Cancel Classes at Ohio University on Tuesday, November 3rd
Ohio University
The 2020 United States Presidential Election has the potential to be the most historic election that our people have ever seen. Each and every eligible voter has the right to contribute to this monumental event and cast their vote for whomever they deem worthy of the highest office in the land. With that being said, a challenge arises in voter turnout when considering the vast population of American youth who do not go out to the polls. As a university of roughly 20,000 students, Ohio University weighs in heavily on the vote in terms of Athens County and in the state of Ohio as a whole. Our institution has an obligation to promote the fulfillment of our civic duties and thus should be taking all measures possible to ensure that student voters turn out at the polls on Election Day.
Petition by
To:
Ohio University
From:
[Your Name]
The most effective way that our university can contribute positively to youth voter turnout would be to cancel classes across the entirety of Ohio University (including all of the branch campuses) on Tuesday, November 3rd. While professors do have the discretion to postpone their individual class meetings, students whose instructors do not elect to do so will be at a disadvantage and may find that they do not have enough time to spare in their busy days to cast their vote. We cannot risk student voters missing out on the opportunity to have their voices heard; to do so would be egregious neglect of civic duty and would be unfair to those youths who do want to participate fully in our democratic system.
I propose that Ohio University makes the universal decision across all of their campuses to cancel classes on Tuesday, November 3rd to allow ample time for students, faculty, and staff members alike to visit the polls.