Upcoming Elections Generate Interest Among University Community

With the November presidential elections looming, the campus community is engaged in a number of activities related to the elections and politics, in general.

New Fall Course
This fall, Nancy Snow, assistant professor of communications, is teaching a new course, Political Communications and Elections.

“Image, marketing, rhetoric – it all plays a role. The media play a critical role,” she explained. “Many believe elections should only be discussed in political science classes, but communications also plays a significant role.”

Students attending the class can receive credit either through the Communications or Political Science departments. The class meets on Tuesday evenings by design.

“I want the students to be there on election night so we can watch what is happening together,” she said. “I’m also going to have speakers from a variety of industries – media consultants, political advisers, image consultants – come in and we’ll discuss what works and what doesn’t in political campaigns.”

Voter Registration
Associated Students Inc., Volunteer & Service Center and the Office of Public Affairs and Government Relations are working collaboratively on a campuswide voter education project. The goals are to increase awareness of the importance of voting, register students to vote and “get out the vote” on Nov. 2.

CLE: Political Series 2004
Continuing Learning Experience (CLE) launches its “Political Series 2004” beginning Sept. 16.

The series, presented on alternate Thursdays from 10 a.m. to noon, will feature lectures and discussions by former and current politicians, as well
as political observers, faculty members and journalists.

Joining faculty members Barbara Stone and Raphael Sonenshein will be former Assemblyman Tom Umberg; Scott Baugh, chair of the Orange County Republican party; Jean Pasco, staff writer for the Los Angeles Times; and several others.

The series runs through Dec. 2 and is open to all. For more information about these free programs, call the CLE office at 278-2446 or go to www.fullerton.edu.

American Democracy Project
On Friday, Sept. 24, the Political Science Department will sponsor a half-day series of programs, “Perspectives on Democracy.”

Presenters at this program will include faculty members, media representatives and leaders of nonprofit organizations.

The series will serve as a kickoff to the university’s involvement with the American Democracy Project – a national, multicampus initiative that encourages students to become more civically engaged in their communities and throughout the nation.