Clearinghouse for Volunteers

09/11/08 - The Clearinghouse for Volunteers would like to welcome students back to campus! We hope you had a great summer and are happy to be back.What does Sept. 17, 2008 mean to you? For some of you it may mean the Involvement Fair, but on a broader spectrum, it's the country's newest national holiday, Citizenship Day. Citizenship Day was officially announced as a national holiday in 2004.

What exactly is Citizenship Day you might ask? It's a day to celebrate not only the United States but to celebrate your citizenship. The date is derived from when the constitution was signed in 1787. There have been variations of this holiday celebrated by states for years.

In the past, it's been called 'Constitution Day' and 'I am an American Day,' among other names. In celebration, any schools that receive federal funding are required to offer workshops and activities around issues related to citizenship and the constitution.

So what do you think? We asked some of your fellow classmates what being an American citizen meant to them.

Chris DaCosta said, "[Being a citizen] means a lot to me from firsthand experience because both my parents immigrated here so I saw how much hard work it took and how grateful they are."

Eli Moger stated, "Being an American citizen means that I get many freedoms, including the opportunity to play a role in how my country is run. It also means I have a responsibility to other citizens to participate actively."

When asked what you think is your most important right as a citizen of the United States, fellow URI students answered:

"Freedom of speech. We're allowed to express our opinions without being oppressed. We can stand up for what we believe in," Amanda Feinstein said.

The University of Rhode Island has decided to celebrate Citizenship Day in many different ways. On Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008 you can stop by or participate in:

Mock Presidential Election Poll with support from our College Democrats and College Republicans in the Union and on the Quad from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All students, faculty and staff are encouraged to participate! Results will be printed in our column during the following week. Who will URI elect?

A voter registration drive will take place in the Memorial Union from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Not registered to vote? Whether you are from Rhode Island, Connecticut, California or New Jersey, stop by to make sure you know the process for your state!

Readings from fellow classmates on influential and historical political and religious speeches; and activities and workshops on the Constitution, political apathy, and college student voice and engagement.

Our booth in the Memorial Union will have fun, interactive Constitution games, copies of the U.S. Constitution, and more. Come on by and test your knowledge on how well you know the Constitution!

To gear up for the big event, we thought we would throw out some brain busters to get you thinking.

A quiz from Constitutionfacts.com is used to test the average American on their knowledge on the constitution and the law in general.

-The longest possible time a person could now serve as president is: 4 years, 8 years, 10 years or 12 years.

-Laws for the United States are made by: The president, the Senate, Congress or the Supreme Court.

-Our first vice president was: Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin or John Adams.

How'd you do? We will have much more to offer on Citizenship Day so stop by the Union on Sept. 17! Remember to vote in the Mock Presidential Election Poll!

Answers:

10 years: Based upon Amendment 22 of the Constitution, no person can be elected to the office of president more than twice or serve more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected to be president.

Congress: This is found in Article 1, Section 1: "All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives." Thus, the function of Congress is to legislate or make the laws.

John Adams: The elections of 1789, 1792, 1796 and 1800 were based on the constitutional provision that the individual with the most electoral votes became president, and the one with the second highest became vice president. John Adams received the second highest vote count in the election of 1789 and became President George Washington's vice president. The process was changed in 1804 with the adoption of the 12th Amendment.