NASPA's 2012 Commitment to Civic Learning

In 2012, NASPA will move students past simple service learning to deeper levels of involvement and leadership through four specific opportunities for civic engagement: MLK Day of Service, Alternative Spring Breaks, Service Summers, and the fall election. NASPA will work with its professional members and partners, as well as directly with its student contingents, to encourage civic engagement and reflection through blog and/or video postings about the experience. (Read full list of commitments)

Third International Conference on Human Rights Education: Promoting Change in Times of Transition and Crisis

The Third International Conference on Human Rights Education: Promoting Change in Times of Transition and Crisis will be held December 6-10 at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland. The conference focuses on theoretical and practical issues faced by human practitioners in various parts of the world and in particular on the cultural, social and political changes exhibited by current events. It will provide an opportunity for discussion on the present economic difficulties in the West as well as contemporary topical issues including crisis of multiculturalism, racism and other forms of discrimination or challenges to the universality of human rights. Detailed information, the conference program, a list of invited speakers and registration details can be found on the conference website.

Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement Project 

NASPA A Key Partner is Higher Education Movement to Support Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement

In fall 2010, Global Perspective Institute Inc. (GPI), in collaboration with the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), was awarded a contract by the U.S. Department of Education to assess the state of civic learning and democratic engagement among two- and four-year colleges and universities. The project was charged with producing a national report and action plan with ambitious recommendations for strengthening these commitments.

The culminating report, A Crucible Moment: College Learning and Democracy’s Future, was released at a White House event (view video) attended by NASPA Executive Director Gwendolyn Jordan Dungy in January 2012. Dungy represents NASPA as part of the project's steering committee.

In this role, Dungy presented at a national symposium, Reversing a Civic Recession: What Higher Education Can Do, on January 25, 2012 in Washington, DC. The symposium gathered higher education leaders ready to mobilize the sector as one of the defining sites for learning and practicing democratic and civic responsibilities. It pushed participants to think through how to make such learning expected, rather than optional, for every college student.