For Immediate Release
July 23, 2012
Contacts: David Ottalini, 301 405 4076 or dottalin@umd.edu

Terps Vote Pushes Civic Engagement on the University of Maryland Campus

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The 2012 election campaign is already underway, and with the fall semester looming, the Terps Vote program is making plans to innovatively help the entire Maryland campus become more informed and engaged. "Terps Vote seeks to foster collaboration among all campus organizations, departments, divisions, etc. that are actively promoting and participating in civic engagement," says Shane Bryan, who is overseeing the non-partisan Terps Vote program for the University of Maryland this year. He adds, "This group's goal is to ensure the UMD community registers to vote, is an educated voting community, and votes either via early voting or on Election Day."

This is the second presidential election for Terps Vote. Bryan says with the campus so close to Washington, DC it was inevitable that UMD students would want to be actively engaged - no matter their politics or candidate. "Students have a number of ways to get involved such as joining one of more than 30 student organizations that have a political focus or applying to live in one of UMD's unique Living and Learning programs which allows for students interested in similar issues to live together while developing a community around their interests. Many students volunteer with campaigns for all levels of government while others do internships."

A number of schools and centers on campus will offer speakers, programs and specific events tied to the election. School of Public Policy Professor I.M. "Mac" Destler will also host a post-election post-mortem lunch forum the Wednesday after the election as part of the Stern lecture series.  Experts will include UMD Government and Politics Professor Bill Galston and Jeremy Rosner - who is executive vice president at Greenberg Quinlan Rosner in Washington, DC.

There will also be a wide range of courses this school year as a way to engage Maryland students not only in the election, but to look at how our government works at all levels. Some of the courses include:

• Seminar in American Politics: Presidential Elections with Government & Politics Associate Professor David Karol
  
  
• The American Foreign Policy-Making Process: a graduate-level course to "Survey and analyze governmental institutions and processes which shape U.S. global engagement on national security and  international economic issues. Particular emphasis is given to executive-congressional relations and the broader domestic roots of foreign policy" with Professor I.M. "Mac" Destler
  
  
• The U.S. Congress: A detailed survey of lawmaking and the legislative process, emphasizing the U.S. Congress and its members with Government & Politics Professor Eric Uslaner
  
  
• The Presidency and the Executive Branch: An examination of the U.S. presidency in historical and contemporary perspective: nomination and electoral politics and the president's place in policy-making, administration, and public opinion with Government and Politics graduate student Joseph Wantz
  
  
• Experiential Learning: Voting as If the Issues Matter. As the 2012 Presidential and Congressional elections get underway, this seminar series on "Voting As If the Issues Matter will explore the implications of key civic issues facing the United States at the national and global levels with Beyond the Classroom Living and Learning Program Director Dr. James Riker
  
  
• Seminar in Political Communication: The History of Presidential Campaign Communication, 1800-2012 with Communications Professor Trevor Parry-Giles
  
  
• Seminar in Political Communication: Civic Communication. This class will have a primary focus on the local community - specifically, College Park - and how ordinary citizens can be involved in politics and civic life with Assistant Professor of Communications Kristy Maddux
  
  

Terps Vote Home Page

Election 2012 - Faculty Experts

Department of Government and Politics
School of Public Policy

Center for American Politics and Citizenship
Center for Political Commincation and Civic Leadership

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