If you are a student leader with an interest in public policy in the state of Alabama, the VOTES Coalition and the University of Alabama would like to invite you to attend the Alabama Collegiate Summit. The purpose of the Summit is to bring together students from around the state for substantive discussion on the issues that face Alabama today and the problems Alabama will need to solve in the future. Students will develop policy proposals in several different areas. During the day, students will be divided into one of three commissions (Crime and Punishment, Taxation, and Community) which will provide them with a policy expert to help answer questions and encourage debate. The Summit may be of particular interest to those who have attended Alabama Youth Summit, Youth Legislature, Boys State, Girls State, or Collegiate Legislature; however, new student leaders are highly encouraged to attend.
The Summit will take place 10:00am-5:00pm on Saturday, February 9th at the University of Alabama Ferguson Center.
Click below to register:
For the tentative Summit agenda, click here.
For directions to the University of Alabama Ferguson Center, click here.
FAQ:
- Who is invited to ACS 2008?
All students and recent graduates (preferably under the age of 25) of post-secondary institutions within the state of Alabama or students from the state of Alabama who are currently attending a college or university out-of-state. Attendees may include undergraduate- and graduate-level students, as well as young professionals.
- What is the cost of attendance?
Attendance of Alabama Collegiate Summit 2008 is $10, payable upon arrival.
- What is the Summit dress code?
The dress code for the Summit will be business formal.
- What preparations do I need to make?
When you register for the Summit, your email address will be added to our mailing list, and you will receive information on your assigned commission, the panelists serving in that commission, and any pertinent information concerning the subject matter of the commission. No "bills" or proposals need to be written beforehand, although delegates are welcome to do so on an informal basis.
- How do the commissions work?
Each commission is a group in which students can freely discuss issues in a given area with one or more experts in that area. Students are expected to ask questions and put forward ideas, however unusual or original. Discussions will be fairly limited to the topic of the commission, and comments will be recorded in plain view of the commission members.
- What is the format for deliberation?
The Positives:
This is a time when you should answer the following questions as a large group: What trends and occurrences in Alabama do you see that you believe are positive? What laws or regulations do you like?
Gripe Time:
Answer the following questions as a large group: What is Alabama doing wrong? What trends need to be reversed, and what laws need to be enacted? How far are we lagging behind other states, and why?
Small Groups:
Break up into small groups of no more than seven or eight and decide which issues you believe to be the most important. You may want to consolidate a couple of issues into a single issue, or split an issue into a few. Make sure to create a list of priorities, with the most pressing at the top.
Prioritize:
Rejoin your Commission and present your small group's findings. Which issues rise to the top of everyone's list, and which issues seem to fall?
Propose:
Take your top three or four issues and brainstorm solutions. What should be done about these problems? Be sure to include realistic projections and predictions, but don't let the difficulty of an issue stop you from discussing it.
- What is the VOTES Coalition?
The VOTES Coalition (www.votescoalition.org) is a new student-led group that seeks to pursue non-partisan and bi-partisan projects and coordinate information sharing between student political groups. It was founded in 2004 by the College Republicans and College Democrats at the University of Alabama. Collegiate Summit is the first project of the Coalition.
For more information about Alabama Collegiate Summit, visit the VOTES Coalition website or email Martha Griffith at coordinator@collegiatesummit.org.