The University chapter of the Roosevelt Institution has carved out a unique place for itself among the many political organizations already established at the University. Part of the nation's first student think tank, the group will celebrate its first anniversary in October.
The Roosevelt Institution, which currently has chapters at 63 colleges, was established in 2004 by Stanford students. It aims to promote student discussions of progressive policies and to present the resulting ideas to those in positions of influence.
"[The] Roosevelt Institution is built on the premise that the way to change the situation is by focusing on its root, which is policy," said Sarah Peteraf '09, who is the co-chapter head along with Abby Ludwig '09.
In working towards its mission, the University chapter has organized several events this past year, including a dinner discussion about future energy policies with University Professor Kenneth Deffeyes and a presentation at an energy exposition in early August by chapter member James Coan '09.
They also hope to start Fireside Chats, informal discussion sessions where students propose policy ideas. The chats, named after President Franklin Roosevelt's famous weekly radio addresses, will begin Friday.
Peteraf said the discussions may help counter the perceived political apathy among students. "We are hoping that through these Fireside Chats, we will form a political community on campus," she said.
In addition to the discussion sessions, the University chapter also hopes to spark discussion through student debates. The first issue on the table is the use of ethanol as a fuel, which will be discussed Thursday, as part of the group's effort to expand its coverage from local to national issues.
"The original organizers wanted to focus on local issues," Coan said. "But we don't want to be entirely tied to local issues."
By focusing strictly on formulating policy, the Roosevelt Institution hopes to further stand out among the various political organizations on campus.
"We try to come up with policies and propose them to government representatives and non-government organizations," member Ashley Alexander '09 said. "I see a lot of organizations that definitely have a lot of strong opinions, but they don't try to figure out a better alternative."
She added, "There's not that many resources out there about what's the best policy outlook for the future."
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