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As a result of Washington University's refusal to allow Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama to speak on campus, University students recently formed the Student Civic Initiative (SCI).
This new group has developed a plan to promote civic engagement on campus. The group now seeks support from the University administration and student body.
"We really believe that this is a win-win situation for everyone on campus. It makes Washington University more visible nationally and internationally and makes students more politically engaged," said freshman David Fox, co-founder of SCI.
According to the group's plan, candidates speaking on campus would hold a question-and-answer session with students. Fox says that such educational features of the talks would prevent the University from appearing partisan.
"The point of having politicians speak is to educate students. If it is a question-and-answer session, it is no longer a rally and it becomes educational," said Fox.
Student Life obtained an advance copy of the proposal, which will be released today from members of the initiative. Administrators, Student Union leadership and the public will receive the document today.
According to senior Matt Adler, another SCI co-founder, the plan would allow students to become more politically involved.
"The average student looking for a university wants opportunities to get active and access to speakers and voting," said Adler. "Students do care, but they haven't been asked for their votes in a serious way-not in a patronizing or childish way but in a way that approaches them on the issues."
Fox also says that other schools have politically motivated student bodies and that Washington University should as well.
"The apathy is the result of the lack of the University's engagement. There are less apathetic students at universities that foster a politically-charged environment," said Fox.
The plan is not limited to presidential candidates but would allow all candidates for political office to speak on campus.
"We realized that the issues of political involvement on campus were larger than not letting Obama speak. We felt a need for improvement in the way that we deal with civic engagement," said Adler.
Fox says the group understands the University's concern about allowing candidates to speak on campus. According to Fox, the plan is a balance between the needs of the students and the administration.
"We think it's reasonable that the administration doesn't want Washington University to be a political playground, and if a politician doesn't want to take part in this educational setting then they would need to find another place to speak," said Fox.
Campaign fundraising would not be allowed under the plan, and the University would notify other candidates if one were approved to speak. Before a speech, the University would announce its nonpartisan stance and affirm that it does not endorse any candidate.
The group also wants the University to provide voter registration information to students via e-mail and train Residential Advisors to help register their students to vote. The plan also requests a program during freshman orientation regarding civic engagement and other opportunities to get involved on campus.
"We should also be encouraging voter registration through very specific mechanisms like training RAs and having opportunities to vote during orientation," said Adler.
Koenig 4 RA Kim Short was interested in the proposal, especially as it related to its potential training.
"There are quite a few RAs that did some kind of political programming to inform student about political platforms and how students align with those platforms," said Short. "A formal training would be really valuable, especially if it's part of diversity training about both conservatives and liberals, being conscious of the people around us."
Fox says that the University can encourage students to be politically involved later in life.
"We have a strong pool of really informed, smart kids here and this is just a way for them to become more politically involved when they get older. It's all just one big chain reaction," said Fox.
