Fetzer, Philip  

This was the only 8am class I have ever had in which none of the students ever fell asleep. You read the New York Times before class and then discuss the latest world news. You had to read a book, which turned out to be very good, and then write a paper on it. Fetzer was very informative and I thoroughly enjoyed my time in his class.

Dr. Gill is a great professor and I really recommend taking his class. His grading policy is very fair.

I'd recommend this class to anyone. Fetzer knows what he's talking about and this class isn't too difficult. If you screw up, he gives extra credit opportunities. The class is interesting, he kept my attention with the SNL videos and harping on Bush and Gore. I didnt go to all the classes and I still did alright, just do the whole study guide and take good notes. The book reading is not essential, but you should read the new york times everyday, its not hard and it will keep your grade up in class.

I had this Poli. Sci. Govt. class fall quarter during the Gore/bush election and it was great. Instead of ignoring the election Professor Fetzer got really into it and it became a class about current issues and events rather than reading a boring textbook about the organization and structure of our government, which I admit would have a refresher since I forgot it all from high school, but it also would have made the class much more boring. He also really encouraged us to speak out and we regularly had political dicussions. The only real homework in this class was reading the newspaper. He randomly will have us write about front page articles in the beginning of class so you have to keep up with the paper. His tests were not hard but they did have some essay questions so you can't completely BS your way through the test. Anyway, all in all I thought Fetzer was a good guy and good teacher andI definitely recommend him.

Fetzer is really a good guy. He gives news quizzes (20%) a mid-term (30%) and a final (50%) to make up your grade. The news quizzes are great to boost your grade IF you read the NY Times! For the tests, repeat what he says in class on the essays and you'll be fine. The multiple choice part isn't too hard either. He doesn't test on specific points, but more on the main ideas that you should've picked up on. I recommend this guy for POLS 110, though I know some people in my class who hated him.

I was so afraid to take this class because I am a conservative Republican, and everyone said that Fetzer doesn't like conservatives. I ended up really liking this class, and didn't feel alienated because of my political beliefs. Yes, some of the material we read in class was somewhat biased with a liberal point of view, everything we talked about was very interesting, and my eyes were opened to many issues I had never though about before. The material was really interesting to learn, and easy to remember for the tests. The entire grade is 100 point, with a 50 point final, 25 point midterm, and 5 5-point news quizzes. You have to read the newspaper if you want the grade in this class because it can make or break you. Just study everything he talks about in class. The tests are part essay, but they aren't too hard. Just pay attention, and write your essays based on what he says in class.

I was not a big fan of this class. If you dont really follow politics too much I wouldnt take this class. Fetzer basically teaches you the New York Times front page above the crease. You have to read it everyday and then one lucky story is picked for the News Quiz, so you have to remember 3 facts from the story and explain its political significance, and he only gives you like 5 minutes to write it all down so you dont have time to think about it. When he grades these stupid quizes he gives "A responses" a 5/5, "B's" a 4/5, "C's" a 3/5, and "D's" a 2/5. So if he thinks you gave a C response, be prepared to get a 3/5 = 60% = D! And the Book for this class is rediculous. Its all about how "elites" control our lives and stuff, the chapter titles are stuff like, "Congress: The Legislative Elite" and "The Judicial Branch: Elites in Black Robes" and "Elites in the Media" and "The President: The L337est of all Elites" it makes the questions about the book easy because you just say ELITES and you are right. I would highly recommend you take ethnic studies or something.

Usually I understand teachers and the way they teach but this man is not a good teacher! The class is called American and Califonirian Gov't for a reason! Guess what we studied? The war in Iraq. I learned jack shit about what we were supposed to be studying. Oh and everything in class is based on stupid newspaper quizzes. You need to take out a New York Times subscription and read the paper every day b/c he's going to quiz you on it. Oh, and good luck trying to figure out just exactly WHAT article thq uiz is going to be on. I got a B on my midterm and my final and still only pulled a D in the class. Ps he's not a very fair essay question grader either, I had written down exactly the same answer he told us when we were going over the midterm and he still refused to fix my points. Thanks for nothing! He's a true Iraq ninja

Fetzer is a great teacher and interesting person. Unfortunatly due to other conflicts I had to withdrawl mid-quarter, but he was very helpful and understanding about it. The class material is provocative and fun, and he does a great job of making you think about it all. I wish I could have finished the whole class with him.

Just repeat what was said in class on the essay tests and you will be fine. Doesn't spend much time talking himself - he just suggests topics and has a discussion, but it is obvious he is VERY opinionated.

Dr. Fetzer really knows how to make people think about what really is happening in the U.S. today. He is interested in differing opinions, so long as you can give a good reason why you think what you think. That's what he's good at doing - making you figure out why it is you believe what you believe. His class taught me how to critically think about things better than any logic class has.

Fetzer isn't as bad as some people make him out to be. While a little on the boring side, 230 was the more interesting of the two classes I had with him. He assigns a fair amount of reading, but he goes over the material in class, so it isn't really essential that you buy the books. He uses the same tests each quarter, and is pretty understanding if you need to reschedule a time to take his tests. He does seem to play by favoritism, even if he doesn't realize it, and if he doesn't like you he will either ignore you when you raise your hand or repeatedly cut you off when you have something to say (although, it seems like he only picks one person per class to dislike so just try to stay off his bad side). He does have the tendency to throw curve balls when it comes to the final grade. I got A's on my two midterms and then he killed me on my final paper.

Dr. Fetzer continues to amaze me with his brilliance. He is truly a top notch professor worthy of being the political science department head. He forces the student to think about issues instead of having the student regurgitate information. I came out of class each session with a feeling of englightenment and knowledge. I highly recommend Dr. Fetzer, he is truly one professor I will remember after my college years.

Fetzer is one of the best teachers I've had at Cal Poly. You'll never get an easier A and still learn so much. Take him for any class you can!

Fetzer was a great teacher and I would gladly take him again. Just be sure to do the reading ahead of time so you can participate because he gets frustrated if nobody responds during discussion. He tries to lead discussions but really wants the class to respond and talk about the discussion. There are only three essay tests and they can be difficult but if you beg him he may give you a study guide ahead of time or change the test to a take home. You just have to ask.

Fetzer is trash - simple as that. This, coming from a conservative student. He is a flaming liberal so if that term describes you then definitely take Fetzer - u will have a very easy time getting an A. His classes are pretty easy and as long as you write what he wants to hear you will do fine. It's fun to argue the oppostive view because he gets pissed and cuts you off to go onto his next tangent. Many poly sci students are amazed this guy has been the chair of the department for the past two years - scary. Especially considering the guy had to sue for his tenure... But he's pretty easy, just show up to class and bite your tongue if you're a conservative.

This guy is awesome. I took Politics in Literature, and I miss that class so much. Every day you put the desks in a circle and he brings up topics about novels or plays we've been reading. The entire class is spent discussing these concepts, which is so fun. It's not all abstract either. He asks questions relating to our lives, and things students care about. The only assignments are a midterm paper and a final paper where you discusss one the the ideas we talked about in class. you don't even really have to read the books, but it helps to be able to give examples.

Dr. Fetzer is an excellent lecturer who encourages classroom discussions and really gets you to think about complex issues (racism...). His tests are essay and are graded fairly. Dr. Fetzer is also very approachable and easy to talk to about papers and things like that.

No homework, just one midterm (40%) and one final (60%). Says a lot that he wants to hear all different opinions, but doesn't seem interested in really thinking about other peoples opinions. Interesting subject. He has great videos about the different topics discussed.

Fetzer is the best teacher I have had at Poly so far. He is highly intelligent, has a good heart and truly makes you think about what you are learning. Basically you can't do well if you don't have an opinion. He makes you back up what you say in class, and really gets you into the subject. If you are out there to learn, and have an opinion on what goes on past this monotonous little town, take this course with Fetzer.

First off, Dr. Fetzer is a really nice guy who is, on the surface, a fantastic teacher. HOWEVER, his political bias is blatant and deeply troubling. DR. FETZER IS A SOCIALIST, OR MAYBE EVEN A FLAT OUT COMMUNIST. It's one thing to have a professor who provides and discusses both sides of an issue or a debate, and completely another to have a teacher who is so wrapped up in his own ideological dogma that he essentially tries to indoctrinate anyone in the class who doesn't subscribe to his ideology prior to taking a class with him. IF YOU ARE NOT LIBERAL AND YOU SPEAK UP IN HIS CLASS, YOU WILL NOT GET AN "A" IN HIS CLASS. (I graduated with high honors from Cal Poly after this class.) I worked hard in Fetzer's class, but my papers, which presented both sides of an argument, never seemed to have adequate support when I was arguing a "conservative" point. The "Liberal" points always seemed to be solid according to Fetzer. I worked just as hard in this class as I did during classes like "Concepts of Federal Taxation," "Intermediate Accounting," ect... and I got "A's" in those classes. Dr. Fetzer used statements from Jackie Robinson which drew comparisons between the (1956 or 1964) REPUBLICAN National Convention in San Francisco and the NAZI Nuremburg rallies of the late 1930s. He encouraged and supported "Bush bashing" in the class I took with him, often times chuckling when someone would make a personal attack on the President. Dr. Fetzer means well, and probably cares more about social issues than 99% of the population, as do all/most socialists/communists, but thinking is more important that caring, and so is using your brain instead of your heart. As Winston Churchill said, "anyone under 30 who isn't a liberal doesn't have a heart, and anyone over 30 who isn't a convervative doesn't have a brain." Teaching is supposed to teach students HOW to think, not WHAT to think. I think it is troubling that Fetzer is the head of the Political Science department because leadership flows from the top down, and this will political bias inevitably lead to creating future graduates who have a skewed view of the world/US. If kids leave Cal Poly as liberals, fine (even though they won't be helping themselves or anyone else), but students should be placed in the position to hear views from the left and the right so that they can make decision for themselves. On one final political note, if "Premiere Fetzer" wants a Communist state, he should look no further than the former Soviet Union as an example as to why Communism sanctions corrupt government, and leads to creating a stagnant economy and a poorer population as a whole. If anyone wants to know why I would never vote Democrat, look no further than the book, "GIVE ME A BREAK" by ABC's John Stossel of the news magazine show "20/20." This book breaksdown, step by step, why bigger government and increased taxes are horrible for all Americans, even those who are supposed to benefit from tax dollars. Bush may not be the best guy, but I'd take him anyday over a Kerry, a Nader, a Gephart, an Edwards, or a Sharpton. If you want to know why, read Stossel's book. If you're a liberal, you will get some insight as to why your views are flat out wrong. Anyway, if you are a rational, free-thinking student who has high blood pressure, avoid Fetzer at all costs... and you might want to think about getting out of Political Science as well.

I have no clue why these people are talking so badly about Dr. Fetzer. Dr. Fetzer is one of the best teachers that I have had at Cal Poly. I have had him for a number of classes and try to take him every chance I get. If you want to take classes where you learn and the teacher actually listens to what you have to say, take him. He is one of the professors who still truly cares about the student. His goal is not to force anybody into his beliefs but rather to educate everyone on the ways of our society that may not always be obvious (especially at Cal Poly, being a school of predominately white, upper-middle class students)

I graduated Poly in 2004. I am now in my final year of law school studying slander law. On that note I now know my rights. Phil Fetzer is the worst prof I ever had at poly. He is a liberal zealot. I am fine with the ivory tower intelligencia but he takes it to a whole new level. The man is a disgrace to the fine education I received at Poly.

This class was politics in literature. We read really good books and talked about the world we live in, how we fit into our world, who we are and why. Everyone should have to take this class.

The class is cool, you sit in a circle and talk about the reading. I think it's one of the best classes I've ever taken. The midterm and final are both take-home essays. Be sure your papers are organized, and as long as you prove your thesis, you're set. He's picky about how you go about proving it, though, so be as clear as possible. He's a smart guy, I recommend this class.

Prof cried today.... What a weirdo hahahah get a grip of your life.