Community colleges have a responsibility to support students in developing their democratic engagement by providing opportunities for civic learning and engagement, said De Anza College President Brian Murphy. Murphy joined community college administrators from across the country to sign the Democracy Commitment, a national initiative to provide community colleges a stage to engage in civic learning and democratic practices.

Students should have knowledge about the democratic process and the rights and responsibilities that come with it; they should also learn how to engage, how to participate and how to organize in their communities, Murphy said.

“A healthy democracy depends on engaged citizens, proud of their rights, thoughtful about their responsibilities and informed about their choices,” states the Democracy Commitment Declaration. However, according to the declaration, many U.S. citizens lack basic knowledge of the civic and democratic establishments through which democratic power is exercised. Too few vote, and those who do are doubtful about their ability to change their circumstances.

“Colleges and universities have an obligation to educate about democracy, to engage students in both an understanding of civic institutions and the practical experience of acting in the public arena,” states the declaration.

“It is a matter of enlightened self-interest, we are faced with the loss of 10 percent of our classes, so at what point do people say enough is enough?” Murphy said. “A lot of students are sick of it and I support them being sick of it. I don’t want our students to be victimized by the powers that are de-funding our education.”

The Democracy Initiative has already been taking place on campus, according to Marketing and Communications Director Marissa Spatafore. The institute of civic engagement has programs already in place through which students can get involved with, Spatafore said.

“I think it’s an incredibly exciting initiative, we are so proud of our students for their political engagement. This is an opportunity for them to work with students across the country,” Spatafore said. “Political engagement is never more important than in an economic crisis … Right now is the time for political engagement from students on all fronts.”

According to Academic Senate President Gregory Anderson, the effects of the Initiative on De Anza will be hard to predict because De Anza is already engaged in community learning, with several classes on campus requiring civic engagement.

“Our college is not really an example because the engagement is already happening. If you are at a college where none of this is already happening, the change on campus will be more apparent,” Anderson said.

More people have college degrees than in any other time in history, and yet education is being devalued, Anderson said. The ignorance of the public toward the role of education is ironic, considering that students never pay more than one-third of their education since it is subsidized.

“We need to graduate people who are informed voters,” Anderson said.

It is an ongoing struggle to get more students to become engaged, however, if the democracy commitment works, the engagement on campus will not be an exception, but the norm, Anderson said. This is an opportunity for De Anza, this is emboldening and empowering so it will make the campus stronger.

Some staff members raised concerns about resources being diverted from De Anza and into other programs based upon politics on campus.

“The classified senate as a whole accepted the idea because it is really needed, especially on a political level,” said classified senator Reza Kazempour. “[However,] some of the senators liked the idea, while others voiced the concern that resources might be wasted on a national level when De Anza College is hurting financially.”

“We are not actually talking about any resources being diverted from De Anza for this initiative,” Murphy responded. “We will look to donated funds for ways students can engage in the project.”

Murphy hopes to have one-tenth of the community colleges in the United States signed on to this initiative by early Fall 2011. He is currently working to use De Anza as a flagship college for the initiative.

 The New York Times has offered to host and sponsor a national signatory event in New York, where representatives will get together and show the nation these flagship community colleges at work, said Murphy.

“De Anza leadership should be proud that they are inspiring the nation with their actions,” he said.