Despite the spike of fascination in national government surrounding the 2008 presidential election, interest in local government remains low.
"I know where City Hall is, and that they have a really nice fountain, but that's about it," said Julia McClure, a UF sophomore.
When asked if she knew who Gainesville's mayor was, she shook her head and laughed.
The City of Gainesville Communications Office is trying to change that.
In a six-week program called Gainesville 101: The Fall 2009 Citizens' Academy, up to 40 city residents will have the opportunity to get a glimpse of the inner workings of Gainesville's government and city management system.
The classes, which will start Oct. 7 and last from 9 a.m. until noon at various places in the city on Wednesdays, will deal with issues such as public safety, community development, infrastructure and plans for the city's growth.
Gainesville spokesman Bob Woods said the goal of the program is to educate residents and draw them into the governmental process.
"An educated citizen is, we think, a citizen that can provide better assistance to the community," Woods said.
Participants will have the opportunity to meet the mayor and other local policymakers, tour a Gainesville Regional Utilities facility and meet with members of the city's police and fire departments.
The semiannual program, in its fifth year, will hopefully draw more students this time around, Woods said.
"[Students] bring a perspective that is unique because so many come from locations outside of the community," he said.
He said that because students are residents of the city for two-thirds of the year, he wants to maintain a warm and inviting environment for them, which can most easily be achieved by their participation and input.
Dustin Fridkin, a political science graduate student who teaches a class about American state and local government, said local government should be important to students.
He believes many students make the mistake of disregarding the decisions being made close to home.
"Most of the political decisions that affect day-to-day life are made at the state or local level," Fridkin said.
He said that the Gainesville 101 class is an excellent idea and would encourage student involvement.
"There is a direct relationship between knowledge and participation," Fridkin said.
He believes there is something to be said for learning outside of the classroom and that through the Gainesville 101 program, students and other community members will be able to bring value to the community itself.
"Actually doing something is a better way of learning than just reading about it," Fridkin said. "There is a lot of value in learning lessons outside of the university walls."
Those interested should contact Bob Woods at 352-334-5017 or gainesvillepio@cityofgainesville.org.
