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The Daily OrangeGovernment-mandated Constitution Day held nationwide for first time
By Dana Schultz
Posted: 9/18/05, 10:29 PM EST Section: News
In compliance with a government mandate, the Syracuse University College of Law and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs put on the first Constitution Day event to recognize the signing of the U.S. Constitution.
Students and administrators packed into Maxwell Auditorium Friday afternoon to hear a lecture on diversity in honor of Constitution Day by key speaker Peter Schuck, currently a law professor at Yale University and other New York universities.
"This year marked the first time a recognition of Constitution Day was mandated," said Rogan Kersh, an assistant professor of political science at SU. "The Maxwell School is a school of citizenship. We wanted an issue that looked at citizenship and was tied to action. Diversity was the aspect of the constitution that we chose to look at."
Constitution Day was signed into law by President George W. Bush on Dec. 8, 2004. It designates Sept. 17 the official day when schools receiving funding from the government must offer a program that relates to the signing of the U.S. Constitution. Since Sept. 17 was a Saturday this year, Constitution Day was officially observed on Friday. In addition to specific programs, at 2 p.m. Eastern time, Americans across the country and the military overseas simultaneously recited the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution.
"Today is a day when all Americans come together and celebrate and learn about the signing of the Constitution," said Brandon Goad, a graduate student working on his master's degree in public affairs. Goad said he read about Constitution Day in an online article and learned of this speaker from one of his professors.
Friday's lecture also kicked off the annual State of Democracy Lecture Series coordinated by the Campbell Public Affairs Institute and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. The lecture was organized by the SU College of Law and the Maxwell School and was open to administrators, students and members of the community.
Students and administrators packed into Maxwell Auditorium Friday afternoon to hear a lecture on diversity in honor of Constitution Day by key speaker Peter Schuck, currently a law professor at Yale University and other New York universities.
"This year marked the first time a recognition of Constitution Day was mandated," said Rogan Kersh, an assistant professor of political science at SU. "The Maxwell School is a school of citizenship. We wanted an issue that looked at citizenship and was tied to action. Diversity was the aspect of the constitution that we chose to look at."
Constitution Day was signed into law by President George W. Bush on Dec. 8, 2004. It designates Sept. 17 the official day when schools receiving funding from the government must offer a program that relates to the signing of the U.S. Constitution. Since Sept. 17 was a Saturday this year, Constitution Day was officially observed on Friday. In addition to specific programs, at 2 p.m. Eastern time, Americans across the country and the military overseas simultaneously recited the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution.
"Today is a day when all Americans come together and celebrate and learn about the signing of the Constitution," said Brandon Goad, a graduate student working on his master's degree in public affairs. Goad said he read about Constitution Day in an online article and learned of this speaker from one of his professors.
Friday's lecture also kicked off the annual State of Democracy Lecture Series coordinated by the Campbell Public Affairs Institute and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. The lecture was organized by the SU College of Law and the Maxwell School and was open to administrators, students and members of the community.
