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Florida State University is located exactly 1.7 miles from the Capitol building, where state representatives and senators decide on the laws that not only shape their districts, but also Florida as a whole. That’s a 6-minute drive, a 15-minute walk, and closer than most students’ off-campus apartments.
FSU and Florida A&M University occupy a rare position: unlike many universities across the nation, they are not merely observers of state politics, but are situated close enough to witness it unfold in real time. This makes politics not a distant reality, but our immediate neighbor.
“Politics affects the life of every college student, so they should be educated on it,” freshman political science student Helena Soriano said. Many other FSU students within the College of Social Science and Public Policy share this view.
It shouldn’t only be political science majors who are interested in what political activity occurs in the Capitol building. The bills discussed in committees there might eventually become laws that affect everyone in Florida, not just those who pay attention to them.
A research study conducted by Georgetown University examines how politics even affects college choice, with 29% of prospective university students removing a college from consideration due to political reasons, such as it being too liberal or conservative.
FSU students have chosen to attend a school located in the state’s capital, and whether or not they fall into the 29%, they will be affected by the legislation passed just steps away from campus.
Especially with the legislative session having started recently on Jan. 13, numerous bills are being discussed that, if passed, will directly affect FSU students and Florida’s public universities.
For example, HB 77 standardizes safety practices across Florida’s public colleges, reviewing these procedures annually and updating them as needed.
HB 1279, which is currently in subcommittee in the House of Representatives, requires distinguished state universities in Florida to reserve 95% of each first-time-in-college fall cohort for Florida residents exclusively.
It also limits international student enrollment at state universities and requires students to be a United States citizen or lawfully present to receive state financial aid.
As bills like these move through committee and subcommittee meetings and may eventually be codified into law, awareness among students is more crucial now than ever before.
Students across varying backgrounds and majors had differing opinions on how aware they believe their fellow student body should be of the happenings of the Florida state government.
Some students agreed that politics is central to student life and should be common knowledge.
“Every human deserves dignity and equal respect regardless of their political views. Everyone should be educated, everyone should vote, and know who they’re voting for. The beauty of a democracy is that we can all have our own opinions,” FSU student Daniella Pallaci said to the FSView.
“As college students, you’re the future and can vote,” Ava Craft, an FSU student and Florida native, said to the FSView. “On college campuses, civic engagement is important if you know the issues. Without an understanding of what’s happening, students lose the ability to advocate for themselves.”
Others acknowledged that it’s okay not to be that aware of current events and government affairs.
“People should care [about politics], but the extent to which people care can differ, and that’s okay,” Matt Shedd, a first-year finance student, said to the FSView.
“Politics are divisive and can ruin friendships or relationships, so it should be kept out of places like universities,” first-year actuarial science major Curtis Alexander said to the FSView.
“Our duty as people in this society is to be educated about politics, even if it’s not directly affecting us at this moment. It’s important to have care for others,” public health major Sloka Naidu said to the FSView
“People that are registered to vote should not be making uninformed decisions about who represents them,” computer science major Mo Jeneidi said to the FSView.
College students have been gradually increasing their civic participation since 2012. Yet this pattern isn’t always stable.
The FSU LeRoy Collins Institute analyzed the turnout of young voters from 2018 and 2022.
According to their study, younger Floridians made up a smaller share of voters in 2022 than in 2018. Those 18–24 year olds had the largest drop in voting, going from 6% to 4% of total voters.
One reason for this drop in votes from the youth is due to the overwhelming duties of being a college student.
“I feel like my coursework takes up a lot of my time and energy, so I don’t have free time to keep up with current events as much as I’d like,” first-year business major at FSU, Oliver White, said to the FSView.
This concern of keeping up with day-to-day activities and classes is legitimate, but civic action doesn’t need to be all-encompassing and time-consuming.
The best way to be civically engaged, even when school feels too busy or politics feels too distant, is to stay informed. Students can sign up for bill-tracking alerts or newsletters like Politico’s Florida Playbook, which highlights state-specific current events.
You can also watch a discussion on the committee floor at the Capitol or, more conveniently, through The Florida Channel. And if there’s a bill you care about or want to be heard on, contact your district representative or senator.
Kayra Serpenguzel is a political science and creative writing major at Florida State University and a Staff Writer for the Views section of the FSView & Florida Flambeau, the student-run, independent online news service for the FSU community. Email our staff at contact@fsview.com.
This article originally appeared on FSU News: From classroom to Capitol: Why civic awareness matters at FSU
Reporting by Kayra Serpenguzel, Staff Writer, FSView / FSU News
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