California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Department of Urban and Regional Planning

Social & Political Policy Planning, URP 551 (15209)	Gwen Urey, PhD, Professor
Winter, 2008, Mondays & Wednesdays 5-6:50	Office: 7-204, x2725 email:  gurey@csupomona.edu
Meets in 7-203  Class web site in blackboard: http://blackboard.csupomona.edu/	Office hours: M: 4-5,  T: 1-4, W: 4-5*

*Office hours on 23 January, 20 February and 12 March will be rescheduled to 1:30-2:30.

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I.  CATALOG DESCRIPTION: 
Survey of contemporary urban conditions from a social policy perspective. Basic principles and practices of contemporary social policy planning. Methods by which urban social trends are analyzed, social indicators developed and applied to program development and analysis. Established social, economic and political institutional considerations, centralized and decentralized social policy-decision models. 4 lecture discussions. Unconditional standing required.   Prerequisites: URP 512 and URP 512A.
URP 551 meets on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:00 to 6:50 p.m. in 7-235 (possibly moving to 7-203).

II. COURSE OBJECTIVES: On successful completion of the course, students should be able to:

1. Demonstrate through speaking and writing a knowledge of what is social policy and the role of planning in social policy formation and implementation.
2. Identify through speaking and writing explicit social policies as well as social policies implicitly created by planning processes.
3. Conduct research on social policy topics, including on specific social policies.
4. Demonstrate through speaking and writing an understanding of political dynamics in social policy arenas.
5. Effectively work collaboratively with others as part of a team.

III. COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1. On time attendance and informed participation at all class meetings and on-line discussions. Class starts at 5:00 p.m. Please plan accordingly.  When class falls on the second or fourth Wednesday of any month, the class may not meet face-to-face.  On these occasions, class will consist of an online discussion or other activity.  See “Schedule of Activities” for detail.
2. Good citizenship in the execution of group projects.  Students will develop and be expected to abide by a code of conduct both as members of teams and as members of the class.
3. Timely completion and submission of all assignments. Late assignments will lose 10 percent of possible credit for each business day they are late. Assignments submitted after the beginning of class on the day they are due will be considered 1 day late.  Unless otherwise specified, all assignments should be submitted in hard copy. Late "hard copy" assignments may be mailed through the U.S. Post Office and will be considered "submitted" on the day they are postmarked. Absolutely do not email or fax assignments unless specifically requested to do so. Unsolicited emailed or faxed assignments will not be acknowledged.

IV. EXAMINATIONS—there will be a take-home midterm exam and an inclass final exam, each counting 15 percent of the grade.

V. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS--course materials, including readings, will be on-line when possible. When that is not possible, readings will be in course readers. Readings for the first few weeks are available through the class web site in blackboard and in "reader #1," available for purchase at "Ask Copy & Printing" (3530 West Temple Ave., Pomona).  The current syllabus will be the online syllabus.


VI. MINIMUM STUDENT MATERIALS--Students will be expected to have access to computers in their homes or in University labs; word-processing and spreadsheet software will be used, and access to the world wide web will be required at times. Students should have an email account, either through the University (free) or a private provider. Responses to questions about current homework that are posed via email will be posted on the class web page (anonymously).

VII. BASIS FOR GRADES

20 %	Attendance and participation in face-to-face and on-line discussions
15 %	Group leadership on specific topic (5% preparation, 10% execution)
30 %	Exams
35 %	3 short papers (8%, 12%, 15%)
100 %	Total

VIII. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

1. Be aware of University guidelines regarding academic integrity ("General Information" section of the 2007-08 University Catalog, especially pages 52-53): All forms of academic dishonesty at Cal Poly are a violation of University policy and will be considered a serious offense. That is, violations will be referred to the Office of Judicial Affairs and will result in failing grades on the assignment in question. Violations of #5 will result in a failing grade in the class. Academic dishonesty includes but is not limited to:
1. "Plagiarism--intentionally or knowingly presenting words, ideas, or work of others as one's own work. . . [as well as] using one's own work completed in a previous class for credit in another class without permission. . . .
2. Cheating during exams. . .
3. Use of unauthorized study aids . . .
4. Falsifying any University document--this includes . . .falsifying prerequisite requirements."
5. Academic dishonesty also includes presenting fabricated data as authentic.
   
2. All forms of academic dishonesty at Cal Poly are a violation of University policy and will be considered a serious offense. That is, violations will be referred to the Office of Judicial Affairs and will result in failing grades on the assignment in question.