Washington, DC - The National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) today announced that its board of directors elected Michael Weiser of Miami, FL as its new chairman, a volunteer position. Weiser succeeds Craig Turk, of Los Angeles, CA, who has served as chairman since 2004.

NCoC also announced the appointment of David B. Smith as its executive director. Smith will succeed David Sandak as NCoC's chief of staff on March 3. Sandak will become executive director of a foundation devoted to brain cancer research.

NCoC is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that is a leader in the field of civic engagement. NCoC was chartered by Congress in 1953 to create a more active and engaged citizenry, the only Congressional charter of its kind. Its programs encourage growth and creativity in American history education, community volunteerism, and involvement in the political system.

NCoC publishes the Civic Health Index™, an annual assessment of trends in civic engagement. To download the 2007 Civic Health Index, go to http://www.ncoc.net/pdf/civicindex.pdf. Its annual conference is among the largest gatherings of professionals in the citizenship field. NCoC's 240 partner organizations, among the most influential in the citizenship field, include the League of Women Voters, Points of Light Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Case Foundation.

As chairman, Weiser will direct the activities of NCoC staff and coordinate its 18-member board. He has headed NCoC's program committee since 2006 and has served as a director since 2003.

Weiser, 55, is a general partner of Lowell Associates, LP, a private investment partnership headquartered in Chicago, and chairman of The Weiser Group, a Manhattan-based communications firm. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism.

At NCoC, Smith will assume responsibility for development of various programs, including its annual conference and the Civic Health Index™. He also will spearhead its fundraising efforts, and manage all administrative functions and staff.

Smith, 27, founded Mobilize.org in 2002 and has served as its executive director since. Mobilize.org has assisted in the formation of more than 200 student volunteer teams on college campuses in 40 states. These teams participate in a wide range of civic and political activities. Mobilize.org is an NCoC partner organization. Smith has been responsible for planning five national conferences, including the recent Party for the Presidency.

"The chance to serve our country and our communities is a gift we give to one-another and to ourselves as Americans," Weiser said. "David Smith and I are committed to sharing this gift of service with as many people as possible. We want NCoC to be an ever-greater force for US civic engagement."

In Robert Putnam's new study -- E Pluribus Unum: Diversity and Community in the 21st Century -- he asserts that greater diversity in communities may lead to short term declines civic engagement. The notion that those living in diverse communities vote at lower rates, volunteer less frequently, and are less inclined to give to charity refutes much of the research used to guide social policies over the last several decades.

While the headlines paint a bleak picture for the future of creating cohesive diverse communities, Putnam explains that over the long run greater integration of communities is important and can be a significant asset. In order to help facilitate the "bridging" of social capital, Putnam suggests there are policies steps that can be taken such as building more community centers and offering opportunities for immigrants to learn English.

The Boston Globe provides a good summary of the study.

Peter Levine released a new book -- The Future of Democracy: Developing the Next Generation of American Citizens -- in which he explores the extent to which young people are participating in our civic culture and political process. The book stresses the importance of instilling in young people civic values while they are still "malleable." Levine offers suggestions such as increasing civics education as a way to mold a new generation of civic leaders.

The book draws upon CIRCLE's extensive research and also relies on NCoC's Civic Health Index which was first released last year.

For more, check out the interview with Levine in the Baltimore Sun.

Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor has launched a new civics education project, called "Our Courts," a Web-based learning environment designed to teach middle school students about the judiciary and other parts of government. "Knowledge of our Constitution and the role of our courts is not handed down in the gene pool," O'Connor says. "Each generation must learn about our system of government and the citizen's role." Once the "Our Courts" curriculum is produced by ASU's curriculum development committee, it will be piloted at schools across the country, then be made available to all schools within two years.

For more information on Our Courts, visit ASU's website.