Alger continues commitment to Campus Democracy Challenge

HARRISONBURG, Va. — James Madison University President Jonathan R. Alger will serve on the President’s Council for the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge in 2024, an initiative to increase student voting across the country.

Alger joins a group of 13 college and university presidents charged with supporting senior leaders in higher education to foster nonpartisan democratic engagement on their campuses. The Presidents’ Council will lead more than 625 college and university presidents, provosts and chancellors who have committed to full student voter registration and participation in the 2024 elections through the ALL IN Presidents’ Commitment. The council will be chaired by Brad L. Mortensen, president of Weber State University. Alger is the immediate past chair and one of the first recipients of this initiative’s Standout Campus President Award in 2018.

“I am honored to participate once again on the President’s Council for the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge,” Alger said. “This recognition underscores JMU’s commitment to fostering civic engagement and empowering students to be active participants in our democracy. The ALL IN challenge aligns with our belief in the importance of civic education and the role that higher education institutions play in preparing the next generation of informed and engaged citizens. We look forward to collaborating with other institutions and advancing initiatives that promote civic learning, dialogue, and action on our campus and beyond.”

Jennifer Domagal-Goldman, executive director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, said, “An estimated 8 million young people will be newly eligible to vote in 2024 and we want to make sure every college student can cast their ballot. Higher education leaders have a critical role to play in creating a culture of nonpartisan civic engagement and voter participation on their campuses.”

The Presidents’ Council and the Presidents’ Commitment are a part of ALL IN’s mission to challenge institutions to make nonpartisan voter registration a priority on college campuses across the country. The council is informed by past legislation surrounding voter participation, including the 1998 reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, both of which opened avenues for college campuses to directly involve their students in the civic process.

Leaders who make the Presidents’ Commitment pledge to:

• Strive toward full student voter participation by designating staff to lead this effort among the campus community;
• Acknowledge the importance of students’ voice in all elections, preparing students to be informed and active citizens and creating experiences to help students become lifelong voters;
• Empower faculty, staff, students and community stakeholders to come together and determine solutions to the problems communities face;
• Educate voters to make informed decisions about issues and candidates in presidential, national, state and local elections; and
• Actively participate in a democratic engagement action plan to bolster an institutional culture that supports curricular and co-curricular involvement in the electoral process.

The members have committed to supporting all institutions with nonpartisan full student voter participation efforts.

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Media contact: Mary-Hope Vass, vassmg@jmu.edu

ABOUT ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge: 

ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement. Through an intentionally-designed program that provides structure, support and recognition, ALL IN works to improve civic learning, political engagement and voter participation on more than 985 campuses nationwide. ALL IN believes higher education should play a role in developing an active and informed citizenry by educating students, motivating them to engage in American democracy and instilling the value of lifelong participation. ALL IN is an initiative of Civic Nation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Learn more here.

ABOUT Civic Nation:

Civic Nation is a nonprofit ecosystem for high-impact organizing and education initiatives working to build a more inclusive and equitable America. Civic Nation shifts culture, systems and policy by bringing together individuals, grassroots organizers, industry leaders and influencers to tackle some of our nation’s most pressing social challenges. Civic Nation is home to seven national initiatives and campaigns: ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, Change Collective, It’s On Us, Online for All, SAVE On Student Debt, We The Action and When We All Vote. Learn more here.