Dr. Charles Hantz
Political Science Instructor

Phone: 443-8700
Office: CT201
E-mail: chantz@dacc.edu

Courses Taught:
American Government
State and Local Government
Special Topics:  International Terrorism

Educational Background:
Ph.D. in Political Science.  University of Connecticut, 1998. Major fields include International Relations, Comparative Government, and American Politics. Dissertation Title: "The Foreign Policy making Process and International Outcomes in the Regan Era."

M.A. in International Studies, specializing in Soviet and East European Studies.  1991 University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT.

B.S. in Biology; Minor in History, 1985. State University College at Cortland, Cortland, NY.
 

Click here to view a slideshow of Dr. Hantz's teaching experience in Chengdu, China!

Teaching Experience:
Instructor, Danville Area Community College, Danville, IL. 2000-present.

• American Government, Non-western Comparative Government, Comparative Government, International Relations, State and Local Government.
• Western Civilization I & II, U.S. History I & II
• Created Internet Courses for American Government, State and Local Government, Comparative Government, Non-Western Comparative Government, and International Relations.

Instructor, United States Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT. 1997-2000.

• National Security Policy, Public Policy making, Political Participation, American Government

Lecturer, Manchester Community College, Manchester, CT. 1994-1999.

• American Government, International Relations, State and Local Government
• Western Civilization I & II, U.S. History I & II

Lecturer, Quinnipiac College, Hamden, CT. 1998.

• Comparative Democratization, American Government.

Lecturer, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT. 1994-1997.

• International Relations (Honors Section), American Government.

Teaching Assistant, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT. 1993-1995.

• Women in Political Development, International Relations, Comparative Government.

Related Experience

Danville Area Community College
Director, International Center

• Responsible for marketing college to international audience and for the recruitment of international students.  Also locate housing, assist with visas, arrange for transportation for students.
• Provide social programs for international students and educational programming for campus community.
• Meet with civic groups, local businesses, and others in the community to discuss and promote international education.
• Maintain and strengthen linkage with vocational school in Chengdu, PRC.
• Facilitate International Education Advisory Team.

Coordinator, Internship Program in State Government

• Manage all aspects of internship program.
• Arrange for internship opportunities; Select internees.
• Supervise interns with state representatives.

Other Activities

• Facilitator, Faculty Development Team
• Faculty Advisor, Student Senate
• Faculty Advisor, Political Affairs Club
• Member, Insurance Team
• Member, Financial Aid Appeals Committee
• Member, Academic Affairs Team
• Member, DACC Education Association Bargaining Team

U.S. Coast Guard Academy

• Staff member, Cadet Leadership Program
• Course Coordinator for American Government
• Co-Coordinator, Social Sciences CLEP preparation program
• Co-Coordinator, Washington Internship program
• Faculty Senate Representative
• Honor's Thesis Review Board

University of Connecticut
Research Assistant, Center for European Studies

• Arrange visas, housing, and transportation for UConn and Estonian faculty.

Academic Advisor, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

• Advised and counseled undeclared majors on academic requirements and course options.
• Submitted course schedules for undeclared majors.

Other Activities

• Graduate student representative to the International Relations and American Politics Curriculum Review Committees.

Professional Memberships and Activities

• Midwest Institute for International/Inter cultural Education
• NAFSA: Association of International Educators
• American Political Science Association
• International Studies Association
• Assistant Reviewer, NorthWest Publishing Company.  Also reviewed textbooks McGraw Hill and articles for Presidential Studies Quarterly.

Publications

• "The Clash of Civilizations and Voting Behaviors in the United Nations." (in progress).
• "Ideology, Pragmatism, and Ronald Reagan's World View: Full of Sound and Fury, Signifying...?" 1996. Presidential Studies Quarterly, v26, pp. 942-949.
• The Exporters Sourcebook. Charles A. Hantz and Tom Graham.  University of Connecticut, Division of International Affairs, 1993.

Grants:

• NAFSA COOP Incentive Grant (Pending), 2003.
• Title VI Dept. of Education grant through the Midwest Institute, 2003.
• Extraordinary Expense Award, University of Connecticut Graduate School, 1996.
• Dissertation Grant, University of Connecticut Political Science Department, 1992.

Statement of Teaching Philosophy
Thank you for the opportunity to discuss my thoughts and motivations regarding teaching.

According to Webster's dictionary, to educate is "to provide schooling to an accepted standard."  Thus, the first responsibility of an educator is to provide the requisite information pertinent to the course, and to do so in such a fashion that students may follow, study, understand, and hopefully retain that information.  In this sense, the most basic purpose of education, and so our most basic responsibility, is to be conveyors of information.  To achieve this goal requires a multifaceted approach, since learning, that is, the gaining of knowledge, is not accomplished by all students in all the same ways.  I therefore use as many different teaching styles as is practicable, to include lectures, case studies, study groups, individual projects, video, guest speakers, and discussion.

The word proceeding educate in my dictionary is educe.  Related to education, educe means "to draw out; to infer." Though not included in the definition of educate, to create and cultivate the skills necessary to infer conclusions is also a primary purpose of education.  Here we move away from the basic memorization of facts and to the application of those facts to situations in order to draw out larger truths. We can now place events, theories, personalities, processes, or whatever the subject of observation into a broader context.  These conclusions go beyond the basic facts and suggests something more about the nature of the universe.  Furthermore, the deductive process creates critical thinkers.

Repeating this exercise allows us at some point to place ourselves into this larger context and establish our Westanschauung.  A student can then make choices about who they want to be, what icons represent their place in the world, and what value system changes must occur to accommodate any revision in their world view. The egotistical hope of educators is that this process will in the end create an individual who is thoughtful, reflective, critical, and engaged in the world about them.

An exciting and important charge has been entrusted to educators.  I have succeeded to some minor extent in meeting this responsibly, but I also know that no one in this field could possibly be satisfied with their own efforts.  Continued labors at improvement in our own craft should always be our standard.  Our hope and motivation lies with the effect this work will have upon the students who come into our classroom.