Student political interest on the rise

Following a three and a half decade decline, political interest among college freshmen is on the rise for the third consecutive year, according to a University of California, Los Angeles survey released this week.

The survey showed that one-third of the students polled cited "keeping up to date with political affairs" as an important life goal. Additionally, the data from fall 2003 reported a decade-high percentage of students who say they discuss politics frequently.

The study also showed a slight shift toward conservatism on college campuses.

While half of the survey participants categorized themselves as politically "middle-of-the-road," 22.7 percent consider themselves "conservative" or "far right," up from 21.3 percent in 2002.

The percentage of students who consider themselves "far left" also increased, but the number who labeled themselves "liberal" declined this year.

Linda Sax, director of the freshman survey and a professor of Education at UCLA, said both students' increasing political interest and conservatism can be attributed to the events surrounding the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

"Since 9/11 ... students now are realizing that political events, international, global events have a direct relevance to their lives," Sax said.

When interest is low, it is usually because students feel that politics are not relevant to their lives, she added.

Penn Political Science professor John DiIulio noted that it is typical for surveys to show a spike in voter interest this close to a presidential election. But it "may or may not translate into different rates of participation," he said.

Issues which directly affect students' lives, such as financial aid and affirmative action, could be influencing their outlook on politics as well.

Sax said that war tends to draw out conservative viewpoints, but that the increase was still only marginal.

The shift to the right "breaks down strongest ... along economic issues," DiIulio said. The 18- to 24-year-old cohort is becoming increasingly fiscally conservative and willing to trust privatization, but it remains socially liberal.

Sax said the number of students identified as middle-of-the-road was most troubling.

The numbers "signal their lack of engagement" and reflect students' political apathy, rather than indicate politically moderate viewpoints.

Additionally, Sax said the rise in political interest is not likely to affect the number of students who will vote in November.

"There's not one student-oriented issue. I think that the candidates do attempt to reach" students but are generally unsuccessful, she said. "I don't sense a lot of excitement about any candidate."

Still, Robert A. Fox Leadership Program Senior Fellow Mary Summers said that significant issue differences between Democrats and Republicans might actually incite further student interest during the general election.

Sax criticized the political process as too abstract to attract students' interest. Students should learn about politics by engaging in discussions based on the issues that matter to them, she said.

"There needs to be a much stronger connection made in the classroom between the issues that students care about and how those issues play out on the national or local political scene," Sax added.

Summers suggested adding a politics component to community service courses.

The students would then learn how political decisions shape problems -- such as poverty, inequality and urban education -- that exist in the community.

While Sax said she hoped the three-year rise in interest reflected a "general upswing," she added that it could easily "subside, or it could level off."

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