Baldwin
Wallace
University
is
one
of
more
than
200
campuses
across
the
country
to
earn
a
designation
as
a
"Voter
Friendly
Campus,"
an
achievement
attained
in
the
midst
of
the
global
pandemic.
The
national,
nonpartisan
organizations,
Fair
Elections
Center's
Campus
Vote
Project
(CVP)
and
Student
Affairs
Administrators
in
Higher
Education
(NASPA)
recognized
BW
for
working
to
overcome
barriers
to
participation
in
the
political
process
in
2020
and
laying
the
groundwork
to
register,
educate
and
turn
out
student
voters
through
the
midterms
in
2022
"The
Voter
Friendly
Campus
designation
sends
the
message
to
current
and
incoming
students
that
voting
and
other
forms
of
civic
engagement
are
important,
that
they
are
part
of
what
it
means
to
be
a
BW
student,"
says
Julie
Robinson,
associate
director
of
BW's
David
&
Frances
Brain
Center
for
Community
Engagement.
"We
are
honored
to
receive
this
recognition
of
the
substantial
work
we
have
done
to
strengthen
our
campus
culture
of
democratic
engagement."
Campus
Collaboration
To
reduce
barriers
to
voting
and
increase
voter
education
and
participation,
BW
launched
a
multi-pronged,
campus-wide
effort,
including
Jackets
Engaged,
a
student
team
focused
on
nonpartisan
voter
engagement
efforts.
Jackets
Engaged
student
leader,
Leah
Kent
'22,
notes,
"We
ran
a
large
social
media
campaign,
presented
to
classes
and
athletic
teams,
and
heightened
the
visibility
of
voter
registration
deadlines
and
other
information
by
placing
outdoor
signs
across
campus."
In
addition,
the
Office
of
Residence
Life
distributed
voting
information
cards
produced
by
Jackets
Engaged
and
ensured
every
student
living
on
their
own
received
proof
of
residency,
making
it
easier
to
vote
using
a
campus
address.
BW's
coordinator
of
off-campus
housing
ensured
that
students
on
their
own
near
campus
received
accurate
voter
registration
information.
Many
athletic
coaches
and
professors
also
shared
voter
registration
information
and
deadlines.
Dining
Services
even
got
in
on
the
action,
distributing
over
900
VOTE
cookies
leading
up
to
the
election.
The
collective
effort
represents
the
strong
commitment
of
BW
to
the
civic
mission
of
higher
education,
which
prepares
students
to
be
engaged
participants
in
our
democracy.
About
NASPA
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.
About
Fair
Elections
Center
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.
