Special Campus Memo: Grinnell College National Poll

Dear Grinnellians,
 
This fall, we are introducing a pilot program that will position our institution to contribute in meaningful ways to the national discussion about the future direction of American politics - providing insights into the leaders, policies, and values that will shape this nation for years to come.

Next week we will announce the Grinnell College National Poll.
 
Nationally renowned polling expert J. Ann Selzer is currently conducting a nationwide survey on our behalf. We are asking tough questions and exploring topical issues in a way we believe will go beyond quick sound bites to discover what is at the core of the population's perspective. It is a project driven by a deep desire to understand this political moment and done in the spirit of Grinnell's tradition of engagement in public life.

As with any proposed or new project, our focus is first and foremost on the student learning experience. The polling data we receive from the Grinnell College National Poll will give Grinnell students new empirical evidence on which they can base their understanding of politics. Our students and faculty will have these data in hand within just days of the poll's completion, allowing them to engage in inquiry-led learning in nearly real-time. The Data Analysis and Social Inquiry Lab (DASIL) will provide both the institutional structure to archive these data, as well as advice to assist members of the community in their analyses. These data can be used throughout our multidisciplinary curriculum - in the classroom, in independent projects, and in MAP research.

This poll will expand resources for our faculty, even beyond the role it will play in classroom instruction and in student research. Some faculty will incorporate the data into their existing research, while others will extend their scholarly agenda to capitalize on these data. Regardless, the expertise of our faculty will provide a lens through which these data are interpreted.

The initial findings of the Grinnell College National Poll will be disseminated Wednesday, Sept. 5. Grinnell College is well-positioned to contribute to the national discourse, by adding a fresh perspective from an elite institution in a rural state.

An important part of this project will be a second edition of the Grinnell College National Poll following the midterm elections on Nov. 6. Our students and faculty will work closely with Dr. Selzer to create and execute a poll that both builds from the findings of the first poll and tackles some new topics of importance for public discourse.

This is a pilot program with potential to benefit many students and Grinnell College as a whole. The endeavor would not be possible without a partnership among Barbara Trish of the political science department and the Rosenfield Program, Peter Hanson of the political science department, and Xavier Escandell of the anthropology department and the director of DASIL. I thank them for their leadership.

You can find more information and updates at www.grinnell.edu/poll.

Sincerely,
 
Raynard S. Kington
President