Leveraging Our Coalition for Policy Advancements in Civic Engagement
As part of our new strategic plan, Campus Compact is committed to harnessing the strength of our coalition to support and advance policies that empower civic and community engagement in higher education, ultimately strengthening our communities.
Federal Policy Briefing: Building Civic Bridges Act:
In a recent briefing, Scott Sudduth from Washington Navigators and Kara Jarzynski from Resolutionaries discussed how higher education can support the Building Civic Bridges Act. This legislation aims to establish a non-partisan pilot program led by an Office of Civic Bridgebuilding within AmeriCorps. Its focus is to promote local communities' ability to address sources of division while empowering participants and organizations to tackle contentious issues and ultimately bridge divides.
Key Resources:
- Building Civic Bridges Act information page: Find bill text, one-pagers, and press materials.
- Reference materials include:
- Op-Eds by Gen. Hayden and Chuck Welch
- SHRM report on incivility's cost to employers
- Marina Azzimonti’s Economic Brief on Partisan Conflict in the U.S. and its potential impacts on the economy
- New York Times OpEd on the importance of humanity in skills-based roles
Take Action:
We encourage you to write to your congressional representatives to support the Building Civic Bridges Act. Draft your letter here.
Promoting Service through AmeriCorps Act
Campus Compact proudly endorses the Promoting Service through AmeriCorps Act, introduced by the co-chairs of the National Service Congressional Caucus: Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE), Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA), and Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA). This legislation seeks to reauthorize AmeriCorps programs and funding through 2029.
Take Action:
Use the Voices for National Service toolkit to encourage your representatives to support AmeriCorps funding.
Students Working for Communities Act
Campus Compact is proud to join forces with various organizations, including America Forward, Jumpstart, and the National Education Association, to support the Students Working for Communities Act. This legislation, introduced by Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05), aims to allocate a larger percentage of the existing Federal Work-Study program to support student employment in community service roles.
Upcoming Events & Resources
2nd Annual Presidents' Community Engagement Policy Summit
- March 3 & 4, 2025
- Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
Coalition Conversations
-
Freedom to Learn: Updates on Educational Censorship Legislation
Wednesday, October 26, 2:00-3:00 PM ET
Register Here -
Student Voices on Voting: How Students are Approaching the Upcoming Election
Tuesday, October 8, 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM ET
Register Here
Field Resource Webinar
-
How Your Institution Can Support Community-Engaged Transition Plans for State & Local Elected Officials
Monday, October 14, 3:00-4:00 PM ET
Register Here
Resource
Check out the article Beyond the Culture Wars: The Real Story of State Policy and College Campuses from Higher Education Today, which discusses collaborative bipartisan initiatives aimed at strengthening communities.