Professor of history James “Doc” Sefton, pictured at a 2015 event celebrating his 50 years teaching at CSUN, will be one of the keynote speakers at the university’s 2018 Constitution Day event. Photo by Lee Choo.

The United States Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war, while the president is empowered as commander-in-chief. This creates an inherent tension that has unfolded in various ways throughout the years, including in recent decades.

California State University, Northridge will be observing Constitution Day on Saturday, Sept. 15, with a discussion about the Constitution’s war clauses, in a free event hosted by the Tseng College. CSUN history professor James “Doc” Sefton and John Evans, political science professor at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, will speak about the tension that exists between the president and Congress over the power to declare war.

The public is invited to attend the event at CSUN’s Orange Grove Bistro, located at the southeast corner of the campus near Nordhoff Street and Zelzah Avenue.

“CSUN’s Constitution Day program will examine what the Constitution says about the war powers of both Congress and the president in today’s environment,” said Marcella Tyler, executive director of program advancement for the Tseng College. “Two hundred and thirty-one years ago, 39 forward-thinking delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed a document that constructed the framework of our federal government. The U.S. Constitution is as relevant today as it was then.”

The event starts at 8:30 a.m. with a continental breakfast and will be followed by the presentation at 9 a.m. There is no charge, but reservations are required. Guests are asked to RSVP by Sept. 12 via email to melaine.pemberton@csun.edu or by calling (818) 677-7131.

For more information, please visit: https://tsengcollege.csun.edu/programs/constitution-day 

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, constitution day, CSUN, Department of History, Events, Orange Grove Bistro, Sefton, Tseng College