Bellevue University to Celebrate Constitution Day on September 15
Public Invited to Hear Humanities Nebraska Speaker Kent Warneke Presentation on "You Be the Editor"
The U.S. Constitution doesn’t include any specific mention of what constitutes news, or what information the public has a right to know. Or how media professionals should make decisions about what information to publish.
Those essential topics will be the focus of a public Constitution Day event to be held at Bellevue University on Thursday, Sept. 15 starting at 1 p.m. The event will be held in the Freeman Lozier Library, 1028 Bruin Blvd., Bellevue, Nebraska 68005, in Library Classroom 480. It is free and open to the public, as well as to University students, staff and faculty.
The keynote speaker will be Kent Warneke, longtime Nebraska news editor. He will discuss the role of the editor in balancing the interests of thousands of readers or viewers who have a right to information, and who in many cases need the information, balanced against the concerns, wishes and desires of others, including the right to privacy.. Warneke, whose appearance is made possible through Humanities Nebraska, will engage the audience in thinking through “news judgment” – what it is and why it's important. Those in attendance will gain insight into the decision-making process of determining what stories should be pursued, how stories are verified, and the process of deciding what to publish.
According to event organizer Lisa Cuevas-Jorgensen, attendees will be able to gain insight into the decision-making process of determining what stories should be pursued, how stories are verified, and the process of deciding what to publish. “This presentation explores the complex issues related to several of the rights guaranteed through the U.S. Constitution, including freedom of the press and freedom of expression, balanced against individuals' rights to privacy.”
Prior to Warneke's presentation at 1 p.m., Bellevue University students will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of Constitution Day activities in the University's Margre H. Durham Student Center.
Constitution Day commemorates the formation and signing of the U.S. Constitution by delegates to the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The federally mandated observance also recognizes all those who possess U.S. citizenship.
Bellevue University’s Constitution Day event is presented as a community service of the Kirkpatrick Signature Series (KSS) on American Vision and Values. The Series, which is required for all undergraduate students, highlights the importance of active citizenship in a rapidly changing world; one in which popular government, Western tradition and American values are sometimes severely tested.
Founded in 1966, Bellevue University is a non-profit university with more than 60,000 graduates worldwide. The University is a recognized national leader in preparing students for lifelong success with career-relevant knowledge and skills, while making college affordable. Routinely ranked among the nation’s top military and accessible institutions, the University serves residential students at its main campus in Bellevue, Nebraska, and everywhere online with more than 80 degree programs uniquely designed for working adults. The University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org).