Russia and NATO in the Baltics in 2016 (NSC)

Assessment

Case Assessment

What is the security situation in the Baltic states as presented in this case? What kind of threat, if any, does the situation pose to U.S. national security?
What is the historical relationship between Russia and the Baltic states? How has this history shaped the Baltic states’ domestic and foreign policies in recent decades?
What is the nature of U.S. involvement in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and what is NATO’s importance to U.S. foreign policy? How can NATO affect U.S. security policy and military action?
How do recent events in Ukraine inform the security of the Baltic states?

NSC Assessment

What are the four categories of tools available to U.S. leaders crafting foreign policy, and what is the range of specific tools in each?
What is the interagency process and how is it related to the NSC system?
What are the various committees in the NSC system and how do they interact to drive U.S. policymaking and implementation?
What are the responsibilities of the national security advisor (NSA)?
What are the major departments and agencies involved in the U.S. national security and foreign policy–making process? What are their responsibilities?

Writing Assignments

Each CFR Education simulation involves writing assignments that help students think through policy options and reflect on their learning experience.

In NSC cases, there are three types of writing assignments.

Before the role-play, everyone but the president writes a position memo.
After the role-play, the president writes a presidential directive.
As part of the wrap-up, everyone writes a written reflection.

Simulations (on the student-facing side) have instructions for written assignments, and samples for each of these writing exercises. You can also find sample rubrics below.

Samples:

Rubric

Below are sample rubrics for your use in assessing the writing students will do as part of this simulation.

These are single-point rubrics. Jennifer Gonzalez, who writes the blog Cult of Pedagogy, has a great explainer, but the bottom line is that single-point rubrics are relatively easy for students to digest but still have all the advantages of giving structure to instructors’ feedback.

NSC Position Memo Rubric

CONCERNS What needs improvement	CRITERIA What is expected	ADVANCED What is excellent
	Subject and Background paragraphs Briefly explains the significance of the issue in the context of U.S. foreign policy Clearly identifies the central question Does not summarize the case
	Objectives bullet points Lists several objectives of the department the writer represents Objectives are grounded in knowledge of the role of the department Objectives help to shape the analysis of options described in the next section
	Options and Analysis paragraphs Lists all options mentioned in the case Lists other potential options Analysis considers advantages, disadvantages, and trade-offs
	Recommendation and Justification paragraphs Clearly identifies a preferred option or options Supports the choice with appropriate analysis Explains why other options are less preferable Written with the president as the intended audience

NSC Presidential Directive Rubric

CONCERNS What needs improvement	CRITERIA What is expected	ADVANCED What is excellent
	Purpose Provides context for the memo Is succinct
	Decisions Clearly states the decisions made Explains the decisions convincingly Details how to implement them
	Communications strategy Contains an effective strategy for relevant foreign governments Contains an effective strategy for the public

NSC Written Reflection Rubric

CONCERNS What needs improvement	CRITERIA What is expected	ADVANCED What is excellent
	Subject paragraph Is brief Places the issue in the larger context of U.S. foreign policy Clearly states whether the writer agrees or disagrees with the president’s decision
	Options and Analysis paragraph Discusses each option that came up during the role-play in discrete paragraphs Weighs the advantages and disadvantages of each option If options from the position memo are discussed, those options contain additional analysis
	Recommendation and Justification paragraph Makes a clear recommendation based on the writer’s personal position Supports the recommendation effectively
	Reflection paragraph or paragraphs Reflects on and critiques the president’s decision Is written from a personal point of view, not that of the assigned role

Downloadable rubrics are available here: