CONTACTS
DR. VICTORIA FARRAR-MYERS
Lead Organizer & Faculty Member
ALICIA COLLINS-BUTLER
Program Manager
acei@www.arlingtontx.com
817-543-4304
Congratulations & Welcome to the Inaugural Cohort
Course Overview
The Arlington Civic Engagement Institute is designed to help interested individuals become more civically engaged and assume leadership positions in Arlington. By enrolling in this Institute, each student has answered for themselves the “who” question. The Institute is designed to teach some of the fundamental aspects of “how”, “where”, “when” and “what” of becoming more civically engaged:
- How can an individual become more civically engaged?
- Where are opportunities to become more civically engaged?
- When is the best me to take advantage of each level of civic engagement?
- What does a person need to know to become involved and to lead at each level of civic
engagement?
At the end, each cohort member should be able to compose their own answer to the “why” question – why does she or he want to be civically engaged – and to develop a plan for their chosen next level of civic engagement.
Course Expectations
1. Chatham House Rule
In order to create a trusted environment in which participants are encouraged to have a free and open exchange of ideas, all Institute meetings (formal or informal; in cohort sessions or in Perspectives Lunches) will follow the Chatham House Rule, which states:
When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under the Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed.
Cohort members are encouraged to learn from each other and help each other flesh out their ideas, and all participants need to respect the privacy of their fellow Cohort members and the Institute’s processes.
2. No Electronics During Meetings
Except as set forth in this paragraph, no electronic devices (e.g., cell phones, Smartwatches, etc.) will be permitted to be used during Institute programs for two reasons. We want all Cohort members to be fully engaged in Institute programming. Also, and just as important, to help create the safe environment under the Chatham House Rule, we do not want any recordings of the Institute sessions (either intentional or inadvertent) to occur. Cohort Members may bring a laptop, iPad, or similar device solely for notetaking, referencing Institute work or recourses, or for other purposes directly related to the conduct of the session.
3. Attendance & Participation
Cohort members are expected to attend and fully participate in all Institute sessions. Cohort members should plan their schedules appropriately. We recognize that over a 6-month period unexpected events can arise for work or personal matters. Thus, a cohort member can have up to one excused absence for a missed session provided (a) the member notifies Dr. Farrar-Myers as much in advance as possible including details of the reason for missing the session, and (b) make arrangements with Dr. Farrar-Myers to complete any necessary work to “make up” the missed session. The determination of whether an absence constitutes an “excused absence” under this provision shall be made by Dr. Farrar-Myers and the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce in their sole discretion. Cohort members are permitted to attend and participate in all Cohort sessions but can have no more than one excused absence in order to obtain a Certificate of Completion at the end of the Institute.
Session Topics & Materials
All sessions will be held in-person at the Greater Arlington Chamber from 8:00am - 1:00pm. There will be NOT be a meeting in December.
PERSPECTIVE LUNCHES
Lunch will be provided from 1:00pm - 2:00pm with the option to stay and network with guest speakers or to take with you as you leave.
Leaders from throughout the Arlington community will be invited to engage in an informal discussion with cohort members on their respective leadership roles and journeys, and their perspectives on Arlington and civic engagement. Cohort Members will be given opportunities to ask questions of these leaders and benefit from the multiple perspectives they offer.