2018 Civic Learning & Democratic Engagement Meeting

Our 2018 Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement Meeting (CLDE18) is a conference intended to facilitate exchanges of knowledge and develop a sense of community around our shared civic learning and democratic engagement work. This meeting is designed around our emergent theory of change which poses four important questions:

Purpose: What are the key features of the thriving democracy we aspire to enact and support through our work?
Learning Outcomes: What knowledge, skills, and dispositions do people need in order to help create and contribute to a thriving democracy?
Pedagogy: How can we best foster the acquisition and development of the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary for a thriving democracy?
Strategy: How can we build the institutional culture, infrastructure, and relationships needed to support learning that enables a thriving democracy?

The theory of change also suggests that campuses consider how best to construct campus cultures and contexts that foster:

Civic Ethos of campus: The infusion of democratic values into the customs and habits of everyday practices, structures, and interactions; the defining character of the institution and those in it that emphasizes open-mindedness, civility, the worth of each person, ethical behaviors, and concern for the well-being of others; a spirit of public-mindedness that influences the goals of the institution and its engagement with local and global communities.

Civic Literacy & Skill Building as a goal for every student: The cultivation of foundational knowledge about fundamental principles and debates about democracy expressed over time, both within the United States and in other countries; familiarity with several key historical struggles, campaigns, and social movements undertaken to achieve the full promise of democracy; the ability to think critically about complex issues and to seek and evaluate information about issues that have public consequences.

Civic Inquiry integrated within the majors and general education: The practice of inquiring about the civic dimensions and public consequences of a subject of study; the exploration of the impact of choices on different constituencies and entities, including the planet; the deliberate consideration of differing points of views; the ability to describe and analyze civic intellectual debates within one’s major or areas of study.
Civic Action as lifelong practice: The capacity and commitment both to participate constructively with diverse others and to work collectively to address common problems; the practice of working in a pluralistic society and world to improve the quality of people’s lives and the sustainability of the planet; the ability to analyze systems in order to plan and engage in public action; the moral and political courage to take risks to achieve a greater public good.

Civic Agency involves the capacities of citizens to work collaboratively across differences like partisan ideology, faith traditions, income, geography, race, and ethnicity to address common challenges, solve problems and create common ground; requires a set of individual skills, knowledge, and predispositions; also involves questions of institutional design, particularly how to constitute groups and institutions for sustainable collective action.

Participants will have opportunities to network and develop their civic-minded thinking and practices through engaging plenary sessions, informative general interest sessions, interactive workshops, research and program-based poster sessions, roundtable discussions as well as in working groups and in informal expert led forums.

The meeting begins for all attendees in the early morning of Thursday, June 7 and ends on Saturday, June 9 at approximately 3 p.m. Pre-conference workshops and meetings are planned for Wednesday, June 6 beginning at 9 a.m. Please plan on arriving in Anaheim no later than Wednesday, June 6 (Tuesday, June 5th for pre-conference participants). You can plan to depart Anaheim on Saturday in the late afternoon; know that the conference hotel rate will be available June 5 and extended through Sunday, June 10, for those who would like to stay longer to explore the Disneyland and the Anaheim/Los Angeles.

Be sure to watch the #CivEdTalks from the 2017 CLDE meeting in preparation for CLDE18 in Anaheim:

Millennial Conservatism and Civic Engagement: No, Really, What Do Young Conservatives Want? | Jane Coaston
Doing Civic Engagement through a Wicked Problems Lens: The Case for Passionate Impartiality | Martín Carcasson
Citizen Power | Eric Liu

Join us in Anaheim as we work to advance the civic learning and democratic engagement movement across higher education. We look forward to seeing you there!

Social Media

Tweet #clde18
Follow @ADPaascu
Follow @TDCNational
Follow @NASPAtweets

Contact Us

For logistical (e.g., hotel accommodations, audio-visual needs) questions about the 2018 Civic Learning & Democratic Engagement Meeting, please contact:

For registration questions, please contact:
Felicia Durham
Registrar
durhamf@aascu.org | (202) 478-4673

For ADP programmatic questions, please contact:
Jen Domagal-Goldman
National Manager, American Democracy Project
domagalj@aascu.org | (202) 478-7833

For TDC programmatic questions, please contact:
Verdis Robinson
National Director, The Democracy Commitment
robinsonv@aascu.org | (202) 478-4656

For NASPA programmatic questions, please contact:
Stephanie King
Assistant Director for Civic Engagement, Knowledge Community, and Social Justice Initiatives, NASPA
sking@naspa.org | (202) 719-1193

For Exhibitor/Sponsorship questions, please contact:
Adrienne Vincent
AASCU Program Manager
cldesponsorships@naspa.org | (202) 478-4645, or

Fred Comparato
Senior Director of Corporate Development
cldesponsorships@naspa.org | 614-204-5994

Sponsorship Exhibiting Information

Exhibitor Hours
Wednesday, June 6
6 p.m. – 7 p.m. | Exhibitor Set-up

Thursday, June 7
8 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Exhibitor Set-up & Exhibits Open (registration will open at 7 a.m.)

Friday, June 8
8 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Exhibits Open (registration will open at 7:30 a.m.)

Saturday, June 9
8 a.m. – Noon | Exhibits Open (registration will open at 7:30 a.m.)
Noon – 3 p.m. | Exhibitor Tear-down

Download program book - Last updated May 31, 2018

Wednesday, June 6

8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Registration

9 a.m. – Noon
Half-day Morning Pre-conference Workshop
Making Assessment Work for You: Strategies to Bring Meaning to your Civic Engagement Efforts
Sponsored by ETS

There are two parts of an effective assessment process that scare many practitioners in higher education: developing student learning outcomes and identifying which data to use. Most have engaged in the process of writing learning objectives, often because it was an institutional or program requirement and often without seeing much benefit to or impact upon their work. Similarly, we’ve all dreaded that moment when asked to provide data to support our program, class, or initiative. Yet these two practices (a) don’t have to instill fear, and (b) are actually especially pertinent in the area of civic learning. Student learning outcomes help to articulate your particular approach to civic learning and/or engagement, which is critical for conversations both within and outside of your institution. Identifying appropriate data – either for demonstrating effectiveness or guiding improvements – also has particular importance in the civic learning space, mostly because there are so many types of data that can be applied (e.g., surveys, rubrics, tests, enrollment outcomes, grades). But how do you determine and organize the appropriate data sources that most closely relate to your work? Presenters in this workshop will focus on practical strategies in both of these areas, providing attendees with concrete tools and strategies that can immediately impact their courses, programs, centers, and institutions.

Organizers: Abraham Goldberg, Executive Director of the Center for Civic Engagement and Associate Professor of Political Science, James Madison University; Ross Markle, Senior Assessment Strategist, Higher Education Division, ETS; and Dena Pastor, Associate Director of Assessment Operations – Center for Assessment & Research Studies and Professor of Graduate Psychology, James Madison University

9 a.m. - Noon
Half-day Morning Pre-Conference Workshop
ADP’s Digital Polarization Initiative Meeting
For Participating ADP Campuses By Invitation

This workshop is for the ten campuses engaged in the American Democracy Project’s pilot Digital Polarization Initiative. Participants will discuss ongoing logistical concerns regarding the fall 2018 implementation of course modules related to online civic literacy efforts and will include faculty development related to teaching strategies, materials and the assessment of these efforts. New materials for teaching courses will be presented, and some ways in which different campuses have worked with the material will be showcased.

Organizers: Mike Caulfield, ADP Civic Fellow and Director of Blended and Networked Learning, Washington State University Vancouver; and Jen Domagal-Goldman, National Manager, AASCU’s American Democracy Project

9 a.m. - Noon
Half-day Morning Pre-Conference Workshop:
"Reacting to Democracy": Immersive Civic Learning Through Historical Role-Playing Games

This session will demonstrate student engagement through the immersive civic learning experience of Reacting to the Past historical role playing. Reacting, or RTTP, is a High Impact Practice that offers deep participatory student engagement right inside the classroom. Packing together many of the skills and values of 21st century civic learning, as delineated by AAC&U, RTTP is a gateway HIP pedagogy well suited to General Education survey classes as well as to upper-level courses. RTTP consists of elaborate immersion “games,” set in the past, in which students are assigned roles informed by classic texts in the history of ideas. Students walk in others’ shoes and argue perspectives very different from their own. They emotionally and intellectually engage in life roles and historic roles that broaden empathy, respect, open-mindedness, and justice. Pioneered by historian Dr. Mark C. Carnes of Columbia University, RTTP has been implemented at over 350 colleges and universities in the U.S. and abroad. This interactive session will briefly immerse attendees in a journey to colonial Virginia and the era of Bacon’s Rebellion, demonstrating a democratized classroom and how historical role-playing games can be used in colleges and universities to build civic skills and promote democratic learning. Through the lens of high impact practices, panel discussion will evaluate Reacting’s effectiveness to take students, through experience, into inquiry, reflection, and concept integration.

Organizers: Verdis Robinson, National Director, The Democracy Commitment and Mary Evins, Associate Research Professor of History, Middle Tennessee State University.

10 a.m. - Noon
Voter Friendly Campus Meeting
All campus participants who received the Voter Friendly Campus (VFC) designation in 2017 and submitted an interest statement to receive the designation in 2019-2020.

This session will include an overview of the VFC process and next steps for campuses that received the designation. Participants can anticipate active participation in the planning for the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 academic years.

Organizers: Michael Burns, National Director and Debi Lombardi, National Field Director, Campus Vote Project; and Stephanie King, Assistant Director for Knowledge Communities and CLDE Initiatives, NASPA.

9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Full-day Pre-conference Workshop
Civic Engagement Assessment: From Mission Statements to Meanings and Measures
Pre-Conference Workshops with Networking Lunch - sponsored by ETS

Organizers: Abraham Goldberg, Executive Director of the Center for Civic Engagement and Associate Professor of Political Science, James Madison University; Ross Markle, Senior Assessment Strategist, Higher Education Division, ETS; and Dena Pastor, Associate Director of Assessment Operations – Center for Assessment & Research Studies and Professor of Graduate Psychology, James Madison University

Attend both half-day assessment pre-conference workshops for a reduced price and participate in our assessment networking lunch from Noon - 1 p.m.

MORNING: Making Assessment Work for You: Strategies to Bring Meaning to your Civic Engagement Efforts (see description above)

AFTERNOON: Leading Institutional Civic Learning and Engagement Efforts through Assessment (see description below)

1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Half-day Afternoon Pre-conference Workshop
Leading Institutional Civic Learning and Engagement Efforts through Assessment
Sponsored by ETS

Assessment is often viewed as an external process, necessary to “check a box” or meet a reporting, accountability, or other similar need. However, assessment is often most effective when driven internally, helping to communicate concepts in a shared language with campus audiences, demonstrate effectiveness, guide improvement, articulate impact, and/or organize data and research on your campus. These issues are especially relevant in the civic learning and engagement space, where data, conversations, and efforts extend across many parts of the institution. To that end, this workshop will first focus on organizing various types of civic learning and engagement efforts. Participants will consider the value of different approaches to gathering information about institutional interventions. We will also discuss issues around implementation fidelity that can impact program effectiveness. Second, we will review various aspects of the assessment process (e.g., developing learning outcomes, identifying data sources, using results) and how various institutional models - such as civic engagement centers, course-based efforts, general education initiatives, etc. – can effectively execute and implement these practices in their own context. Attention will be given to collaborating with campus and external partners to align student experiences with desired civic learning outcomes. Throughout this workshop, presenters will focus on practical applications and real-world experiences that will help participants produce impactful tools for their own civic learning and engagement work.

Organizers: Abraham Goldberg, Executive Director of the Center for Civic Engagement and Associate Professor of Political Science, James Madison University; Ross Markle, Senior Assessment Strategist, Higher Education Division, ETS; and Dena Pastor, Associate Director of Assessment Operations – Center for Assessment & Research Studies and Professor of Graduate Psychology, James Madison University

1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Half-day Afternoon Pre-conference Workshop
Advancing Online Civic Literacy: New Skills for Citizens

In this pre-conference workshop participants will discuss how social media is transforming the civic landscape and what role higher education might have in mitigating its more damaging effects. Participants will learn simple web skills for fact-checking that every citizen needs. Presented in the same format that these skills can be taught to students, participants will be introduced to basic web techniques to sort fact from fiction on the web, as well as to break out of the ideological bubbles we sometimes create for ourselves. Participants are asked to bring a laptop or tablet to this workshop.

Presenter: Mike Caulfield, ADP Civic Fellow and Director of Blended and Networked Learning, Washington State University Vancouver

1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Half-day Afternoon Pre-conference Workshop
Politics 365 - Preparing for Political Engagement

The fall 2018 election presents both opportunities and challenges to U.S. colleges and universities. On one hand, elections offer the proverbial teachable moment in which students across disciplines can critically examine – and take a stand on - the most pressing ethical, social and policy issues at stake. On the other hand, like communities, campuses are susceptible to extreme political polarization and divisive rhetoric. For institutions that value the ideal of creating cohesive and collaborative learning communities, the election has the potential to be a significant, disruptive force.

In this pre-conference workshop, participants will explore promising approaches to engaging students during the election season while also preventing divisive political conflict. It will draw from research on campus climates for political learning and engagement in democracy. Specifically, participants will examine ways to (1) increase social cohesion and student well-being across differences of political affiliation and social identity, (2) improve political discourse and controversial issue discussions, and (3) engage students in bipartisan efforts to increase electoral engagement. Participants will work with tools, discussion materials, and interventions that they can take back to their institutions.

Organizers: Nancy Thomas, Director, and Adam Gismondi, Program Administrator, Institute for Democracy & Higher Education (IDHE), Jonathan M. Tisch College for Civic Life at Tufts University (Mass.)

1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Half-day Afternoon Pre-conference Workshop
Student Pre-Conference Workshop
For CLDE students only

This workshop will introduce students to the Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement network by providing information through workshops, discussions, and networking. This space will be used to discuss issues that focus on being an active participant in the local and national communities. Discussions will be held in large and small groups to effectively dissect the topics explored throughout the meeting. Students will leave with a cohesive network amongst their peers to communicate and collaborate both during and after the conference. We hope to engage our attendees with new and exciting information that can further reach students across the nation, and actively enhance the Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement initiatives.

Organizers: 2018 CLDE Student Interns: Vera Barcega-Ramirez, student, College of the Canyons (Calif.); Hannah Jackson, student, University of Nevada, Reno (Nev.); Collin Sullivan, student, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (Md.)

Thursday, June 7

8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Registration

8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
NASPA Lead Initiative Institutions Breakfast and Workshop (for NASPA Lead Initiative campuses)

8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
ADP Organizing Meeting (All ADP campus participants encouraged to attend; includes ADP awards presentations and planning for the 2018-2019 academic year)

8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
TDC Organizing Meeting (All TDC campus participants encouraged to attend)

11:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m.
Ace the Midterms: TurboVote’s 2018 Voter Engagement Symposium
(Lunch provided; RSVP now via registration as event is capped at 70 participants)
Like students hoping to ace their midterm exams, we want to *ace* this year’s midterm elections! Join TurboVote, our partner colleges and universities, and other nonprofit organizations for an interactive symposium offering attendees innovative ideas and strategies for increasing student voter engagement in 2018 and beyond. Together, we will learn from speakers and one another about ways to foster a culture of voting that reaches all corners of campus and thrives year-to-year. Whether you’re new to student voter engagement or a seasoned pro, all are welcome to participate in this informative and exciting session. Lunch will be provided, as saving democracy works up quite the appetite.

Noon - 1 p.m.
Lunch on Own

1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Senior Leadership Meeting

1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
eJournal of Public Affairs Board Meeting

2:15 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.
CLDE Orientation

3:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
OPENING PLENARY | CivEd Talks and Our CLDE Theory of Change
CivEd Talks are dynamic, short, and quick-paced presentations by members of the civic learning and democratic engagement community intended to inspire and challenge our collective imagination and thinking. Stories shared in this format reflect the individual's genuine experience with and relevant knowledge of their topic. Each of the three CivEd Talks presented will actively engage participants in stretching our thinking and motivating us to action concerning three wicked problems faced by our campuses and communities: hunger and homelessness, DACA and immigration, and climate change. Join us for an opening plenary session that asks you to envisioning the work of our CLDE movement in higher education and consider how you can help us move the needle on these important issues. Together we'll explore our emergent theory of change which asks that we consider how together we can build campus cultures and contexts contribute to a more vibrant democracy, advance civic outcomes and pedagogies, and strategically institutionalize our work.

Opening remarks by: George L. Mehaffy, Vice President for Academic Leadership and Change, AASCU

#CivEdTalk Speakers & Topics:

Hunger, Homelessness and Action to Include Today's Students
There are invisible populations on our campuses - students who are not sure where they will sleep tonight, or when they will get their next meal. Knowing that obtaining a college degree is a key to a more stable and successful life, students are having to choose between groceries and graduation, textbooks or rent. This talk describes the challenges facing today's student as they seek to survive and to thrive in the new economics of higher education, offering ideas and potential solutions from the growing intersection of higher education and human services.

Speaker: Clare Cady, Director of Community Engagement, Temple University (Pa.) & Founder/Director, College and University Food Bank Alliance

Climate Change Action Through Student Resiliency Ambassadors
Higher education institutions across the country are committed to climate action and leadership through the Second Nature framework. The Second Nature Climate Resilience in Urban Campuses + Communities (CRUX) grant, from the Kresge Foundation, is a pilot program designed to encourage resiliency across the country. South Mountain Community College has partnered with the City of Phoenix to develop a climate resiliency model for heat related incidences. This talk describes how we developed an individual resiliency survey and empowered student to take action by creating resiliency ambassadors.

Speaker: Sian Proctor, Geology Professor, South Mountain Community College (Az.)

Dream Deferred: Broken Promises for Undocumented Students
An estimated 65,000 undocumented students graduate from high school every year. Undocumented students face many tests, including potential deportation and emotional challenges that affect their daily lives, including loneliness and depression. Their undocumented status leaves many of these students feeling hopeless and seeking answers. This talk will address how to best support our students as they navigate the already challenging journey of achieving their dreams of obtaining a degree while trying to remain hopeful in the midst of an uncertain future.

Speaker: Joel Pérez, Vice President and Dean of Students/Title IX Coordinator, Whittier College (Calif.)

5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Networking Reception and Poster Session

Friday, June 8

7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Registration

7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m.
Breakfast Sessions

9:15 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Plenary Session: A Roadtrip toward Civic Engagement

In this “fireside chat,” the presidents of AASCU and NASPA and one of the founders of Roadtrip Nation, will share their thoughts regarding how the process of finding one’s career through journey and interaction with others can be used as a technique for finding civic and political voice. A sense of civic agency and political efficacy are not simply inherent in individuals; these are civic skills that have to be developed. Please join us on a voyage of discovery as we consider together how best to learn and foster civic skills, action, and agency as we craft the career paths and civic lives that will fulfill us.

Organizers:
Kevin Kruger, president, NASPA
Verdis L. Robinson, national director, The Democracy Commitment, AASCU
Mike Marriner, co-founder, Roadtrip Nation

11 a.m. - Noon
Concurrent Sessions

Noon – 1 p.m.
Lunch on Your Own

1:15 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions

1:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Mini-Institutes

2 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions

3 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions

4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions

Saturday, June 9

7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m.
Breakfast Sessions

9:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Plenary Session: Free Speech or Hate Speech? A Cross-Campus Dialogue on Community, Faculty, and Student Activism
Our nation’s campuses are facing growing pressure to redefine the limits of free speech amid pleas for inclusivity and growing resurgence of nationalist groups on increasingly diverse campuses. As college students, as well as faculty and staff, grow increasingly intolerant of offensive views, the push for greater freedom of speech has elevated conflicts across higher education. Moderated by Nancy Thomas, this panel represents diverse experiences and perspectives on this issue and will engage attendees in a timely dialogue about free speech, academic freedom, and inclusive campus environments.

Panelists: Jonathan Alger, President, James Madison University (Va.); Stefan Bradley, Associate Professor and Chair of African American Studies, Loyola Marymount University (Calif.); Berenecea Johnson Eanes, Vice President for the Division of Student Affairs, California State University, Fullerton; Hannah Jackson, CLDE 2018 intern and student, University of Nevada Reno; and Nancy Thomas, Director, Institute for Democracy & Higher Education (IDHE), Jonathan M. Tisch College for Civic Life at Tufts University (Mass.)

10:45 – 11:45 a.m.
Concurrent Sessions

10:45 - 12:30
Mini-Institutes

11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions

12:30 p.m.
Adjourn

1:30 - 3:30
ADP Steering Committee Meeting

Registration Fee includes all program sessions and materials; reception on Thursday; and breakfasts on Friday and Saturday.

Individual Fee: $595 regular
Register as an individual if only one person from your ADP/TDC/NASPA campus is attending.

Team Member Registration Fee: $545 regular
If more than one person from your ADP/TDC/NASPA campus is attending the meeting, you may use the Team Member Registration Fee.

Student Registration Fee: $350
Registration rate for undergraduate and full-time graduate students at AASCU/ADP/TDC/NASPA colleges and universities.

Non-Member Registration Fee: $725 regular
Register as a non-member if you or your organization is not AASCU/ADP/TDC/NASPA institutional member.

Guest Registration Fee: $95
Only registered attendees can register a guest. A guest is considered someone who will NOT be participating in the program, but will be attending the opening reception on Thursday and breakfast on Friday. If you are bringing an individual from your campus you will want to select the Team Registration.

Pre-conference Institute Fees:

Full-Day Institute: $120/individual

Half-Day Institute: $65/individual

Afternoon Student Pre-conference Workshop (half-day afternoon, students only): No additional fee

Hotel

Hyatt Regency Orange County
11999 Harbor Blvd.
Garden Grove, CA 92840

Phone: (714) 750-1234

Book your room here: https://aws.passkey.com/go/AASCandU2018

Room Rate

The special conference rate is $169 for a standard room plus applicable state and local taxes (currently 14.5% occupancy tax, 2.5% GGTIID Assessment Fee and a $0.05 CA Tourism Tax). Note: room rate is for single or double occupancy. Triple occupancy is $194/night plus taxes and quadruple occupancy is $219/night plus taxes.

Rate is good three days prior and three days after the meeting dates.
To obtain this rate, you must book your room by Tuesday May 15, 2018.

Cancellation Fee: $150
If you must cancel your registration, you will receive a full refund if the cancellation is before 5 p.m. EST on Friday, May 25. There will be a $150 cancellation fee after that date. Special circumstances will be handled on an individual basis. Guest meals should be cancelled by 5 p.m. EST on Friday, May 25 for a full refund; no refund is available after that date.