Today is a complex day, made even harder by the lack of human interaction that we are all experiencing due to Covid-19.
Ann Schulte, our director of Civic Engagement, reminds us that the presidential election is an important event, especially for those who are voting for the first time, like many of our students. Our democracy, however, depends on far more civic participation than once every four years. Being an ally and working to make a difference in our local communities happens every day. We can help our students use their voice and learn to advocate through many different avenues.
The Chronicle of Higher Education offers some advice about preparing students for the aftermath of the election in our mostly virtual world. Inside Higher Ed offers lessons from the 2016 election and reminds us that “we need a framework to engage and support our students.”
In this spirit, we want to share some available resources:
- Sue Peterson, Chico State Debate Coach, shared her ideas about how to use Living Room Conversations in a Friday Forum.
- The WellCat Counseling Center has created a guidebook to help faculty facilitate conversations
- The WellCat Counseling Center has also have set aside time to talk with students who are having election-related anxiety and resources to support students experiencing racial trauma.
Today’s tip is really about trying to take extra care of your students and yourselves in the coming days, as we navigate a historical election.
