Voter Engagement Plan and NSLVE Data
National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement – Data for Frostburg State University
Campus Voter Engagement Plans
Campus Voter Engagement Plan 2021-22
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Civic Engagement is engrained into the culture at Frostburg State University (FSU) and is one of the institution's strategic priorities. As part of this effort, the Office of Civic Engagement (OCE) works to foster active citizenship amongst the student body through co-curricular activities and curricular partnerships. A key component of the OCE mission is to engage students in the democratic process which includes voting. Frostburg State University’s Campus Voter Engagement Plan was developed and is implemented by the Office of Civic Engagement to guide its efforts in increasing student knowledge and participation in the voting process. The OCE efforts in implementing this plan will be guided by the Democratic Engagement Advisory Group.
The OCE efforts over the past 8 years have led to improved voting rates among the student body. In 2020, NSLVE data shows that student turnout rose by 10% to 65.6%. Additionally, during the 2018 mid-term elections, voter turnout was 38.4%, a 20.1% increase from the 2014 mid-term elections. The OCE efforts continue to build on its strengths and partnerships as we work toward the 2022 mid-term elections with efforts focusing on education, ballot access, registration, and student turnout.
GOALS
SHORT TERM
- Increase Student Registration from 86.3% to 90%
- Increase student voting rate by 5% from 2018 to 43.4% in 2022 (NSLVE)
- Receive All IN Democracy Challenge Gold Seal
- Increase student confidence in the voting process
- Increase Student Organization participation in democratic engagement education programming
- Increase voter turnout for identified low turnout majors based on mid-term NSLVE data: Communication and Journalism (30.5%) & Law Enforcement, Firefighting, and protective Services (31.6%)
LONG TERM
- Implement an on-campus polling location
- Continued increase of student registration and turnout in national and local elections to achieve 100% student voting rate of eligible students
COMMITMENT & LANDSCAPE
Frostburg State University is one of twelve institutions in the University System of Maryland and is located in the Appalachian region of Western Maryland with many of its students coming from the greater Baltimore/DC area. FSU serves one of the most diverse student bodies in the system and has the highest minority population outside of the traditional HBCU’s. The local region faces challenges including increased poverty, limited public transportation, and reduced resources. FSU strives to engage students in the local community through volunteerism and national service to combat local issues while offering impactful experiences to our students.
The division of Student Affairs at Frostburg State University’s mission is to provide opportunities for meaningful engagement to enhance personal and professional growth within supportive and inclusive environments, transforming students into leaders prepared for our complex and changing global society. In line with this mission, the office of Civic Engagement is dedicated to fostering active citizenship and strives to build citizen leaders for the 21st century. As active citizens, students educate themselves about, and become involved in, their local, national, and global communities. Through democratic engagement, community organizing, and inclusivity, these active citizen leaders are enabled to combat public concerns at their core and strengthen their greater community.
This commitment has been strengthened by our more recent emphasis on experiential learning. Our work has also been guided by National Campus Compact, the Corporation for National and Community Service, NASPA’s Civic Learning & Democratic Engagement initiative, the American Democracy Project, and the Association of American Colleges and Universities’ Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP) initiative. The overarching theme of our Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement initiative is to foster informed and engaged citizen leaders within their community. Our goals are achieved through our four pillars of Civic Engagement: Democratic Engagement, Volunteerism, Service-learning, and National Service. Through these four programmatic components, we work to engage students in their community; educate them on the political process, and foster life-long involvement as citizen leaders.
LEADERSHIP
Frostburg State University engages individuals and groups both on and off-campus to support our Voter Engagement and education efforts. On-campus the Democratic Engagement Advisory Group works together to strategically plan ongoing democratic engagement efforts and programming including specific efforts focused on voter engagement. In addition to this group, each election year, the office of civic engagement convenes a Voter Engagement Committee to help organize resources, plan events, find guest speakers, and develop marketing strategies to engage students in the voting process. The group begins meeting on a monthly basis in July leading up to the election. Finally, the University works with multiple State and National partners to ensure the use of best practices, to identify resources, and to report on our efforts.
DEMOCRATIC ENGAGEMENT ADVISORY GROUP
- Dr. Artie Travis, Vice President for Student Affairs
- William Mandicott, Assistant VP for Student & Community Involvement
- Patrick O’Brien, Director of Civic Engagement
- Timothy Magrath, Political Science Professor and Director of J. Glenn Beall Institute for Public Affairs
- Robert Cooper, Director – Student Life
- Ariyana Ward, President – Student Government Association
- Delanie Blubaugh – Student Civic Leader
- Courtney Tipton – Student Civic Leader
VOTER ENGAGEMENT TEAM
Participants in this group regularly consist of representatives from organizations such as:
- Office of Civic Engagement
- J. Glenn Beall Institute for Public Affairs
- Allegany County Board of Elections
- League of Women Voters
- Women’s Action Coalition
- NAACP
- Student Government Association
- Voter Engagement Student Employees
- Student Civic Leaders
- FSU Faculty & Staff
- Lewis J. Ort Library Staff
- Student Organizations
NATIONAL PARTNERS
- ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge
- Ask Every Student
- Campus Compact Mid-Atlantic
- Campus Vote Project
- NASPA Civic Learning & Democratic Engagement
- Students Learn Students Vote Coalition<
- TurboVote
STRATEGIES
VOTER ENGAGEMENT STUDENT STAFF & CIVIC LEADERS
With funding support from the Frostburg State University Foundation, two Voter Engagement Student Staff will be hired for the fall semester to help with voter education, registration, and marketing. These two students will host voter registration tables, work with our Social Marketing Team to develop a series of social marketing campaigns and present voter information in classes and at student organization meetings.
VOTER REGISTRATION
BOBCATS VOTE WEBPAGE
TURBOVOTE
VOTER INFORMATION TABLES
CIVIC HOLIDAYS
NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY
VOTER EDUCATION WEEK
VOTE EARLY DAY
ELECTION HERO DAY
OFFICE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT WALK-INS
VOTER EDUCATION
TIMES TALKS & NEW YORK TIMES SUBSCRIPTION PROGRAM
TOWN HALL MEETINGS
CANDIDATE & BALLOT EDUCATION
CONSTITUTION DAY
SPEAKER SERIES
BALLOT ACCESS
TURBOVOTE REMINDERS
MAIL-IN BALLOTS
>PARTNERSHIP WITH BOARD OF ELECTIONS
VOTER SHUTTLES
ELECTION DAY CELEBRATION
STUDENT UNION ELECTION DAY CELEBRATION
WHY I VOTED ACTIVITY
COVID-19 CONTINGENCIES
Frostburg State University is actively working to stay up to date on the most recent state and national orders, CDC recommendations, and changes in the voting process. As new information is released, this engagement plan will be adjusted to accommodate our student’s needs. Areas of focus for this effort include but are not limited to:
- Adjusting programming to online platforms to adhere to social distancing guidelines
- An increased focus on obtaining absentee ballots in the event of a vote by mail only requirement.
- Working with the Allegany County Board of elections to develop a ballot drop-off location on campus.
- Increased online and social marketing campaigns and information in the event the University moves to a full or partial online learning format.
- Increased web presence for all voter information.
- Voting informational videos
- Virtual Q&A
- Candidate information & Sample Ballots
- Utilization of Bobcat Connect Student Organization Platform & Canvas to promote voter engagement
EVALUATION, NSLVE, & REPORTING undefined
- Post-Surveys and attendance counts at all education-focused events
- Tracking of use, voter registration, absentee ballots, and reminders through TurboVote
- Tracking of Voter Registration during National Voter Registration Day
- Involvement in the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE)
- Tracking of student use of the three local polling locations by the Allegany County Board of Elections
Tenative Timeline
January
24 | Classes Begin |
February
10 | Times Talk |
17 | Times Talk |
24 | Times Talk |
March
1 | Town Hall |
3 | Times Talk |
10 | Times Talk |
15 | Town Hall |
17 | Times Talk |
24 | Times Talk |
31 | Times Talk |
April
5 | Town Hall |
7 | Times Talk |
14 | Times Talk |
21 | Times Talk |
28 | Times Talk |
May
June
7 | MD Voter Registration Deadline for Primary |
16-23 | Early Voting for the Primary Election |
21 | Deadline to request Mail-in Ballot by Mail or fax |
24 | Deadline to request Mail-in Ballot online |
28 | Primary Election |
July
The first meeting of the Voter Engagement CommitteeAugust
The first meeting of the Voter Engagement Committee29 | First Day of Classes |
September
Weekly Voter Registration Tables beginVoter Engagement Committee Meeting
15 | Times Talk |
16 | Constitution Day (Celebrated on campus) |
22 | Times Talk |
27 | National Voter Registration Day |
29 | Times Talk |
October
Weekly Voter Registration TablesVoter Engagement Committee Meeting
Voter Education Week
Candidate & Sample Ballot Information Tables
Vote Early Day undefined
4 | Town Hall |
6 | Times Talk |
13 | Times Talk |
18 | MD Voter Registration Deadline |
20 | Times Talk |
27-Nov 3 | MD Early Voting |
18 | Town Hall |
27 | Times Talk |
30 | Absentee Ballot Request Deadline (online) undefined |
November
Weekly Voter Registration TablesVoter Engagement Committee Meeting
1 | Deadline to request Mail-in Ballot by mail or fax Town Hall |
3 | Times Talk |
4 | Deadline to request Mail-in Ballot online |
7 | Election Hero Day |
8 | ELECTION DAY! Deadline for Mail-In Ballots Election Day Events: Voter Shuttle, Why I Voted Activities, I voted Absentee. Note: Voter registration is available in person on the day of the election |
10 | Times Talk Thursday |
17 | Times Talk Thursday |
December
Weekly Voter Registration TablesVoter Engagement Committee Meeting