NAICU Washington Update

225th Anniversary of Our Nation’s Constitution

July 05, 2012

September 17, 2012 will mark the 225th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution. This is a mid-summer reminder to make plans to recognize Constitution Day on your campus.

In 2005, Congress passed legislation mandating that educational institutions receiving federal funds are to hold an educational program on the U.S. Constitution on Sept 17 each year.  The federal provision doesn't define "educational program." This means that colleges and universities have a great deal of latitude in exactly how they choose to recognize the day.

The Library of Congress lists a number of resources for planning activities and recognizing the day.  The National Constitution Center site is another rich resource for ideas.  In addition to inviting visitors to sign a commemorative edition of the U.S. Constitution, the site lists a number of anniversary-specific activities.

The regulations don't indicate any penalties for failure to comply with the mandate, nor do they require specific activities to be reported.  NAICU encourages all members to embrace this opportunity to advance civic education.

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