ALL IN is a nationwide organization that "encourage[s] active and informed participation in American democracy. ALL IN does not support or oppose candidates for public office or take a stand for or against any political party."
ALL-IN Campus Democracy Challenge Action Plans represent collaborations between many people on- and off-campus. Our 2026 Action Plan describes our holistic approach to civic learning and democracy engagement.
We invested in creating this Plan - this mapping of civic learning and democracy engagement efforts - because it charts a path to our goal of an institutional culture that is focused on democracy engagement. For us, "democracy engagement" is the use of one's education and experiences in civic decision-making, especially by working with government in ways that include - but are not limited to - voting. A key facet in democracy engagement is active listening because it fosters deliberation and collaboration, which can nurture more mutually respectful and beneficial results than debate and confrontation.
Our Plan is a comprehensive and holistic approach that includes -
- Interdisciplinary academic programming that runs from students' freshman through senior years.
- Applied (experiential) learning that involves government representatives.
In this way, students can articulate the relevance of their college education to their career- and civic-readiness. The Plan's emphasis on applied learning helps students develop confidence in their ability to be effective change-makers.
This Plan reflects SUNY Cortland's guiding documents, such as our Mission Statement, which includes this statement:
[SUNY Cortland] students grow as engaged citizens with a strong social conscience fostered by outstanding teaching, scholarship and service.
The Plan also mirrors SUNY Cortland's Strategic Plan, which includes the objectives of:
Strengthen[ing] the development of knowledge, skills, and dispositions to help students achieve in their career, citizenship, and life. These include -
Equity, inclusion, and how to advocate for a better future for all by understanding multiple perspectives, including diverse views and global perspectives.
Sense of social, civic, and personal responsibility as a citizen of their community, country, and world.
The Galpin Institute's programming helps us reach these goals. That programming includes the Cortland Applied Learning Practitioners / Democracy Engagement Fellowships for faculty, the Dragons for Democracy Internships, and the Celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence.