MAGNOLIA― Students, staff and faculty of Southern Arkansas University, as well as the public, are invited to participate in several activities to honor Constitution Day which is Wednesday, September 17.
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on September 17, computers will be set up in the
Donald W. Reynolds Campus and Community Center foyer so that people can register to vote in the upcoming presidential election. This will be especially handy for those people who are new to southwest Arkansas and just haven’t had time to do that yet, said Jerry Thomas, Upward Bound director, who is helping coordinate the event.
“It is going to be really quick and convenient to register on campus, and this way people don’t even have to worry about going downtown to do this,” Thomas said. “Plus, it won’t be long until the election and we want to stress to students the importance of making their voices heard.”
While people are registering to vote on Wednesday, a mock presidential election will be held. The results of who would be president if SAU were the only deciding body will be made public after votes are tallied that afternoon, Thomas said.
In addition to these activities, an expert panel will also speak on issues as well as their views on the candidates. The panel will be held from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Foundation Hall in the Reynolds Center. The panel will include Mark Trout, instructor for business and marketing, David Talley, local attorney and adjunct instructor in the College of Business, Claudell Woods, an associate professor of history, geography and political science, Jan R. Duke, assistant professor and chair of behavioral and social sciences in the College of Liberal and Performing Arts and Dr. Paul Babbitt, an assistant professor history, geography and political science. Babbit is teaching a course about the 2008 presidential election which allows students to compare the election to past elections.
“We have had a number of lively, though civil discussions and I can say without
hesitation, the thoughtfulness and sophistication of the class’s analyses of the election
season far surpasses anything you would find on television newscast,” Babbitt said.
This is the third year that Constitution Day has been recognized on the campus of SAU. The day recognizes the day the American Constitution was ratified in 1787.
This event is being sponsored by the SAU history and political science department, the Student Activities Board and Students for a Better Tomorrow.
