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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 28, 2023
Press Contacts
Mariam Ahmed, mariam.ahmed@berlinrosen.com
Khaula Zafar, kzafar@campusvoteproject.org
WASHINGTON – Today, 258 colleges and universities across 38 states and Washington D.C. were named Voter Friendly Campuses by NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education and Fair Elections Center’s Campus Vote Project.
The Voter Friendly Campus program is designed to help institutions address the myriad challenges that prevent college students from participating in the political process and foster a culture of democratic engagement on their campuses, including in years without a national election. This designation recognizes college and university campuses that have committed to voter registration, education, and turnout as part of their institutional mission.
The institutions designated 2023 Voter Friendly Campuses include a wide range of two-year, four-year, public, private, rural, and urban campuses that collectively serve over 3.5 million students. 71 of these institutions are joining the program for the first time. Notably, the list of designated institutions includes 49 Minority Serving Institutions and 13 Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as well as 41 Community Colleges.
In 2022, campuses helped students transition back to in-person activities leading up to the first national election since the height of the pandemic. But the work of Voter Friendly Campuses is just as crucial in 2023, even without a major national election. The institutions on this year’s list are showing dedication to growing young people’s turnout for local, state and national elections, as well as building their infrastructure for helping student turnout in future elections. Our 2023 Voter Friendly Campuses have developed new and creative ways to help increase turnout on their campuses – including incentivizing faculty and students to develop, implement, and track engagement programs that encouraged students to register and vote.
Campuses were evaluated on their ability to complete a three-step process, which included developing a written plan for how the school would engage student voters in 2022, facilitating voter education and engagement efforts on campus, and writing a final analysis of their efforts. The designation is valid through December 2024.
“Higher education continues to play a pivotal role in safeguarding our democracy. The campuses on this year's designee list are at the forefront of this important work,” said Kevin Kruger, NASPA President. “This accomplishment is due to the hard work of student affairs professionals, students, and faculty partners from across the country, to whom we express our congratulations and gratitude.”
“When college campuses help their students register and vote, they’re helping to instill lifelong habits of civic engagement,” said Mike Burns, the National Director of the Fair Elections Center’s Campus Vote Project. “By incorporating democratic engagement into their campus life, these schools are opening the door for students to explore what their political beliefs are, and how they want to engage in the democratic process. These efforts are crucial to our country’s democracy.”
Youth turnout in 2022 was the second highest for any midterm election in the last 30 years. Campuses that participate in the Voter Friendly Campus program and similar engagement programs continue to be a driving force for these tremendous outcomes. Student-specific turnout data will be available later this year from the Institute for Democracy and Higher Education’s National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement.
The following colleges and universities earned the Voter Friendly Campus designation for 2023:
Arkansas Tech University Arizona State University Mesa Community College South Mountain Community College Northern Arizona University Eastern Arizona College Cochise College Chandler-Gilbert Community College Phoenix College Harvey Mudd College University of San Francisco Saint Mary's College of California College of the Canyons University of California Los Angeles Chapman University California College of the Arts Auraria Tri-Institutional Campus
Community College of Denver
Metropolitan State University of Denver
University of Colorado Denver
Arapahoe Community College George Washington University American University Florida A&M University Bethune Cookman University Florida Atlantic University Florida International University University of Central Florida Barry University Miami Dade College New College of Florida Florida State University Stetson University Santa Fe College University of Miami University of North Florida Broward College Ringling College of Art and Design Eckerd College University of Florida St. Petersburg College University of South Florida Rollins College Georgia State University Fort Valley State University Clark Atlanta University Dalton State College Georgia Gwinnett College Mercer University Kennesaw State University Georgia Southern University Agnes Scott College University of West Georgia Emory University Morehouse College Simpson College Iowa State University Wilbur Wright College University of Illinois - Springfield McKendree University Illinois State University Columbia College Chicago Eastern Illinois University Northwestern University Indiana University - Bloomington Indiana University- Purdue University Indianapolis Wichita State University Independence Community College Fort Hays State University Centre College Dillard University Xavier University of Louisiana Northeastern University Lasell University University of Baltimore Wor-Wic Community College Towson University Frostburg State University University of Maryland, Baltimore County Johns Hopkins University Allegany College of Maryland Morgan State University Bates College Michigan State University Oakland University Southwestern Michigan College Central Michigan University University of Michigan - Flint Olivet College Washtenaw Community College Delta College Eastern Michigan University University of Michigan - Dearborn Northern Michigan University Macomb Community College University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Grand Valley State University Saginaw Valley State University Henry Ford College Kalamazoo College Michigan Technological University Wayne State University Grand Rapids Community College Lake Michigan College Albion College Mid Michigan College Bay de Noc Community College University of St. Thomas Central Lakes College Winona State University Gustavus Adolphus College University of Missouri-St. Louis Saint Louis University Washington University Webster University Mississippi State University University of Mississippi Northeast Mississippi Community College Flathead Valley Community College University of Montana Appalachian State University Durham Technical Community College Elizabeth City State University Elon University Fayetteville State University North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University North Carolina Central University North Carolina State University UNC Asheville University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of North Carolina at Pembroke University of North Carolina Greensboro East Carolina University High Point University University of Nebraska - Lincoln University of Nebraska - Omaha Montclair State University Rowan University Rider University The College of New Jersey Ramapo College of New Jersey Middlesex College University of Nevada, Reno University of Nevada, Las Vegas Truckee Meadows Community College SUNY Westchester Community College Alfred State College College of Saint Rose SUNY Geneseo New York Institute of Technology Stony Brook University Rochester Institute of Technology Binghamton University Siena College SUNY Cortland Cornell University SUNY Buffalo State The Ohio State University Oberlin College and Conservatory Cuyahoga Community College University of Akron Case Western Reserve University University of Cincinnati Miami University - Oxford Sinclair Community College Otterbein University Kent State University Ohio Northern University Denison University John Carroll University University of Mount Union Columbus State Community College Bowling Green State University Mount St. Joseph University Ohio University Cleveland State University Wilmington College University of Oklahoma Pacific University Allegheny College Community College of Philadelphia Pennsylvania Western University - California Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Muhlenberg College Chatham University La Salle University University of Pennsylvania Carnegie Mellon University Marywood University Temple University Bryn Mawr College University of Scranton Swarthmore College Drexel University Susquehanna University Cedar Crest College Dickinson College Pennsylvania Western University - Clarion Campus Pennsylvania Western University - Edinboro Campus Montgomery County Community College Duquesne University Winthrop University Clemson University Tusculum University Belmont University East Tennessee State University Middle Tennessee State University Texas A&M International University Texas A&M University - San Antonio Lone Star College - Montgomery Tarrant County College District Houston Community College Southern Methodist University Tarleton State University Texas State University Texas Woman's University Texas A&M University - Central Texas Rice University Southwestern University University of Houston - Clear Lake The University of Texas at Austin Trinity University University of Houston - Downtown University of Utah Weber State University Virginia Tech Northern Virginia Community College Norfolk State University Piedmont Virginia Community College College of William and Mary Longwood University Virginia Commonwealth University University of Mary Washington Virginia Wesleyan University Shenandoah University George Mason University James Madison University Radford University University of Virginia University of Vermont Whatcom Community College Washington State University Alverno College Lawrence University Western Technical College University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Marquette University Carroll University Madison Area Technical College University of Wisconsin - La Crosse Carthage College Gateway Technical College Cardinal Stritch University University of Wisconsin-Superior St. Norbert College University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point University of Wisconsin- Madison Milwaukee Area Technical College Marshall University
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NASPA is the leading association for the advancement, health, and sustainability of the student affairs profession. Our work provides high-quality professional development, advocacy, and research for 15,000 members in all 50 states, 25 countries, and 8 U.S. territories.
Fair Elections Center is a national, nonpartisan voting rights and legal support organization that works to eliminate barriers to voting and improve election administration across the United States. Fair Elections Center’s Campus Vote Project works with universities, community colleges, faculty, students and election officials to reduce barriers to student voting and helps campuses institutionalize reforms that empower students with the information they need to register and vote.
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