NAFSA: Association of International Educators Region IV Website

Paper for letter writing
List of representatives and how to contact them
Information on the issues (such as can be found on the NAFSA web site)
Calendar to schedule personal visits and follow-up activities
Commitment to education exchange
Five "W"s of Personal Political Action

Who? You!

What? Write one letter to one of your legislators asking for support for one international education issue of importance to you, (of course, you can write more than one letter to more than one official -and do even more than just write- if you choose, but start with one).

When? Anytime, but it is most useful when legislators are considering issues or about to consider issues.

Where? From the comfort and safety of your own armchair… or anywhere you can compose a letter.

Why? As NAFSA's Vice President for Public Affairs Geoffrey R. Wood explains. "…You have a unique opportunity to share with policy makers the enthusiasm and pride you have for what you do. As NAFSA celebrates its vast array of accomplishments over the course of the last half-century, we as an association need to bring this record of achievement to the attention of decision-makers in Congress. Members of Congress should know the importance of international educational exchange to state and local communities, the country as a whole, and indeed, the world."

Why Me? What drives a person to political action? The first reason you get involved in politics is because you have pride in what you do. Your work is important. Political support of your efforts is critical to your continued success. Secondly, you get involved in politics to educate legislators to adequately fund and create legislation, which will assist the work you are doing, or at least not inadvertently harm it. Thirdly, you get involved in politics for economic reasons. International education's best-selling point is that it is the country's leading export! This helps the national economy, the state economy, the regional economy, and your personal economy –it goes a long way toward keeping you employed. (Ask the OSEAS folks how important that is.)

First Steps

So now that you have decided to get involved, you must determine your priorities and who to contact. Gather information. NAFSA's web site gives you all the facts. Click on Advocacy for useful sections, including reasons for supporting international educational exchange, an international education fact sheet, and answers to frequently asked questions.

Send a letter to your representatives in Congress urging them to support international educational exchange. A directory of congressional members and sample letters are contained in the same Advocacy section referred to above. The Contact Congress button will direct you to very useful site that will help you identify and contact both your personal federal legislators and those that govern your institution's community.

Remember: Money talks. Use NAFSA's Economic Impact Statements to get hard, statistical data on the positive economic and job creation impact of international educational in each state. Copies can be obtained from the NAFSA public affairs department.

The economic impact statement sets forth-national data on international educational exchange and the impact of foreign students studying in the United States. It also details the economic impact of foreign students in state-by-state, school-by-school analysis.

Thus, a separate report is prepared for New York, for New Jersey, and for each of the other states. This shows the positive economic impact of international education exchange on a statewide basis. This data can be presented to federal legislators and other individuals as an argument on behalf of the benefits of international education to the country.

The report shows the economic impact of foreign student contribution from tuition and fees for each institution of higher learning in the state. It is possible to identify each institution in a federal, state, or local legislative district, and add the sum of these student contributions for a total dollar amount for each congressional district. With more work, you also can calculate the additional living and miscellaneous and dependent expenses, less U.S. support, to come to an even greater sum generated by international student exchange at each institution and district.

Political Philosophy –A Volunteer's Viewpoint

Like your political representatives; identify personal interests you can both support and use those shared interests you can both support and use those shared interest to build a relationship. Don't make the mistake of vilifying people you don't know. From my experience, most politicians want to do an honest job and need supporters to encourage them to do so. Even if you can't really see your way to actively supporting the legislator who represents your district, keep the dialog open. Save your more active encouragement for a representative who shares positions you can support.

Your Political Representatives

These are the people for whom you can vote. This makes you intrinsically important to them. Even if you don't see eye-to-eye on certain issues, help them to find some way to support some of your issues, if not all of them. Everybody wins: You get what you want, and they get what they want –your vote.

Commit In politics, as in life, loyalty is all important. As the saying goes. "Dance with the one that brung ya."

Do Your Homework Another life lesson that serves political action well, do your homework. A good book on the culture of politics is Hardball by Christopher Matthews (Summit Books, Simon & Schuster, Inc. 1998).

More Advocacy Advice from a Pro

John Maggiore is a consultant who has served with a number of New York State representatives. He is currently enrolled in the master of Public Administration program at the JFK School of Government at Harvard University. According to Maggiore. "…A single letter, call, or visit might do the trick, but you are much better off building a relationship with your elected official and thinking of this relationship as an ongoing process."

The following relationship-building methods are ranked by Maggiore from most effective to the least effective:

Well-planned personal visit. The most effective communication method according to Maggiore, the well-planned personal visit should be proceeded by a letter outlining the agenda, and followed up with another letter clarifying the major points discussed.
Personal letter. A highly effective method of relationship-building, personal letters state personal experience and clear objectives, or ask clear questions.
Personal visit without a letter.
Group visit. Rehearse beforehand so that one person serves as the group's spokesperson, or topics are divvied up so that each person briefly addresses one point without the others' comments.
Form letter. These are valuable only when mass produced.
Petition signature.
Nothing. Sign a petition at least!

Maggiore goes on to list three more communication methods:

E-mail. Maggiore points out that not every office has e-mail or takes it as a seriously as regular mail. Regular mail also has the added attraction that it is more likely to be read by the official and not just staff, according to Maggiore.
Phone calls. Phone messages often are summarized and reduced to a simple sentence: "Howard Henry called and said to vote for A. 1234." for example. However, a call from someone who is known to the member or staff and has clear grasp of the issue(s) involved can be very effective.
So, although phone calls generally are not a good way to first communicate an opinion, Maggiore concludes that they are a useful alternative once a relationship has been firmly established.
Blast faxes. Believe it or not, blast faxes rank lower than "nothing" on Maggiore's list! The long-time political insider claims blast faxes leave legislators feeling harassed and generally do not elicit favorable responses.

Tips for Personal Visits With Elected Officials To make a memorable impression, Maggiore suggests the following:

Know your audience. Know with whom you will be speaking or at least what their values maybe.
Know your issue. Keep it on one issue and be properly informed about it.
Call ahead, write ahead and schedule your visit. Politeness counts in every culture, even in politics.
Keep it short. Limit yourself to one issue. Impose a five-minute time limit per topic.
Let one person be the primary presenter. Do not dilute or confuse your message.
Expect a polite and sympathetic hearing. Try to get a commitment, and offer to supply more information if needed.
Be aware of the varied demands of the legislator's district. Be open to hearing other sides of the debate, and be open to compromise.
Say thank you at the end of your visit. Leave one sheet of paper with your issues clearly spelt out.
Send another sheet of paper after you get home. Write your thanks as well as verbalizing it.
Keep in touch. Build a relationship: Become somebody from whom your elected official wants to hear more.

What Next?

You've taken the first steps, committed yourself to political action, done your homework, identified your representatives and begun the process of relationship-building with a personal visit. Why not take the next step? Use the following checklist to determine which specific actions you want to take.

Walking the Talk I will vote in each future election.
Letting my fingers do the walking I will write a letter.
Displays of public affection I will put a political sign up on my lawn or a bumper sticker on my car.
Partaking of fleshy delights I will go to fundraisers and meet and eat and press the flesh.
Feeling pride in my work and having fun letting others know about it

Advocacy Quiz - Test Your P.Q. (Political Quotient)

What are the three most important reasons to get involved in politics?
What are the two most politically important pieces of paper you have with you right now?
Which is the most important election to vote in?
What is the most important reason for you to contact your elected officials?
Why is it important to represent an organization when you meet with your elected officials?
Who is the most important person for you to see when you meet with your elected officials?
What are the most important attitudes to have when you meet with your elected officials?
What are the three most important ways you can help your elected officials?
What are the three most important things for you to leave behind when you visit your elected officials?
Where do nice NAFSAns finish?

Test your P.Q. Answers:

(a) You can meet very interesting and very nice people. (b) You can help elect/retain good politicians. (c) You can get money and resources directed to your projects and help save your job.
(a) Your voter registration card. (b) That green stuff we call money. Use both of them!
All of them. Politicians count votes and they count who votes, even in the school board elections. Politicians will pay more attention to you if you have a record of consistent voting at all opportunities.
They want to hear from you. Politicians want to do a good job representing you and want you to think well of them, and also vote for them again if they run. They want to know what your desires are so they can satisfy them, if they are able.
As an individual, you are important. As an individual who represents a group (which you can help influence to win an election), you are even more important. Go see politicians as a representative of some organization.
Anyone who will see you. It's glamorous to meet with the politician, but it's the aids who get the job done. Politicians may come and go: good aides stay on forever. Connecting with an aide and valuing that person's job gets you in. He or she can argue your case for you and help you to see the legislator when needed
(a) Be earnest: your commitment to your cause sells its importance. (b) Be honest: your facts sell the possibility of your goal achievement. (c) Be realistic: recognizing that your elected official is beset with many demands (some of them the opposite of yours) makes it possible for you and the officials to find some way to accommodate at least some of your requests.
Politicians need: (a) time – work a phone bank, deliver literature, stuff envelopes: (b) talent – don't bury your talents in the ground but put up a sign on your lawn or a sticker on your car: and (c) money – but it doesn't have to be a lot: decide what you can give to whom you will give and be satisfied. Your elected officials will be grateful.
Be sure to leave (a) a positive impression – see 7 above, (b) a piece of paper – one page only, with your issues and fact on it, and (c) a smile and a thank you.
Nice NAFSAns always finish first! Nice people bring out the best in others, and nice people visiting politicians bring out the best in politicians. Every culture, including the political culture needs more nice people.

The Basic of Advocacy and Good Relationships

John Maggiore suggests the following "universal" for establishing a good, working relationship with politicians:

Grow the relationship.
Communicate with a way that would work on you.
Don't throw bombs if you are not in a war.
Do your homework.
Your legislator is most interested in you.
Ask direct questions and don't misunderstand indirect answers.
District size matters (when it comes to access to the legislator).
Be prepared to lose some battles and accept some compromise.

[Editor´s Note: This guide to advocacy was presented by Howard Henry, with consultant help from John Maggiore, at a poster session at the NAFSE Region X Conference in East Brunewick, New Jersey, between November 1-3, 1998. It is developed below for GAB. Howard W. Henry Jr. a NAFSA COMSEC volunteer, has been the elected Council Leader and Convention Delegate for Division 311 of the New York State Public Employees Federation AFL-CIO for the past 20 years. He has been co-chair for his Regional Political Action Committee and the Political Action Liaison to State Senators and Assembly Members during that time, as well as a veteran of several federal, county, and city races.]

Article originally published in NAFSA Government Affairs Bulletin, May/June 1999

Future Region IV Conferences

2007 Hyatt Crowne Center, Kansas City, Missouri

2008 Fargo, ND

2009 Iowa

NAFSA Region IV