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Civic Engagement in Action:
An invitation to participate in 3 initiatives - First Year, Jury, & Voting\
1 April 2005 TO: Participants, American Democracy Project
FROM: George L. Mehaffy
As many of you know, we are working to develop some special initiatives in conjunction with the American Democracy Project, a series called Civic Engagement in Action. We have a total of 7 initiatives identified or underway. The Civic Engagement in Action initiatives will allow students to become deeply involved in substantive citizenship issues. This is an invitation to participate in any of three (3) of the initiatives in the series.
Each initiative will be developed by a consortium of 10-30 participating campuses serving as development laboratories, in collaboration with one or more external partners. Development will begin with a national meeting that will create the conceptual framework and explore strategies for development. Following the national meeting, participating campuses will develop materials, test programs (such as a lecture series, new course, course content, a minor for students, etc.), and collect data about the success of various approaches on their own campuses, in their own contexts. The consortium members will then work together to develop materials, program ideas and national recommendations that will be created in a resource kit that can be used by all 199 ADP institutions. The resource kits will contain readings, case studies, recommendations and examples for specific local projects and activities. The resource kits will be disseminated as tools that campuses can use to engage undergraduates in study, experiences, and reflection about the role of citizens in a democracy in addressing critical national issues.
The process of initiative development for the Civic Engagement in Action Series will include the following:
• Identifying critical national issues (currently the 7 initiatives)
• Forming groups of 10-30 campuses that agree to work together for a year on a particular topic
• Collaborating with partner organizations that have interest or expertise in the topic
• Scheduling initial national organizational meetings to create the conceptual and logistical framework for the issue under study
• Participating in year-long development processes
• Presenting results at the 3rd Annual American Democracy Project National Meeting at Snowbird in June 2006
• Publishing resource kits at the conclusion of the year of development for distribution to all 199 participating campuses
Below are the three initiatives that are being announced today. ADP campuses can participate in one or more of the initiatives. Each of these three initiatives will hold a Conceptual Framework Design Conference in Portland on Thursday, June 16, 2005, as a pre-conference event just prior to the beginning of the American Democracy Project Annual Meeting, which starts late afternoon on June 16th.
While there is no financial support available for these initiatives, there is also no cost, except for participation in national meetings, which we will try to tie to other scheduled meetings to minimize expenses. I think this will be a wonderful set of national activities which will create new program ideas and strategies to help all of our campuses move forward on the agenda of civic engagement.
For more information or to sign up, please contact me at mehaffyg@aascu.org or 202 478-4672.
Initiative One
Title: Foundations of Democracy: The First Year of College
Collaborating Organizations: The Policy Center on the First Year of College. National Constitution Center; Justice Talking
Project Co-Leaders: Sandra Harper, Texas A & M University Corpus Christi and Scott Evenbeck, IUPUI
Description: The First Year of College represents an enormous opportunity to organize the resources of the institution around a focus on civic engagement, introducing first year students to citizenship as an expected college outcome. This Initiative will develop examples of the best strategies and approaches that can be used to embed civic education in a wide variety of first year academic programs and courses; in student activities and organizations; and in the culture of the campus. In late September 2004, representatives from a number of ADP campuses met in Philadelphia at the National Constitution Center to discuss civic engagement in the first year of college. We were joined by John Gardner, Policy Center on the First Year of College; Stuart Hunter, National Resource Center; and Kitty Kolbert and her staff from Justice Talking, an NPR program that offers informed debate on critical contemporary issues. The First Year Conceptual Framework Design Conference will occur on June 16, 2005 in Portland as a pre-conference event just prior to the 2nd Annual American Democracy Project National Conference.
Initiative Two
Title: Participatory Citizenship: American Democracy and the Jury System
Collaborating Organizations: National Center for State Courts, American Judicature Society, American Bar Association
Project Leader: George L. Mehaffy
Description: This initiative will examine how university students can provide support services to the court system to encourage, study, celebrate and describe jury service as an essential feature of American democracy and as a unique expression of citizenship. The core focus of the activities will be on Promotion and Outreach, Research and Design, and the Use of Technology. Examples of activities: Producing videos about jury service; providing historical descriptions of jury service; developing awards for the jurist who uses jury service to best develop understandings of democracy; hosting a photographic or art series on jury service; providing information pamphlets and other materials for potential jurors; conducting oral histories with former jurors about their jury service; creating public service announcements for local media on jury service; hosting conferences on the jury system in a democracy; offering internships for students to serve in jury support services; etc. The Jury Service Conceptual Framework Design Conference will occur on June 16, 2005 in Portland as a pre-conference event just prior to the 2nd Annual American Democracy Project National Conference.
Initiative Three
Title: Electoral Voice: Organizing for Voting
Collaborating Organizations: To be determined
Project Leader: James Perry, IUPUI
Description: This proposed initiative will identify the best practices and most effective strategies for encouraging Voter Registration & Education, voter education, and voter participation. A number of our campuses had very successful voter campaigns, sometimes alone, sometimes in conjunction with other organizations, and we want to capture the wisdom of practice and experience. We want to know what specific strategies and approaches were most successful, what groups on and off campus were helpful, and what projects and programs were most beneficial. We want to talk to other national organizations, such as Rock the Vote and the Electoral Assistance Commission about their experiences. We want to identify the best resources campuses could use to support their efforts, as well as identify the organizations that would be good partners. Our goal is to produce a guide for all ADP campuses (indeed all AASCU institutions) for future elections. The Electoral Voice Conceptual Framework Design Conference will occur on June 16, 2005 in Portland as a pre-conference event just prior to the 2nd Annual American Democracy Project National Conference.
George L. Mehaffy
American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU)
1307 New York Ave., NW (Fifth Floor)
Washington, D.C. 20005
Phone: 202 478-4672 Fax: 202 296-5819
mehaffyg@aascu.org
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