1) Strengthening coalitions with faculty can help pass bills by generating grassroots pressure and expertise on issues. Several examples are given of bills passing after gaining faculty support. 2) It is important to understand faculty concerns around academic freedom and student success and make requests in a way that respects these concerns. 3) Specific faculty members to engage include department chairs and tenured professors. Faculty organizations can also apply pressure. Make strong, concise asks and follow up ruthlessly.

1. Working With Faculty How to leverage the faculty at your school for the benefit of students. Nicole Allen The Student PIRGs Southwest Student Leadership Conference October 11, 2008

2. Why work with faculty? Strengthen coalitions Washington, 2007: After 6 weeks of deadlock, the WA textbooks bill was scheduled for a hearing 2 days after the faculty association endorsed it.

3. Why work with faculty? Strengthen coalitions Grassroots pressure Illinois, 2008: The Illinois Faculty Council generated 500 calls from faculty against proposed changes to the textbooks bill.

4. Why work with faculty? Strengthen coalitions Grassroots pressure Expertise on issues Florida, 2008: An economics professor from UF testified against a bill that would not address the economic problem of textbook costs.

5. Why work with faculty? Strengthen coalitions Grassroots pressure Expertise on issues Access to resources Lane College, OR The math department at Lane Community College sponsors storage space and donates books to the SGA-run textbook rental program.

6. Why work with faculty? Strengthen coalitions Grassroots pressure Expertise on issues Access to resources Access to students Powershift, 2007: The key strategy that brought 6,000 students to DC for Powershift was 4,000 professors who forwarded emails and recommended 1,400 student leaders.

7. Why work with faculty? Strengthen coalitions Grassroots pressure Expertise on issues Access to resources Access to students Textbooks UCLA, 2005: The UCLA math department negotiated a 25% price cut on a common textbook.

8. Why work with faculty? Your examples?

9. Understanding faculty What are faculty? Teachers

10. Understanding faculty What are faculty? Teachers Professional Scholars

11. Understanding faculty What are faculty? Teachers Professional Scholars Employees

12. Understanding Faculty Faculty Members? Faculty? Faculties?

13. Understanding Faculty Faculty Concern: Academic Freedom The principle that freedom of ideas is essential to higher education i.e. faculty should be able to teach their subject how they see fit

14. Understanding Faculty Faculty Concern: Student Success They are most sensitive to student issues when they impact student learning They feel threatened when student issues conflict with student learning

15. Working With Faculty Hierarchy of Faculty Members Deans (staff management) Department Chairs (academic management) Tenured Professors Tenure-Track Professors (“assistant” or “associate”) Emeritus Professors (retired, honorary title) Lecturers, Instructors

16. Working With Faculty Faculty Organizations Departments Faculty Senate (similar to SGAs) Faculty Associations (similar to SSAs) Faculty Unions Academic Societies

17. Working With Faculty Principles for Approaching Faculty Make it clear that you understand and respect their academic freedom Context everything through its impact on students’ ability to receive an education Be clear about what you are asking to avoid misunderstandings

18. Working With Faculty Tips for Approaching Faculty Know exactly what you want, and be prepared to make a strong ask Have a clear, concise overview of the issue Be prepared to explain, in detail, why your proposition is going to have an impact Ruthless followup

19. Breakout Groups Outline a plan to work with faculty to achieve your goal. What is your strategy for working with faculty? Which faculty member(s) will you talk to? What action(s) will you ask them to take? How will you make the ask? Group 1: Get 100 professors at your school to sign a pledge to prefer low-cost textbooks. Group 2: Pass legislation requiring publishers to provide textbook prices to professors Group 3: Register 2,000 students to vote