National Conventions and Constitution Day

Nine Cal U students witnessed democracy in action at the Democratic and Republican national conventions. Through the Washington Center, they were placed in fieldwork positions to learn more about politics, the host committee, or the media covering the news.

They returned to campus and shared their experience with the Cal U community during the annual Constitution Day on campus. Read more about their experiences. 

2012 Election Outlook and Forum

A popular team of political experts, moderated by political commentator Jon Delano of KDKA-TV, returned to Cal U twice in 2012 to predict and then analyze the presidential election.

Panelists were:

• William C. Binning, chair emeritus of the Department of Political Science at Youngstown State University, Ohio.
• Louis Jacobson, staff writer for the Pulitzer Prize-winning PolitiFact.com website, a contributing writer for PoliticsPA, and a contributing editor at National Journal magazine.
• Costas Panagopoulos, director of the Center for Electoral Politics and Democracy and the graduate program in Elections and Campaign Management at Fordham University, New York.
• Daniel Shea, director of the Center for the Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement at Colby College, Maine.

Debate Watch

For the third time in its history, Cal U participated in Debate Watch, a nationwide program held under the auspices of the Commission on Presidential Debates.

Students, faculty, staff and members of the public gathered to view the televised debates between the major-party candidates for president and vice president of the United States.

Election Night

The Cal U community picked their Election Night winners, then viewed the results as they came in at Election Night 2012. Dr. Melanie Blumberg, a professor in the Department of History and Political Science was on on hand to guide informal discussions about the returns.

Click on the image below to view a slideshow highlighting the past year's events. 

“Profile in Courage: Guarding the Vote”

Jennifer Brunner, a John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award winner and past secretary of state in Ohio, presented “Profile in Courage: Guarding the Vote” April 24 in Eberly Science and Technology Center. 

Before her presentation, two panels of experts discussed politics and voting rights in Pennsylvania.

•  In “New Barriers to the Ballot,” a roundtable discussion, Drs. Michael Slaven, Craig Smith and Kwame Botwe-Asamoah, from the Department of History and Political Science, were joined by student Courtney Cochran, who recently completed a research project on the new voter identification law.
• “Leadership & Politics” was moderated by Dr. Anthony Rodi, with panelists Dr. Michael Hummel, director of the Linda and Harry Serene Leadership Institute at Cal U; Lawrence Maggi, a Washington County Commissioner; and Judge Janet Moschetta Bell, from Washington County.

2012 Election Outlook: The Race for the White House

Jon Delano, money and politics editor for KDKA-TV, served as moderator for a panel of political experts as they examined the outlook for this year’s presidential and congressional elections. Serving on the panel was William C. Binning, professor emeritus of political science at Youngstown State University; Louis Jacobson, staff writer for the PolitiFact online fact-checking website and a frequent contributor to PoliticsPA.com; Costas Panagopoulos, director of the Center for Electoral Politics and Democracy at Fordham University in New York; and Daniel M. Shea, director of the Center for Political Participation at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa.

Constitution Day

Sixth-graders from Benjamin Franklin Elementary in Uniontown, Pa., shared their views on a variety of politically themed topics as the Cal U community observed Constitution Day with “Kids Talk Democracy II,” a panel presentation in the Old Main Chapel. Moderator was Dr. Holly Diehl, an associate professor in the Department of Early, Middle and Special Education.

Click on the image below to view a slideshow of the event.

Constitution Day

The purpose of Constitution Day is to ensure that students in the United States are gaining an increased knowledge and appreciation for this important document of freedom. The 2010 Constitution Day opened with a tribute to the late Sen. Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia. A panel of Cal U faculty members then discussed "Civil Liberties at Time of War." Speakers were Dr. Aref Al-Khattar, Dr. Craig Smith, and Dr. John Cencich. Moderator was  Dr. Emily Sweitzer.

  Click on the image below to view a slideshow of the event.

Election Analysis Forum

Jon Delano, money and politics editor for KDKA-TV, served as moderator for a panel of political experts as they examined the results of the 2010 election. Serving on the panel was William C. Binning, professor emeritus of political science at Youngstown State University; Louis Jacobson, staff writer for the PolitiFact online fact-checking website and a frequent contributor to PoliticsPA.com; Costas Panagopoulos, director of the Center for Electoral Politics and Democracy at Fordham University in New York; and Daniel M. Shea, director of the Center for Political Participation at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa.

  Click on the image below to view a slideshow of the event.
 

Civic Responsibility: People, Policy and Politics

Author, syndicated columnist and TV political commentator Donna Brazile headlined a conference focusing on environmental responsibility and civic engagement. The conference opened with a lecture by Terry Collins, a founder of the “green chemistry” field and director of the Institute for Green Science at Carnegie Mellon University.

2012 Election Outlook

Communications expert Mark Weaver shared his insights on the current political landscape and gave career advice to Cal students during the 2012 Election Outlook.

  Click on the image below to view a slideshow of the event.

Voter Registration

Students helped register voters on campus at Cal U and throughout the California Borough.

Constitution Day

The 2009 Constitution Day featured a Cal U faculty panel discussion focusing on "Gun Ownership: Right or Privilege?"

Diane Wilson: An Unreasonable Woman

Diane Wilson, a fourth-generation shrimp-boat captain, environmental activist and author, described her battles with corporate polluters to students at Cal U while participating in a 47-day hunger strike organized by the United Nations conference on climate change in Copenhagen, Denmark. 

The Audacity of Hope: A Reality Check

Political commentator Jon Delano, of KDKA-TV moderated a team of political experts that reflected on the first year of the Obama presidency. Serving on the panel was William C. Binning, professor emeritus of political science at Youngstown State University; Louis Jacobson, staff writer for the PolitiFact online fact-checking website and a frequent contributor to PoliticsPA.com; Costas Panagopoulos, director of the Center for Electoral Politics and Democracy at Fordham University in New York; and Daniel M. Shea, director of the Center for Political Participation at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa.

Help for Haiti: A Special Convocation

"Help for Haiti" focused on long-range problems related to the devastating earthquake that leveled the Haitian capital, killed tens of thousands and left many thousands more homeless. Moderator for the panel was Dr. Kelton Edmonds, of the Department of History and Political Science. Panelists were Cal U faculty members Dr. David Boehm, of the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, who discussed the environmental consequences of the quake; Dr. Deborah Farrer, of the Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education, who talked about the disaster's effect on children and education; Dr. Emily Sweitzer, of the Department of Justice, Law & Society, who spoke about child trafficking; Dr. Kyle Fredrick, of the Department of Earth Sciences, who discussed the cause of earthquakes; and Dr. Cheryl Hettman, of the Department of Nursing, who explained possible health risks.

Voter Registration

Students helped register voters on campus at Cal U and throughout the California Borough.

Deliberative Polling® Initiative

Deliberative Polling® employs social science to determine what people would think about an issue if they became more engaged and informed. Cal U was one of a select group of colleges and universities to participate in the pilot program. It hosted a landmark series that included lectures by George Mehaffy, vice president of Academic Leadership and Change at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU); James Fishkin, director of the Center for Deliberative Democracy at Stanford University; and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., nephew of President John F. Kennedy and an environmental lawyer.

Inauguration Day

Students and other members of the Cal U community gathered at the Performance Center inside the Natali Student Center to watch the inauguration of President Barack Obama.