Campus Spotlight: Political Panel at CalU

From California University of Pennsylvania’s Journal:

2012 Election Outlook:  Race for the White House

Addressing an overflow crowd in Eberly Hall, four political experts predicted that President Barack Obama will win re-election by a razor-thin margin in November.

Political analyst Jon Delano moderates an election analysis forum presented by CalU’s ADP on March 27.

Political analyst Jon Delano served as moderator for the 2012 Election Outlook, which brought a popular panel of political scientists back to Cal U on March 27 for a lively discussion of the race for the White House.

Delano grabbed a legal pad and took notes as he elicited forecasts from panelists Costa Panagopoulos, of Fordham University; Dan Shea, of Allegheny College; William Binning, of Youngstown State University; and Louis Jacobson, a staff writer for Politifact.com.

All have visited Cal U before, and even before the presentation began, University President Angelo Armenti, Jr. invited them to return and dissect the election results.

“We’re coming back in November,” said Delano, the money and politics editor at KDKA-TV. “We’ll talk about whether your predictions turn out to be right or wrong.”

The audience of students, faculty, staff and community members listened intently as Panagopoulos explained a mathematical model that successfully has predicted the result of all but four presidential races since 1948.

Only two variables — the incumbent’s approval rating and the state of the nation’s economy — are needed to forecast the result several months in advance, he said.

“It’s likely to be a close election, decided in the battleground states,” Panagopoulos concluded.

“It’s going to be darned close,” agreed Shea.

Elections are won by persuasion and mobilization, he explained: “You have to convince voters, and then get them to the polls.” But a highly polarized electorate and the rise of “super PACs” with millions to spend on political advertising make the current election less predictable than past races.

The panel agreed that Mitt Romney is likely to be the GOP contender, despite his tepid appeal to conservative voters. “But will disgruntled Republicans hold their nose and vote for Romney, or will they stay home?” Shea asked.

Binning focused his comments on the role of healthcare policy, a polarizing issue for voters. The Supreme Court is scheduled to rule on the Obama administration’s Affordable Health Care Act in June, he noted, “and the decision, either way, will have ramifications for the presidential election.”

“No matter what happens … people will realize that who we elect as president will make a difference in the makeup of the Supreme Court,” he said.

Discussing the role of the Electoral College, Jacobson described this year’s presidential race “not as a national election, but as an election of 50 states and the District of Columbia.”

The outcome will turn on results in about a dozen battleground states, he said, including Ohio and Pennsylvania.

In 2010, Republicans in many of those states gained ground in the governor’s mansion and state legislatures.

“It’s still basically a toss-up, and there’s still a long way to go,” he said.

Noting that none of the current Republican candidates appears willing to step aside, “the GOP convention could be an interesting one to watch.”

The conversation took a lighter turn when Delano asked the panelists, “What does Republican candidate Mitt Romney need if he’s going to win?”

“A heart transplant would take him a long way,” quipped Binning, who suggested that a running mate who seems “less robotic and out of touch” might help Republican voters warm up to the candidate.

In the end, the panelists agreed that both President Obama and his GOP rival must focus on the economy if they hope to win votes.

“And that’s frustrating for all the candidates, because they can’t control it,” Jacobson said.

A lively question-and-answer session touched on topics ranging from energy policy to healthcare, clearly a subject of interest to many audience members.

“America is coming to the realization that the healthcare system is dramatically broken,” Shea said, as heads nodded throughout the room.

The 2012 Election Outlook was presented by the American Democracy Project, a multi-campus initiative focused on higher education’s role in preparing the next generation of informed, engaged citizens. Dr. Melanie Blumberg, a professor in the Department of History and Political Science, advises the ADP and organized the presentation.

Co-sponsors of the event were the Office of the President, the Office of Academic Affairs/Provost, the College of Liberal Arts, the Department of History and Political Science, and Cal Campaign Consultants.

For more information on ADP at CalU, go here.

eCitizenship: FHSU Tiger Talkback

By Jen Verhagen and Shaley White, Student Project Coordinators, American Democracy Project, Fort Hays State University (Kan.)

The FHSU eCitizenship initiative is exploring new ways to get students involved in the conversation about the events that are important to them in the world around them.  In 2012, we’ve taken our Tiger Talkback democracy forum online.  We were inspired by projects like IUPUI’s Democracy Plaza, and when we posted dry erase boards in our student union, FHSU’s students had something to say.

But there’s no need to keep the conversation restricted to the Memorial Union.  Twitter has allowed us to let students participate in the Union, on the quad, from home, anywhere.  From the website to Twitter-friendly apps on smartphones and tablets, the weekly Tiger Talkback questions are prompting FHSU students to take the conversation into the cloud and engage with our virtual students as well as the world beyond. Follow Tiger Talkback at https://twitter.com/TigerTalkback!

With mobile students and a large virtual college population, FHSU is a great university to have a mobile discussion platform.  Traditional and virtual students might be classmates passing each other on the street and never know it.  Virtual students can feel disengaged from the campus community and campus students can feel like they have no voice.  By putting Tiger Talkback on Twitter (@TigerTalkback), we bring everyone into the conversation.

We have produced two short videos for Tiger Talkback online: one to promote it by Learning Commons Director Cynthia Garrety, and another instructional sign-up and use video by Dr. Chapman Rackaway.  As students become more accustomed to using Twitter participation has been expanding.  Students live-tweeted recent Student Government Association President and Vice-President debates, and the number of FHSU students with their own Twitter feeds grows every day.

For additional information:

• FHSU ADP Blog
• FHSU ADP Website
• FHSU ADP Facebook

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Jen Verhagen is a senior from Holland, MI. She is majoring in Political Science with International Relations and Pre-Law and also received a certificate in Leadership. Jen will graduate in May 2012 and plans to continue her  education at FHSU by getting a Masters in Liberal Studies in Organization Leadership. She is a Student Coordinator for the American Democracy Project. Jen works at organizing programs to engage students in the participation of democracy and allow students to have a better understanding of the current issues facing the world today.

Shaley White serves as a Student Project Coordinator for the American Democracy Project at Fort Hays State University. She creatively develops and assists in developing programs to engage the Fort Hays community in active participation and awareness of our Democracy as well as current issues. Shaley attends Fort Hays State University through the Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science and intends on staying at FHSU to attain a Nursing Degree. She is from Leoti, Kansas.

ADP in the News | April 3, 2012 Edition

I will be sharing brief updates about American Democracy Project activities at ADP colleges and universities in a monthly news roundup. If you have an ADP event you’d like posted in this format, please email me at adp@aascu.org.

- Jen Domagal-Goldman, National Manager, American Democracy Project

 

‘The People Speak: Voices of Occupy Wall Street’ at UCM

A student written and produced performance, The People Speak: Voices of Occupy Wall Street includes poetry, prose, song, and movement. This ADP grant-funded production will be held April 2 and 3^rd in the University of Central Missouri’s Black Box Theater. Admission is free. Read more here.

Find out more about ADP at UCM here.

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UCO’s Leadership Book Club for Student

The University of Central Oklahoma’s ADP co-sponsors a leadership book club – Read & Lead—for students. Student participants receive a free copy of the selected book – the current book is Outcasts United by Warren St. John. A discussion of the book will take place on Wednesday, April 11^th at noon.

Learn more about ADP at UCO here.

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IUSB ADP sponsors spring event series “Women, Politics and Power”

Indiana University South Bend is hosting a series of events this spring in response to our current focus on the roles of women in politics and society, given the focus of lawmakers and politicians on health care matters related to gender. Events include “Preparing the Next Generation: Women as Role Models” – a lunch featuring Christian Wolbrecht, an IUSB political science professor; and “Back to the Future: Women in American Politics, 1776-2012 and Beyond” a lecture by campus ADP director and political scientist, Elizabeth Bennion. All events are free and open to the public. Read more about IUSB’s Women, Politics and Power series here.

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Fort Hays State University’s ADP Events

With campus Student Government Association elections on the horizon, Fort Hays State University’s American Democracy Project is doing its part to inform students on the candidates for president and vice president with a candidate debate.

In February, FHSU’s ADP conducted a mock presidential election; President Barack Obama was re-elected to a second term, earning 40 percent of the student vote. Learn more about the mock election here.

Learn more about ADP at FHSU here.

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ISU’s ADP co-sponsors anti-bullying film screening

Illinois State University’s ADP and other co-sponsors will host a free on-campus film screening of an anti-bullying movie: Not in Our Town: Class Actions, April 10-11. A moderated discussion will follow the 30 minute movie. Learn more here.

Like ISU’s ADP on Facebook here.

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Georgia College announces search for Director of Center for Engaged Learning

The new Center will provide oversight and coordination of ADP among other efforts. Learn more about the position here.

Learn more about ADP at Georgia College here.

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CalU’s ADP Presents 2012 Election Outlook

California University of Pennsylvania’s ADP sponsored a moderated panel discussion, 2012 Election Outlook: The Race for the White House. Read more here and here.

Learn more about ADP at CalU here.

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Kennesaw State’s ADP co-sponsored “Youth as Global Changemakers” Event

Kennesaw State University’s ADP co-sponsored global recording artist and activist Emmanuel Jal’s “Youth as Global Changemakers” in March. Jal, a former child soldier in Sudan, has released three studio albums, including his international hit “War Child.” His latest single “We Want Peace” will be featured on an upcoming album. His music played a role in the award winning documentary “God Grew Tired of Us” and the Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur. Jal’s memoir “War Child” and the full-length documentary of the same name have received critical acclaim.

ADP in the News | February 16, 2012 Edition

I will be sharing brief updates about American Democracy Project activities at ADP colleges and universities in a semi-weekly news roundup. If you have an ADP event you’d like posted in this format, please email me at adp@aascu.org.

- Jen Domagal-Goldman, National Manager, American Democracy Project

Georgia College hosts symposium on Global Citizenship

ADP Campus Coordinator Gregg Kaufman helped organize Georgia College & State University’s annual Global Citizenship Symposium on February 6-8, 2012. Entitled “Personal and Global Health: My Role, Our Challenges,” the symposium focused on the United Nations’ Millennium Development goals. Read more here.

Read more about Georgia College’s ADP here.­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

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ADP Faculty at Illinois State Secure $50k Grant
Steve Hunt and Lance Lippert, faculty members at Illinois State University in the School of Communication have been awarded a $50,000 grant from the McCormick Foundation. Hunt is the co-chair of ISU’s ADP. Lippert directs the Civic Engagement Minor. The grant “will allow the ADP to significantly expand [ISU’s] efforts to embed civic engagement into the curriculum at Illinois State,” according to Hunt.  Read more here.

Learn more about ADP at ISU here.

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UW Oshkosh hosts Senator Ron Johnson

UW Oshkosh will host Senator Johnson as part of its American Democracy Project lecture series, on February 22, 2012 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Reeve Memorial Union Ballroom. Senator Johnson was originally scheduled to speak on campus as part of fall Constitution Day celebrations, but needed to reschedule his appearance due to Congressional deliberations. ADP campus co-chairs Carleen Vande Zande, the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Curricular Affairs and Student Academic Achievement, and David Siemers, Professor and Political Science Chair are excited about the event. Read more here.

Learn more about UW Oshkosh’s ADP here.

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SUNY Fredonia holds Stewardship of Public Lands summer course inYellowstone

Professors William Brown of the biology department and Christina Jarvis of the English department will be offering a new, interdisciplinary, six-credit course at Yellowstone National Park this summer, July 17 through 27. Read more here.

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MTSU hosts Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor

Middle Tennesee State University hosted U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor as part of its annual Windham Lecture Series. The Feb. 8 lecture was sponsored, in part, by the American Democracy Project. Read more here.

Learn more about MTSU’s ADP here.

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NSU Volunteers for MLK Day

The American Democracy Project at Northeastern State University (Olka.) co-sponsored a MLK Day of Service event in local K-12 schools. ADP chair and instructor of educational foundations and leadership, Barbara Fuller, helped coordinate the effort. Read more here.

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RIC Students Tweet during NH Primary Season

Students in Valerie Endress’ political campaign course at Rhode Island College traveled through New Hampshire in early January during the New Hampshire Primary. As part  of the course, students tweeted observations and political commentary from the political events and rallies they attended. RIC’s local NBC affiliate, NBC 10, partnered with RIC for campaign coverage during the NH Primary. The trip was sponsored by RIC’s American Democracy Project. Read more here.

Learn more about RIC’s ADP here.

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FHSU Discusses Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Fort Hays State University (Kan.) screened the new documentary “A Little Town of Bethlehem” in January. The screening, as well as the accompanying panel and discussion, was sponsored by the American Democracy Project. Read more here.

Learn more about ADP at FHSU here.

Obama Gets Second Term in WIU Student Mock Presidential Election November 9, 2011

Earlier this month, Western Illinois University staged what’s thought to be the largest student-run mock election even in the nation. WIU’s Mock Presidential Election (MPE), “The Road to the White House Starts at Western Illinois University” was an ADP-sponsored event designed to actively engage students in the political process. You can read the press release from WIU’s University Relations below.

- Jen Domagal-Goldman, ADP National Manager

 

The Road to the White House Starts at Western Illinois University

WIU Mock Presidential Election

MACOMB, IL — It’s official. The next president of the United States will be the incumbent, Barack Obama, according to students participating in Western Illinois University’s Mock Presidential Election (MPE). And in a surprise move for vice president, students voted Joe Biden out and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in.

The fifth and final night of the Mock Presidential Election, known as “The Road to the White House Starts at Western Illinois University,” found early voting bouncing between candidates they nominated from three parties: Democrats for Obama/Clinton, GOP’s ticket Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan and Green Party’s Jill Stein/Kent Mesplay.

Stein, who made it a three-candidate race in the national electorate, kicked-off her actual presidential campaign as a Green Party candidate at the Nov. 7 simulation, addressed the students gathered in Western Hall saying the spirit of democracy was alive and well at Western Illinois University. She challenged students to think of this campaign as a chance to speak up and to vote on their own behalf.

WIU student campaign managers and other leaders in the Democrat and GOP ranks, spoke on behalf of their presidential nominees.

When it came down to states voting, several states deadlocked, and without a declared winner, their electoral votes could not be allowed, said Rick Hardy, MPE executive co-director.

ACCOLADES

“We would like to thank all of the participants, students, faculty, staff, volunteers and candidates and their spokespersons, for taking part in the 2011 Mock Presidential Election. The collaborative partnerships are what makes an event of this magnitude such a success,” said WIU President Jack Thomas. “Coordinators Rick Hardy and John Hemingway and our students are to be commended for their initiative and hard work in planning, coordinating and organizing this largest student-run mock election event in the nation.”

Hardy added his appreciation for the students who made this event a success.

“I would particularly like to commend the work of the students who were exemplary leaders, especially D’Angelo Taylor (senior, political science major), Cesar Salas (senior, political science, Hoffman Estates, IL), Tucker Copi (senior, political science, Springfield, IL), Jenna Verity (senior, political science, Schaumburg, IL), Caleb Markey (sophomore, finance major, Macomb, IL), Megan Tatro (senior, law enforcement and justice administration major, Rock Island, IL), James Brenner (junior, political science/American government major, Machesney Park, IL) and Wayne Pierce (Chicago),” Hardy noted.

Hardy also echoed President Thomas’ thanks:

“‘The Road to the White House Starts at Western Illinois University’” involved a tremendous University-wide and community effort that deserves great thanks. We cannot thank everyone enough for assisting in this outstanding exercise that is part of the American Democracy Project (ADP)….To all, we say thank you.”

The American Democracy Project is an initiative of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) that began in 2003, in partnership with The New York Times, focused on higher education’s role in preparing the next generation of informed, engaged citizens for the our democracy, Hardy added.

WIU Mock Presidential Election

STUDENTS IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Hardy was quick to acknowledge the many students who worked the mock election, many of whom assisted in ways related directly to their academic fields.

“Broadcasting students reported each night’s event live on wiutv3, journalism students wrote editorials and news copy (http://control–shift.blogspot.com), the ROTC Color Guard started each session with the presentation of the colors, School of Music singers and the Marching Band participated and many more behind-the-scene students, including recreation, park and tourism administration students who helped with event management, along with academic and honorary organizations, help made this year’s Mock Presidential Election an overwhelming success,” said Hardy. “I know there will be a lot more Western Illinois University students following the 2012 Presidential Election, all the way from state primaries and caucuses to election night coverage; and I believe there will be a lot more WIU students voting in this election.””

ADVICE FROM THE FIELD

Congressman Aaron Schock (Peoria), who, at 30, is the youngest member of the United States Congress, spoke to the students about his journey in politics, beginning as a successful write-in candidate for school board at 19-years old. He was the youngest member elected as an Illinois State Representative in 2004, and the first member of the U.S. Congress to be born in the 1980s.

Shock told the students that serving on the school board, or in the state general assembly, or in Congress, “is a lot like high school. If you show up, do your homework, ask intelligent questions, put forward thoughtful ideas and effort, you will be successful.”

POLITICIANS SUPPORTED MPE

Throughout the five-day Mock Presidential Election, several noted politicians and spokespersons of politicians took the time to come to Macomb to speak to the students simulating America’s election process.

In addition to Schock and Stein, speakers included Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford, State Rep. Norine Hammond, State Rep. Mike Boland and presidential candidate Randall Terry. Other representatives included Debra Detmers Fansler, district director for U.S. Rep. John Shimkus; Farheen Hakeem, National Green Party co-chair; and Collin Hitt, senior director of government affairs at the Illinois Policy Institute in Springfield.

For more information about WIU’s Mock Presidential Election, follow this link.

ADP Campuses Celebrate Constitution Day 2011

By Jen Domagal-Goldman, National Manager, American Democracy Project

This year Constitution Day – September 17 – falls on a Saturday, so ADP campuses will be celebrating Constitution Day today, Friday, September 16 and throughout the weekend and into next week (others have been celebrating all this week).

Constitution Day, formally known as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, commemorates the signing of the U.S. Constitution on September 17, 1787 and celebrates natural and naturalized American citizens.

Cal U's Kids Talk Democracy

In honor of Constitution Day, ADP colleges and universities have planned a plethora of educational events and activities. 28 campuses responded to our recent online query about planned Constitution Day programming; these responses are summarized below. I hope this post provides your campus with ideas for future Constitution Day programming!

For additional information about Constitution Day, please visit the ADP Website.

Let us know what your campus did to celebrate Constitution Day by commenting on this blog post or by emailing a short summary to adp@aascu.org.

California University of Pennsylvania

Cal U is hosting sixth-grade students from Ben Franklin Elementary School, in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, for “Kids Talk Democracy II.” The video–a takeoff of Cecilia Orphan’s project–was so successful that the ADP decided to bring youngsters to campus. The students are being selected on the basis of class essays. Cal U is encouraging the entire university community to attend, but is especially interested in having Elementary Education majors hear and see the students. For more information, go here.

Clayton State University

Clayton State has a number of Constitution Day Observance Events planned, including a keynote address on “Slavery and the Constitution,” by the president of the Georgia Humanities Council; a Constitutional Debate staged by the Clayton State debate team on whether naturalized citizens should be allowed to be President of the U.S. and whether national officeholders should meet ethical qualifications; a New York Times Talk, “This Should Hurt Only a Little: The 8th Amendment and the Search for a Perfect Poison”; a service learning series discussion on public health; a community service project; a voter registration drive; and citizenship tests. For more information, go here.

Eastern Kentucky University

Eastern Kentucky will sponsor three events: a guest speaker, a Constitutional trivia contest, and a panel discussion of possible constitutional revisions. EKU wants to promote increased knowledge/awareness of constitutional provisions and controversies and increased campus engagement.

Emporia State University

Emporia State University will host a creative program on September 14th in Bruder Theater on the ESU campus. The improvisational comedy group called Zioks is wildly popular on our campus and the idea is to have Zioks go through comedy skits followed by comments from a panel of professors. ESU’s goals for Constitution Day are to raise awareness and promote deeper thought related to the U.S. Constitution. This year the American Democracy Project is collaborating with the Associated Student Government, Community Hornets, and Zoiks to provide Constitution Day programming. For more information on Zoiks, go here.

Ferris State University

Former U.S. Representative Pete Hoestra (Holland, Michigan) will conduct a public presentation concerning “9/11 Ten Years After” for the campus and the community. Ferris State hopes to engage students and the Big Rapids, MI community in reflection upon the aftermath of 9/11 and its impacts upon American democracy and the U.S. Constitution a decade later. The American Democracy Project and its Political Engagement Project are sponsoring this event.

Florida Gulf Coast University

We will be partnering with the community to offer our version of an Eat Free or Live Free event where students and community members give up their 1st Amendment rights in return for a free meal. Actors from the community will interact with attendees by having them experience life without these rights. The dinner will be followed by a sneak-peek of Ken Burns’ newest documentary: Prohibition and a panel discussion. FGCU hopes to foster knowledge of 1^st Amendment rights and a discussion of the government’s role in our lives (past, present, and future). Student government, the Office of Service-Learning and Civic Engagement and WGCU are sponsoring these events. WGCU received a national grant from the National Center for Media Engagement to preview the Burns documentary.

Georgia College

A keynote address, Religion and the U.S. Constitution will be delivered by a law school dean. Several student organizations are developing a video-journalism project with a discussion. Georgia College wants students to understand how the U.S. Constitution’s separation of church and state and disestablishment clauses do not preclude the ongoing need to clarify the role of religion in American society. For more information, click here.

Illinois State University

We will have a guest speaker (Roger Newman from Columbia University). More information is available here.  ISU is combining Constitution Day with their Civic Engagement Celebration where they present their Civic Engagement Award. ISU hopes to get students and faculty thinking about the importance of the U.S. Constitution.

Lander University

Placards will be placed around campus with civic engagement questions; posters will be provided for students to answers these questions. Students will also be asked to enter their responses to the question “What is an American” in the Lander student center’s lobby. Lander University hopes to foster increased discussion and debate about American constitutional principles and an awareness of politics and how it matters. These events will also serve as a kick-off for a campus “Civility Initiative” that will feature speakers and events throughout the 2011-12 academic year.

Metropolitan State University

MSU’s 7^th annual Constitution Day will include: a panel of “Constitutional Myth Busters: Fact, Fiction or Somewhere in between? With constitutional law professors, political scientists, and former state supreme court justices; a get your Constitution fun facts booklet and crossword puzzle – completed/correct puzzles will be drawn for prizes; a viewing of the video “Justice Matters” at the library twice a day for a week; a library display of Constitutional books, references, and resources; activities at the public library for k-12 students and their families. MSU’s goals include: increasing awareness of history of and living relevance of the U.S. constitution; having fun with history and growing knowledge in a community-based setting; including many partners in Constitution day events; highlighting the diversity and inclusiveness of our understanding and utilization of the U.S. Constitution in a metropolitan area; and building capacity across the university community for participating in the processes and procedures of a democratic society. Partners include: The Center for Community Based Learning (soon to be renamed the Institute for Civic Engagement and Scholarship), Metropolitan State University Library and Learning Center, Student Life and Leadership Development Office, Student Senate, GEMS, Leadership and Mentoring Program, The Metropolitan, student newspaper, University Activities Board, Diversity Learning Task Force, Fall Fest committee, and the Development Office’s 40th Anniversary event.

Middle Tennessee State University

MTSU’s Centennial Constitution Week’s theme is Constitutional Responsibility and Civil Society. MTSU has a number of programs planned including an exhibit on John Adams, a student art show with posters of Constitutional ideals, a panel discussion on John Adams: A Lasting Legacy, and a lecture on “Civility, the Constitution, and the Courts.” Students will be able to register to vote, to screen-print t-shirts with Constitution-inspired designs, and to print their own copies of the First Amendment on the University’s replica 18^th century printing press. For more information, go here.

Millersville University

MTSU hopes to inspire increased student participation in, ownership of, and direct personal involvement with Constitution Day. They have planned a number of activities, starting with a commemoration of the 10^th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, and including a voter registration drive, a Constitution Lecture, a symposium on understanding the immigrant experience; a Congress to Campus program, and an international policy conference on securing the future.

Missouri State University

Constitution Day will be part of a week-long group of activities within MSU’s Public Affairs Week. Specifically for Constitution Day we will have various students and administrators reading the Preamble and Bill of Rights of the Constitution in our food court of the student union. For more information, go here. Pocket Constitutions will also be distributed at this event. Also on this website there is a link to a Constitution Day “game” provided to us by a local banking institution. MSU wants students to be aware of the many faces that make up their community and of how the Constitution applies to everyone.

Northwestern State University

NSU will host a Constitution Day Panel Discussion with three professors and audience participation. An art class also produced posters with various themes related to the Constitution which will be displayed around campus. NSU hopes to foster campus and public engagement via discussion of vital Constitutional issues of the day and to via the impact of visual art (posters) with brief introduction by the art professor.

Stephen F. Austin State University

As part of Constitution Day celebrations, the American Democracy Project at Stephen F. Austin State University will host “The U.S. Constitution in a Post-9/11 World” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15. Dr. Steve Galatas, ADP campus coordinator will serve as the moderator of a panel of SFA faculty members, from political science, criminal justice, and public administration. For more information, go here.

SUNY Brockport

SUNY Brockport will host an on-campus naturalization ceremony. Brockport will also distribute the citizenship test to students and use campus media to promote the event in order to emphasize the importance of the Constitution.

Towson University

Towson University will be celebrating the observed Constitution Week (September 16- 22) with a programmed event every day (except for the weekend). On Constitution Day (9/16/11), we will be tabling around campus, providing students with free pocket-sized Constitutions, encouraging them to fill out voter registration forms and spreading awareness on what is happening during Constitution Week. We will be engaging students in conversation and providing relevant prizes to those who answer our questions about the Constitution correctly. On September 19th, we are co-sponsoring the Federal Depository Library celebration in order to honor Towson’s library as a new depository for United States publications. On September 20th, we are co-sponsoring an event about Human Trafficking. There will be guest speakers present and focused on discussing human trafficking issues in the Baltimore area. On September 21st, we will be hosting a Talk Israel event with Hillel, celebrating the freedom of assembly, creating a welcoming venue that addresses the challenges ahead, stressing civil dialogue and inquiry. On September 22nd, there will be a book talk: Immigration and Women: Understanding the American Experience. Also, on the 22nd we will be hosting a New York Times Talk Lunch that focuses on freedom of religion in our country. Towson is focused primarily on empowering student to realize and utilize their individual rights and freedoms as citizens.

University of Arkansas – Fort Smith

The University of Arkansas – Forth Smith will host Constitution Week, September 12-16. Programming includes a talk by Eddie Armstrong about “Remembering 9/11,” and an open forum with panelists from legal firms, law enforcement, human resources, and marketing.  Additional events include quiz bowls pitting students against university personnel, a voter registration drive, and opinion tables. For more information, go here.

University of Central Missouri

UCM will host a week of Constitution Day events, including a panel on International Student Perspectives on the U.S. Constitution, a discussion between the College Democrats and College Republicans on their views on amending the Constitution, a talk on predicting the 2012 Presidential Election outcomes, and a book talk on A More Perfect Constitution by Larry Sabato. There will also be a Constitution Trivia challenge and a Times Talk. UCM’s focus this year is on amendments. UCM wants students to understand that the Constitution changes through formal and informal ways and that they as citizens can have an active role in defining it. UCM also wants students to become more comfortable with civil discourse, and thus it has created several activities which will juxtapose different viewpoints of the Constitution, how it should be interpreted, and if and how it should be amended.

University of Central Oklahoma

The University of Central Oklahoma will participate in the Oklahoma Campus Compact voter registration contest September 12-16. In addition, we will send teams to the National Conference on Citizenship and the Campus Compact Heartland Conference with plans to coordinate a live feed from NCoC with small group discussions on campus. Last year we hosted a special naturalization ceremony on campus. We will do this again in 2012. This year we will focus on strengthening citizenship with the voter registration drive and the National Conference on Citizenship.

University of Maryland Baltimore County

UMBC will host a talk on civil rights and equality in multiracial America by Dr. Jane Junn of the University of Southern California. UMBC hopes to foster community engagement and an awareness of the ongoing relevance of constitutional issues.

University of Minnesota Duluth

UMD will host a week-long series of events including a film and discussion concerning the fine line between political speech/actions and those designed to incite violence, and a panel with local civic leaders. UMD will hand out pocket Constitutions and there will be quizzes on American Government and History for prizes, a library display, and a “What is Democracy?” wall. UMD wants to raise awareness about the Constitution and what it actually says as well as its influences on our everyday lives.

University of Nebraska at Omaha

UNO is planning three events the week of September 12-16. On September 12, a panel presentation by university political science and public administration faculty members will address the topic: “The Debt Ceiling and the Constitution”. On Tuesday September 13, Linda Duckworth of the Omaha chapter of the League of Women Voters will be portraying Susan B. Anthony and giving a presentation in the student center on her efforts to secure voting rights for women. On the September 16, Dr. Lucas Morel of Washington and Lee University will be giving a public lecture entitled: “Lincoln and the Constitution: A Unionist for the Sake of Liberty.” UNO hopes to increase students’ knowledge of the history and meaning of the U.S. Constitution and bring the campus and greater Omaha community together for dialogue about the Constitution and its historical and contemporary relevance.

University of Northern Iowa

Coleen Rowley, former FBI agent, and one of the 2002 Time Persons of the Year, is giving an evening presentation on how to maintain our civil liberties and fight terrorism, and is presenting at a half-day workshop for middle school students on the Constitution (on our campus), and is doing a session on ethics. Students in a leadership class have as their class project the task of designing a Constitution Day activity for 2012. UNI’s hope is to educate people, including students, about the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.

University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh will celebrate Constitution Day with a variety of activities and events including a Constitution Day dunk tank, the distribution of cupcakes and pocket Constitutions, reading aloud of the Constitution, and a lecture by U.S. Senator Ron Johnson. For more information, go here. Oshkosh wants to increase awareness of Constitutional issues and to increase knowledge of components of U.S. Constitution.

West Texas A&M University

West Texas A&M University will host Constitution Day at the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum attached to the university. 500+ school children will participate in activities involving a proposed constitutional amendment.

Western Carolina University

Western Carolina University has several events planned, including a Constitutional essay contest with the topic “Is/Should there be a constitutional right to a minimum level of subsistence?” and a public forum about the Constitution and poverty issues. Students will be dressing up in colonial attire and walking around campus passing out pocket Constitutions and asking trivia questions. For more information, go here. WCU wants to raise awareness about the importance of the Constitution, its foundations, and allow for critical thinking about how the Constitution applies to contemporary issues.

Western Illinois University

Western Illinois University will host a panel on the 4^th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. WIU wants to help students learn about the context of the 4^th Amendment and its current applications.

Western Kentucky University

WKU’s Constitution Week this year was themed “The Tenth Anniversary of 9/11: Lessons Learned.” Events included a lecture on “Lessons Not Learned from 9/11: An Economic, Numerate, Constitutional Perspective.” Other programming included a film about Muslim youth dealing with prejudice, diversity, and other 9/11 related issues, a student engagement fair with campus and community organizations, and a discussion about the “Perceptions and Realities of WKU Middle Eastern Students Post 9/11.” For a Constitution Week Wrap-up, go here. WKU’s Institute for Citizenship and Social Responsibility also hosted an American and Saudi Arabian exchange, where women from both cultures came together Monday night to discuss topics such as what it’s like to be a Muslim woman, women’s rights, marriage, and cultural stereotypes. For more about the exchange, go here.

William Paterson University

William Paterson University is hosting their seventh annual public address on a current topic of controversy with Constitutional dimensions. This year: USA Inc(arcerated): Crime, Punishment & the Constitution with a speaker from the Center for Constitutional Rights and two expert faculty members from our campus. WPU seeks to raise the level of awareness of the crime and punishment provisions of the U.S. Constitution and connect them to the problem presented by the problem of mass incarceration in the U.S., i.e. the U.S. has the highest incarcerations rates of any capitalist democracy in the world. We are also commencing the event with a moment of silence to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the tragic events of September 11, 2001.

Winona State University

Winona State is hosting Harry Boyte on Monday, September 19 for an address on the “We the People” initiative on college campuses and in local communities and active citizenship and engagement for pubic learning and scholarship. In addition Winona State will distribute pocket constitutions and a replica of the U.S. Constitution will be on display in the Library Rotunda. We have also extended Constitution day events to contribute and co-sponsor a presentation on Monday, September 25, 2011 by Dr. Dan Byman of Georgetown University on the Arab Spring. Winona State wants as many university and community members to attend, with the hopes of encouraging more interest and involvement in the We the People and ADP events, especially in the development of civic agency in the university and surrounding communities.

Let us know what your campus did to celebrate Constitution Day by commenting on this blog post or by emailing a short summary to adp@aascu.org.

Equality Day and the Anniversary of the 19th Amendment: Ideas for Celebrating

By Darlene Hantzis, Professor, Communications and Women’s Studies, Indiana State University.

August 26^th offers a good opportunity for American Democracy Project programming. Women’s Equality Day 2010 marks the 90^th anniversary of the passage of the 19^th Amendment.  The struggle for suffrage and the continuing work to achieve gender equity provide rich material for compelling curricular and co-curricular programming not only August 26, but perhaps as a touchstone all the way to the November elections.

Students today often think gender equality was achieved sometime before they were born.  They fail to recognize the persistent practice of discriminations that result in “gender gaps” across society and social life.  Celebrating the 90 years that women have been allowed to vote in this nation creates a time and place to teach about the  struggle for democracy that very much impacts their daily lives.  Equality Day should include a focus on the status of women, but it also encourages us to examine contemporary struggles for equity in this democracy.  Equality Day offers an opportunity each year to promote articulate, intelligence deliberation about our democracy in practice.  Perhaps we can share ideas about incorporating the 90^th anniversary into our programming this year.  Here’s a list of ideas to prompt thinking:

1. Create a timeline assignment that traces at least the 144 years of struggle for women’s suffrage (and will include important political and social changes from 1776-1920); include this assignment in an art or media class and challenge students to produce a visible or multi-media timeline; challenge students to trace key points for equity struggles from 1920-2010 also.
2. Conduct a mock legislative session that rehearses the deliberation in that ended with the exclusion of women from the founding documents; conduct several mock legislative sessions—perhaps one deliberating the 14^th amendment alongside the current calls for its revision.
3. Conduct a public discussion series about the findings of The Shriver Report:  A Women’s Nation Changes Everything; include attention to the significant changes documented in the text—women are now the majority of workers, dramatic increases in the number of women who are breadwinners and/or co-breadwinners, continuing exclusion of women in all sectors.  Assign the text in courses (The report is available online:  http://www.awomansnation.com/index.php)
4. Host a reception honoring women leaders on campus and in your community; Identify 90 women from your community to learn about and recognize on your web site or campus calendar daily before election day;
5. Conduct a public conversation or a series of conversations focused on topics including:  current challenges to the 14^th amendment and the contentiousness of the amendment when it was ratified, denying women suffrage; Voter turnout; “Real” equality of women–begin with your university and the nationally documented gender gaps among faculty—hiring, salary, tenure, full promotion; disconnect between rights and means–the right to vote alone didn’t and doesn’t secure access to multiple populations in the past and today.
6. Partner with your local League of Women Voters for a community event or with a local historical society to sponsor a pageant in conjunction with another event.
7. Ask your librarians to do their magic and create a library exhibit.
8. Stage a reading of the Declaration of Sentiments (1848), the 1878 amendment, and the 19^th amendment (include transcript from your state’s vote).
9. Create an oral history assignment that encourages students to interview women family and friends who can tell stories across generations.
10. Schedule a public viewing and discussion of Iron Jawed Angels.
11. Make use of abundant visual, audio, and research resources available online–HerStory Scrapbook, an AHA project with The New York Times makes available articles from the last 4 years of the fight for suffrage; House resolution 1375 recognizes the 90^th anniversary; the Smithsonian Folkways has suffrage era music and creativefolk.com has a free download of a version of “Oh, Dear, What Can the Matter Be.“