SW258: Social Policy
Spring 2009
Mary S. Carlsen, MSW, LISW
Holland Hall 213C, e-mail carlsen@stolaf.edu
Office x3136, Home 645-9176 (before 9 PM, please)
Hours: Tuesday 9:30-11:00 AM and Wednesday 3:00-4:30 or by appointment
"From the first moment a woman dared to speak that hope -- dared to believe that the American Dream was meant for her too -- ordinary women have taken on extraordinary odds to give their daughters the chance for something else; for a life more equal, more free, and filled with more opportunity than they ever had. In so many ways we have succeeded, but in so many areas we have much work left to do" -- Sen. Barack Obama, Washington, DC November 10, 2005
“We may not prevent bad policy from being enacted, but we can prevent bad policy from being enacted without opposition” ---Senator Paul Wellstone
Social Work Program Mission
The Social Work Program prepares liberally educated professional social workers to
ethically serve diverse populations and promote a just global community.
Course Description
Immigration policy and welfare reform exemplify how society's values and needs translate into policies and programs. Social workers work for justice by creating, implementing, and evaluating policies in health, employment, housing, mental health, and child welfare, locally and nationally. Students study policy formation and analysis that reflect interests and powers of diverse groups as well as economic and social needs of certain populations at risk, especially women, the poor, African Americans, gay men and lesbians and Latinos.
Intended Learning Outcomes
At the conclusion of this course, students should be able to:
- Describe how values and ethics--personal, professional, socio-cultural--affect how social problems are defined and social policies are made;
- Discuss the influence of historical and contemporary factors, both domestic and global, in social problem description and social policy development, implementation, and outcomes;
- Acknowledge the importance and impact of human diversity on the process of social policy formation;
- Use a framework for policy analysis;
- Discuss the impact of social policies on human lives, with emphasis on people who are poor (especially women and children), immigrants, people of color, and GLBT populations;
- Describe the effective use of social policy in generalist social work practice including the reciprocal impact between practice and policy;
- Describe the importance of citizen participation and power in the policy arena, especially in oppressed communities
- Describe policy formation and the political process as change strategies for achieving social and economic justice;
- Use research skills and oral communication skills in policy description, analysis and advocacy;
- Anticipate both contemporary changes in society and just alternative policy responses to them, including some global comparison;
- Clarify her/his own commitment to social justice and social change.
Readings
Books:
DeParle, J. (2004). American dream: Three women, ten children and a nation’s drive to end welfare. Penguin Books.
Karger, H., & Stoesz, D. (2008). American social welfare policy: A pluralist approach. (5th ed.). New York: Allyn and Bacon.
Articles:
Bly, D. (2009). The Middle Class Amendment. www.middleclassamendment.com and L:\2008-09 Semester 2\social-work-258\Class Materials
Institute for Women’s Policy Research. (June, 2003). Before and after welfare reform: The work and wellbeing of low income single parent families. http://www.iwpr.org/pdf/D459.pdf
Rector, R. (August 27, 2007). How Poor Are America's Poor? Examining the "Plague" of Poverty in America Backgrounder #2064 http://www.heritage.org/Research/Welfare/bg2064.cfm
Batalova, J. (April, 2008). Mexican immigration to the US: The latest estimates.
Migration Information Source
http://www.migrationinformation.org/USfocus/display.cfm?id=679
National Council for Research on Women. (n.d.). Taxes are a woman’s issue:
Reframing the debate: Executive Summary. Retrieved February 4, 2008 from http://www.ncrw.org/researchforaction/taxes_execsumm.htm
St. Paul Office of the Legislative Auditor. (2006). Economic impact of immigrants. Program Evaluation Division, (JV6471.E26 2006) http://www.auditor.leg.state.mn.us/ped/pedrep/ecoimpact.pdf
National Conference on State legislatures (January 31, 2008). Enacted State Legislation Related to Immigrants and Immigration. Immigrant Policy Project.
http://www.ncsl.org/print/immig/2007Immigrationfinal.pdf
Zedlewski, S, et al (July, 2008). A new safety net for low-income families. Washington, D.C: The Urban Institute. L:\2008-09 Semester 2\social-work-258\Class Materials
Articles (for reference only) on immigration policy:
Chun, R. & LeMire, D. P. (2006). Eligibility of noncitizens for health care and social services programs. St. Paul: Research Dept., Minnesota House of Representatives, 2006. KF4800.Z9 C58 http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hrd/pubs//ncitzhhs.pdf
Kielkopf, J. (September, 2000). The Economic Impact of Undocumented
Workers in Minnesota HACER Minnesota
www.hacer-mn.org/downloads/English_Reports/EconomicImpactUndocumentedWorkers.pdf
Tancredo, T. (October 26, 2006). A new strategy for control of illegal immigration. The Heritage Foundation http://www.heritage.org/Research/Immigration/hl971.cfm
Policy Web Sites
Council on Social Work Education http://www.cswe.org
National Association of Social Workers http://www.socialworkers.org
Worldwide Web resources for Social Workers http://www.nyu.edu/socialwork/wwwrsw
Influencing State Policy http://www.statepolicy.org/keep_up.html
Institute for Women’s Policy Research www.iwpr.org
Joint Center for Poverty Research http://www.jcpr.org/
Center for Law and Social Policy http://www.clasp.org
American Enterprise Institute www.aei.org
Cato Institute www.cato.org
Hoover Institution www.hoover.org
Heritage Foundation www.heritage.org
Urban Institute www.urban.org
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities www.cbpp.org
United States Census Bureau www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty.html
State Policy Documentation Project www.spdp.org/compstates/minnesota.htm
Guidelines/Expectations
Any student with documented intellectual, physical or emotional disability needing academic adjustments/accommodations is requested to speak with me during the first two weeks of class. All discussions are confidential. Students with disabilities must also contact Ruth Bolstad <bolstadr@stolaf.edu>, Disability Service Specialist in the Academic Support Center x3288.
Attendance and preparation are expected for all classes; education is not simply book learning, but it is also interaction with peers and teachers which enables critical thinking, allows for expression of opinions, and encourages others in the learning endeavor. If you need to miss class for some reason (e.g. for a religious observance or personal/family issues), please notify me ahead of time; you are responsible for material covered in class that day. Assignments will be docked two points for each day they are late and must be written in APA style with good spelling, grammar and clarity (see http://www.stolaf.edu/library/instruction/styles.html#APA or KnightCite at http://webapps.calvin.edu/knightcite/ ). Attendance at the final exam is required; failure to show up will result in failure of the exam.
Assignments (see separate handout for details)
1. Article Assignment Due: date assigned in class
Purpose: To expose students to policies not covered in depth in class; to encourage habitual reading about social policies; to increase critical thinking about how policies are influenced, enacted and evaluated; to increase awareness about how policies affect people’s lives, especially people at risk of poverty and discrimination.
Relationship to intended learning outcomes (ILOs): particularly addresses outcomes 5, 8, 9, 10.
2. Response to Policy Events Due: as soon as possible, but not later than May 11
Purpose: To help students look for and take advantage of the myriad opportunities on campus and in the community to learn about/apply/influence policy
Relationship to ILOs: particularly address outcomes 1, 2, 4, 8, 10, 11
3. Social Policy options Due: three choices by March 2
Purpose: To learn how to locate social policies and sources of data and analysis related to those policies and the problems they intend to address
Relationship to ILOs: related to outcomes 4 and 9
4. Social Problem Examination Due: Feb 18
Purpose: To understand the difference between a social problem and a social policy and how the problem definition is crucial to policy analysis.
Relationships to ILOs: addresses 1, 2, 4, 5
5. Policy Description Outline (Local): Due: Mar 13/16/18
Purpose: To gain experience and confidence in applying a framework for policy analysis and to understand the impact of local policy on students at St. Olaf or other populations.
Relationship to ILOs: addresses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9
6. Presentation of Policy Description/Analysis (Local): Due: Mar 13/16/18
Purpose: To gain experience in oral presentation of policy information to build advocacy skills and to assist class in learning about local policies
Relationship to ILOs: addresses: 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9
7. Group participation description Due Mar 20
Purpose: To help hold group members accountable for work.
8. Final Policy decision Due: April 3
9. Social Problem Description Due: April 17
Purpose: To understand the social problem addressed by the policy you will analyze for your final paper.
Relationship to ILOs: addresses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9
10. Social Policy Analysis Due: May 4, 6, 8, 11
Purpose: To apply a framework for analysis to one contemporary social welfare policy (legislation, court decision, executive order)and gain familiarity with academic and government document sources for policy formulation, implementation and analysis.
Relationship to ILOs: addresses 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9,10
11. Presentation/Written Memo of Policy Analysis: (State/Nat’l) (5 min) Due: May 4, 6, 8, 11
Purpose: To gain experience presenting relevant information cogently, succinctly, clearly
Relationship to ILOs: addresses 4 and 9
Exams
March 6 - material covered since February 8th
April 13 - material covered since March 5th
May 16 – final exam
Grading
Articles Assignment 5 points
Response to Policy Events (2 x 5) 10 points
Social Problem Examination 10 points
Policy Description: Local 10 points
Presentation of Policy Description/Analysis: Local 10 points
Group participation description plus, check, minus
Social Problem Description: State or National 10 points
Policy Analysis: State or National 35 points
Presentation of Policy Analysis: State or National 15 points
Exams (2 x 30) 60 points
Final exam 35 points
Total 200 points
Participation, preparation, attendance, etc. will affect grade if on border between grades
A: Outstanding (deep understanding) 96% (A- about 93%)
- Exceptional performance that exceeds course expectations
- Thorough, deep, mature understanding
- Genuine comprehension, insight and synthesis
- Thorough preparation and extensive, thoughtful class participation
B: Competent (clear understanding) 87% (B+ about 90%; B- about 82%)
- Course expectations fully met
- Clear understanding without much originality
- Competent grasp of subject matter
- Regular preparation for and participation in class
C: Acceptable (basic understanding) 77% (C+ about 79%; C- about 74%)
- Minimally prepared for further study in the field
- Adequate grasp of subject matter
- Minimally completed assignments with many areas for improvement
- Frequent neglect of important information
D: Passing (limited understanding) 70% (D+ about 72%; D- about 66%)
- Unprepared for further study in the field
- Minimal understanding of subject matter
- Little evidence of critical or creative thinking
- Lack of apparent seriousness
Remember: Social Work majors must achieve at least a "C" in all required courses to attain an accredited degree.
Schedule
DATE |
TOPIC |
ASSIGNMENT/ACTIVITY |
|
February |
Black History Month |
February 9 |
Introduction |
dates for Articles Assignment |
February 11 |
Social policy and the American welfare state |
K & S Chap 1 |
February 13 |
Policy, the welfare state, and women; social problem analysis |
DeParle Part 1 |
|
February 15-19 |
Human Rights Week (many policy events) |
February 16 |
Social welfare policy research |
K & S Chap 2 |
February 18 |
BI on locating/documenting social policy |
Rolvaag Library 355; Social problem examination due |
February 20 |
Discrimination in American society |
K & S Chap 4 |
February 23 |
Discrimination in American society |
Institute for Women’s Policy Research article |
February 25 |
Religion and social welfare policy |
K & S Chap 3 |
February 27 |
Poverty in America |
K & S 5; poverty tour |
|
March |
Social Work Month/Women’s History Month |
March 2 |
Women and poverty |
DeParle Part 2 ; Rector; Zedlewski |
March 4 |
The voluntary sectors |
K & S Chap 6 |
March 6 |
Exam #1 |
|
March 6-7 |
Nobel Peace Prize Forum (Policy events) |
|
March 8 |
International Women’s Day |
http://www.unifem.org/news_events/event_detail.php?EventID=195 |
March 9 |
The making of governmental policy |
K & S Chap 8 |
March 11 |
Privatization, human service corporations; Policy institutes |
K & S Chap 7 |
March |
Local policy presentations- |
Policy description outlines due on day of presentation |
March 20 |
Woman and children in poverty |
DeParle Part 3; group participation description due |
3/23-29 |
Spring Break |
Relax, have fun, be safe, do service, read the news! |
March 30 |
Social Work Day at the Capital |
Meet in front of Buntrock; vans leave at 7:30 AM?Sign up for individual meetings on policy analysis paper |
April 1 |
Social insurance |
K & S Chap 10; Follow up BI in classroom |
April 3 |
Social insurance |
Catch our breath; policy decision due for final paper |
April 6 |
Tax policy and income distribution |
K & S Chap 9; NCRW article |
April 8 |
Public assistance/ |
K & S Chap 11 |
April 10 |
Good Friday |
No class |
April 13 |
Exam #2 |
|
April 15 |
American health policy |
K & S Chap 12; Chun & Lamire article |
April 17 |
Child welfare policy |
K & S Chap 15; social problem description due |
April 20 |
The current state of Minnesota TANF/MFIP/DWP |
Kim & Rector article |
|
April 22-May 5?? |
Viva la Raza |
April 22 |
Mental health & substance abuse policy |
K & S Chap 13 |
April 24 |
Housing policies and homelessness |
K & S Chap 16 |
April 27 |
Criminal justice policy |
K & S Chap 16 |
April 29 |
Immigration policy |
Batalova; St. Paul Office; International Conference |
|
May |
Older Americans Month and National Foster Care Month |
May 1 |
American welfare state in internat’l perspective |
K &S Chap 18 |
May 4/6/8 |
Presentations |
Social Policy Analysis due at time of presentation |
May 11 |
Woman and children in poverty |
DeParle Epilogue; Presentations (if needed) |
May 13 |
Summary of learning |
Policy Parade; course evaluation |
May 14 |
Reading Day |
|
Saturday May 16 |
Final Exam |
7:00-9:00 PM |
The professor reserves the right to change the schedule and assigned readings as new opportunities for learning present themselves, particularly in relation to emerging policies in the state and the nation.
258 Social Policy Assignment Rubrics
Spring 2009
1. Articles Assignment: Due: date assigned in class
Purpose: To expose students to policies not covered in depth in class; to encourage habitual reading about social policies; to increase critical thinking about how policies are influenced, enacted and evaluated; to increase awareness about how policies affect people’s lives, especially people at risk of poverty and discrimination.
Relationship to intended learning outcomes (ILOs): addresses outcomes 5, 8, 9, 10.
Description: On a day assigned in class, you and a partner will be responsible to report to the class on an article you find from the New York Times or the Washington Post that is on a proposed or enacted social policy we have not yet discussed in class. It can be a state, national, or global policy, but must address a social problem for women, people of color, GLBT folks, or people in poverty. It can be in health/mental health, chemical dependency, education, income maintenance/welfare, housing, food or employment. If you wonder if the article meets these qualifications, please check with me. The report should take 3 minutes and answer the following:
- what social problem is addressed?
- what policy is suggested or already enacted?
- who does the problem and policy primarily affect (note at-risk/oppressed populations)?
- why is this newsworthy at this time?
- who does/might oppose and support the policy?
Evaluation criteria: you will be evaluated on whether you found a contemporary article on social policy and addressed the questions about in 3 minutes.
2. Response to Policy Events (1-2 pages) Due: No later than May 11
Purpose: To help students look for and take advantage of the myriad opportunities on campus and in the community to learn about/apply/influence policy
Relationship to ILOs: particularly address outcomes 1, 2, 4, 8, 10, and 11
Description: Please attend at least two policy-related events, on or off-campus. Turn in a response to the event, discussing the following:
- policy issue(s) raised by the speaker(s)
- material from readings, lectures, or class discussion that relate to the content of the event
- how this changed your thinking or influenced your actions
Evaluation: You will be evaluated on whether and how well you addressed the assignment requirements. The sooner you turn this in, the more detail you’ll remember and the higher quality assignment you’ll turn in!
3. Social Policy options (2-3 titles with paragraph description) Due: three choices by March 2
Purpose: To learn how to locate social policies and sources of data and analysis related to those policies and the problems they intend to address.
Relationship to ILOs: related to outcomes 4 and 9
Description: Find three policies that address a social problem(s) you care about. You can hand in 3 policies that all address the same problem, or three policies that each address a different problem. These policies can be:
- legislation (national or state) that was passed between 1998 and 2008;
- court decisions ( state supreme, U.S. Supreme or federal district) that were made between 1998 and 2008; or
- executive orders (U.S. President) that were issued under Bill Clinton or George W. Bush
- policy must address a social problem that affects the well-being of women, people who are poor, persons of color, rural residents, people who identify as GLBT, recent immigrants, people with disabilities, or the elderly (those of you taking the course for Women's Studies credit must choose a policy which directly affects women).
Hand in the names (formal and common) and citations of the policies with a paragraph describing overall the social problem(s) they were designed to address, and the population(s) affected by the problem(s).
Evaluation: you will be evaluated on whether and how well you met the assignment requirements.
4. Social Problem Examination (2-3 pages). Due: Feb 18
Purpose: To understand the difference between a social problem and a social policy and how the problem definition is crucial to policy analysis.
Relationships to ILOs: addresses 1, 2, 4, and 5
Description: Examine the social problem described in the excerpt from Chambers' text handed out in class. Use the questions listed in Description of the Problem That Necessitated the Policy (p.29 K & S), the steps in Carlsen’s Social Problem Examination handout, your creativity and current knowledge to answer the question: What social problem does this article describe?
Evaluation: you will be evaluated on whether you addressed the elements of social problem description and how clearly you wrote your description of the problem.
5. Policy Description Outline (Local): (about 2 pages) Due: Mar 13/16/18
Purpose: To gain experience and confidence in applying a framework for policy analysis and to understand the impact of local policy on students at St. Olaf or other populations.
Relationship to ILOs: addresses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 9
Description: In groups of 3-4, you will be assigned a St. Olaf or local community policy that addresses a social problem on campus or in the community. Those of you taking the Course for Women's Studies credit must consider a policy directly affecting women (tell me in your policy choices whether this is the case). You will need to do some research on campus about the policy, which might involve conversations with those familiar with it, search of the College Archives, or Manitou Messenger online search (available back to 2002). In your group, use the eleven elements of a policy description in K & S (pp. 29-30) to write an outline of your policy. Use white space, bullets and other tools to include as much information as possible in the most readable form (similar to a policy brief or memo). Turn this in on the day of your group presentation.
Evaluation: you will be evaluated on whether and how well you cover the elements of policy description and the professional appearance of the outline.
6. Presentation of Policy Description/Analysis (Local): (8-10 minutes) Due: Mar 13/16/18
Purpose: To gain experience in oral presentation of policy information to build advocacy skills and to assist class in learning about local policies
Relationship to ILOs: addresses: 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, and 9
Description: As a group, you will present to the class:
- a brief summary of your policy description (on an overhead or handout or ppt)
- your analysis of the policy's goals (address 4 of the 8 questions under policy analysis on p. 29-30) and
- your analysis of the policy’s political, economic and administrative feasibility (pp. 30-32)
- your conclusion(s) about whether the policy needs to be changed or not and why
Summarize your results in a form that is understandable to those who may or may not be familiar with this policy. This assignment will help you develop skills in teamwork, public speaking and prioritizing information (consider how important this will be when you are asked some day to make a presentation to your agency's board of directors or to the state legislature!). You are not advocating for or against the policy, but helping your audience benefit from your description and analysis.
Evaluation: Your group will be evaluated on your whether/how well you covered the description and analysis and how clear and collaborative was your teamwork.
7. Group participation description (one paragraph) Due Mar 20
Purpose: To help hold group members accountable for work.
Turn in a brief individual narrative that describes your level of participation in the project compared to others in your group. This can be sent on email or handed in hard copy with your name on it.
8. Final Policy decision Due: April 3
Hand in or email the name(s) of the policy you will analyze for final paper
9. Social Problem Description (1-2 pages) Due: April 17
Purpose: To understand the social problem addressed by the policy you will analyze for your final paper.
Relationship to ILOs: addresses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 9
Description: Decide which social problem(s) your final policy attempts to address. Write a description of the problem using the eleven steps of problem description in the framework for policy analysis in K ‘& S pp. 29-30). Locate at least two peer-reviewed, academic articles from a social work journal, two peer-reviewed, academic articles from the scholarly literature (political science, sociology, public policy, economics, etc.), and at least two web sites of non-governmental organizations related to the problem (e.g. Coalition for the Homeless, Alzheimer’s Association) . List your sources in APA style.
Evaluation: you will be evaluated on whether you have addressed all steps of problem description, located at least 6 relevant and reputable sources of information, and listed your sources and the policy itself in APA style.
10. Social Policy Analysis (10-14 pages) Due May 4, 6, 8, 11
Purpose: To apply a framework for analysis to one contemporary social welfare policy (legislation, court decision, executive order)and gain familiarity with academic and government document sources for policy formulation, implementation and analysis.
Relationship to ILOs: addresses 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, and 10
Description: Using the framework for analysis presented in K & S write your policy analysis. This paper will omit the social problem definition section of the framework for analysis, as you have already turned that in.
Below is the outline I expect you to follow for your final policy analysis. It helps you to be concise, and to limit what can otherwise be a much more extensive writing assignment. The paper may include headings, but they are not necessary as long as I can easily find each section in your paper. I expect you to write in a formal way, not using first person. The audience for this paper is a college educated person with a real interest in this particular policy (as advocate, legislator or concerned citizen). You will use APA style of referencing, including special attention to legal material.
Introduction (one paragraph)
Briefly, what necessitated the policy? How and why did it originate? Do not fully describe the social problem(s) it is designed to address, just state overall reasons for the existence of the policy
Policy Description (5-6 pages)
What are the facts about the policy? See eleven questions in paragraph on p. 30;
If you cannot ANSWER the question as it relates to your policy, at least ADDRESS it in your paper, e.g. if there is no funding commitment attached to the policy, spend a little time hypothesizing about what costs might be incurred by which parties administering, or affected by, the policy.
Policy Analysis (5-6 pages)
How well is the policy doing what it said it was going to do?
See the myriad questions on pp. 30-32; Omit the question “are the goals legal”?, then
a) discuss at least three of the questions listed within the bullets on p. 30
b) address at least two of the value premises questions in the first full paragraph in the second column of page 30, choosing those that you can answer related to your policy, and
c) briefly discuss the political, economic, and administrative feasibility of your policy.
Conclusion(s) (about one paragraph)
What is your overall conclusion(s) related to this policy? What is your prediction for its future?
Additional notes on sources and writing
This analysis is original to you. While you may find a specific analysis of your policy It is quite possible that you will not locate sources that specifically discuss your policy…if you could, why would I have you learn by doing this particular assignment!? Do not despair! Your responsibility is to find whatever relevant background and supportive materials will aid your analysis. You will have the benefit of an extensive handout from our reference librarian related to this assignment. I expect you to locate at least two new scholarly articles or books on the problem or the policy for this final paper, bringing your sources to the policy itself, 6 scholarly pieces related to your problem and/or policy, 2 organizations related to the problem, and any additional materials that supplement your analysis (e.g. advocacy sites, statistics, wikis and blogs, news articles, government reports, and testimonies).. Title your reference page either References or Bibliography. In APA style referencing, there is no footnoting. Use 12 point font, with one inch margins. Two-sided printing and 1.5 spacing is just fine.
Evaluation: You will be evaluated on whether you covered all the elements in the framework for analysis (except the Problem Description), the depth and clarity of your writing and referencing, the logic of your conclusions based on your analysis, and the quality and breadth of your sources.
11. Presentation/Written Memo of Policy Analysis: (State/Nat’l) (5 min) Due: May 4, 6, 8, 11
Purpose: To gain experience presenting relevant information cogently, succinctly, and clearly
Relationship to ILOs: addresses 4 and 9
Description: You will have five minutes to present to the class your findings and conclusions about your particular policy. If you cannot present on the day assigned, you are responsible to find someone to switch with. If you are in real bind, see me.
For this presentation, imagine your audience is a legislative committee that is deliberating today on your policy. You have been asked to carefully analyze this particular policy and make a recommendation to them, so they will know whether to abolish it, amend it, or keep it as is. It is your job to give them the information quickly and concisely so they can decide. If you go over time, the committee chair (me) will have to ask you to stop. Cover:
- the title of your policy
- policy goals and how well they were/are/could be met, and
- your recommendation(s) about the policy
In addition, you are to create a one page policy memo containing this information to hand out to the "legislators" (remember bullets and white space). Include:
- Formal legal title/number and any nickname
- Goals (what does it intend to accomplish)
- Your analysis/evidence of how well the goals would be/are being/or have been met
- Your suggestion for future of policy (retain as is, change (how?), eliminate)
Evaluation: You will be evaluated on whether you covered the information requested, how clearly and succinctly you state your findings, both in written and in oral communication, and whether you stay within the time limit.
