As part of its mission to educate a new generation of responsible citizens, Campus Compact has launched a nonpartisan 2008 Campus Vote Initiative which now includes a host of new tools to help your campus get students involved in voter registration and education efforts.

Here are some ways you can act now to engage students in the fall:

Take the lead in getting your campus as fully engaged as possible. You can start with the concise campus checklist which draws on both Campus Compact's 2008 Campus Vote Initiative and Your Vote, Your Voice to summarize key approaches, contacts, examples, and templates for organizing campus efforts. The companion campus organizing guide offers tips for getting others involved.

Integrate into current activities—then expand your efforts. Find out what's already happening on your campus. Plan so you can fill gaps and strengthen existing efforts. Build a team involving as many key offices and departments as possible, plus anyone else who wants to help.

Use online tools to connect. Campus Compact's election initiative offers an online mapping tool to let interested people connect with others on their own campus or across campuses to exchange ideas and information.

Focus first on registering students to vote; then on getting them to volunteer and learn about the process, issues, and candidates; and finally on getting them out to the polls. Most states' registration deadlines are the first week in October, so you'll need to move quickly to meet them. The 2008 Campus Vote Initiative offers numerous resources to help students register, learn about campaign issues, and participate in get-out-the-vote efforts.

Start now. It's important to have a structure in place before the fall to be able to involve as many students as possible. That’s particularly true if you want to engage students through programs like first-year orientation.

In recent decades, far too many young people have doubted that their actions can make a difference. In this election, student votes and volunteering will matter, whoever they support. Their involvement could have a major impact on America's future, while starting them on a lifetime of civic engagement. We hope you'll help make this possible.