The George Washington University is joining over 100 institutions that are publicly committed to preparing young people for productive citizenship in democracy as President Ellen M. Granberg and GW recently became a member of College Presidents for Civic Preparedness, an initiative from the Institute for Citizens & Scholars.
Participating presidents of the consortium, first announced with 15 members in August 2023, are dedicated to preparing the next generation of well-informed, productively engaged and committed citizens; defending free expression, civil discourse and critical inquiry as essential civic norms; and increasing thoughtful engagement and better understanding by students for the effective functioning of our democracy.
Members will take campus-specific and collective action reflecting three shared civic commitments: educating for democracy being central to the mission; preparing students for a vibrant, diverse and contentious society; and protecting and defending free inquiry.
The commitments stress diversity as a strength of both democracy and campus life and affirm the role of higher education through curiosity and inquiry. They also enable campus leaders to take substantive action to promote democratic engagement among students, with public accountability for progress through publication of an annual impact report.
“In this era of increasing polarization, it is critical that universities continue to emphasize and teach the enduring values of civic engagement, civility, integrity and transparency,” Granberg said. “These principles are fundamental to a vibrant democracy and are at the heart of the George Washington University and the College Presidents for Civic Preparedness' missions to educate more informed and considerate citizen leaders.”
Presidents are developing campus-specific programming to advance the civic commitments in 2024, including new courses, outside speakers, student orientations, presidential speeches, technology tools and voter education initiatives.
In addition, the participating presidents will meet regularly for peer learning and the exchange of information, practices and tools on topics such as the 2024 election and student activism; help faculty engage effectively with free expression and civil discourse in the classroom; and create and seize opportunities for shared advocacy and public outreach on civic preparedness in higher education.
