Q&A
Discussion on CUNY's civic engagement goals and metrics
0:36:30
·
3 min
Council Member Eric Dinowitz inquires about CUNY's specific goals and metrics for civic engagement, such as internship placements, voter registration percentages, and student turnout rates. CUNY representatives and NYPIRG provide insights on their approaches to measuring and encouraging civic engagement.
- CUNY representatives acknowledge the need for improvement in tracking and achieving civic engagement metrics
- Megan Ahearn from NYPIRG emphasizes how voter registration often serves as a first step towards broader civic engagement
- NYPIRG tracks the number of people they register each year and aims to improve on these numbers annually
Eric Dinowitz
0:36:30
So thank you for that.
0:36:32
And, you know, it's very clear.
0:36:33
I think this counts also wants to ensure that our entire pipeline is engaged, but specifically CUNY students is why we're here today.
0:36:41
So you mentioned a number of things, but just going back to the question, is there any way or any goals CUNY has set for itself?
0:36:48
So for example, placing in a certain placing interns in a certain number of council member and assembly members offices, registering a certain percentage of students to vote having turnout for community students to be a certain amount are are any of those metrics used or looked at as we talk about civic mobility.
Megan Ahearn
0:37:12
I was gonna add something before the the goals apart on civic mobility.
0:37:17
Just I've been working for NIPEG for about 17 years now, so I've seen a few generations of students go through, and it's not uncommon that I'll work with someone who now works for a nonprofit organization or in counsel staff or or state government that said, you know, I wasn't really involved until I registered to vote or I, you know, saw that there was a food drive going on and it's something I remembered from being in high school, and I participated, and then I came around for your next meeting, and then I learned about a state policy, and then I went to the workshop where you were talking about the process that the state budget gets passed, and they grew a life of engagement and service to the community through just that one small step.
0:38:08
So registering to vote is often that first step.
0:38:12
And when you have a robust you know, student affairs life on campus where there it's not just you registered a vote and then you go about your life and you're not continually engaged.
0:38:24
Just the educational experience is improved and and civics becomes just a regular part of your day in your life.
Denise Maybank
0:38:36
Did you Helen, would you wanna say something?
0:38:38
Okay.
0:38:38
So in response to the metrics question.
0:38:41
I'm gonna turn again to my resource panel and see if anybody can tell me whether or not we are monitoring those metrics in particular.
0:38:49
Because I'll tell you from my personal experience in preparing for today, When I look at what we know about registration and turnout, I'm saying we can do better than that.
0:39:00
I'm I'm definitely on board with that and wanna figure out what things we need to put in place.
0:39:05
I'm gonna turn and see if anyone can offer me anything.
0:39:10
We've not done anything.
0:39:11
We're we're on it.
0:39:13
Chair dinner with I'm I'm all over that.
Eric Dinowitz
0:39:18
We can answer me.
Gale Brewer
0:39:19
Yeah.
0:39:19
I
Megan Ahearn
0:39:19
was just gonna say we also track the number of people we register every year and strive to match it up with enrollments and and to beat our enrollment adjusted goals from year to year.
0:39:31
So we are competitive with ourselves and like to improve on on the voter registration numbers every year.