Project 100%: Fostering Civic Engagement and Voting at UTB-TSC

Dr. Leland M. Coxe, Assistant Professor of Government

University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College

UTB-TSC

• Partnership of a community college and a university that serves one of the poorest communities in US.

• 15,230 students (45% full-time, 55% part-time) for the Spring Semester of 2011

• 93% of students are Hispanic, many the first of their family to attend college

Assistance Programs

• College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP)• A Support Program in Reaching Excellence

(ASPIRE).

UTB-TSC

UTB-TSC

Resaca

Income• Median Income 2009: – Brownsville: $29, 929– Texas: $48, 199– US: $51, 425

• Percent below poverty level, 2009:– Brownsville: 37%– Texas: 16.8%– US: 13.5%

Lack of Civic Engagement• 2010 Texas Gubernatorial Election Turnout– Texas Overall: 37.2%– Cameron County: 23.1%

• 2008 Presidential Election Turnout– Texas Overall: 59.5%– Cameron County: 43.4%

• 2006 US Senate Election Turnout– Texas Overall: 33.0%– Cameron County: 23.2%

Center for Civic Engagement

• Established in 2004 under the leadership of Father Armand Mathew OMI– Mission is “…to create an engaged campus that

connects faculty, staff, students (with an emphasis on first year students), and external partners in ways that help revitalize our community.”

– http://www.utb.edu/vpaa/cce/Pages/default.aspx

Father Armand Mathew

Service Learning

• To foster Civic Engagement, the CCE has encouraged faculty to adopt service learning – Online faculty development program provides

certificate plus eligibility for Scholarship of Civic Engagement (SOCE) grant

– Recognition that includes an awards ceremony plus “Faculty Spotlight”

– http://www.utb.edu/vpaa/cce/Pages/FacultySpotlight.aspx

Projects

• Service Learning Projects completed for the 2010-11 Academic Year included:– Voter Guide (American and Texas Government,

GOVT 2301)– Grant Writing for Nonprofits (Nonprofits and

Public Policy, PPAM 6303)– DREAM Act Forum ( American Government and

Policy, GOVT 2302)

Students Preparing for the ForumDaniel Flores and Amanda Tavares

Students listening attentivelyGrecia Contreras and Tania Vasquez

More students listening attentivelyPaola Tostada, Marlen Esquivel, and Crystal Martinez

PanelistsL-R: Dr. Juliet Garcia, Father Armand Mathew, Rosalinda Rangel, Gina Barquet-Diaz, and Gabriela Zavalata

Service Learning Surge

• Percent of faculty offering service-learning courses increased from 16% in the Fall of 2009 to 34% for the Fall of 2010

• Percentage of students enrolled in courses offering service learning increased from 26% for the Fall of 2009 to 62% for the Fall of 2010

Carnegie Recognition

• Payoff of CCE’s efforts have included designation of UTB-TSC as a Community Engaged Institution by the Carnegie Foundation

Project 100%

• Began as extension of Father Armand’s “Kid’s Voting” program– “Trickle Up” approach to encouraging citizens to

vote• Has evolved into a broad effort among faculty,

administration, and community leaders increase voter turnout both among students and the larger community

Project 100% Accomplishments

• Early voting station at UTB-TSC• 110 faculty, students, and staff deputized as

volunteer voter registrars• “Constitution Day” Activities • 2011 Brownsville Mayor’s Candidate forum

Early Voting at UTB-TSC

2011 Forum of Mayoral Candidates

Early Voting at UTB-TSC

• Approximately 200 early votes for 2008 Presidential Election

• 1,018 votes for 2010 Congressional Midterm Election

• Approximately 500 votes cast for 2011 Brownsville Mayoral Election

Nonpartisan Effort

• Hispanics are swing voters who usually favor Democrats, but the margin varies with particular elections, candidates and issues– George W. Bush carried 40% in 2004– Rick Perry carried 38% in 2010 reelection effort– “Latinos are Republicans, they just don’t know it

yet.” (Ronald Reagan)