Vermont Campus Compact
April 7, 2000

I want to thank Amy Gibans and the College and University Presidents for inviting me to share this important moment with all of you. Each of you is to be congratulated for the commitment you have made – or perhaps you have simply reaffirmed your commitment - to make your institution of higher learning a place where students can develop the values and skills of citizenship. Indeed, it is by creating a supportive campus environment for student engagement in community service that Vermont's colleges and universities can best prepare our students to be active, committed, and informed citizens and leaders of our communities.

Now, we all know that this will not be easy. There is a lot of competition for our young people's attention. The challenge, as I see it, comes, in part because we are living in an age of great peace and prosperity. It is easier to inspire our students to get involved when friends are being sent to fight in a war or when radical change is sweeping the country - as we saw during the civil rights movement, or even when there is national fear of invasion from another country. Yet it is perhaps more important than ever that we inspire our young people to become active and informed citizens.

At mid-century, the American educator Robert Maynard Hutchins warned, "The death of democracy is not likely to be an assassination from ambush. It will be a slow extinction from apathy, indifference and undernourishment." Now, at the dawn of a new millennium, we can see Maynard's bleak predictions beginning to come true.

The "New Millennium Generation" - the more than 70 million American youth is the largest generation of young people in our country's history, even larger than the Baby Boom generation. This new generation will redefine society in the 21^st century.

I do not believe that it is an exaggeration to say that the strength or weakness of American democracy in the 21^st century will be determined - to a very large extent - by the attitudes and actions that young Americans bring into the larger society over the next decade or so.

Yet, this is a non-voting generation. Nationally, less than half of all 18 - 24 year olds have even registered to vote. Of those registered, only 32.4 percent actually voted. That's fewer than one in five young people voting! And, unfortunately, the statistics for Vermont are worse. In 1996, only 39 percent of 18 -24 year old Vermonters were registered to vote and only 26.2 percent actually voted.

We have learned from over 200 years of experience that citizens who do not vote are not likely to be involved in the many other duties and responsibilities of maintaining a democratic society. Voting is canary in the coal mine - its health is an indicator of the health of our democracy. Only one (some would argue) minor aspect of citizenship. The problem is complex but the stakes are too great not to give the next generation our full attention.

I am pleased that today you have all taken a concrete step to address this problem. You recognize that education is not just about the teaching - and learning of academic subjects - but that an important part of creating an educated student is teaching them the critical thinking skills necessary to conduct meaningful public dialogue - and also to help them understand that, as individuals, they each have the power to effect positive change in our society. From individual acts of student volunteerism to institution-wide efforts to improve the social and economic well being of America's communities your schools can make a difference. As leaders you can serve as models for your students by demonstrating a commitment to speak out on issues of public concern and to articulate ideas that contribute to the common good of American and global society.

As Secretary of State I, too, have a role here. If you get kids at 18 who have never even thought beyond their own experience, who have no understanding about how our government works or how public policy decisions are made or how they effect people - your task will be very hard to accomplish. We - the State of Vermont - must deliver students to you who have curious minds – who are open to the notion of civic involvement - who are interested in the world around them. To this end I have just started a program called Kid Voting Vermont which is a kindergarten to 12^th grade curriculum that will be used in schools around the state to teach our kids about government, politics, and the importance of civic engagement.

We all know that citizenship-building service activities are powerful vehicles for developing citizenship skills – including participation in the political process – and the spirit of civic engagement required for life in a democratic civil society.
This compact that you all signed today is truly wonderful. But it is just a start. I turn to each of you today and challenge you to offer a real plan for your school to reach these lofty goals. Our joint challenge is to coordinate and sustain these efforts, In doing so we will help our students, our youngest citizens, build a better future for themselves and for all of us.