Public Engagement
UCDI student organizers develop, plan, and implement projects to engage the UChicago community and surrounding community, with the purposes of:
Our current and upcoming projects include:
TurboVote Voter Registration
Why?
Political participation is the cornerstone of a strong democracy. With low rates of participation and with disillusionment plaguing our population, we need more than ideas to bring about a better government. In keeping with the tradition of active political participation, UCDI aims to undertake not only quality research but also to engage in effective community organization around the cause of democracy.
Through engaging the community UCDI hopes to promote participation and an active democratic lifestyle. In keeping with our non-partisan approach we aim to become involved in varying projects that we hope will improve the quality of democracy on both large and small scales. Each effort promoted and executed by our engagement branch will be backed up by quality research and aim at making an impact.
We hope that by drawing in students and community members we can prove that change is possible on any scale. We hope to promote a lifetime of political participation beyond the poll booth. It is the aim of this organization to ensure that the fundamental right to have a say in our government is protected. Through engagement and organization we believe this is possible.
Want to get involved?
If you want to join UCDI to work on public engagement projects so we can beat issues that threaten impair democracy, email [email protected] or sign up for our list host ([email protected]).
The University of Chicago Democracy Initiative (UCDI) is an independent, nonpartisan, student-led organization.
- Improving political participation and general civic values among all citizens, particularly UChicago students
- Educating citizens about issues that impair our democracy and potential policy solutions
- Experimenting with practical solutions to threats to American democracy
Our current and upcoming projects include:
TurboVote Voter Registration
- We’re working with the Institute of Politics to register incoming first-years, then branching out to register students and non-students in the Hyde Park community
- We’re spreading awareness in the UChicago community about issues such as low voter turnout, money in politics, and gerrymandering, through online and in-person surveying
- CHECK OUT OUR FIRST STUDENT INTERVIEW VIDEO (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=id5Hm3bwSzY&feature=youtu.be)
- We’re working on a pilot project in the local community to (1) improve the communication network between constituents and elected representatives and (2) in doing so, increase the actual communication between representatives and constituents
Why?
Political participation is the cornerstone of a strong democracy. With low rates of participation and with disillusionment plaguing our population, we need more than ideas to bring about a better government. In keeping with the tradition of active political participation, UCDI aims to undertake not only quality research but also to engage in effective community organization around the cause of democracy.
Through engaging the community UCDI hopes to promote participation and an active democratic lifestyle. In keeping with our non-partisan approach we aim to become involved in varying projects that we hope will improve the quality of democracy on both large and small scales. Each effort promoted and executed by our engagement branch will be backed up by quality research and aim at making an impact.
We hope that by drawing in students and community members we can prove that change is possible on any scale. We hope to promote a lifetime of political participation beyond the poll booth. It is the aim of this organization to ensure that the fundamental right to have a say in our government is protected. Through engagement and organization we believe this is possible.
Want to get involved?
If you want to join UCDI to work on public engagement projects so we can beat issues that threaten impair democracy, email [email protected] or sign up for our list host ([email protected]).
The University of Chicago Democracy Initiative (UCDI) is an independent, nonpartisan, student-led organization.
