Political Science Newsletter - October 2021

THIS MONTH'S HEADLINES:

  1. ERIE COUNTY EXECUTIVE KATHY DAHLKEMPER JOINS POLITICAL SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD
  2. SPRING 2022 COURSES AND DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
  3. STUDY ABROAD RETURNS WITH COURSE IN TORONTO NEXT SUMMER
  4. STUDENT GROUP NEWS
  5. FACEBOOK PAGE

1. ERIE COUNTY EXECUTIVE KATHY DAHLKEMPER JOINS POLITICAL SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD

The Penn State Behrend Political Science Advisory Board welcomes Erie County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper as its newest member.

Kathy Dahlkemper took office as Erie County Executive on January 7, 2014. She previously represented Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, serving from 2009 to 2011. As County Executive, Dahlkemper has served on the National Association of Counties–National League of Cities taskforce on the opioid epidemic. She has been appointed by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf to serve on the Great Lakes Commission, as well as on the state’s Redistricting Reform Commission. She currently serves as second vice president for the County Executives of America and is on the National Association of Counties International Economic Development Task Force and Community, Economic and Workforce Development Steering Committee. She is a member of the Pennsylvania Center for Women and Politics advisory board. Since early 2020, she has partnered with the Erie County Department of Health to guide the community through the multiple and monumental challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. As Erie County Executive, she continues to work with public and private partners to build a more vibrant community, to create opportunities for all residents, and to move Erie County forward.

Kathy Dahlkemper joins the other Board members, including Erie attorney Melissa Hayes Shirey, Erie County Judge John Trucilla, Erie attorney Ashley Solo, Erie County Public Library Outreach Manager Marcus Yuille, Chris Mong, a former Erie Director of Economic and Community Development, Sheila Sterrett, Northwest Pennsylvania Regional Manager for U.S. Senator Pat Toomey, Matthew Wiertel, director of business development for Velocity Network, and Perry Wood, executive director of the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority. Shirey, Solo, Yuille, Mong, and Wiertel are also Penn State Behrend alumni.

Many Board members will be meeting on campus later this semester with Behrend political science majors to offer career advice. Board members also offer ideas to Behrend student political groups and to the Behrend political science faculty with future academic plans. The Board meets on campus twice per year.

2. SPRING 2022 COURSES AND DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Here is a list of Political Science, Sociology, Criminal Justice, Global Studies, and Latina/o Studies courses that we will offer at Penn State Behrend in Spring 2022.

Spring 2022 Courses

  • PL SC 001 - American Politics (GS, US)
  • PL SC 003 - Comparing Politics around the Globe (GS, IL)
  • PL SC 007N - Contemporary Political Ideologies (GS/GH)
  • PL SC 014 - International Relations (GS, IL)
  • PL SC 017N - Introduction to Political Theory (GS/GH)
  • PL SC 155 - Understanding Tyranny
  • PLSC 200N - Government and Politics of Europe (GS/GH, IL)
  • PL SC 202 - American Public Policy (GS, US)
  • PL SC 433 - Political Foundations of the Early American Republic
  • PL SC 473 - American Judicial Behavior
  • PL SC 480W - Congress and the Presidency (W)
  • SOC 001 - Introductory Sociology (GS)
  • SOC 005 - Social Problems (GS)
  • SOC 451 - Health, Disease, and Society (GS)
  • CRIMJ 100 - Introduction to Criminal Justice (GS)
  • GLIS 102N - Global Pathways (GS/GH, IL)
  • LTNST 100 - Introduction to Latina/o Studies (GH, US)

Please note that all students in the International Relations option of the POLSC major should be taking PLSC 200N next semester (if they have not taken it already). All students in the Public Policy option of the POLSC major should be taking PLSC 202 next semester (if they have not taken it already). Students who have not yet completed requirements for the Crime and Law option in the POLSC major should consider taking SOC 005 and/or CRIMJ 100 next semester.

View degree requirements for the POLSC major options. 

All juniors and seniors at Penn State are required to take a writing-intensive course (W suffix) within their majors. POLSC majors must either take PLSC 480W next semester or PLSC 484W in Spring 2023. 

All Politics and Government minors must take PLSC 1 and PLSC 3. All Sociology minors must take SOC 1. SOC 5, CRIMJ 100, PLSC 202, and PLSC 473 all count toward requirements in the Crime, Law, and Psychology minor.

3. STUDY ABROAD RETURNS WITH COURSE IN TORONTO NEXT SUMMER

Penn State has approved the resumption of study abroad programs, and North American Politics (PL SC 299/499) will again be offered in Toronto between May 15–June 11, 2022, and taught by Dr. Robert Speel. The course, which takes place on the Ryerson University campus in downtown Toronto, combines Penn State and Canadian students in one classroom for discussions about the comparative politics of the United States and Canada and on international relations between the two countries.

Among the topics to be discussed will be a comparison of the development of separate political cultures, comparisons of government institutions, election systems, federalism, and regionalism, and comparisons of each country's policy approaches toward the economy, health care, gun control, language, free speech, legal marijuana, abortion, medically assisted suicide, and the role of religion in education. Issues important in international relations between the two countries will also be discussed—this includes trade, border security, prevention of terrorism, pandemic responses, and control of the Arctic. Class excursions will visit the Ontario Parliament Buildings and Fort York, site of an important battle in the War of 1812.

More details about the course, including costs, will be in the November Political Science Newsletter.

4. STUDENT GROUP NEWS

  • College Republicans meet every Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. in 102 Burke. The group continues to campaign for Erie County Executive candidate Brenton Davis ahead of Election Day on November 2. To get involved, contact President Garrett Watson.
  • College Democrats is working for Erie County Executive Candidate Tyler Titus and Erie County Council Candidate Lydia Laythe ahead of Election Day on November 2. To get involved with the group, contact President Mallory Flesik.
  • The Behrend Political Society is planning to host a political trivia night soon. To get involved, contact President Madison Kwiecinski.
  • Behrend Model United Nations is planning for the upcoming year. To get involved, contact President Lily Rasmussen.

5. FACEBOOK PAGE

All students and alumni are invited to like the Penn State Behrend Political Science Facebook page and get updated news and find out about events.