Faced with arguably the biggest crisis of its 155-year history--the loss of at least 100,000 full-time members--the nation's largest union plans to respond by organizing thousands of new members and transforming itself into an even more politically potent force. Whether the National Education Association (NEA) can accomplish those goals while…

The largest political campaign spender in America is not a megacorporation, such as Wal-Mart, Microsoft, or ExxonMobil. It isn't an industry association, like the American Bankers Association or the National Association of Realtors. It's not even a labor federation, like the AFL-CIO. If one combines the campaign spending of all those entities it…

With the 2008 election quickly approaching, candidates continue the scramble to fund their campaigns--collecting money from individuals, corporations, and labor unions. Students can learn a great deal about the political system by examining how politicians are financed. The vast majority of high school students do not understand the influence of…

The article describes the model and principles underlying the Consortium for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities, a Washington-based coalition of national legislative lobbyists. (CL)

In less than a year a geographic district of the American Home Economics Association (AHEA) lobbied county government officials to establish a consumer affairs office. This program is a model for political activism attempts among AHEA members. (CH)

The two parts of this article are a survey of educational interest groups in Washington and a description of the operation of the liaison office that was created in 1980 by the Joint National Committee for Languages (JNCL). The general part of the discussion focuses on: (1) characteristics of interest group behavior; (2) perversities of education…

A model presidential nominating convention gathered 4,000 students from three states in May 1984 and selected Gary Hart as the Democratic nominee. Preconvention training prepares students to run the convention themselves while learning the political process in action. (MD)

Recent political action by the Higher Education Assistance Foundation, the largest student-loan guarantee agency, has highlighted the increase in contributions by administrators, faculty, owners of proprietary schools, and lobbyists to legislators' campaigns, and the growing sophistication of the process. Supporters call it prudent; opponents…

At least two dozen political action committees in six states (Alabama, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Texas, Washington) accept donations and contribute to legislators on behalf of diverse colleges and universities. Defenders say the political committees help keep the institutions' allies in office and protect access to them. Critics feel public…

Five approaches, designed by the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL), help educational administrators gain access to the educational policy-making process. They include a year-long fellowship program, the Educational Policy Fellowship Program, for midcareer administrators to learn about policy-making at the federal, state, and local levels;…

Five changes in state politics are especially relevant to state universities' lobbying strategies: scarcer resources, greater government responsibility, citizens less supportive of government, more frequent use of referenda for policy decisions, and more complex interest group and campaign technology. State institutions must adjust their…

The state of evaluation is reviewed and it is suggested that problems lie not only in the political advocacy process through which policy is made, but also in the way evaluators have approached their tasks and presented their results. A project at the University of Wisconsin--Madison is described. (Author/MLW)

The University of Minnesota Alumni Association has developed from a fraternal organization into a credible and active force in campus and state higher education policy. Networking, careful selection of issues, and clear communication with the college administration have been keys to the group's success. (MSE)

Describes educational activities that enable older persons to become more effective political advocates for aging-related concerns. Methodologies include role-playing and lectures. The effectiveness of current activities in producing politically skilled individuals is suggested for further research. (Author)

A report from the Committee R on Government Relations of the American Association of University Professors is presented. The Department of Education, federal budgets, reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, intelligence legislation, truth-in-testing legislation, amending the National Labor Relations Act, and the presidential election of 1980…