Pima Community College, NAU to open VOTE Center at West Campus, May 20
Tucson, AZ – Pima Community College, in partnership with Northern Arizona University (NAU), is pleased to announce the opening of Pima's VOTE Center, which is designed to foster new ways of teaching economics.
- What: Ribbon cutting for new VOTE Center
- When: 11 a.m., May 20, 2023
- Where: West Campus, 2202 W. Anklam Road [map]. A Building Lobby, A-126, upstairs from the Cafeteria.
- Media: Media are welcome. Event is not open to the public.
- To learn more: voicesontheeconomy.org
The ribbon cutting of the VOTE Center will kick off a series of discussions between Pima and NAU's Economic Policy Institute regarding the scope of future collaborations.
The mission of Voices On The Economy, known by its acronym VOTE, is to inspire new solutions to our country’s urgent economic problems by building a culture of respectful listening, passionate advocacy, and intelligent debate.
VOTE is an award-winning program that applies a special method to teaching introductory economics, including both a unique curriculum and a unique pedagogy.
The VOTE Program curriculum teaches people to hear the voices of the great economic thinkers of the past echoed in today’s arguments. Then it lines up side-by-side in an unbiased way the conservative, liberal, and radical perspectives on economic issues -- the views generally adopted respectively by Republicans, Democrats, and Democratic Socialists.
The VOTE Program fosters civil dialogue and debate by applying these three perspectives to specific, timely, and newsworthy economic issues, including: health care, international trade, housing, the federal budget, and the environment.
In the VOTE Program, students participate in role plays and other activities that enable them to become fluent in each point of view. Combative debate is transformed into solution-focused conversation, and the foundation is set for innovative thinking on economic issues and policies to emerge.
The VOTE Program inspires understanding and enhances the ability of students to voice their personal opinions and perspectives in a knowledgeable way. Importantly, Voices On The Economy also develops well-educated voters.
“Pima Community College is proud to have been the incubator for what has become a world-renowned economics curriculum and pedagogy developed by faculty member Dr. Amy S. Cramer," Chancellor Lee D. Lambert says.
The ribbon cutting ceremony will take place at the conclusion of a luncheon that will include the graduation ceremony for VOTE-Certified Educators (college and high school teachers) who have completed an intensive two-year training program in the VOTE curriculum and pedagogy, and the unveiling of the print version of the VOTE textbook, which will be available for purchase on demand for the cost of printing (with no profit). The VOTE textbook is being used in more than 100 countries and all 50 states.
The electronic version of the VOTE Textbook remains available free online. PCC Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Dr. Dolores Durán-Cerda, NAU Economic Policy Institute Interim Director Dr. Nancy Baca and VOTE faculty member Dr. Amy S. Cramer will be featured speakers at this event.
CONTACT:
Amy Cramer, Ph.D.
Economics Faculty, Discipline Coordinator, and VOTE Director
520-319-8062, acramer@pima.edu
Libby Howell, APR, Executive Director
Media, Government and Community Relations
520-549-9093, ehowell1@pima.edu