by campusvote | Nov 8, 2017 | Blog Posts
By Ta’Lisa Turner-Pitts, Student Advisory Board Member On October 19, the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge hosted their first ALL IN Awards ceremony at the Newseum in Washington, DC, recognizing participating institutions for their outstanding work. The morning was kicked off with a workshop led by CVP’s own Mike Burns and Rachel Clay along with Clarissa Unger of the Young Invincibles. The panel facilitated a discussion around creating a campus democratic engagement action plan with an emphasis on using the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE) data to inform strategies and measure progress. A mix of college administrators, organizers, and students were in attendance at the workshop. Facilitators asked how administrators are responding to their NSLVE results and how they want to improve their action plans. Many responded that, based on the NSLVE data, they need to focus on registering and engaging STEM and business students, especially since more people in those professions are starting to run for office. There was also a lively discussion among the administrators and organizers about difficulty contacting campuses. Outside groups noted the challenges of navigating higher ed bureaucracies, while administrators expressed concern about engaging in what can seem like partisan activity. There was consensus on remaining nonpartisan in joint campus efforts and incorporating more faculty members to achieve goals. Sometimes, faculty in political science departments are passionate about civic engagement and are in contact with the administrator and student groups, but other disciplines need help connecting the issues their students study to the democratic process. The panel also discussed including election dates in syllabi, using registration tools like TurboVote and Rock...
by campusvote | Nov 1, 2017 | Blog Posts
By Nicole Taylor, Campus Vote Project Intern This year’s National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) took place October 19-20 in DC. This yearly conference utilizes civic engagement principles and organizations to connect people for the purpose of strengthening civic life and community building. Campus Vote Project attended and presented at the conference, alongside our Students Learn Students Vote (SLSV) coalition partners. One of my most important takeaways from NCoC is the power of open dialogue. The way we communicate and hear other ideas is powerful in bringing people together or driving them apart. NCoC encouraged all participants to practice open dialogue by conveying differing points of view and considering what others have to say— especially if we disagree. Hearing responses to the questions asked reinforced that listening to our peers is valuable and crucial in working together. I usually hold unwavering stances on issues, but hearing other takes on the issues we discussed proved to sway my opinion. I feel the power of open dialogue can work to solve greater issues in our society. As Professor Putnam’s presentation showed, collaboration across party lines allows for the cooperation we need to enact policies guaranteeing equal rights and treatment of all citizens, and this collaboration starts with productive conversations. However, like Sam Quinones, journalist and author of Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic said, open dialogue is just one step. This idea resonated throughout the conference including some of the highlights below. A presentation that stood out was the NCoC and PACE (Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement) panel of speakers representing the world of civic engagement and democracy, including SLSV...
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