The student-run community news site of Vermont State University - Johnson

Basement Medicine

The student-run community news site of Vermont State University - Johnson

Basement Medicine

The student-run community news site of Vermont State University - Johnson

Basement Medicine

Petition prompts reinstatement of spring Constitutional Law class

Retired Judge Edward J. Cashman’ s Constitutional Law course is once again being offered, following petitioning by students after the course was removed from the spring schedule of classes at the end of the last semester.

The class covers Supreme Court decisions and the rights of state governments and of the individual.

Dylan Giambatista, a Political Science major, had hoped to take Constitutional Law and planned his next semester schedule around the course. He was dismayed upon learning of its elimination, apparently due to projected low enrollment. .

Another political science student, Jacob Pecor, had also made a special effort to include Constitutional Law in his schedule.

“From a student’s perspective, the Constitutional Law situation was frustrating,” said Giambatista. “…You can imagine the disappointment of students who had arranged their schedules around the course.”

In their Local Government class, it became clear that there was a consensus among classmates for the course’s reinstatement. .

“At that moment, we elected to circulate a petition amongst students,” said Giambatista. “It was all very fitting—I mean, c’mon; if there’s one group of students who should know how to elevate a cause, it’s the political science junkies.”

Giambatista also composed a personal letter to the Humanities department, explaining why he felt it was important for Johnson to keep the class available.

Once the petition was submitted, Academic Dean Daniel Regan agreed to reinstate the course. As a whole, the students fighting for Constitutional Law felt it was important to take an active role in their education. “Student activism may not be the most accurate characterization of what brought Constitutional Law back to Johnson,” said Giambatista. Rather, it was student participation. When students are active participants in their education, the Johnson community benefits.”

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