Augusta University to host Constitution Day on Sept. 17

To commemorate the signing of the U.S. Constitution, University Libraries and the Communication and Social Sciences departments in Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences will host Constitution Day from noon to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17, at the Dr. Roscoe Williams Ballroom in the Jaguar Student Activities Center.

Faculty, staff and student volunteers will read portions of the Constitution. Jennifer Sullivan, PhD, interim executive vice president for academic affairs and provost and dean of The Graduate School, will begin the reading with the Pledge of Allegiance and Preamble.

In 2004, Congress designated Sept. 17 as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, requiring that all federal agencies and educational institutions that receive federal funds host educational programming on the Constitution. Over the years, Augusta University has held a variety of programming, including debates, lectures, panel discussions and movie viewings.

“This is our fourth annual Constitution Read-In, and each year the response has grown. We have seniors this year who have attended all four years. It is a wonderful experience to bring together people from all areas in celebrating the foundational document of our republic,” said David Kearns, federal depository manager at Reese Library and coordinator of the event.

“The Department of Social Sciences is excited to be involved in commemorating such an important day in our nation’s history,” said William Hatcher, PhD, chair of the Department of Social Sciences. “The signing of the Constitution was an important step toward creating the government that we have today, which is one of the world’s oldest constitutional democracies. Learning about the importance of the Constitution and celebrating Sept. 17 will help ensure that our system of democratic government continues to be resilient for future generations.”

The event will include audience participation, trivia with prizes, refreshments and patriotic themed promotional materials, including pocket Constitutions.

Also participating in the event is the CSRA League of Women Voters, the Jaguar Battalion and the Augusta University Police Department.