Upping the Ante With Advocacy

With special trading-style cards in hand, a growing number of Cal State Fullerton students and parents are going all-in as they turn up the volume on grassroots support for higher education.

Caption: Frances Teves speaks to Titan Advocates at a recent meeting. Photos: Greg Andersen Download Photo

Caption: Clarene Weiman of Laguna Hills reads about the impact of higher education. Download Photo

Caption: Owen Holmes, left, listens to student Kayla Corriaty. Download Photo

Titan Advocates, a group of CSUF students, parents, alumni, faculty, staff members and community supporters, created eight Advocacy Cards — one for each of the California lawmakers in the legislative service area for Cal State Fullerton. They are: state Sen. Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana), state Sen. Tom Harman (R-Huntington Beach), Assemblyman Allan Mansoor (R-Costa Mesa), Assemblyman Jeff Miller (R-Corona), Assemblyman Chris Norby (R-Fullerton), Assemblyman Jose Solorio (D-Anaheim), Assemblyman Donald Wagner (R-Irvine) and state Sen. Mimi Walters (R-Laguna Niguel).

Time Magazine may have named The Protestor as Person of the Year, but The Advocate is Cal State Fullerton's emerging change agent.

Each card features a photo of the elected official with contact information on one side and the legislator's electoral history, education, accomplishments and the number of Titans registered to vote in his or her district on the other side. Walters tops the list with the most Titans in a district — 40,769 — followed by CSUF alumnus Norby (Class of 1989) with 26,135.

“Advocacy Cards are another tool helping Titan Advocates amplify their call for reinvestment in public higher education,” said Frances Teves, CSUF director of state relations and advocacy.

Titan Advocates are sharing the cards with collegues, friends and others to focus their advocacy efforts.

“We want their voices to count and be directed to the 120 legislators and the governor responsible for making budget decisions that impact the CSU,” Teves said.

Since financial support for higher education in California has plummeted in the last decade, legislators need to hear how their actions not only hurt students, but the future well-being of the state's economy, said Owen Holmes, CSUF associate vice president for public affairs and government relations.

"It's imperative that the message about the importance of higher education is sent," he said, adding that the Public Policy Institute of California projects that by 2025, the state will face a shortfall of a million college graduates needed to fill jobs.

For every dollar the state invests in the CSU, $5.43 is generated in economic activity, Holmes said. “That’s why investing in higher education is wise and critical.”

Assemblyman Norby said that the legislators pictured on the cards “are so flattered that it softens us to your pitch.”

State funding for “higher education, lower education and middle education is a tough issue,” he said. “There’s only so much money to go around, but phone calls from concerned constituents do help.”

Karen Y. Zamarripa, CSU assistant vice chancellor for advocacy and state relations, characterized the Advocacy Cards as “innovative” and a useful tool for CSUF advocates and supporters to urge their legislators to focus on “issues of importance to all of us.”

“I think the cards will go a long way in getting more of our friends engaged in supporting the university, given the information they need is right at their fingertips,” she added. “It is a great way to say to all of us: ‘The only way to make things better is to get involved.’ ”

Teves said the Advocacy Cards include a Bazooka Joe-style comic strip, an homage to the one included in the bubble-gum packs of trading cards of the 1950s and ’60s.

The comic strip features Sacramento Joe, a CSUF student who urges his fellow students to “make your voice count” and “know the issues and use your voice wisely to advocate for reinvestment in higher education.”

Political science major Jessie Frietze, CSUF's Associated Students chief governmental officer, said she has been passing out the cards at campus events and getting positive reactions.

“Students are telling me it’s a good message,” she said. “Some ask how to get more involved in our lobbying efforts to get the student voice heard in the state capitol. The cards and comic strip help make it easier for us to show students how they can get involved.”

The cards are the latest tools in the university's “Nuts and Bolts” advocacy campaign, which includes getting parents involved, Teves said.

“Parents are a relatively untapped constituency group when it comes to legislative advocacy,” she said. “Parents are voters and understand the impact of the budget cuts on the lives of students and the campus community. This effort, in partnership with the Dean of Students Office, aims to educate and engage parents in our advocacy efforts. The response has been overwhelming, and we look forward to further engaging parents in advocating for reinvestment in the CSU.”

For more information about CSUF’s advocacy efforts, visit www.fullerton.edu/advocacy.

Caption: Titan Advocates Lisa Litzinger, left, and parent Paula Hess review the Sacramento Joe comic strip, which delivers a “get involved” message. Photo: Greg Andersen Download Photo

Jan. 5, 2012