SUNYCUAD Legislative Plans – Building a 12 Month Outreach Effort

1. SUNYCUADLegislative Plans – Building a 12 Month Outreach Effort

2. Presentation Goals • Review the national perspective in legislative support • How to effectively communicate with lawmakers • What works well and not so well • Develop a 12-month legislative strategy; brainstorm strategies and tactics • Next steps in your legislative outreach effort

3. National Perspective in State Funding • Historically, strong support in return for low tuition and high state enrollment/access • Since 2000, tuition caps removed and out-of-state enrollment rising in many states • 39 states current face ongoing imbalance between revenue and spending • State’s general fund budgets for Medicaid have doubled in 20 years • Share of the population age 65 and older will grow from 12 to 20 percent by 2030

4. National Perspective in State Funding • In 1980, states contributed 50 percent of public universities’ operating funds • Today, it is 33 percent and declining • Only the most optimistic believe this trend will reverse • Must be more effective in communications with lawmakers • Must better tell the higher ed success story • Develop long-term partnerships with the state

5. National Perspective in State Funding • AASCU “Renewing the Promise” recommendations: • 1) States and higher ed must develop and sustain a long-term vision • 2) Campuses and systems must ensure broad access • 3) Higher ed and states must forge new relationships

6. State Relations Plans – strengths and weaknesses • Terry Hartle, Senior VP, ACE, federal relations • David Zook, Managing Partner, Sagamore Associates • Tanya Kelly Bowry, government relations, University of Colorado • Doug Wasitis, government relations, Indiana University • Cathy Connover, university relations, Montana State University • Travis Rendl, AASCU, state relations • Michael Trunzo, SUNY

7. Strategic Legislative Plan Strengths • 1) Capitalize on geographic representation of the campus with different legislators • 2) One stop shopping; no duplication of efforts • 3) Someone able to answer questions quickly • 4) Someone who can identify opportunities • 5) Frequent contact with elected officials • 6) Strategic plan, measurable goals • Well coordinated • Shared by all internally • Staff held accountable • 7) Accuracy of information and innovating packaging • 8) Honesty...straightforwardness…know what you are talking about

8. Strategic Legislative Plan Weaknesses • 1) The more you succeed, the more they want • 2) Sometimes campuses feel like they are not getting their fair share of representation or another campus is getting more attention than others3) Unstructured, no written plan, no clear goals • 4) Old fashion glad handing; good ole buddy approach • 5) Not synergistic and inclusive • 6) Focus only during session; not year round • 7) Legislators do sometimes prefer one campus over another • 8) Not keeping elected officials informed • 9) Bunker mentality…not sharing information…hiding when things are not going well • 10) Making up answers

9. Strategic Legislative Plan: What would it look like: • 1) Written by a team, with clear weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual goals • 2) Clear chain of command and authority of who is responsible for what • 3) Overall buy in of all campuses of merits of a consolidated system • 4) Include audience segmentation and empower each group • 5) A well developed legislative agenda…packaged with data of interest to the elected officials • 6) One person responsible • 7) Grassroots or grass tops advocacy groups • 8) Continued education of elected officials

10. Strategic Legislative Strategy for 2006 • Goal and objectives • Key audiences • Research • Key messages • Strategies and tactics • Evaluation

11. Strategic Legislative Strategyfor 2006 • Goal: To better explain the value of XYY colleges/university to lawmakers and other key constituents • Objective: Increase capital funding by XYZ percent • Objective: To procure funding for a new science building • Objective: To head off efforts to impose tuition caps • Objective: To ensure XYZ legislation does not get out of committee • Objective: To build closer, long term relationships with key lawmakers, staff and supporters in XYZ district

12. Strategic Legislative Strategyfor 2006 2) Key audiences • Elected officials, segmented • Key staff • Supporters/constituents • Grassroots organizations you manage • Faculty, staff, students, parents, boards and other member of the institution’s family

13. Strategic Legislative Strategyfor 2006 3) Research • Qualitative on hand? • Quantitative on hand? • Conduct qualitative? • Conduct quantitative? • Secondary research • Other

14. Strategic Legislative Strategyfor 2006 4) Key messages • Economic develop/workforce development • Contributing to the tax base • State’s future movers and shakers • Improving lives of our citizens • Partnering with state to build a prosperous future • Other

15. Strategic Legislative Strategyfor 2006 5) Strategies and tactics to send key messages: • One on ones • Small group discussions • Letter writing to members • Constituent visits • Media coverage you generate • Publications • Other

16. Strategic Legislative Strategyfor 2006 6) Evaluation: How to measure the effectiveness of the legislative effort at the end of the session? • Report card to key internal constituents • Report card to key constituent groups • Reports to faculty, staff and students • Reports to alumni and donors • Reports to key business and opinion leaders • Feedback from key legislators, qualitative • Other?

17. SUNYCUADLegislative Plans – Building a 12 Month Outreach Effort