Civic Engagement Toolkit

In Spring 2021, the SSCCC Delegates passed Resolution S21.04.03 Civic Engagement. This Resolution called for the SSCCC to call for all 116 community college campuses to start a civic engagement project where every two years faculty, administrators, and each campus’s student body association engage in discussion and promote civic education in their respective district. The Resolution also directs the SSCCC to work to ensure all community colleges are registered into the annual Ballot Bowl. Use the toolkit below to advocate for civic engagement on your campus. 

  • Use this template to send a letter to your college's SBA to advocate for civic engagement on your campus.

  • Use this template to send a letter to your college's administration to advocate for civic engagement on your campus.

  • Read the full bill text.

  • This toolkit provided by the Secretary of State's Office in collaboration with Vote California and the California Students Vote Project provides additional resources to advocate for civic engagement on your campus.

  • Read the resolution in a Word document.

S21.04.03 Civic Engagement 
Authors: Dustin Brakebill, Rudy Atler-Lamb, and Steven Ziemann 
Sponsors: Associated Students of Delta College 

WHEREAS, in the United States General Election held every four years, community college students elect members on CCC boards of trustees, city and county representatives, statewide legislators, and federal officials, each having a role in changing and shaping the policies and procedures that directly impact CCC students; 

WHEREAS, according to the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE), California college students ages 18-21 had the lowest voter turnout in the 2016 General Election, with only 44.8% turning in ballots [1]; 

WHEREAS, when the California Students Vote Project was involved on California college campuses and institutions participated in the Ballot Bowl project, the rate of voting among students doubled over the span of four years (2014-2018), shown by an increase from 19.3% in 2014 to 40.3% in 2018 [2]; and

WHEREAS, the California State Assembly and Governor passed AB 963, the Student Civic and Voter Empowerment Act, in October of 2019, which establishes Civic and Voter Empowerment Coordinators to have statewide involvement on all California college campuses by developing a voter action plan, sharing voting-related information on social media, and consulting with the Secretary of State to distribute voting dates and deadlines for college campuses [3] and also amends Sections 66850-66852 of Education Code to set requirements for Civic and Voter Empowerment Coordinators on each CCC campus [4]; now, therefore, be it 

RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community Colleges call for all 116 community college campuses to start a civic engagement project where every two years faculty, administrators, and each campus’s student body association engage in discussion and promote civic education in their respective district; and

RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community Colleges work to ensure all community colleges are registered into the annual Ballot Bowl and are same-day registration and voting centers. 

Citation 1: 2017 NSLVE Report: https://idhe.tufts.edu/sites/default/files/2012and2016NSLVEReport-Sample2-yearCampus.pdf 

Citation 2: NSLVE Democracy Counts 2018 Report: https://idhe.tufts.edu/sites/default/files/DemocracyCounts2018.pdf 

Citation 3: California Legislature AB-693 Bill Text: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB963 

Citation 4: Sections 66850-66852 of California Education Code: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=EDC&division=5.&title=3.&part=40.&chapter=10.5.&article=