Michigan Political Issues Convention

1. Michigan Political Issues Convention Developing a Political Voice and Making Politics Relevant Dr. Anthony Perry from Henry Ford Community College Dearborn, Michigan

2. Teaching democracy • Foster democratic skills • central function of academic institutions • PIC demystify democratic politics • Engage students around issue of concern • Teach participants that their concerns matter and provide them with a launching place for future political participation

3. Why and an Agenda? Building a Consensus Agenda • Working collaboratively to develop effective political voice • Learn how to expand a coalition for more success • Learn how to create a message and a strategy for success

4. The Agenda Setting model has three core areas: • The development of a list of concerns -limited in number, -students engage each other through direct dialogue in class and indirect discourse through course electronic discussion boards. -issues are societal in nature and require societal and/or governmental responses. 2) Define the issue(s) and the building of evidence to support the concern’s legitimacy that can be used in advocacy activities. -students develop persuasive essays before/after the convention to promote their concerns more widely. 3) The development of a strategic plan for pushing the issue(s) on the political agenda for wider discourse and attention.

5. The Convention • Opening Plenary • Issue Workshops: • Voting Caucus • Final Plenary Session: Report of Caucus Vote, Vote of Final Agenda, and Elected Official Response to Agenda

6. Pre-Convention and in Workshops Student Posters to Promote Issues

9. Posters range from the global

10. To the Local Concerns Students championing their concern with family and friends.

11. Opening General Plenary Student hear keynote, overview of the workshops and vote on the caucus voting rules

12. Former US Congressmen Bart Stupak provided the Keynote Address while Congressmen John Dingell responds to the student agenda at the final plenary session

13. Students Promoting their Concerns inIssue Workshops

14. Schedule of Convention Time Location Registration 8:30-9:30 a.m. Lobby of Forfa Mazzara Building Opening Session 9:30-10:00 a.m. Forfa Auditorium Issue Workshops I 10:10-10:50 a.m. Various Locations See program guide Issue Workshops II 10:55-11:35 a.m. Various Locations See program guide Caucus: Voting on Issues 11:40-12:10 p.m. Assigned rooms on Workshop insert Final Session 12:20-1:30 p.m. Forfa Auditorium

15. Participating Higher Education Institutions Attendance Includes Students and/or Faculty from: • Eastern Michigan University • Henry Ford Community College • Macomb Community College • Marygrove College • Monroe Community College • Oakland Community College-Auburn Hills • Oakland Community College-Royal Oak • Schoolcraft College • University of Michigan-Dearborn • Wayne State University • Washtenaw Community College

16. Caucus Voting Rules for Convention • Each Voting Caucus group will tally the students’ vote for presentation at the Final Plenary Session. • For an issue to be considered for a vote in the caucus each issue that can be voted on in the caucus must receive a nomination by one student, and a minimum of two students must second the nomination. • Each student is allowed to nominate only one (1) issue, but has no limit on the number of issues they can second. • Issues receiving a nomination, but not receiving the required seconds can only be considered one time for inclusion in the caucus vote. • Once an issue has been nominated and seconded two times, then the caucus coordinator will write the issue on the chalk board. [This will indicate the issues eligibility for being voted on.] • Caucus coordinator shall announce three (3) times that the nominations are closing before accepting no more nominations and proceeding with the voting. • Each student can cast up to 3 votes. The votes can be cast towards a single issue or can be distributed for up to 3 issues. • Based on the number of votes each issue receives in the caucus, the top seven issues will be placed on the final Michigan Student Political Issues agenda. • If fewer than seven issues are reported out of the caucus, then those issues will be the only issues considered during the vote of the final agenda. • All issues receiving votes, but not making it upon the final agenda, will be listed in an addendum indicating their support. • After the report of the caucus sessions, a vote will occur during the final session on the final agenda. • A motion must be made by a caucus (made by caucus coordinator) and seconded by another caucus to begin the final vote or for any other modification to the final list of issues (combining or eliminating issues can occur in the final session; however, additions will not be accepted).

17. Honorary Steering Committee Morris W. Hood, III Michigan State Senate Kurt Heise Michigan State Representative Terri Lynn Land Michigan Secretary of State Carl Levin U.S. Senator Thaddeus McCotter U.S. Congressman John B. O’Reilly, Jr Mayor, City of Dearborn Daniel S. Paletko Mayor, City of Dearborn Heights L.Brooks Patterson Oakland County Executive Martha G. Scott Michigan State Senator Debbie Stabenow U.S. Senator Gary Woronchak Wayne County Commissioner Michael J. Bouchard Oakland County Sheriff Irma Clark-Coleman Michigan State Senator John Conyers, Jr. U.S. Congressman Mike Cox Michigan Attorney General George Cushingberry, Jr. Michigan State Representative George Darany Michigan State Representative John D. Dingell U.S. Congressman David Doyle Market Research Group Robert A. Ficano Wayne County Executive Jennifer Granholm Michigan Governor Cynthia Gray Hathaway Judge, Third Judicial Circuit Court of Michigan  

18. Promoting Issue • Taking the issue and promoting it: • Honorary Steering Committee • Media • Building larger-and-larger coalitions • Using social media • National Student Issues Week and Related Agendas • Illinois, etc.