November 21, 2022
Oakland University has been recognized by the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge as a 2022 ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting. The distinction honors colleges and universities for their efforts to increase student voter participation.
OU joins a group of only 394 colleges and universities nationwide recognized by ALL IN for completing these four actions:
- Participate in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge
- Share 2020 National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement reports with campus voting data with ALL IN
- Develop and submit a 2022 democratic engagement action plan with ALL IN
- Be a current signatory to ALL IN’s Higher Education Presidents’ Commitment to Full Student Voter Participation
The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement. Campuses that join the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge complete a set of action items, with the support of ALL IN Challenge staff, to institutionalize nonpartisan civic learning, political engagement and voter participation on their campus. The Challenge currently engages over 9 million students from more than 950 institutions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
“The recognition from ALL IN is a testament to the quality of work we have been doing around election engagement activities. We are delighted to be on this list, but it wouldn’t be possible without the support of a number of people who pave the way for this work to be successful,” said Dave Dulio, professor of political science and director of OU’s Center for Civic Engagement. “This includes students who help with voter registration and activities. In addition, OU’s leadership – including President Pescovitz and the Board of Trustees – have been incredibly supportive of all our efforts. We’re delighted to have their backing to continue this work.”
In addition to the ALL IN recognition, OU appeared on the 2022 Washington Monthly Best Colleges for Student Voting Honor Roll and has been recognized as a Voter Friendly Campus by the Fair Election Center’s Campus Vote Project for the past two election cycles.
Of the Michigan colleges participating in the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement, OU ranked fourth in voter turnout in 2020 and had a nearly 90%
voter registration rate, among the highest in the state.
About the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge:
The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge is a national nonpartisan initiative of Civic Nation, a 501(c)(3) organization. ALL IN strives to change civic culture and institutionalize democratic engagement activities and programs on college campuses, making voter participation a defining feature of campus life.
ALL IN, in collaboration with over 960 higher education institutions, seeks to make participation in local, state, and federal elections a social norm; substantially increase the number of college students who are democratically engaged on an ongoing basis, during and between elections, and not just at the polls; and make educating for democratic engagement on college campuses an accepted and expected part of the culture and curriculum so that students graduate with the knowledge, skills, behaviors, and values needed to be an informed and active citizen.