PACE Immigration Issues Forum – April 5th, 2011
Worcester Room, The Commons Building, SU
5 to 7:30 p.m.
The forum will examine the following topics relating to Immigration:
1. Discuss whether Maryland should implement a law such as the Arizona immigration
law that requires police officers to stop people and demand proof of legal
immigration status; and
2. Whether Maryland should offer in-state tuition for illegal immigrant children?
Time: 2.5 hours.
Guests for the event will pick up name tags, table assignments and materials at the check-in table
outside the Worcester Room on the 2nd floor of the Commons Building on the SU campus.
Participants will include more than 30 Presidential Citizen Scholars, students of diverse majors
learning about civic engagement, and a small group of community members, staff and faculty.
Community participants will be selected to obtain a well-balanced, cross section of community
members. The event is closed to media.
5:00 to 5:20 p.m.
1.
Welcome
Welcoming Remarks from Dr. Maarten Pereboom, Dean of the Fulton School of
Liberal Arts
PACE Director Adam Hoffman will introduce the PACE Issues Forum and serve as
master of ceremony for the event. He will also explain the pre-test and use of
clickers and may show a video clip to set the stage for the discussion. Dr. Hoffman
will administer a short immigration pretest.
PACE Director Adam Hoffman and Managing Director Ginie Lynch serve as
facilitators for the event and assist with questions and concerns that may arise
during the forum and breakout sessions.
The setting will provide a way for students and community members to examine a
public issue in a civil, informed manner and engage in an informal way.
5:20 to 5:25 p.m.
2.
Pre-forum Questions using Clickers
Audience will be asked 10 questions regarding immigration. Using Clickers,
answers will be tabulated and presented.
5:25 to 5:45 p.m.
3.
Panelist Presentation
Panelists will give 5-minute presentations at the beginning of the event focusing on the
two issues mentioned above. These panelists will be comprised of individuals who
represent multiple perspectives and levels of expertise on this issue. Members of this
panel serve to educate participants and share their views. Each panel member brings their
own experience, knowledge and expertise to the issue and together they are
representative of the campus and local community. Dr. Timothy Dunn, Mr. Brad
Bellacicco, Ms. Hala McIver, and Salisbury Police Chief Barbara Duncan are the invited
panelists.
5:45 to 6:30 p.m.
4.
Deliberation - Interactive Small Group Discussions
Students will serve as moderators when we break out into small group discussions.
The two specific immigration issues will be examined by small breakout groups.
Each moderator at each table will choose an individual to record the group’s ideas
and policy suggestions in the individual breakout discussion groups. Finally, the
groups will reconvene and we will attempt to find common ground in a few policy
ideas or solutions that the group agrees upon, and share their ideas. Dr. Hoffman
and Managing Director Ginie Lynch will assist break out groups and questions.
6:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Participants break for buffet meal and continue their group discussions.
7:00 to 7:30 p.m.
5.
Reconvene with Entire Group
Led by Dr. Adam Hoffman, the entire group will reconvene for a discussion in
which each group moderator will summarize the main points of individual group
discussions. (About 3 minutes each) After a brief review of each group’s
deliberation, the same questions that were posed at the beginning of the forum will
be posed again and participants will respond with their clickers. Participants reflect
on what has been achieved and make suggestions for future forums.
6.
Post-Test and Questionnaire
Dr. Hoffman will administer the post-test with clickers of the same 10 questions
posed at the beginning of the forum to gauge what, if any, attitudes or opinions have
changed. Attendees will fill out a brief questionnaire to provide feedback regarding
their experience while participating in this forum. Dr. Hoffman will conclude the
event.
7.
Forum Results
The questionnaire, the clickers used for quick opinions, suggestions from each
group discussion and a final discussion of the entire audience will be complied into
a report written by PACE on outcomes/suggestions. This report will be circulated
on the PACE website for participants to review.