Grand Valley State University President Dr. Philomena V. Mantella joined three former GVSU Presidents Wednesday for a round table discussion on the Constitution.
Dr. Arend D. Lubbers, Dr. Mark A. Murray, Dr. Thomas J. Haas, and Mantella have been holding a series of conversations called “The Constitution, Elections and Democracy,” and the discussion Wednesday delved deep into the legality of the electoral college, and what changes would be made to the Constitution if it were written in the 21st century.
Leading the discussion was Constitution Attorney Jeffrey Rosen, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Constitution Center, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization whose mission is to educate the public about the U.S. Constitution.
The series is in response to the riot that took place on January 6th in Washington D.C. President Mantella along with Haas, Murray, and Lubbers, collectively wrote a letter and condemned the violence that took place inside the Capitol Building. In an open letter, Mantella wrote,
“An important question arises: where do we go from here? We must strengthen our commitment to principled leadership, civility and democracy, no matter the difference in our views and politics. We must work together, as we move forward from chapters already written in history, through today’s defining moments into a future of greater promise.”
The series is an effort to answer that question.
The conversation is in support from the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies, the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies, the Padnos/Sarosik Civil Discourse Program in the Meijer Honors College, the Office of Student Life, and the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation.
WATCH THE FULL CONVERSATION BELOW:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BouJqzEJQik
