October 7, 2010 — Three weeks out from the Congressional elections on Nov. 2, the University of Virginia is offering a short course on "The Changing State of Virginia Politics."

On Thursday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m., beginning Oct. 14, the class will examine Virginia's evolving electorate and political landscape, starting with a review of the recent history of Virginia campaigns and elections. Students will delve into details like how regional cooperation and conflict shapes hot policy issues like education and transportation, partly due to the quirks of how Virginia funds those items and the interplay among local, state and federal government.

The class will then turn to this fall's contested elections and consider how they are influenced by such factors. The final class on Nov. 4 will analyze election results and consider what they mean for Virginia politics.

The four-week (non-credit) course, offered by U.Va.'s School of Continuing and Professional Studies, will be co-taught by Bob Gibson, executive director of U.Va.'s Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership, and R. Marc Johnson, associate director of the Tayloe Murphy Center at the Darden School of Business and formerly an assistant director of the Sorensen Institute. Guest speakers will address the class.
 
The cost is $100 and U.Va. staff can use their educational benefit to pay for it. Space is limited, so early registration is encouraged. More details are available here or by calling 434-982-2779.