Constitution Day Dialogue Initiative

Constitution Day is Tuesday, September 17, 2020

According to the U.S. Senate, Constitution Day was established “to encourage all Americans to learn more about the Constitution.”  All educational institutions that receive Federal funds are required to hold an educational program on or around Constitution Day about the U.S. Constitution for students.

Make it a Day for Dialogue

For the last several years, Iowa & Minnesota Campus Compact have encouraged and supported member campuses in meeting this requirement through dialogue. Each year, we select a theme and offer dialogue resources specific to that theme to encourage a shared conversation across our network. Campuses can use the guide, get training, and submit their plans for recognition. We also provide templates for attracting media attention for this important day.

Constitution Day 2020

In 2020, with national unrest and a major presidential election, we plan to offer dialogue resources related to racism and election engagement. Check back later in July 2020 for more resources, templates and information on how to submit your Constitution Day 2020 activities.

Constitution Day 2019

In 2019, we focused on dialogue related to the 2020 Census. Download last year’s dialogue guide “We all count. But will we all be counted.“

Why Dialogue?

In a context of polarization and distrust, conversations about shared values and our nation’s founding documents are deeply important for developing collaborative relationships, Constitutional knowledge, civic agency, and our democracy’s future. There is no shortage of evidence that our country has a lot of work to do in this area. Institutions of higher education can be part of the solution.