A LABORATORY FOR DEMOCRACY
Renewing our emphasis on the nation’s ideals
By Amy Parsons | Jan. 3, 2024
EACH YEAR, THOUSANDS OF BRIGHT AND CAPABLE YOUNG people begin their journeys at Colorado State University. They come ready to learn, to engage with their campus community, and, for many, to exercise their right to vote for the first time.
Here, they are surrounded by diverse ideas and by people with vastly different experiences and perspectives. They have opportunities to hear speakers and attend events that bring opposing viewpoints together to be explored. When they arrive on campus, students enter one of the country’s great laboratories for democracy. Universities are designed not only to prepare students for productive careers, but also to produce thoughtful, engaged citizens and future leaders.
This is especially true for land-grant universities, which have their roots in democracy. These institutions were founded on the revolutionary idea that an excellent education should be widely accessible to a population far beyond just the wealthy elite. Following this ideal, CSU became part of the democratization of education at its founding 154 years ago. When President Abraham Lincoln and Sen. Justin Morrill conceived of the Morrill Land Grant College Act of 1862, they imagined a system in which individuals with the drive and talent to achieve a degree could have access to a quality university. They created a mighty tool to rebuild a country torn apart by the Civil War, strengthen the economy, unify communities, and bolster our ability to compete in the world. They envisioned a tool for seeking truth through discourse and research, and a tool that would bring excellence in education out into the communities that could directly benefit.
I believe land-grant universities remain our nation’s greatest and most powerful tool for modeling reconciliation, progress, democratic ideas, and excellence. Today, in an ever more polarized society, what role should CSU take to support participation in the democratic process?
It is time for land-grant universities to be on the forefront of democracy again. We can do this by providing an environment that is rich with diverse views, more conversation, and increased learning and participation. This is why I’m so excited that CSU has undertaken a thematic year of Democracy and Civic Engagement, a year in which we are intentionally highlighting issues affecting our democracy. We are inviting speakers who present different sides of issues and model civil, thoughtful discourse on important topics.
Last semester, it was remarkable to see thousands of our students, faculty, and staff participate in thematic year events. Together, we filled our lecture halls and classrooms, visited our galleries and theaters, and gathered on the Lory Student Center Plaza. Our students had opportunities to participate in issue forums, attend events and performances, and register to vote. A few highlights included Democracy Day on the Plaza; a conversation about how to “Disagree Better” with Govs. Jared Polis and Spencer Cox; and a Civics and Voting 101 event.
This spring, organizers are continuing a full slate of thematic year activities. These include a multiday democracy summit, theater performances, guest speakers, and much more.
These activities prepare CSU to focus on the importance of democracy, not just this year, but as an ongoing effort. Our thematic year of Democracy and Civic Engagement is a powerful launchpad for a renewed emphasis on democracy across the university. This focus will stretch into our curricula, attract world-class speakers every semester, and foster dialogue throughout our community.
It is time for land-grant universities to be on the forefront of democracy again. We can do this by providing an environment that is rich with diverse views, more conversation, and increased learning and participation."
My vision is for CSU to become a national model in teaching democratic principles. CSU is uniquely positioned to set the standard for producing engaged, informed, and active citizens. As a modern land-grant university in the middle of the country, both geographically and politically, CSU is ideally suited to promote civil discourse, to elevate facts, and to navigate ways to disagree constructively. From an engineering lecture to a philosophy symposium, departments across the university are proving that every field of study benefits from incorporating democratic ideals.
We need to be and to produce active, well-educated citizens who are ready to converse with one another, to vote, to run for office, and to participate in all facets of civil society. Safeguarding and revitalizing democracy will require united effort and passionate commitment by our nation’s young people. The work we will take on to support this is critical.
- We are hosting events where people of all political and ideological persuasions can engage in respectful, productive dialogues that expand thinking, bring attention to the most pressing issues of democracy, and mobilize action.
- We are redoubling student voter registration efforts and strive to be among the top universities for voter participation. With 76 percent student voter participation in 2020, CSU has been recognized as a “gold seal” campus by the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. We have plans to further innovate for even better results.
- We aim to ensure that every student has a baseline understanding of the foundational principles of democracy and the most crucial issues affecting it, such as free speech, academic freedom, health, technology, economic mobility, education, civil rights, corporate social responsibility, inclusivity, government accountability, political influence, free press, and open and fair elections.
Our commitment to the university as a laboratory of democracy is stronger than ever. We hope to be a community that recognizes the fundamental value of democracy and shares a passion for strengthening it, regardless of personal ideological backgrounds. We teach our students to challenge their established views; to seek to learn, not just react; and to develop their own informed positions. We aim to develop the skills of working with diverse populations, engaging in civil discourse, and finding common ground.
Most importantly, we want students to take this skill set into the world to make informed choices, to participate in civil society, to help create policy that addresses pressing societal issues, and to become community and civic leaders. As torchbearers for democracy, our students will bring a brighter future to our country and our world.
Amy Parsons, J.D., is president of Colorado State University, the state’s land-grant institution and flagship of the CSU System. She graduated from CSU in political science.
Illustration at top: Dave Cutler
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