Teaching Assistants' Association
UW- Madison
Activism U.
Getting a Higher Education In Political Activism
Looking to pad that resume? Want a few extra letters after your name? Looking to get involved in the TAA political organizing work for 2008? Want to impact the 2008 elections to elect Barack Obama as our next president and build a pro-labor, pro-education, progressive majority in the state legislature? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions (especially the last two), the TAA Political Action team has just the thing for you. It's called Activism U., and our it's our program for higher education in political activism for TAA members. During the fall semester, we'll have Activism U. running in a full-on degree-granting program to train, develop, and mobilize the political activist power in our union to have a major impact on the 2008 elections.
Credits Towards A Degree
To train, develop, and mobilize the activist power within the TAA, our Political Action team will run Activist U. to grant "credits" to members that are involved for participating in certain events and actions. Along the way, earning credits over a threshhold will earn a participant a degree - and recognition for having done so. So you can work towards a bachelors, masters, and doctorate of political action.
Degree Levels
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Bachelor of Activism (BA) - 35 Credits
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Master of Activism (MA) - 75 Credits
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Doctor of Political Activism (PhD) - 100 Credits
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Upon accrual of credits to complete a degree, enrolled "students" will be recognized and thanked with cool TAA Political Action stuff, from an AFT to Obama t-shirt to a special dinner with labor and political leaders after the election. Please contact Political Education Committee chair Peter Rickman for further details.
Courses For Credit
Registration To Vote In Wisconsin - 5 credits
Voting Early By Absentee Ballot - 10 credits
(note that for those unable to vote in the U.S., alternate credit will be awarded for registering and turning out the vote of two voting-eligible persons)
Activism 101 - Education and Training for the TAA Political Activist - 10 credits
Activist Recruitment Phone-Bank - 7 credits
Office/Building/Worksite Fliering - 5 credits
Member-to-Member Voter Contact Phone-Bank - 8 credits
Madison Labor Walk - 9 credits
Targeted District Labor Walk - 12 credits
Final 72 Hour GOTV - 15 credits
Precinct Captain - 15 credits
(note that courses in italics can be repeated for credit multiple times - in fact, it's encouraged)
Enrollment
To enroll or with any questions, please contact the chair of the TAA Political Education Committee, Peter Rickman, via email. He also serves as the distinguished lecturer for Activism 101 and as Chancellor of Activism U.