The Institute for Democracy & Higher Education (IDHE), part of the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University, has released a detailed report, Election Imperatives, which details ten recommendations to increase college student voting and improve political learning and engagement in democracy.
This report, endorsed by organizations such as Campus Compact and the Association of American Colleges and Universities, compares today's rising student interest in politics to the 1960s, but cautions that students and voters ages 18-21 have a very low turnout rate. The report encourages us to view today's heated political climate as an opportunity to recommit ourselves to learning for democracy as a national priority.
The ten recommendations the report provides are:
- Reflect on past elections and reimagine 2018
- Remove barriers to student voting
- Develop informed voters
- Establish a permanent and inclusive coalition to improve the climate for learning and participation
- Invest in the right kind of training
- Talk politics across campus
- Involve faculty across disciplines in elections
- Increase and improve campus issue discussions across disciplines
- Support student activism and leadership
- Empower students to create a buzz around the election
The full 19-page report, and more information about IDHE, can be found here. For an interview in the Chronicle of Higher Education with the Director of IDHE, Nancy Thomas, discussing Election Imperatives, click here.
