Vanessa Pickar sees her peers getting disillusioned with politics.

Pickar, a Western Technical College student who serves on the Wisconsin Technical College State Board, has been involved in student government at Western for three years. She would like to encourage other students to leave their comfort zones and participate in the political process.
“I learned that unless you are involved — unless you are in the middle of it — you are not going to make a difference,” she said.

She may not be able to make a difference on her own, she said, but she can share information and get others interested.

Vanessa’s not the only one who likes to see college students involved. Keith Knutson, assistant professor of history and political science at Viterbo University and Joe Heim, professor of political science/public administration at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, like to see young adults politically engaged on campus, too.

In his teaching, Knutson tries to emphasize that it can be self-defeating for students to choose not to participate.

“In order to have an impact on our system, that includes ‘us,’ we have to exercise our voice,” he said.

Elected officials already pay less attention to 18- to 24-year-olds because they are the age group with the lowest voter turnout, he said.

“Americans between 18 and 25 have public policy concerns, and if they want their issues to be addressed, the first order of priority is to turn out to vote,” he said.

Presidential election years tend to heighten political interest on the UW-L campus, Heim said. He expects interest to peak in the fall of 2008 and then wane after the 2008 presidential election.

But, regardless of the year, he said, there is an “undercurrent of support for having people politically engaged” at UW-L.

“People who graduate from here are often are going to be a leader in their profession and in the community,” he said. “So the earlier they can start being more actively involved in their communities and professions the better.”

Both professors said they teach political engagement without promoting a particular ideology.

Heim said most of his students don’t even know his political views

“I am pretty careful about providing political balance between the two sides,” said Heim, who also does political analysis in local media. He takes pride in being balanced, he said.

Knutson, on the other hand, tells his students his political views. “I let them know those are my own preferences, and I am not intending to teach them the way I think,” he said.

Students have an opportunity to learn contrasting political views though various activities and assignments, Knutson said. They can choose to investigate a candidate and write a short paper addressing campaign issues.

During the election season, students are required to work on a political campaign of their choice — whether for a political party or an individual candidate, Knutson said.

Heim said students can also become involved in organizations such as College Democrats or College Republicans and get-out-the-vote drives.

UW-L students have also served on the La Crosse Common Council and La Crosse County Board, and many elected officials and candidates visit La Crosse campuses for forums and debates.

KJ Lang can be reached at (608) 791-8226 or klang@lacrossetribune.com.

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