Second-Year Advocacy Project

Second-Year Advocacy Project

Please read the following statement before accessing my project:

My project, “The State of PSL: Results from a Climate Survey”, is presented as results from research I have done regarding the second-year cohort of PSL. While I call it “research”, it should be noted that is not to be confused with academic research and with appropriate oversight and scholarly methods. The SYAP is intended to be more of an op-ed style presentation on a project second-years are passionate about and since I could be considered part of the sample taking the survey, I inherently have a biased approach in the creation of the survey and the presentation of its results. Again, this project is not to be confused with statistically valid, peer-reviewed academic writing and though I present it in a way similar to academic research, it is a personal project for this SYAP forum. With that in mind, I will stress that although there are flaws within the research, the answers individuals gave and the problems identified in the results are valid concerns from actual PSL members; I would gladly lend my support behind more conversations related to change and I am sure many of the respondents would also be a part of the conversation. The unusual circumstances we have all been navigating lend themselves to unique and unexpected solutions and if I could go back and revise some of my work and choices, I would glad take the offer, but I proudly stand by what I have written and hope that others who read it can understand why I am so passionate about the group.

For those curious, I am specifically advocating for greater communication and respectful dialogue between all members of PSL. I cite specific problems and solutions in the Discussion section of my paper, but if I had to summarize my work it would boil down to creating new channels where students can freely voice their opinions on all manner of issues and use their voice to shape the program they are in. Regardless of how the data is skewed or appears to favor one side, all parties mentioned in the paper (Advisor, Executive Board, Mentors, Membership, etc.) would benefit from being more honest with how they feel and know that their opinion is valid and heard. If another poll taken from PSLers completely contradicts my work, I would be overjoyed since it would address the issues of communication and honesty that I have recommended and hopefully continue progress towards a better program. I look forward to having some of these dialogues in the comments to this post and encourage readers to read the entire paper if they have the time!

Click here to open a PDF of my report or visit go.osu.edu/BermanSurveyPDF.

Abstract:

The Politics, Society, and Law (PSL) Scholars program was created in 2006* as part of The Ohio State University’s Honors & Scholars Program. PSL is currently advised by Mr. Kevin Freeman who, along with the PSL Executive Board (PSLEB), creates programming for undergraduate students in a two-year program; completion of the program gives students a unique Scholars transcript designation (among other perks). Inspired by my own experiences within the program and recent developments, I created a climate survey to gather opinions and experiences from my fellow Second-Year cohort members. The climate survey was sent to members of the Second-Year PSL cohort and solicited honest, anonymous feedback on the program’s leadership, requirements, and membership. At the conclusion of the data collection, I found that opinion among the Second-Year cohort was generally negative and in multiple parts of the program. The majority sampled believe that systemic change is needed in the future for the program to align more closely with their desires. Many responses indicate that the program’s leadership severely lacked concern for salient issues such as student safety and respect of opinions. My hope is that these results will be used to inform real reformation within the program and membership opinion can shape the program in the future.

*PSL was actually founded in 2004, but Mr. Freeman became the advisor in 2006. I take full responsibility for this error and should be noted as a correction to the project.*

 

Artifacts: November Federalist Essay Response

Redistricting is a big issue in many states including Ohio, however that only addresses party imbalances inside a single state, not the representation imbalance that exists between the states. A look at the apportionment of Congressional Representatives in the House reveals the extremes of this disparity – Wyoming’s 579,315 citizens and Montana’s 1,050,493 citizens are each represented by a single Representative in the House, arguably giving each Wyoming constituent a greater share of representation than each of Montana’s. Moreover, the District of Columbia’s 601,767 citizens have zero voting representation in Congress, nor do the more than 4 million American citizens in Puerto Rico, Guam, etc. Is there a way to change Congressional apportionment in the House to make it “fair”? If yes, how? If no, why not?

Since the early 20th century, the U.S. House of Representatives has been capped at 435 members. The Constitution specifies in Article I that House seats should be apportioned based on the population of the state—as well as antiquated provisions for slaves and Native Americans—and with the actual amount per state being reexamined every 10 years with the national census. The Founders argued, with the westward expansion and the gradual addition of new states, there would be populations moving around the country and the seats must be reexamined. Unfortunately, the Founders would never have had the foresight to envision our modern country as the booming and populated nation we are with over 300 million citizens relying on the policy choices of their representatives.

For a period of over a hundred years, the House grew alongside the people. With the addition of new states, new immigrants, and new issues both domestically and internationally, the House’s representation continued to elect members to make every voice “heard”…until it stopped. A few decades after the transition into the 20th century, House members decided enough was enough and stopped the expansion of the House, limiting its membership to 435; instead of adding new representatives with every new census, the physical seats would be granted to new states with larger populations, pulling from the less populated states. This process has continued to plague the country even into today, where populations have exponentially skyrocketed over the past one hundred years, leaving an even greater portion of the country underrepresented, or worse, not represented at all.

Frankly, I argue that the 435 seat limitation is utterly ridiculous and unsustainable in today’s divisive politics. Although the whole state of Wyoming has a significantly lower population than the state of Ohio, even lower than my home congressional district in Cincinnati, the sheer geographic area that single representative must cover and represent is unimaginably massive. When it comes to population, Ohio’s District One (my home constituency) outnumbers Wyoming, but the physical land Representative Steve Chabot must cover in order to reach his voters compared to the single Wyoming representative is microscopic in comparison. Election season must be an absolute nightmare in Wyoming and Montana, for that matter, as the representatives must continue their jobs in Washington while campaigning over hundreds of miles across the state to keep their single seat. It is ludicrous that we expect so much work out of one person that is expected to listen and execute policy that pleases their constituency.

The solution: add more seats. This proposal does not need to add more stars on the flag nor cause riots in the streets, the only people who would be affected besides the new representatives and their new districts is the Capitol building’s janitorial staff, who must add new desks in the chamber and academics, who must correct their classroom posters and textbooks to reflect the new number of seats. While many argue that the digital age and new methods of transportation would solve the specific issues referenced above, I counter with the observation that if technology did truly bring people together and limit the work of representatives of large and underpopulated states, we would see less ideological and electoral division in the country, particularly in those states. Realistically, the number of seats needed to be added would likely not exceed 30 due to the already well apportioned states that exist throughout the country and although this plan will cause a huge battle over partisanship and which states should be deserving of these new seats, there are easy compromises all over the country where states can be traded, similar to how the very first House seats were decided in the Constitutional Convention. Finally, many Americans (including myself) consider a hallmark of democracy of having our voices heard and having fair representation and I believe that our current system fails miserably and leaves many out of the system entirely; the change is simple and the consequences minimal: add more seats.

 

Year in Review

[ “Year in Review”  is where you should reflect on the past year and show how you have evolved as a person and as a student.  You may want to focus on your growth in a particular area (as a leader, scholar, researcher, etc.) or you may want to talk about your overall experience over the past year.  For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

G.O.A.L.S.

Below, you will find the defined G.O.A.L.S. from the OSU Honors and Scholars program and under each aspect, I have outlined a few of my personal thoughts as well as how I plan to fulfill each requirement.

  • Global Awareness: Students cultivate and develop their appreciation for diversity and each individual’s unique differences.
    • I am an avid explorer. Learning about the world around me and traveling have always been two of my passions and I can’t wait to utilize the resources on campus to reach out and connect with foods, cultures, and peoples I have never had the pleasure of getting to know. One of my main desires sometime either this year or while I am a student at the University is to participate in education abroad and go learn around the world, applying what I learned in the U.S. in practice outside.
  • Original Inquiry: Honors & Scholars students understand the research process by engaging in experiences ranging from in-class scholarly endeavors to creative inquiry projects to independent experiences with top researchers across campus and in the global community.
    • “Research” is a term that has always induced confusion and anxiety within me due to it’s ambiguity and multiple different outlets of completion. At the H&S launch, however, research as a concept was posed as just asking a question, certainly something I could easily grasp. Therefore, my goal for this year is to learn how to actually go beyond questioning and working with a faculty member to begin guiding how to begin the search for knowledge.
  • Academic Enrichment: Honors & Scholars students pursue academic excellence through rigorous curricular experiences beyond the university norm both in and out of the classroom.
    • Truthfully, I have always had a slight fear of failure; nothing I would label as “test anxiety” or pressure from “helicopter parents,” but I got great grades in high school and want to continue reaching for the highest level of academic enrichment, even with a completely new environment. While I will not set a goal of straight-A’s for my first year, I will strive to attain to pass with decent grade (Bs/Cs) in all of my classes.
  • Leadership Development: Honors & Scholars students develop leadership skills that can be demonstrated in the classroom, in the community, in their co-curricular activities, and in their future roles in society.
    • Without sounding too conceded or narcisstic, I have always considered myself an active leader and member of any group and hope to be able to use that aspect of my personality here on such a large campus. I am unsure how common (or uncommon) first year leadership is in college, so instead of saying I will become President of a group, I’ll start small and just set a goal of being a good model for my peers and helpful to my friends.
  • Service Engagement: Honors & Scholars students commit to service to the community.
    • One issue I have been incredibly passionate about for my entire life is the fighting of cancer in all forms, specifically breast cancer. From about 8 years old, I rode in an annual bike ride to support my family friends’ family as both a mother and grandmother fought cancer; little did I know, it would hit closer to home when my own grandmother announced she had a mild form of breast cancer. I hope to continue the fight through college, particularly through Buckeyethon, and continuing to raise money for others.

Career

[“Career” is where you can collect information about your experiences and skills that will apply to your future career.  Like your resume, this is information that will evolve over time and should be continually updated.  For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

Artifacts: Mentor Profile

Anya and I, post interview!

 

Is a hotdog a sandwich? According to Anya Chew, one of my PSL Scholars Mentors, they are not sandwiches, but their own operate food category.

Anya Chew is a second-year Political Science major at The Ohio State University. Born in Mississippi, Anya has a diverse cultural heritage coming from a German mother and a Malaysian father and, in her words, she has “family on every continent.” Raised in a Methodist Christian household, she attended Church every Sunday growing up and knows for certain that her faith has shaped her views, lifestyle, and future and is thankful for every day. In high school, she was incredibly active in Model UN, being elected President of the group twice, which drew her to a Political Science path in college; when it came time to pick school, OSU attracted Anya because of financial reasons as well as an acclaimed Political Science and Pre-law program that would help her achieve her dreams of practicing international law or even working for the NSA. Anya overall feels that she had a good first year on campus and is lucky to be able to have found great friends and classes and even though she was out-of-state, she had no trouble to adjusting to Ohio or campus life. When not studying at the Starbucks across from the Union (her favorite spot), Anya is an ambassador for the Political Science where she promotes the Department to high schools and undergrads across the state and connects prospective students to resources and information that can help them form an educated choice into majoring in Political Science.

My first impression of Anya was that she was a kind, driven student that was passionate about helping the world as well as reaching out to her community. An issue she is sure to advocate for is mental health and the student resources available on campus; while there are adequate resources in place, OSU, she feels, has the resources of a much smaller school and needs access to appropriately sized resources and preventative measures that go beyond therapy dogs. Off-campus, Anya truly disagrees with the Campus Partners construction group that has been buying up property on High St. from well-established and local business in order to make upscale office buildings and apartments as she feels it disrupts the community and forces local Columbus residents to have to make room for rapid progress. As a registered Democrat, Anya feels she falls very much in-line with her party’s views, agreeing with the Obama administration’s various social policies, but is able to find common ground easily ever since her roommate last year was a Republican of often opposing views. And even though Anya wanted to be President as a child, her desire waned as she got older because she found out how much she valued her private life and saw how much pressure it would be to be the figurehead for the entire country.

 

Here are some quick and quirky facts about Anya that I had to ask about it…

  • Her “Harry Potter” house is Slytherin
  • Her favorite President is Obama; her least favorite is Jackson
  • Her coffee order is Caramel Macchiato (but she also might get a cold brew!)
  • Her favorite dining hall is Kennedy Commons
  • Her favorite book is “Silence” by Shusaku Endo; her favorite movie is “Interstellar”; her favorite musical is “Mamma Mia”
  • She has one dog named Romeo who was born on Valentine’s Day
  • And for her taste in music, she enjoys a spectrum that spans from One Direction to Kanye West

 

 

 

 

 

About Me

Greetings!

My name is Matthew Berman and I am a first year undergraduate student majoring in Political Science at The Ohio State Universtiy. I was born and raised in Mason, Ohio (about 20 minutes north of Cincinnati) and graduated from William Mason High School in May of 2018. When I’m not studying, you can usually find me practicing French horn for my next concert, running lines for my next production, or even preparing to attend Shabbat services on Friday nights at OSU’s Hillel. As a member of the Politics, Society, and Law Scholars group, I am often surrounded by ideologies and people that can both complement and conflict with my beliefs, so any opportunity to broaden my horizons is not only welcome, it is part of my daily life.

My superobjective for my first year at OSU is to establish myself in a new and often changing environment and I invite readers to follow my journey through this ePortfolio as I document my time on campus.