Campus Group Encourages Student Registration, Voting
"Mess with Texas--Vote."
This is the message to students from a faculty/staff/student
group called the American Democracy Project at Sam Houston
State University.
And by the time the presidential election smoke clears, the
group's energetic efforts may "mess with" campus
apathy in regions far beyond where the armadillo roams.
Coming soon from the SHSU ADP will be a banner with that slogan,
to be displayed prior to the election in the mall near the
Lowman Student Center, and stickers with the same message
that will be distributed throughout the campus.
Voter registration will be under way on the SHSU campus Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday of this week and next week as well,
to give SHSU students a chance to beat the Oct. 2 deadline
for participation in the November elections.
Appointed just last year by SHSU vice president and provost
David Payne to forward the concept of "service learning,"
the SHSU group has initiated a number of activities to promote
that concept. This fall it is concentrating on encouraging
students to participate in the democratic process by voting.
Joyce McCauley, associate professor in the College of Education,
who chairs the group, said that the voting campaign slogan
is an attempt to get the attention of students.
"Mess with Texas--Vote," is a takeoff on the highly
visible "Don't Mess With Texas" anti-litter campaign
of the past few years.
"We're encouraging that they 'mess with Texas' in the
best way," McCauley said, "by getting involved,
by being proactive, by understanding that they play a very
active role in determining the future of our community, our
state, and our country. The vitality of our democracy depends
on our willingness to seek answers, to listen, to evaluate,
to serve others. We hope that by 'messing with Texas' they
do just that--and then vote to make a difference."
Other than the "in your face" fall voting drive,
one of the SHSU ADP's most successful proposals to date has
been the creation by the SHSU Dean of Students' office of
a co-curricular transcript. In that process students can create
a list of their leadership and service activities, verified
by that office, and useful in job seeking.
John Yarabeck, associate dean of students, said that students
should begin their co-curricular transcript as freshmen, but
that more advanced students can catch up by providing verifiable
activities in which they have participated.
To get started, go to the co-curricular
transcript Web page.
McCauley said that George Mehaffy, vice president, Academic
Leadership and Change, American Association of State Colleges
and Universities (AASCU), has taken note of the SHSU ADP activities.
"He thought it (the Mess with Texas--Vote campaign) was
an excellent idea," McCauley said, "and wants to
send it to all ADP campuses."
Frank Fair, professor and coordinator of philosophy, and one
of the committee members, said that the U. S. Education Code
mandates that universities engage in good faith efforts to
encourage students to register to vote, and that student loan
funds could be withheld if such activities are not conducted.
- END -
SHSU Media Contact: Frank
Krystyniak
Sept. 20, 2004
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