Michigan Student Political Issues Convention

Developing a Political Voiceand

Making Politics Relevant

Henry Bowers, Eric Rader, Cynthia Stiller and Robert Yahrmatterfrom

Henry Ford Community CollegeDearborn, Michigan

Rationale for the Conventions

Teaching democracy• Foster democratic skills – central function of academic institutions

• SPIC demystify democratic politics– Engage students around issue of concern– Teach participants that their concerns matter and

provide them with a launching place for future political participation

Overview of the Agenda Process

Building a Consensus Agenda• Working collaboratively to develop effective

political voice• Learn how to expand a coalition for more

success• Learn how to create a message and a strategy

for success

The Agenda Setting model has three core areas:

1) The development of a list of concerns-limited in number, -students engage each other through direct dialogue in class and indirect

discourse through course electronic discussion boards.-issues are societal in nature and require societal and/or governmental

responses.

2) Define the issue(s) and the building of evidence to support the concern’s legitimacy that can be used in advocacy activities. -students develop persuasive essays before/after the convention to promote their concerns more widely.

3) The development of a strategic plan for pushing the issue(s) on the political agenda for wider discourse and attention.

The Convention

• Opening Plenary

• Issue Workshops:

• Voting Caucus

• Final Plenary Session: Report of Caucus Vote, Vote of Final Agenda, and Elected Official Response to Agenda

Pre-Convention and in Workshops Student Posters to Promote Issues

Posters range from the global

To the Local Concerns

Students championing their concern with family and friends.

Schedule of ConventionTime Location

Registration 8:30-9:30 a.m. Lobby of Forfa Mazzara Building

Opening Session 9:30-10:00 a.m. Forfa Auditorium Issue Workshops I 10:10-10:50 a.m. Various Locations

See program guide

Issue Workshops II 10:55-11:35 a.m. Various Locations See program guide

Caucus: Voting on Issues 11:40-12:10 p.m. Assigned rooms onWorkshop insert

Final Session 12:20-1:30 p.m. Forfa Auditorium

Opening General Plenary

Student hear keynote, overview of the workshops and vote on the caucus voting rules

Former US Congressmen Bart Stupak provided the Keynote Address while Congressmen John Dingell responds to the student agenda at the final plenary session

Students Promoting their

Concerns inIssue Workshops

Participating Higher Education Institutions

Attendance Includes Students and/or Faculty from:• Eastern Michigan University• Henry Ford Community College• Macomb Community College• Marygrove College• Monroe Community College• Oakland Community College-Auburn Hills• Oakland Community College-Royal Oak• Schoolcraft College• University of Michigan-Dearborn• Wayne State University• Washtenaw Community College

Caucus Voting Rules for Convention• Each Voting Caucus group will tally the students’ vote for presentation at the Final Plenary Session.

• For an issue to be considered for a vote in the caucus each issue that can be voted on in the caucus must receive a nomination by one student, and a minimum of two students must second the nomination.

• Each student is allowed to nominate only one (1) issue, but has no limit on the number of issues they can second.

• Issues receiving a nomination, but not receiving the required seconds can only be considered one time for inclusion in the caucus vote.

• Once an issue has been nominated and seconded two times, then the caucus coordinator will write the issue on the chalk board. [This will indicate the issues eligibility for being voted on.]

• Caucus coordinator shall announce three (3) times that the nominations are closing before accepting no more nominations and proceeding with the voting.

• Each student can cast up to 3 votes. The votes can be cast towards a single issue or can be distributed for up to 3 issues.

• Based on the number of votes each issue receives in the caucus, the top seven issues will be placed on the final Michigan Student Political Issues agenda.

• If fewer than seven issues are reported out of the caucus, then those issues will be the only issues considered during the vote of the final agenda.

• All issues receiving votes, but not making it upon the final agenda, will be listed in an addendum indicating their support.

• After the report of the caucus sessions, a vote will occur during the final session on the final agenda.

• A motion must be made by a caucus (made by caucus coordinator) and seconded by another caucus to begin the final vote or for any other modification to the final list of issues (combining or eliminating issues can occur in the final session; however, additions will not be accepted).

Honorary Steering CommitteeMichael J. Bouchard

Oakland County SheriffIrma Clark-Coleman

Michigan State SenatorJohn Conyers, Jr.

U.S. CongressmanMike Cox

Michigan Attorney GeneralGeorge Cushingberry, Jr.

Michigan State Representative George Darany

Michigan State RepresentativeJohn D. Dingell

U.S. Congressman David Doyle

Market Research GroupRobert A. Ficano

Wayne County ExecutiveJennifer Granholm

Michigan Governor Cynthia Gray Hathaway

Judge, Third Judicial Circuit Court of Michigan

 

Morris W. Hood, IIIMichigan State Senate

Kurt HeiseMichigan State Representative

Terri Lynn LandMichigan Secretary of State

Carl LevinU.S. Senator

Thaddeus McCotterU.S. Congressman

John B. O’Reilly, JrMayor, City of Dearborn

Daniel S. PaletkoMayor, City of Dearborn Heights

L.Brooks PattersonOakland County Executive

Martha G. ScottMichigan State Senator

Debbie StabenowU.S. Senator

Gary WoronchakWayne County Commissioner

Promoting Issue

• Taking the issue and promoting it:– Honorary Steering Committee– Media– Building larger-and-larger coalitions – Using social media– National Student Issues Week and Related Agendas and

Conventions• Illinois, etc.

• Linking the Convention to the classroom

History of Conventions

• Urban Agenda Conventions at Wayne State University 1987-2003– Single University– High School and Middle School– Promote Urban Issues in elections

• Henry Ford Community College– 2004-present

Building the 1st Student Political Issues Convention

• Part of National Student Political Issues Week

Institutional Support

• Logistics– Convention Hall– Workshop Rooms– AV and Technology Support– Print Shop– Parking– Food and Beverages– Hospitality Suite

Partnerships

• University of Illinois-Chicago– Professor Dick Simpson

• St. Mary’s College, Houston, Texas– Professor JP Faletta

• League of Women Voters• Mivote.org • Rock the Vote