Constitution Day 2012: Celebrating 225 years!

Constitution Day 2012: 225^th Anniversary Celebration & Education Plans

Today, September 17, 2012 is Constitution Day and marks the 225th Anniversary of the U.S. Constitution. Constitution Day commemorates the formation and signing of the U.S. Constitution by the 39 Founding Fathers on Sept. 17, 1787.

The following ADP campuses responded to a recent survey about their plans to commemorate Constitution Day.

You’ll find more information about Constitution Day here: http://www.aascu.org/programs/adp/constitutionday/

Responding ADP Colleges & Universities:

Here’s how ADP campuses are commemorating the 225^th Anniversary of the U.S. Constitution.

California University of Pennsylvania | http://dev.calu.edu/academics/american-democracy-project/index.htm
Cal U has scheduled several panel sessions. The headline event features the nine students who attended the national political conventions. Panels: 1. Diversity in Politics:  Race, Gender, and Religion; 2. Private Sector v. Public Sector:  Jobs, Jobs, Jobs; 3. You Can’t Lead if You Don’t Vote; 4. Incivility in Politics:  Meaner than Joe Greene; 5. Health Care:  It’s Serious Business; 6. Conventional Wisdom:  Two Candidates, Nine Students. Constitution Day is the kick-off of a campus-wide voter education and registration drive. It is particularly important this year, as the new state law prohibits online voter registration and requires state-issued voter IDs.

Clayton State University | http://www.clayton.edu/arts-sciences/constitutionday
Voter registration, New York Times talk on voter id laws, discussion on living constitutionalism and a constitutional debate. We are having a debate on the need for another constitutional convention after 225 years.

East Stroudsburg University
We are hosting a forum on the constitution’s protection of voting rights. We chose this issue because voting rights are a hot topic in Pennsylvania right now due to the passage of a recent Voter ID bill. We will also provide information on voting and voter registration.

Ferris State University
We will conduct an educational forum on the Electoral College.  Additionally, our large contingency of international students will be required to attend the forum.

Florida Gulf Coast University
We will be having a Constitution Day Celebration on September 17th. We will have a professor speak on the importance of the Constitution and its effects on politics today as well as free mini constitutions, food and materials/information on parties and candidates for the upcoming election.

Illinois State University | http://americandemocracy.illinoisstate.edu/
We’ll have Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Alan Page on campus. He’ll meet with various student groups through the day and then deliver a presentation for campus on constitutional protections for civic engagement. We will unveil our new interactive civil debate wall. It’s technology based on the software used at the University of Florida; however, we are installing several kiosks around campus.

Indiana University East
Week-long events. Monday: cake and balloons and movie: National Treasure and Democracy board”Is the Constitution outdated? Tuesday: Indiana Supreme Court Justice presentation- voter registration. Wednesday: Lunch with local representatives. Thursday: Political Science Club registration

IUPUI
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) has “lots” planned for Constitution Day! Including: a “find the word” Constitution game with 7-10 words that do not appear in the constitution but seem like they “should” be in the constitution; a Constitution Jeopardy game day; a “Pass the Mic” on issues related to free speech and violence against religions; and a guest speaker from FIRE coming to talk about students’ rights related to free speech.

Indiana University South Bend
Constitution Day celebration from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 17 in front of the fountain on the campus mall. There will be free constitutions, trivia, food and games. Read more here.

Jacksonville State University
Two speakers on the meaning of the Constitution.  Each has a different perspective.  One is a Federalist Society lawyer and one is a “living Constitution” constitutional law professor. We are headlining it as the 225th Celebration.  Our freshman students will be required to write a reflection paper.  This will be a campus and community event.

Middle Tennessee State University
MTSU will hold a naturalization ceremony for 300 new Americans. There will be a keynote address by the  Chief Justice
of the Tennessee Supreme Court, The Honorable Gary R. Wade as well as campus-wide readings of the Constitution and the opportunity to print a copy of the 19th amendment on a Franklin-era printing press. For more information: MTSU Constitution Day Poster 2012

Missouri State University | http://publicaffairs.missouristate.edu/141935.htm   and http://publicaffairs.missouristate.edu/118513.htm
For the full week of September 17, we will be leading a voter registration drive.  For Constitution Day itself, we will be hosting an event from 11 am – 12:30 pm call “Constitution Day: Giving Voice”.  For this event, Giving Voice to Constitution Day is an event designed to educate and empower the campus community as to their rights and freedoms provided to them by the United States Constitution. Giving Voice musical troupe will put on a special performance and all attendees will be given a pocket Constitution. Everyone on campus is invited to attend. Refreshments will be served.  Distribution of the pocket constitutions to bring awareness to the day.

Norfolk State University
http://www.nsu.edu/constitutionday/

Northeastern Illinois University
We will be celebrating on September 17th with a information tables, a speech by “Ben Franklin”, and the kick off of our campus voter registration drive.

Northwestern State University
Unfortunately a guest speaker had to cancel. Instead, two social scientists and a law/business professor will comprise a panel discussion on recent Supreme Court decisions from a Constitutional perspective.

Salisbury University
On October 15th The Institute for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement will be hosting a Gay Marriage Forum in celebration of Constitution Day.  There will be two  prominent speakers for both sides of the argument and their discussion will be based and put through the lenses of the Constitution. The Forum will be a large event, with invitations going out to the Salisbury Community as well as the campus community.

Sam Houston State University
Sarah Weddington, winning attorney in the landmark Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade will deliver the keynote address “The Biggest U.S. Supreme Court Constitutional Controversies in 40 Years: What Arguing Roe v. Wade Can Teach Us About the Current Healthcare Debate” at 4 p.m. on Monday.  Read more here.

Brockport Naturalization Ceremony, Sept. 17, 2012

SUNY College at Brockport
We plan to host our annual naturalization ceremony.  We expect that between 65 and 70 new citizens will be sworn in. We  are advised by USCIS that there may be a VIP visit to this year’s ceremony because it is the 225th anniversary.  We won’t know until just a few days before the ceremony. We are working with Student Government to quiz students on knowledge of US civics and history, using questions from the test that candidates for naturalization must take. Read more here.

SUNY Cortland
Lecture by Professor Judith Best, expert on the electoral college.

University of Central Missouri | http://libguides.uco.edu/constitution
We have a series of events throughout the week. This year’s theme is “It’s your Voice (Vote, Constitution, Rights, Country, Responsibility), Use It.”  We hope students (and all campus community members) will gain a better understanding of their rights and responsibilities and how an involved citizenry is integral. Read more here. See UCMO’s flier: COMMEMORATING THE CONSTITUTION 2012.

University of Central Oklahoma | www.uco.edu/adp
We will host a special naturalization ceremony on campus, participate in the Oklahoma Campus Compact voter registration contest, and host a special Coffee with the Times discussion with President Don Betz.The campus community can join the National Conference on Citizenship conversation and the special naturalization ceremony online through the UCO site. This speaks to the significance of technology, social media and UCO’s Information Technology and Technology Resource Center.

UMBC
Plans are still coming together. In the past we’ve used online forums to spark conversations, passed out copies of the Constitution and featured speakers.

University of Northern Iowa
1. Panel, including Iowa Secretary of State, on Voter ID:  Voter Fraud or Voter Suppression (Free and open to public.) 2.  Speaker on Eyewitness Identification:  The Brain Lies, Not the Witness. 3.  Workshop for middle school students. 4. Pocket constitutions to be distributed.

University of Wisconsin Oshkosh | www.uwosh.edu/adp
We have engaged a speaker from Chicago Kent School of Law, Dr. Christopher Schmidt, to discuss the tension between the 9th and the 10th Amendments in a talk entitled “Broccoli, Liberty, and the Constitutional Battle over Health Care.”  In addition we will be passing out several hundred pocket Constitutions along with cupcakes during lunchtime in the concourse of our campus union. Will also integrate voter registration awareness. ADP interns and a Civic Engagement class are reading sections of the Constitution to the campus community. Read more here.

Towson University | www.towson.edu/civicengagement
We will celebrate Constitution Day by hosting a New York Times Lunch Talk, which will be focused on a faculty facilitated discussion with students on the Constitution. Free pizza and beverages will be available at the event. Also, we will be giving away Constitution booklets across campus. We will celebrate Constitution Week with a myriad of events such as, an outdoor movie screening of Iron- Jawed Angels, and marketing events from other departments such as the Baltimore Black Heritage tour and a speaking engagement with Cartoonist for The Baltimore Sun and The Economist, Kevin “KAL” Kallaugher among other events. At our tabling events where we pass out Constitution booklets, we will make sure to have extra incentives to approach the table, including giveaways and food along with thoughtful conversations with students about the Constitution. We may do more, it has yet to be determined.

Washington State University Vancouver
Lunch time tabling including distribution of free copies of the Constitution and information about information literacy.

Weber State University | http://www.weber.edu/leadership/adp.html
We are planning on three days of celebrations. One day we are going to have a giant birthday cake for the Constitution and play a “Beat Dr. Sessions” quiz game where students will compete with our presidential distinguished History professor. A second day we are going to have a “Call to Action” day where local leaders come and talk about what they need students to do to be better citizens locally. The third day we will have a military panel during which student veterans and active military will talk about why the Constitution is important to them. We are having a birthday party for the 225^th anniversary. We will be handing out pocket Constitutions at every event.

Western Illinois University
Panel discussion on Constitution featuring historians and political scientists.

William Paterson University | www.wpunj.edu/adp
Our 8th annual public lecture for First Year Seminar students, all classes and the general public. Expert in the field delivers an address; a luncheon follows. Read more here. View William Paterson’s flyer here: William Paterson_Constitution Day Flyer

Winona State University
Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie will present “Helping to Move Democracy Forward” at 1 p.m. Ritchie will talk directly to students about doing their part for democracy and participating in the upcoming elections. A panel discussion on the importance of civic engagement will take place at 6 p.m. in the Student Activities Center, Kryzsko Commons. Participants will include students, faculty, and representatives from the League of Women Voters and WSU Student Life and Development. Read more here.

 

What goals and/or learning outcomes do you have for your planned Constitution Day programming?

• students gaining knowledge and efficacy related to their free speech rights on campus.
• Students have a much better understanding of the history, structure, and working of the electoral college.
• I hope students can walk away with a better understanding of how much the Constitution is still relevant in our lives today as well as the importance of voting.
• Participants will understand role of the electoral college in the elections process.
• Our goal is to increase awareness of the Constitution. We plan on surveying students pre and post the event to see if students realized the Constitution had a birthday.
• Generally we want Constitution Day programming to support our broader agenda of building students’ civic agency.
• PACE hopes to use Constitution Day as a means of taking a current issue and funneling it through a 225 year old living document.  The Forum will consist of different view points, but will all be civilly discussed using the same baseline of the Constitution.
• Civic engagement is a central tenet of transformative learning at the University of Central Oklahoma: Develop civic skills; Practice civic responsibility; Describe the process of becoming a U.S. citizen (naturalization) by reading the Oath of Allegiance and observing the special naturalization ceremony; Discuss the notion of global citizenship.
• Information literacy; critical thinking
• Our main goal is to bring attention to our constitutional rights and freedoms that are often taken for granted through a theatrical and musical production
• 1. Educate campus and community about health care issues; 2. Make campus and community aware of contents of Constitution
• 1.) To provide students with the necessary resources to acknowledge the relevance of the U.S. Constitution today; 2.) To question what they know about the U.S. Constitution and encourage further research into U.S history; 3.) To understand what changes were made to the U.S. Constitution and the events that crated them.
• 1. voter education on critical issues; 2. voter education regarding the the new state voting laws; 3. surpassing the 2008 voter registration numbers
• to provide students and the public necessary tools to identify and analyze the constitutional elements and implications of contemporary public policy conflicts.
• Again to bring town and gown to understand democracy is  a work in progress
• Conveying the value of multidisciplinary perspectives on Constitutional and Supreme Court Studies.
• Help students better understand context of Constitution.
• That students, faculty and the community will: understand the significance and importance of the US Constitution; gain an appreciation for the many liberties protected by the Constitution; understand the significance of the Constitution in terms of the protections it affords for meaningful democratic engagement.
• awareness of Bill of Rights and increase voter registration
• We obviously want to increase awareness of the Constitution and citizens’ civic duties.  Additionally, we hope to foster critical thinking about the Constitution as a document written by humans and for humans which is not a foolproof, self-executing plan but contains some tensions which must be sorted through in practice.
• Educate students about the voting process including registration, polling locations and the documentation needed to cast a ballot.

 

Who on your campus is responsible for planning and implementing Constitution Day educational programs and events? What campus organizations/departments are involved or consulted?

• the ADP Steering Committee takes the lead with several academic departments contributing and supporting
• Democracy Plaza organization
• The Student Government Civic Engagement Director (me) and the Office of Service Learning. In addition to these organizations College Republicans and Democrats will also be involved.
• Co-coordinators of the American Democracy Project and the Political Engagement Project.
• Campus Civic Engagement Council is responsible.
• Institute for Civic Engagement working with the Political Science Dept.
• American Democracy Project Steering Committee, which is a partnership between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs. We will collaborate with Student Veterans, History Department, Political Science Department.
• Office of Student Life, Student Government Association, Political Science Department
• There are a few organizations/departments involved in making this event happen.  The Institute for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement is the main host of the event; PACE has contacted speakers and coordinated with the departments around campus to make everything run smoothly.  Departments that will have a small hand in it will be Catering, Support Services, Technical Services, and Publications.  In order to make a memorable Constitution Day celebration it is essential to make every little detail work without a hitch.
• The American Democracy Project leadership team under the leadership of Provost William J. Radke and Academic Affairs is responsible for planning and implementing Constitution Day educational programs and events. We partner with Oklahoma Campus Compact, U.S. District Court, Western District of Oklahoma, Office of the President, University Relations, Student Affairs, the Volunteer and Service Learning Center, Information Technology, the library, and Enrollment Management
• Chair of American Democracy Project/Provost’s Office, Working with League of Women Voters, Political Science, Student Government, Public Policy, History, Center for Multicultural Education, Communication Studies
• The Program in Public Affairs and the student government are working together on it.
• The primary responsibility rests with the ADP Committee.  Several staff members from Enrollment Management & Student Affairs participate in the execution.  Student government will also be involved in testing civics knowledge.
• The Office of Public Affairs Support ultimately is responsible for Constitution Day events.  This office selects a student programming committee for our Public Affairs Week which is always held the week of Constitution Day.  Constitution Day is built into the activities of this week long event.
• 1. ADP Committee and interns; 2. Political Science Department faculty members/students; 3. Political Science Student Association; 4. Office of the Provost; 5. Pre-Law Society students
• Dr. Lori Owens, Associate Professor and Department Chair in Political Science and Public Administration
• The Coordinator for Civic Engagement, Angie Hong, is responsible for planning and implementing Constitution Day educational programs and events. We often work with many other departments to coordinate events, including the Center for Student Diversity and Albert S. Cook Library.
• Several ADP Advisory Board members planned the event.  Faculty in the colleges of Liberal Arts, Science & Technology, and Education & Human Services are involved in addition to several student organizations.
• Director of the American Democracy Project.
• ADP campus coordinator working with Student Affairs and Academic Affairs
• Greg Granger, Professor of History and Political Science, along with Bill Housel, Associate Professor of History and Charles Penrod, Associate Professor of Business.
• ADP co-chairs; Associate Provost; Dean of College of Arts & Sciences
• Our ADP takes the lead but several departments are consulted including Politics & Government, Communication, Criminal Justice Sciences, Theater, and others.
• Barbara Cosentino, Associate Director – Civic Engagement – offices that are involved include Student Affairs, Student Leadership Development and Student Government Association
• me, along with the American Democracy Project Committee, but in practice that means me and Associate Vice Chancellor Carleen VandeZande.
• The co-coordinators of ADP on-campus are responsible for planning all events with the assistance of a Graduate Assistant. We are supervised by the Provost’s office and sometimes consult with the Departments of History and Political Science.

 

What resources do you plan to use (campus, community, or national) for Constitution Day activities and events?

• WE are using mostly campus resources with a strong focus on student created programs.
• Undecided but definitely something related to registering students to vote (i.e. TurboVote).
• Campus: The event will be held on campus and will be attended by students; Community: Most of the free food will be donated by local food vendors.
• Campus and community.
• Resources used will involve campus and community efforts.  PACE will plan with the different departments on campus and market the event on campus.  Everyone from students to faculty will be involved.  Local news stations will be present and have live coverage on the local stations.  PAC 14 will be present as well as Delmarva Times.
• We rely on support from Academic Affairs, partnerships with Oklahoma Campus Compact and the U.S. Courts, Western District of Oklahoma, and the National Conference on Citizenship.
• Campus facilities, college President, USCIS Buffalo Field Office, US Magistrate Judge Jonathan Feldman.
• Mainly campus resources
• 1. Constitution; 2. voter information; 3. Social media/campus vision/campus marketing
• We plan to use campus advertisement such as TV screens, newspaper ad, poster board, etc. to recognize Constitution Day on campus. We will also be reaching out to the Baltimore community during the black heritage tour, providing background information on amendments made to the constitution.
• The campus library is hosting the panel discussion. We will advertise in local media to encourage both university and community people to attend.
• Campus resources for advertising the event
• campus staff and “give away” constitutions provided by a national organization
• We have drawn on a nationally recognized speaker and are relying on a local member of Congress’ office for the pocket Constitutions.
• We plan to include student government leadership, the local legal community and faculty members in the forum.

Learn more about Constitution Day here.