1. What should I say to legislators about the financial crisis?
Because the focus is on getting and keeping people working right now, emphasize both the short- and long-term economic impact of colleges and universities. In the short term, numerous colleges and universities are huge employers, and the multiplier effect in cities with institutions is large. In the long term, a more educated citizenry makes less use of entitlements while adding significantly to tax revenues.
2. How do I find out which legislators are most relevant for this issue?
All elected officials should hear from their constituents, but the policymakers on relevant committees (like appropriations and education) wield the most power in determining what bills make it to the floor for a vote, and they determine the form in which such bills arrive. See links to all state legislatures, as well as some advocacy pointers in the AAUP's Government Relations Toolkit.
3. What tips does the AAUP have for writing letters to elected officials?
First and foremost, keep it short and to the point. Academic writing is very different in style than the kind of writing used in state capitols, and AAUP members need to remember to think in terms of bullet points when communicating with elected officials.
Additionally, don’t try to sell a position solely on principle (i.e., in terms of “right” or "wrong”). Sell your position by making it clear why your proposal is best for the district/state/country and how it benefits constituents. Use numbers, statistics, and facts instead of simply appealing to the idea of the public good. Your representatives have to make some very tough choices from among a number of worthy projects. Using good data, tell them exactly how to sell your proposal to the voters and their peers. Anything you can share about local employment numbers—if local unemployment rates are lower than the overall state level—or average local income—if it’s higher than the state average (i.e., a higher tax base)—is persuasive. Even data that show lower local incarceration rates or lower-than-average use of public assistance demonstrates how beneficial our institutions are to the economy.
4. I am at a private university. Would it be useful for me to inform elected officials about the financial crisis on my campus?
Your situation is trickier, because legislators cannot do as much directly to support private institutions. However, many private institutions do receive some funding from public agencies, and this relationship might give those agencies and related elected officials reason to pay attention to the financial crisis affecting an entity they are funding. Municipal governments often provide some funding to local institutions, and government agencies that provide financial aid take an interest in the quality of education for which that aid is paying. Legislators are likely to be interested, for example, in faculty reductions that increase the student-faculty ratio, cause course cancellations, or delay graduation dates.
Additionally, private colleges and universities can be large employers and often make significant contributions to local and state economies, as well as to the revenues of local and state governments (partly through the income tax on their employees). These factors give local and state legislators reason to be concerned about the financial health, budget cuts, and workforce reductions of institutions in their district or regional purview.
5. When I do lobby visits, should I bring students? And what should they say to legislators?
You certainly could, especially if they are well-spoken, high-achieving individuals. It all depends on your main message. Just be careful that you are not doing combined visits if there is direct competition for funding between employee needs and student financial aid or tuition. Stick to topics on which the faculty, the student body, and, ideally, the administration are on the same side. And in fact, faculty reductions would be detrimental to teaching quality: larger classes and fewer teachers mean less face time with students, fewer mentoring capabilities outside of the classroom or lecture hall, and less individual attention. Consider coordinating with your campus administrators on this topic as well. Many of them employ lobbyists who already have contacts with policymakers, and they can give you valuable insights.
6. Are there restrictions on public employees lobbying the government on budget issues?
As a private citizen, you are entitled to speak to your elected officials about any topic you wish. Be careful not to claim that you are representing your institution in an official capacity, because the rules governing that kind of lobbying are different and may require lobbying-disclosure paperwork, as well as permission from the institution.
Make the distinction between representing the AAUP and being affiliated with it. If you simply identify yourself as an AAUP member, you have the same right to express yourself as any private citizen.
Both for the sake of being clear to policymakers about what we do and as a courtesy to fellow members who may hold different opinions, avoid expressing opinions unrelated to the AAUP’s work and purpose (for example, on Afghanistan or immigration reform) in the context of your affiliation with the AAUP.