Fund Our Future: Reversing State Disinvestment through Student Advocacy Elena Sakopoulos Midwest Organizer
Tuition Trends – State Disinvestment
National Picture Student debt totals over 1 TRILLION – second largest source of debt in the country
Pell Grant • The Pell Grant makes it possible for almost 8 million low- and moderate-income students to attend college • The Pell Grant has not kept pace with the rise in college costs: in in 2016, covered le less than 30% of the cost of four-ye year public c co college. • 30 years ago, it covered over 50% of the cost of attending a public four-year university
Illinois Higher Ed Funding Average 4-year tuition in Illinois: $11,990 Illinois has the 5 th highest in-state tuition in the country Average 4-year student debt: $28,984 MAP grants cover only about 30 percent of student need
What does the future hold in IL?
So what can we do?
What is advocacy?
ADVOCACY : The act of attempting to influence public policy by educating stakeholders (lawmakers and the public) and urging them to take action § We do this by: § Providing stakeholders with facts, trends, and data § Keeping stakeholders updated with new information § Sharing our personal stories § Making “hard asks”
Federal & State Support for Higher Ed State Federal V irtually no direct support for Direct budget support to public institutions institutions Provides federal financial aid State-based financial aid (Pell Grants, Federal loan programs (Illinois MAP program) program)
Sharing student stories is central to our advocacy!
General tips Be flexible: Dress like prepare for a you’re going to chaotic Grandma’s environment and last-minute changes
Know Your Audience Familiarize yourself with your legislator, their background, and their history § Where are they from? What’s in their district? § How do they stand on higher ed? § Voting history on key legislation § Committee membership § What do they look like? ILGA.gov OpenStates.org
Know Your Audience CHAMPIONS: co- SUPPORTERS sponsors, leaders Ask them to take on Thank them! a leadership role Ask how students can help UNDECIDED Explain why this matters OPPONENTS to you personally Thank them, move on Follow up with answers to questions
Meeting Roles Facilitator – manage the course of the meeting, deliver the core Note-taker – one person message, make a hard ask. This should thoroughly person helps keep the meeting document the meeting, moving along. especially the commitments of the person you’re meeting Storytellers – with. Be sure to take down EVERYONE can provide any follow-up requests. personal stories
Starting the conversation 1. Introduce yourself and share your personal story • “Hi, I’m Victor, and I’m a student at UIC studying political science. I depend on the MAP grant to attend school” 2. Introduce your topic • “I wanted to talk to you about the MAP grant. As you know, there hasn’t been any funding for MAP grants this year.” 3. Make a hard ask • “Will you urge the Higher Education Committee to introduce legislation funding MAP for the 2016-2017 school year?” 4. Wait for their response and engage them in conversation
Keep in mind… § “Universal but different” § Rebuttals § Facts and data matter, but don’t get bogged down in the details (don’t guess or speculate!) § Leave something behind if possible
Legislator Rebuttals Patronizing legislators Dismissive legislators “We are here to share our “YOU work for us. What do experiences and understanding you say to your constituents of the issue. You don’t have to who are left without options agree with our analysis, but to enter the workforce?” please listen to our experiences.” Clueless legislators Sympathetic legislators “As our elected official, you have a “Thank you for your support. responsibility to come up with We really need your solutions on our behalf. Can you leadership – can you talk to commit to looking into additional leaders in your party?” revenue-raising options?”
Impromptu meetings If you can’t set up a meeting, call your legislator “off the floor” or find them in the hallways of the Capitol. OFF THE FLOOR Write your name and school on a business or index card, hand to door guard by chamber Be friendly and prepared to wait HALLWAY Ask if they have a minute Don’t stop them if they are rushed or on the phone Be wary of eavesdroppers
Keep in touch! YoungInvincibles.org @YoungInvincible FB.com/together.invincible #FundOurFuture #InvestInMe Elena Sakopoulos elena.sakopoulos@younginvincibles.org 707-815-3917
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