CACC Programs » CalSAC Program

California Student Action for Change

now funded by the CNCS: Learn and Serve America Higher Education; previously funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts and National Campus Compact.

About CalSAC

In the fall of 2002, California Campus Compact launched the first phase of California Student Action for Change, part of the National Campus Compact Raise Your Voice campaign (http://www.actionforchange.org). During the past academic year, we have begun to examine the involvement of California’s higher education students in public service, advocacy and activism. Where appropriate, we have tried to promote a higher degree of student involvement in public activities ranging from local community service to taking a stance on timely issues. Our work has included an examination of campus resources and opportunities through both formal and informal campus mapping activities, the promotion of civic dialogues and brokering collaborative relationships between existing student efforts on campus.

While many students do not relate to the term "civic engagement," we have elected to stand by it and use it as a point of dialogue about the involvement of students in the life of the democracy. While our title suggests an action focus, we believe that our work, of necessity, also includes a critical reflective component. If we are to truly affect the patterns of engagement of students, we must work toward a better understanding of their thoughts about civic participation.

The most critical questions we are attempting to address include:

• What are the reasons for non-engagement of many students on campus and how can these students be attracted to civic participation?
• What are the incentives/barriers on campus that affect student participation in civic activities?
• What draws some students to be engaged in direct service but keeps them away from advocacy? Conversely, what draws other students to more political action but causes them to keep a distance between themselves and communities?
• What role does social, ethnic, and economic diversity play in the engagement patterns of today’s students?
• Why do so many students seem to hate traditional politics? What would it take to re-engage them in mainstream democratic processes?
• What should higher education institutions be doing to promote civic engagement of students?

Regional Centers

One of our most successful ventures during the past several months has been opportunities to bring students together to reflect on the nature of our work, increase student understanding of methods of promoting student engagement and help students connect with students on other campuses. To promote more such opportunities, California Campus Compact will offer five one-year mini-grants to help support Regional Centers for the Study, Promotion and Documentation of Student Civic Engagement. One grant will be offered in each of the following regions:

• San Diego
• Los Angeles
• Central California
• The Bay Area
• Northern California (possibly to include Oregon campuses)

Each regional center will be responsible for:

• Naming a student scholar/advocate to be a part of the statewide student team. This scholar/advocate will attend statewide meetings representing the campus and region and work with a team of students on campus to promote a civic initiative;
• Examination and promotion of civic engagement on its own campus including basic campus mapping, facilitating civic dialogues, and brokering collaborative civic action;
• Co-planning and co-hosting a regional meeting during the fall semester/quarter;
• Provision of some technical assistance to other campuses in the region by student scholar advocates working under the guidance of a staff/faculty member. The most critical area of technical assistance is helping a campus launch a student-driven civic initiative;
• Participation in at least one conference by the campus’s civic team, comprised of the campus scholar/advocate, students and a staff/faculty member; and
• Documentation of efforts on its campus and in its region.

Regional Centers will be eligible for the following:

• A mini-grant of $4,000;
• Training for the campus scholar/advocate on civic engagement and civic assessment strategies;
• Recognition as a Regional Center;
• Opportunities for students to attend national meetings and conferences (additional funding may be available to help support this); and
• Opportunities to co-author articles regarding our work and our findings.

More Information

For more information please visit http://www.actionforchange.org/getconnected/state/california.html, please contact Elaine Ikeda at 415-338-3983, or send email to elaine@cacampuscompact.org.