Kent State will host By the People’s citizen’s dialogue tomorrow – a forum designed to discuss the purpose of higher education for democracy in the 21st century.

Kim Sebaly, associate professor of educational foundations and special services who helped coordinate the project, said about 70 citizens from different groups throughout the region will participate in the forum by deliberating the following approaches to higher education:

• maintaining a regional system for higher education to promote responsible citizenship and economic development

• tying higher education to economic growth

• making access to private education more accessible

Sebaly said participants will meet in the Teleproductions studio and classrooms in the Music and Speech Center to discuss the issues in break-out groups during the morning. In the afternoon, Kent State will participate in a teleconference with citizen deliberators from Bowling Green State University who are also participating the dialogue.

Sebaly said Kent State is one of 11 communities across the country participating in the “Dialogues in Democracy: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness,” the third By the People discussion.

Participation is limited, but Sebaly said the public is welcome to attend and observe the dialogue in the forum. The forum will air on WVIZ/PBS in January. For more information, contact Kim Sebaly at [email protected].

– Jackie Valley