Now more than ever our nation demands for political accountability and effective policies which applies to our own community as Seminoles. Torchlight is the campus policy center ran for students, by students. Current director and graduate student in the Master's in Applied Economics Patrick Martin designed Torchlight with one goal in mind: bring transparency and accountability to FSU's campus policies through high-quality credible research. Modeled after the thousands of federal, state, and local think tanks across the world, Torchlight plays a critical role in empowering students' understanding of the policies that impact them. Here are Torchlight's mission, projects, and how to get involved. Any student can apply and as a member myself, I recommend to anyone who is passionate about FSU!
Noles, Have You Seen This? Torchlight's Research Sheds Light
Here's a quick glance of recent headlines for the articles published on Torchlight's website at www.torchlightcenter.org. Visit their site for the more on inside scoop. Continue reading to see more on Torchlight's mission and how you can get involved too.
-"Faculty Demographic Dashboard" published by Torchlight shows you an clear viewing of faculty race and ethnicity statistics for the Fall Term from 2010-2019 based on the Office of Institutional Research's Interactive Faculty Headcount Model.
"Undergraduate Student Demographic Dashboard" is the same concept as for faculty, but now you get to see the statistics of your student body and its diversity.
-"The Student Government Association Indigenous Land Acknowledgement Act of 2020" explains the "publicly available information regarding a piece of legislation within the Student Senate for the purposes of informing the student body."
Under the Research Policy Briefs tab on Torchlight's website is an array of unbiased, apolitical research on the policies and current events at Florida State, including:
-"It Passed! Now What?" A Review of the Fall 2020 Plan
-"Document Sent to the Student Senate on the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism" regarding the student debate over whether the Student Senate should recognize the IHRA working definition of antisemitism. Torchlight published a "collection of facts and interpretations to help inform Student Senators on the matter."
2. Introducing the Dream Team: Accountability, Transparency, and Research
Torchlight is divided into three student teams--Accountability, Transparency and Research--that work together to shed light on campus policies. Through published research, Torchlight provides information that improves the decision making for the student body, student leaders, administration, and state government. Torchlight is not a political campaign with a hidden agenda. Instead, Torchlight is a think-tank that provides non-partisan statistics which speaks for itself and allows students and faculty to make informed decisions. Think tanks and Torchlight function to perform original, unbiased research to connect with experts, advice policymakers, and provide government oversight.
3. Welcome to All Things Accountability: Social and Racial Justice
As a Seminole who wants to know where my money is going and what promises are being brought by FSU, the Accountability team has got you covered. Over the summer the Black Student Union provided ten policy recommendations to the University including:
-First-Year Experience reading curriculum rooted in social and racial justice
-Requiring freshmen to complete a module on the racial history of Tallahassee
-Departments and colleges creating a diversity and inclusion strategy that plans for "increased recruitment, retention, and mentoring for Black students, staff, and faculty."
On Torchlight's website, www.torchlightcenter.com, a progress checker is recording SGA and University action for all ten recommendations. You can see updated content on FSU's progress after receiving its recommendations from BSU, as well as a "Controversial Namings and Recognitions Map" that show markings that have come under substantial criticism by students.
4. Team Transparency Opens the Curtain
On Torchlight's website is an interactive guide to the current SGA senator and their contact information. Torchlight also has an interactive legislation tracker which documents bill topics, descriptions, and their pass/fail status that provides a transparent viewing of policies that affect you as a student too. The transparency team also has records for the vote history database and active petitions.
5. Research Team Gets the Facts Right
Critical to revealing statistical information, the research team works hard for you to have all the facts. Through policy briefs and interactive dashboards like the student and faculty demographic dashboard, the research team at Torchlight has the cards on the table. Data collected by the research team comes only from reputable sources like the Office of Institutional Research at FSU. You can request your own research information, like the breakdown of minority students across different colleges. Submissions for research request are free, and available on Torchlight's website.
6. Sounds great! How do I join?
Welcome to the club if you're as excited as I am for what Torchlight is doing for our Seminole community. Torchlight is an incredible way to be involved (all of it is remote work!), make a difference at FSU, and improve writing and analytical skills that employers favor. Torchlight is made of a diverse background, from students in economics, business, pre-law, biological sciences, public health--you name it, we got it! Apply on Torchlight's site, www.torchlightcenter.org and under the Team tab click join. You can also see the biography of all the students working at Torchlight. Help illuminate the truths and statistics to make Florida State University a better campus today, while creating yourself into a better leader tomorrow!
https://www.torchlightcenter.org/join
