Neufeldt Joins National Group Advocating Civic Engagement

Cal State San Marcos President Ellen Neufeldt is joining 91 other college presidents of diverse institutions from across the country to advance higher education's pivotal role in preparing students to be engaged citizens and to uphold free expression on campus.

Through College Presidents for Civic Preparedness, a consortium designed by the presidents and convened by the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, participating presidents are dedicated to preparing the next generation of well-informed, productively engaged and committed citizens; supporting free expression, civil discourse and critical inquiry as essential civic norms; and increasing thoughtful engagement and better understanding by students for the effective functioning of our democracy.

The consortium, first announced with 15 members in August 2023, has grown significantly, demonstrating momentum for this movement.

Participating presidents will take campus-specific and collective action, reflecting three shared civic commitments:

• Educating for democracy is central to our mission.
• We will prepare our students for a vibrant, diverse and contentious society.
• We will protect and defend free inquiry.

Taken together, these commitments embrace both free speech and diversity, two values often pitted against each other, by instead emphasizing meaningful engagement and inquiry with different voices and viewpoints. The commitments stress diversity as a strength of both American democracy and campus life and affirm the truth-seeking role of higher education through curiosity and inquiry. They also enable campus leaders to take substantive action to promote democratic engagement among students, with public accountability for progress through publication of an annual impact report.

"Civic preparedness is the bedrock of a thriving democracy," Neufeldt said. "At Cal State San Marcos, we are dedicated to empowering our students by nurturing their knowledge and honing their skills, preparing them to become active, engaged citizens ready to address and overcome the challenges of tomorrow."

Presidents are developing campus-specific programming to advance the civic commitments in 2024, including new courses, outside speakers, student orientations, presidential speeches, technology tools and voter education initiatives.

At CSUSM, planned programming includes:

• Co-hosting the César Chávez Day of Service and the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, two signature programs dedicated to making a positive impact in the community, with community college partner MiraCosta College.
• Multiple voter registration events and days of action to encourage civic participation ahead of the general election in November.
• The All Peoples Luncheon, hosted by the Office of Inclusive Excellence, which will feature a distinguished speaker who will discuss how to make government more transparent and accessible.

"Higher education has a responsibility to provide students with critical civic skills and knowledge to participate effectively in our constitutional democracy," said Rajiv Vinnakota, president of the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, a nonprofit that cultivates talent, ideas and networks that develop young people as effective, lifelong citizens. "College campuses are among the most diverse spaces in our country, and college is an important time for students to develop the habits, practices and norms to live in a multicultural and interconnected democracy. Doing so can create a ripple effect, making young people more optimistic and increasingly committed about their future and our nation."

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