I.
Request for Committee Lists and Timelines
While
we at Pledge campaign headquarters
have freely given advice, we
have seldom tried to direct how
individual organizers structure their committees
or carry out the Pledge
at their schools. We feel that such
flexibility encourages
schools to join
the Pledge effort. However, one
negative consequence
has been a lack of formal
organization
and accountability in
some Pledge efforts which, in our
experience, decreases the likelihood of
success. Hence, our Advisory Board
has asked me to announce the
following:
We
strongly suggest that this fall
term you send us a list of members
of your Graduation Pledge committee
(though we
will not add additional names to the
listserve for updates, unless requested to
so so). There could be a separate GPA
organization, a committee within some
ongoing larger campus organization, or
otherwise. This then assures that
there is, indeed, a group working on
the project, which
makes the effort stronger and more enduring.
And stability
is also increased if you can align
your group with an
established campus office or organization (alumni
affairs, career services, student
life/activities, or a campus center or
academic department)m.
Secondly,
we also strongly suggest that you send us by
January a timeline of your tentative plans
for the year. This means that even if
you organize
no activities for the fall,
you have at least done all your basic
planning and can move ahead later in an
orderly and timely
fashion. The basic “Steps
for a Campaign”
(see below) has many possibilities.
We
do realize that due to various factors,
there will be different levels of
involvement at different schools. But at a
minimum, we suggest that in addition to
signing up seniors you:
1) do
something during/surrounding graduation (the
Pledge as a part of the graduation ceremony,
receiving of Pledge cards and wearing of
green ribbons, a recognition event, etc.);
2) hold
at least one Pledge event otherwise
during the spring
term (a celebration of pledge signers, a
speaker on the Pledge and social
responsibility in employment, an alternative
graduation, etc.); and
3) publicize
the Pledge both on and off campus (signs,
bulletin boards, school paper and local
media, press conference, e.g.). By sometime
early next term we hope to have on our
website both downloadable Pledge brochures
and posters
to aid with publicity.
We feel that doing the above
will increase
accountability for all concerned,
both strengthening
your program and keeping us better
informed here. There
are a number of ways that our having this
information can help the overall Pledge
effort.
II.
Update on the Web Site and Request for
Photos
We
have recently added a few things to
the web site and, more importantly,
rearranged material. Materials are
now separated into two primary
sections. One is geared toward those
organizing a Pledge effort, while the other is
for those actually carrying out the
Pledge. On another web issue, we would like
to add some photos of Pledge activities
besides those at the sponsoring college. We
have seen some on local Pledge websites and
we welcome
your submissions. We now have up a
video of the statement about the Pledge
given by the president of our school,
Manchester College,
at the graduation ceremony. It can
serve as an example for elsewhere.
III.
Finally, three brief ideas:
n
We would like
to form a national speaker’s bureau of folks
who can talk on issues of social
responsibility in employment. If you have
suggestions, please let us know – along with
specific topic areas, contact info, etc.
n
In order to
further our
connections with you,
during January and February we hope
to call as many local
organizers as we can. Thus getting
the phone numbers of contacts is indeed
helpful.
n
THANKS SO MUCH for the
financial contributions to the national
effort
received so far. We
can always use more. Whatever
you can spare, large or small, is
appreciated. Make your
check out to Manchester College and
in the memo space at the bottom, write
"for Neil Wollman
- Graduation Pledge Alliance."
Contributions are tax-deductible.
Thanks,
Neil
Neil
Wollman, National Coordinator
Graduation
Pledge Alliance
MC Box 135
Manchester
College
North
Manchester, IN 46962
(260)
982-5346
njwollman@mancheter.edu
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steps for Building Support for and
Participation in the Pledge Campaign
"I pledge to explore and take into account
the social and environmental consequences of
any job I consider and will try to improve
these aspects of any organizations for which
I work."
At small schools
in which high-level administrators can be
brought on board quickly, it may be possible
to start the pledge the first year it is
attempted--and at the "whole-school" level.
In most cases, however, things will move
more slowly, going from having smaller
groups being involved and informally, to
when the Pledge, hopefully, becomes
"institutionalized" and fully a part of the
school officially as part of commencement
and otherwise. Experiences at various
schools suggest certain steps that will make
it more likely that the school, as whole,
will formally adopt the Pledge:
1. THOUGH
IT MAY TAKE ONE PERSON TO BE THE DRIVING
FORCE FOR A SUCCESSFUL EFFORT, IF THERE IS
ONLY ONE PERSON DOING MOST OR ALL OF THE
WORK, THE WHOLE PROJECT MAY COME TO A HALT
IF THAT PERSON FALTERS. A committee is far
better and allows work to be distributed as
well as allowing different people to pick up
the slack depending on the current situation
for different members of the group.
2. IT IS
BEST IF THERE IS ONE CONTINUING GROUP
(campus organization, graduation pledge
committee, official college administrative
or student office) that makes sure the
Pledge happens each year. Find what makes
most sense for your school and
circumstances.
3. GET
SOPHOMORES/JUNIORS/FACULTY INVOLVED TOO, as
it helps ensure future work on the project.
It also means that each year those involved
before know past history and can try to take
institutionalization a step further each
year. One school gets non-seniors on campus
to sign up, as well, in a show of support;
while another school allows alumni to sign
the pledge.
4. GET
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES which have sway over
the commencement activities to come on
board. If that doesn't happen the first year
it likely will in the future if there is
enough grassroots support of the type listed
above. Unless you can guarantee that The
Pledge will "automatically" happen every
year, it is best if the project can be
housed in some official
program/office/council so it is assumed that
someone will do it each year, without a
group of seniors having to get excited about
it and starting fresh each year. Our
personal hope always is that it is a
community effort, with students, staff, and
faculty involved in planning. Earlier in its
history, the Pledge was on a number of
campuses , but disappeared in all but a
couple because of lack of
institutionalization.
5. GET
CAMPUS GROUPS TO ENDORSE, participate, and
get out word to their constituencies (a)
student groups--e.g., social service,
community service, environmental, peace,
human rights; (b)
programs/departments/schools within the
university--social work,, sociology,
environmental studies, women's studies-- or
any socially concerned active ones on
campus; and (c)
offices/councils/centers--career services,
community services, women's centers, Student
Government). Another approach is to get
senior class officers or reps involved, as
they often have good channels of
communication with all seniors.
6. GET AS
MUCH PUBLICITY AS YOU CAN media and
otherwise both on and off campus (local
newspapers and TV often take an interest),
as this will get people's attention and more
students will get involved and participate.
It will also help spread the idea to the
general public and to other schools. There
could be posters, displays in glass cases,
materials at the alumni office, events at
homecoming, etc.
7. DECIDE
WHAT IS BEST FOR YOUR CAMPUS regarding
specific actions tied to the Pledge. Here
are some examples:
A. GET
SOME TYPE OF RECOGNITION/PUBLICITY AT THE
COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY ITSELF.
§
Have those
taking the Pledge wear green ribbons, as
might supportive faculty. Wearing such
ribbons has become standard at many
participating schools.
§
Get one of the
speakers to discuss/ note the Pledge at the
ceremony.
§
Have the
Pledge printed in the commencement program.
§
Have
posters/brochures describing the Pledge near
the commencement festivities.
B.
DIFFERENT SCHOOLS RECOGNIZE OR CELEBRATE THE
PLEDGE IN DIFFERENT WAYS.. Be it a reception
for Pledge signers, a speech by a faculty
member, or otherwise, think of good ways to
make the Pledge a fuller experience for
participants. At least one school has made
attending a seminar relevant to socially
responsible employment a prerequisite to
signing the pledge; this might decrease
participation, but increase commitment.
Another possibility is to make such a
seminar only strongly recommended. One
school has instituted an "Alternative
Graduation" ceremony to celebrate/recognize
the Pledge. Another school has a Pledge
taken by all first-year students which
incorporates the basic Pledge ideas, but
goes into other areas as well. Think of
other ways to institutionalize the Pledge at
your schools – thinking of that as a
long-term project (discussion in classes,
introduction in first-year orientation,
Pledge-related service projects, and so on).
C. DIFFERENT
SCHOOLS SIGN UP PEOPLE DIFFERENTLY
·At
Manchester, we give cards and diplomas
(stating the Pledge) to participants well
before graduation day. Such cards have
become standard at many schools (see web
page for sample cards).
·Another
school has participants sign a poster, which
is on display.
·Another
has people sign a sheet after they have gone
across the stage and gotten their diploma.
·Some
schools sign up pledgers electronically
(their own website, mailing lists, etc.).
·Some
have done tabling during the spring term. AS
A MATTER OF FACT, IF YOU HAVE NO OTHER WAY
AND NEED TO QUICKLY GET SIGN-UPS, DO
TABLING. And if you can, give out pledge
cards, green ribbons, and some materials
taken form the nation Graduation Pledge web
site.
·See
another piece on the website called
“Building Consciousness Raising Around the
Pledge.” It has various further ideas on
institutionalizing the pledge (e.g., campus
forums and bulletin board displays).
D. THERE IS
MUCH INFORMATION AVAILABLE FOR PLEDGE
SIGNERS AT THE WEB SITE FOR THE PLEDGE. (http://www.graduationpledge.org).
For example,
there is information/links to socially
responsible jobs, listings of questions one
might ask a potential employer, links to
information on influencing one's employer to
be more socially and environmentally
responsible. There is a "one page handout
for graduating seniors" that gives some of
theses ideas, but, importantly, gives the
opening page website address for the Pledge
so that signers can get full details on such
concerns. Consider getting at least that
page to all Pledge signers. Lead people to
the web site or distribute such information
to all graduates, Pledge signers, Career
Services office, etc. Seriously consider
listing the Pledge web page address – and
what is available there – on the back of
Pledge cards noted in 7C above.
E.
CONSIDER WAYS OF REMINDING AND SUPPORTING
PLEDGE SIGNERS AFTER THEY GRADUATE (articles
or blurbs in alumni publications and
materials, a listserv of signers, a GPA
newsletter, a presence at any alumni events
on campus or around the country, formation
of a pledge committee of ten or more alumni
who work to publicize and support previous
signers.) And see a piece on the web page
on getting your alumni and career services
offices involved in the effort.
F. A FEW
SCHOOLS HAVE MODIFIED THE PLEDGE WORDING to
fit their own needs. The Pledge wording is
"I pledge to explore and take into account
the social and environmental consequences of
any job I consider and will try to improve
these aspects of any organizations for which
I work."
