In celebration of Constitution Day and Citizen Day, State University of New York Chancellor John King Jr. announced efforts to support nonpartisan student voter registration and civic engagement ahead of the November elections and throughout the year during a visit to SUNY Cortland.
Thirty-nine SUNY campuses are participating in the national ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, which provides free resources and strategies to colleges and universities to increase student voting and civic engagement and 23 SUNY campuses will receive mini-grants, thanks to support from the Ibis Group, to support nonpartisan student voter outreach efforts.
These actions are part of SUNY’s work, announced this spring, to increase civic education, civil discourse, and civic awareness and participation across SUNY campuses, Chancellor King said.
As part of fall orientation, SUNY also provided nonpartisan “SUNY Votes” postcards with information on how to register to vote as students received their campus housing information.
The 23 SUNY campuses receiving mini grants of up to $3,000 are: SUNY Adirondack, Alfred State College, Binghamton University, SUNY Brockport, University at Buffalo, Buffalo State University, Cayuga Community College, SUNY Cobleskill, SUNY Cortland, SUNY Delhi, Farmingdale State College, Finger Lakes Community College, SUNY Geneseo, Jefferson Community College, SUNY Morrisville, Nassau Community College, SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Oswego, SUNY Plattsburgh, Stony Brook University, Tompkins Cortland Community College, and Westchester Community College.
“Core to the mission of higher education is preparing well-rounded, civically engaged citizens who will contribute to and strengthen our democracy for future generations of Americans,” Chancellor King said.
“Through the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, SUNY is assisting our students, many of them voting for the first time, in understanding their rights and the importance of voting.”
Announced in the 2024 State of the University Policy Agenda, ALL IN Campus Democracy participating colleges and universities will receive free resources and strategies to increase student voting and non-partisan democratic engagement.