Tour of the Florida Times Union

Students were able to learn about how politicians are covered in the media and tour the Florida Times Union Facility.

Tour of Jacksonville City Hall

Students were given the opportunity to learn about local government by meeting with city council members, attending a City Council Meeting, and touring City Hall.

National and Global Youth Service Day

Several service activity stations were set up on the UNF Green, and in front of the UNF library including: Hope for the Homeless, Civic Engagement, Elderly Outreach, Food for the Famished, Kids Korner, and Great American Bake Sale. Students were able to learn that in just 5 minutes they could make a difference!

Film Screening: "Does the Media Turn Off Young Voters?"

Students in Marcia Ladendorff's course Media Literacy: Campaign Edition travelled to Washington, DC during Spring Break and created short films centered on the questions: What is the impact of media on the political process? Does that impact result in apathy amongst young people toward politics?

Panel Discussion: "Do You Know What's in Your Public Records?"

This panel discussion explored the freedom of information in government. The panelists included Mr. Joe Adams, author of the Florida Public Records Handbook, Ms. Barbara Petersen, President of the First Amendment Foundation in Tallahasee, and Ms. JoAnn Carrin, Office of Open Government in Tallahassee.

UNF Voices Forum: "Who Holds the Power in American Democracy?"

Students, faculty, staff, and community members joined in on this critical discussion on the role of the individual in our representative democracy. Guest speakers included Duval County Supervisor of Elections, Jerry Holland, and Assistant Professor of Political Science and Public Administration, Dr. Kyle Scott. The UNF Voices Forum was established by students representing various UNF student organizations such as Critical Minds, Project Affect, Americans for Informed Democracy, Students Without Borders, and the Progressive Action Committee.

Sunshine Week Audit Committee

The Sunshine Week Audit Committee was made up of students, faculty, and staff interested in the open access to information in government. Dr. Berrin Beasley, Associate Professor of Communication, trained the committee on how to request public documents and gave an overview of the Sunshine law and its importance. Committee members then were able to choose an issue of interest to them and request public records related to issue. Students visited public agencies (such as City Hall) and requested the records as a test of agency compliance with Chapter 119 of Florida statutes.

Jacksonville Week in Review

Students sat in on a taping of the show Jacksonville Week in Review, a weekly broadcast produced by WJCT on issues of the day in Jacksonville. Students were able to view the television production process as well as discuss challenges facing the Jacksonville community with participants of the show. This program gave students insight into the media as well as how civil discourse is conducted.

Presentation: "Creating the Ideal President: Unlocking the Meaning in Candidate Framing"

In this presentation Dr. John Parmelee, Associate Professor of Communication, examined candidate framing in the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections and how viewers interpret that framing. Click the link above to view an article from the Spinnaker about this presentation.

Jacksonville Day at the Capitol

Jacksonville Day at the Florida Capitol, Thursday, January 24, 2008. UNF students were apart of the Jacksonville delegation to the State Capitol along with members of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce. Students met with state legislators, attended a Higher Education Appropriations Committee meeting, and participated in a private tour of the governor's mansion.

TLO Trip to Washington

Ambassador Nancy Soderberg led a group of 22 students on a transformational learning opportunity to Washinton, DC where they had the opportunity to discuss their policy paper with top governmental officials. Click the link above to view an article from the Spinnaker about this trip.

Mock Political Convention

UNF students participated as delegates and volunteers in this two-day Mock Convention along with students from Duval County High Schools, EWC, JU, and FCCJ. Students decided on party platforms and candidates for Democrat and Republican parties. This event was sponsored by Supervisor of Elections Office. Click the link above to view an article in the Spinnaker about this event.

Lecture: "Technology: Threat to Democracy?"

In this lecture Dr. Paul Harwood examined the impact of our technological usage on democracy. Click on the link above to view an article from the Spinnaker about this lecture.

Documentary Film: "Evoking Rights"

Dr. Jillian Smith and her students interviewed and filmed several “UNF voices” asking them what rights means to them. The students created documentary text pictures that illustrate rights gone wrong or rights gone right. This film was shown in the UNF Gallery and the pictures were displayed on the walls in the UNF Gallery as well.

Constitution Week 2007

Click this link to view the Constitution Week 2007 list of events