One of the great benefits of living in America is the ability to take part in the democratic process, thereby helping to guide the course of our nation, state and community.
All individuals at KU are free to express their personal opinions to policymakers. Communications making official requests for or on behalf of KU, however, must be reviewed by the Office of Government Relations to ensure it does not contradict the university’s stated policy agendas. Additionally, such official letters must be timely and accurate as they relate to legislation or policies.
But regardless of whether we are communicating a personal interest or representing the official views of KU, we can each improve our effectiveness by following a few basic tips.
Kansas elected officials in Topeka and Washington, DC, are inundated every day by phone calls, e-mail, faxes, regular mail and personal visits. The Congressional Management Foundation reported that communications to congressional offices increased by 400 percent from 1995 to 2004, with all of the increase coming as a result of e-mail.
Therefore, communications with elected officials will be more effective if the following suggestions are incorporated into letters and emails:
When writing to members of the U.S. Congress, an e-mail with a PDF attachment of a letter is appropriate for timely delivery. Mail to many federal offices in Washington is still being irradiated for biological threats, increasing delivery time by 10 to 14 days.
Finally, some topics pose special challenges, which is why it may be useful for individuals communicating about technical or scientific information to read this article: Communicating with Congress About Science and Technology Issues.
A personal meeting with elected officials and their staff is even more effective than written communications, since the discussion often allows you greater insight into that official’s perspectives on a particular issue or policy, as well as providing an opportunity to answer any questions he or she might have.
The government relations team will assist KU faculty and staff in setting up appointments with state and federal policymakers. We can advise you about what issues or concerns a certain official may have, making your meeting more productive. We can also alert elected officials of KU expertise in a certain field of interest.
Note: Because of federal lobbying laws, all official KU requests for meetings with the Kansas congressional delegation must be coordinated with the Office of Government Relations. Advance notice allows the office to provide an appropriate agenda and venue for such meetings.
Your state and federal policymakers are busy every day, and their schedules can change at the last minute. Be flexible and offer to meet with an official’s staff members. They are the institutional knowledge for elected officials and a discussion of legislation and policy with them is very beneficial.
Here are guidelines to make your meeting with policymakers productive:
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