TDC Events

Meet the 2018 Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement Meeting Planning Committee

 

AASCU’s American Democracy Project, The Democracy Committee and the NASPA Lead Initiative are proud to announce its committee members for the 2018 Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement Meeting in Anaheim, California. Below you’ll find out more about them and their contributions to spirit of civic engagement and learning in higher education.

Committee Leadership

Jennifer Domagal-Goldman directs AASCU’s American Democracy Project (ADP). She earned her doctorate in higher education from the Pennsylvania State University. She received her master’s degree in higher education and student affairs administration from the University of Vermont and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Rochester. Jennifer’s dissertation focused on how faculties learn to incorporate civic learning and engagement in their undergraduate teaching within their academic discipline. Jennifer holds an ex-officio position on the eJournal of Public Affairs’ editorial board and sits on the boards of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge and the Students Learn Students Vote Coalition.

Stephanie King is the Assistant Director for Knowledge Communities and Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement (CLDE) Initiatives at NASPA where she directs the NASPA Lead Initiative.  She has worked in higher education since 2009 in the areas of student activities, orientation, residence life, and civic learning and democratic engagement. Stephanie earned her Master of Arts in Psychology at Chatham University and her B.S. in Biology from Walsh University. She has served as the Coordinator for Commuter, Evening and Weekend Programs at Walsh University, Administrative Assistant to the VP and Dean of Students for the Office of Student Affairs, the Coordinator of Student Affairs, and the Assistant Director of Residence Life and Student Affairs at Chatham University.

 

Verdis L. Robinson is the National Director of The Democracy Commitment after serving as a tenured Assistant Professor of History and African-American Studies at Monroe Community College (NY). Professionally, Verdis is a fellow of the Aspen Institute’s Faculty Seminar on Citizenship and the American and Global Polity, and the National Endowment for the Humanities’ Faculty Seminar on Rethinking Black Freedom Studies: The Jim Crow North and West.  Additionally, Verdis is the founder of the Rochester Neighborhood Oral History Project that with his service-learning students created a walking tour of the community most impacted by the 1964 Race Riots, which has engaged over 400 members of Rochester community in dialogue and learning.  He holds a B.M. in Voice Performance from Boston University, a B.S. and an M.A. in History from SUNY College at Brockport, and an M.A. in African-American Studies from SUNY University at Buffalo.

Committee Members

Melissa Baker-Boosamra is the Associate Director of Student Life for Civic Engagement and Assessment at Grand Valley State University (GVSU) (Mich.). In her role she directs the work of the GVSU Community Service Learning Center and is responsible for coordinating assessment efforts throughout the Office of Student Life. Prior to this role, Melissa served as the founding Program Director for Cook Library Scholars program, a college pipeline program for students from first generation immigrant families in Grand Rapids, MI. Melissa also served as a faculty member in the GVSU Brooks College where she developed and implemented a number of innovative courses, including Global Citizenship, an international service learning course, which led students to Guatemala in order to explore the relationship between global problems and local solutions. She was recognized for her achievements by Michigan Campus Compact in 2010, and was named a Presidential Service Scholar. Melissa finds great joy in spending time with her three children, gardening, dancing and she just completed her first (mini!) triathlon!

Gregg Grenier is the Director of Community Engagement at Mount Ida College (Mass.) where he was the co-founder of the Center for Community Engagement in July 2016. Gregg has extensive experience in the community engagement and service-learning field as a student, a professional within the nonprofit sector, and as a professional within the higher education field. Gregg’s expertise is specifically in nonprofit financial management, board development, and volunteer management. As part of his position at Mount Ida, Gregg oversees all community partner relationships for curricular and co-curricular experiences, civic engagement, day-to-day operations of the Center, and service trips. Gregg’s passion for civic engagement stems from his work within community engagement where he became increasingly frustrated with formal and informal systems that lead to certain populations being disadvantaged. Gregg holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Bentley University and a Master’s degree in Higher Education from Columbia University.

Daisy Henderson is a visiting professor of Sociology at the College of Arts and Sciences at Ferris State University (Mich.). She holds a PhD in Sociology from the University at Buffalo, State University of New York (SUNY Buffalo). Her research interests include the sociology of the family, race/class/ethnicity, qualitative sociology, with an additional expertise in foster care families and social inequality. While at SUNY Buffalo she was the principal researcher on projects related to foster care placements for the Center of Development for Human Services (CDHS) in Erie County, New York, and SUNY Buffalo. As the principal researcher on these projects, she has created resource manuals, teaching curriculums and user guides for case/social workers as well pamphlets for families interested in foster care/adoption services. She has presented her research at several conferences such as the Eastern Sociological Conference, the North Central Sociological Association, and the American Association of Behavioral and Social Sciences. She has participated in training workshops such as Deliberate Dialogue Moderator Training and Intergroup Dialogue and Education Diversity Workshop. She also served as a deliberate dialogue moderator at the Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement Meeting.

 

Chris Hutchison, Ph.D., serves as the assistant dean of students at Chapman University (CA). In this role, he oversees civic engagement initiatives, cross-cultural engagement, Greek life, student organizations, the student union and fitness center. He also advises the Student Government Association, serves on the University’s Diversity Response Committee, and the Community Engagement and Service Learning Working Group. Additionally, Chris serves as an adjunct faculty member in the College of Educational Studies at Chapman, teaching in the undergraduate Leadership Studies Minor program and the Higher Education Emphasis for the Master of Arts in Leadership Development. Chris received his M.A. in leadership studies from the University of San Diego and his M.S. in educational studies-higher education from the University of Oxford. He also received his Ph.D. in education from Chapman University, researching undergraduate civic learning and its impact from employing democratic pedagogy, embedding experiential processes, and centralizing university-community dynamics within the curriculum. Through Chapman’s role as a Lead Advisory Institution, he has been active in NASPA’s Lead Initiative on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement (CLDE) since its inception in 2012; he also served on the 2014 NASPA Western Regional Conference Planning Committee. Chris is in his 20th year serving as a higher education professional.

Molly Kerby is an Associate Professor in the Department of Diversity & Community Studies at Western Kentucky University. She teaches primarily in the Diversity and Community Studies undergraduate major and the Masters of Arts in Social Responsibility and Sustainable Communities (SRSC) graduate program. She also teaches courses in the Gender & Women’s Studies minor and the Global Pathways to Sustainability and Gender & Women’s Studies graduate certificate programs. Molly completed her undergraduate degree in sociology and environmental science in 1994 and masters degree in public health/environmental health in 1999 at Western Kentucky University. In 2007, Molly completed her Ph.D. program in Higher Education Administration at the University of Louisville. Her current research focuses on issues pertaining to higher education, sense of place, assessment, social policy, community-based research, and sustainability/resilience.

Duane D. Oakes has served as the Faculty Director for the Center for Community & Civic Engagement and Recreation Instructor at Mesa Community College (AZ) since 2000. At Chandler-Gilbert Community College (AZ) he helped create a comprehensive student life program which included the Service-learning program where he and his colleagues were recognized with the Innovation of the Year award from the District. He also served as a service-learning and civic responsibility trainer for the Community College National Center for Community Engagement and the American Association of Community Colleges for over 15 years. Duane service as the Chair of the Brigham Young University Alumni Association in Arizona and serves on the Mesa Public Schools Service-learning Advisory Board, volunteers with the Boy Scouts of America and supports his son’s high school supporting the music arts. Duane has worked in the higher education arena since 1990 helping students becoming better citizens through service and leadership.

Helen-Margaret Nasser is an Associate Director for Academic Affairs at Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn, N.Y. Nasser holds a bachelor’s degree from McGill University (Canada) in political science and international development studies and a master’s degree in political science from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York where she concentrated on Middle East identity and civil society politics. She has been the administrator for the NEH funded Bridging Cultures to Form a Nation grant at Kingsborough and has supported faculty in their course redesign, innovations and event planning around themes of democracy, diversity, and community. She is heavily involved in civic engagement efforts, organized the colleges annual Immigration Day events, and offers extensive support to students. Nasser also serves as the Advisor for the Honors Club and the Phi Theta Kappa Chapter on campus.

Patty Robinson has worked at College of the Canyons (Calif.) since 1999 and has served in various roles, including Sociology Professor, Dean of the Social Sciences and Business Division, and Interim Dean, Center for Civic Engagement. She currently spearheads the College’s new campus-wide emphasis on civic and community engagement as Faculty Director, Civic and Community Engagement Initiatives. Receiving her Ph.D. in sociology from the University of California, Davis, she pursued her interests in women’s history and medical sociology and eventually focused on the rise of 19th and 20th Century women’s organizations. Before transitioning into administration, she engaged her sociology students in a multitude of projects examining aspects of social aging, including facilitating a community-based oral history project entitled, Telling Their Stories. As a dean, she organized and facilitated the statewide Annual California Regional Academic Deans’ Retreat, drawing participants from community colleges throughout the state. Returning to her “sociological roots,” Patty remains committed to fostering a civic-mindset throughout the campus and community through her work with Community-Based Learning and civic engagement.

At California State University, Los Angeles, Michael Willard is a Professor of Liberal Studies and Faculty Director of Service Learning in the Center for Engagement, Service, and the Public Good. As Faculty Director of Service Learning, he has worked with faculty to integrate civic/service learning assignments and projects into their GE courses. He holds a Ph.D. in American Studies and his scholarly research focuses on popular culture, race and ethnicity, and Los Angeles History. His work in faculty and curriculum development includes creating an on-line faculty development module with ACUE for civic learning assignment design; leading faculty teams to implement transparent teaching methods that ensure equity-based student learning; and collaborating with student government and Student life to develop political and community engagement projects.

Call for Applications: CLDE18 Meeting Student Intern Opportunity 

2018 Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement Meeting- Student Intern Opportunity

June 6-9, 2018 | Anaheim, California

In order to encourage student participation in the 2018 Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement (CLDE18) Meeting, AASCU’s the American Democracy Project, The Democracy Commitment, and NASPA’s Lead Initiative are proud to offer the opportunity for three students to have a voice on the planning committee.  This position will enable these students to do the following:

  • Organize the student symposium on Wednesday, June 6, 2018;
  • Have an active presence on social media and blog postings for ADP, TDC, and the NASPA Lead Initiative;
  • Coordinate student gatherings and programming while in Anaheim;
  • Volunteer on site at the CLDE18 Meeting in Anaheim;
  • Be on the planning committee conference calls leading up to the meeting;
  • Assist in reviewing program submissions late January and early February; and
  • Additional opportunities that may become available.

Each of the student interns will receive a complimentary registration to the CLDE18 meeting as well as transferable work experience.  To apply for this intern position, fill out the application by Friday, September 15, 2017.  The application can be found here.  The duration of this commitment will be remote from October 1, 2017- to June 31, 2018.  Expected workload will be about five hours per week and on-site from June 5-9, 2018, in Anaheim, California.   

All applicants will be notified about their application in late September 2017.  

For questions or concerns please contact:

Stephanie Reynolds
Assistant Director for Knowledge Communities and CLDE Initiatives, NASPA
[email protected] | (2012) 719-1193

Jen Domagal-Goldman
National Manager, American Democracy Project, AASCU
[email protected] | (202) 478-7833

Verdis L. Robinson
National Director, The Democracy Commitment, AASCU
[email protected] | (202) 478-4656

#CLDE17 BALTIMORE IN REVIEW

#CLDE17 Baltimore in Review

Our recent 2017 Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement (CLDE) Meeting in Baltimore, Md., brought together a great group of faculty, students, administrators, community partners and representatives from our national sponsor and partner organizations committed to advancing civic learning and democratic engagement through higher education.

Read on for highlights of our time together.

By The Numbers

608 participants (100 more than in 2016!) representing 181 colleges and universities as well as 52 other organizations.

  • 161 Four-year Colleges and Universities (103 public; 38 private)
  • 39 Community Colleges
  • 1 international university
  • 113 Students
  • 19 Sponsors/Exhibitors

Program Overview

The full program is available for download here (pdf).

Pre-Conference highlights:

  • The 2017 CLDE Meeting opened with nine pre-conference sessions that engaged participants in a variety of important civic learning and democratic engagement topics. Participants were invited to take part in one or both of a pair of popular Educational Testing Service (ETS)- sponsored Civic Engagement Assessment Pre-Conference Workshops focused on planning for institution-wide data collection and measuring civic outcomes during college, respectively.
  • Other pre-conference workshops included a full-day Charting a Course on the Pathway to Civic Engagement: An Inventory and Action Plan for Engaged Campuses workshop for campus teams as well as a set of half-day workshops including: Measures That Matter: Regarding Engaged Scholarship In Tenure and Promotion; Dialogue and Democratic Deliberation: Moderator Training; Educating for the Democracy We Want, Not the One We Have; and Integrating Civic Responsibility into the Curriculum.
  • The Student Pre-Conference Workshop was organized for students, by students. Led by the 2017 CLDE Student Intern Team (Amber Austin, sophomore, Tarrant County College (Texas.); Christina Melecio, sophomore, Winona State University (Minn.); and Tyler Ferrari, sophomore, Chapman University (Calif.)), the session introduced students to #CLDEStuds17 and provided a space to discuss issues focused on being an active participant in local and national communities, and introduced students tools to be effective activists in their communities.
  • In being mindful of the city that CLDE17 took place, there were three opportunities to engage with the Baltimore community. Two walking tours (Westside of Downtown Baltimore and Baltimore “Untour”) led by University of Maryland Baltimore County faculty members Nicole King, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of American Studies and Joby Taylor, director, Peaceworker Program at The Shriver Center. Towson University supported an exploratory session by Bus (Right to the City - Curtis Bay: Community Engagement through a Mobile App) led by Nicole Fabricant, associate professor; and Matthew Durington and Samuel Collins, professors, department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice.

Some of the more than 130 students that participated in #CLDE17

Opening Plenary & First Day highlights:

Visual Journalist Ellen Lovelidge’s depiction of the themes from Thursday’s Plenary

Participants had the opportunity to participate in two sponsored lunch sessions. The first, a 2017 Voter Engagement Symposium organized by our friends at TurboVote, provided an interactive symposium on what it takes to engaged student voters in not one, but all of their elections. The second lunch, sponsored by our friends at Roadtrip Nation, included a screening of their documentary film Beyond the Dream and included a panel discussion about undocumented immigrants and their higher education journeys.

  • UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski, III welcomed participants to Baltimore and reminded us that the most important office in our democracy is that of citizen. Three CivEd talks then kicked off Thursday afternoon’s opening plenary session. These three, short, dynamic and fast-paced presentations by members of the civic learning and democratic engagement community  inspired and challenged our collective imagination and thinking. The talks were given by: Jane Coaston, political reporter, MTV News, Martín Carcasson, founder and director, Center for Public Deliberation, Colorado State University, and Eric Liu, CEO, Citizen University. Attendees also participated in a Sworn Again citizen ceremony lead by Eric Liu.
  • Participants were each given a copy of Eric Liu’s new 2017 book You’re More Powerful Than You Think: A Citizen’s Guide to Making Change Happen and had the opportunity to have Eric sign their books during our networking reception. They were also able to learn from poster presenters and the campus showcase tables.

Friday highlights:

More than 50 participants volunteered as table moderators during Friday’s plenary

  • Friday morning participants started their day with a Dialogue and Deliberation Forum: Safety and Justice: How Should Communities Reduce Violence? This session — offered in conjunction with our friends at the National Issues Forums Institute — explored the increasing violence in U.S. communities, law enforcement, and race and how this violence undermines national ideals of safety and justice for all citizens. Attendees used briefing materials prepared by the Kettering Foundation to participate in deliberations promoted by the National Issues Forums Institute and spent time considering the difficult choices the nation must face in order to make progress.  Over 50 CLDE attendees graciously volunteered to serve as table moderators to over 400 participants.  The forum concluded with a panel discussing the applications of these forums in classrooms, campuses, and communities, and discussed why this civic skill is so critical now more than ever before.  Panelists included:  Adam Thompson, junior, Winona State University (Minn.); John Dedrick, Vice-President, Kettering Foundation; Emily Bowling, Assistant Director of Student Leadership & Involvement for Civic Engagement and Sustainability, Oregon State University; and John J. Theis, Executive Director, Center for Civic Engagement, Lone Star College (Texas). Participants left the forum with a hands-on, interactive experience in deliberative democracy that can be applied across higher education.

Saturday highlights:

Our final plenary session on Saturday, June 10th, The Theory of Our Work - Today and Tomorrow: What’s Next?, focused on our emergent theory of change. Participants engaged in conversations about the emerging theory of change for our conference and work, based on elements from A Crucible Moment and on our four guiding questions. The guiding questions are:

  1. Vision question: What are the key features of a thriving democracy we aspire to enact and support through our work?
  2. Learning Outcomes question: What knowledge, skills, and dispositions do people need in order to help create and contribute to a thriving democracy?
  3. Pedagogy question: How can we best foster the acquisition and development of the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary for a thriving democracy?
  4. Strategy question: How can we build the institutional culture, infrastructure, and relationships needed to support learning that enables a thriving democracy?

Responses to each were given by: Manisha Vepa, undergraduate student, and David Hoffman, assistant director, student life, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC); Sandy Rodriguez, director, ASUN Center for Student Engagement, University of Nevada, Reno; and Helen-Margaret Nasser, associate director, honors program, CUNY Kingsborough Community College (NY).

We considered what a thriving democracy looks like and higher education’s role in cultivating this democracy. View the full theory of change here.

CLDE Theory of Change | 4 Questions | Front of Placemat

CLDE Theory of Change | Back of Placemat

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SPONSORS

The 2017 CLDE Meeting in Baltimore, MD. could not have been a success without the continued support from our sponsors. They have shown an unwavering commitment to securing an effective method of fostering democracy. Our sponsors’ contributions were  instrumental in creating meaningful dialogue that helped set the agenda for future goals, initiatives and partnerships. We would like to thank the following:

ADP, TDC, and NASPA have deep admiration and gratitude for each organization and the support they provided to the 2017 CLDE Meeting. We look forward to future collaborations.

CLDE 2018

We hope to see you in Anaheim, California, from June 6-9, 2018, for the next CLDE Meeting where we will continue our important work of preparing informed, engaged citizens for our democracy.

PowerPoints and other handouts from the meeting are available through the meeting’s mobile app. Please email [email protected] with any additional materials you’d like uploaded into the app.

Finally, to see more pictures from the meeting, visit the ADP Facebook Page (CLDE17 album); please send any photos you took to [email protected] so that we can upload them to Facebook/Twitter/Instagram.

RIGHT TO THE CITY - CURTIS BAY: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THROUGH A MOBILE APP EXPLORATORY SESSION BY BUS

 

Right to the City - Curtis Bay: Community Engagement through a Mobile App Exploratory Session by Bus | Sponsored by Towson University

Anthropology students and faculty at Towson University along with the United Workers-Free Your Voice have been working on a participatory action research project with high-school students in environmental science classes to qualitatively study the environmental hazards in South Baltimore. Curtis Bay, Maryland is located in the southern portion of the City of Baltimore, Maryland. The neighborhood is located in a highly industrialized waterfront area in the southern part of the city and receives its name from the body (cove) of water to the east in which it sits. The area has had a toxic history.

Historic Sediments of Global Trade

During the 19th century, guano fertilizer from Peru was a prized commodity, particularly around the Chesapeake bay where both cotton and tobacco had drained the soil of its nutrients. Guano imports which migrated through and often remained in Curtis Bay initiated a long period of uneven disposal of hazardous and/or toxic materials in the soils, air, and bodies of residents.

Global Oil 

Prudential Oil Corporations in 1914 established a refinery in the middle of the Peninsula. Texas Oil Company of Delaware was established before the end of WWI. By the end of 1918, the Fairfield Peninsula was home to at least three petroleum product refineries and several fertilizer plants. Oil refining exposes the surrounding community to the risk of intense explosions while coal dust exacerbates lung and cardiovascular diseases.

Shipbuilding, Ship Breakdown in a Postindustrial wasteland

The Wartime efforts in the 1940s to manufacture materials needed to fortify American troops affected Curtis Bay. During this period, thousands of workers from WVA and elsewhere in Appalachia and African Americans migrated to Fairfield Peninsula for jobs in the shipbuilding and other emergent wartime industries. White workers received decent government subsidized housing while Blacks continued to be exiled to Old Fairfield only having access to substandard housing. The memories of expansive capitalism, exploitative laboring relations, race/class based discrimination, and toxicity do not simply linger as a historic artifact but rather continue to define how this landscape is viewed in Baltimore.

The Next Step in Curtis Bay’s Steady Decline into Toxicity

In 2009, Energy Answers announced it would build the nation’s largest trash-to-energy incinerator in Fairfield and presented the project as a solution to two crises: the waste crisis and the energy crisis. Energy Answers International promoted the project as a power plant providing schools and other facilities with “green energy.” The incinerator was originally slated to be sited less than a mile from Benjamin Franklin High School and Curtis Bay Elementary, which state environmental regulations wouldn’t have typically allowed (no incinerator can be built that close to a school). However, when the Public Service Commission approved the incinerator as an energy plant.*

Seize this opportunity to explore the Curtis Bay Area and the social justice work with Nicole Fabricant, Matthew Durington, and Samuel Collins, Ph.D.s, Associate Professors, Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice at Towson University along with the students and community agencies.

*For more on the Campaign to bring to an end the Trash to Energy Incinerator, See https://stoptheincinerator.wordpress.com/

#CLDE17 Quick Links

·         Meeting Info

·         Register Now

·         Book Your Hotel

Hotel Deadline is Today 5/16 for #CLDE17

2017 Civic Leadership and Democratic Engagement Meeting | June 7-10 | Baltimore, MD

The deadline to book hotel rooms for the 2017 Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement (CLDE17) meeting is Tuesday, May 16. Book now to guarantee our low rates!

If you have already booked rooms at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel, thank you for supporting #CLDE17 with your accommodations. By filling the hotel block, we can provide meeting space and conference amenities without needing to increase the meeting rate, and fulfilling that obligation helps us offset some of the costs of organizing and holding this annual meeting. Furthermore, filling our room block consistently helps us secure favorable contracts for future meetings.

Click HERE to book your room(s). 

#CLDE17 Quick Links

Meeting Info
Register Now
Book Your Hotel

#CLDE17: RSVP Now for TurboVote’s Voter Engagement Symposium & Lunch

Thursday, June 8th
11:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m.

2017 Voter Engagement Symposium: Engaging Locally & Strategizing Digitally

Lunch provided; RSVP now via registration as event is capped at 70 participants

Please join TurboVote, our partner colleges and universities, and other nonprofit organizations for an interactive symposium on what it takes to engage student voters in not one, but all of their elections. Together, we will learn about specific nonpartisan tactics for institutionalizing voter registration on campus and making voting a default student experience. While a presidential election year provides additional resources for and an increased focus on voting, we’ll discuss action items that can be implemented in a non-presidential year to create a more democratically engaged campus and community. All interested parties are welcome to attend. Lunch will be provided, as saving democracy tends to work up quite the appetite!

Lunch will be provided, as saving democracy tends to work up quite the appetite! RSVP today as event is capped at 70 participants. Space is filling fast!

Already registered for the 2017 Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement Meeting? Email [email protected] to add this free lunch session! Not registered yet? Be sure to select the option when you register! Register HERE.

#CLDE17 FRIDAY PLENARY | Dialogue and Deliberation Forum- Safety and Justice: How Should Communities Reduce Violence?

Announcing the CLDE17 FRIDAY PLENARY | Dialogue and Deliberation Forum- Safety and Justice: How Should Communities Reduce Violence?

The 2017 Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement Meeting, organized by the American Democracy Project (ADP), The Democracy Commitment (TDC) and NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, will bring together faculty, student affairs professionals, senior campus administrators, students, and community partners to work to ensure that students graduate from our institutions prepared to be the informed, engaged citizens that our democracy needs.

Democratic dialogue and deliberation build civic capacities and consciences to tackle the highly salient and most complex wicked problems facing communities today.  It rejects the expert model of technical expertise and specialization towards a truly democratic framework of accessibility and empowerment. The practice of dialogue and deliberation cultivates student abilities necessary to explore enduring and multidisciplinary questions and solve persistent public problems. Thus, the capacities necessary for productive and meaningful dialogue and deliberation—critical thinking, emphatic listening, creative problem solving, ethical leadership, collaboration, issue framing—are not only essential for sustaining a vibrant democracy, they are the best preparation for our students/citizens/graduates to be successful in the 21st century.

Join us for the Friday plenary session and participate in a dialogue and deliberation forum with a conversation on applications and best practices.  

This plenary session will take place at 9:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. on Friday, June 9, 2017.

Dialogue and Deliberation Forum: Safety and Justice: How Should Communities Reduce Violence?

After falling steadily for decades, the rate of violent crime in the US rose in 2015 and 2016. Interactions between citizens and police too often end in violence. People are increasingly worried about safety in their communities. Many Americans are concerned something is going on with violence in communities, law enforcement, and race that is undermining the national ideals of safety and justice for all. Citizens and police need goodwill and cooperation in order to ensure safety and justice. Any possible option will require that we give up something we hold dear.  Each year the nonpartisan National Issues Forums Institute promotes public deliberations over some of the toughest issues that our communities and the nation face. Using briefing materials prepared by the  Kettering Foundation, this plenary will provide opportunities for people to consider the options and difficult choices that our communities and the nation must make if we are going to make progress together, and how to carry out this form of democratic practice in classrooms, campuses, and communities. This plenary session will provide attendees with hands-on, interactive experience in deliberative democracy that can be applied across higher education.  

Organizers: Kara Lindaman, Professor of Political Science, Winona State University (Minn.); John Dedrick, Vice-President, Kettering Foundation; William Muse, President Emeritus, National Issues Forum Institute; and John J. Theis, Executive Director, Center for Civic Engagement, Lone Star College (Texas).

Trained moderators are needed to assist in small group discussions; email: [email protected] if you are able to serve as a table moderator.  There are also opportunities to be trained as a deliberative dialogue moderator:

  • April 29, 2017- 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the AASCU offices in Washington, DC.  Click HERE for more information.  Deadline for registration has been extended to April 19, 2017.  
  • June 7, 2017- 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at the CLDE pre-conference workshop.  Click HERE for more information.

Also, there will be plenty of additional engagement opportunities during this year’s meeting such as:

  • CLDE Orientation on Thursday, June 8th prior to the start of the Opening Plenary.  
    • CivEd Talks on Thursday, June 8th during the Opening Plenary.
    • Campus & Friends Showcase at CLDE17 on Thursday, June 8th! Learn more here. Sign up here.
    • Exploratory Session by Bus | Right to the City - Curtis Bay: Community Engagement through a Mobile App Sponsored by Towson University.
    • Walking Tour 1 | Baltimore West Side Sponsored by University of Maryland Baltimore County.
    • Walking Tour 2 | Baltimore “Untour” Sponsored by University of Maryland Baltimore County.

To learn more about the 2017 Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement Meeting and to register by the May 1, 2017 early-bird deadline, visit the conference website.

There is also a discounted hotel rate for meeting participants available at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront (700 Aliceanna St., Baltimore, Md., 21202). To obtain this rate, participants must book their room by Tuesday May 16, 2017. RESERVE ONLINE HERE

Professional Development Opportunity: Deliberative Dialogues “Train the Trainer” Workshop

ADP/TDC’s Economic Inequality Initiative is proud to announce a special professional development opportunity for members interested in training in Deliberative Dialogues and becoming moderator trainers.  We will be hosting a Deliberative Dialogue “Train the Trainer” Workshop at Keene State College in New Hampshire on October 28, 2016. Dr. Kara Lindaman of Winona State University, Minnesota, and Dr. John Theis of Lone Star College, Texas, will conduct the training from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm on the Keene State Campus.  The workshop will provide moderator training for deliberative dialogues and attendees will learn how to train moderators as well.

Interested parties should contact Kimberly Schmidl-Gagne, [email protected], at Keene State College for more information and opportunities for assistance.

Join Us!! “Clashes Over Citizenship”- Free Webinar Series

Clashes Over Citizenship:

Promoting, Listening, Learning, and Engagement

A Webinar Series of the Citizenship Under Siege Project

The US Constitution’s preamble speaks of “We the People”—but who is considered part of that sacred circle, and how has this group varied over time? When national identity is hotly contested, what does it mean to experience citizenship as partial, denied, or fully acknowledged? How can the humanities illuminate differing narratives and open up space for understanding, connections, and shared visions of the future?

The Association of American Colleges and Universities and The Democracy Commitment invite faculty, staff, students, and campus community partners to join in one or all of three FREE webinars. These events are designed to expand campus expertise on how to hold constructive conversations about contentious issues and how to institute practices in and out of the classroom that foster engagement across differences.  Register TODAY and join us!

A Three-Part Series

3:00–4:00 p.m. Eastern Time


From Fractious Differences to Engaged Dialogues 

October 13, 2016

How can texts and techniques from the humanities disrupt unexamined positions, put human faces to abstract ideas, and help open up spaces where dialogue and consensus might emerge on historic and contemporary questions about citizenship and who deserves it? What models exist for training dialogue facilitators who can help encourage listening and perspective taking across seemingly intractable positions? (Register online)

  • Verdis Robinson, Interim National Manager, The Democracy Commitment
  • Caryn McTighe Musil, Senior Director of Civic Learning and Democracy Initiatives, Association of American Colleges and Universities
  • John Soltes, Communication Department, County College of Morris
  • Jason Zelesky, Dean of Students, Mount Wachusett Community College

Income Inequality and the Cost of Citizenship 

October 27, 2016

When economic disparities—often intertwined with ethnic, racial, and religious differences—impose real limitations on public participation, how can the humanities provide insights into the historic and persistent reality of differential access to full citizenship rights? Learn how several campuses have engaged their students and communities in examining this issue. (Register online)

  • Steve Davis, History Department, Lone Star College, Kingwood
  • Jill A. Schennum, Chair, Anthropology, Social Sciences, and Economics, County College of Morris
  • Seth Howard, Assistant Director, Center for Civic Engagement, Lone Star College
  • Erika Herrera, Political Science Department, Lone Star College, North Harris
  • Fagan Forhan, Assistant Dean of K-12 Partnerships and Civic Engagement, Mount Wachusett Community College

I Want My Country Back: Immigration, Race, and Citizenship

November 3, 2016

In the midst of sometimes-dramatic demographic and cultural shifts, how have the humanities served to illuminate felt experiences, historical contexts, and ethical issues as the rich mosaic of people in the United States fluctuates? What approaches, courses, and public events lead to shared ends rather than perpetual conflict or feelings of displacement? (Register online)

  • David Kalivas, World History and Director of the Commonwealth Honors Program, Middlesex Community College
  • Helen-Margaret Nasser, Associate Director of the Honors Program, Kingsborough Community College
  • Dona Cady, Dean, Global Education, and Matthew Olson, Dean, Humanities and Social Sciences, Middlesex Community College
  • David Price, History Department, and Vilma E. Fuentes, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs, Santa Fe College

Follow the link for Citizenship Under Siege for more information about the project.

For more information, please contact:

Funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and hosted by the Association of American Colleges and Universities & The Democracy Commitment.

Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations endowment for the expressed in these webinars do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Happy National Voter Registration Day!! From TDC

Happy National Voter Registration Day!!

The Democracy Commitment celebrates National Voter Registration Day as a Special Day of Action.  According to the coalition, in 2008, 6 million Americans didn’t vote because they missed a registration deadline or didn’t know how to register.   In 2016, the movement wants to make sure no one is left out.  On September 27, 2016, volunteers, celebrities, and organizations from all over the country will “hit the streets” for National Voter Registration Day (NVRD).  This single day of coordinated field, technology and media efforts will create pervasive awareness of voter registration opportunities–allowing us to reach tens of thousands of voters who we could not reach otherwise.  National Voter Registration Day is an opportunity to put our differences aside and celebrate the rights that unite us as Americans; democracy.

TDC encourages all member institutions to join the national network of a thousand organizations operating on the ground and through social media to register voters on their campuses and communities while also receiving pledges to vote from those already registered.

Register to Vote using the TDC Register to Vote Tool powered by Rock the Vote: https://register2.rockthevote.com/?partner=35891.  Already registered? Share it with someone who is not!

TDC member institutions that have schedule events include:

  • Allegany College Of Maryland
  • Community College Of Allegheny
  • Cuyahoga Community College
  • Delta College
  • Glendale Community College
  • Lone Star College
  • Los Angeles Harbor College
  • Mesa Community College
  • Miami Dade College
  • Middlesex Community College
  • Monroe Community College
  • Northampton Community College
  • Palo Alto College
  • Paradise Valley Community College
  • Piedmont Virginia Community College
  • Santa Fe College
  • South Mountain Community College
  • Tarrant County College

Congratulations on taking action!  Be sure to share you results with us!

Here’s how other campuses can also take action:

  • Have students Check their registration status to see if they need to register or update their registration.
  • Have students remind friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors to register to vote today by sending them an email telling them to register, check their registration, or update their registration if they need to.

Additionally, our friends at the Fair Elections Legal Network and Campus Vote Project have a variety of resources to help answer any questions you may have about registering and voting:

And be sure to join us on Tuesday, October 4th as we Tweet-up the Vice Presidential Debate using#iDebate16.  For further information on NVRD, visit their website: http://nationalvoterregistrationday.org