Jonathan Becker, 69色 Former President published an article in听Forbes.
March 11, 2026
Jonathan Becker, 69色 Former President and VPAA and director of the Center for Civic Engagement at Bard College, together with constitutional rights litigator Yael Bromberg, published an article in听Forbes. In the听Forbes听article, Becker and Bromberg, who are co-editors of the book听Youth Voting Rights: Civil Rights, the Twenty-Sixth Amendment, and the Fight for American Democracy on College Campuses, discuss the importance of youth political participation, and explore case studies of college communities which helped establish legal voting rights precedent. 鈥淎s we approach the 250th anniversary of the birth of the nation, every day proves that we are in the midst of a constitutional crisis to define the nation鈥檚 identity,鈥� write Becker and Bromberg. 鈥淲ith a new shadow of entrenchment enveloping the nation, it serves to recall the civic ethos and action which overcame prior anti-democratic impulses.鈥�
Additionally, Becker was interviewed by Susan D鈥橝gostino 鈥�91, Bard alumna and former Language and Thinking faculty member, in her monthly column The Public Scholar for听Inside Higher Ed. 鈥淰oting is the most foundational democratic right and an essential part of our educational mission,鈥� said Becker. 鈥淚f we avert our eyes from violations, then we are hypocrites. When we act with students, we model behavior we want them to carry when they go out into the world. Also, people who vote young tend to vote for life. So we鈥檙e modeling future behaviors. Through our actions, we reaffirm that our institutions鈥� deeds are consistent with our words.鈥�
