Government Relations Materials for Summer Conventions
A message from Kevin O'Neill:
All,
With summer convention season upon us, we wanted to distribute to you a set of materials and ask that your organization consider making use of them in some fashion at your summer convention or leadership school. As always, I know this comes late in the process and I apologize if that causes you problems. If we could get it done sooner with the involved volunteers and professionals, we would do so.
First, let me say thanks to all the players in developing these materials and the new programs we will rollout this summer:
1. Dan Oney (Phi Kappa Tau) and Gabby Leon (Phi Mu) are two 2007 graduates who participated in the 2007 Hill visits. Over the past few months they have taken the lead in creating an idea that rolls out in just a few days - a new Facebook application aimed at our student members and the hipper alumni/alumnae (such as myself) who have Facebook pages. Much of our next generation grassroots program will take place via this new Facebook program, which will also allow us people have done by campus, national organization or chapter, adding a fun competitive element to our grassroots program. The Facebook launch should occur before Friday, June 20.
2. Gabby Leon now works for a company called GIN Systems, which I know many of you are familiar with. The folks at GIN have not only donated their time and skills to creating the Facebook application but they are days away from completing a nice pro bono facelift to the Capital Fraternal Caucus Website as well. We expect to have that new version of the website operational by June 20 as well; if you look there today, you will see some improvements but some of the info remains out of date. When done, the CFC website will be integrated with our Facebook application (don't ask me what that means, I can barely put an update on
my own Facebook page). Many thanks to Gabby and our friends at GIN, as well as Tom Merrihew of Lambda Chi Alpha and Elizabeth Weiner of Delta Gamma, both past Greek summer interns, who have been very involved with the transition on these new initiatives.
3. Our 2008 intern, Kristin Slawter of Kappa Kappa Gamma, is responsible for many of the materials attached here and is very engaged in our summer efforts on a number of fronts; a second intern, Erica Rozetti of Delta Gamma, starts next week. Both Kristin and Erica are resources your organization can use this summer to help integrate Greek government relations into your convention plans.
4. Alison Ream of Delta Delta Delta took responsibility for the 2008 update of the GO VOTE 08 materials that are attached and we truly appreciate her assistance. Note: We are in discussions with MTV's Rock the Vote program about a potential partnership on voter registration/student involvement programs. If that partnership develops, we will send you additional materials related to it.
5. The Fraternity & Sorority PAC is in discussions with both Presidential campaigns to hold a tele-townhall meeting in the fall (one for each candidate) aimed at getting tens of thousands of Greek students and alumnae/alumni involved with the candidate at one time. The PAC is expected to pick up all the costs for this program if it occurs. We do not expect to have firm dates for these events until after convention season but the Powerpoint references the likelihood that they will occur. Thanks to Tom Merrihew, Kristin Slawter and Ashley Warrington of Alpha Delta Pi as they are helping to drive this project forward.
Now, here is what we have for you:
1. 1 pager on the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act, for distribution to your members, explaining the bill. Action Step: Ask members to use this information to contact their Senators and Representatives to push for passage of CHIA this year and to sign on more co-sponsors.
2. 1 pager on the College Fire Prevention Act, for distribution to your members, explaining the bill. Action Step: Ask members to use this information to contact their Senators and Representatives to push for passage of CFPA this year and to sign on more co-sponsors.
3. GO VOTE 08 materials - This non-partisan voter involvement guide is intended for your organization to distribute to your chapters so they have ideas of how to get collectively engaged in the election process. Action Step: We recommend you place these materials on your website or send them to chapters via email.
4. Greek Government Relations PowerPoint - This presentation comes complete with speaker's notes. It is written for those groups who wish to do some sort of education for their members at the convention and should be presented by a student or alumni member who is familiar with the Greek Government Relations program. You can obviously cut down the slides to suit your time period and individual organizational needs. We would ask that everyone take the few minutes needed to discuss CHIA, ask members to contact Congress in support of it, and show off information about the new Facebook application. We believe the materials can be cut down to as little as 5-7 minutes and can be as long as an hour (known as the "O'Neill version") depending on your needs; if you need help creating an appropriate version for your organization, let us know and we will help you out. NOTE: This Powe point should NOT be distributed to your members via email without our express written permission for a variety of reasons.
Please let us know if your organization uses these materials during your summer event so we can get your feedback on what works and does not.
Thanks for your continued support of the Greek Government Relations program.
Interfraternally,
Kevin
Inquiries regarding the government relations initiatives of the NIC should be directed to the NIC office at nic@nicindy.org