PS 201
Great Issues of Politics
For general information for students visit the University Student Resources page.
Worried about majoring in a liberal arts field? Don't be! (But be prepared to focus on the long term).
For general information for students visit the University Student Resources page.
Worried about majoring in a liberal arts field? Don't be! (But be prepared to focus on the long term).
Contact Information
Marek Steedman
461 Liberal Arts Building
601-266-4941
Fall office hours: MW 4-5pm; and by appointment
COVID-19 Protocol, Fall 2022
As we move into the 2022-2023 academic year, we are finding new ways to work and live with the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. We are looking forward to a year marked by more in-person gatherings and events as we learn to navigate the health challenges around us.
At this time, Southern Miss is operating under normal procedures on all campuses, teaching, and research sites. Face masks are no longer required in public spaces unless you have COVID-19 symptoms, a positive COVID-19 test, or close contact exposure to someone with COVID-19. You may choose to wear a mask at any time, based on your personal health circumstances, and healthcare settings may require face masks during times of high community transmission. The CDC recommendation for mask use is fluid, depending on the level of community transmission and a person’s risk for serious illness. Please refer to our COVID health protocols site for the most up-to-date information.
All eligible students, faculty, and staff are strongly urged to get a COVID-19 vaccination and all applicable boosters, which are now widely available:
· Schedule an Appointment – Hattiesburg Campus
· Schedule an Appointment – Gulf Park Campus
· Schedule an Appointment in Your Current Area
For everyone in the Southern Miss community, staying physically and mentally healthy is important. Moffitt Health Center provides health care services through online resources and appointments with care providers. Students who become ill with fever or other symptoms should contact Moffitt for information or to see a care provider. If a student is required to isolate during the semester due to a diagnosed illness, we ask that faculty give that student consideration for make-up work.
In addition to physical health care, students may also access a variety of resources to support mental well-being, from online resources to in-person counseling for students through Student Counseling Services. If you have concerns about your well-being, please contact one of these resources for support.
Getting in Touch
For quick questions about the class, please use the email address above. You should us a valid usm.edu email account whenever possible.
For discussions about the material office hours are better than email. Simply stop by my office (see above) during the listed hours, or email for an appointment.
Honesty
I take plagiarism and other forms of cheating or academic misconduct extremely seriously. If found to be cheating you may receive a failing grade for the assignment, or for the course as a whole. General guidelines for papers can be found here, along with a statement on plagiarism.
Important University Policies and Resources:
Course Workload Statement
Students are expected to invest considerable time outside of class in learning the material for this course. The expectation of the University of Southern Mississippi is that each week students should spend approximately 2-3 hours outside of class for every hour in class working on reading, assignments, studying, and other work for the course. We realize that most students work and have family or other obligations. Time management is thus critical for student success. All students should assess their personal circumstances and talk with their advisors about the appropriate number of credit hours to take each term, keeping in mind that 30 credit hours each year are needed to graduate in four years. Resources for academic support can be found at https://www.usm.edu/success.
Grading Policies and Calculation
A list of possible grades at the University can be found in the Bulletin (http://catalog.usm.edu). Note that students will receive an “interim grade” at the six-week point to give them an indication of their performance at that point in the semester.
Students may drop a course with no penalty in the first week of the semester. If students wish to leave a course with a grade of “W” (for “withdrawal”), they may request to do so before the 50th day (specific dates can be found here: https://www.usm.edu/registrar/calendars). Important note: Students who receive a grade of W do not receive any money back and that grade is permanently included on their transcripts.
Students should be aware that “Incompletes” can only be assigned in cases of “extraordinary circumstances” beyond the student’s control.
ONLINE ACCESS STATEMENT
To access the online components of this course, you must first go to https://usm.instructure.com/login/canvas, then follow the log-in instructions. You will need to have your EMPLID and password (the same information you use to access SOAR and register for classes). If you have any questions or run into difficulty accessing the Canvas material for this course, please call the iTech Help Desk at 601-266-4357 or helpdesk@usm.edu. You can also get specific instructions on how to use components of Canvas by visiting www.usm.edu/lec.
MENTAL WELL-BEING STATEMENT
USM recognizes that students sometimes experience challenges that make learning difficult. If you find that life stressors such as academic workload, anxiety, depression, relationship problems, difficulty concentrating, alcohol/drug problems, or other stressful experiences are interfering with your academic or personal success, consider contacting Student Counseling Services on campus at 601-266-4829. More information is also available at https://www.usm.edu/student-counseling-services. All students are eligible for free, confidential individual or group counseling services. In the event of emergency, please call 911 or contact the counselor on call at 601-606-HELP (4357).
Food Insecurity and Student Homelessness Statement
The University of Southern Mississippi recognizes that students and staff members may experience challenges beyond their control that impact their ability to take care of their essential needs, such as having food or a safe place to sleep. If you find yourself in need of food or shelter, please consider contacting the Eagle’s Nest Food Pantry on the Hattiesburg campus at 601-266-4025 or eaglesnest@usm.edu. All students, faculty, and staff are welcome to come to the Eagle’s Nest Food Pantry and utilize the available resources free of charge.
Academic Integrity Statement
All students at the University of Southern Mississippi are expected to demonstrate the highest levels of academic integrity in all that they do. Forms of academic dishonesty include (but are not limited to):
Cheating (including copying from others’ work)
Plagiarism (representing another person’s words or ideas as your own; failure to properly cite the source of your information, argument, or concepts)
Falsification of documents
Disclosure of test or other assignment content to another student
Submission of the same paper or other assignment to more than one class without the explicit approval of all faculty members’ involved
Unauthorized academic collaboration with others
Conspiracy to engage in academic misconduct
Engaging in any of these behaviors or supporting others who do so will result in academic penalties and/or other sanctions. If a faculty member determines that a student has violated our Academic Integrity Policy, sanctions ranging from resubmission of work to course failure may occur, including the possibility of receiving a grade of “XF” for the course, which will be on the student’s transcript with the notation “Failure due to academic misconduct.” For more details, please see the University’s Academic Integrity Policy: https://www.usm.edu/institutional-policies/policy-acaf-pro-012 Note that repeated acts of academic misconduct will lead to expulsion from the University.
Academic Support Resources
Please see our Student Success Website: http://www.usm.edu/success for information on where you can find tutoring and other academic assistance, as well as the location of key resources on campus.
Student Accessibility Services (SAS)
SAS is Southern Miss’s designated office to assist the University in its commitment to protect the civil rights of students with disabilities. SAS protects students from discrimination and offers reasonable accommodations to give them equitable access to university courses and resources. Disabilities covered under the ADA may include but are not limited to ADHD, learning disabilities, psychiatric disabilities, physical disabilities, chronic health disorders, temporary injuries, and pregnancies. If a student feels that they need classroom or housing accommodations based on a disability they should contact SAS by phone at 601-266-5024, by email at sas@usm.edu , in person by visiting the SAS office located in Bond Hall Room 114, or online at www.usm.edu/sas .
THE WRITING CENTER
The Writing Center is a free program available to all student writers at the University of Southern Mississippi. It offers one-on-one help with any kind of writing project, at any stage of the writing process. The Writing Center is located in Cook Library 112. For more information, and hours of operation, you may contact The Writing Center at 601-266-4821, or visit the website.
THE SPEAKING CENTER
The University of Southern Mississippi offers a Speaking Center, with consultations available at no cost to all students, faculty, and staff. The center is available for advice on all types of oral communication—formal individual presentations, group presentations, class discussion, class debates, interviews, campus speeches, etc. The center also offers several practice rooms for recording presentations and practicing with delivery aids (PowerPoint and internet access are available). Visit the center in Cook Library 117, call the center at 601-266-4965, or visit the website.
University Libraries
Southern Miss Libraries provide students with individualized assistance using library resources for coursework and scholarly research. Questions may be asked in person or by live chat, telephone, or email. Students may request a research consultation with a librarian to get help at any stage of the research process. Research consultations, available in-person and online, provide personalized assistance that is tailored to a class assignment or project. Librarians can help students search for, find, and obtain sources for their research projects.
The University Libraries’ website (www.lib.usm.edu) provides information about conducting academic research, as well as links to the Libraries’ search tool (Seymour Info), databases, and other resources. Library research guides are available through Canvas, as well as the library website. University Libraries also have a robust interlibrary loan (ILL) service which provides access to resources not available in our current collections or subscriptions. The Libraries at Southern Miss provide access to both print and electronic resources, including books, journal articles, newspapers, digital media, and more. University Libraries also include Special Collections which offer a variety of historical resources, such as rare books and historical artifacts, in addition to University Archives which offer documents and memorabilia from our University’s rich history. Visit your campus library or the University Libraries’ website to get started!
CAREER SERVICES
Why wait until your senior year to start thinking about your career? Career Services is free, open to all students, and able to assist you now. Students are strongly encouraged to stop by for guidance with selecting an academic major, choosing a career, seeking an internship, finding a part-time job or entering the full-time job search.
Career Services is located in #125 McLemore Hall (601.266.4153) and also provides an array of resources available online at https://www.usm.edu/career-services/index.php. Please check out the online info, and call to set up a personalized appointment now!
Nondiscrimination Statement:
The University of Southern Mississippi offers to all persons equal access to educational, programmatic and employment opportunities without regard to age, sex, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, gender identity, genetic information, religion, race, color, national origin, and/or veteran status pursuant to applicable state and federal law.
Confidentiality and Mandatory Reporting
As an instructor, one of my responsibilities is to help create and maintain a safe learning environment on our campus. I also have a mandatory reporting responsibility related to my role as a faculty member. I am required to share information regarding sexual misconduct or information about a crime that may have occurred on USM’s campus with certain University officials responsible for the investigation and remediation of sexual misconduct. The information will remain private and will only be shared with those officials necessary to resolve the matter. The sharing of information to the Title IX Office does not initiate a Title IX investigation or the criminal investigation process. Reporting to the Title IX Office initiates office outreach to those impacted by the alleged behavior to discuss available resolution options and supportive measures. You do not have to file a formal complaint with the Title IX Office in order to access on and off campus supportive measures. If you would like to speak in confidence, resources available to students include Confidential Advisors with the Shafer Center for Crisis Intervention, the Counseling Center, Student Health Services, and Clergy. More information on these resources and University Policies is available at www.usm.edu/title-ix.
Unless otherwise indicated, this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Marek D. Steedman 2019-2023