The College Democrats of the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a registered student organization that works to create a true community of progressives on campus.

Our club empowers students to make an impact on campus, regional, and national politics. We work to increase student participation in the political process. We work to get progressives are elected to every level of public office. Via movie screenings, guest speakers, discussion groups, and public debate events, we seek to contribute to the political dialogue and facilitate an exchange of ideas. We also party our asses off.

This club reflects the inclusive and forward-looking tenets of the Democratic Party. The club seeks to strengthen our party through educating members on the issues, cultivating motivated individuals into leaders, and providing a forum for students to network and socialize with other like-minded individuals.

Progressives believe that:

• The amount of money a person makes should not affect that person's access to a quality education and the medicine they need.
• A person who works hard and plays by the rules deserves a decent and dignified standard of living.
• That people cannot truly be free when shackled with debt, and that graduating with a five-figure debt burden as many of us college students do is a social injustice.
• Corporations, who do not have the public interest in mind, have too much influence on the election of candidates and government decision making.
• Our natural resources should be carefully managed and protected, in a way that preserves them for future generations.
• That we should be tough on terrorism, and SMART in the way we deal with terorism. The occupation of Iraq is a disasterous diversion from combatting real 21st century security threats. Diplomacy is an integral part of ensuring our security, because the United States simply cannot occupy every country.
• Americans should not close their eyes to the interests and the welfare of their fellow neighbors, community-members, citizens, and fellow human beings.
• Government is the institution we create to improve human dignity.
• Homosexuality is not a disease or a sin, and our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender neighbors should be afforded the same rights and dignities as everyone else.
• It is a fundamental right of each individual to make decisions about his or her fertility.
• Dissent and constructive criticism is vital to a healthy democracy, while apathy corrodes it. No one side has a monopoly on the truth.

Goals for the University Democrats

• To increase student participation in the political process.
• Empower students to make an impact on campus, regional, and national politics, via training, campaign experience, internships, and informational workshops.
• To further the inclusive and forward-looking tenets of the Democratic Party.
• To help Progressives get elected to all levels of public office, whether nationally, locally, or here on campus.
• To raise awareness about pressing issues on campus and in the community.
• Contribute to the political dialogue and facilitate an exchange of ideas, via movie screenings, guest speakers, discussion groups, and public debate events.
• Cultivate motivated individuals into civic and party leaders.
• Providing a forum for students to network and socialize with other like-minded individuals.

Our Plan of Action

Step 1: Train members. Provide top-notch resources for activists looking to learn more, such as a high-quality website, a library of progressive literature, a helpful internship referral service, and a blog site where UMass students can discuss the pertinent issues of the day. The Distinguished Speaker Series will continue throughout the year. A College Dems Conference will be held at Clark University in October, 2005 to train student activists in the campaign skills of GOTV, Finance, Public Relations, Canvassing, etc. A statewide College Democrats Conference held here at UMass in November 2005 will complement the Clark Conference, providing issue-oriented workshops discussing economic policy, healthcare, education and more.

Step 2: Connect our highly informed and trained members to political candidates and progrssive organizations. Travel to Holyoke, Turner's Falls, Greenfield, Springfield, North Adams and especially on the UMass campus, traveling door-to-door, registering new voters, winning over undecided voters, and building a stronger Democratic Party.

Step 3: Remain active in local and campus political organizations, such as the Amherst Town Democratic Committee, as well as Five College, State, and National College Democrat organizations. Encourage members to run for office within these organizations.