From individual institutions to statewide coalitions, community colleges are developing sophisticated approaches to legislative relations that strengthen ties with elected officials. Building these relationships can bring immediate and long-term benefits for your college.
This article is part of a monthly series provided by the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations, an affiliated council of the American Association of Community Colleges.
Jeff Julian, chief of staff and vice president of external affairs at Harper College in Illinois, has a systematized philosophy he calls a “relationship engagement measurement system,” which categorizes each elected official as having no, low, medium or high engagement with the college.
“I want as many of the elected officials that represent Harper in that high-to-medium engagement space,” he says.
The idea resonates with Paul Carlsen, president of Lakeshore College in Wisconsin, who calls his college’s approach to legislators “relationship-based and not transactional-based.”
“My goal is that when they think of two-year colleges, they’re just thinking about us,” he says, “that we’re always top of mind.”
Coordinated statewide messaging
For the Oregon Community College Association (OCCA), the goal is to coordinate messaging for 17 independent colleges, ensuring the association maintains one voice. To do so, the association uses campus advocacy coordinators who meet biweekly throughout the year, says Casey White-Zollman, OCCA’s communications director.
Wisconsin employs a similar approach through the Wisconsin Technical College System, which coordinates 16 independent colleges.
“When we’re all speaking the same language on the same platform, our ability to drive change is much different than if we’re all doing our own thing,” Carlsen says.
Student voices as advocacy tools
Students are often a college’s most powerful advocates. Carlsen has institutionalized this through Wisconsin Student Government Day at the Capitol, where he accompanies student officers to legislative meetings—not to be the one who’s advocating but to offer support.
“That has sent a super positive message to our legislators, that it’s not just Paul advocating and then students somewhere over here,” he says. “It’s showing them that we’re a collective body.”
Oregon has systematized student engagement through a database categorizing different student types — veterans, single parents, nursing students, White-Zollman says. This makes it easier to identify appropriate speakers for specific issues. Remote testimony options have also expanded participation opportunities for students who might otherwise face barriers to advocacy.
Building long-term trust
Making connections with legislators should start early — at Lakeshore College, it begins once candidates become nominees, which goes a long way in building long-term trust.
When hosting campus visits for first-time visitors, Carlsen recommends comprehensive tours and interest-focused follow-ups. For example, “If we’ve got a legislator who is really into healthcare, next time we bring them back (to campus), we’re going to have a tour of our healthcare programs and targeted interactions with our nursing students.”
Julian takes a similarly strategic approach, focusing on getting newly elected officials to campus for targeted tours based on their backgrounds and policy interests. For example, Harper’s simulation hospital serves as a signature showcase where lawmakers can experience hands-on training environments.
Beyond more traditional campus visits, Carlsen emphasizes the importance of getting legislators to campus for happenings like legislative breakfasts and connecting at community events. Carlsen attends county fairs, Rotary meetings and Chamber of Commerce events where legislators speak.
Creating positive experiences for legislators is important, and one way to achieve this is by taking extensive photos they can use for social media and newsletters, Carlsen says. These experiences and touchpoints might not necessarily have an immediate outcome, but they can leave a good thought in that legislator’s mind.
Over time, relationship building with legislators will pay dividends.
“That investment you’re making might be the difference between getting a $1 million congressional funding request three or four years down the line,” Julian says.
The key is staying engaged consistently beyond asking for support, and knowing when is the right time to reach out.
“We’re very protective of when we are asking for things or taking positions because we want legislators to know we’re only doing that because it’s extremely important,” Carlsen says.
However, he also stresses that those in legislative affairs at colleges shouldn’t feel intimidated when reaching out to their representatives.
“Don’t feel like you can’t just call their office and ask for them and talk to them, regardless of the level,” Carlsen says, “because at the end of the day, they are elected officials, and you need to maintain access to them.”
