USD Magazine, Fall 1996

students listened to experts on Mexican, Russian, Israeli and Indian politics, while budding researchers in professor Michael Pfau's class developed their own research hypotheses and polling questions for the electorate. "This was a chance to conduct hands-on experiments of our own," says Karen Edgar, a student in Pfau's "Winners and Losers: The Debates as an Empirical Research Experience" mini-course. "We brainstormed ideas, developed polling questions and looked at how political data is collected." Debate week also served as a reminder of the bond between poli– tics and art. The days leading up to the debate were highlighted by a "Spectrum of American Music" concert featuring the Choral Scholars, a collection of political memorabilia in Copley Library and an exhibition of political art and cartoons in Founders Gallery. Gallery curator Derrick Cartwright also taught a mini-course on "Artists and Politics in Modern History." "Recognizing that the intersection of art and politics is not just limited to political cartoons broadens the understanding of the many ways people deal with politics," says Cartwright, who invited artists, cartoonists and collectors to speak in his class. "The goal is to expose students to the many situations where artists and politics have come together." Students themselves had many opportunities to come together with politics throughout the week, as the media and politicians descended on USD. Lectures by political reporter Sam Donaldson, legendary Time magazine photographer Dirck Halstead and a ques– tion and answer session with C-SPAN producer Barry Katz were some of the formal activities, but learning, as always, was not limited to the classroom. "The whole process was a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity," says Yeh. "When you have a chance to see the candidates in person and to listen to people like George Stephanopoulos or Gerald Ford, it's much different than watching the campaigns on television. Having the debate here made everything real."

"Students told me that because of the debate and all the related academic activities, they were looking at politics more than they ever had before," says Norton, who put together a political film fes– tival with features such as "All The President's Men" and "Bob Roberts," and appeared on a special CNN program beamed to high school students across the nation. "Our goal was to get them not just to think about politics but to participate as well." Participation wasn't a problem for professors sponsoring the four debate "mini-courses" offered this fall. Students quickly filled the one-credit courses, all of which tackled different areas of the politi– cal process. From political art to political research, from national security and elections to election campaigns on the Internet, stu– dents snapped up the opportunity to examine and analyze the elec– toral process. "These classes give me a different perspective on politics," says freshman Renee Yeh, who signed up for two debate mini-courses. "I learned how historic events relate and how important subjects like art and foreign affairs are to American politics." "We're helping students understand the meaning of political messages and how they influence people." Students also put their own messages about politics on display to the world. In communications studies professor Robert Hanczor's "Campaigning on the Internet" class, students developed their own World Wide Web site on the debate and included an Internet chat room for computer users worldwide to discuss the event while it unfolded. "Before we created our Web site, we examined how new technol– ogy like the Internet affects voters and elections," Hanczor says. "In fact, much of what we're doing is helping students understand the meaning of political messages and how they influence people." While the World Wide Web site developed by Hanczor's class was available to computer users nationwide, many of the learning experiences tied to the debate reached into nearby communities. Students organized a bilingual program at a local elementary school, a debate discussion panel featuring international journalists and politicians in the adjacent Linda Vista neighborhood, and a "Bring Your Parents to Vote" campaign encouraging youngsters to accom– pany their parents to the polls. "The goal was to reach out and foster political literacy not just among our own students but in the community as well," says David Sullivan, a communications studies professor who co-chaired the academic committee along with political science professor Del Dickson. "A presidential debate is the perfect way to get people's intellectual motors going." Observers could almost hear those motors running in classrooms around campus. In political science professor Randy Willoughby's "Comparative Elections and International Security" mini-course,

- Michael R. Haskins

Palilical reporter Sam Danaldsan had a crush al admirers.

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