You don't have to read President McPherson's advertisement in The New York Times to know that Macalester students are generally civically engaged. Students participate in the community lots of ways: they volunteer, follow the news, participate in demonstrations and vote. Compared to the vast majority of colleges in the country, we are a very engaged campus. But as a community we can do much more. Now is the time for us to be fully engaged.

On Nov. 5 Minnesotans will go to the voting booths. Their selection of a U.S. Senator could very well determine whether the Democrats keep a majority in the US Senate (which is now a very fragile one-vote majority). Polls have consistently shown the Minnesota race to be virtually even.

It's not just fear of the possibility of Republicans having control of the House, the Senate, and the White House at the same time that should motivate students to get involved. We have a great candidate to support. Paul Wellstone is regarded as one of the most liberal members of the Senate. During his 12 years in Washington he has been fighting for our issues: the environment, education, human rights, health care, labor rights, fair trade and not free trade, campaign finance. Now he's helping to lead the charge in the Senate against war on Iraq. He's as close to a Macalester Senator as we can hope to get elected. And he's in danger of losing.

Karl Rove, Bush's leading political strategist, has made defeating Wellstone a priority. Twice, President Bush has come to Minnesota and raised millions of dollars for Norm Coleman, Wellstone's opponent. What Wellstone has working for him that Coleman doesn't is one of the largest grassroots organizing efforts in the country. Many Mac students are already involved in that effort, but the campaign desperately needs more volunteers.

Even if it's just for a couple of hours your help can have an impact. People are always needed to phone undecided voters, knock on people's doors, and prepare mailings. I'm taking responsibility for making it as easy as possible to volunteer. Contact me at 330-7484 or at dschwartzman@macalester.edu telling me when you'd like to volunteer and whether you have a car; I'll get together a carpool of people and send you to a volunteer center that needs your help.

It sounds pretty sappy, but Wellstone's personal integrity is one of the main reasons I have faith in the American political system. I'm going to do all I can in the next month to get him re-elected. I hope that you'll join me.