USC Political Student Assembly

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USC Political Student Assembly

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PSA is a student run organization that promotes and encourages awareness and activism regarding contemporary political issues, processes and structures.

A part of the Undergraduate Student Government, the USC Political Student Assembly promotes and encourages political involvement and civic engagement across the USC campus and community. We are a non-partisan organization concerned with promoting civic-engagement, rather than a particular political view point.

10/21/2026

From high-profile trials to Supreme Court showdowns, the intersection of politics, power, and the law has never been more closely watched. How are legal battles reshaping the political landscape? What role do the courts play in an era of intense polarization? How does media coverage influence public perception of justice and accountability? And what do today's most consequential cases signal about the future of American democracy?

On Tuesday, October 20 from 5 - 6:30PM, the USC Center for the Political Future invites you to Politics, Power & the Law: A Conversation with Harvey Levin (TMZ) & Jeffrey Toobin (NYT). Join us for a wide-ranging discussion featuring Harvey Levin, Founder of TMZ, attorney, legal analyst, and television producer, and Jeffrey Toobin, legal analyst, author, and contributor to The New York Times. Together, they will examine the legal storylines driving the national conversation, the forces shaping the justice system and public opinion, and what to watch as these cases and debates unfold.

Panelists Include:

Harvey Levin – Founder of TMZ; Attorney, Legal Analyst, and Television Producer
Jeffrey Toobin – Legal Analyst and Author; Contributor, The New York Times

IN PERSON REGISTRATION: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/politics-power-law-a-conversation-with-harvey-levin-jeffrey-toobin-tickets-2003379171030?aff=oddtdtcreator

VIRTUAL REGISTRATION: https://usc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_QStDOmfhSBuHSC3prsjOzA

10/15/2026

Join the USC Center for the Political Future on Thursday, October 15 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM in the Vineyard Room at the USC Davidson Conference Center for a conversation on the initiatives heading to California voters this November.

California voters have long used the initiative process as a powerful check on the legislature, and 2026 promises to be no exception. From sweeping tax reform to housing, criminal justice, and environmental policy, this year's ballot could reshape the state's political and fiscal landscape for a generation. With so many measures to weigh, how can voters cut through the noise and make informed decisions? This panel will break down the pros, cons, and context behind each initiative, who is funding them, and what their passage would actually mean for Californians.

Beyond the substance of any single measure, the panel will also grapple with a bigger question: is direct democracy by ballot initiative a good way to govern in the first place, or does it invite exactly the kind of special-interest maneuvering it was designed to prevent?

Join our expert panel, representing a range of perspectives, for a lively and illuminating discussion of some of the most consequential measures on the ballot, including a proposed wealth tax, a measure to limit how much localities can add on top of property taxes, changes to CEQA environmental review, and a voter ID initiative.

Panelists Include:

- Bob Shrum (Moderator): CPF Director; Carmen H. and Louis Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics; Author of Concessions of a Serial Campaigner
- Mike Murphy: CPF Co-Director
- Brooke Armour: Executive Vice President, California Business Roundtable
- Christian Grose: Professor of Political Science and Public Policy, USC
- Mike Madrid: Former Political Director, California Republican Party; Co-Founder, The Lincoln Project

We are immensely grateful to Sue and Jeff White for launching this nonpartisan dialogue series at USC.

REGISTER HERE (In Person): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ballotpalooza-ca-ballot-measures-2026-tickets-1998398051367?aff=oddtdtcreator

REGISTER HERE (Zoom): https://usc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_R09Voz4ISyi-0cLgX9azqw

10/07/2026

Are periods of political instability inevitable? Or can they be predicted and prevented?

The USC Center for the Political Future invites you to a conversation and book talk with Evan Barker, author of "Nothing Left: Confessions of a Democratic Operative." This discussion will be moderated by Ken Broad, a member of the USC Center for the Political Future Board of Councilors and a Founding Member of Jackson Square Partners.

This conversation will take place on Wednesday, October 7 from 4-5:30PM in SOS B46. It will explore Evan's career as a Democratic campaign strategist, during which she raised tens of millions of dollars for candidates across the party's establishment and progressive wings, and what led her to break with the party she once helped build. The first 15 attendees will receive a signed copy of the book. Free pizza will be provided.

About "Nothing Left: Confessions of a Democratic Operative": Drawing on her years inside Democratic campaign politics, Evan Barker argues that hyper-progressive donors, radicalized staff, and an activist base captured the party from within, pulling it away from the working-class voters it once represented.

Panelists Include:
- Evan Barker: Writer, Podcaster, and Former Democratic Campaign Strategist; Author, "Nothing Left: Confessions of a Democratic Operative"
- Ken Broad: Member, USC Center for the Political Future Board of Councilors; Founding Member, Jackson Square Partners

This event is held in partnership with the Heterodox Academy.

IN-PERSON REGISTRATION: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nothing-left-book-talk-with-evan-barker-tickets-2001406311153?aff=oddtdtcreator

09/29/2026

Join PSA for our FIRST General Body Meeting THIS Thursday! We’ll be playing Political Jeopardy!! 🧩🎲🎰

📅 October 1
⏰ 6-7 PM
📍 THH 108

09/18/2026

Join the USC Center for the Political Future on September 18 from 10AM to 11AM on Zoom for a conversation about presidents, civility, and the state of American political discourse. How have presidents shaped the tone of our national dialogue? Can political leaders disagree without deepening division? What lessons can past presidencies offer for restoring respect and productive debate in public life? Join Frederick J. Ryan Jr., Chairman of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute and former Chief of Staff to President Ronald Reagan, and Bob Shrum, Director of the USC Center for the Political Future and veteran Democratic political strategist, for a bipartisan conversation about presidential leadership and the role of civility in American democracy.

Featuring:
- Fred Ryan: Director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation's Center on Civility and Democracy, Chairman of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute, Co-Founder of Politico, former Chief of Staff to President Ronald Reagan.
- Bob Shrum: Director, USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future; Carmen H. and Louis Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics; Author of “Concessions of a Serial Campaigner”

REGISTER HERE: https://usc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_UGa-76dsQUiiV9nwaX9TYA #/registration

09/16/2026

Join the USC Center for the Political Future on Wednesday, September 16 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM at the USC Ronald Tutor Campus Center, The Forum (TCC 450) for a conversation about the state of American education. How did Mississippi surpass California in educational outcomes? Do charter schools and voucher programs undermine public instruction? Are teacher unions part of the problem or part of the solution to better education in America? Join top experts in this lively discussion about which reforms are working and which ones are not.

Panelists Include:
- Bob Shrum (Moderator): Director, USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future; Carmen H. and Louis Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics; Author of Concessions of a Serial Campaigner
- Amy McIntosh: Former Assistant Secretary of Education in the Obama Administration; Fall 2026 Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future
- Pedro Noguera: Dean, USC Rossier School of Education
- Marshall Tuck: CEO, EdVoice; Former CEO, Partnership for Los Angeles Schools; Former President, Green Dot Public Schools

We are immensely grateful to Sue and Jeff White for launching this nonpartisan dialogue series at USC.

IN PERSON REGISTRATION LINK: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/education-reform-whats-working-and-whats-not-tickets-1998397973133?aff=oddtdtcreator

REGISTER FOR THE ZOOM WEBINAR: https://usc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_JyaJha1URPiqHXLWcD1SEw

09/15/2026

Join PSA with USC Center Political Future TODAY for National Voter Registration Day! 🗳️📣

Stop by to learn how to register to vote or check your voter registration status!

📅 Tuesday, Sept 15
⏰ 10am - 2pm
📍Trousdale Parkway/Founders Park

09/03/2026

JOIN PSA 🗳️

Do you want to get more involved in political programming and civic engagement? Join PSA E-Board today!

Applications for Director of Internal Affairs are open now! Apply by Wednesday, September 9th! 🚨

05/04/2026

Join us TOMORROW May 5 for an exclusive conversation with former Second Gentleman of the United States Douglas Emhoff.

From a distinguished career in entertainment law to his time in the White House and now as a professor at USC, Emhoff brings a rare and compelling perspective on the intersection of law, politics, and public service. This conversation will offer unique insights into his journey and the lessons it holds for navigating today’s political and professional landscape.

RSVP at the link in our bio!

⏰ 5:30-6:30 PM
📍 Shared Upon RSVP

04/23/2026

VOTE for PSA’s 2026-2027 Executive Director and Assistant Directors TONIGHT 🗳️🗣️

📍 SOS B15: USC Center for the Political Future
⏰ TONIGHT @ 7 PM

Address

3607 Trousdale Pkwy, TCC 224
Los Angeles, CA
90007

Telephone

+12137405620

Website

https://politicalstudent-assembly.squarespace.com/

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