Defining the University’s Role in Disputing Civic Apathy

Emma Field

WRT 120

Civic Engagement Article

9 March 2017

Defining the University’s Role in Disputing Civic Apathy

        Derek Bok, in Our Underachieving Colleges, considers civic apathy a great cause for concern because it maintains the monopoly of special-interest lobbyists on legislation; therefore, making it more difficult for citizen groups to make substantial and authentic efforts in opposing autocratic enactment (175). Given the dilemma of civic apathy, what can be done to rectify it? How is complacency to be reversed when it is such a comprehensive issue?

        As outlined by Bok in his essay, the problem of civic apathy remains a pervasive complication of American society. The issue extends to every American citizen and is notably detected in post-secondary education. Presently American universities neglect their role of civic education and preparedness. This failure of United States colleges to instruct their students on crucial matters of citizenship continues to perpetuate a cycle of ignorance and latency in the face of political turmoil. Universities hold the paramount responsibility of preparing students to be active and responsible citizens. The erasure of civic apathy in contemporary society, and thus the implementation of civic engagement, is contingent upon the performance of every American university.

At first glance the issue of defining the university’s role in civic engagement may appear inferior to society’s more pressing problems like unemployment, the current economic situation or issues involving the 2016 election. But on closer inspection the current state of civic apathy directly correlates with those problems and to a greater extent, issues of media propagation, social and political polarization, and inactive legislation aimed to solely advantage the elite. The complications aforementioned embody the consequences attributed to general illiteracy about government and public affairs, low-effort political tactics, and the current damaging state of government.

It follows, then that the enigmatic solution has been right in front of us the entire time. I maintain that colleges must become more involved in citizen education by offering courses related to civic engagement and preparation, requiring general education government classes, and ensuring an accessible environment of advocacy and activism to students. Opportunities of involvement in not only volunteer work, but in the process of resolving issues directly related to their university and the surrounding community. The benefits of these programs would bolster student involvement, improve general knowledge of government and public affairs, expunge ignorance, and slowly pave the way for a more composite and unobtrusive government thus conceiving a more democratic society.

It is imperative to implement these changes because the harsh reality is that high school pedagogy will not change anytime soon to account for the growing demands of civic engagement, as noted by Bok, thus the eradication of present-day apathy relies upon the university. Within post-secondary education it is necessary for undergraduates to be educated on the simple matters and functions of their government if they plan to be a professional or academic within the United States.

        Sceptics, of course, may want to question whether the role of the university should be extended so widely to ensure such levels of civic engagement. Many believe that post-secondary education is designed to discipline students based on their major requirements – that students attend college to perfect and master their academic trade – but explicit attention is needed in response to current political climates of turmoil and unrest. As noted by Bok, undergraduates principally take courses related to their major and “the more courses they take in business, the most popular of all majors, the less they engage in community service, the less they vote, and the less they feel inclined to try to have an influence on the political process” (183). Bok’s theory of the current state of undergraduate programs stunting the growth of civic interest is extremely useful in rectifying the concerns of critics. There is a palpable necessity for undergraduate courses concerning government and public affairs as to guarantee every students receives their due diligence of civic preparedness.

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