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"When I dare to be powerful-
to use the strength in the service of my vision,
Then it becomes less and less important
whether I am afraid."
-Audre Lorde
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 25 Mar 1996 17:34:22 -0500 (EST)
From: Sandy England <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Hot USSA spring campaign: Setting the Student Agenda
Hey student activists, organizers, and leaders alike~
Following is a great deal of information on the latest USSA spring
campaign, "Setting the Student Agenda," (detailing cool, groovy issues like
fighting for student aid, defending affirmative action, and rejecting
anti-immigration legislation). Once again, students all across the country
are uniting around...
SETTING THE STUDENT AGENDA CAMPAIGN
I urge you ALL to begin mobilizing around the USSA spring campaign
immediately. Call me at 608.263.3422 (WI and MI students) as soon as
possible and I will fax you a hard copy of the spring campaign so you can
get started on it now. Please call USSA at 202.347.USSA if you are outside
of Wisconsin or Michigan.
USSA is committed to education access for all students. Three issues are
highlighted that are currently threatening and limiting access to education
- student aid, affirmative action, and immigration. We are now moving into
Phase 2 of the spring campaign, with a deadline of turning in materials to
the USSA office of April 2nd (approaching rapidly). I urge you to utilize
tactics that can be set up quickly but can still produce a large response.
Make sure you forward this information to others who are interested in
getting involved. With a large coalition, your efforts will be
substantially more successful.
<Concerning the "rejecting anti-immigration" segment of the spring campaign,
Wisconsin is not necessarily a target state, but Michigan is a targeted key
state. For anyone that is either interested in the materials or on working
on this issue, please contact me and I will get you the materials you need
to begin work immediately.>
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I. ---Student Financial Aid - How to Set the Student Agenda---
Over the past year, students have witnessed unprecedented attacks on
education and student aid programs. Over the course of 1995, every student
aid program which assists financially needy students has been threatened
with deep cuts (Pell Grants, Campus Based Aid) or elimination (State Student
Incentive Grants, Perkins Loans, TRIO programs, the student loan interest
exemption, direct lending, and Harris and Javits Graduate Fellowships).
Because of the groundswell of grassroots organizing by students across the
country, we have managed to beat back over $25 BILLION in collective
proposed cuts to student aid.
As we approach the FY 97 budget, student aid programs will once again be
affected by the prolonged budget battle. Members of Congress who are intent
on balancing the budget at any expense are looking to domestic programs
(like education) first to make drastic cuts. Some student aid programs are
vulnerable year after year. Programs which have been attacked in recent
Congressional and Presidential budgets include Perkins Loans, SSIG, and
graduate fellowships.
We must continue to ensure that student aid cuts are not part of any budget
proposal. The most integral part of the student agenda is electing
pro-education candidates who understand the importance of student aid. In
this election year of 1996, students are gearing up and SETTING THE STUDENT
AGENDA by voting in record numbers for candidates that will invest in education!
WHO NEEDS TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE AGENDA?
> Your local representatives
> Your state representatives
> Your senators
> President Clinton
So you are running a POSTCARD CAMPAIGN...
Call for copies of the postcards (608.263.3422) or USSA (202.347.8772)
1. Set a concrete goal for how many postcards you will collect in Phase 2.
2. Copy the postcard template onto colored cardstock.
3. Keep the postcards together on one page.
4. Have students fill out one page each.
5. Return postcards to the USSA National Office by April 2!
Timeline: Week of March 18 to April 2 --- SUGGESTIONS/TIPS
Meet with coalition partners
Create a list of tactics to achieve goals
Set a call-in day to Congress
Conduct class raps and collect postcards
Send press advisories for press conference
Submit opinion editorials to local and campus papers
Table and collect postcards in high traffic student areas
Watch for President Clinton's new budget
Have a press conference
Hold a local Student Town Hall Meeting
Continue to collect postcards
SEND IN postcards by April 2!
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II. ---- AFFIRMATIVE ACTION -- How to Set the Student Agenda -----
This past year has been challenging for students who have been battling to
save affirmative action. There have been several attacks on affirmative
action on college campuses and in university systems across the country.
While all of this has been happening, members of Congress have been pushing
legislation htat would wipe out all affirmative action. Bob Dole (R-KS) in
the Senate and Charles Canady (R-FL) in the House of Representatives have
introduced legislation that will overturn decades of Supreme Court decisions
regarding affirmative action as well as wipe out thirty years of bipartisan
federal civil rights enforcement policies.
What you can do:
> Call USSA for a copy of the spring campaign materials.
> Following is a sample letter which you can use in your campaign. You may
reproduce the letter in whole or in part to address your member of Congress.
> Students should not only tell their members of Congress to oppose the
Dole/Canady legislation but to use their leadership to prevent it from
coming out of committee. In addition, students should take every
opportunity to make visits to Congressmembers while they are at home in
their district offices.
> Call USSA for the section on indistrict lobby visits which will guide
students step by step from scheduling a visit through the actual lobby
visit. This is a very important step for many reasons. In this election
year, candidates want to know what issues are important to students.
Students have an opportunity to let their members of congress know that they
are registered to vote, are involved in important issues, and educate their
friends as well.
> USSA is available for assistance during any part of the process.
Timeline: Week of March 18 to April 2 -- SUGGESTIONS/TIPS:
> Meet with coalition partners
> Set concrete organizational goals
> Make in-district lobby visits to Congress members that are still in town
> Send out press releases for upcoming events
> Schedule teach-ins, class raps, and organizational raps
> Collect letters!
> Hold speak-outs, teach-ins, and class and organization raps
> Table in the student union and have students write letters
> Watch for movement in the House of Reps on Rep. Canady's bill
> Prepare for movement in the Senate on Sen. Dole's bill by writing letters
and meeting with Congressmembers when possible.
> Collect and send letters to the National office by April 2!
Sample letter - Affirmative Action
Date
The Honorable Represenative The Honorable Senator
U.S. House of Representatives U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable William J. Clinton
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, DC 20500
Dear ________________:
My name is (name) and I am a student at (school). I am a member of (your
organization) and we are working with the U.S. Student Association to
protect affirmative action and equal opportunity programs. Since 1992, USSA
has registered over a quarter of a million students to vote.
Currently, there is legislation in both the House (H.R. 2128 sponsored by
Rep. Canady) and Senate (S. 1085 sponsored by Sen. Dole) that would
eliminate all federal affirmative action. If enacted, these bills would
erase over thirty years of bipartisan civil rights legislation. Because
H.R. 2128 and S. 1085 wipe out all affirmative action programs connected
with federal contracting, they would have a devastating effect on hiring at
college campuses across the country. In addition, both bills would overturn
the long-standing principle upheld by the Supreme Court that race can be
considered, among a number of factors, in affirmative action programs.
I am urging your to cast your vote against / veto H.R. 2128 and S. 1085.
Please use your leadership to ensure that affirmative action and equal
opportunity programs are maintained to create opportunity on our nation's
campuses. As a voting constituent, I would like to be sent details of your
position and any votes on affirmative action.
Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you on
this matter.
Sincerely,
Your name,
Your address
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III. Rejecting Anti-Immigration Legislation - Setting the Student Agenda.
Call the USSA office at 202.347.USSA for materials. The target officials
that need to be held accountable to the Student Agenda are:
Simpson (R-WY) and Smith (R-21-TX) - cosponsors
Feinstein (D-CA)
Brown (R-CO)
Hatch (R-UT)
Abraham (R-MI)
Specter (R-PA)
Heflin (D-AL)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Congressmembers in: NY, TX, IL, MA, and FL
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Good luck to all of you! Let us know if you need organizing or technical
advice, additional materials, phone numbers, or other resourceful information.
Happy organizing,
Sandy England
--- JOIN the "country's oldest and largest student organization" in our ---
(((( 27th Annual GrassRoots Legislative Conference and Lobby Day ))))
-- March 15-18 in Washington, D.C. --
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sandra Hilary England USSA National Office
USSA Midwest Field Organizer 1612 K St., NW, Suite 510
(608)283-3187 voice mail Washington, DC 20006
[log in to unmask] President: Jeannette Galanis
Ph: (202)347.USSA Fax: (202)393.5886
** Internet: http://www.essential.org **
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