|
|
| |
|||||
|
SFSU tops U.S. campuses in voter participation | ||||
|
September 15, 2004 |
|||||
 A
new survey of voter registration efforts on U.S. college campuses finds
SFSU one of the top schools to effectively increase voter registration
among students. Conducted by Harvard University’s Institute of
Politics (IOP) and the Chronicle of Higher Education, the survey hails
SFSU for its efforts to fulfill its civic obligation. The Federal Higher
Education Act stipulates that colleges and universities provide opportunities
for voter education and registration.
According to the survey only 16.9 percent of the schools polled met the standards set by the 1998 act. Results were based on the responses from 249 U.S. colleges and universities. More than one-third of these schools failed to meet even the spirit of the law. SFSU was singled out for being one of the best universities in finding innovative ways to encourage students of voter age to vote. The University has worked to establish a voting precinct and polling place on campus. In addition to panel discussions and voter registration drives, SFSU student clubs and student government run ads in the school newspaper and hold ballot receipt promotions. "We pride ourselves on being a politically aware, civically engaged University, and I can think of no more important expression of those values than casting a vote on Election Day," says SFSU President Robert A. Corrigan. This year SFSU is putting as much effort into voter education as voter registration. According to Chris Treadway, director of government and community relations, the University plans to sponsor a voter education and | |||||
