Events topic and also posted responses to at least two other classmates. While I read and
evaluate each and every discussion posting, due to time constraints I will only respond to a selected
few each week. You should respond to any comments or questions I post during the discussion.
Discussions take the Discussions area and can therefore only be completed while the rest of the class
is also focused on the same topic.
Dropbox Assignments: All written assignments should be prepared in MS Word (or some
equivalent) and placed in the corresponding course Dropbox folder. Written assignments should not
be submitted as Email attachments! All assignments submitted must have your name, assignment
number, and title.

Internet Activity: Complete eight Internet Activity Assignments. Specific instructions are
available in the Course Schedule section of this syllabus. Be sure to provide proper source
information for the stories you decide to discuss.

Paper Project: Completing three short paper projects, 2-4 pages in length. Specific
instructions are available in the Content area of the course.
Exams: Completing a Midterm and a Final. Both exams must be proctored.
Course Schedule
Week 1 – The Foundations of American Politics
Readings



Chapters 1-2
Lazare and Cutler articles
Instructor notes on Politics and the Constitution
Discussion Assignments

Introduction: Please introduce yourself in the correct discussions topic on the first day of
class (midnight Monday).

Discussion Question 1: After reading the notes for Chapter 1: Politics: Which view of
American political life best describes reality? The elitist theory of democracy or the pluralist
theory? Please submit your initial answer by midnight Wednesday and your responses to
two other classmates by midnight Sunday.

Current Events 1: Politics are not found only in your textbook, the things that we will learn
about are being acted out each day in the world around us. As we go through the course, I'd
like you to be aware of current issues in contemporary American politics. The media section
of our Resource List can give you some ideas of where to find news. In this thread, I would
like us to discuss what's going on politically in the U.S. during selected weeks of the course. I
want to see student analysis of political or constitutional issues. Always make sure to
provide proper source information for the news item you decide to discuss! Please submit
your initial answer by midnight Friday and your responses to two other classmates by
midnight Sunday.

Discussion Question 2: See the notes for Chapter 2: The Constitution, as well as the articles
Columbia College Online Campus
Page |5
labeled Lazare and Cutler found in the Content area. Then answer the following discussion
question: Looking back 200 years, how do you view the work of the Founders? Is the
Constitution still relevant today? What changes, if any, does it need to be brought up to the
times? A number of efforts have been made in recent years to add new amendments to the
Constitution. Some have made it further than others, but none has been successful. Proposed
amendments include: the Equal Rights Amendment, an amendment allowing school prayer,
a constitutional ban on flag burning, a balanced budget amendment, an amendment to enact
term limits for members of Congress and measures to ban abortion. How do you feel about
any of these or other efforts? Please submit your initial answer by midnight Sunday.
Dropbox Assignments

Internet Activity 1: Visit the Bill of Rights Institute webpage at
http://www.billofrightsinstitute.org/. Click on the link entitled "Resources” the go to the
topic entitled “Teaching with Current Events." Then do the following:
1.
Summarize a minimum of three articles. Explicitly state the way(s) in which they
relate to the Bill of Rights.
2.
In each of these stories, do you feel that the Bill of Rights have been violated or
upheld? Explain your reasoning in some detail. Make sure to provide proper source
information for the stories you decide to discuss!
Complete your assignment using MS Word and submit to the Dropbox by midnight Sunday.
Week 2 – Federalism and Civil Liberties
Readings



Chapters 3-4
CQ Researcher article on civil liberties in wartime
Notes on Chapter 3: Federalism and Chapter 4: Civil Liberties
Discussion Assignments

Discussion Question 3: What level of government should decide? Consider at least 3 of the
following issues: legalization of drugs, setting educational standards, welfare, environmental
regulation and enforcement, and abortion. Are decisions on these issues better placed in the
hands of the states or of the federal government? Why? Please submit your initial answer by
midnight Wednesday and your responses to two other classmates by midnight Sunday.

Discussion Question 4: Consider the Case of Lee v. Weisman (1992). Do you think the Court
needs to find an alternative to the Lemon Test? Do any of the justice’s alternative tests
sound appealing? What should the boundary be between church and state? Please submit
your initial answer by midnight Friday and your responses to two other classmates by
midnight Sunday.

Discussion Question 5: What restrictions on civil liberties, if any, are appropriate in the war
on terrorism? Does the USA-Patriot Act infringe too much on constitutionally protected civil
liberties? Why or why not? Please submit your initial answer by midnight Sunday.
Dropbox Assignments

Internet Activity 2: An on-going and controversial debate in America today involves the
issue of capital punishment. Proponents and opponents of capital punishment disagree
about its effectiveness and morality. Even among people who favor capital punishment there
are debates about how the death penalty should be applied and to whom. The goal of this
assignment is to acquaint you with contending views about the death penalty, inform you
about how the death penalty is carried out in your state, and allow you to form your own
judgments about the death penalty. Detailed instructions are in the course Content area
Columbia College Online Campus
Page |6
under Week 2. Complete your assignment using MS Word and submit to the Dropbox by
midnight Sunday.
Week 3 – Civil Rights and Public Opinion, Voting
Proctor Information: Please submit your proctor information to me by midnight Sunday.
Readings


Chapters 5 and 8
Chapter 5 notes on Civil Liberties and Chapter 8 notes on Public Opinion and Voting
Discussion Assignments

Discussion Question 6: Visit the website of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission (EEOC): http://www.eeoc.gov/. What are the goals of the Commission? Identify
and discuss EEOC laws/regulations relating to at least two of the following issues:
Discrimination, privacy, affirmative action, equal pay, disabilities, or civil rights. Is an
organization like the EEOC necessary? Why or why not? Does it contribute to improving the
civil liberties of average American citizens? Please submit your initial answer by midnight
Wednesday and your responses to two other classmates by midnight Sunday.

Current Events 2: Post this week’s current event. (We will follow the same pattern
established during Week 1.) Please submit your initial answer by midnight Friday and your
responses to two other classmates by midnight Sunday.

Discussion Question 7: Why do so many Americans not vote? Is there anything that could
be done to increase voter participation? Please submit your initial answer by midnight
Sunday.
Dropbox Assignments

Internet Activity 3: Learn about the experience of Japanese Americans during World War II.
Follow the instructions found in the course Content area under Week 3. Complete your
assignment using MS Word and submit to the Dropbox by midnight Sunday.

Paper Project 1"Political Socialization": Please submit your completed paper to the
correct Dropbox folder by midnight Monday of Week 4.
Week 4 – How Citizens Participate: Interest Groups and Political Parties
Readings


Chapters 6 and 7
Chapter 6 notes on Interest Groups and Chapter 7 notes on Political Parties
Discussion Assignments

Discussion Question 8: One type of interest groups are those associated with gun-control.
This is an issue over which intense lobbying takes place by interest groups, most notably the
NRA (National Rifle Association) and Handgun Control, Inc. Read about gun-control in your
text and then check out their websites: NRA.org and Welcome to the Brady Campaign.
Consider the arguments raised on both sides and respond to the question: Are tougher gun
control laws necessary? Please submit your initial answer by midnight Wednesday and your
responses to two other classmates by midnight Sunday.

Current Events 3: Post this week’s current event. (We will follow the same pattern
established during Week 1.) Please submit your initial answer by midnight Friday and your
responses to two other classmates by midnight Sunday.

Discussion Question 9: Read the notes on Political Parties and then answer this question:
Will the Democrats and Republicans ever face a viable third party challenge? Please submit
Columbia College Online Campus
Page |7
your initial answer by midnight Sunday.
Dropbox Assignments

Internet Activity 4: Visit the websites of some small American political parties and answer
some questions about them. Complete instructions can be found in the course Content area
under Week 4. Complete your assignment using MS Word and submit to the Dropbox by
midnight Sunday.

Paper Project 1 "Political Socialization": Please submit your completed paper to the
correct Dropbox folder by midnight Monday.
Exams

Complete the Midterm Exam by midnight Saturday. The exam will open in the Quizzes area
of the course on Tuesday. The exam is proctored and close book.
Week 5 – The Political Spectacle: Campaigns and the Media’s Impact on
Politics
Readings



Chapters 9 and 10
CQ Researcher on campaign finance
Read notes on the Media and notes on Campaign Finance
Discussion Assignments

Discussion Question 10: Read your book’s discussion of the Electoral College. Also read the
frequently asked questions about the Electoral College found at the National Archives
website. Then respond to the following question. Discussion Question: What do you think of
the Electoral College? Does it need to be scrapped? Does it serve any useful function? If you
think we need an alternative, what would you recommend? Check out some Electoral
College websites (links to two Electoral College sites are located in the references section of
this site) and see what supporters and detractors have to say. Please submit your initial
answer by midnight Wednesday and your responses to two other classmates by midnight
Sunday.

Discussion Question 11: Read the article in the Content area on campaign finance reform
from CQ Researcher and my lecture notes on campaign finance. Then, answer the following
questions: Is campaign finance reform necessary? If yes, what kinds of reforms would you
recommend? Do you think the new McCain-Feingold reforms will help? Please submit your
initial answer by midnight Friday and your responses to two other classmates by midnight
Sunday.

Discussion Question 12: Visit the following website http://www.fair.org/index.php?=1406
and read an article entitled, “The Global Media Giants,” by Robert W. McChesney. Now
answer these questions: What is the role of corporations as owners of the media? Who are
the corporations, and what was their annual 1997 income? What media outlets do each of
these corporations own? What other firms do these corporations own? Should you be
concerned about these mega-monopolies? Why? Please submit your initial answer by
midnight Sunday.
Dropbox Assignments

Internet Activity 5: Read an article by James Fallows entitled “Why Americans Hate the
Media.” Then answer the following:
Columbia College Online Campus
Page |8
1.
What was the main point Fallows made about the media? Include a description of
the differing reactions to the President Clinton’s State of the Union address in your
discussion.
2.
Watch a news program on television and pay close attention to any news stories on
politics or politicians. Did the reporter spend more time talking about the “game” of
politics than in analyzing substantive issues?
3.
Read a newspaper story about politics or a specific politician. You can use either
print or online news resources. Do you feel the story contained enough information
about the substance of the issues presented? Was more attention paid to the process
than to the issues?
4.
Summarize your own opinion on this topic. Do you feel that reporters are more
“cynical” than the average American? Do you feel that their reporting is generally
fair? Do you think they generally pay careful attention to possible conflicts of
interest or ethical problems?
Complete your assignment using MS Word and submit to the Dropbox by midnight Sunday.

Paper Project 2 "Media": Please submit your completed paper to the correct Dropbox
folder by midnight Monday of Week 6.
Week 6 – Political Institutions I: Congress and the Presidency
Readings


Chapters 11 and 12
Read notes on Congress and notes on the Presidency
Discussion Assignments

Discussion Question 13: Read the chapter in your text on Congress and my notes on
Congress. Then respond to this question: One important debate about the Congress
concerns the idea of term limits. Critics of Congress think that term limits would go a long
way towards making Congress a better, more responsive institution. Members of Congress
are currently reelected at rates in the neighborhood of 80-90%. Do you think term limits are
good idea? Why or Why not? Please submit your initial answer by midnight Wednesday and
your responses to two other classmates by midnight Sunday.

Discussion Question 14: Read the chapter in your text on Congress and the notes on
Congress. How important is it for the makeup of Congress to "resemble" the electorate? Do
you think to be representative, a legislature must be an accurate map of the whole nation?
Does Congress have to look like Congress demographically to represent the American
people? Can a man represent the interests of women as well as a woman? Can a rich person
represent the needs of the poor? Please submit your initial answer by midnight Friday and
your responses to two other classmates by midnight Sunday.

Discussion Question 15: Read Chapter 12 and my notes on the Presidency and then
respond to the following: The question for this week concerns presidential greatness. Who
would you put on your top 5 list of great presidents? Who would you put at the bottom?
What distinguishes a great President from the rest? Which President is the "greatest" we've
had? How did you determine this? Will we ever have any more great presidents? Why or
why not? Please submit your initial answer by midnight Sunday.
Dropbox Assignments

Internet Activity 6: Explore the White House website: http://www.Whitehouse.gov. Look
for specific instructions in the Content area for Week 6. Complete your assignment using MS
Word and submit to the Dropbox by midnight Sunday.
Columbia College Online Campus

Page |9
Paper Project 2 "Media": Please submit your completed paper to the correct Dropbox
folder by midnight Monday.
Week 7 – Political Institutions II: Bureaucracy and Judiciary
Readings



Chapters 13 and 14
CQ article on Homeland Security
Read notes on the Bureaucracy and notes on the Judiciary
Discussion Assignments

Discussion Question 16: Before responding to this question, read the article in the Content
area for Week 7 on the Homeland Security Department. It is a summary of the first hundred
days of the new department from CQ Weekly. You should also visit the Department's official
website at www.dhs.gov to find out some of the things being done by the Department. Will
the Department of Homeland Security improve the nation's security? Why or why not? List
at least two specific steps they are taking to improve the nation's security. Please submit
your initial answer by midnight Wednesday and your responses to two other classmates by
midnight Sunday.

Current Events 4: Post this week’s current event. (We will follow the same pattern
established during Week 1.)Please submit your initial answer by midnight Friday and your
responses to two other classmates by midnight Sunday.

Discussion Question 17: Visit the Hoover Institution's "uncommon knowledge" website
(http://www.uncommonknowledge.org/800/822.html) and view the debate there entitled
"The High (and Mighty) Court" – you may view the debate by downloading video of it if you
wish or you may simply read the text of the debate which is provided on the webpage. After
doing this, answer the following questions: Do the Courts have too much power to make
policy from the bench? Consider issues such as abortion, equal access to education, the use
of religious symbols in public schools, etc. Should decisions on controversial issues like
these be made by Courts or by Legislators? Why? Make sure you provide examples from the
debate to back up your answers. Please submit your initial answer by midnight Sunday.
Dropbox Assignments

Internet Activity 7: The Department of Homeland Security. Follow the instructions found in
the Content area for Week 7. Complete your assignment using MS Word and submit to the
Dropbox by midnight Sunday.

Paper Project 3 "Researching Members of Congress": Please submit your completed
paper to the correct Dropbox folder by midnight Monday of Week 8.
Course Evaluations

Course evaluations will open on Monday and remain open until 5 pm Wednesday of Week 8.
You will be able to access the link from your CougarTrack page. Please note that these
evaluations are provided so that I can improve the course, find out what students perceive to
be its strengths and weaknesses, and in general assess the success of the course. Please do
take the time to fill this out.
Week 8 – Public Policy: Domestic and Foreign
Readings


Chapters 15 and 16
Read notes on Domestic Policy and notes on Foreign Policy
Discussion Assignments
Columbia College Online Campus
P a g e | 10

Discussion Question 18: After reading Chapter 15 and the notes on Domestic Policy answer
the following questions: What are three of the main causes of poverty in America? Why did
you choose these as most important? What is the effect of government welfare programs on
poverty? Please submit your initial answer by midnight Wednesday and your responses to
two other classmates by midnight Saturday.

Discussion Question 19: After reading Chapter 16 and the notes on Foreign Policy answer
the following questions: What should be the role of the United States in world affairs? In
your opinion, what are the two most important foreign policy challenges facing the United
States in the 21st Century? How are they critical to our relationships with other nations?
Please submit your initial answer by midnight Friday and your responses to two other
classmates by midnight Sunday.
Dropbox Assignments

Internet Activity 8: Privatization of Social Security. Follow the instructions in the Content
area for Week 8. Complete your assignment using MS Word and submit to the Dropbox by
midnight Saturday.

Paper Project 3 "Researching Members of Congress": Please submit your completed
paper to the correct Dropbox folder by midnight Monday.
Exams

Complete the Final Exam by midnight Saturday. The exam will open in the Quizzes area of
the course on Tuesday. The exam is proctored and close book.
Course Evaluations

Course evaluations are available and will remain open until 5 pm Wednesday. You will be
able to access the link from your CougarTrack page.
Course Policies
Student Conduct
All Columbia College students, whether enrolled in a land-based or online course, are responsible for
behaving in a manner consistent with Columbia College's Student Conduct Code and Acceptable Use
Policy. Students violating these policies will be referred to the office of Student Affairs and/or the
office of Academic Affairs for possible disciplinary action. The Student Code of Conduct and the
Computer Use Policy for students can be found in the Columbia College Student Handbook. The
Handbook is available online; you can also obtain a copy by calling the Student Affairs office (Campus
Life) at 573-875-7400. The teacher maintains the right to manage a positive learning environment,
and all students must adhere to the conventions of online etiquette.
Plagiarism
Your grade will be based in large part on the originality of your ideas and your written presentation
of these ideas. Presenting the words, ideas, or expression of another in any form as your own is
plagiarism. Students who fail to properly give credit for information contained in their written work
(papers, journals, exams, etc.) are violating the intellectual property rights of the original author. For
proper citation of the original authors, you should reference the appropriate publication manual for
your degree program or course (APA, MLA, etc.). Violations are taken seriously in higher education
and may result in a failing grade on the assignment, a grade of "F" for the course, or dismissal from
the College.
Collaboration conducted between students without prior permission from the instructor is
Columbia College Online Campus
P a g e | 11
considered plagiarism and will be treated as such. Spouses and roommates taking the same course
should be particularly careful.
All required papers may be submitted for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection
of plagiarism. All submitted papers may be included in the Turnitin.com reference database for the
purpose of detecting plagiarism. This service is subject to the Terms and Conditions of Use posted on
the Turnitin.com site.
Non-Discrimination
There will be no discrimination on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, sexual orientation,
religion, ideology, political affiliation, veteran status, age, physical handicap, or marital status.
Disability Services
Students with documented disabilities who may need academic services for this course are required
to register with the Coordinator for Disability Services at (573) 875-7626. Until the student has been
cleared through the disability services office, accommodations do not have to be granted. If you are a
student who has a documented disability, it is important for you to read the entire syllabus before
enrolling in the course. The structure or the content of the course may make an accommodation not
feasible.
Online Participation
You are expected to read the assigned texts and participate in the discussions and other course
activities each week. Assignments should be posted by the due dates stated on the grading schedule
in your syllabus. If an emergency arises that prevents you from participating in class, please let your
instructor know as soon as possible.
Attendance Policy
Attendance for a week will be counted as having submitted a course assignment during that week of
the session. A class week is defined as the period of time between Monday and Sunday (except for
Week 8, when the week and the course will end on Saturday at midnight). The course and system
deadlines are all based on the Central Time Zone.
Cougar E-mail
All students are provided a CougarMail account when they enroll in classes at Columbia College. You
are responsible for monitoring e-mail from that account for important messages from the College and
from your instructor. You may forward your Cougar e-mail account to another account; however, the
College cannot be held responsible for breaches in security or service interruptions with other e-mail
providers.
Students should use e-mail for private messages to the instructor and other students. The class
discussions are for public messages so the class members can each see what others have to say about
any given topic and respond.
Late Assignment Policy
An online class requires regular participation and a commitment to your instructor and your classmates to
regularly engage in the reading, discussion and writing assignments. Although most of the online
communication for this course is asynchronous, you must be able to commit to the schedule of work for the
class for the next eight weeks. You must keep up with the schedule of reading and writing to successfully
complete the class.
Failure to turn in an assignment by the date due will result in a grade of zero for that assignment. Posts after
the specified deadline will receive no credit. Additionally, late submissions of Paper Projects and Internet
Activities will also receive no credit. Tests are to be taken on the date(s) and time(s) scheduled. No exams
Columbia College Online Campus
P a g e | 12
submitted late will be accepted. No make-up tests will be given unless the instructor gives prior permission.
If the instructor authorizes an alternate exam period, the student and instructor will coordinate for a makeup examination to be taken as soon as possible. It is the student’s responsibility to make alternate
arrangements with their approved proctor. Emergencies should be communicated and documented to the
instructor as soon as possible. Note: All assignments must be submitted using the course tools, (i.e. the
Dropbox). Using e-mail or other methods of delivery for your assignments is strongly discouraged. With
these methods there is often no way to verify when an assignment was completed. It is the student’s
responsibility to get their work in on time.
Course Evaluation
You will have an opportunity to evaluate the course near the end of the session. Course evaluations
will open on Monday of Week 7 and remain open until 5 pm Wednesday of Week 8. You will be able
to access the link from your CougarTrack page. Be assured that the evaluations are anonymous and
that your instructor will not be able to see them until after final grades are submitted.
Proctor Policy
You must arrange an acceptable proctor. Columbia College campuses are the best option for
proctoring and are automatically approved; if you are affiliated with a Columbia College campus, it is
preferred you use that site. For information about proctoring and to schedule your exam with a
Columbia College campus, visit the Proctor Information page.
If you are unable to travel to a Columbia College campus, you must locate an acceptable private
proctor. “Acceptable proctors include Columbia College campus staff, ministers, public librarians,
high school or college instructor, high school or college counseling services, commanding officers,
education service officers and corporate executive officers. Personal friends, family members or
direct supervisors are not acceptable (AHE Undergraduate Catalog, page 56).” Approval of any
private proctor is solely at the discretion of the instructor.
You must submit the “Student Proctor Information Submission Form” to the Proctor Information
Dropbox within your course by the end of Week 2. This form and additional information about
Proctoring is located in the Content area of the course.
Additional Resources
Orientation for New Students
This course is offered online, using course management software provided by Desire2Learn and
Columbia College. The Student Manual provides details about taking an online course at Columbia
College. You may also want to visit the course demonstration to view a sample course before this one
opens.
Technical Support
If you have problems accessing the course or posting your assignments, contact your instructor, the
Columbia College Helpdesk, or the D2L Helpdesk for assistance. Contact information is also available
within the online course environment.
[email protected]
[email protected]
800-231-2391 ex. 4357
877-325-7778