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Civic & Democratic Learning Committee

Introduction

Constitution Day was initially created in response to a federal mandate requiring all public educational institutions to hold an educational event about the U.S. Constitution near Constitution Day on September 17. However, the committee is interested in having events throughout the year to promote civic engagement and responsibility throughout the community. In addition, Civic Responsibility is a General Education Competency and Civic Engagement is going to be a criterion for evaluation by the Higher Learning Commission.

Constitution Day Activities

Proposed Activities

  • Create a scavenger hunt for CD or any other CR outcome using Goosechase for Education software.
    • Election time
      • Provide a link to a sample ballot for your district.
      • Find someone voting for X and someone voting for Y. Take their picture.
  • Organizing a field trip to the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
  • Asking faculty from different disciplines to highlight how the constitutional issues affect their areas (e.g. cyber security, etc.).
  • Asking students and faculty: How do current constitutional issues affect your lives and careers as professionals?
  • Post a question to students online or in public related to the Bill of Rights. For example: What does the freedom of religion mean to you?
  • Have guest speakers on campus to talk about current issues.
  • Hold a town hall meeting inviting different government representatives. The town hall does not have to be specifically about constitutional issues.
  • Hold a naturalization ceremony on campus.
  • Tie in with previous and upcoming workshops/seminars on human trafficking, opioid abuse, diversity in the community, the PTK Black History Month events, Jim Soto’s mini conference on urban planning, etc.

 

Selected list of completed activities

2019 - 2020

  • Voter registration drive, September 16-19
  • Civic Responsibility bulletin boards, Week of September 16
  • Banned Books Week, SC4 Library, September 23-27
    • Oral Interpretations from banned books read by students & faculty
    • Library displays, quotes from banned books, and contest 

 

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HLC

Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Accreditation Criteria for Civic Engagement

Effective September 2020

CRITERIA 1. MISSION

Core Components

1.C. The Institution provides opportunities for civic engagement in a diverse, multicultural society and globally-connected world, as appropriate within its mission and for the constituencies it serves.

  1. The institution encourages curricular or cocurricular activities that prepare students for informed citizenship and workplace success.
  2. The institution’s processes and activities demonstrate inclusive and equitable treatment of diverse populations.
  3. The institution fosters a climate of respect among all students, faculty, staff, and administrators from a range of diverse backgrounds, ideas and perspectives.

(Definitions from the Glossary of Criteria Terminology that relate to 1.C.)

Civic Engagement = Community service or any number of other efforts (by individuals or groups) intended to address issues of public or community concern.

Cocurricular = Learning activities, programs and experiences that reinforce the institution’s mission and values and complement the formal curriculum. Examples: Study abroad, student-faculty research experiences, service learning, professional clubs or organizations, athletics, honor societies, career services, etc.

 

Mission Statement

Potential Mission Statements

  • The committee is dedicated to the advancement of civic and democratic learning and engagement in society.
  • Keeping community college members informed and active citizens and mobilize leaders in our democracy in addition to the workforce, their careers, and continued education.
  • rough language:    Educating/encouraging civil discourse, including dispassionate evaluation of information, and a commitment to classical standards of rhetoric and persuasion.  OR (2019 translation): Identifying "fake news" and being able to "disagree without being disagreeable".
  • Seeking to foster the principles of justice, liberty, equity, and a more perfect union through an educated and engaged republic.
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