DAVID CARR AND MARILYN VITO THE RICHARD STOCKTON COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY Fostering Political Engagement on Campus

Seven Best Practices: Our First Look 1. Assess Readiness 2. Recruit Key People 3. Establish a Support Network 4. Set Goals 5. Consider Curricular and Co-Curricular Changes 6. Create Rewards and Recognition 7. Solidify Collaborations Across the Campus

Assessing Readiness Know your institutional landscape Do you have Presidential support? What momentum is already in place? What changes must be made?

Recruit Key People Many are called, but few will serve – 80/20 rule Look for people  Who have a record of commitment and follow through, even if they are not currently engaged.  Who are respected by their colleagues.  Who may be connected to core campus activities and can leverage their work for greater value.  For whom civic engagement is aligned with their professional interests. Honor those who contribute to only a part of the project.

Establish a Support Network Lead by example: they will only be committed if you are. Align resources – provide support for the initiatives. Ensure commitment from their immediate supervisors. Consider what will be critical support for institutionalizing the political engagement program.

Engaging the Community Connecting Political Engagement to campus events  Constitution-Day  Annual Campus Events  Student Organizations and Events  Opportunistic Connecting to Natural Partners  Service Learning  Learning Communities  External Relations/Alumni Affairs  Key External Stakeholders Build on Locally Important Themes  Sustainability

Building Momentum Creating reinforcing events  Ordinary Lives of Engagement – Bring back politically active Alumni  Adding Student Members to PEP Team  Hughes Public Policy Center Events – connect with related institutional units  Political Polling – one of several PEP initiatives Attracting New Talent  Use existing participants as recruiters  New Hiring – encourage programs to consider PEP as a positive factor  Specialized job responsibilities for new faculty/staff – include PEP roles Highlighting the Interests of Others Which May Have a PEP Component  Fanny Lou Hamer – celebrate local historical political activists  Interdisciplinary Programs – link with Gender/Women’s Studies, etc.  Faculty with Unique Experiences – Tap into political connections/experiences Add New Components  E-citizenship, Stewardship of Public Lands, 7 Revolutions, etc.

Institutionalize Connection to On Going Activities Assessing Impact  Tracking Attendance at events or other forms of participation  Survey participants for feedback on what interests them  Monitor Curricular Developments Expand into New, Reinforcing Areas  Legislator in Residence program  Civility in Government Award

Best Practices: Emerging Knowledge The 2 most reliable ways to insure student attendance  Require attendance at a specific event  Make attendance at a specific event one way to meet a course requirement Students remain engaged only when the experience is meaningful to them.  Student groups can help to identify the events and activities likely to attract the greatest response.  Getting information out early and often encourages more engagement.