Roosevelt Network Releases 11th Annual 10 Ideas Journal

NEW YORK, NY – Today, the Roosevelt Network, a national network of students and alumni that supports emerging policymakers, researchers, and advocates, announced the unveiling of the 11th annual 10 Ideas journal. Chosen out of almost 100 submissions, the top 10 student-developed policy proposals envision bold new ways to deploy public power for the collective good.

“The students leading these projects recognize that in order to redefine the American economy and our democracy, policy solutions must be robust and inclusive, and, most importantly, put people and communities first,” said Roosevelt Network National Director Katie Kirchner. “By training the next generation of leaders and supporting the implementation of their ideas, the network is changing who writes the rules in the 21st century.”

Each proposal is the product of at least six months of work: identifying a problem, conducting formal research, and organizing and collaborating with local organizations and partners. This year’s proposals include:

Democratic Access:

• Decrease barriers to voting and increase historically low student turnout by making Election Day a campus-wide holiday at the University of Michigan.

Economy:

• Combat the growing lack of affordable housing in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, by implementing a split-rate property tax; and
• Reduce the number of vacant lots and promote localized economic redevelopment in Chicago, Illinois, by reforming the Large Lots Program.

Education:

• Diversify the specialized public high schools in Boston, Massachusetts, by redesigning the admissions process from the optional Independent School Entrance Examination (ISSE) exam, to the Massachusetts Comprehensive
• Assessment System (MCAS); and
• Improve long-term outcomes for Michigan school districts by granting retention exemptions to students who do not test proficient on the 3rd grade M-STEP literacy exam.

Energy & Environment:

• Require coal-burning power plants in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to use switchgrass as a low-cost method to transition to renewable energy.

Foreign Policy:

• Establish a committee through which the Cincinnati, Ohio, refugee community can voice their problems, concerns, and ideas about legislation and city initiatives.

Health Care:

• Introduce a measure to consolidate patient information by linking electronic health record (EHR) systems with the state foster care system’s Superior HealthPlan Health Passport platform in the Texas foster care system.

Human Rights:

• Improve the New York City homeless populations’ access to sanitary restrooms by paying local businesses a monthly stipend for allowing the public to use their restrooms for free; and
• Reinstate discretionary parole to alleviate overcrowding in Virginia jails.

“In a time of chaos and uncertainty, our country needs big ideas now more than ever. 10 Ideas gives students and communities the chance to propose and advocate for equitable, forward-looking solutions that tackle the largest challenges in their backyards,” said Zack Komes, alumni of the network.

You can read the proposals in full detail here.

About the Roosevelt Network

The Roosevelt Network trains, develops, and supports emerging progressive policymakers, researchers, and advocates across the US, focusing on communities historically denied political power. Found on campuses and in cities across nearly 40 states nationwide, the network is built on the principle that changing who writes the rules can help fulfill the ideals of American democracy and build true public power. The network supports student-led, scalable policy campaigns that fight for the equitable provision, distribution, and accessibility of public goods at the campus, local, and state levels. In addition to its student-led activities, the organization leverages the power of its alumni network—which includes public officials, lawyers, teachers, nonprofit executives, and researchers—to expand opportunities for the next generation of policy leaders. A program of the Roosevelt Institute, the network operates alongside leading economists and political scientists to bring the ideals of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt into the 21st century.

To keep up to date with the Roosevelt Network, please visit us on Twitter or follow our work at #WhoseRules.

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