\u201cOur responsibilities as citizens go beyond election day,\u201d Thomas Roberts, Director of Student and Community Engagement said. \u201cThat\u2019s just one part.\u201d<\/p>\n
National Constitution Day was proposed by Senator Robert Byrd in the Omnibus spending bill of 2004. At first, the day was a holiday known as \u201cCitizenship Day.\u201d Not only is National Constitution Day, as the holiday is now called, a yearly activity for communities, the passing of the bill also included a mandate for all educational institutions and federal agencies to provide educational programming on the history of the American Constitution on that day.<\/p>\n
\u00a0It may take a deeper look to see it, but students and faculty at Sinclair are more involved than meets the eye. Roberts discussed the findings of a Tufts University study on Sinclair, which found \u201cthat truly, we are an engaged community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sinclair, with a student body of over 28,000, has a magnitude of diverse people and perspectives. Academia has been said to be the place of challenging ideas and aspires to provide those exchanges as an academic environment. \u201cThese are the times,\u201d according to Roberts, to have these conversations.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a book, The Big Sort<\/em>\u2026about how people began to sort themselves out, ideologically,\u201d Roberts remarked. \u201cWe need to have those conversations, we want to encourage that.\u201d Roberts believes a lot of the tensions and problems people have today are a result of the \u201cBig Sort.\u201d<\/p>\n Part of the events for National Constitution Day involves an opportunity for students to register to vote. There are positions available for students to volunteer to help others sign up to vote.<\/p>\n Kathleen and Jennifer Sooy, Sinclair faculty, say that despite the mandate to celebrate National Constitution Day, they are happy to host the events. The Sooy\u2019s have been involved with National Constitution Day for well over fifteen years at Sinclair.<\/p>\n K\u00a0and J. Sooy are involved with other matters revolving around student involvement. They are in the process of bringing back the campus Republican Club. Political clubs at Sinclair struggle with the heavy turnover rate due to Sinclair\u2019s high transfer rate and options to complete degrees and certificates within two years of full-time learning.<\/p>\n Retired University of Dayton Professor of Law, Richard Saphire will speak heavily on the importance of the First Amendment.<\/p>\n Sinclair\u2019s library also participates throughout the week by setting out a collection of resources relating to the Constitution.<\/p>\n The event will have a Q&A session where students and the general public can ask questions about their rights. The purpose of the celebration is for attendees to \u201chave a better understanding of their rights, and what kind of role they play within an administration,\u201d J. Sooy said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe people have a check,\u201d the Sooy\u2019s explained. \u201cYou have to know you have a voice, to have a voice\u2026 and to effectuate change.<\/p>\n J. and K. Sooy remarked that the Constitution is always a hot topic seemingly every year. The people continue to exercise their rights lawfully and so the Constitution becomes key to many court cases.<\/p>\n Just this year alone, the passing of marriage equality, the Iran Nuclear Deal, the events of Kim Davis\u2019 refusal to issue same-sex couples marriage licenses, the events of Charlie Hebdo and illegal immigration have people looking hard at the Constitution for answers.<\/p>\n This September 17 will be the 228th <\/sup>anniversary of the signing of the Constitution. Over 100 people attended last year\u2019s celebration. The events are open to the public, and often include some state or national speaker.<\/p>\n The Clarion will be partnering with the Office of Student and Community Engagement to livestream the events online and to the Courseview campus in Mason, where both J. and K. Sooy also teach.<\/p>\n Events begin Thursday September 17 at 9a.m. at the Basement Entrance between Buildings 1 and 7.<\/p>\n For more information about helping this September 17 contact Tom Roberts, 937.512.2284 Thomas.Roberts@sinclair.edu<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Barton Kleen<\/strong><\/p>\n Managing Editor<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cOur responsibilities as citizens go beyond election day,\u201d Thomas Roberts, Director of Student and Community Engagement said. \u201cThat\u2019s just one part.\u201d National Constitution Day was proposed by Senator Robert Byrd in the Omnibus spending bill of 2004. 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