Legislative Advocacy Presented By: Bill Spiers Director of - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Legislative Advocacy

Presented By: Bill Spiers Director of Financial Aid Tallahassee Community College SASFAA Legislative Relations Chair

Current Legislative Issues

• Reauthorization
• Federal Budget
• Loan Issues
• Ethics
• New Grant Programs
• State Budgets

What Should You Do?

• Be active in Legislative Affairs!
• Environmental scanning for financial aid issues.
• Keep your administration informed.
• Take stands when appropriate.

What Shouldn’t You Do?

• Take stands that will alienate

your administration.

• Take stands that can be

construed as partisan.

• Take stands that will jeopardize

your tax-exempt status.

• Take a stand without knowing

all the facts.

Resources To Help With Legislative Issues

• SASFAA Legislative Guide
• NASFAA
• Chronicle of Higher

Education

• Educational Associations
• State advisory boards
• Personal contacts

How To Contact Legislators

• www.senate.gov
• www.house.gov
• SASFAA has a link to these sites.
• Most states have a web site where you can

contact legislators electronically.

• If you can’t contact electronically, write a letter.

Addresses are online too.

• In person

Things To Expect During A Legislative Visit

• Be prepared to meet with a staff

member and not the Legislator

• Expect your time to be cut short
• Expect questions about students
• Expect limited attention spans

Things to Do During A Legislative Visit

• Be positive
• Thank the Legislator for what they

have done

• Be brief
• Know your points
• Admit when you don’t know an

answer

• Be consistent
• Make three points or less

Things You Shouldn’t Do During A Legislative Visit!

• Display anger
• Be partisan
• Tell them what they have done

wrong

• Tell them what they should do
• Tell them how much work

they’ve created for you

Things You Shouldn’t Do During A Legislative Visit!

• Take too much time
• Go unprepared
• Attempt to provide information

you don’t know

• Make promises you can’t keep
• Make statements you can’t

prove

What Should I Do After Advocating On An Issue?

• Watch
• Wait
• Be patient
• Be consistent
• Be persistent

What Will Happen After I Advocate On An Issue?

• Sometimes nothing.
• Sometimes you will get

part of what you ask for.

• Sometimes your position

will be voted down.

• Sometimes your position

will adopted.

Advice

Keep on advocating! DON’T GIVE UP! Have fun!

Legislative Relations

• Questions?