Join us tomorrow for Democracy Day

Dear Members of the Carnegie Mellon University Community: 

Tomorrow, November 7, is Election Day, and all eligible members of the CMU community are encouraged to make plans to vote. Exercising our right to vote is one of the most meaningful and impactful ways we can engage in our democracy, so please be sure to take time to cast your vote if you are able and haven’t already done so. I extend my gratitude to our community members serving as polling volunteers, which is an essential part of our democratic election process. If you are in search of voting information, the SLICE Voter Engagement website has an abundance of election resources, including guidance on creating a voting plan and understanding your ballot.

I also invite you to participate in tomorrow’s inaugural Democracy Day. This day is an opportunity to reaffirm our institutional commitment to civic service and democracy. There will be no classes prior to 5 p.m., and the entire CMU community is invited to participate as their schedules allow. The day’s theme, “Can We Talk? Conversations in a Polarized Society,” focuses on the difficult, and sometimes uncomfortable, discussions that can happen in the classroom and in our lives. Programming will focus on ways we can be respectful, intentional and constructive when engaging in meaningful discourse, especially during tense and distressing geopolitical events like those we are grappling with now.

Throughout the day, there will be programming and resources available for our entire community to engage on the key ideals of democracy. Our keynote address, "Psychology of Democracy: How Democracies Turn Bad Choices by Irrational Voters into Positive Outcomes for Citizens" with CMU professor Danny Oppenheimer, will explore the paradoxes of democracy and how democracies interact with human psychology to create stronger and more effective societies. The keynote will be from 2 - 3 p.m. in McConomy Auditorium and registration is not required.

Please join us as your schedule allows for what is sure to be an informative and engaging day.

Sincerely,

Jim Garrett
Provost and Chief Academic Officer