Higher education is under siege by a barrage of policy initiatives that aim to fundamentally transform the academy. The most visible and most sustained assault has come in the form of funding cuts. Nationally, funding for public higher education was 18 percent lower in 2016 than in 2008, amounting to a $10 billion total disinvestment. In many…

This article describes how positioning an organization to be seen as trusted and expert on an issue requires careful relationship-building, patience, and an abundance of time. Such an effort often requires help, and so American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) and Washington Partners are working together to further AIHEC's goals.…

Lobbying and lobbyists are integral components of federal and state public policymaking for higher education at the federal and state levels. While the actions and goals of lobbyists appear to be straightforward, the lobbying tactics selected by lobbyists vary for different situations and in different contexts (Browne, 1985; Cook, 1998; Gladieux &…

The best lobbyists for higher education are trustees, whose political power is that they can describe college concerns. Legislators want to know policy costs, who and how it will serve, what evidence there is of success, and who opponents will be and why. (MSE)

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…

Higher education must tell legislatures how the state should raise the money the colleges want to spend--even if it means higher taxes--and then lobby on behalf of those proposals. This also means addressing new and potentially controversial issues about the role of colleges in state politics. (MLW)

Two-year colleges are trying to change legislators' perceptions about their institutions, demanding increased state support, and working together to lobby as a state system rather than as individual institutions. (MSE)

Good working relationships with governors and state legislators are extremely important to trustees. It is important to approach the governor and legislators mindful of and sympathetic to the state's total needs. (MLW)

The power of the student vote in 91 Congressional districts where college enrollment exceeds the incumbent's margin of victory in the 1976 elections is presented. The article on student voters included in this report discusses voter registration rates among students, turnout of registered student voters, voting patterns of students, student voting…

To highlight forces that impede constructive relationships between legislators and agency representatives, advice is offered on presenting testimony in legislative sessions or providing information to a legislator, based on the viewpoint of a state legislator. It is advisable to avoid approaching legislators with the attitude that they are the…

John Brademas' career in national politics and its effect on his approach to his work as president of New York University are discussed. (MSE)

Outlines the 1981 legislative objectives and activities of the New Jersey Education Association for all areas of child and teacher welfare and educational legislation. Specific state bills and some federal objectives are cited. A directory of New Jersey legislators is appended. (SJL)

The activities of a University of Miami lobbying team at the state legislature's annual 60-day session are described. Each of the three team members has specific area and bill responsibilities, but their coordination and teamwork are seen as essential to success in promoting the university's interests. (MSE)

On any given day, higher education is represented in Washington, by not only lobbyists, but also students, administrators, experts on a variety of related issues, and professors turned legislators. A typical day finds these groups in varied activities directed at influencing policy. The American Council on Education is at the center of higher…

It is essential for a campus to designate a representative to develop a program for both disseminating information to legislators and cultivating good relations with state governments. This person should know area legislators and should work with them to prepare annual programs of activities for members of the general assembly. (MLW)