Campus Compact is proud to announce a partnership with The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) – the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE).

NSLVE offers Compact campuses an opportunity to study student-voting rates and to correlate those rates with educational programs designed to increase student civic learning and engagement in democracy.

Here’s how it works:
Whether an individual registers and votes is a matter of public record. (How an individual votes is not.) Circle is working with an organization that collects state and local records into one national database that is widely used for academic research. They’ve developed a secure, confidential and FERPA-compliant system for matching enrollment lists with public records to obtain voting rates for their student bodies and any specified subgroups. Institutions will receive a report on trends and patterns in aggregate numbers. Neither CIRCLE nor the institutions will see individual students’ names or any other personally identifiable information, only aggregate numbers. For specifics, see the NSLVE FAQs.

We’re excited for this partnership because:

1. Voting is a critical indicator of civic engagement..
2. Participating members would be part of a cutting edge national research initiative. 
3. It’s free and easy!

In addition to reading the FAQs, you and your campuses can participate in an information session with CIRCLE. Click here for dates and instructions. 

Please direct any specific questions about NSLVE to Nancy Thomas, Director, CIRCLE’s Initiative for the Study of Higher Education and Public Life, at Nancy.Thomas {at} tufts(.)edu.

Demand for college-educated workers in four states (ME, MI, MN, and OH) will grow five to six times faster than demand for high school graduates or dropouts. CLASP has published a new report regarding the economic imperative for more adults to finish college.  Below is a link to the full report (PDF) from June 2011:

http://www.clasp.org/admin/site/publications/files/NotKidStuffAnymoreAdultStudentProfile-1.pdf

Other resources for member presidents:

• Read A Promising Connection: Increasing College Access and Success through Civic Engagement, Campus Compact’s recently-published new white paper about the potential for community/campus civic engagement to enhance student access to and success in college.
• Access Christine Cress’ presentation summarizing the authors’ findings in A Promising Connection.
• Read and download Five Dimensions of Enhancing Community-Campus Connections for Access and Success, created by Christine Cress.
• Read President DeGioia’s Keynote at the Presidents Summit kick-off dinner on Oct. 12, 2010.
• View Dr. Adam Green of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission’s presentation on Integrating Civic Engagement into State Initiatives.
• View PPT by Montana State University President Waded Cruzado Student Success through Service: Creating Connections with the Community.
• We have also put together a comprehensive list of resources for presidents, which contains not only Campus Compact resources but also resources from other organizations.

Civic Engagement can be found on the Alliance 4 Public Service website at: http://publicservice.newark.rutgers.edu

This online resource contains service-learning news, research, and events.

In conjunction with community partners, service-learning practitioners will strive to build upon the positive attributes of the rural culture while mitigating the negative factors. Rural Service Learning can involve studies, service, co-operative programs and projects, and policy development. In the process, students will develop their potential as future engaged citizens.